Musk Ranma

by Gregg Sharp

=====

1/1: a brief alterniverse look.

Ranma 1/2 by Rumiko Takahashi. fanfiction
is for noncommercial enjoyment only. All other
use voids warranty. If not completely satisfied
with this product delete and load another. Yes,
that means you, the "Akane is a goddess who
can do no wrong" acolyte in the third row. Insert
more pointless rambling if you feel the need.
           The first part, explaining the Bet, is because
i still occasionally get e-mail from people who have
no idea what that framing device was for.

-------------------------------------------------------------

 "This is what they call Mimir's Well,"
the demon remarked. "From here you really can
see Forever. Not only is distance not a problem,
but you can see through time and alternate
timelines and all sorts of stuff."

 "Oh my," a pretty nineteen year old
Japanese girl looked over the well as it changed
shape into a crystal ball, then back into a pool of
clear water. "What are all those tangled threads?"

 "Alternate timelines." Grey paused.
"This is where Toltiir had that Bet going, where he
and a few others essentially took timelines that were
collapsing and made a few alterations. To make one
timeline permanent, and mainly to show each other
up, some others got involved and the whole thing
got out of hand."

 "Oh, yes," Kasumi said, nodding. "My
goodness. I see myself there. What's this one?"

 "Uhm. Looks like Ahriman's entry. It
was actually just a tiny push, a decision that was
put off that could have had drastic consequences."

-------------March 12, 1992-------------------------

 "He's a couple all by himself! Pervert!
Peeping tom!" Akane turned away from the (ugh)
BOY. "And if you ever--"

 "Goodbye!" Ranma spun on her heel
and started stalking off. Her father had hid the
backpack to keep her here, but this was just
intolerable.

 "Where are you going, boy?" Genma
glared at his son-turned-daughter. Ungrateful
whelp spoiling this beautiful moment where both
Genma and Soun's dreams of uniting the schools
were being realized.

 "Back to CHINA!" Ranma growled.
"I have to find a way to change back for good.
This is no time for 'fiancees.'"

 Ranma partially turned, saw the blank
look on Akane's face and wondered why she had
ever thought she was cute. She saw the two sisters
who had thrown him to the lion, and felt her own
anger surge a bit.

 "By the way, YOU took a pretty good
look at me, too. Besides, if I were to look at anyone,
I'm better built, Nabiki's sexier, and Kasumi there is
better looking and is a HELL of a lot more feminine!"(1)

 Ranma stepped down the hall, just one
step ahead of a thrown table. He was pursued by
a number of hurled heavy objects all the way outside.

 When Akane got back, Ranma's father
was chuckling.

 "He'll be back, Tendo. I hid his backpack.
Besides, I've spent years manipulating him, teaching
him to be dependent on me, discouraging any hint of
being able to actually think about situations. Why,
just his social skills alone are abyssmal."

 "So that he'll be dependent on Akane
when they're married, very clever Saotome!"

 "I WILL NOT MARRY THAT JERK!"

 Kasumi blinked, turned to her middle
sister and asked for help with the dishes. Time for
another little meeting.

------------April 1, 1992-----------------------

 Lime and Mint led the stranger
into Herb's presence.

 "Who are you, and what do you
seek here?"

 The youth met Herb's eyes briefly,
then bowed clumsily. "The Guide said that if
anyone knew how to cure a Jusenkyo curse,
it would be the Musk Dynasty or Phoenix
Mountain. I sought your advice first as the
closer of the two, and because we both have
an enemy in common."

 "The enemy of my enemy is not
always my friend," corrected Herb. Still, he
was slightly more interested now. "And who
is this common enemy?"

 "I am pursued by one of the
Amazons, their tribal Champion in fact.
Sooner or later, she shall track me to here
and will attack."

 "Why would she be chasing after
you?"

 "I was Jusenkyo cursed and
defeated the Amazon in combat. She then gave
me the Kiss of Death and pursued me."

 "Nyaanichuan," Herb said, nodding.
"What do you know of the Musk Dynasty?"

 "Next to nothing," admitted Ranma.
"The Jusenkyo Guide said only that you knew
much of the curses and were longtime enemies
of the Amazons."

 Mint knew his part, and sat in a corner
of the room, taking a small drum and tapping out
a slow soft beat on it.

 Herb stood, the shadows still mainly
concealing his form. "Ages ago, the Amazons
came to this valley from the plains of ancient
Scythia. They had been nomadic herdsmen. Now
displaced from their lands they brought everything
they could with them and settled in this remote and
largely inaccessible region. They brought their
spears and their bows, the secrets of what the
Greeks would later turn into pankration -the basis
for modern martial arts, their magic and one other
thing.

 "They also brought their slaves."

 Mint hit the drum a little harder after
that one word. Herb was giving a familiar speech,
one that was given to those boys about to turn
into men. Mint knew the cues by heart.

 "Over four thousand years ago, a
group of slaves had been beaten, and whipped,
and had seen many of their number gutted for
daring to speak back to a woman. These men
found the courage to escape, to flee their bondage
one cold night and seek a new life away from their
oppressors.

