Shock! Can It Really Be True? By Kagami Ranma and Akane stared at the remnants of yet another cure that hadn't panned out. The Mirror of Changes had brought them to the top of this green hill and promptly shattered. The light rain falling seemed to match Ranma's mood - sheer gloom - perfectly. "Where are we, Ranma?" Akane asked the short redhead, not really expecting an answer. That was why she was rather surprised when somebody replied. "You're on the outskirts of Saillune." Akane looked up to see a short, dark-haired girl dressed in strange white clothes. Ranma continued staring at the broken shards of glass lying near his feet. "Er, hi there. I'm Akane Tendo and this is Ranma Saotome. Nice to meet you." She nudged Ranma, who responded with a desultory, "Hi." The girl smiled widely and nodded. "Hi there, I'm Amelia. Nice to meet you." She turned to smile at Ranma and froze. Amelia's smile dripped into a half-panicked expression and she spun round and called out, "Oi! Lina-san, Gourry-san, Zelgadis-san, hurry up!" "They're so slow," Amelia muttered. She smacked her fist into her other palm and shouted, "Lina-san, there's a travelling food stall on the next hill." Akane sat back in bewilderment, while Ranma started to perk up. "Really? Where?" A stiff breeze whipped up and two speeding blurs resolved themselves into a redheaded girl and a blond swordsman. "Where? Where? Where? Eh, Amelia?" They spun around, looking for the imaginary stall. "There, Lina-san," said Amelia, pointing at Ranma. Lina Inverse stared directly at Ranma Saotome and Ranma Saotome stared back at Lina Inverse. "What the ...?" asked Ranma. Akane looked shocked, swiveling her head between the two redheads. Gourry remained oblivious. But the best reaction came from Lina. She looked absolutely stunned, mouth gaping and tears welling from huge eyes. She said a single word. "Mother?!" --- Heh. Reactions? ### A shortfic continuation of Shock! With thanks to Psycho Sam for Gourry and Amelia's reactions. Quest! And a New Friendship? By Kagami "Aaah!" Lina ran both hands through her hair in frustration. "I don't get it!" "You too, Lina?" asked Gourry. "I just don't understand ..." "What? What don't you understand?" Boing. Lina was suddenly in Gourry's face. "How can she be my mother if she's dead? Why does she look so young? What?" Gourry scratched his head in puzzlement. "Actually, Lina, I was just wondering how she could be your mother when her breasts are so much bigger than yours." *Crack* *Smash* *Thud* "Oww..." Akane spoke up hesitantly, "Ah, Lina-san, does Ranma really look like your mother?" "Look at this." Lina pulled out a locket from around her neck and opened it. "My mother and father when they were young." Amelia, Akane, a recovered Gourry and a reluctant Ranma crowded around to get a glimpse. "Wow, she really does look like you, Ranma-san," gushed Amelia as she clasped her hands together. "Oh, a mother and daughter reunited through the vagaries of fate - it's so just!" "Hey! Wait just a minute ..." Ranma protested, indignant at the conclusion. "But, Lina, I can't see your father's face at all," Gourry said, "There's an ink stain over it." "It's always been like that," muttered Lina as she snapped the locket shut and replaced it. "Ranma, you really do look alike," Akane said in surprise. "Do you think ..." "No way, Akane!" Ranma snarled. "Look you, Lina, I can't be your mother. I'm a guy, dammit!" "How can you possibly think you're a guy with those huge things?" Lina snarled back while pointing at Ranma's most feminine items. "Just get me some hot water and I'll show you!" Thus, Zelgadis came across a most curious scene as he strolled up to the top of the hill, with Lina virtually tearing at her hair in frustration and two people he hadn't seen before, one of whom looked remarkably like Lina. For a moment, he contemplated walking away in search of the next artifact to cure his curse but somehow, he uttered the fateful words instead. "So, would someone like to explain this?" --- Much later ... "So, you've been looking for a cure all this time, huh?" Ranma asked sympathetically. "I know how you feel. Man, I can't tell you how many times for some way to get back to China and Jusenkyo. And then, there was the Instant Nannichuan, the Wishbringer sword, the waterproof soap - I could go on forever." Zelgadis nodded in agreement. "I've searched hundreds of libraries, ruined temples, looked for artifacts like the Clair Bible, and I've never been able to find a cure." "Damn right! It's like there's some kinda fate against us getting cured." Ranma held up a few shards of broken glass. "This was the last thing I tried - the Mirror of Changes." "Hmm, I've heard of something like that in Sairaag. I was going to take a look but we got sidetracked into hunting down Zanaffar ..." Zelgadis trailed off thoughtfully. "But it doesn't work. All it did was transport us to this world," Ranma protested. "Ah, but did you use the right method to activate it?" asked Zelgadis. Silence. Then, a small voice, "Right method?" --- "I'm telling you it's weird, Lina-san, for Zelgadis-san to get along so well with someone just like that!" Amelia shouted. Akane also looked a bit concerned. "It's not really normal for Ranma to make friends that easily either." Unfortunately for them, Lina was drowning her frustrations in her favorite task - eating. So, she wasn't really paying attention. "Well, there's no real problem. Ranma's a guy, right?" said Lina comfortingly. "Say, remember how Zelgadis fell in love with that woman who was really Xelloss in disguise?" asked Gourry cluelessly. "And Xelloss is a guy, right?" "FIREBALL!" Gourry crumpled in a charred heap and Lina proceeded to swipe the toasted swordsman's food. Akane mused, "You know there's something awfully familiar about this." "Wah! Zelgadis-san ..." cried Amelia. --- "Well, I didn't have time! We were ducking the old freak's bombs, and that idiot panda was in the way as well. The temple was coming apart at the seams," growled Ranma. "I just shook the Mirror and told it to do something." "What was foremost on your mind at that moment, Ranma?" Zelgadis asked. "Huh? Getting me and Akane out of there, of course." "And not on curing your curse," Zelgadis stated solemnly. Ranma cursed. "You're right. I blew it completely, Zel!" "Not so!" said a grinning Zelgadis, a virtually unique sight for anyone who knew him well. "As I said before, there's an artifact called the Mirror of Changes in Sairaag. If it's the same thing, then we can both use it to cure our curses. After all, your Mirror worked for you and Akane." Ranma gave a matching grin. "What are we waiting for then?" --- Heh. Make of it what you will. ### Third spamfic in the series, following on from Shock! and Quest! A minor revision. With thanks to Reispirit for help with Lina's motivations. Change! The Mirror of Legend? By Kagami The Temple of the Water Dragon Lord in Sairaag was hardly an impressive sight. Instead, it was a mouldering pile of rock; a massive eyesore that the locals had learned to ignore and avoid. Still, it wasn't all that bad considering that the worshipped being in question had perished in the Demon Wars over a thousand years ago. Worshippers fell away and the temple itself fell into disuse and disrepair, with the folk from nearby Gann town preferring their isolation. However, if one of those fine townsfolk had been wandering near those ruins on this rather sunny day, they would have heard strange yells mingled with muffled explosions that seemed to issue from the depths of the ancient temple. Yells that sounded disturbingly like so. "Burst Flare!" "Moko Takabisha!" Ranma Saotome was having a good time. The attacking golems were rather weak, each capable of being defeated by a combination of physical attacks and his confidence blast. Of course, it helped to have Zel along. The array of Shamanistic magic was truly awe-inspiring; something he would definitely have to learn before heading home. The chimaera wasn't a bad hand at close combat either. "Well, they're obviously guarding something here," he said before ducking a ham-handed attempt to pulverise him. A return kick converted the stone creature into rubble. "Though they're pretty pathetic." "True, but don't get carried away. They're being guided by something," Zelgadis replied, while casually polishing off an attacking golem. "Keep your guard up until we get to the main chamber." "Okay, okay," Ranma said dismissively. A brief pause in the conversation ensured while two more golems were disposed of, then another abrupt sally came from Ranma. "Say, I wonder if Akane got my note?" he asked. --- "Ranma, you idiot!" swore Akane as she crumpled up the hapless parchment missive that she'd re-read for the umpteenth time. Just when she'd thought they had been making progress too. Somehow, 'Off with Zel to look for a cure. Be back in a couple of weeks. Have a good time with Lina, Gourry and Amelia until then. Seeya.' scrawled in a barely legible hand didn't really cut it with her. She wondered if they sold hammers in Sairaag. After ducking out in the middle of the night, Ranma and Zelgadis had a lead of over half a day on the rest of them. Still, they were slowly catching up. A cry from Amelia and a shout from Gourry broke her out of her reflection. Akane looked up to see a dozen bandits attacking ... no, wait, they were groaning rather piteously and most were staggering along covered by a massive numbers of bandages. Others were being carried by the walking wounded. The miniscule threat became rather less when the bandits recognized just who was standing in front of them. "Aaahhh! Ceiphied save us!" "The Bandit-Slayer!" "It's that bit... uh, I mean, Lina Inverse." "Help! Mama!" If Lina Inverse hated the terror and hatred her name and reputation inspired in bandits (those still alive that was), it certainly wasn't possible to tell from her behaviour. Rather, she acted more than pleased at the interruption, leaving Akane to watch the ensuring events with much bemusement. "So," Lina growled pleasantly at the quaking bandits, "who did this to you?" A walking mass of bandages replied. "It was that stone guy and the red-headed bitch with him." "Yeah," piped in another, "we thought she was you for a moment, but she was stacked, man, really stacked! Not like yo..." "Fireball!" The charred idiot hit the ground rather hard. "Anyone else have an issue about it?" Lina menaced, all traces of amusement gone from her voice. But, the sweetness and light returned with her next few words. "You can help us though. And I might just let it go at that. How long ago did you attack them?" "A few hours back! It was raining hard. Yeah, that's right. They were on the road to Gann town." The bandit spokesman somehow conveyed his nervousness despite the covering bandages. "Uh, can we go now?" "I guess ..." Lina sounded reluctant. "Come on, Lina-san," Amelia cut in just as Akane was about to speak. "We have to find Zelgadis-san quickly. Uh, and Ranma-san for Akane-san." Lina sighed theatrically. "It's your lucky day, boys. Make the most of it." Inwardly, she enthused; they were so close to catching up to them. If the cure could be made to work for her 'condition' and if she was to have a shot at it, and perhaps save both their butts in the bargain, she didn't have time to indulge in fun. Comments trailed behind them as they moved past the bandits. Sometimes, people just don't know when to shut up. "Luck, she says. It'll take me a week to recover ..." "Ziras, you have any spare bandages? I think I crapped my pants ..." "Wow, I met the Bandit-Slayer and lived! My rep'll sky-rocket." "Just one fireball?" Lina whispered sotto voce. "Come on, Lina-san," Amelia repeated firmly. --- *Boom!