Finally back on track to getting on with chapter 9, I felt it would be good to get some fresh comments on the story itself after so long.

    This should of been a repost, but with all the hacking and editing over[OVER 5 years of it!!]  who knows what happened to it. Hopefully a fresh dose of comments will get me moving faster.

    Reading it over myself. I can see my advancement in english over so long of a time. I really should just rewrite the first couple of chapters if only to fit the later chapters. But I never had the heart to even if my earlier works were just bad.

C&C and all that other stuff much wanted.


Other fanfics are located at:

    http://www.angelfire.com/ny/Ohdear/FANFIC.html

    I don't own anything remotely original here and if any lawyers come,
I blame you- ALL of YOU~
           

                    My BAKA Gaidin
                    Wheel of Time Series
                        Ranma 1/2

    
    Keys
*(thoughts)*

Chapter 6

    It was getting dark; night seemed to come very fast, that was very
odd for a season, which looked like it was going through a drought. The
sky was cloudless. It wasn't the best of nights to be outside as the air
was dry and it was still hot even with the sun going down. It was better
than the day though. His surroundings were much nicer than everywhere
else he had visited in this world. Whoever lived here was rich, a noble
he guessed.

    Ranma was not in deep thought unlike what was shown on his features.
He was just looking. He had been doing too much thinking lately. A lot
of things ran through his mind, but he pushed it aside; right now he was
at peace with himself.

    He had been surprised Siuan hadn't come looking for him. Her
emotions told him that she wanted to rip him apart, which he didn't know
why, but she said nothing. *What does she want from me?* Everytime she
would glaze at him with those determined eyes, but nothing followed.

    She had been hurt, but was healed. A whole group of magic
users...all women. He never understood them, the only one he could
somewhat relate to was Birgitte the archeress warder. He remembered
Siuan had been most astonished by Chi. Was it that important? She hated
or feared it, he didn't know why. *If using chi was that bad, how would
she react to the curse?* Akane had called him a pervert for that and if
anything else the curse gave nothing but trouble.

    Ranma decided to just relax, trying not to think; it would only
further confuse him. He got this habit after arriving at the Tendo's. It
was sometimes better if he just got away from it all for one moment. He
was a man though, and he wouldn't run from anything.

    "It's a beautiful sight"

    A voice, he hadn't felt a presence, but someone was behind him. The
voice was familiar; he had wondered what happened to her or even if she
was real...now...

    He spun around so he could see her, or an image of her. Faint and
misty, she was there with those big dark eyes, that serene face, and
that ageless face. *Ageless?* A brief image of those two Aes Sedai came
into the mind. They were old with their hair pure white, twins, but the
face; they had an ageless face to them, just like her.

    "You're an Aes Sedai," he breathed out. "Are... are you real?" He
was taken aback by all these new information.

    "I'm real, I can be sure of that," a musical voice, calm yet firm.
He could remember Siuan doing that a lot too, though she added that
harsh side to it. Hers was a more calm and pleasurable one.

    "How, what are you?" He was in a ready stance now. This was not
Ranma's first time at seeing a ghost, but one could never be too
careful.

    "I have no knowledge of how this happened, but it appears I am
linked to you." The answer struck like needle.

    "Linked?" This conversation had a nagging familiarity to the one he
had with Siuan.

    "I seemed to have to be near you. At first no one could see me, but
then, right now...I felt closer to you, almost as if I can feel your
presence," Moiraine had not dropped that serene face. She was quite a
sight, like a queen talking. "Then I knew you could hear me."

    *Linked...like a bond* He remembered he almost felt another bond a
while back. Checking carefully, he could feel Siuan inside the house and
there was a faint hint of a second one, near by, but whenever he tried
to look too carefully it always went back to Siuan. *How?*

    "Is something wrong Ranma?" Moiraine voice sounded like she almost
cared. Ranma had no idea with her. Siuan had been easier to tell, even
if she hid it with her cool face. But with all that he could still feel
what was inside her.

    The last time he had been with Moiraine, she played him like Nabiki.
Like his mother, she made every suggestion sound so right and like
Nabiki, she would always have that hint that she was right and he was
wrong.

    "Interesting," came another new voice, this one too sounded too
familiar for his mind. Ranma thought he had gone insane. Had she thrown
her voice, he swore Moiraine was now behind him. Spinning around fast,
there was a person behind him, sitting idly on a rock. *Was I so
startled that I didn't feel that presence too?*

    Cloaked in white, this person had a hood that hid the face in
mystery. She had on mostly white from what little the cloak hadn't hid.
There were red triangle like patterns embroidered along the edges of the
cloak and she wore blue slippers that sparkled with a crystal light.
Right now the person was sitting casually on a large rock cross-legged.
From the voice it was a she, and probably could be Moiraine's twin if
not Moiraine herself.

    "I was wondering where she had went." A musical voice, almost
teasing, unlike what the image besides him usually sounded like. This
voice had more emotion to it, not Moiraine's serene tone.

    Pulling the hood back, she revealed her face, the serene face of
Moiraine Sedai.

    "But, but how?" Ranma half muttered, half shouted.

    "Long story..." the cloaked Moiraine spoke. "To say, I brought you
here and was gave you a hand, a bit, when you used the Hiryu Shoten Ha.
Now we have this situation here." She explained as if everything had
been so obvious.

    *What? She caused this? Who was she, what did I ever do to her?*
Ranma was confused, amazed, and angry all at the same time. "Who are
you? Why did you do this to me!?" She only gave a friendly smile back.

    "Me...ooh_ Destiny. No? How about Philia then? I used it a while
back. I always liked that name," she answered all too casually. Philia
knew Ranma well and already knew what his thoughts were beforehand.

    "You, Ranma, was needed in this world, didn't Siuan tell you the
story? I guess not." She had not even skipped a beat at that. "Well the
Dark One soon will be upon this world, and you are needed to save this
world." *Well the reason I brought him here was to help* Ranma was
stunned by the explanation, she knew something like that would keep him
from complaining. For him to protest was to lose honor. "You might want
to ask Moiraine sometime."

    "Me? DarkOne?" Ranma responded with his mouth open. *To fight an
evil in this world, to save this world* His head was spinning, all these
questions popping up in his head, it was hard to think straight.

    Seeing he was stunned she went on. She liked keeping secrets, but it
would be much easier to get some facts known. "And we are all linked
now, Me, you, Moiraine, and Siuan I suppose, though I don't think anyone
besides you and me can see Moiraine over there," Philia's tone suddenly
got more serious. "For me, I think we're bonded. How? I have no idea how
one can be bonded to two people, but I can feel it as much as you."

    She gave him no time to think and Moiraine acted like if she was not
there. How well it fit to bully Ranma. Dropping a heavy pack that Ranma
had lost a while back, "Something you left behind. You might not want to
tell Siuan yet; she has enough problems for now, may we speak again,
ta-da." And with a flip into the air she was gone.

    Ranma blinked a few times *Bonded? Linked? Hey she'd disappeared!*
Everything just became a blur, she, the girl who looked like Moiraine
never gave him a chance to think. It was one shock after another and now
she just disappeared. Looking back, Moiraine was still there as if
nothing had happened. She gave a slight arch from her eyebrow as an
indication she was alive. *Why can't life ever be easy...*

    < OH MY! >

    Off to a distance Philia smiled at her performance, it was just so
convenient that Moiraine was also there. Ranma was so easy to maneuver,
but then she knew him quite well. She always liked doing these
mysterious roles, it was just fun. *What to do now, visit Rand?* Well
now it was all a big game, but not with anyone in particular, it was
with the pattern. The ultimate force, if go about wrong could cause much
damage because of her interference.

    "I wonder if there are any little trinkets for him, he might have a
hard road ahead of him." Destiny was spinning on the young boy and she
was directly linked to it. She could feel him, the bond allowed that and
he could feel, if a little harder, her. *It's been awhile since
something this exciting happened*

    < OH MY! >

    Siuan was tired; healing took a lot of energy when it was a wound
this serious. Ranma had rescued her, *Maybe that boy was good for
something* She was too tired to deal with him now and she didn't want to
think about what the boy had again done, again. It wasn't channeling, or
at least it hadn't looked it, but it wasn't natural either. Ranma had
been amazing, that sword in his hand had became a blur. It was sword
fighting on a new level. Again and again, he had shocked her with
something new, she could not deal with it right now.

    There was a knock on the door, it was Elayne with her head high and
graceful form. She had also received some healing, but not as severe.
Siuan herself felt like collapsing, at least this time it would be on a
bed. Another game, probably on the topic of going to Caemlyn. She was
too tired for this right now, but it was not so tiring for her to sleep
yet.

    < OH MY! >

    Sleep came and went, but it wasn't very restful. Ranma couldn't
sleep much; it wasn't so much of the resent discoveries, but the new
feelings that seem to nag him to no end. It wasn't so much of the one he
had with Siuan, but the other woman, the one that he couldn't see right
now, Moiraine. He knew she was there, just that he couldn't see it.

    It hadn't taken him long to figure out the trigger for his sight of
her spirit. One had to devoid the mind of wandering thoughts and focus;
feeling and sensing, almost as if one would sense the aura of an
opponent. He didn't need that now; the unusual bond told him she was
close, very close.

    Giving up sleep was almost a pleasure at the first crack of light,
strangely he wasn't feeling as tired as he should. Perhaps it was
something about being a warder, Moiraine had told him a little of what a
warder gets. They hadn't talked much. Ranma still wasn't comfortable
with anyone that had this strange age-less face. She told him a little
of the history of this world. There would be the rising of some powerful
evil that would destroy everything. That was as much as he got and some
tibbits on Siuan's behavior that he knew all too well already.

    Stretching his senses Moiraine seemed to shimmer into his view,
standing outside a small window. The place was big, but there were also
a lot of people, mostly women staying here. Turning she flashed him one
of those piercing glazes. She was pretty with that serene face and big
dark eyes, but nonetheless he couldn't put an age too her.

    Giving a smile she asked, "Waking up early?" It almost looked as if
she was being friendly. He wished he knew what to do with all this.

    "Yea, couldn't sleep much," came the simple reply. He got dressed
with his usual, a blue sleeveless shirt with black pants. He was glad he
had his stuff back, as there had been no way to salvage the red one.
Giving a brief glance at the sword, he left it sitting in the corner and
went out for his usual practice. Ranma hadn't needed to ask for Moiraine
to join, she had to stick to him. *At least this time I don't have
multiple Fiancees following after me*

    Moiraine followed the young warder with flowing grace that easily
matched the most skillful warder. She couldn't help but to silently
admire Ranma. There was so much potential in him. Yet she knew he was
stubborn, more so then most males. A strong hand wouldn't be able to
handle him; there was the need for different tactics. She could handle
that, after two years of trailing after the boy to become The Dragon.
Still, Ranma had to be approached very carefully.

    *The boy is very closed to the world. Something must have led him to
be so weary. Strange for one so young* Moiraine knew full well the Ranma
was not from this world, brought by the mysterious girl. She had her
reasons for pairing up her old friend Siuan and him together, Moiraine
just didn't know what. What would she do, somehow use him to get back to
Rand? Moiraine had the faintest hint that her death was not the end
then, but nothing could prepare her for now. *Should I help Siuan mold
this boy or the girl on her unknown plans?* It was undecided as of yet.

    She had little choice but to follow the boy out to the simple
courtyard as she was bounded to stay close. It was impossible to go more
then eye distance from Ranma, whatever the reasons it limited her very
much. Her only contact to the living world was through him and the boy
simply ignored her most of the time. There seemed to be no way to talk
to the boy unless he wanted to. That annoyed Moiraine to no end. *Am I
to be cursed with mule-headed stubborn males!?*

    Out in the courtyard, the sun was barely up. He liked it this way.
It was peaceful and a good time to get a workout to push away the daze
of his life. With the weather like it was now, this was a good time to
be outside with the baking sun coming even before mid-day. Mentally
scourging through his mind, he wanted to find the most complex kata for
full concentration. Ranma didn't want to think of what he was going to
do. He wanted to go home and now he had a way, but would he? The double
of Moiraine had sent him here, and had obviously caused the bond so
there had to be a way to undo it. But again he was here for a reason, to
fight a great evil. Moiraine had mentioned this unnatural heat was the
work of this 'DarkOne' and it was a duty of a Marital Artist to defend
against evil.

    Motions of each punch became kicks, almost like an after image.
Spins and pivots danced faster than the dust, a block for every punch, a
punch for every kick, a turn for every kick, it was impossible to
distinguish any pattern, but it flowed. *A master at his art* Lan was a
bit more surprised with the skill this young boy showed. *Wouldn't a
Green love this one* Lan mentally chuckled at the side thought. *Where
had Siuan picked up this one?* Traveling across the lands, never once
had he seen one like him.

    Lan supposed the boy was a great choice to be a warder; young,
talented, and supposedly easy to mold into the perfect warder. But he
knew the boy was not so easily changed. He had an uneventful past of
stubbornness and something else that made him untrusting to everything.
It wasn't his place to meddle in any Aes Sedai affairs though; the first
time he had, it got him bonded.

    Ranma noticed the sun was much higher now, it seemed to happen
faster then normal, but with only a couple of days on this world, he
couldn't tell for sure. Shifting stance he closed his eyes and began a
free-floating kata. Voiding any wandering thoughts, he let natural
movements flow with no pattern that was preplanned. A way to analyze any
flaw for himself.

    That was a bad thing as by doing so, also extended his senses.
Moiraine suddenly popped in and he almost missed a step entirely, still
not used to expecting a presence popping out of nowhere. Sighing he
tried to ignore it and kept his focus on his kata.