 "They only went a short distance, from
one Valley to another, when they came across the
Cursed Springs. One of their number fell within, and
a moment later a crow flew out of the spring. The
others quickly realized to avoid the Springs, but also
that if they went to the other side of the Springs that
these cursed waters would form a natural defense.
Just imagining their former masters riding a calvary
charge through the valley was enough to lift their
spirits.

 "So they came to a defensible cliffside and
built the first crude Citadel. In time a few warriors of
the Amazons came looking for them. There was a brief
fight. The Amazons had the better armor and better
weapons. Lemon was the Musk who thought of
scooping up buckets of the cursed waters and hurling
them on the attackers. The results were gratifying.

 "Now the former slaves had slaves themselves.
Some councilled against this, others argued that it was
only fair to turn the tables on their former masters. The
decision eventually went to the majority, who wanted
vengeance.

 "The Amazons howled and screamed, but
as Spring Of Drowned Carp had been used on them,
it was well understood that for them to go outside was
certain death.

 "And so, from these new slaves, was born
the next generation of Musk.

 "One thousand three hundred years ago,
a spring was created. Spring Of Drowned Girl, and
the Musk no longer had to capture Amazons in order
to have concubines or slaves. Criminals, animals, all
could be converted to young girls. A way of locking
someone in their cursed form was developed. A way
of unlocking was also developed. Many disagreed
with the ritual, but tradition and plenty of examples
have taught us that no woman can be trusted not to
put her own interests over those of others. The
changing of animals to brides, to breed for those
qualities best able to stand against the Amazons
and their trickery was eventually implemented.

 "Then in the Second World War, one of
our own, a daughter of the Badger tribe named Cheddar,
stole the unlocking device and took it to Japan. It is my
personal crusade to seek the Unlocking Kettle and return
it to the Musk.

 "For your courage and cooperation,
I offer you our assistance. Will you grant us yours
that we may recover the kettle?"

 Ranma nodded. "Then I can get a cure?"

 "Yes. As long as you are not
locked in your cursed form, it can be cured. Will
you swear loyalty to me, to the Musk Dynasty?
Will you help me attain the Unlocking Kettle, then
go on to avenge ourselves?"

 Ranma glanced at the two powerful
warriors and the frescoes of martial arts battles
that decorated the walls. "Throw in martial arts
training, food and board, and ya gotta deal."
------------------January 9, 1993---------------------
 Shampoo ignored as much of the
pain as possible and struggled to her hands
and knees. This was not going nearly the way
she had envisaged it.

 Just sneak in and kill the girl, maybe
a little death and destruction since it WAS the
Musk Citadel.

 Shampoo started to rise to her feet,
only to have a blow to her temple, and then another
to her knees caused her to buckle.

 "Thought you'd just come in and kill
me, eh? That's how you Amazons do business,
isn't it? Well, guess what, Shampoo. You lose."
Ranma was still trembling a little, the attack had
been completely unexpected and had nearly taken
his head off. The image (supplied by a book on
Amazon practices, the illustrations still caused
Ranma a few nightmares) of Ranma's head being
hung by its pigtail outside the Amazon gates had
overcome his hesitation to strike a woman.

 Shampoo's eyes swam as she tried to
see the figure in front of her. The redhaired girl
known as Ranma was standing in a ready position.
Her Chinese still needed work, though. Shampoo
would have protested the concept of Amazons as
assassins, but there had been times when it had
been true.

 "Enough," another voice could be
clearly heard. "Will you kill her? She most
certainly would kill you were your positions
reversed."

 "Uhm. No." Ranma frowned as she
looked at the fallen Amazon. "But what else
can I do? If I let her go, she'll just try to kill me
again."

 "We could use some cursewater
and she could be your pet. Maybe a nice
songbird in a cage? Mint is good with animals,
perhaps changing her into a dog, and Mint
could train her to be obedient? Concubine,
perhaps? We have ways of making her...pliable.
It would not be the first time we have dealt
with Amazon assassins in such a manner."

 "Whatever..."

 Shampoo lost whatever else was
being said as that roaring noise grew louder
and the darkness seemed to sweep in on her.
-------------January 10, 1993-----------------------
 "Was that really necessary?" Ranma
sat near the throne and just held his head in his
hands.

 Herb looked coldly at his subordinate.
"She was an Amazon and an assassin. Worse, she
had targetted you to be her next victim. You
didn't want her transformed into something small
and helpless. You didn't want her killed. There's
just Mint, Lime, you and myself. Imprisoning her
indefinitely wouldn't work without a transformation."

 "Well, she's definitely not the same as
the assassin NOW. Does she remember anything?"

 "Not much. You'll basically have to
raise her as an infant. I don't have much sympathy
for Amazons OR assassins, and she only remains
alive at your bequest." Herb stood up from his
throne. "She's YOUR responsibility. You have
a few days to train her before we travel to
Japan."

 "Yeah, I suppose."
---------------March 12, 1993-----------------
 Ranma heard Herb approach
and sent Xian on into their room.

 "You dote on that slave." Herb,
restored to male form and loving it, favored
his star pupil with a grin. "I certainly don't
understand your ways. From what I see,
it is almost as if she were your child instead
of the killer who tried to stalk you in these
halls before our little trip."