* The stone portals collapsed majestically as Zelgadis strode forward to confront the malovolent entity that controlled the attacking golems. "Uh, hello?" piped the said entity. "Guardian Golem!" Zelgadis hissed as he noticed the animated face on the stone wall facing him and Ranma. A large, facetted gem was embedded in the forehead, providing a dazzling contrast to the smooth contours. "That's right. The name's Joe," replied the rocky face. "My job's to guard the talisman of the Great Shazaard Lugandi; an item so powerful and unbalancing that it could disrupt the world as we know it." "Say, should he be telling us all of this?" enquired Ranma of Zelgadis. "Well, it's been five thousand years and I'm bored. I could tell you the history behind its creation?" Joe asked hopefully, eager for an audience. "And it's purpose?" Ranma looked impatient. "Yeah, yeah. The Mirror of Changes, right? Well, we need to use it, so why don't we just get on with it?" "Mirror of Changes? I guess you could call it that ... But if you insist on fighting, I'll have to oblige you." "Ranma, wait ..." Zelgadis said. "Moko Takabisha!" The chi-blast impacted on the rocky face, chipping a few fragments, while Ranma charged forward. However, Joe only smiled in return and Ranma was unprepared for the stone arm that rose from the floor and punched him. "Damn!" Zelgadis dodged aside as a hail of stone shards peppered the spot where he was standing. He started casting spells, incinerating stone tentacles, spikes, darts and fists that erupted from the walls, giving Ranma time to recover. Ranma rolled to avoid the few further attacks that came his way. The Guardian had focused his attention on Zelgadis, judging him to be the greater threat and giving Ranma a narrow window of opportunity with which to act. "Ranma, the gem! Break it!" shouted Zelgadis as he fended off hordes of stone tendrils. Ranma sprung from a low crouch and ricochetted off the roof, aiming for the forehead. Stone hands erupted from the ceiling, just missing his feet. Shards of stone flew at him but Ranma had anticipated that, and adriotly used his spinning momentum gained from twisting off the ceiling to avoid or deflect them. "Waaahhh!" Joe cried as Ranma's kick landed, crushing the sparkling ornament. "I'm doomed. Five thousand years of existence wiped out just like ..." The face shattered into a thousand pieces, and Ranma landed amid a literal hail of dust and debris. His eyes though, were focused on the alcove revealed by Joe's destruction. The inset mirror was a full body-length and covered with enough jewels to buy a comfortable retirement. The Mirror of Changes. ### The fourth spamfic - following on from Shock!, Quest!, and Chance! With thanks to VGAP for plotting help. :) Wish! A Cure for A Curse? By Kagami Zelgadis stepped up beside Ranma. "I wonder what Joe was about to say before you attacked? He seemed surprised by something." He was about to say more, but his eyes were drawn to the runic script covering the walls beside the mirror. "Wait, there's some writing here ..." he trailed off tantalizingly. "Well, what does it say?" asked Ranma when the pause became a long silence. "Actually, I can't read it at all," admitted Zelgadis, "but I'm sure it's pretty important." "Doesn't matter. The mirror's here and I'm going to use it." "Wait a minute, Ranma," Zelgadis spoke quickly. "From what you've told me and from what I know about this type of artifact, you only get one chance at changing the past with it. It attunes itself to your mind when you touch it and responds to your most urgent desires." "So, you're saying it can change more than one thing at a time, Zel?" Ranma wondered aloud. What about his fiancee problems? They were a big, unsolvable issue as well. Zelgadis nodded. "Right, it can grant wishes but only once. The crystals power it for that one use, then they shatter and the mirror with it." "How does it work?" "Simple enough. Think hard about what you want, and place your hand on the surface of mirror." "Okay, Zel, on the count to three..." A solution, Ranma thought firmly as his hand reached for the smooth surface, for my curse and my fiancees. A cure, thought Zelgadis, for my cursed body as his own hand stole towards the mirror. "Death to you, defilers!" shouted a broken lump of stone on the floor. "Think you've beaten me? I'm Joe. I've stood guard over that darn thing for five thousand years. I'll pull the temple down around all of us, rather than let you have it!" Ominously, pieces of stone fell from the ceiling to shatter on the floor. "We've got to get out of here!" Ranma shouted nervously. Not again! Why did these things keep happening to him? He kept his hand moving towards the mirror. "Keep your mind focused, Ranma!" Zelgadis replied. Right, Ranma's mind yammered, a solution for the fiancees and his cur... a shadow fell over them. Involuntarily, Ranma looked up to see a massive block tumbling towards them. "Look out!" he burst out. Then, his fingers touched the cool pane of glass. The world went white. --- The road to Gann town curves in a slight arc as it crests a small hilltop. From this point, it was possible to gain a truly majestic view of the Temple of the Water Dragon Lord. Of course, ever since the temple fell into ruin, few travelers on the road stopped to gaze at the scenery. However, for four weary travelers cresting the rise, it provided the vista for an awe-inspiring scene: the sight of the broken walls and mouldering stone piles tumbling into the sinking ground. For them, the final destruction of the temple meant a great deal more. "Ranma!" "Zelgadis-san!" "My cure!" "Say, was that the Temple of the Water Dragon Lord?" Gourry asked artlessly. "How are we going to get in now, Lina?" "No, no, no, no, no!" Lina ran over to the rubble and began kicking at it in despair. "It can't be gone! *Flare Arrow!