    Giving up, he shifted his thought to something else that plagued
him. Leaving him alone and away from the only place he had called home
in a long time. He kept thinking maybe he could go back, but he knew it
was not the so called loss of honor that led him away from the Tendos.
He wanted to leave for a long time, then an opportunity arose and that
time he took it and ran. Running was how he ended up here. *Should I run
again?*

    *What should I do* The question had been running through his head
over and over again. He hadn't expected an answer, but he also hadn't
expected whispers suddenly popping up around him too. Ranma stopped in
mid motion scanning the courtyard dumbfounded. There seemed to be many,
many women staring at him, most of them with smiles on their faces.
There was only one thing Ranma could do; he gave his famous bashful one
hand behind his head and laughing cutely pose. At least it was cute to
the women's point of view.

    < OH MY! >

    Siuan woke up in a heap. She felt as if she just went through a
nightmare, but for the life of her, she couldn't remember anything after
lying still on the bed. Looking out, the sun was already up, not much of
a surprise to her; the day's seemed like it was becoming shorter and
shorter.

    She worked out of bed and went about her routine, she idly fixed the
essentials and into a nice comfortable dress. She felt a minor headache
accompanied from having a rough night, but pushed the nuisance off. All
her chaos was finally sorting out again. She was to get back to the
moving camp where she came from and today she would kick her irritating
young warder into place. Ranma seemed to be responding, more slowly then
she liked, but nonetheless shaping into what a warder should be.

    Stepping out of her room, she lingered around, hoping the morning
meal would be around somewhere. She may be an Aes Sedai, but she didn't
need to be waited on hand and foot. Getting to a large pile of women,
she saw Ranma.

    He was in a hypnotic dance of motion, deadly yet graceful beyond
comparison. She was awed that a human body could move in such a state
and on top of which, his eyes were closed, giving no hint of hesitation
from lack of sight.

    Some nonchalant gossip suddenly floated into her ears. Giving a
another good glance at Ranma, she realized that he was wearing an almost
identical version of clothing that she first seen him in, except this
time it was a royal blue instead of the bright red of the previous. It
was the tight vest hugging his form that no doubt had most of the
surrounding women's sights. This had her furious.

    Ranma was a fairly handsome boy, added with his graceful movements
and glistening sweat that further oiled his firm muscles and powerful
form, he was a sight for every girl's fairytale of their Sun Prince.
That, in itself, couldn't really make her furious, but the fact that a
warder was not suppose to attract attention had. It won't do if every
girl tries to marry off her warder while she had Aes Sedai business to
attend to. *Those clothes must go!*

    Suddenly he stopped in mid form and was almost startled by his
audience. He seemed to further awe his admirers by doing an almost
childishly blush and laugh in such away that it got half the girls
giggling and giving outright smiles. She must admit it was cute, but the
fact of it just got her more angry.

    "Yo Siuan!" She almost winced at him. *The boy had no subtlety at
all!*

    < OH MY! >

    Ranma followed Siuan, he knew she was mad, for what reason, he had
no idea. Outwardly she was the presence of calm. These Aes Sedai seem to
do that too much. He just did not understand women.

    Closing the door, Siuan's first question went off. "How long have
you been channeling?" She should have sat down and go about it slowly,
but the bottled up frustration was close to its peak.

    "Channeling what?" Ranma remembered something about that. *Maybe she
meant being able to focus my chi*

    Siuan frowned at him. "The one power, you mule headed fish gut.
Don't bother hiding it, I should bundle you up to be gentled right now
if not that you're my warder."

    "What power? There's probably a lot of powers out there, which one?"
Ranma scratched his head. She was bent all out of shape for some power
and she can't even explain it right.

    *Arrhh!* "Don't play dumb with me, how long have you channeled
Sadin! You know anyone who does will go mad. If you have any hope from
it, you must tell me."  Her calm voice suddenly went up a notch, not to
mention her eyebrow going down to a dangerously low one.

    "Hey, what you getting bent out of shape for, I ain't know what
power you mean, but using chi won't make anyone go mad."

    "What is this chi you talk about you fish gutted fool? Stop your
pathetic excuse to mask your channeling."

    "How am I suppose to explain it to a violent tomboy like you, who is
about to pop a vein." Ranma was getting sort of annoyed too.

    "How dare you speak to me like that! I'll make you regret the day
your father stole his first kiss to your mother!"

    Ranma glared at her, "Hey tough talk for someone who needs saving
every day. An old mummy like you shouldn't be looking so young in the
first place." One of the things he did pick up from Moiraine was that
Siuan was some high up person or such and much older then she appeared.

    *THAT...THAT...IRATATING BOY!* All sense fled from her mind except
one thing...

    "DIE!" "GAH!" sprouted a startled Ranma.

    Ranma was surprised when Siuan unexpected lunged at him with both
hands reaching for his throat. She was a face of pure rage.

    < OH MY! >

    Rand lazily got up from his royal bed in Illian. His vision slowly
getting forms from the blurs he had. He was still hurting, but it hadn't
mattered, he would endure. Getting dressed in a rush, he needed time,
today he would fix Illian from the Forsaken who ravaged this place for
his own end. Suddenly a knock came to the door. "Who is it," he barked
out.

    A creak opened, "I'm sorry my King, but umm there do be a Mistress
is here, to see you my liege. She was, she says her name do be
Moiraine." That was a surprising. *How had Moiraine gotten here. What is
she doing here*

    The door opened and Rand saw a hooded figure almost gracefully slide
in. The face revealed to be Moiraine as she pulled the hood back. The
clothing however was a startling one. It was a pure white cloak that
seemed to flow without a single wrinkle anywhere within his sight,
framed with red triangle like patterns embroidered along the edges. A
big broach was clasped under the neck with an almost equally big jewel.
He couldn't place what kind of jewel it was as it sparked with an almost
mysterious light of purple as the same color of the jewel. *What is she
trying to do?*

    "Hello there Rand, how are you feeling today?" She gave him a bright
cheerful smile. Idly she plucked out the crown clinging on the rack.
"The crown of swords," she mused. "It doesn't look so comfortable, do
you really have to wear this?"

    Rand frowned; he didn't want to play her game. She was a master at
it and he was better to be straightforward and get to the end of it
fast. "What do you want, Moiraine."

    "Want? I want to see you in good health. You look very grim and
perhaps in pain. If there's anything I could help you with; I ask,
please tell me." She never once skipped a beat and never once lost her
smile.

    What was she getting at, Moiraine always wanted him in good health,
but nothing is ever gotten at first glance with Aes Sedai. "I'm fine" He
would not rely on any Aes Sedai. *Maybe, if I could trust
you...maybe...*

    "You don't look it and I don't feel it," She slowly closed her eyes,
took a deep breath, and opened them just as slowly. Her voice suddenly
dropped to an uncomfortable level. "I know you don't seem to trust me,
and you are hurting. I will help you with what I can and my agenda would
not change even if you don't accept it.  I'll be looking at the
wonderful palace scenery, and yes I will be trailing behind you."

    Almost as gracefully she stepped out of the room and without a sound
the door closed. *Still Aes Sedai you are, Moiraine*

    < OH MY! >

    Ranma leaned back on his bed. After a little run around with Siuan,
he had a good breakfast, though not as filling as he would of wished,
and now he was packing to get back to some main Aes Sedai camp. *That
woman was almost as violent and unbelieving as Akane* He suppose he
should go through with it, if still having to stick with the violent
tomboy. He now also had the option of going home if he could find
Moiraine's twin again.

    Stretching his sense he picked out Moiraine not far from where he
lay. "Could you explain what Siuan meant by this channeling-mathingy
that got her got all bent out of shape?"

    "It is quite a serious thing that you stumbled on, though Siuan
always did have a nasty temper. Any of my sisters would be angry."
Moiraine stood there a presence of calm and serenity even with the rude
way of asking Ranma had made.

    "She does not understand your powers, she relates them with the male
channelers that channel the one power. The men with black cloaks that
you fought a few days ago."

    "She afraid of those sorcerers, eh."

    < OH MY! >

    Lan looked at Ranma with a sword held out towards him. "You should
keep it, it'll help you when you need it most."

    "I don't need it. I got my marital arts to protect Siuan. I don't
need a sword to help me" Lan nodded, the boy seemed determined on this.
He had heard those two would be going back to the rebel Aes Sedai with
little chance they would have to face shadowspawn. Even if they did, Lan
felt the boy's skills would do as well as any sword.

    < OH MY! >

    Looking at the gateway, he was ready.

    "I saw you fight, you are very good. Maybe we will dance someday wet
lander," the red head girl with the ponytail said to him with a toothily
grin.

    He shuddered, it reminded him of some very familiar images. *I don't
know why you want a dance, but no way* leading his horse a bit faster he
went through.

    < OH MY! >

    The gateway slowly parted slowly falling like folding curtains back
to the surrounding normal view. Ranma knew a little of where they were
going, but being dropped off in the middle of nowhere was still odd.
Suddenly he felt a powerful spike from his senses. A strangely familiar,
but unknown aura. Then it was clear with the all too familiar phrase.

    "RANMA! PREPARE TO DIE!"

    Whirling around with some surprise in his face there he was, Ryouga
charging head on at him with full speed. There were some differences
though; he knew that much at a brief glance. There was an extremely
powerful aura around him, a dark one. Then everything happened at once.

    "SHI SHI HOKODAN!"
    "WATCH OUT!"

    Ranma pivoted with all his speed snatching a surprised Siuan to the
nearby ground. It was almost second instinct now to protect his Aes
Sedai from any harm. The power of that chi blast was much more powerful
then the usual ones he took from Ryouga. Rolling to safely he quickly
turned and went after his opponent also heading fast towards him.

    "Get cover! I'll handle this!"

    Siuan didn't believe this; A rugged boy suddenly voiced the death of
her warder out of nowhere. The startling thing had been that the boy was
glowing a sickly yellow dark green aura. Before she could do anything
something large shot toward her at rapid speed only to be saved by
Ranma. Now he was off to fight the person. *That simple minded fool!*
With a great yell she called for Ranma to stop. *He's going after a male
channeler of all things. Even worse, one gone mad!* unconsciously she
should of taught him the proper way to subdue male channelers.

    Ranma after the first glance at Ryouga knew something was wrong. His
face was the usual "I'm going to kill you while depressed" face, but
there was a lack of consciousness in it, almost as if he was in a trance
or so far gone, nothing registered. The large aura around him was
another indicator. Extreme emotions filled him, so much of hate, anger,
and depression could be felt, it left room for little else.

    "Hey Ryouga, snap out of it, you almost killed a girl!" No response;
something was very wrong.

    Resign to beating him into consciousness, Ranma met his opponent and
ducked under the expected punch to the head. Then the unexpected
happened. A shearing pain slammed into him as he staggered back. *What!*
Grunting he pivoted off a sidekick already in motion. Another hit
slammed into him, this time he staggered and fell. Rolling to the side
he gave a flying leap back to a farther safer distance. It had been a
good thing too as a small crater was imprinted on the ground he stood
with Ryouga's fist still there.

    Siuan watched Ranma run head on like a puffed up fish ready to be
gutted. She had already embraced the source, it would not be a good
thing to face a male channeler gone mad.  She was no match for the
strength of Males who wielded Sadin and at her current level, it would
be next to impossible. Males were more powerful then females in the one
power as much as very Aes Sedai hated to admit, and hers was as low as
most Aes Sedai could be. Watching Ranma get close to being killed she
wove a weave of spirit as powerful as she could make it and threw it
toward the glowing boy hoping he was weak enough that he wouldn't
resist. It hadn't resisted to her surprise it vanished before it
reached. *What!*

    Quickly she wove air to bind, which also mysteriously vanished in
front of him. Air had been the strongest of her powers and it was
useless. Fear ran through her body as the ground suddenly shook making a
crater around the boy. *How could this be happening!* Stumbling back the
boy seemed to be ignoring her completely.

    Ranma winced at the wounds he took somehow even after clearly
avoiding the punch, but still it had hit him. *Was this some kind of
technique Ryouga learned? Maybe he gone mad from it* Ranma deduced that
somehow Ryouga had extended his chi through his attacks to hit him even
if he avoided the actual attack. *I will not be beaten just because he
thinks he found a new weapon to beat me*

    Surging his battle aura to increase he leaped up for a deadly
actuate flying jump kick towards him. *I'm going to have to be more
careful with his attacks* Ryouga blocked the kick, but a second spinning
mid air foot almost instantly smashed into his ribs. To Ranma's
surprised not a single grunt came out from it. With next to no
hesitation he ducked also bracing the expected side effects of Ryouga's
wild punch.

    "KAA!" With a yell a full twenty punches shot out to Ryouga's
stomach. Nothing happened.

    Suian had little choice but to stand there as her warder engaged in
battle. She could do nothing and trying to shoot off fire or anything of
that nature would mostly likely hit Ranma too. *We should not be
fighting a mad channeler in the first place. One should get more sisters
to handle him* When she yelled for him to get back, he just told her
he'd handle it. Surprisingly Ranma was doing fairly well against the boy
and also surprisingly he too possessed a similar sort of barehanded
fighting skill. Unless her eyes were mistaken, Ranma also had a bright
blue aura around him, she kept telling herself it was a trick of her
mind or something.

    Ranma winced as he embraced another hit from Ryouga's new technique;
his attacks were doing even less then normal damage. Nothing registered
that could indicate any hurting. Even in Ryouga's depression state, he
took a grunt here and there, now not even a twitch of an eye was made.
*Could he have toughen up so much or his new technique do this?*
Ryouga's aura was startling now, much more then he could make himself,
surely Ryouga couldn't of advanced so much from the last time they met.
*He's doesn't even know he's exhausting himself. For the pig boy's own
good I have to take him down fast.*

    He knew it was a downward fight as he was only exhausting himself
too, he decided to hit him with everything he had. Sprinting unexpected
toward Ryouga's extended punch he felt a scorching pain as he narrowly
evaded.

