Donny Cheng Disclaimer: All characters portrayed in this story are the property of the their respective creators and companies. I don't own any of them. Please don't sue me. This story takes place after volume 38 of the Ranma manga and also draws ideas from the anime. Ideas are also drawn from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Note, this story will most probably be an alternate universe version of his story as it is my personal belief that Moiraine will be brought back. This is a sequel to Sailor Moon R1/2, A Goddess's Kiss, Ranma Muyo in Love!, Restless Spirit, Kitty Love, and Sweet Angel of the Night. This is part seven of the crossover series, Life and Times. C & C welcomed. Flames not. A Wheel of Time, Ranma 1/2, Sailor Moon, Ah! My Goddess, and Evangelion crossover. The Wheel Weaves By Donny Cheng Setsuna frowned. This was not good. Definitely not good. She continued to watch the sleeping form of the woman that had suddenly appeared within the time corridor, wishing that the form would just disappear. When it looked like it was not going to happen anytime soon, she gave up and prepared for the inevitable job of waking the woman up. The woman stirred under Setsuna's touch. "Huh?" she muttered unintelligibly. Her mind ached terribly. She forced herself to regain some composure and looked around. The world around her seemed very much like the ways, empty and devoid of life. That was with the exception of the person that awoke her. The figure had long flowing hair and had a face many would consider beautiful. The face. She caught her breath. The face was ageless. "Aes Sedai," the words slipped from her lips. "No, I am not what you call an 'Aes Sedai', Moiraine Damodred," Setsuna said. She knew full well the other woman would not understand a word that she had said. There will be others on earth that will rectify that problem. She watched the other woman carefully. Moiraine seemed to have gotten a hold of herself and her face was calm and expressionless. A very dangerous woman. "You seem to have me at an advantage. You know everything about me and me nothing of you." Moiraine heard her name uttered, but could not make out the rest of the words. She tentatively let her mind reach out for the source, for saidar. The glow of power surrounded her, which only other users of saidar could see. It felt different. It was as if something was added the saidar, giving it an altogether different feel. The power coursed through her body like never before. She may be as strong as Nynaeve now, maybe even stronger. How could this be possible? Setsuna watched the other woman's expression change one of wonder. Moiraine had already figured out that this world was different from her own. Moiraine thoughts were in a jumble as she tried to figure it out. She knew this place was not the real world, much like the ways. If this place was similar in any way the ways, it might mean that the gateway she and Lanfear fell through could have taken them to someplace not of their world. "Lanfear! The other woman with me. Where is she?" Setsuna shook her head at Moiraine's frantic searching. Whatever she was looking for was not here. The senshi had noted no other disturbance in the current time stream. Moiraine breathed a sigh of relief. If her hold on the source had increased this much, she shuddered to think of how strong Lanfear would be. She no longer had any ties holding her back. Rand was safe from Lanfear. Lan was... Dear Creator, no. Only emptiness filled the void of where her bond to her warder had been. Her Aes Sedai abilities softened to mind numbing experience somewhat. However, they did nothing to ease her thoughts on what Lan was going through. He would feel the full onslaught of emotions the severing of a bond brought. Startled, Setsuna quickly wrapped her arms around the now sobbing Moiraine and gently hugged her. The poor woman must be finally feeling the effects of homesickness after putting on such a brave front. The crying subsided and quiet even breathing took its place. Moiraine had fallen asleep. Gently, Setsuna laid Moiraine on the ground. The body seemed to shimmer and shift in appearance before it vanished. She wished there could have been more time for preparation but far be it from her to change the course of history. * * * * * Somewhere in Nerima, a woman staggered to her feet curious and bewildered at the world around her. * * * * * "Akane, how many times do I have to tell you it's not what it looks like," Ranma complained. He nursed the growing bump on his head. Akane looked at Ranma, but couldn't see much of his figure. The fact that Shampoo's body was draped all over him would explain it. Not what it looks like? Yeah, right. What did that idiot take her for? "Ranma, you jerk!" * * * * * Moiraine watched closely at the boy being surrounded by two girls. One moment she had been in that place that so resembled the ways and the next she was on the street corner of what appeared to be a huge city. The first sight she had seen was the group of three. She felt herself being drawn to them the longer she watched them. Moiraine had a sneaky