* *Blast Ash!* *Digger Volt!* *Mega Brand!*" She paused, panting, then continued, "Darkness from twilight ..." "No, Lina-san!" Amelia protested. She shook herself out of her stupor and ran up as she heard Lina begin the Dragon Slave. "Stop it, Lina-san! Zelgadis-san and Ranma-san are still down there. You might kill them!" Akane and Gourry arrived to help her restrain the upset Lina. Lina turned to flash a sunny smile at Gourry that somehow seemed a trifle overdone. "Gourry, lend me the Sword of Light, will you? I just need to use it for a bit." "Huh? Well, okay, Lina." Gourry removed the hilt from the scabbard hanging by his side, and shouted the summoning words, "Light, come forth!" He handed the Sword of Light over to Lina, still looking puzzled. "What are you going to use it for, Lina?" "This!" Lina charged at the caved-in ruins, brandishing the sword, before hacking and stabbing the energy blade into the rubble. Each stab was violently punctuated with a savage 'No!'. "Ah! Lina! Be careful with my sword!" Gourry clucked with worry. Akane sank down on her knees, sick with despair, as she watched Lina attack the debris. They couldn't be dead, could they? It wasn't possible, not Ranma ... --- Zelgadis awoke with a major headache. That was fairly unusual, since the last time had been the incident with the cannonball. He raised his hand to his sore forehead when he suddenly paused, eyes widening in disbelief. His hand was normal! Flesh-toned skin, pinkish fingernails, and light traces of hair. Perfectly normal. Zelgadis felt his face; it too was normal skin, rather than hard stone. He was cured. At last. It was then that he realized that he was sitting on a grassy hilltop, and not buried beneath tons of rubble and debris. And that he wasn't alone. Another form lay beside him, unconscious to the world. Ranma. But he was in his female form. That wasn't right. The mirror should have cured him as well. What had gone wrong? Even as he began to examine him, Ranma started to stir. "Ranma! Are you all right? What happened to you and why are you still female?" Zelgadis asked with concern. "Owww! My head hurts like hell," Ranma groaned, holding his head in pain. "Whatcha talking about, Zel?" he mumbled, "I've always been a girl." Uh, oh, Zelgadis thought. ### No. 5 revised. Glance! Reflections of the Past. By Kagami The Church of Ceipheid in Zefielia was way too large for the attendance at their small wedding. The white-robed priest of Ceiphied solemnly intoned the preliminaries before arriving at the critical questions. "Ranma Inverse, do you consent to take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" "I do," Ranma replied serenely. "Zelgadis Graywers, do you consent to take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Zelgadis answered, "I d..." ... and awoke gasping in panic. A bad dream, that's all it was. He nervously wiped at the sweat covering him, before relaxing slightly in his bed. A simple nightmare. Thank Ceiphied for reality. A female voice carolled from outside the room. "Zel-chan, it's time for breakfast." Then again, reality wasn't that much better. --- Zelgadis surreptitiously stared the young girl - no, young woman - gobbling up breakfast in front of him. His mind drifted back over the events over the past two years that had led them to Zefielia. *** On a grassy hilltop. "I wonder where we are, Zel?" Ranma asked as he massaged his temples. Of course, now that he currently in his female body, thought he was female and showed no inclination to change back, the male pronouns probably weren't too appropriate. "You're on the outskirts of Saillune," a male voice answered unexpectedly. Zelgadis and Ranma turned to see a young man, slim and with raven-dark hair, standing there. He snapped his fingers suddenly. "Oh, where are my manners? My name is Philionel, wandering Champion of Justice. Nice to meet you." Zelgadis felt his eyes widen involuntarily. *** In a nameless inn. "Aww, come on, Zel-chan. Lighten up a bit, willya?" Ranma mumbled as she munched steadily through an enormous platter of edibles. "We've got money after saving that bumbling prince's hide from all those assassins. Even got paid for those martial arts lessons. We're free and we can eat all we want. Why're you grousing so much for?" "Well, we haven't been able to find a way home or find a cure for you," Zelgadis said. "I don't need a cure," Ranma shot back. "There's nothing wrong with me." "This is serious, Ranma. It's like you're the opposite .. . no, the inverse of who you were before," he said with concern. "We've got to get you back to normal." Ranma sat back with annoyance. "Inverse, inverse! Look, the mirror cured me, okay? I'm me, Ranma Sao... feh, fine then, if you want it that way ... Ranma Inverse! For as long as I'm in this world, you can call me Ranma Inverse, wandering martial artist and apprentice sorcerer." "..." Zelgadis tried speaking but nothing seemed willing to emerge from his gaping mouth. "You can close your mouth now, Zel-chan," Ranma said mischievously. She flashed a quick smile, glad to have diverted Zelgadis' train of thought. "Yeah, I like the sound of that." This, Zelgadis thought faintly, wasn't a good sign. *** In a bandit camp. "So, why are we going to Zefielia, Ranma?" Zelgadis asked as he stepped over one of the groaning bodies. "Because Rei Magnus is there," Ranma replied. "You know, legendary guy who created the Dragon Slave and Blast Bomb?" "Is he still alive?" wondered Zelgadis. "Well, that bard said so. We'll see when we get there. Lucky guy," Ranma said with a grin, "he's gonna get me as an apprentice." *** On a shattered mountaintop. "Don't die, Rei-sama!" Ranma