    "KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!"
    "MOKO TAKABISHA!"
    "MOKO TAKABISHA!"
    "MOKO TAKABISHA!"

    Without a moment of hesitation Ranma followed his amaguriken with a
powerful chi blast to his opponent's abdomen, followed by another, and
then another, each bigger and more powerful then before. The last one he
thrown had made a small cloud of dust. Panting he was satisfied with
from the finally grunt that came with the flying Ryouga. Then though he
was unprepared when he was slammed by him running out of the cloud.

    "BAKUSAI TENKETSU!"

    Ranma desperately put his hands up to shield against the flying
shards of hard ground and rock that flew everywhere. Then he went flying
as a flying kick caught him in the chest. It was a very powerful direct
hit. He could dimly hear Siuan screamed out his name as he hit something
from his flight.

    "Ranma!" Siuan yelled out as the body of her warder was sent flying
into some dried, dead trees. She could also feel the pain he was in, so
much that it could of mean death. He wasn't dead though, the bond told
her that much. Taking some advantage of the moment, she wove a fireball
that was sent towards her unsuspecting objective, she didn't stop at
that as another was followed, she wasn't taking any chances. It struck,
but it barely smudged the clothing. She felt a great amount a fear
rising above the already existing ones. Only years of mental exercise
keep her from running as of now, weaving air into earth, a bolt of
lighting that rivaled the amount she could wield lashed out. (In other
less flowery words close to being burned out)

    Stumbling around while shielding his eye's Ryouga face was suddenly
of frightful rage.

    "SHI SHI HOKODAN!"

    She yelled as she threw herself to the side with the extra push from
the passing blast that followed with a loud explosion. Rolling on the
hard ground she struggled to push herself back up bracing the pain and
the low ringing in her ears.

    "KAA!!"

    A speeding air kick empowered with the full power Ranma gave took an
unsuspecting Ryouga's head. He was satisflied that it had sent him
soaring a short distance. This was getting too much, his full power did
little and now everyone was in danger. It was time for the Hiryu Shoten
Ha. He was a little fearful of it after last time and with Ryouga's
blazing aura it could happen again. He couldn't calculate the safe
distance Siuan needed, but it was the only thing left now. "Siuan get
away from here now!"

    The clouds were gathering now. Everything was getting darker and
rumbles from the sky could sparsely be heard. With a grim smirk he
barked out, "Yo, Pig-boy you gone so low as to go after defenseless
women. Come on let's end this. I'm going to make bacon out of you."

    The bandanna-clad boy needlessly was already upon him as he started
his circle. Pain was sent across his body each time he narrowly avoided
a punch, slowly he needed to keep his concentration and bracing the
attacks at the same time.

    Siuan slowing tried to get to her feet, the fool was going to  throw
himself away to save her. It was honorable, but foolish, as running away
in the first place would have been the better course of action. She was
going to do something very foolish too, this menace needed to be put
down, and she didn't think she could run very far in her condition. The
horses had already ran away. The clouds for the first time in months had
gathered too, but she couldn't care less for that right now.

    Slowing she strained to hold onto the source. It was never meant to
be use this way, no one would ever be stupid enough to try, but after
seeing what could happen, she hope she'll live to curse herself and the
fool boy who would be her warder.

    Weaving a simple flow of air and fire, a warm mist started to
surround the area. She had chosen her strongest element and wide
spreading weave to do this. She could not think she could weave a
gateway with her power. Then she plucked a strand of air loose. It felt
slippery. The Aiel girl had mention that, though not to her. The botched
unweaving of the gateway away from the Seanchan had caused an explosion
very powerful and very big. She had heard stories of explosions by
unweaving. Now she was going to try to do it on purpose. *Oh light let
us live through this!* Slowly she pulled another one, and pulled
another.

    Ranma was almost there, into the center, and Ryouga's still
following. He also felt a bit more damped, but he could not tell.
*Closer, closer...* He was calm and already concentrating the power for
a full Hiryu Shoten Ha.

    Siuan was almost there, it was already very slippery and barley able
to hold on too. *A boat in a whirlpool can only swim in and hope to get
out after it's been suck in*

    "Now!" Siuan screamed out in the heat of the moment. "HIRYU SHOTEN
HA!" Ranma cried.

    A great surge of wind blasted out of Ranma's hand, swirling, picking
up everything from rock to dirt. The Tornado spun higher and wilder,
sucking everything including them in. It was a mad twister on the loose,
still gathering more power and more speed. It started to expand and then
compact as it almost started to become a circular band of wind. Slowly
it died down and the sky rained. The ground below was lumped up and
cleared from everything, like a big round plate holding two human forms.

    < OH MY! >

    "Moiraine, do you accept my proposal to be my advisor? I have to
talk to the council about the army out on the countryside." Rand caught
Moiraine looking out a balcony. He was trailed by his two Asha'man. He
had warned them not to do anything to Moiraine.

    She turned and smiled at him, then the unexpected thing happened.
Moiraine went limp and fell into his arms.

    < OH MY! >

    A SD figure clasped in a cloak of pure white, with some red
decorations along the edges walks out. SD throws away a couple of
scattered notes.

    "Why are there so many women with Ranma? I would like to know too."

    "Unweaving, you pull a little here and there and it either
disappears or blows up in your face. Kinda like everything else in
life."

    "The end! Wait... that was a cliff-hanger, dang."


    Chapter 7

    Something was wrong, she just knew it was so. She felt detached,
lightheaded, like she was in a dream, or waking up from a dream.
Thoughts and images buzzed around her, but she couldn't make anything
out. Then images started to form. Voices started coming from all
directions. It was strangely familiar, but not registering with anything
that she can remember. She tried to latch on to a single voice, trying
to make sense from it...

    "RANma!"
    "Ranma no baka!"
    "Ranma you idiot!"

    She knew could hear it quite clearly, felt the anger in that
female's voice, yet she did not understand why. More voices followed...

    "Uncute tomboy!"
    "Whadidja do that for!?"
    "Why me..."

    Still she did not understand. It was a male voice this time. Why was
she hearing this, who were they, what was going on?

    "I'll protect you"
    "I can take care of myself"
    "You'll just get yourself killed, stupid tomboy"
    "I don't need your help, I'm a martial artist too!"
    "Siuan..."
    "Siuan"

    Groggily Siuan Sanche lifted her eyes slowly, wincing from the newly
observed light. She felt tired, sleepy, weak, and hungry, but most of
all confused. Something had happened, but for the light she could not
figured out what.

    "Siuan, I'm glad you are finally awake, you were mumbling and
turning feverishly."

    Slowly gaining back her sight, she finally made sense of the burs
that were her surroundings. "Egwene...Mother...where am I? What
happened?"

    "Try to save your strength Siuan, I'm sending for Nisao and
something to eat. You've been out for a week, Siuan, since we found you
face down on the ground, unconscious. We thought you were dead, and you
very nearly were." Siuan could see Ewgene clearly now, still young, and
still wearing her stole that deemed her the Amyrlin. Her dark hair tied
back, just as Siuan had remembered her last.

    "What happened mother? My mind... it feels like a boat with the best
catch a fisherman ever caught had slammed into me...and then dropped the
load on me afterwards."

    Egwene had to chuckle at the comment. It would be like Siuan to make
one of her fish comments, but this one was actually funny, very rare for
her. "Just try to relax Siuan, don't strain yourself."

    Just then Nisao came in, a yellow and one bound to the Amyrlin by
her own oath. One they could trust. Siuan remembered that, her mind was
slowly working as it should again. With a quick bow and an
acknowledgment of "Mother" she quickly came up to Siuan already
embracing the one power, probing her for any injuries.

    After a brief moment, Nisao told her she was fine and just needed to
regain her strength. Then Egwene quickly dismissed her. What ever was
going to be said was for her ear's only.

    "Food will be here soon, but right now I want to know what happened.
What happened in Caemlyn that you would later arrive unexpectedly in
Ebou Dar? Then we finding you near death on the ground with everything
within miles desolated."

    Siuan was startled by the claims. *What happened? I can't remember
any of this* Slowly she retraced her memories, but nothing came.

    "I can't remember Mother, everything is just blank, I can't remember
anything of what you said. Why would I go to Caemlyn, even more, then
travel to Ebou Dar?" Siuan rubbed her forehead, as if it would help
force herself to remember.

    "You can remember nothing? What was the last thing you remember? Try
Siuan."

    "I...I can't even be sure what is the last thing I remember...I
think I went to sleep...right after the after the last of the merchant
train. After that it's just a blur. Fish guts! I wish I could remember
anything after that, I can feel that something happened, but nothing as
to tell me what I did or if I was even awake."

    "It's alright Siuan, you can't expect everything to be back to
normal right after a near death experience. It will all come back in
time," Ewgene was obviously comforting her, but there was reason to what
she said. Her mind was buzzing, and time and rest would clear it.

    "Also we found someone near you in a similar condition. Hopefully
she'll wake up as well and we will know more then."

    *Someone else?* Just before Siuan could ask who that someone was,
Nisao came in with a tray of food.

    "Mother, the girl with Siuan has awakened."

    < OH MY! >

    Images flashed before Ranma's unconscious mind. He could barely
recognize it. It kept changing. Sometimes it was Akane, and then it was
his mother, and still more. But two where distinct, unchanging, yet
changing... A smooth face, a cool and serene face. He couldn't tell what
age she was. The reason he saw two was because another...hooded and
mysterious, replaced it. She morphed into it...something, but he could
sense it was two different presence. Ranma called out to them, but they
didn't answer.

    Suddenly, Ranma bolted upright, wide-awake as if some hand had
grabbed him and yanked him from his slumber. The light blinded Ranma,
but slowly his eyes began to adapt. He saw the image of a girl scrambled
out and quickly came back in again.

    "Who--wha...?" The girl slowly helped him back onto the cot, giving
soothing words to comfort him, telling him to lie back down. He did so,
feeling faint already. He felt hunger and all the other symptoms of a
long slumber. "Who are you...where am I?"

    "Just relax, I already called Nisao Sedai." The girl replied in a
soothing voice.

    *Who?* Ranma was about to get up when he noticed, he was a she.
Finally she, Ranma, realized that she was in her transformed state and
wearing... She couldn't finish the thought, it would have to be female
clothing. *I hate this curse!*

    Looking around she wondered where she was. It was a tent and a drab
tent. It felt cold, even under her covers, meaning it was winter. *Where
am I?* She felt as if Akane had hit her with a deluxe version of her
mallet. Everything was a blur. She couldn't seem to recalled what
happened. Back to scouting, Ranma took a look at the girl looking after
her. She was fairly young and her clothes looked a little crude, and
worn.

    Moments later, someone came in, then a whole group of them. The girl
watching her curtsied and quickly scurried outside. The first one was
odd; her face was unnatural, ageless came to Ranma's mind. The next was
young, close to her age, dark haired tied back and even with the heavy
clothes a multi-colored stole could be seen. That girl perhaps was the
best dressed of them all. The third looked strangely familiar, but she
couldn't tell how. Young, but strangely Ranma felt she was older than
that.

    The first one put a hand on Ranma, and it felt tingly, like a cold
towel. She almost jerked back from it.

    "She seems fine, Mother, much like Siuan, all she needs is a food
and rest." Ranma did feel tired, and hungry as a matter of fact.

    "Who are you? Where am I?" blurred out the patient. *Why can't I
remember!*

    "You are at the camp of the Aes Sedai. I'm the Amyrlin. We found you
lying on the ground near death, and took care of you. This over here, is
Nisao Sedai, and this is Siuan Sedai. She was with you when we found
you."

    Ranma glanced at Siuan, she was staring at him, intensely.
*Creepy...*

    "Who may you be, and how did you come to be out in such condition?"
the Amyrlin continued. Ranma had no idea what was an Amyrlin, but it
probably had some authority, though for someone so young it was odd.

    "Ranma Saotome," *Why is she staring at me? Do I know her?* "Last
thing I remember was..." Ranma trailed off unable to complete her
thoughts. *What happened...? I can't seem to remember the last thing I
did* "I... I remember sleeping... then I woke up here...maybe Akane hit
me while I was sleeping this time."

    The girl, Siuan seem to blink at that. "Mother may I speak to you
about something?"

    Ranma blinked also, was it something she said? *Why did she call her
mother?* Questions kept running thought her mind, but one came out of
her mouth. "So...um--Nisao, got anything to eat?" Nisao's lips
tightened, Ranma knew she said something wrong.

    < OH MY! >

    Outside the tent, Siuan was in a mist of thoughts.

    "What's wrong Siuan? Some of you memories have come back?"

    "Yes, I mean no Mother... I don't know her, but she reminds me of
someone, I just can't remember who. The important thing I want to tell
you is, she's a Tav'eren." Siuan let the words sink in, unable to
believe it herself. But she had the talent and she could tell the young
red haired girl was a Tav'eren.

    "Are--are you sure Siuan? Maybe you haven't fully rested yet. You
didn't even eat to regain some strength before you came here."


    "I am, Mother. She is very weak, nothing like the three we know, but
a Ta'veren notheless."

    Ewgene's lips pursed, and pondered for a second. "Alright then, you
remember still nothing though?" Siuan shook her head. "Then you can get
some rest now. I don't want to hear excuses, you just woke, you need to
get your strength back."

    "Yes Mother."

    < OH MY! >

    It was a good time to rest, not that they could do anything about
it. Ever since the Bowl of Winds was used the weather was a severe
annoyance. A big snow storm suddenly came in halting the camp of any
movement. Though it did have its good points for Siuan, Egwene thought.
She needed Siuan's help, and the pass week that she wasn't there to help
had hinder her very much. She needed Siuan at full strength, and with
the stop, it also gave Siuan some time to rest.

