Emerald Ranma
==> A story within a story within another story within a story <==

Chapter Three
Heightened Complications

What has happened thus far:
	Ranma-Original had gone to sleep one fine morning, to awake in
	a world in flames and destruction, where even Kasumi has been
	corrupted into evil.  He is rescued by a saddened old man, Jeram.
	They escape to an artificially created pocket universe, but
	are forced to flee when attacked.  Ranma-O is knocked out of the
	universe by Jeram.
	In addition, two new timelines arise from the original Primary
	one: the Secondary timeline and the Evil timeline.
	Meanwhile in another universe, the Altaverse, two possibilities
	arise: Either Ranma and Genma arrive at the Tendos or they don’t.
	In addition, the personalities of the Altaverse Tendos appear
	to be slightly different from those we know well.
	Ranma-A (for Altaverse) has been transported elsewhere by one
	who claims to be “Lord Jeram” and then (apparently) returns
	floating high above Nerima.  At least, it’s probably the same
	Ranma as before.
	And finally, in another universe, the Vileverse, we begin
	to see a story emerge in which Kasumi has been given implants
	of some sort as a baby, has nightmares before Ranma arrives,
	and finds her father collapsed on the ground a year later.
	We now come full circle back to Ranma-O once again.
(In order to get an idea of how our hero, Ranma-Original, will feel,
please kindly leave your body so that you have no physical connections
whatsoever.)
(Somewhere outside of all universes mentioned thus far)

Ranma fell.

He tried to open his eyes but couldn't.  He felt "things" around him,
strange writhing things reaching for him and occasionally grabbing him.

He would have screamed if he still had a mouth and lungs.

Then he felt tired and drained, and felt slightly relieved to longer
be plagued by the grasping.  Then he realized the truth.

Ranma could no longer feel his own body.  All he could sense was his own
mind, and even trying to concentrate caused his mind to boggle.  He
began to shut everything out and began to drift within his own mind.

Then something hit him. >> Wait a minute! I actually _felt_ that! << Air 
whooshed around Ranma and suddenly he hit something with a bump.

(Camera is focused on a blurry blue shape.  It begins to grow smaller
and clearer, and we see it is in fact Ranma’s eye.  Surprised?)
(Fastverse, Streets of Nerima, 1996)

Ranma looked around. >> Am I back home? This sure looks like Nerima.
Now how did I get here? << He ignored the fact that his original "home"
was in flames.

>> I don't recognize this place.  Guess I might as well just pick a
direction and walk.<<  He smirked. >> This must be what Ryouga feels
like.<<

Ranma sighed. >> I wonder what ever happened to good ol' P-Chan anyway.
Probably got cooked up by Kasumi or something.<<  He shuddered and
muttered.  "Not even he deserves that."

After wandering aimlessly around Nerima for a while, Ranma found himself
standing in front of his old school, Furinkan.  Students were just
beginning to trickle in, laughing and chatting with each other.

Ranma climbed atop a nearby fence and strained to see all who entered.
Here and there, a boy or girl looked familiar, but no names sprung to
Ranma’s mind.  He slumped down.

“Is it possible that Akane don’t even go to school here?” Ranma felt
a chill.  “Or that she don’t even exist?” Ranma closed his eyes and
a tear ran down his cheek.  Laughter interrupted his internal struggle
and Ranma looked up.

Akane and Kuno walked together, laughing and holding hands.

Ranma looked wistfully at Akane.  She was just as Ranma remembered,
save for her long hair.

“I guess Ryouga never cut off her hair here.  She looks so happy.”

Then he saw Kuno lean over and try to kiss Akane on the lips.

Akane giggled and pushed him away.  “Kuno, not now!”

Ranma felt an anger rise up in him.  “NO! KUNO, PREPARE TO DIE!”

Kuno and Akane whirled at the sound in time to see a furious stranger
leap down from a ten-foot fence.

They gaped at the improbable sight.

Akane whispered to Kuno.  “Kuno, who is that? He seems to know you.”

Kuno shook his head.  “Verily, Akane, I have no notion of who this
miscreant might be.

Kuno drew his bokken and faced his opponent.  “Stranger, I know not
who you are, but I will not allow to harm my love.”

Akane grinned.  “Come on, Tachi! I can handle myself.”  She pulled
back into a ready stance.  “Whoever you are, we’re the best in this
school, no, in this whole town!”