begged as she knelt by his side. She clasped his cold hand between her own. "It's ... all right, Ranma." Bright blood bubbled between his lips, and Ranma hastily wiped it away. "Z..Zefielia is ... safe now. I've lived ... beyond my years ... and I have you ... to carry on. J..Join the Knights like you planned. You've a ... bright future, Ranma." His eyes flicked to her side. "I hope ... things go ... wellll ..." Then, he died. "Rei-sama! Rei-sama!" Ranma felt the tears trickle down her face. She whirled and buried her face into the comforting presence by her side. "Waahhh! Zel-chan, what am I gonna do?" "It'll be okay, it'll be okay," he soothed, his arms awkwardly placed around the sobbing girl. "It'll be all right. I promise, Ranma ... chan." *** In Zefielia Castle. "I knight you, Ranma Inverse," said the king as he laid the flat of the blade upon her shoulder. "Rise, Lady Ranma, and join the exalted ranks of the Knights of Ceipheid." The king turned to the second kneeling figure and proceeded to dub him as well. "Rise, Sir Zelgadis." The crowd cheered the surviving Heroes of Mount Phalos, and the band struck up a merry tune of celebration. Ranma, resplendent in a white gown and with her flame-coloured hair cascading in glorious waves, turned with a cheeky smile to her partner. "May I have this dance, Sir Zelgadis?" "I didn't know you could dance, Lady Ranma," Zelgadis said in surprise. "Well, no," Ranma conceded. "Though that's hardly a polite thing to say to a lady," she murmured, eyes flashing. Never one to keep grudges, she relented quickly. "But you can teach me, Zel-chan, can't you?" "Well ... I guess." *** That had been six months ago, Zelgadis mused. Since then, things had stayed in a funny state of comfortable and awkward between the two of them. He was uncomfortably aware that her feelings had changed from mere friendship whereas he couldn't get past the fact that he still saw her as a guy ... mostly. "What's the matter, Zel-chan? Not hungry?" Ranma's voice broke into his reverie. "And I spent so much time cooking it this morning too," she weedled. "No, no, I was just thinking," Zelgadis answered as he started eating with relish. --- Akane sat back in exhaustion, staring at her grime-covered fingers. Two weeks of excavation and divination spells had determined that Ranma and Zelgadis weren't trapped or dead beneath the massive cave-in. That didn't leave them much to go on. It was as though they had just vanished. "Where is that idiot now?" she murmured despondently. Lina slammed her hands on the table. "All right, let's face it. They aren't here anymore and we have no idea where they are." She hesitated. "Much as I hate it, there's only one thing left to do." "What's that, Lina-san?" Amelia asked from her slumped position. Lina's voice trembled with dread, "We have to go and see my sister ..." --- Ever wondered why Prince Philionel (Amelia's father for those unfamiliar with Slayers) knows martial arts or who Luna and Lina learn magic from? Well, here you go. ### Part 6 majorly revised. Thanks to ZeYoung Liou for part of the second scene. The evil twist is all mine though. :) View! Through the Looking Glass. By Kagami "So, it's finally come down to this." The cold voice sent a shiver down Lina's spine. The taproom of the inn, empty but for the five of them, seemed infinitely chill and dark. Considering that it was brightly lit with candles and had a roaring fire, it was a most impressive feat. Amelia couldn't understand it. Apart from slightly more purplish-coloured hair, Luna Inverse looked like an taller version of Lina with bigger ... ahem. Hardly a scary figure. Why was Lina so afraid of her sister? "That's right, sis." Lina hesitated. "I need your help." Luna tapped her fingers on the counter of the bar. "How old were you when Mother left, Lina? About eight?" Luna asked pensively. "You don't remember a thing about it, do you?" "No, not really," replied Lina. Luna shrugged. "I was fourteen at the time. I remember all of it. Every little bit," she said. "What are you both talking about?" asked Akane in bewilderment. Luna looked at the rest of them in surprise. "Lina never told you? Here, I'll show you." She pulled a small hand mirror from a pocket and beckoned to them to look. --- Zelgadis stepped up to the house in which he and Ranma now lived. It wasn't very large, definitely on the small side for two Knights of Ceipheid. However, with him often travelling abroad in search for Ranma's cure, and Ranma usually on some errand or another for the king, it wasn't as if they needed anything fancy. Zel smiled to himself. After all those years of drifting from one place to another, it actually felt good to have a home and someone familiar to return to - just as a good friend, of course. Zelgadis would one day find a cure for Ranma, he promised himself yet again. He was just about to knock, when the door burst open. "Zel-chan! I knew it was you," Ranma ran up to Zelgadis, and folded him into an eager embrace. Zelgadis was mildly surprised. While Ranma was always happy at his return, she was seldom so openly affectionate. "Are you over that bout of food poisoning?" he asked with concern. Ranma had been pretty sick when he had left nearly seven months ago. "Huh? Oh, sure, Zel-chan. I'm fine and I'm glad you're back," Ranma said with a bright smile. Zelgadis looked down at the excited redhead clutching to him, and allowed a smile to form. It was at times like this that he could allow himself to dream a little - a beautiful home, loyal friends, and he could just imagine Ranma greeting him like this, twenty years later, while the children stood by, teenagers by then ... Then, he heard a soft cry coming from indoors. Zelgadis cocked his head and asked, "What was that?" "Oh, remember that victory celebration before this