    Nisao suddenly came in, shuddering from the still moderate storm,
while giving her the respectable greeting.

    "How is the girl?"

    "She is fine Mother, it's also amazing how fast she heals. She had
quite an appetite, for such a small figure. She ate, or should I say
gobble down three trays and wanted more. After she was finally filled,
it was like she had three days rest."

    Egwene pondered on that, but it was nothing that was truly
suspicious. "How is she like?"

    "She's crude Mother. Not raised properly I would say. She has no
manners at all! But she's still a child, Mother."

    "Can she channel?"

    "I don't think so Mother..." "Don't think so?" That got Egwene's
attention.

    "It was odd Mother. I can't sense any ability, but... I can't
explain it mother, but for a moment something burred my senses, as if it
had been blocked. I can't make anything of it mother, could be just a
mistake."

    Egwene blinked at that, mysteries covered with more mysteries.
"Anything else odd that you have noticed?"

    "Well, there was this one thing when I was probing her. There was a
slight shift, as if something was distorted inside the girl. A little
like what happens when a warder loses his Aes Sedai."

    Egwene mentally shuddered at the thought of a rampaging warder or
anything close to it. But she also knew Nisao knew what she was talking
about. It had been a personal interest of the yellow sister to study the
illness of the mind, especially an ill warder's mind. "Tell Faolain to
come to me"

    "Yes Mother," and she went out of the tent.

    *Something is amiss here, I just know it. First Siuan had a panic
about her dead warder, then a mysterious voyage to Caemlyn. Then she
ends up with Elayne, and now found near death on a desolated plain,
above all remembers nothing. I wish I knew what the link was*

    A few moments later, the newly raised Aes Sedai came in.

    "You call for me, Mother?"

    "The red haired girl that we found with Siuan, her name is Ranma. I
want you look after her, keep an eye on her, and keep her from leaving."

    Without question, Faolain replied, "Yes Mother."

    < OH MY! >

    Rand stood on the balcony of one of the quarters in the royal palace
of Illian. Rain, there was a downpour of rain all over the city. Rand
could remember the feeling of it every time he had to go out into the
city. He also had many other things to do as the new king of this
kingdom, but even with all his priorities, he kept coming back here.

    Walking back inside the room, he glanced longingly again at the
person sitting calmly on the chair. Moiraine, the slender, calm, serene,
and beautiful Aes Sedai. It was the first Aes Sedai he had met, but she
had been more. She had been there to save his father, and his own life.
She had stood by his side till the end, even as they argued, she was
right behind him to the end. Moiraine was a friend he supposed, what
little he had.

    Now she was back, but something was different. The first time they
talked, she was as Rand had remembered, serene, mysterious, and Aes
Sedai, but something was wrong, he had felt it. It was a little gesture
there, or phrase here, it was just different. Then it changed more
drastically; it was as if she was a completely different person. He
thought it was another trick, a plan maybe, Moiraine would always have
one up her sleeve. But this time, something was really wrong.

    Moiraine sat on the chair, painting. Where she had found so much
paint, he didn't know, but ever since she had woke up after her
faint-spell, she just painted. Since that time, she was distant, not
speaking a word. Even now she had not spoken a word the he knew of, she
just sat there painting. It had been days now, and yet Moiraine
continued, without sleep, without food, and not responding to anything,
even him, nor did she slouch, or yawn, not that she ever did. Though
something was definitely wrong.

    Studying the paintings, there were numerous ones, lying all over the
room. Each one was masterful, a work of art. He never knew Moiraine was
capable of such a feat. Her health was one of the reasons Rand visited
often, but these paintings were also another.

    Some were sceneries, but others where of people. Siuan Sanche stood
at one of them, A luminous glow surrounding her. Another was a
pig-tailed youth, in mid flight, a position for a flying kick. He didn't
look Aiel. Yet on more paintings these two were portrayed, some with
both Sanche, and the youth together in one scene. In one, Moiraine
herself, was there with them, in her new garb. The odd clothing that she
had worn to meet him, he also had yet puzzled out. But it was another
pebble on the hill for him.

    The painting Moiraine was working on now had startled Rand the most.
It was him welding Callandor, standing on a cliff with a battle raging
in the background. Lightning split and fires blazed. Armies were
clashing. But it was focused on him and the youth. The young boy looked
as if he was barely old enough to be a man. His was hair braided in a
pig-tail fashion, a fierce look on him, one of a warrior. He held no
visible weapons, but a darken blue aura sprang around him. His hand was
outstretched, a beam of sort was shooting out from the boy, and into
him. Rand's figure stood on the receiving end, driving through his
chest, an image of surprise on his face, Callandor slipping from his
hands.

    Callandor, a crystal sword, but not only a sword, it was a
san'angreal. One that only a male channeler could weld, one fated for
him, the Dragon Reborn. With its power he could destroy cities, crush
armies with a thought. And he was powerless in this painting.

    It was only a painting he told himself, but his instinct told him
otherwise. Something from the very core of his being, warned him this
was his fate, or possible fate. He had asked Moiraine, but there was no
response. Somehow this youth would kill him.

    < OH MY! >

    Lan al'Mandragoran, uncrowned king of a destroyed city, hardened
warrior, and warder, looked out into the white, snow-filled trail. A
simple sword lay on top of one of the supply packs. The sword that he
gave to the promising boy, and had received it back afterwards.

    Lan knew the meaning of the act, perhaps better then the boy himself
did. He wanted no part in what the sword offered. It was a weapon, a
thing used to kill, something that Ranma didn't want. He knew that
having the sword would eventually lead to using it, killing, that with
all his skill, he still shunned. The boy also knew what a warder was
supposed to do and the reality of it. *Would he embrace it, or run from
it* Lan knew the boy was a prize for any Aes Sedai, the question
remained though if he will truly become one. Lan knew Siuan Sanche would
need every bit of help she can.

    < OH MY! >

    Sleep came easier than Siuan had expected. She was tired, but most
of all, she was confused. A piece of her memory had been closed off and
she had tried hard to open them again. Nothing much came from it except
a bigger headache, so she slept.

    She saw something, a boy, an arrogant looking boy from his features.
Lean and handsome with black hair braided down his shoulder. He looked
familiar, but Siuan could not pinpoint it. *Who is he?* She knew him,
she was sure of it. *Why can't I remember!?* There was no response.

    "You were afraid back there. I am your protector or something right?
I'll protect ya."

    "Who are you?" Siuan yelled out. There was no response as the boy
just smirked at her with that arrogant face. She knew him, she could not
remember how or when, but she just knew she did. *Afraid of what?* Then
she felt something, a presence behind her. Turning around she just had
time to see a massive dark hand grab her.

    The Aes Sedai shot up from her cot. Gasping for breath as she
realized it was only a dream. A wave of dizziness immediately assaulted
her, causing her to fall back onto the cot. *Who was he? The dream, it
felt too real...* Thinking a bit, she could guess it had something to do
with her missing memory. *It could be that my memory is resurfacing in
my dreams*

    The tent flap flew open stopping her thoughts and Egwene came in.

    "Siuan, are you alright, you don't look very well. Should I call
Nisao?"

    "No, Mother, I'm alright, I just had a bad dream."

    "Do you remember anything more?"

    Siuan tighten her lips briefly in deep thought. "Fish guts! Not a
single thing, just a headache."

    "It's alright, you'll remember in time," Egwene tried to sooth her.
"Maybe what I have to tell you will help your memories return. And maybe
you can even help me solve this mystery."

    After Egwene was finished telling her the passing events leading to
how she became found unconscious on the desolated ground, Siuan was
sitting and staring at Egwene wide eyed.

    < OH MY! >

    Ranma got up from a good night's rest. It was good until something
suddenly woke her up, as if someone had stuck her with a mental needle.
She grumbled because of her still female form. *At least I have my
clothes* She had fallen asleep trying to think about her present
situation. Her backpack was remarkably there, fully packed. She hadn't
remembered packing for a long trip, making her missing memories even
more puzzling.

    She saw it had stopped snowing outside the tent she was in
yesterday. Surprisingly she also found her pack was prepared for this
cold weather. *Who ever packed it, it was for a very long trip...* Also
from the snow she knew something was not right. She was definitely not
in Nerima anymore, or was she even anywhere near Tokyo probably. There
was also the probability of not being in the same time period. She knew
too many things were possible in her life.

    Getting up she got dressed in the heaviest clothes she had. It was
cold out there. Moments later, Someone came in.

    "Hello there, I'm Faolain Sedai. How are you feeling?" She looked
friendly, but Ranma could feel her calculating eyes on her.

    "Umm... Hi. I'm Ranma. Umm is that for me?" Faolain was holding a
covered tray in her hands. The smell had already registered as food and
she was hungry.

    "Yes it is, you must be hungry," Faolain remarked while putting down
the tray. "Are those the only clothes you have? They definitely don't
suit a pretty girl like you."

    Ranma's snorted and was about to correct her, but thought better
than to foolishly humiliate herself saying she was a guy. "I like it.
Ahh where am I. I need to get back home. Do you know where Nerima is?"
*Never hurts to ask*

    "I don't know where this Nerima is, but you really should stay, at
least until we know you are fit."

    "I'm fine Faolain. If you don't mind I can go myself, no worries at
all." Faolain's lips tighten, and Ranma could swear she shot her a death
glare. *I did it again...*

    < OH MY! >

    Rand surveyed the room. It was a wreck. He came as soon as he felt
it. There had been channeling done here. Sadiar, the female half of the
One Power; it must have been powerful for him to feel it so far from
this room, Moiraine's room. Something had happened here. Furniture was
burnt and blacken all over the room, but the odd thing was, the
paintings remained untouched. Every single one was in their rightful
place.

    Peering at the painting that Moiraine would have been working on, it
was nearly finished. All but one uncolored spot; it was an image of
Moiraine... locked in combat with Siuan Sanche, and the boy who would
kill him.

    < OH MY! >

    The big Aes Sedai camp was packing up. Servants ran all over the
place, each one had a duty they had to hastily perform. Everyone was
moving, even the Aes Sedai had to prepare to move onward. Ranma, who was
moving hastily, had a different reason at the moment.

    She was ducking a particular person, one Faolain Sedai. *Ack, why is
she so intent on keeping me here!?* Running pass more people, she saw
what she needed, a kettle. Quickly she snatched it, much to the holder's
surprise, but Ranma quickly sped out of sight.

    A now male Ranma sighed. He was back to normal. That's when Faolain
stood next to him. She gave him a calculating look, and then shook her
head.

    "Where did that girl go? Blast her," he heard her mutter and quickly
moved on.

    Chuckling to himself, Ranma moved a bit more slowly then before and
without looking bumped into to someone.

    "Oh sorry Siuan," Ranma quickly blurted out before realizing his
mistake. She looked very surprised.

    < OH MY! >

    Siuan was busy with all of Gareth Bryne's belongings, and was deeply
angry about it. *Blast that man! I come out of near death, and he has me
walking on my hand and feet again! If we didn't need the fool mule of a
man, I would gut him!* That's when someone bumped into her.

    Whirling around, prepared to make that person's life miserable, she
gasped. *It's him! The one from the dream!* A name flew out of her
mouth. "Ranma..."

    Ranma jumped at the mention of his name.

    "You! I know you. You have something to do with my memories.
Ranma--" Siuan caught herself. *But Ranma was that girl's name*

    "Ahh...excuse me, I have to get going now,"

    Siuan had other ideas as she quickly latched on to his arm. "Oh no
you don't, you're going to answer my questions if I have to throw a net
and drag you in."

    "Hey, ahh... you're Siuan, right? Look, I can see your busy with
that stuff, I mean you're all in a rush right, so you better finish that
first."

    *How dare he!* Siuan shot him a cool deadly glare, "It's Siuan Sedai
to you."

    Ranma thought he knew her from somewhere, but shook it off. He felt
a sudden annoyance towards Siuan, which he couldn't figure out why.
"Err... yea, sure, Siuan _Sedai_," The conversation has a nagging
familiarity from somewhere. *Have to get away, she could figure out my
curse, better to find a way fast*

    "Oi, I don't know where you seen me from, but I bet you're mistaken.
I mean you must be tired,"
    --Twitch--
    "I can see some bags under you eyes and you don't look to hot."
    --Twitch--
    "I mean...err... it just that maybe you didn't get enough of your
    beauty sleep and all..."

    A deep hidden rage flared from Siuan's mind. It felt almost foreign
to her. She was suppose to be an Aes Sedai, one of calm and
understanding. That wasn't Siuan now though, and she embraced the
emotions burning with rage. *HOW--HOW DARE HE!*

    "RANMA NO BAKA!"

    From movements she had not known how to make, she pulled out a large
mallet and gracefully connected it with Ranma's head. The impact was so
powerful, he flew up, soaring into the sky. A faint yell of "Uncute
tomboy!" could be heard.

    Siuan slumped to the ground in shock. *How?What? That
was...impossible* "What happened..." she mumbled. Staring at the
distant, tiny figure, that could of been Ranma. Then she gasped. Quickly
getting up, she ran after him, hoping he was still alive and prepared to
answer some questions.

    < OH MY! >

    Ranma slowly peeled himself out of the hard ground. *Oh man! I could
of sworn that was Akane* Glancing around, he saw that he was clear of
the camp. *At least I got away. Who knew that girl could be as violent
as Akane*

    As Ranma turned around to start his trek home, he gasped. A woman
sat on a fairly large rock, she was cloaked in white, embroiled with
tiny red triangles. The hood was pulled back. The face was one he knew,
the one in his dreams, staring at him, cool and distance as if waiting
for him to show up. Slowly she got up and raised her hands towards him.