suspicion. The air around the boy seemed to be filled with anticipation, almost as if... the pattern was weaving itself around him. It was then it rained. What she saw next confirmed her belief. * * * * * "Get it off!" Ranma-chan shrieked as she flapped her arms uselessly. The freak rain shower had ended just a quickly as it started. Shampoo-neko was of course still glomped on to her. Akane sighed as she yanked Shampoo off. She got the thermos she carried for emergency use from her bag and promptly upended it over Ranma. Not a moment later, a stream of water splashed into Ranma's face. The dog, satisfied that it had shaken out all the water out of it's body continued on its way. Shampoo-neko padded towards her fallen clothes before Akane upended the rest of the hot water of her. "Airen, when you turn back again?" Ranma turned to answer Shampoo but not a word escaped from his mouth. He did his best not to stare. "Shampoo, cover yourself better! Your shirt is still wet from the shower. Ranma, you pervert!" Akane grabbed Shampoo's delivery box and smashed it over Ranma's eyes. The hot soup of the noodles within spraying all over her, now him. * * * * * Moiraine tried her best to dodge. The next instant she saw the shorter of the two girls hit the boy high into the air. Right towards her! "Ahh..," the boy moaned. He lay crumpled on the ground. His head caused quite a large crater in the ground. Moiraine acted immediately. Being a ta'veren, the boy must be of some importance in this world and she would do anything to help a world in need. If he was half as strong a ta'veren as she suspected, the world would sorely miss him. She touched saidar and wove strands of air and water into the boy to see how hurt he was. What? The boy was physically fine and as fit as a horse, but he didn't seem to be able to wake up. Panic crept into her. What else could she do? Why wasn't he waking up? While talented in healing, she was not well versed enough to handle a head injury of this magnitude. There was one thing that she could think of that would help. Bonding. * * * * * Ranma sat up and stared. His emotions, her emotions were all in a jumble. Her emotions? Suddenly, Ranma was acutely aware of the woman holding his head in her hands. He was acutely aware of her in an altogether different sense of the word. He could FEEL her. "What happened!?" Moiraine let go of the boy's head and sighed with relief. It worked, but not in the way the she had thought. Even bonding shouldn't have healed a head injury in mere seconds. Before she could speak, the two girls fighting over him came running towards them. Akane and Shampoo glanced warily at the beautiful woman beside Ranma. Shampoo in her usually eloquent way asked, "What weird woman do to husband?" Moiraine shook her head in confusion at the girl's words. "What? Sorry, I don't understand a word of what you said." Ranma looked at the two girls. "Shampoo, I think the woman is a foreigner. Me and Akane don't really know anyone that speaks a different language. Do you know anyone?" Shampoo decided to put aside her differences with Akane to help her husband. "Great-grandmother might know." "No," Urd said as she walked into view, "I don't think she will know. I don't think anyone on this planet will know a word she is saying. You see she comes from an altogether different universe. The yggdrasil crashed again at her appearance." Setsuna would pay for this, Urd thought glumly to herself. Just when her powers were back to full strength. Akane and Shampoo glared daggers at Urd. Akane really did not like the woman or goddess as Urd tended to call herself that in their presence. She thought of her as a grown up Shampoo that was more cunning and perverted. A deadly combination. But, she seemed to be the only one that could help them. "Well, how can we understand what she's saying then. She did something to Ranma. Look at him, he's freaking out. Jumping at imaginary shadows." "I am not," Ranma muttered. In truth, he couldn't sort out the feelings inside of his head. His heart ached with unbearable pain from loss and suffering. His head was confused as hell. These had to be the woman's feelings. Urd turned to the stranger. Fortunately, she had come prepared. She looked at the six moon bracelets on her arm and hoped it was enough. Moiraine could feel the flows of power enter her mind as the new woman that joined them started chanting in some weird dialect. There didn't seem to be any trouble, so she waited to see what would happen. Immediately her head cleared and she could understand the words being said. "...as clear as a bell," Urd finished. She nodded with satisfaction as the woman's face dawned with comprehension. "I don't know what you did, but I can understand what you are saying now. Hello, my name is Moiraine..," Moiraine faltered at the word 'Sedai', "Damodred." "I'm Urd, that's Akane and Shampoo, and that boy you held is Ranma." Urd pointed at the various people she named out. Seeing that Moiraine now understood what was being said, Akane, Shampoo, and Ranma all vied to get the first word in. Ranma won out and asked first, "What