last trip of yours and how we both got drunk?" Ranma asked as she drew him inside. "Uh, huh." Zelgadis racked his brains in an effort to remember. Wasn't that about ten months ago? "And remember how we ended up on the bed ... together?" Ranma continued. "Uh ..." Zelgadis paused, warning signals flashing all over his brain. Was that a cot Ranma was leaning over? "And how we insisted nothing happened?" she asked. Turning, she brought a tiny, cherubic angel into view. "Meet your new daughter, Zel-chan," Ranma said softly, "I named her Luna. Isn't she cute?" --- "Ranma ...?" Akane asked, nausea coursing through her system. "... and Zelgadis-san?" finished Amelia with a sickly smile pasted on her face. "Wow, Lina, Ranma's really your mom, huh?" Gourry said, innocent delight evident in his eyes. "And Zelgadis! I had no idea it was true. It must be so wonderful ..." *Crash* *Pummel* *Tinkle* "Owww ..." "Want to see more?" Luna asked, not taking her eyes from the small mirror in her hands. --- "Ouch!" exclaimed Zelgadis as he removed the mallet from his head. "I'm not made of stone anymore, you know." "Hah!" Ranma folded her hands across her chest and snapped back. "The first time was forgivable. After all, you had no idea. But this time, you've no excuse!" "Aww, come on, Ranma. The King sent me to Kalmaart in your place. You know I didn't have a choice." "Hmmph," Ranma snorted, then softened. "A feeble excuse ... but come over and say hello then." Rubbing his head, Zelgadis stepped up to the small cot, a slow smile stealing across his features. "Hello, Lina. Welcome to the world." --- "Urgh.." Akane gurgled, looking ready to puke. "Waaah! Zelgadis-san!" wailed Amelia in distress. "Awww, Lina, you were so cute as a baby," Gourry said, gazing at the unfolding scene in the mirror. *Blam* *Thud* *Clonk* "Owww ..." "Have you seen enough?" Luna looked solemn. "I forbid you to do this, Lina." She paused significantly. "Are you going to defy me on this?" The darkness seemed to swirl across her face, eyes glowing faintly red. Were those fangs protruding from her lips? "Wah! Scary!" cried Gourry and Amelia, who were tightly hugging each other for mutual reassurance. "That's nothing," Akane commented, trying for nonchalance, as she peeked out from behind them both, "Daddy's Demon Head is much worse." "N.." Lina looked at the expectant if frightened faces behind her. "Yes," she squeaked out. "Yes, I am." "You are?" Luna seemed nonplussed. "I don't get it. After all those years of being punished, you should be doing everything I say. Where did I go wrong?" "What? You terrorized me for over five years just to get your own way now?!" Lina shouted in disbelief, anger blossoming on her face. "That's right, I did. Don't you get it, Lina? This whole future, it's a mistake. Which you caused. If you never go back, Mother and Father would have stayed with us." "I don't believe you, sis! How could you?" Lina asked bitterly. "Well, Mother wouldn't have approved. But don't you see, if you don't go back, we would never have been left alone and I wouldn't have had to punish you. I never thought you would defy me on this. I planned it so well." "Wait a minute. I know Lina's really afraid of you but what's all this about her being punished?" Gourry asked Luna. "Yeah, this sounds like injustice!" Amelia chipped in, always ready to act for good. Akane cracked her knuckles loudly, the beginnings of an ugly understanding appearing. "Oh, it was nothing much," Luna said airily. "Nothing much? Nothing much?!" Lina fumed indignantly, outrage evident in her tone. "You locked away my favourite Shazaard Lugandi doll, threatened to throw it away, and sent me to bed without supper at the drop of a pin if I took a step wrong." --- In a room above. "What was that?!" exclaimed the girl as the floor shook. "Oh, probably just an earth tremor. We get them occasionally here," answered the guy, eager to get back to their necking. --- "Is that all?!" asked Akane as she and the others picked themselves up from the floor. "What do you mean all? I loved that doll!" Lina said. "Still want to do it, Lina?" asked Luna with a serious expression on her face. "I have to," Lina replied. Her eyes flicked towards the two dark-haired girls. "It's not right to leave them there." "When did you ever get so concerned with right and wrong?" A trace of bitterness clouded Luna's face. "But I won't stop you. Take this, then." She handed over two slips of paper. Lina unfolded the first slip. "The Gate?" Luna nodded. "You'll know when to use the other. Now, get lost, Lina." When they left, the taproom seemed much smaller and more lonely than it had been. "Lina, you idiot." Luna's eyes misted over as her gaze fell on the silver frame of the mirror, worked with a stylized R motif. "Mother," she whispered as she looked into the past. --- A fourteen-year old girl, gangling and with bright purple hair, ran up to her waiting mother. "I did it, Mom," she gasped breathlessly. "Timas gave me the job." Ranma smiled at her enthusiastic daughter. "That's great, Luna-chan. Now, remember what we told you about what to do if anyone gropes you." "A kick to the groin and a low-level fireball in the face!" Luna chanted in unison with her laughing mother. "Let's go home and tell daddy." "Yes, why don't we?" --- Comments? ### Part 7. Eyes! Mirrors to One's Soul! By Kagami In the heart of Zefielia Castle rested a massive gate of black-coloured stone. Towering tall and dark, it dwarfed the four people standing before it. And it was closed. Lina placed her palm upon the smooth stone. "In the name of those seeking to travel the mists of time, in the name of the Knights of Ceiphied, and in the name of the Flare Dragon, I bid you: Open!" With a thunderous groan of protest, it shuddered open. "Ah, Lina," Gourry muttered as he stared