Ranma 1/2 : Timelines
by Mark Latus

Ranma Saotome, Ryoga Hibiki, Keiichi Morisato, Belldandy, Yohko Mano and 
everyone else are the copyrighted property of their various creators.  

Prologue

     "Ranma prepare to die!"  Ranma Saotome sighed as Ryoga tried to kill him
for the fourth time that week.  As it was only tuesday this was getting very
monotonous.  What had triggered it this time he didn't know.  Could be just
Ryoga's regular jealousy over Akane, or he'd overheard something, immediately 
misinterpreted it and decided it was his duty to punish Ranma.  Then again he
could just be pissed off about being cursed to turn into a pig everytime he
got wet which was an accident anyway and Ranma still thought he'd got a worse 
curse.  When you got right down to it there were so many possibilites that it 
was silly to try and single one out.
     Keeping his hands in his pockets Ranma walked backwards dodging Ryoga's
punches.  This infuriated Ryoga and his blows became wilder and stronger.  He
didn't notice Ranma was backing towards the carp pond.  Ranma stopped on the
edge and said, "You're getting slower Ryoga."  Ryoga snarled and lunged 
forward.
     Ranma jumped upwards soaring over Ryoga's head.  Without Ranma in front
of him Ryoga realized he was heading straight for the pond.  He tried 
frantically to stop himself and wound up hanging over the pond, standing on
tiptoe on the very edge of the bank.  His balance was precarious, the 
slightest movement could overbalance him.  Ryoga froze and began sweating, if
Akane came out of the dojo and saw him fall in the pond ...  "Hi Akane."  he
heard Ranma say behind him.  "Ranma what are you doing to poor Ryoga?"  
Akane's voice sounded a little odd, maybe she had a cold.  "I'm not doing
anything, he's just showing me how good his balance is."   Ryoga concentrated
on maintaining that balance.  "Matter of fact he wanted to show me he could
stay balanced while supporting his backpack."   There was a swish and Ryoga 
felt something heavy land on his back.  His toes dug into the concrete as he
tried to maintain his balance.  Somehow he stayed immobile, if he fell now
and Akane saw him ...  He was actually feeling a little confidence when Ranma
said, "Let's see if he can hold his umbrella as well."  Ranma gave a grunt as
he hefted the ridiculously heavy umbrella and landed it on top of the 
backpack.   Fear of exposing his curse somehow gave Ryoga the strength to
hold on.  The tendons in his legs stood out like steel cables.  He heard 
Akane say, "Wow that's impressive."  Ryoga was silently reciting every prayer
he knew.  If Akane would leave he could fall and let the transformation take
its course.  He heard Ranma whistling as he strolled around to the other side 
of the pond.  Ranma held up a feather, smiled, reached across and begin 
tickling Ryoga under his nose.  Ryoga was sweating heavily, if he sneezed his
balance was gone.  He might have begged Ranma to stop but even moving his jaw
might have shattered his balance.  Then he gave a mighty sneeze and hit the
water with a tremendous splash!
     P-chan broke the surface in a panic.  Akane couldn't possibly have missed 
seeing that!  His secret was gone, he was a dead man!  Dead pig anyway.  He
looked around to see the direction death would come from.  
     There was no sign of Akane, the only person around was Ranma.  Ranma was
currently in female form having been caught in the splash.  She grinned and
said, "'Wow that's impressive', Hah!  You have got to be the most gullible guy 
in the world.  No matter how many times I impersonate Akane you always fall 
for it.  You'll never learn will you?"   P-chan began an angry bweeing as 
Ranma-chan reached down and scooped him up.  "Give it a rest Ryoga.  Face 
facts, you are an idiot and you'll always be an idiot."   P-chan twisted and 
bit her on the arm.  "Ow!  You moron!"  Ranma slammed the hand holding the 
piglet into the ground.  Then he saw a shadow descending and looked up just 
in time to see the mallet arcing downwards.
     Akane pried P-chan out of Ranma's hand.  Ranma didn't object as she was
currently flat the ground with a large lump on her head.  Akane sighed.  It 
seemed every time she thought Ranma wasn't such a bad guy she'd turn a corner 
and see him mistreating her pet.  "I keep telling you Ranma, don't pick on 
P-chan."  To the pig she said, "Poor little P-chan are you ok?"  and cuddled 
the pig to her chest.  As she often did she thought the pig looked almost
embarrassed which was ridiculous.  But he looked so cute like that.  
     Sprawled semiconscious on the ground Ranma groaned and muttered, "Why 
does she always show up at the wrong moment?"
     On a rooftop some distance away a black clad young man lowered the 
binoculars he'd been watching Ryoga with and said, "Well that was truly 
pathetic!"  An independant observer would have remarked on his incredible 
resemblance to Ryoga.  They might have said they were identical except there 
was one major difference.  He held the binoculars in his right hand because 
he didn't have a left.  That arm ended just after the elbow, the empty part 
of the sleeve pinned up.
     The red haired girl by his side lowered her own binoculars and nodded in
agreement.  "Sort of kills all the nostalgia for the good old days doesn't
it?"
     "True.  Well it looks to be about like we figured.  Shall we get on with
it?"
     "Fine, but we need a plan."
     "No problem.  but let's get off this roof and join the others.  Maybe
they'll have something useful to contribute."
     She looked at him, "That seems unlikely."
     "Probably, but you never know.  I know another guy people said was 
hopeless not long ago."
     "Good point, let's go."   The two figures dropped down to streetlevel.
     A little while later Ranma was running along the street trying to ignore