happened? What did you do to me?" Moiraine paused for a moment. She had not really asked for his consent. Even to save a life, it was considered rape among many to bond one without asking for permission. "I bonded you. You see, I saw that while you were physically fine, you wouldn't wake up. That would mean you had a head injury and I had to act fast. My talents in healing tend to lean to those of a combative nature, so I did the only thing I could to help. Why, may I ask, are the your attackers acting like they are your friends?" Urd, Shampoo, and Akane gave Moiraine an incredulous look. Akane couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You have it all wrong. Ranma has the thickest skull in the world. Nothing short of falling a hundred feet could crack it. Even then I wouldn't be sure of that happening. Besides we're martial artists, we all know how much a person can take before we actually hit them." Moiraine stared. It could have been possible that Ranma had just been dazed. She never thought a human head could survive such an impact and assumed he was hurt. Then she had committed an even worse offence then she had thought before. "Hey, she didn't know that. She was just trying to help me," Ranma tried placating them. He could feel the distress Moiraine was in at the moment, literally. Their bond was similar to the one he shared with Urd due to the time a part of her soul was occupied within him. Except, there was something more. He could feel the extra energy in his muscles. It had made him stronger! The women bigsweated. Ranma had suddenly jumped up and started destroying the surrounding area, punching and kicking the sidewalks and walls. Nothing within a fifty foot area survived. "The bonding has given Ranma certain... enhancements," Moiraine replied cryptically to their questioning glances. She did not think it to be necessary to mention the compulsion and directional awareness a warder will have for his Aes Sedai. She couldn't believe her eyes at the destructive power the young boy had achieved. She could feel the pure unadulterated joy in Ranma's mind. "Added strength!?" Akane slapped her hand to her forehead. Ranma's ego was big enough as it was, this would just make him unbearable. "That's another thing you don't understand. Ranma was already strong enough to crack boulders and the like. I won't be surprised if he's as strong as Ryoga now. Poor Ryoga-kun. Ranma picks on him enough as it is." Moiraine wondered at what she had gotten herself in. The boy was a bully? Somehow, she couldn't believe it of the boy who was acting like a child given a treat. "I'm sorry if this help was not wanted. I saw him as a boy that needed help and would've passed my bond to one he might choose." Again, she didn't feel the need to mention that only another person that could channel could take the bond. "Pass bond?" Shampoo smiled joyously to herself. "Then Moiraine pass bond the Shampoo, yes? Shampoo is Ranma's wife." "Hey, wait a minute here! We don't have any idea what would happen if her foreign magic touches one from our world. It might be disastrous." Urd glared at the amazon. She hoped it was enough to cow them. In actuality Urd didn't really know that passing the bond would hurt. It wasn't really a lie, so the Almighty might not have noticed. But, she wasn't going to let one of Ranma's so called suitors have a tie to his heart like she did. Akane breathed deeply. She had unconsciously held her breath at Moiraine's statement. Honestly, like she care if someone bonded to Ranma or not. "Anyway, we have to get back home. Come on, Ranma! You can destroy stuff at home." "Oops! Shampoo has to finish with deliveries." Shampoo hopped on her bike and left, but not before giving Ranma one last squeeze. "Good idea. Looks like you'll have to come with us, with you being new to this world and all." Ranma studiously ignored the daggers coming out of Akane's eyes. Hey, he couldn't put someone out on the street now, could he? "I guess, I'll come too. You going to need a lot of help to sort this mess out. Who better than a goddess to help?" Urd also ignored the look from Akane. The Almighty had sent her on this mission to find out as much as she can from this stranger. "Oh! By the way, since you and Ranma are 'bonded' together, we may as well let you in on a little secret of his." "What might that be, if I may ask." Moiraine was curious. She had sensed Ranma had a very deep secret that he was hiding within him. "Wait a second," Akane said. "Hey, Ranma stop right there." "Huh?" Ranma froze at the sound of Akane's voice. The old woman put her ladle back in her water bucket and went back into her house. Where there had once been a boy, there now stood a very bosomy girl. "You did not have to do that. I had already seen the change. You will explain, right?" Ranma had the distinct impression that it was not a question but a command. * * * * * "A wheel? How quaint and old fashioned. Must be an underdeveloped universe." Urd sat with the rest of the Tendo Dojo's residents and heard Moiraine's story with the rest of them. "You say the True Source powers this