into the swirling depths of chaos, "can't we just walk there?" "Just get in there, Gourry," Lina growled as she shoved the hapless swordsman in. "Aiiieeeeee ..." Gourry's voice faded as he spun out of sight. "Coming?" she asked the other two. --- "I made a couple of presents to celebrate Luna getting a job at Timas' tavern and Lina's eighth birthday." Ranma brought out two gift-wrapped boxes and handed them to the eagerly waiting girls. Luna quickly unwrapped hers first. "A mirror! It's beautiful, Mom." "There's a secret to that mirror, Luna-chan. I'm sure you'll figure it out," Zelgadis added. "Hah, it won't even take me a day," Luna bragged. "Mommy, it's a pendant," Lina said as she unwrapped her present and opened the clasp. "But why is daddy's face all black?" Ranma coughed in mild embarassment. "I dropped some ink when I was finishing it earlier but I wanted to give it to you tonight, Lina. I'll clean it up tomorrow." "S'okay, Mommy. I like it like that." Lina held the pendant in her hands tightly. "Thanks, Mommy." She ran over and wrapped her mother in a tight hug. A massive thud outside interrupted Ranma's reply. It was soon followed by a chorus of angry voices. "Luna, take Lina upstairs and get to bed! Zel, get the door!" Ranma snapped. "Though I have a feeling I know who it is." --- Zelgadis opened the door to see Lina pop out of the tangle of arms and legs. It looked like Gourry was on the bottom of the pile. "Eh, Zel, how surprising to see you." Lina laughed nonchalantly in an effort to disguise her discomfort at seeing the cured Zelgadis in reality. Her father. So alike and yet unlike. Was this why she had always felt a connection with him, even when he had been an enemy? "Lina, you've found us," Zelgadis said softly. Were his words thanks or protest? She couldn't tell. "Come in. Ranma is waiting inside." Lina walked into the warmth of the waiting home. Ranma - no, her mother - was sitting by the dinner table. The years sat well with her. Taller than she had been though still below average height and with her hair still the colour of living flame, Ranma sat cool and poised. "So, are you guys ready to come home yet?" Lina asked casually. It would hardly do to run towards that waiting figure, bury her head in that lost warmth and cry ... no, she had to be stronger than that. "Lina-chan, you've grown." Ranma eyed her with maternal approval. Zelgadis continued, "We want to stay, Lina, Akane. Ranma and I have had a good life here. She ... she's no longer who you think she is." His hand crept to cover hers. Lina felt the tears well up, threatening her calm. With a choked cry, she whirled and stepped past a startled Akane. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "I can't ... this is up to you, Akane." Akane wilted as she stared at the scene of domestic bliss before her. Where was Ranma? Her Ranma; who would have kicked and screamed and died before even considering such a thing. "But how? I don't know how to reach him." "Ask her," Lina said. "Ask her why she never married Zel- my father. Why she gave us her name instead of his?" She clasped Akane's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I can't give you any more." "It's enough. More than enough." Akane's voice firmed with determination. "Ranma, can I talk with you? Alone?" --- Gourry, Amelia, Lina and Zelgadis formed an uncomfortable quartet around the dinner table. Silence loomed like a spectre over their heads. Akane closed the kitchen door on the silent tableau. She looked questioningly at Ranma. Was this beautiful adult woman really him? Was this how he would look after years of marriage? It was so unfair. She wanted to anticipate all those things which hadn't yet happened. She didn't wasnt to see it before her eyes, not like this. The pain gave her the resolve to speak. "Ranma, do you remember me? What you felt for me?" Her blue eyes never changed. "Of course, I remember you, Akane. I still consider you a friend. But we never had anything more. After all, we're both girls and I know how you feel about that." Ranma continued calmly, "I've been with Zel-chan for over twenty years now. I love him." "You feel nothing? Nothing at all?" Akane exclaimed in disbelief. Ranma, her Ranma was gone. How had the mirror done it? He would have fought ... "Ranma, I love you!" she cried despairingly. "I'm sorry, Akane. I really don't feel any ..." Ranma paused, eyes widening. "I don't ... I ..." Ranma clutched her head and screamed in pain. She staggered and fell. --- The kitchen door exploded into a hail of wooden dust. Zelgadis stepped through looking angry. "What did you do?!" Lina and the others crowded in behind him. Akane looked up defiantly from where she knelt on the floor, Ranma's head resting on her lap. "Nothing, she grabbed her head and collapsed." Hope glittered in her dark eyes. "I think Ranma ... may be coming back." Fear, guilt, pain. Emotions stained the windows to Zelgadis' soul. "I ..." Then, Ranma opened her eyes. --- Still more to come! Comments? ### An epilogue. Close! All Good Things ... By Kagami Akane tried to avoid staring at the ongoing roof repairs occuring on most of the nearby houses as she made her way home. It had been two weeks since the last fireball intensive chase of Happosai, and the final parting with her newest friends. Lina had returned to her own world along with Gourry, Amelia, Zelgadis and her mother, Ranma. That still seemed ... unnatural when she thought about it. The tall, redheaded woman who had been part of Ranma, who had been Ranma for more than twenty years. She recalled her last attempt to ask Ranma about those events. "I don't remember," he had said. But his eyes had shifted, and he hadn't been able to look her in the eye. Knowing Ranma, that could have been due to his obvious embarassment over his alter-ego, but