Kuno looked at Ranma with piercing eyes.  “The maiden speaks the
truth, invader.  We two are undefeated in all of Nerima.”

A feeling like a showering of cold water washed over Ranma.

He stumbled backwards.  “Y-you mean you two like each other?”

A confused look came over the not so familiar faces.

Akane glared at Ranma.  “Of course you jerk! Why else would we
be acting like girlfriend and boyfriend?”

Ranma felt like she had struck him.  “Girlfriend? Boyfriend?”

Another tear ran down his cheek and a horrible feeling began to
well up in his throat.  “No! It’s too much! Everything is gone!
Everything . . .” He choked and turned quickly from the pair.

“I’ve got to get away from this messed-up world.  Damn it, Jeram,
or whatever your name is! Where the heck are ya?”

No one answered.

Ranma jumped on the fence and began to run from the school as fast
as he could, trying only to escape this horrible thing that had
befallen him.

Kuno and Akane looked at each other.  “Akane, that was indeed a most
curious encounter.”

Akane peered at the fence which Ranma had used to arrive and leave.

“I wonder who he was?”

Nabiki stood nearby, watching as her sister and her sister’s boyfriend
walked into school.  >> So you wonder who he was, sis? Me too.  Don’t
worry, I’ll figure it out.  After all, I’m Nabiki Tendo. <<

(We now take a look at how Ranma reacts upon his return.
  But which Ranma is it?)
(Vileverse – Primary, Secondary, what’s the difference?,
  Tendo House, 1997)

The party was progressing amazingly.  Nodoka and Kasumi discussed
cooking recipes while Soun and Genma played a fun-filled game of
Cheater's Shogi.  Akane showed of her new dress to excellent effect,
causing various boys, including Kuno and Ryouga, to either drool,
stammer, or both.  Nabiki smirked from the sidelines while taking
candid pictures of the guests.  Shampoo, Ukyo, and Kodachi were
each dressed to the nines, and were behaving themselves, as they
wanted to impress Ranma with their gentleness.

Cologne was enjoying herself berating Mousse for bothering
Shampoo, who was himself enjoying switching between duck and
human.

Only one person was missing, the guest of honor.

"Hey Viol- I mean Akane.  When Ranma be here?"

"Yeah, honey, when's he gonna be here?"

"Hahaha! I'm sure Ranma-darling will just flip when he's sees how
beautiful I look."

Ukyo snorted and Akane giggled.  Shampoo almost said something
disparaging, but bit her tongue.

"Aiya! That hurt!" Shampoo stuck out her bruised tongue.

>> Maybe I shouldn't have actually bitten my tongue. <<

A girl ran over to Nabiki and whispered in her ear.

Nabiki walked leisurely over to the center of the room and held up
the foghorn she had brought for this purpose.

BLATT!!

Everyone groaned and held their ears.

Nabiki grinned.  "Now that I've got your attention, Ranma is on his
way."

Everyone scrambled to their hiding places and Kasumi flipped off the
lights.

Akane waited anxiously to answer the door.  Ranma would be so
surprised! She couldn't stand to wait too much longer. >> I hope
he's almost here. <<

The doorbell rang.

Genma whispered loudly.  "Quiet everyone."  Everyone shushed him.

Akane took a deep breath and opened the door.

A figure slowly walked in, bent over wearing a heavy cloak.

Akane looked at the person uncertainly.  “Ranma? Is that you?”

Ranma slowly took his hood.  Akane gasped.

“Ranma, what happened to you?”

Ranma opened his mouth.

“SURPRISE!!!” Friends, family, and rivals alike jumped from
their various hiding places.

Ranma shoved Akane to the floor and stood in front of her protectively.

Akane blushed.  “Ranma. . .”

Nabiki stepped forward.  “Ranma, what’s up with you? This party is
for you after all.  You realize that, right? This isn’t one of your
childish ambushes.”

Ranma tensed up and then relaxed slightly.  He hung his head and sighed.

“A party? For me? Aw, man, this stinks.  What horrible timing.”

Akane got to her feet, a worried expression on her face.  “Ranma,
seriously, what’s wrong? You seem so tense and your face is so pale.”

Ranma took her hand and patted it gently.  “I’m sorry Akane.”