wheel and that is what you channeled into Ranma? I guess it is similar in this world, except that we get our power 'processed' by the yggdrasil. Also, the power isn't separated into male and female. Make's it much more convenient in the casting of spells. I don't see how you can turn a person into a car your way." Moiraine couldn't keep her mind focused on the topic. Her mind kept wandering to the girl who was currently fighting a boy that suddenly appeared asking for directions. From what she learned, the boy was the same Ryoga, that Akane had been talking about. Ranma was picking on the poor boy! If it wasn't for the fact that Ranma didn't seem she think was being a bully, Moiraine would have been hard pressed not to box his ears. The girl was acting as if she had gotten a new toy and wanted to try it out. The most disturbing fact to her was that she had to fight the urge to jump for joy every time Ranma trounced Ryoga. The power of the emotions she now felt from the boy turned girl seemed to have increased ten fold. This had to be the reason no Aes Sedai bonded with a female before. Most probably couldn't take the strain. "A car? What's a car? No, you're right. I don't think we can change a person into an animal or object. You say the One Power is not separated into two male and female? That would explain the strangeness of saidar." "One thing I don't understand is why you keep calling Ranma a ta'veren. What is that anyway?" Akane tried her best to not pay any attention to Ranma's antics with Ryoga. It would only encourage him further. "In my world, a ta'veren is one that forces the threads of the pattern to weave around him. There are varying degrees in the strength of any ta'veren. There is only one other person that I know of, that equals him in that respect." "Ta'veren? It's as good as any name. Ranma, however, is a special case. He not only forces fate to go around him, he is also not a part of it. Meaning, he has no destiny. His very presence could, in your words, tear the pattern." Urd shuddered as she knew at any given moment, not less than a dozen bugs surrounded Ranma. "Well, you have to stop this channeling of yours. The yggdrasil is having fits since you started. It keeps blaring and going on about something stealing it's power supply and a security leak," Urd said bluntly. The faster she got her mission over with, the faster she can pay some attention to Ranma. "Give up the power?." Stilling. One of the worst things that can happen to an Aes Sedai. Urd noticed the Moiraine's face drained of color. "No, I'm not saying that you can't ever use your power again. I know for a fact being restricted in the full use of your abilities can be a pain. We'll just have to get you registered by yggdrasil." Nabiki had been paying very close attention to the conversation. She figured anything with a goddess in the mix had to lead to a profit or at least some fun. "You mean, you want her to be a goddess?" Moiraine couldn't believe her ears. Urd had told her that the goddesses were the helping hand of the Almighty. "You mean, you want me to be a messenger of the Creator?" "The Creator? He hasn't been called that by us goddesses in awhile. I think he'll get a kick out of it. Yeah, that what I mean. Could always use another one of us in the universe. Of course, this means you're going to have to learn something we call a computer." "What if I wish to return to my world?" Without her there, who knew what type of nonsense Rand would bring up with is vicarious way of following the prophecies. She shuddered at what Rand's idea about his blood on Shayul Ghul might bring about. Urd shrugged. "I don't think it will be possible. We have no idea which universe you came from, out of an infinite number of differing universes. We won't even know where to begin or that you would even return to the same time frame from which left. So, how about it? Want to become a goddess?" Moiraine sighed. She resigned to the fact that she had done her duty that the Creator had sent her out to do by bringing Lanfear into that gateway. However, it did not stop the overwhelming need to help others. To her, this was another chance at the life she felt she had given up. "Yes, I think I would like to try that." "Hey, Ranma watch it! You nearly got killed." Ryoga shouted out as he withdrew his fist from Ranma's face. All of a sudden Ranma had stopped a smiled an idiotic grin. "If you can't even dodge a slow punch like that, you're not even worth the effort." "I know what I'm doing, Ryoga. Now, did you want to fight or not?" Ranma glared at her sparing partner. Inwardly she could still feel the after effects of Moiraine's sudden joy. It felt much better than the feelings she kept inside her all the time. Ranma didn't know how she was able to stand all pain. * * * * * Moiraine thanked Kasumi for the sleeping pallet. She wasn't ready for bed yet, so she decided on a walk in the evening night breeze. The events of the day still hasn't quite settled her stomach yet. Urd left a little later in the day to get everything set up for her new appointment as goddess in training. However, the