what if ... Her thoughts backed away. He had avoided Lina's mother, Akane realized, and she, in turn, had made no real effort to seek him out. He had also avoided Zelgadis, finding excuses to leave whenever he had been around. Akane shook herself out of the gloomy mood that had descended upon her. Things hadn't been all dark. The cost of feeding three extra bottomless pits like Gourry, Lina and Amelia had almost driven Nabiki up the wall. It wasn't the fact that she couldn't make money off them, but rather that she couldn't make a profit off them. Akane resisted the burst of giggles that threatened to overcome her. Another positive was that she and Ranma had become closer, much to the frustration of the other fiancees. He still claimed not to remember her declaration which had brought him back from near oblivion. But he had changed in the way he acted towards her. Still outwardly prickly and macho, but inside - inside, her heart sang that he was hers, all hers. With a smile on her face, Akane continued home. --- Somewhere on the outskirts of Zefielia. "Beefbowl, ramen, okonomiyaki," chanted Gourry. "Tempura, sushi, teppanyaki," countered Amelia. "Sashimi, donburi, yakitori," added Lina. "Now, now, children. I know you're all hungry but the sooner we reach the capital, the sooner we can all eat. Not to mention that Luna is probably very tired of waiting for us," Ranma murmured. Lina started. She still couldn't get used to having her mother around. Not to mention having Zelgadis as a father. They had worked out a new relationship but it was still tenuous. "Besides," Zelgadis added teasingly, "the sooner we get home, the sooner Gourry can start his courting of Lina in a proper manner." Gourry blushed bright red which was fascinating to see, but Lina felt herself flush which wasn't nearly so amusing. "Zel!" she stormed, outrage crackling. "If you think me and that ... that jelly ..." Somehow the invective wouldn't come. "Lina," Gourry said in a plaintive tone. "And that's father to you, young lady," Zelgadis shot back, half-laughing. He turned to hold Ranma's hand. "Don't they remind you of another young couple?" Ranma smiled back. "Indeed they do, Zel-chan." She turned to Gourry. "Take good care of my daughter now, young man." Gourry purpled, but Lina wasn't watching him. Instead, she felt her outrage dissipating as she looked at her parents. Pretty strange and weird parents, but hers nonetheless. "Let's just get home," she said, striding forth and feeling the joy upwelling. Life was good, she decided. --- Amelia tried to avoid feeling morose or jealous as she watched Zelgadis and Ranma. It seemed that everyone else's dream had come true ... but not hers. Zelgadis-san, she thought with a pang. Sometimes, the way of justice just didn't seem to pay. Still, she thought optimistically, there was that really strange but cute guy she kept on running into back on Akane's world. There was that Gate in Zefielia ... What was his name again? Hibiki? --- Ryoga stared at the strange wooden sign in front of him. Atlas City - 6; Sairaag - 12. Where on earth was he? This, he thought, is all Ranma's fault. Just when he was looking for that rather cute girl he kept bumping into. He had wanted to thank her for saving P-chan, for Akane's sake, from the terrors of Azusa Shiratori's return. It wasn't because Akane and Ranma had virtually tied the knot, he thought with a pang. Nor was it because he couldn't find the Unryu farm or the Juuban district. Or that she was cute, had short dark hair and her name started with an A-. No, he was only going to thank her for saving him from a fate worse than death. Really. Amelia. It had a nice ring to it. He continued east past the sign, failing to notice that it pointed west. --- Ranma was currently short and female. He stared at the bright water flowing beneath his favourite bridge. It seemed that normal for him included a Jusenkyo curse. The past few months had been ... troubling. He had kept most of it from Akane. He didn't think she'd understand. Each of his seizures had sent a cascade of memories of an unwanted life through his mind. Memories of a life with ... Zelgadis. A guy. He clenched his hand into a fist. He wasn't that Ranma. She'd had been the creation of the mirror. That was all. Nothing more. Certainly not a part of him. Still, he hadn't been able to bear being in the same room as either of them. It had been worse when they had been together. He'd had to leave, feeling sick to his stomach ... or had it been jeal ... he quickly malleted the thought and buried it deep in the recesses of his mind. No, he had Akane. That was worth focusing on. And something else as well. "Lighting," he whispered and set the glowing ball to dancing above the bright waters. Life wasn't all that bad, he decided. --- OWARI. Final comments? ### Owing to some confusion as to when events happen, I drew up this timeline. Hope it helps a bit. Timeline: Time Age Events -27 Ranma Inverse and Zelgadis appear in the past. -23 Luna is born -17 Lina is born -9 Lina is 8 Lina, Akane, Gourry and Amelia Luna is 14 show up. They plus Zelgadis and Ranma use the Gate at Mount Phalos to travel to Japan and use the Mirror of Changes there before Ranma and Akane do.* -3 Lina is 14 Luna finds the Mount Phalos Luna is 20 Gate on one of her expeditions. Lina takes the opportunity to leave Zefielia. -2 Lina is 15 Most of the Movies occur. -1 Lina is 16 Most of the TV series occur. 0 Lina is 17 Ranma and Akane appear. Ranma Luna is 23 and Zelgadis are lost in the past. Lina, Akane, Gourry and Amelia use the Gate at Zefielia Castle into the past. Lina, Gourry, Amelia, Zelgadis, Ranma Inverse return from Japan. * this seems like a paradox but it isn't, because it's an adjustment of the original anomaly and it occurs outside the Slayers Universe.