    There wasn't time to act before an invisible force had hit him,
throwing the surprised Ranma onto the ground several feet away.

    Scrambling up, Ranma leaped back a few steps, more prepared then
before. "Who are you? Why are you doing this!?" *Ahh great another girl
coming to kill me. With my luck she's another engagement pop rigged up*

    But no answer came; she walked calmly towards him. Another wave of
invisible force stuck him, he tried to move out of the way as her hands
rose up, but it was no use. Falling back onto the ground he struggled to
get up again, but this time more pressure slammed into him, pinning him
onto the ground. Ranma grunted trying to press his way up, but it was
stronger. *Arrgghh! What is she doing to me!?*

    His opponent just kept walking towards him, calm and steady.  She
didn't smile, didn't speak, never once changing that serene feature.
*Have to get up, have to stop her* Putting his full strength to get up,
his power level rose as a bright glowing aura flared up. Instantly, he
felt the force gone, as if she just stopped.

    Springing up, Ranma has just enough warning to see a massive
fireball hurling his way. He flung himself out of the way barely
avoiding the attack, but still close enough to feel the scorching heat.
*She really is out to kill me!*

    "Why do you want to kill me!?" Still no answer.

    He had to move quickly as more rapid blasts were thrown at him.
*Shit! She's throwing them like it was nothing! Have to find a way to
stop her* Another volley of flaming shards sped at him, but he jumped up
avoiding them. When he landed he could noticed the scorched land around
him. They were powerful blasts.

    Then Ranma noticed it. *Her hands! Every time she shot at me, she
had to put up her hands!* Ranma figured if he could bind his opponent's
hands, then she would be helpless.

    Rushing towards the woman now with a plan, he narrowly escaped the
incoming volley. But just as he was about to reach her, his plan fell
apart. Ranma was just about to grab her, when a kick came out of
nowhere, nailing a surprised Ranma's the mid-section.

    Suddenly the magical barrage stopped. And in its place, a volley of
physical attacks came. She was a martial artist also it seems to Ranma's
annoyance.* She had to be a martial artist didn't she, and a decent one
too* His opponent features never changed even with her unrelenting
assault. Ranma gave up ground in a hurry, dodging and blocking
furiously.

    < OH MY! >

    "What's going on here?" Siuan, finally reached the battleground,
huffing and puffing from exhaustion. That's when she felt a powerful
source of Sadiar. It came from the person that was cloaked in white with
red triangle embroidery. A power like Siuan never seen before, radiated
from her, and the face, one that Siuan never expected to see again. It
was Moiraine Damodred, her long time friend, also known to be dead.

    Ranma was caught surprised by the new arrival, and the halt had cost
him another kick to his chest. Moiraine hand's whirled and rose towards
a surprised Siuan; a blazing fireball shot out towards her. He leaped up
in front of the fireball, almost unconscious of his actions, and it
stuck.

    Siuan watched in horror as cloud a black smoke exploded on the boy
who had tried to save her. *The power...* The glow around Moiraine was
impossibly bright, as if she held a san'angreal. Fear stuck up in her
mind, and she grabbed for the source. It came as a torrent, more power
that she could of hoped rushed into her, filling her to near ecstasy.
She had just enough time to slice Moiraine's incoming weave from
reaching her. She knew that weave, one meant to permanently sever her
link from the source. There was no emotion from the supposedly dead
Moiraine, but she wasn't trying to just capture.

    "Moiraine! What are you doing!?" There was no response; it was
almost as if her attacker was a shell of the real thing.  More incoming
assaults of deadly weaves came at her, each one meant to do something
horrible. Franticly Siuan rushed to meet every single one, slicing one
after another, knowing if she missed one, it would be her last. She had
no opportunity to attack back, it was all she could do to defend.

    *Something is different* She knew her power was mysteriously much
more powerful then anything she could normally handle, but it was her
only hope of surviving right now. Something else was different. *Her
power, it smaller now. Fish guts! We're dead even!* Her senses told her
they were in a dead match of equally powerful One Power. Sweat trickled
down her face, but nothing appeared on Moiraine's. *Blast her, if she
had the power I've seen before, why doesn't she use it. Is she playing
with me!?*

    Ranma rose up from the pain. He could still feel the massive heat
that had hit him. Glancing over, he saw the two women, staring at each
other. Siuan's face was determined and deep in concentration, but the
other's facial feature had never changed. *Something is happening*

    Sprinting towards the woman, Ranma tried to take advantage of the
battle, and tried to reach Moiraine yet again, but at the last moment,
she twisted, and a kick went for his face. He ducked just in time and
had to block and evade another series of moves. Then something flashed
from her hands and he felt more pain as he flew back once more.

    Siuan barely recognized the opening before she launched her first
attack, but it was too late as Moiraine did something she didn't
recognize and her head spun with pain. Struggling for recovery, she saw
a bright light launched towards her. Desperately she wove a barrier of
air to stop it, but it was all she could manage to do, as the blast was
relentless, and she felt herself getting weaker.

    That was when she saw something and she knew.

    *The power, she's getting stronger again! My power is getting
weaker. We're sharing the power like tugging for supremacy with a giant
razor-fish. And I'm losing!* She could feel her power slowly fading.
Siuan struggled to pull for more, but it was no use as Moiraine's glow
slowly brightened, and her attack was still unrelenting.

    Ranma saw in horror as Siuan was starting to buckle from the magical
assault. He felt a great need to save her, but he still couldn't bear to
hurt a girl still. There was a nagging thought to keep his asaultant
from harm as a matter of fact. *I can still stop her!*

    Jumping up high into the air, he flew straight towards his opponent.

    "Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken Revised!"
    "Speeding pressure points!"

    Moiraine's attack stopped and her hands tried to block him, but it
was too fast, too late. Numerous pressure points he knew to sleep were
touched and she fell onto the ground eyes closed.

    Suddenly Ranma felt a rush of emotions assaulting him, and he felt
it. *What's happening to me!?* Ranma felt a new presence inside him.
*It's feels almost like...a bond...* Glancing around his eyes focused on
Siuan, and he knew. *It's her...I can feel her--and...* Glancing back,
he looked at the fallen attacker. *And her...*

    Siuan suddenly felt a link, it was as if it had been hidden, and
then suddenly springing fully out into the open. Looking at the boy she
knew. *A bond. He's my warder...Ranma...*

    The two stared at each other, for a long time.

    < OH MY! >

    A SD figure clasped in a cloak of pure white, with some red
decorations along the edges walks out. SD fumbles with a heavy book in
her hands.

    "Quit poking me!"--"Alright, alright, I'll do this already."

    "Hello there, I'm here holding this big book here to give you some
worthless information--hey I told you to quit poking me!"

    "Nisao Dachen, of the Yellow Ajah. Basically one of the more loonier
doctors who got caught in the cookie jar by Egwene. So she swore her
oath and now has a ball and chain to lag around."

    "Faolain Orande. She's not very interesting to talk about. She was
newly raised to become a blue in a little dead town call Salidar.
Basically, she choose to lug around the ball and chain for Egwene."

    "Rebel Aes Sedai Camp. Because the women couldn't agree on who gets
the guy, (Rand) they broke up. Now, Egwene being the new leader wants to
put it back together, and she has an army to do it."

    "Snow storms...what!? Why would I need to explain a thing like
that!-- Hey watch were you're sticking that thing! Okay, so someone
screwed around with the Bowl of Winds, and poof."

    "San'angreal, a more powerful form of an angreal, which increase
power."

    "Gareth Bryne, tee-hee, you'll find out."

    SD flings the big book at something off screen followed by an
impact.


    Chapter 8

    Saotome Ranma was great martial artist. A person honed to focus in
mind, body and soul he was always able to deal with any situation.  Even
on the receiving end of many women, most of whom gave him many troubles,
had at least been able to seek safety and comfort within the compounds
of his own mind.  Being who he is, with the life of fiancees, and
mayhem, the comforts of being alone in his own mind had been bliss.
Sometimes he would just look to the stars and crawl into the safety of
his mind. Staring into those pools of deep blue eyes, he knew--no felt,
his that bliss has ended.

    Ranma felt it; a link of sorts, like a consciousness in that back of
his mind, emotions flowing out that was not his own, though it mirrored
them slightly. It came from her, that woman who nagged his memory so
often lately and malleted his head as skillfully as another person whom
he knew very well. She was perhaps a few years beyond him. Her face was
beautiful, but the most enticing of all those deep pool of blue eyes.

    Siuan Sanche was a woman he only met a day ago, but he felt it has
been longer, hauntingly longer. If Ranma had been a better analyst of
his own mind, he would find that he had a need to be with her, to
protect her, to keep her safe of mind, body, and soul. Ranma being who
he was, just ogled at everything he was exposed too and thus stared
mindlessly at her.

    In another corner of his mind there was another presence besides
Siuan's link; he was only dimly aware of her, it was rather small
compared to the person he was staring at, but she laid right besides
him, unconscious by his attack. He hadn't even founded a name for her
yet, but all this information went over his already over exposed mind.

    < OH MY! >

    Siuan Sanche had more information than our unlucky hero, Ranma. She
knew what she was feeling if not completely startled by it. It was a
bond, one between an Aes Sedai and her warder. A protector to some, a
companion to others, the range of reasons for having a warder varied,
but the bond she felt was enough of a reason, the boy in front of her
was her warder. Somehow she felt contempt at that.

    So many odd occurrences had happened since the Dragon had been
reborn, but it was still startling to her. Somehow she had taken another
warder, without her own knowledge. After so much turmoil, her mind and
her body needed a break. So through the process of self-healing her legs
buckled as she felt the damp surface of the ground. Not surprisingly the
pain on her rear hadn't even registered in the process.

    < OH MY! >

    Siuan falling down snapped Ranma back to the present. He spoke out
immediately before he knew it, "Oi, you alright?"

    She wouldn't answer; instead, Siuan carefully stood up and put on a
mask of calmness. He knew it was a mask, the bond told him that. Inside
she was frantic, uncertainty strong among many other emotions.

    Walking up to him, she took a long calculating look, and turned her
attention to the person next to him; the other woman who had tried to
kill him. A sorcerer or something close to it he guessed. She had thrown
fireballs, and other magical stuff all with the most destructive intent
towards him. The woman had haunted his dreams, but now she looked so
peaceful and serene sleeping on the ground. She was beautiful, but
unlike Siuan, it was an ageless beauty. Ranma somehow kept changing his
estimation of her age. She would look young at a casual glance, but on
closer observation felt as if she should be much older. His nagging
memory told him that they had met, but not even a name was able to
surface.

    "Is she dead?"

    Ranma had to look at her and blink. *Dead?* "Err, no, she's
sleeping." He had a sinking suspicion she wanted a different answer.

    < OH MY! >

    Siuan studied the sleeping woman, whom she knew as Moiraine
Damodred, a long time friend and accomplice. Reliable sources deemed her
dead battling the DarkOne's minion, a forsaken named Lanfear. Something
had been wrong from the first moment she spotted her. She had been
embracing enough one power that easily equaled three full sisters
linked. Moiraine had been powerful, but never that much so. Perhaps she
had an angreal to boast her power. Moiraine had a lesser powerful one in
her possession, but that only explained a small fraction of all the
unknowns she was given. Moiraine had also just tried to kill her, and
that alone was enough to scare her.

    *What to do with her?* This Moiraine was dangerous, much too
dangerous. The best course of action was to take her into questioning,
and enough sisters to shield her. That was if she was able to get her
shielded before she woke up. *First things, first* Lowering down she
began to search the body, extending both her senses and her hands to
find anything related to the one power. *If she has such a powerful
angreal, I must find it now, before she wakes up*

    Searching all around, she was amazed by the fabric of the clothing.
The first thing was the spotlessness of it, even lying on the ground,
there was not a speck of dust on the cloak or clothing. Another surprise
was the smoothness it felt. *It must have been made with the one power�*

    "Umm, what'ca doing?"

    She frowned, but quickly returned to her mask of serenity. For some
unknown reason, just hearing the voice of that boy was enough to annoy
her. *Nothing, not a trace of anything related to the one power* She
tried again later. *Perhaps my senses are dulled after such an
exhausting battle* Failing to find anything, Siuan knew she needed to
get the body back before Moiraine woke up.

    Turning towards the boy, she commanded in her decades-tempered Aes
Sedai voice, "Carry her and follow me, quickly. We must have her
shielded before she wakes up"

    To her annoyance, He had the gall to give her a long look before
slowly picking Moiraine up.  She had to clench her teeth to keep her
features in check. *I will deal with this boy later, but first things
first. Fish Guts! Why is it never simple�*

    < OH MY! >

    Ranma easily was able to keep up with Siuan's trot, she was in one
of those moods. What that meant he couldn't specify, but he just knew
better than to talk to her in one of those moods. It was startling to
know these things about a girl whom he met a day ago.

    Switching his attention to the woman he was holding, he still had
little idea except for the dream. She used magic, yet she knew martial
arts too. It was a strange battle; the woman never changed her
expression. She never once spoke, never once smiled or frowned, or
became angry, just that serene, calm look. *Maybe it was a technique*
She was an excellent martial artist, not as good as he was of course,
but had great potential.

    Giving the battle a bit more thought he found her abilities a little
odd. While she was not able match him, it was almost haunting that she
seemed to get so close to breaking his defense. It was as if the woman
knew his every move and found every single hole in his defense to
attack. Ranma was not using his full potential, but he knew he was not
that sloppy. The fact that she landed a couple of solid blows on him was
already discouraging enough. *If she had been faster and stronger, I
would have been hard pressed* The idea of a girl beating him was very
discouraging indeed.