Akane blushed and pulled her hand back.  “Ranma! What’s gotten
into you? There are people watching!”

Ukyo carefully approached Ranma.  “Ranma-honey, what’s the matter?
Have you made a decision about fiancés?” >> Please pick me! <<

Shampoo leaped over and pushed Ukyo out of the way.  “Airen must pick
Shampoo! Is better choice than other girls!”

Kodachi laughed and spun around, twisting her ribbons around Ukyo
and Shampoo.  “Ranma-dear, care to take the celebration somewhere
‘private’?”

Kuno snorted.  “My twisted sister, I care not for your infantile musings.
My only concern is the pig-tailed girl.  Saotome! Where is she?”

More and more people began shouting and raising their voices until
practically everyone was shouting or screaming.

Ranma shook his head and held his face in his hands.

Akane growled and yelled at the top of her lungs.  “EVERYBODY
BE QUIET!”

Instantly the house was silent, except for Nabiki clapping her hands.

“Very impressive, sis.”

Akane frowned.  “Listen, everyone, Ranma obviously has something to
say, so everyone shut up!”

Ranma put his hand on his fiancé’s shoulder.  “Thank you Akane.”

Nabiki grinned.  “Well, Saotome? What’s the big news? We’re all
dying of suspense.”

Ranma sighed and looked around the room.  “I feel bad that I came
back when you all did this wonderful thing for me.”

Ukyo bit her lip.  “But?”

Ranma smiled sadly.  “But I have come to an important decision.
I no longer” Ranma took a deep breath to steady himself.

“After long and careful deliberation, I have to come to the final
decision that . . . I no longer consider this universe my home.”

(While you absorb that shocking statement, we go back to where
  we last left a somber Genma entering the Tendo dojo.)
(Altaverse – Secondary, Tendo House, 1996)

A frowning man, slightly overweight and with a handkerchief on his
head, entered the house.

Soun slowly approached the downtrodden man.  "Saotome? Is it
really you?"

The man looked up.  "Indeed, Tendo.  It is I, Genma Saotome."

Soun broke into a huge smile and hugged his estranged friend.  "It's
great to see you! But where's your son Ranma?"

Genma pulled away and adjusted his glasses.  "I'm afraid I have some
bad news.  Ranma has disappeared."

Soun's jaw dropped.  "What? How?" His daughters gathered behind
him.

Nabiki chimed in.  “Yeah, I was promised a fiance! Cough him up!”

Kasumi giggled.  “Oh, Nabiki you are so silly.”

Genma cleared his throat.  “Well, Tendo, it’s a long and horrible
story.”

Soun nodded his head solemnly.  “Indeed, a martial artist’s path is
fraught with peril.”

Akane snorted.  “Oh give me a break, dad.”

Genma cleared his throat.  “To continue, I have been taking Ranma
on a training journey ever since he was a small boy.  Even from
the start, he had enormous potential to become one of the greatest
martial artists ever.”

Kasumi sighed.  >> Martial arts, training journeys.  I guess I’m
almost glad he’s missing, but only because I can’t stand this
obsession with martial arts that everyone around me has. <<

Genma frowned.  “But things started to go downhill after he picked
up that accursed book.  That vile book! He became obsessed with
_learning_ and it drove me crazy! No matter what I did, no matter
how many books in his possession I destroyed, he always managed
to find more.  He became _articulate_ worst of all.  What would
his mother say?”

Nabiki looked at Genma like he had an extra head.  “Maybe she 
would be proud of him for being intelligent and knowledgeable,
unlike you, you imbecile.”

Soun gaped.  “Nabiki! Apologize at once! Genma is our guest!
He is no more an imbecile than I!"

Nabiki cringed.  “Ok, ok I’m sorry Daddy.”

Soun looked angrily at his daughter.  “Not to me, apologize
to him.”  Soun pointed at the obviously uncomfortable Genma.

Nabiki bit back her reply.  “Ok, I’m sorry Mr. Saotome.”

Genma sweated.  “Uh, it’s okay.”

Kasumi stumbled suddenly.  “Oh my!”

Soun and his daughters instantly turned to her.  “Kasumi,
what’s wrong?”

The door exploded, showering the Tendos with tiny pieces of
wood and metal.

Kasumi gasped.  “That!”