 Ranma grunted an agreement.

 "Certainly she seems loyal to
you. Do not be too torn, Ranma, when she
betrays you later. It is something inherent
in the gender to repay kindness with
hostility." It was in all the old books, after
all.

 Thinking back to his visit to
the Tendo dojo, Ranma couldn't help but
see something to that. Still..."Make you
a bet. If Xian truly betrays me, I'll join your
cause wholeheartedly. If she proves herself,
then you stop believing that all women are
inherently evil."

 Herb nodded his agreement.
"Didn't you say that this was about the
time that you were humiliated and attacked
by that group in Japan? The 'Tendo Dojo'
or something?"

 "Yeah, they did." Ranma had
gone over the events of that day several
times, and Herb was right.

 That girl had been just like an
Amazon, kind to him when she thought
him a girl, mean and hateful when dealing
with a male. And the two sisters hadn't
been much better, one had fondled him
in girl form, the other had just been
anxious to dump him like stale bread.
Like HE had wanted to get married to
a stranger himself, but no they had to
blame him. Or at least the youngest
one did, he suspected the other two had
the same attitude.

 Vengeance just wasn't his
style, though.

 "Tomorrow we get you your
cure." Herb looked out into the night. "Then,
get ready for some of the most intensive
training of your life."

 Ranma grinned back. "Now THAT
I'm always ready for."
-------------March 12, 1994-----------------
                          The doctor took the cup of
tea and faced the odd pair. The boy was
around eighteen, quite tough looking, with
a sad air that seemed to fit him like a cloak.
Black hair, tied back in a ponytail, the leather
tie having a pair of yellow-brown fangs hanging
from it.

                          The girl was quite different,
something almost childish-innocent about
her, with a smile that seemed to light up the
room. Her purple hair was the same length
and style as the boy's but on her merely
enhanced the child-woman image.

                            "The Tendo dojo. Well,
yes I did know of it." The doctor stopped
the shaking of his hands by effort of will.
"Let's see, a little over a year and a half ago
a dojo destroyer came through the area and
the Heir to the dojo, Akane, was rather badly
hurt.

                            "The Tendo School was
eliminated, joining the other dojos that
failed to meet the test. Things continued on
for a little while, but with Happosai in the
area the Anything Goes style was pretty
much considered not worth the hassle.
Especially after seeing Happosai kiss Akane
in that 'Romeo & Juliet' play." Doctor Tofu
Ono shuddered briefly. "Then they got their
heads shaved when the new principal arrived,
though Akane had to start shaving after that
bit with the Supersoba until Happosai used
that weakness Moxibuxtion point on her.

                               "Then Akane left on some
quest to Ryugenzawa and never came back.
Then Kasumi...got married to someone named
Picolette Chardin III by some arranged marriage."
Doctor Tofu had to pause a few moments to
get his trembling under control.

                                "Soun Tendo died a few
months ago. Without the dojo, without the
school, without his daughters, there was
nothing for him."

 "What of the third daughter,"
asked the boy in his oddly accented voice.
"What of Nabiki Tendo?"

  "She moved out of the area
after her father died. Haven't heard from
her since then."

 Ranma thanked the doctor
and gestured for his companion to follow
him as he left the clinic.

                           "You are satisfied, Ranma?"
Xian looked over at her "father" with some
curiosity. She knew, of course, that Ranma
wasn't her real father. Ranma was the only
parent she remembered though, and he had
always treated her with patience, kindness,
and affection. Though that sad look still
passed over his face regularly.

                           "Yes and no. I can't
exactly stop by and forgive them for
treating me so shabbily back then, can I?"

                            "Is just as well," Xian
noted. "Now we not have to spend much
time here. Prince say problems soon, need
all help he can get."

                           "Yeah," Ranma agreed
after a few moments. He gave a wry smile
to his "daughter" who beamed back at
him. "I guess there really isn't anything
here for me. Most likely there never was."

                           Giggling, the little girl
in the older body led her father back to
China and the Musk Citadel. They had
to go see about many many things, after
all.
=================================
(1)- hmmmm. now if Ranma had said something
like this, but deleted out the reference to his own
body (after all he's supposed to hate his curse,
not be bragging about it) instead shifting it to
how much better looking Akane's sisters were,
would there have been any alteration?


well, just one of those pieces i woke up
with. wanted to jot out the notes and ended
up writing the thing.
               As to how it ends, i see Herb vs
Saffron, The Dragon Vs The Phoenix in a
really massive fight sequence.
               Perhaps some similarity, with Xian
coming to Ranma's rescue as Akane did in
the canon. And likewise suffering for it.

               Ryouga and Ukyou? Ryouga
never finds a home at the Tendo dojo,
he was looking for Furinkan specifically
to find Ranma. Ukyou was essentially the
same. With Ranma dropping off everyone's
radar and leaving no forwarding address,
they face a cold trail.
                Semi-dark, i suppose. Some
people are better off without Ranma.
Others aren't. Picolette Chardin III is in
the canon, so is the Dojo Destroyer.



later,
gregg