    Sighing, he focused back on Siuan. He had to get answers to why he
had this strange connection to both her and to the woman he was
carrying. *But how to do it�* He couldn't tell her he could feel what
she was feeling, he had a strong feeling it was a very bad idea. He had
enough bad experience with violent women who could weld mallets.

    < OH MY! >

    Siuan looked back at the boy. He was lean and muscular, healthy and
well trained it seems in fighting. He moved with such an unnatural
grace, it would not be surprising if he was a warder. From what little
she saw during the encounter he was well able to fight. *Not the worse
choice for a warder I guess* Another thing finally struck her, he had
jumped in front of a ball of fire when he tried to save her, but the boy
looked unhurt, not a scratch on his body besides the slight mud stains.
*How is that possible?*

    She couldn't come up with a reasonable answer so she went onto the
next question. She reminded herself it would be wise to be subtle when
things deemed it. "Your name is Ranma, correct?" She was somehow sure it
was, but it would have been contradicting from the facts presented.

    "Umm�well, yea�"

    "There is a young girl in our camped also named Ranma. Do you know
of her?"

    "Umm hehe, really? Gee, isn't that odd. Nope, don't know her, wonder
why she has my name, heh." Siuan blinked, it was such an unexpected
answer she briefly lost her train of thought. *Either the boy was the
worse liar in Andor or it was a masterful display of acting* She was
unsure of how to proceed. A nagging thought told her not dwell on it.

    The boy, Ranma, seemed to use her pause to ask his own question,
"What are we going to do with her?"

    Siuan tighten her lips as the change in the line of questioning was
made. She realized that despite the youth, Ranma had skillfully avoided
her attempt to get the information she wanted. *I have to be careful,
the boy can't be taken lightly* She mentally repeated an old saying,
'even if the waters are calm, jagged rock lay underneath'.

    "We are taking her back to the camp, for questioning."

    She cursed her luck as she had finished her answer. They had already
reached camp before she could further question the boy, but she was also
happy Moiraine hasn't woke up yet. *What to do�* It would be best to
take her to the Amyrlin, it would be too much risk to reveal this to
everyone. With a few selected sisters, they could shield her and safely
conduct a questioning.

    "Hide her face with the cloak. Follow me quickly, and don't talk to
anyone." He seemed to frown, but she could care less what he felt right
now, she had to race against time.

    Weaving through people and wagons, she analyzed that there was still
a safe amount of time before today's march, enough to do what needed to
be done. Finding the intended tent, she quickly dashed in and chasing
out the servant.

    Egwene looked up from her meal, "Siuan, what's wrong? You look
frantic."

    Siuan hadn't notice she had dropped her features. "Mother there is
something urgent you must see."

    < OH MY! >

    Egwene looked up at Siuan and then at the boy behind her. He was
fairly handsome in a blue woolen-buttoned shirt and loose black pants.
He looked just short of being called a man and would be better described
as cute than handsome. He looked at her with uncertainty and said "hi".

    "What about him, Siuan?" she was confused at what was so wrong that
Siuan would loose her calmness.

    To Egwene's surprise, Siuan shot him a glare and pulled back the
hood of what the boy was holding. Her breath caught, *It can't be!*
Dashing up to the boy she too a long closer look. It was Moiraine. The
same Moiraine Sedai who had saved her and everyone else by pushing both
herself and Lanfear into the arch ter'angreal.

    She remembered that event clearly. Rand stood kneeling before
Lanfear, crying. Lanfear glowing with the one power standing in front of
him and right behind that arch. Then at that moment, Moiraine came
running forward and dove into Lanfear, pushing her into in to the arch,
the arch lead into the unknown while latching onto the forsaken. The
Arch had melted afterward with both Lanfear and Moiraine dead. *Or
assumed dead�* Ewgene mentally rephrased her line of thought.

    Suddenly Moiraine moved and shifted. Egwene jumped back with a
fright. "She's alive!"

    "Hurry, shield her, quickly!" Siuan screamed out. Siuan had already
embraced the source and was weaving a shield as powerful as she could
manage.

    "Huh?" commented the boy looking genuinely puzzled.

    "Why Siuan?"

    "Please! Do it, she tried to kill me!"

    Shocked, Egwene embraced the power and wove her own shield joining
Siuan's. *Kill Siuan?*

    Moiraine opened her eyes and looked at her.

    "Moiraine, your alive!"

    "Egwene�" Moiraine spoke out in that calm musical Cairhien accent.
Slowly she looked up to the boy holding her, taking a long look at him.
Then again she looked at Siuan. "Siuan� is that you?"

    "Moiraine, what happened to you?" spoke an enthusiastic Egwene. It
had been a long time since she seen her. In reality she had never
thought to see her again.

    But on top of her, Siuan said, "Who are you?" Egwene looked at her
in surprise.

    Moiraine looked back at the boy again.

    The boy looked back obviously alarmed and nervous, "Err� hi�"

    "Can you put me down?" the boy did as he was told as Moiraine rose
unsteadily to her feet.

    Finally being able to take a good look at her, Moiraine's attire
looked nothing like what she'd remember. It was a mostly a pristine
white array of clothing. A silk shirt laced with blue trimmings, Egwene
guessed, with partially transparent sleeves. The bottom half was
composed of a long thin blue cloth tied around her waist, matching white
loose pants constricted at the ankles and blue delicate looking
slippers. A brooch with a large purplish looking gem was clasped above
her breast and a white cloak with red triangle patterns embroidered
along the edges enfolded her body. She had never seen such sight and it
seems neither had Moiraine as she was observing her clothing along with
Egwene.

    "What has happened? Where am I?"  Moiraine was focused on her, that
searching look that she had been accustomed too since they met that
winter's night. *So much has changed since then�*

    "Who are you?" Siuan asked again, her voice far from pleasant.

    "Siuan what are you talking about, this is Moiraine."

    "Only a fool would sail a boat into the strait at night without
prior knowledge, no matter how calm the water looks. She tried to kill
me before, remember that."

    She had to frown at another one of Siuan's fisherman sayings. She
seems to have one of them for every situation. *But she's right, I've
been hoping so much it was Moiraine, I embraced her immediately...*

    Before she could answer, Moiraine looked back at Siuan and smiled
slightly. "Only Siuan would spout one of those fish sayings. You have
changed much my friend, much must have happened. I still remember the
time you put those mice on Elaida's bed."

    Siuan kept her frown at that statement. *Mice in Elaida's bed?*
Egwene would of never imagine Siuan doing such a thing, but then she did
have that temper of hers.

    "I remember a certain accepted gleefully along side of me doing
something very similar."

    "True, but it was your plan Siuan." Egwene knew Siuan and Moiraine
were friends when they were in the tower, but such an act she would of
never imagined.

    Siuan sighed, "Only Moiraine would know about that last part, but it
still does not explain why you would tried to kill me."

    "And me too." That came from the boy but no one paid attention to
him.

    "I have no knowledge of ever doing such a thing. The last moment I
remember was at the pier and knew what must be done," turning back
towards her, she continued, "After I went through the arch with Lanfear,
I opened my eyes now in this boy's arms..."

    Moiraine seems to narrow her eyes at the boy. Ewgene only knew of
very few situations when that happened.

    "Hey! I'm not a boy!"

    That sparked Egwene's thought process, the whole time, he was here
where he shouldn't have been. *How could I have been so blind to not
take notice?* "Who are you?"

    Give an arrogant smirk he answered, "Ranma Saotome, Heir to the
Anything Goes Martial Arts." She frowned, the title made little sense at
most.

    She had to be sure the boy's mouth with not speak of what he
shouldn't. Things were more complicated then he ever hoped to imagine.
"Ranma, what has happened must not be spoken to anyone but us, this is a
direct order by Amyrlin," Glancing at Siuan, "Siuan make sure he is
properly cared for."

    Giving a sigh very much unlike Siuan, "He is my warder, mother, he
will not speak what he is not suppose to." Everyone turned their
attention towards Siuan *Warder?*

    "Warder, what�s that?"

    Egwene was shocked yet again by the revaluation, she wanted to know
what in the light has happened, but time was running short. She was
supposed to meet the sitters and prepare for march very soon now. If
things went on longer, someone would notice. "We don't have time right
now, it is almost time to break camp. We must continue this later.
Moiraine, people must not know you are here."

    Moiraine raised one eyebrow slightly, "By your leave Mother."
Moiraine had spoke with the most formal tone and a curtsy proper enough
for the Amyrlin.

    Quickly the group went out the tent flap, pushed in the case of the
boy, Ranma. It was odd, she was certain the girl they had found was
named Ranma Saotome. *It is possible to have the same name, but both
given and family name? Too many questions* She rubbed her temples in
resignation, *Everything is giving me a headache*

    Another thought came to her, *For some reason I though Moiraine
looked a little different from the last time I've seen her and I could
of sworn she was taller than before too.* Shrugging it off she blamed it
on her memory and the headache she had.

    < OH MY! >

    Outside, Moiraine pulled the hood of her cloak over her head. The
Cloak was not the perfect design to conceal, but in such cold weather,
it was not surprising for an Aes Sedai to put up her hood. If anyone
looked it would be an Aes Sedai, preferably white, sheltering herself
from the cold.

    Siuan doubted if anyone would remember what the now famous Moiraine
Sedai would look like and even if anyone could recognize her, they would
doubt their memory on seeing a hero come out from her grave.

    "What's that about me being this warder? What's is a warder anyway?"

    Siuan took a long gaze at the boy, Ranma. The person who had
skillfully deflected her questioning before. *How can he not know about
a warder? Is he acting, or ignorant?* Frowning, "A warder is one who is
bonded to an Aes Sedai."

    "Bonded? You mean all those things I sense from you? Get it off me,
I don't need that in my head."

    Siuan made her hands into a fist to avoid loosing her calm
appearance. Somehow the boy made her so frustrated she could hit him.
"Yes, that is the bond we share. As for breaking a bond, it is not
easily done. It can be broken if one of us dies, that is why you are my
Gaidin, my protector as you see it." *Yes that sounded reasonably
suitable, why am I still so angry?*

    "Death!? You're kidding, aren't ya? Oh man, Akane's going to kill me
when she hears this. There's got to be another way. I don't need two
more latching onto me."

    Her lips tightened when she realized what her warder said, "Two?"

    "Yea, I can sense this bond from you and her, it's freaky I tell
ya."

    Siuan turned her full attention to Moiraine.  With a slow nod, "It
seems so, I can also sense a bond with young Ranma here."

    *This isn't happening�*

    < OH MY! >

    Ranma walked, sulking, through the outer corners of the Aes Sedai
camp. He was tired, but not because of walking, but because of all the
information shoved down his throat. It wasn't so much information as
half of it were probably threats by his Aes Sedai. He had no idea why he
was still around.  The scary thing is he had felt he heard it all
before. He should have left long ago. He had the sinking feeling he
wasn't in his own world from the start. The clothes were different, and
everything else he had learned just got worse. So far he has guessed it
had to be pop, Happosai or the old crones fault. What ever happened had
to of been magic. He also knew that some of his memory was missing. He
can sense there was a gap in his memory that could explain what had
happened to him.

    On another topic, he cursed the kami's that his life was a never
ending trouble by the opposite sex. Fiancees were one thing, but it was
worse right now. There were two presences in his mind. It was always
there, and only distance seems to have any effect on it, but it was
still always there. Siuan was the worse of the two. What was worse was
that she reminded him of Akane, violent and more then once had hit him
over the head by some invisible force. He guessed it was magic, The
whole camp was full of women magic users who called themselves Aes
Sedai. *Women�* He gave a groan again, just thinking about it make him
want to stick his head inside a hole.

    The other one, Moiraine was quiet most of the time. She had been in
his dreams. She had tried to kill him, but she claimed to know nothing
of it. She had tried to kill Siuan too, but now they were all friendly.
She hadn't said much towards him, with Siuan doing most of the
explanation. One thing she had said though, that two Aes Sedai bonded to
one person was never heard of. *Figures that would happen to me�* He
guessed Moiraine would be the better one of the two, she had at least
saved him a couple of times from getting hit on the head.

    He kept thinking of leaving but just as fast dissmissed it.
Something made him want to stay with them. It could have been another
effect of the bond. Still the idea of going crazy if one of them died
wasn't all that good either. The only good thing that came out of this
was the mention of extra strength and heightened senses. He hadn�t
notice it before, but he had felt sharper with all his senses. *I have
to test how much better I am one of these days*

    Looking around he groan at the sigh of snow. It hadn't mattered as
much when he was leaving, but now he was stuck here. He didn't like the
idea of everyone knowing about his curse, and worse yet, they might do
some of their crazy magic experiments on him. He shuddered at that
thought, he would have to be extra careful.

    Almost at that moment a stream of water came hurling at him. Ranma
leaped up just in time to save his sex from changing. He hadn't bothered
to yell back, his mood was beyond that. He also knew it never helped,
the old water out of nowhere thing was almost a daily occurrence.
Looking around more carefully, he fail to miss the patch of recently
formed ice in his path.

    The obvious happened as Ranma fail to keep his balance and felt face
first into a barrel of cold freezing water. "Gah! That's cold!" Looking
around he was glad that no one was around except for horses. *Time to
find a kettle*

    "You!"

    Whirling around, he mouthed a wordless, 'Oh no' as he saw her,
Faolain. Cursing her luck she dashed away, she had a sinking feeling
that if she caught her, it would be very bad. *I hate my life*

    A chase began as Ranma quickly took the most confusing route around
wagons and supplies, while Faolain tried to follow. Then the accursed
ice patch came into play again. Cursing she quickly got up and ducked
around a wagon. But by that time Faolain had cut her lead a lot and was
a few moments behind her. Then Faolain hit into something firm and it
caught her.

    Looking up Faolain saw straight into those blue eyes and felt those
hard muscles with a firm grip on her. Her heart skilled a beat.