day wasn't even close to being done. Later, Shampoo had showed up with food and another girl name Ukyo came right behind. Moiraine could have sworn she saw Akane and the two arrivals glowing with saidar. Ranma had told her later that it was chi. Some type of energy that is within everything and everyone. She also learned that all three girls were in contention for Ranma's heart and that they were not the only ones. At least a dozen more were either actively chasing him or admiring him from afar. The boy was even worse that Mat Cauthon! Or so she had thought. How did he put up with the pain? It had nearly made Moiraine want to weep. Burn that boy for being in his cursed form. Moiraine had felt the sadness that resided within that small frame every time one of the suitors fought. Ranma could not hurt a girl so he would not do anything to intervene at all. Moiraine felt pity for one so young to be burdened by so many things. "Hey, you should get some sleep!" Ranma called out from his perch atop the Tendo's roof. Startled, she reigned herself in. Moiraine favored Ranma with a withering glare. She hated being startled. Imagine. A boy, a mere boy, telling her to sleep. Being around that boy has drastically made her hold on her emotions weaken. She wondered if anyone in the entire history of Aes Sedai had ever a warder as troublesome as her own. Warder, hah! The boy was barely even a man. "Sorry!" Ranma hastily said. Jeez, it was weird dealing with another set of emotions added to his own. One good thing about it was that he knew exactly when he put his foot in his mouth. "I could feel that you're tired you know. I just thought I should look out for you. I mean that's what you said men that bonded to your people did." "Men! Not boys." Moiraine blushed as the very thought had crossed her mind. Even if the boy seemed more than qualified to aid her, he was too young. She knew that Ranma would not give up though in trying to help her. While he was in his cursed form, Moiraine had felt a wide range of emotions. The most predominant one was his stubbornness and determination to see that she had the most help he could provide. All for what? Because he pitied her and didn't want to see her get hurt. Burn him for being such a wool-headed mule of a man! Ranma fought to contain his anger. Here he was trying to help, and she was treating him like some child. "I'm not that young. I've been traveling with my father for ten years now. I've been fighting since I was five." Moiraine looked at Ranma in shock. Not at what he said but the way he said it. He reminded her of a very young Lan. Both trained in the art of battle since they were but a babe and yet tamed enough to care about helping her. Ranma angry stance faltered. Moiraine was thinking of the past again. Damn her and her emotions. "Look, Urd is going to take you away later anyway. Just let me look after you for the time you're going to be here. It isn't that long. Besides, remember what Urd said. You're stuck with me. Who knows what that bond would do to another girl?" Moiraine's whole life had been devoted to Rand and the prophecies. Rand. It all came back to him. Ever since she knew of his birth, she had worked to help him to her utmost ability. She hadn't know how much she had come to depend on that need to help him. It had gotten her through the worst of times. Be it a death a friend or the lost chance at love. With that gone, she became unsure of everything. This must have been what Nynaeve felt like when she left the comfort of Two Rivers. "Forgive me, Ranma if I spoke harshly. It has been a difficult day for me. It would be fine if you feel the need to look after me, just don't expect me to do as you say. And I'm sorry for calling you a child." No, not a child despite his age. No child could look like that and have those thoughts. Why couldn't he be ugly and keep his thoughts to himself? "Deal," Ranma grinned. "I guess being bonded isn't that bad a thing, right?" "Right. Being bonded to you isn't the worst thing that could happen to me in the world." The strange thing was, Moiraine truly believed that. * * * * * Third Impact aftermath... Moiraine bowed low in reverence to the Almighty. She knew that he hated that but somehow she couldn't bring herself to do otherwise. "You wanted to see me." "Yes. Instead of you hatching your own angel, I've decided to assign you one. She is relatively new to the post, so you will have to look out for her. Her name is Rei." A young albino girl that had stood to the side stepped forward. She was moving slowly so as to not jostle her wings. Very new to the post it seemed. Moiraine raised an eyebrow at the name. Not at all what she expected an angel to be named. "Hello, Rei. My name is Moiraine. I think we'll make good friends." Rei nodded. "I know we will. We have a mutual friend already." "Oh? He wouldn't happen to have a pig tail would he? No, I assure you, it was a lucky guess." Ta'veren indeed! * * * * * The end of time... Lanfear looked around her at the vast wasteland that was once sprawling with life. She screamed. She didn't stop screaming, ever. The End. (maybe)