    "Err�hi," said the now male Ranma.

    Slowly steadying herself, Faolain blurted, "A girl, a red head girl,
she was here, where did she go?"

    Ranma made his best attempt to act innocent. "Umm I think she went
that way," as he pointed into a random direction. She looked at him
again, and ran off.

    He released a grateful sigh. There was a kettle there, just when he
needed it most. He found that odd, it was almost never easy to find hot
water when he needed it. Shrugging off the thought he went on his way.
*No sense cursing my good luck*

    < OH MY! >

    Moiraine sat inside a tent meant for Siuan. Much has changed since
that night at the dock. But that was to be expected with the Dragon
Reborn loose upon the world. Things had not bold well for the White
Tower either. Too many things to count. Even Siuan had been caught up in
it. It was a relief that she was not killed though. That was at least a
good thing. Surprisingly somehow Nynaeve had discovered the impossible,
to heal stilling. She knew the girl had a talent, but this was much more
then expected.

    To herself also things have changed. She had the feeling that
something was missing from her memory. A feeling of time passing, but
not remembering what it was. It would also connect with her supposed
attacking of Siuan.

    The boy, Ranma, was even more a mystery. *Two sisters bonded to one
man is unheard of* Whatever had happened neither her, Siuan, nor Ranma
knew how that had happen. She would have to deal with it, as will Siuan.
Taming the boy would require effort. He was not easily malleable as he
appears. Siuan's approach of a firm hand was only going to push him away
more. Her experience with Rand showed her that much. Another way must be
needed. He had the skill of a warder though. The way he walked proved
that much.

    Things felt so trivial though. It was as if all her thoughts were
rehashed from previous ideas. She frowned at that thought. A few nagging
scenarios came to her mind.

    Looking down upon her attire, she frowned at what it was. It was
definitely not silk or any other material she knew. It felt amazingly
smooth, and spotless even with the abuse the mud had on it. Her slippers
showed that much. Not a spot of mud was on it, not even the sole. That
would mean it was made from the one power. Whoever dressed her was a
mystery and she was afraid of what other things her mysterious patron
had given her. She already knew she had an unidentified need to keep the
clothing on. Time will give her this information, hopefully. There was
little she could do as of now.

    < OH MY! >

    Night came and Moiraine dreamed an unnatural dream. She was staring
into a full-length mirror and while the face was hers, her entire stance
and expression wasn't. It somehow reminded that of a child.

    It winked at her, and waved. Moiraine tried to speak out but
couldn't. It was as if own willpower was against her.

    "Do you know?"

    *know what?* Moiraine tried to say, but again was stopped.

    "Do you remember?"

    *Remember?* She felt as if she was going nowhere.

    A giggle suddenly echoed inside her mind. Focusing back onto the
mirror, it looked like if the source of that had been from the mirror.

    She unconsciously spoke out, and this time she felt herself speak.

    "What in the ligh--"

    "Behind you..." The mirror image spoke, but it was not her voice. It
was too high pitched and excitable.

    She turned around and it was another image of her, but this time it
looked every bit like her, the serene face, and the proper posture.

    "Do you remember?" This new image spoke. It was in her voice this
time.

    Confused she replied, "No..."

    "Do not ask yourself questions and you will."

    Moiraine couldn't understand what was suggested.

    "She means don't think so much and it will come back to you." This
time it was behind her and in that high girlish voice again. Again
Moiraine turned around.

    "We have been all splintered. It will come back with time, but you
can speed up the process though, if you do not seek to wall yourself
with conflicting thoughts." Besides the voice it did not feel like her
speaking at all.

    "I don't understand. We? Splintered?" She asked...

    "Don't understand"

    And darkness again enfolded her. All her questions, thoughts, began
to fade. The whole experience of what happened began to fade into the
mist of nothingness like all dreams.

    Elsewhere during the night not far from the sleeping Ranma and a
disturbed Moiraine, events took place. In the morning there would be no
march. The wheel weaves as the wheels will, and Siuan would be extra
grumpy in the morning.

    < OH MY! >

    Morning came peacefully for Ranma. For the first time since he woke
that started this nightmare, he hadn't dreamt of her. This could have
been for the obvious fact that she was currently sleeping right next to
him on the cot. He was on the floor of course, he wasn't about to sleep
on it with her there. She was still sleeping in those clothing he first
saw Moiraine in, cloak and all. The warder guessed it wasn't so hard to
believe because he slept in his clothes too. The weather was too cold
otherwise. He found it odd that Siuan hadn't came back last night. He
felt she was still some distance off. She had been sleeping somewhere
else, he guessed. Ranma shrugged the thought off as there was only one
cot in this tent anyway.

    Getting up Ranma went off to search for Siuan, it was the only way
to get breakfast anyway.

    < OH MY! >

    Siuan was in a sour mood, she had been dragged out in the middle of
the night after sleeping on the floor by that blasted Gareth Bryne.
After that it was all the more worse, as she had to run around in the
bone freezing night, stepping on slippery ice along the way. *At least
there would be no march today*

    Then suddenly she felt a tap on her shoulder. "Hi, Siuan, what's
up?"

    Siuan gave a frantic yep as she turned around and almost fell on her
rear. Ranma stood right behind her looking as if he didn't have a care
in the world.

    "Don't do that! Fish guts! You scare me half to death you sorry
excuse for a lummox!" Her heart raced, *How did he do that? Coming out
of no where�*

    "Teh, not my fault you couldn't sense me. I bet you couldn't even
sense a rampaging boar the way you were surprised," replied a smug
Ranma.

    Giving a cold glare she replied, "What do you want Ranma, before I
use your guts as fish bait?" *The nerve of that boy, and to think I'm
bonded to him*

    "I was hoping you knew where I could get breakfast?"

    *For breakfast!?* "Get it yourself, I have no time for your
whining."

    "Well, I would if I knew--" He stopping in mid speech as he turned
his glazed behind him. Siuan peered at where her warder was looking and
spotted another matter of annoyance. Gareth Bryne was walking up to her.

    "If you would spend more time washing my shirts and less time
talking to boys, I can finally get a clean shirt Siuan."

    She frowned upon Bryne. *Men are infuriating!*

    "Eh? All high and mighty Siuan here, washes clothes, I never would
of expected it." He still had the smirk plastered on his face. The two
males whom she could not bear to stand have collaborated against her.
*This is not happening*

    "And who are you boy to speak to Siuan Sedai?" Bryne turned his
attention towards Ranma.

    "Ranma Saotome, her warder I guess. Don't suppose you know where I
can get something to eat around here?"

    "Is this true Siuan? This boy here is your warder?" Bryne's grip on
holding his face-guard seemed to tighten.

    Siuan gave a loud snort, "He is, at least when he can properly learn
to be one." *It's funny how I can say that so casually...*

    "Then you can clean my shirt while I give your warder here a meal,"
Bryne threw her a bundle, "and tell her they know." That was all he had
to say as the two left an angry Aes Sedai shooting death glares behind
them.

    < OH MY! >

    Gareth Bryne took a long look at the boy who would be Siuan's
warder. Young, just short of manhood, and from his attitude, arrogant
and naive. But besides all of those qualities, the boy had skill. The
way he walked easily showed that. The boy named Ranma radiated prowess
of a warrior. Still that alone should not have been enough to become
Siuan's Gaidin. He had little idea why she would pick this boy.

    Bryne threw Ranma a sword sheathed inside a scabbard.

    "What's this?"

    "Your sword, boy. If you are going to be a warder, you have to have
a weapon to protect her with."

    "I don't need a weapon to protect that violent tomboy," refuted
Ranma.

    Bryne narrowed his eyes, "You will need one if you want to protect
this Aes Sedai, boy, she's a trouble kind, more then a child like you
can handle." He meant every word of it. Siuan was a hard one to protect
and with the way events were going she would need the best offered. This
boy was not it. Deep inside he wanted her warder to be him, but he knew
he was only fooling himself. He was who he was and she was an Aes Sedai,
whatever he felt for the woman. Siuan was from the Blue Ajah, which
meant she could only have one warder at a time. He had hoped deep down
it would be him, but that fantasy was shattered. He could almost laugh
at himself for doing something so foolish as falling for Siuan of all
people. If there was one thing he could do, it was to teach this boy to
protect her.

    Ranma sighed, "Would you stop calling me 'boy'. I am Ranma Saotome,
heir to the Anything Goes martial Arts."

    *Anything Goes? Martial Arts? Art of war?* Bryne had never heard
such a title in all his years as a General, or any time in his life for
that matter. "I don't know what that means, or care, you are an arrogant
boy who thinks being a warder is game," unsheathing a sword, he spoke
slowly, "Come, boy, lets see what you know of facing an enemy."

    *Let us see who is the bigger fool. Me for chasing a fantasy or you
for choosing to live it in my place...*

    "Fine, I guess that's a challenge," unsheathing his own sword, Ranma
took too a couple of test swings as if it were a stick and came into a
defensive stance Bryne thought was 'waves crashing over the mountain',
but it looked more loose and agile than a solid stance.

    "Come and get me," he said in that arrogant tone, except this time
it had an edge of expectation in it.

    He had never seen such a variation stance before, but he could tell
it was not because of sloppiness, the boy knew what he was doing.
Lowering his eyebrows he rushed towards him, it was time to find out how
good the boy was.

    Gareth Bryne met an opponent like none he ever met before, the boy
was like lightning one second and a mountain the next. His slash came
crashing down only to be met by Ranma's own and the strikes after that,
He was like a mountain never loosing ground to his advances, as he hands
almost blurred parrying his every attack. Then suddenly he would change
completely and float out of the strike as if he never needed a sword to
defend in the first place.

    And so they danced. A crowd started to form. First it was curious
soldiers, then it was interested others...finally ageless faces started
to appear in the mist.

    *He's playing with me!* He can clearly tell he was no match for the
boy, he was just simply dancing around him. From the first moment he
knew who was clearly the more experienced. Only his pride kept him from
admitting defeat. Then the boy grinned. A block became an attack. He
could barely keep up, as his concentration on offense became defense.
Ranma's strikes like his parry flashed at lightning speed, he lost
ground to the boy rapidly. Desperately he strived for a counterattack
when the boy disappeared *No he jumped!*

    Looking up his sight focused just enough on a blur passing by his
vision. Turning around to face him it was too late as he felt a painful
sting on his hand. His sword flew away onto the ground. Gareth Bryne had
been disarmed. The boy, Ranma had kicked the sword out of his hand.

    "I win," Ranma replied with a smirk.

    *He is a Blademaster� A boy blademaster�* He had never heard of such
a thing, but the way he moved, the ease of which he attacked and
blocked. He had to be a blademaster, Byrne had never seen anyone move
that fast.

    "So you did Ranma Saotome, heir to the Anything Goes Martial Arts,"
Giving a chuckle he continued, "Perhaps you can be Siuan's warder, but
it takes more then skills to protect a leopard like her, much more."

    "I can do it," throwing the sword down, "and I don't need a weapon
to do it." With that he walked away.

    "Maybe you are right�" he muttered to himself, "or maybe not." He
despised the boy, but not because he was more skilled than him or
because he was an arrogant boy, but because he was her warder. He also
despised himself for letting the chance slip away from him, for falling
for that woman. *No I don't despise that�* He gave a low chuckle, he
wished he never chased that girl with those deep blue eyes.

    Oblivious to Ranma, and Bryne was the crowd had gathered for their
battle. Ranma probably thought it was regular to walk away with a crowd,
after all he had people staring at him all the time from the battles he
constant had. There were mutters of a blademaster, boy-child that was
the warder to Siuan Sanche, former Amyrlin and many more. Some Greens
voiced their jealously, other pondered at how Siuan got a hold of such a
rare child. Still other ponder the title of 'Anything Goes Martial Arts'
and Siuan would ponder, "Why me...?"

    < OH MY! >

    Siuan trampled along still unknown to the happenings of Bryne and
Ranma. *The nerve of that man! Washing his shirts!*

    "Siuan, what's this I heard about you getting a warder?" an almost
teasing voice came out. It was Lelaine's voice, one of her secret
accomplices and her ex-keeper.  *My warder?*

    Looking up at Lelaine she asked in a resigned voice, "What did the
boy do?" She knew Ranma must have done something hair-brained to get
attention.

    "Why he only fought with Gareth Bryne, and won surprising enough.
How sly of you Siuan, not even telling me about this boy blademaster you
somehow gotten a hold of."

    "He fought Gareth Bryne!?" She had to make her hands into a fist to
keep from lashing out at the first person she saw. *Boy blademaster!?
What was she talking about* Her anger quickly turned into surprise, it
was a never ending emotion for Siuan it seems.

    "Blademaster, what in the light are you talking about Lelaine?"

    "What? You didn't know Siuan, he had moved so swiftly and powerfully
he can only be a blademaster. This warder of yours is a rare sight."

    *This is not happening�* Siuan was about to get one of those
headaches Egwene was talking about before.

    "I came to tell you the seeds are in place, and I should probably be
going now, before other sisters get a hold of you. I really hope to meet
your warder later though, I was unable to get a hold of him before."

    After saying that, Lelaine quickly dashed off.

    *This can not be happening�* She considered compelling Ranma, but
quickly dismissed the idea, something inside told her it was more
trouble then it was worth. Peering off on the corner of her sight she
spotted two Green sisters actively talking to each other. She doubted
they would pass her by. *I am going to have a long talk with my
'blademaster' warder*

    < OH MY! >

    Night came and the morning of another came up. Ranma Saotome, this
time was almost dressed like a real warder. He was riding a horse
besides Siuan in his new color-shifting cloak. He had seen the other
warders wear one all the time. In fact every Aes Sedai riding had their
own warder with them, he guessed that was why he had to come. He had
been lucky he didn't have to wear the clothes she gave him, just the
cloak. They had argued for a while before Moiraine convinced her that he
didn't need it. He was very glad for that. He hated those constricting
clothes with all those lacing and colors and junk. It made him look like
an idiot. He liked his own chinese style blue wool shirt.

    Another thing he was glad for was that Siuan had stopped lecturing
how he should act and stuff. He decided it was best if he just kept his
mouth shut and follow her around, it would save him a lot of badgering
later. He needed a rest, Siuan was worse than Akane, at least Akane just
shouted at him and hit him, Siuan also badgered him.

    "Are we there yet?" He wasn't very good on the horse he admitted
mentally, and it was starting to have its effects on him.

    "Almost" For once Siuan was not about to argue with him, she seemed
to be just as bad with a horse.

    < OH MY! >

    The meeting was a bit surprising to say the least for Ranma. It was
rare for him to be in the middle of a couple of thousand armed men. He
was afraid there was a war when the Aes Sedai took over a thousand men
from the camp, but all the flashy clothes and Siuan convinced him
otherwise. Siuan was beautiful, dressed up like that he idly thought.

    He just stood behind Siuan for most of the introductions, a feeling
and Siuan's glare told him that he would be in a lot of trouble if he
spoke during this. Though some things said gave him a feeling there was
going to be a war, he wasn't interested in fighting in a war, but he had
to protect Siuan, and Moiraine. He was quickly becoming accustomed to
these thoughts.

    After the talking was over, everyone broke up to chat among others,
Ranma just followed besides his Aes Sedai, like every other warder.

    "A young Aes Sedai and an even younger warder. Forgive me Aes Sedai,
but I don't believe I've seen a pair such as you two before." Ranma
looked at the lady who commented.

    "It's all right child, but we are All Aes Sedai, do not forget
child," Siuan answer in that calm serene voice. It was almost haunting
how Siuan could act so different from what he was exposed to. Right now
it was like trailing after Nabiki in one of her rounds. Ranma made a
mental note to be extra careful about his curse towards Siuan if she was
anything like Nabiki.

    There were a couple of more comments like it as they walked around.
Ranma wondered about Siuan being young. He was aware that besides the
leader, Siuan seemed the youngest of all the Aes Sedai he had seen. What
was more was that he finally noticed that all of them had that ageless
face, except for the two. Even Moiraine had it. He added that to his
list of things to keep in mind.

    After a short time they were ready to leave. He was glad about that;
all those people looking at him was getting freaky. Even when the other
Aes Sedai was looking had given him the shudders. But that was not what
was on his mind, Siuan had been scared behind that mask of calmness all
throughout the ride and even now she was even more afraid. Something was
going to happen, and he had a feeling he was going to play protector
soon.

    < OH MY! >

    Ranma walked slowly inside the camp, Siuan had pushed him off to
talk with the leader, he could still feel something was wrong. Something
was wrong and she would not let him beside her. This frustrated him.
Whether he cared to protect her or not, the feeling of the bond was
going to haunt him until she was safe. At this point he did not even to
bother rationalizing his reasoning anymore.

    Then a mental alarm went through his mind.

    Turning around he went into a full dash, he felt something terribly
wrong; he had to reach her. Veering off he turned to the outskirts of
the camp, he knew she was there.

    < OH MY! >

    Siuan walked slowly by herself after what was left of the final
moments of planning had started. She hugged herself tightly, and not
because of the cold night, but because of what was going to happen.

    Even after all these years, she couldn't stop shaking and thinking
about all the dark possibilities that might come after this. She knew
she was foolish to dwell on it. That was the reason she wanted to be
alone.

    She dispised how weak she was right now. It was foolish to worry
about something that was out of her hands. All that could be done had
been done. She knew of the risks every step of the way, but even with
all the prior knowledge she still couldn't shake the feelings off. This
was probably one of her most vulnerable moments of her life.

    *Run*

    Siuan gasped. A voice just suddenly went through her mind. Franticly
she scanned her surrounds. No one was around, just the snow-covered
night of the camp.

    *It must be the wind...* Even trying to reassure herself, she still
couldn't shake off the feeling of something happening. *Perhaps I
better...*

    *Bear your inner most feelings to me*

    Siuan's eyes widen. It happened again, and this time it was a
distinctively different tone then before. It felt dark and haunting. She
was franticly searching around now, constantly turning to look
everywhere at once.

    "Who's out there!? Show yourself!" Despite her better judgment she
spoke out into the night. She had already unconsciously moved into a
tight defensive pose. She felt like running, but her legs felt numb.

    Siuan went for the one power. It was safer to embrace the one power
in this situation. She had expected to fill her body with every last bit
of Saidar that she could handle, but nothing came. It wasn't as if she
was blocked, she could not feel a spark of it.

    *Show me your emotions*

    Her breath caught. It was louder now, and more ominous than before.
She tried to run, unable to even think of anything else. Her mind was
over run with fear. But the best she managed to do was stumble back a
little.

    *Flee. Run to Ranma. He can protect you. Hurry!*

    Siuan spun towards the origin of the voice. Her vision was blurry
but she spotted a figure. It looked like a girl wearing an odd looking
spring dress. Completely clashing with the weather. She seemed to be
praying for her. She couldn't see the face clearly but it felt familiar.

    *Show me...*

    Suddenly she heard, no felt, the dark voice right behind her. It was
almost breathing down her back now. Spinning recklessly she whirled a
full half circle.

    It looked almost as if the moon and the shadows were playing tricks
on her eyes, but she knew it was real. It towered over her somehow,
though it was no taller than Siuan herself.    Her vision was still too
blurry to see clearly, but she knew what she was seeing. She tried to
scream, do anything, but nothing happened.

    A hand grasped on her left wrist, then her right wrist. She couldn't
move. It moved even closer to her. Siuan felt her knees buckle; she was
falling backwards and her assailant leaning towards her.

    There was nothing she could do, as she stared breathlessly at
herself. A very twisted image of herself.

    *Bear your heart to me*

    Her last thought was... *Ranma... please help me...*


    < OH MY! >

    "Hello Ranma." He finally found Siuan standing in the center of a
clearing. He felt a jumble of emotions from her; the warder could not
make heads or tails of what that meant. She had a small smile on her
lips, and she looked at him with an almost sultry look on her face. It
was not like Siuan at all.

    "Siuan, are you all right? His senses we going off in an alarming
rate, something was very wrong here.

    "I'm fine my Gaidin, come to me." This was not like Siuan at all.

    "Umm are you sure you're all right, Siuan, you're acting odd." Ranma
had enough experience with magical potions and the like to sense when
someone was acting very much not like themselves.

    Siuan frowned, "Why must you always fight me, Ranma? Why can't you
ever do what I SAY!"

    Suddenly he couldn't move; some invisible force had wrapped around
him tightly. He squirmed as she walked closer. *Crap...* Trying harder
he raised his power level. He wasn't about to let her do whatever she
wanted. The invisible force disappeared in an instant.

    "Why Ranma? WHY!?" Siuan screamed as she threw a huge fireball at
him.

    "Youch!" he pivoted out of the path of that fireball. "Siuan,
now--now, calm down and we can talk about this." He waved his hands to
ward her away.

    Raising her hand a gigantic glowing mallet appeared in Siuan's
hands. "Ack!" Ranma got out of the way of the blue menace as he frantic
jumped out of way of the over grown glowing blue mallet. Siuan swung it
again, and again. "Hey! Siuan! Don't--do--this. Woah! Watch where you're
swinging that thing!"

    Ranma jumped, ducked, and dodged as the gigantic mallet made large
holes on the ground as a crazed Aes Sedai went on a rampage to mallet
Ranma. It had a familiar relation to his other malletings.

    "WHY--DON'T--YOU--LOVE--ME!? WHY!?" screamed Siuan while swinging
another attack.

    "What!?" the helpless Ranma blurted out. "What are you talking
about!?" Flipping back from another attack, he figured Siuan WAS crazy.
*I have to stop her before she makes okonomiyaki out of me*

    Jumping out of another swing he lunged forward and grabbed onto
Siuan's wrist, "Stop this Siuan!"

    She only smiled as she went and did something totally unexpected to
Ranma; she hugged him, fiercely. *Wha�* Then he felt it. He winced as he
felt his power draining rapidly, "What�are you doing�to me�" He felt his
knees failing, he couldn't move, she was draining the life out of him.

    "Yes Ranma... you are mine now, all mine�"

    < OH MY! >

    Moiraine jerked her head up as she felt a spike, a spike from the
bond. Something had happened to Ranma, something terrible. She
immediately stood up and raced out the tent to find him.

    Through the bond she could sense he was near, dashing through
another wagon she turned when she slammed into something. Slightly dazed
she found out it was Egwene.

    "Moiraine, what are you doing?"

    "Something terrible has happened to Ranma."

    "If Ranma is in danger, than Siuan�" Egwene finished off.

    The two of them dash off towards Ranma.

    < OH MY! >

    Moiraine had just reached the outskirts of the camp when they found
themselves in a clearing. In the middle they saw Siuan hugging Ranma.
Siuan was glowing with a tremendous amount of power. *What in the
light�*

    "What's going on here!?" yelled out Egwene.

    "Why won't people ever leave us ALONE!?"

    A wave of air suddenly slammed into both Moiraine and Egwene. It was
enough to knock both of them a couple of feet. Moiraine felt Egwene
embraces the source as she also was doing the same; then suddenly power
filled into her, much more power then she could safely hold.  It swelled
inside her, she felt more alive and with more one power than she ever
had before. It was just in time as another wave of air came. Quickly she
wove her own barrier to defect it, but Egwene was not so fortunate as it
broke through her barrier and she went flying back.

    Another wave came and this time she sliced the weave before it
formed. "What are you doing Siuan!?" Moiraine manage to say while
slicing another weave.

    *She will not listen...* Moiraine blinked. That did not feel like
one of her thoughts.

    "Leave us ALONE!"

    She figured she had to do something, Siuan was out of control. *This
is not like Siuan at all* Franticly she sliced another weave. Even with
the unexplained boast of saidar she held, it still paled compared to
Siuan's. Suddenly the answer came to her, she hadn't known how she knew
but it felt right, and she was left with little choice.

    Slowly she stumbled towards them, towards Siuan and Ranma, while
slicing threw weave after weave. Slowly and with great effort she
reached out and grabbed onto Ranma. A torrent rushed into her, she felt
more power then even before the moment she latched onto Ranma's arm.

    "He's mine!" Siuan pulled back in response and her power weakened.
She knew what must be done now. With all her might Moiraine pulled back,
harder. The vast amount of one power came back to her. It was tug of
war; who ever had more of Ranma had more power. Moiraine pulled with all
her strength, and Siuan pulled with all of her's.

    The war went on, neither giving up, the power went back and forth.
Moiraine felt like she would throw up with each tide turning of power.
*I must keep up�*

    *No. Let go.*

    Her eyes widened, a voice came out of nowhere. Before she knew it,
she had let go of Ranma's arm.

    Siuan fell back in surprised and Ranma along with her. Their lips
met. Siuan eyes widen. It almost felt as if it had been in slow motion.
Almost immediately push him off of her.  She Scrambled to her feet and
edged back franticly, eyes wide with fear.

    Moiraine dazedly felt a weave forming behind Siuan. Suddenly
vertical glowing line appeared and widens into a hole. *A gateway�*

    Siuan jumped through it and the gateway closed immediately. Moiraine
could only stare at her leavetakings.

    *What...just happened...?*

    < OH MY! >

    Somewhere in the snow cover woods a black piglet with a yellow and
black stripped bandanna pulled a big heavy backpack with his teeth. It
was an amazing feat.

    Ryouga was not in a happy mood, he was in his curse form in a snow
covered forest unable to even able to build a fire to change back. The
last thing he remembered just before waking up was the attack by those
beasts and that guy that moved so unnaturally. He was just about to
attack when a light came from nowhere and burned the guy to a crisp.
When he looked it was a woman that had done it.

    She had given him a black sphere thing and said to deliver it to
someone. Before he could ask more his vision blurred and fainted. He
wasn't sure what had happen after that, but he had a feeling it was all
Ranma's fault. It always was.

    < OH MY! >

    A SD figure clasped in a cloak of pure white, with some red
decorations along the edges walks out. SD for once is humming
cheerfully.

    "Hello there, finally able to negotiate a new contract, I am now
here to explain about things from the Wheel of Time."

    "Lanfear, meaning Daughter of the Night in the old tongue has this
thing for the Dragon. She is very devious and probably psychotic too.
One thing though is that she is very beautiful and men will fall dead
just from that fact. But for our hero Rand, she is just one of his many
girl troubles. Every hero must have those."

    "Compel and compulsion. I've been asked to explain these more
clearly. Though I threw a book at the person suggesting it, I will do it
anyway. Compel is what Aes Sedai do to their warder. Don't ask, it's
probably kinky. Compulsion is a weave that can make people do what ever
you want. Don't ask, that's probably kinky too."

    "The Aes Sedai camp. It seems they didn't agree which color to
choose so they split up to two sides, with Blues on one side and Reds on
the other and every other color stuck in between. Now the Blues want the
tower back and they have a big, paint spray--I mean army to do it."


    "A little tidbit, Aes Sedai can draw on the strength of their
warders to aid them. How very mean, and how very clever, tee-hee."

    "Okay, this is all because I deemed it so. It's so nice to have a
new contract."

    The author in the background starts rambling some gibberish and was
muffled by a loud crash. Apparently from a huge mallet.

    "Author no baka"



Author's babble~
If I don't get comments I might just get depress and never write again! [Which author then goes off to take some prozac and forget's all about it]
-----------
~Kuku
Saturn Crystal Power, MAKEUP! *glomp*

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