the ache in his head.  After he'd revived Kasumi had asked him to pick up a
few things she needed.  He'd seen Akane carrying P-chan around so he was 
stuck with Ryoga for the next few days.  Still sooner or later Ryoga would 
be alone, take a wrong turn and he'd be halfway across town before he realized
anything was wrong.  Then he'd try to find his way back and be out of the
country in no time.  It was lucky Ryoga had no sense of direction or life 
would be a lot more complicated. 
     Ranma was still musing on this as he passed the entrance to the alleyway
and caught Ryoga's profile.  He was turned away from Ranma talking to someone
else.  Ranma was a little surprised Ryoga had got both transformed back and 
lost this quickly.  He was also surprised Ryoga had changed his dressing 
habits.  Ryoga must have decided black was in because all his clothing, 
bandannas included, was now that color.  Why the sudden switch?  "Hey Ryoga, 
very gothic look!"
     Ryoga turned to face him and Ranma felt his jaw hit the floor.  A lot of
Ryoga's left arm just wasn't there!  Ranma began stuttering, "But ... what 
happened? ... you were fine just ... Ah man I'm sorry I ..."
     For a moment the figure's face was immobile, then he smiled held out his
right hand and said, "Hello there, you must be a friend of cousin Ryoga."
     Still in shock Ranma took the offered hand, "Cousin?"
     "Ryo Hibiki's the name.  Everyone always says I look a lot like my 
cousin.  Except for one major difference."
     "Ahh yeah hi I'm Ranma Saotome."  Ranma tried to pull his gaze from Ryo's
stump but it kept drifting back.  "Ryoga's cousin?  Right that explains how
it happened so quickly.  I mean why I thought Ryoga had lost a ... uh I mean
yeah Ryoga's a friend ... sort of.  It's kind of complicated, I mean our
relationship stumps me ... NOT STUMPED!  I didn't mean to say stumped I meant 
puzzled.  Yeah that's it ... puzzles me!"
     "It's Ok."  Ryo looked like he was used to this.  "Ever since the 
accident I've been getting used to this.  By the way this is my sister Yuriko" 
Ranma became aware of the girl standing next to Ryo.  She must have been the
one he'd been talking too.  The resemblance between them impossible to miss
although Yuriko's red hair was a severe contrast to her brother's black.  
She was dressed identically to Ryoga (prior to his becoming a P-chan).  The
outfit might even have been the same size since it looked baggy on her.  She
was very cute which Ranma knew meant trouble.  She'd undoubtably immediately
fall in love with him adding yet another would be fiancee to his list.  Not 
that he could blame her for falling for a guy like him.  It was just that it
complicated life.
     Yuriko Hibiki didn't offer a hand.  She studied Ranma for a moment then 
asked, "You said your name was Ranma Saotome?"  Ranma nodded.  Yuriko frowned
then said, "It's funny but you don't look like a sex pervert."
     Ranma's smile froze, "WHAT!"
     "Well I've heard about you in these letters from cousin Ryoga ..."
     Ranma cut her off, "If he's been spreading lies about me I'll ..."
     "So it's not true that you have three fiancees and a lot of other 
girlfriends?"
     That was impossible to deny.  "Well sort of, you see ..."
     "And you don't keep wearing women's clothes?"  Yuriko watched Ranma with
wide eyed innocence.
     "Uhm, not exactly, I mean sometimes but that's ... look it doesn't mean 
I'm a pervert just ..."
     "A transvestite?'
     "Yes .... NO!"
     "Yuriko clearly Ranma doesn't want to discuss his personal life."  Ranma
threw Ryo a greatful glance then had to pull his eyes away from the missing
limb.  As he did he saw the three people who'd emerged from the alley.  Ryo
glanced back at them and said, "Oh Ranma these are a couple of friends of
ours.  That's Keiichi Morisato ..."  He looked a few years older than Ranma,
wearing a fairly average short sleeved shirt & jeans, "His girlfriend (Ryo 
paused as if a little uncertain) ... Belldandy ..."  She looked to be about 
the same age as Keiichi.  Belldandy was wearing an eloborate purple ruffled
outfit, the color matched the teardrop shaped mark on her forehead, "And
last but not least, Yohko Mano."  Yohko was wearing a sour expression and 
what looked like a black ninja outfit (sans hood).  The outfit was plain
except for a green (with purple stripes) dragon emblem above the right 
breast.  Like Yuriko she showed no signs of falling madly in love with Ranma.
"Everyone this is Ranma Saotome."  There were various greetings with varying
degrees of enthusiasm.
     Ranma was wondering how to break this up and head off when Ryo said,
"Well you looked like you were on your way somewhere so don't let us keep 
you."
     Yuriko nodded and said, "If you run into cousin Ryoga again tell him 
we're in town.  We understand he's around Nerima a lot of the time."
     "Uh sure thing.  Gotta go, bye."
     The five of them watched Ranma head off.  When she was sure he was out 
of earshot Yuriko commented, "Well that went well."
     Ryo nodded, "Of course.  He has no reason to suspect who we really are."
     "True enough."  Yuriko headed to the alley where two backpacks were
waiting.  She pulled a thermos out of hers and was about to step back when
Ryo called, "Long as you're there could you get my prosthetic?"
     "Sure."  She opened his pack and looked inside.  "This steel thing with
all the spikes!?"
     "No that's the combat arm, Kodachi had that designed specially.  It's
got a grip that can break bones, concealed blades that emerge from just 
behind the knuckles and an internal poison reservoir to coat the blades with
three different choices of toxins."
     "Sweet girl."
     "I think so.  Anyway there should be a standard left arm under that."
     Taking care to ignore the arm's blades Yuriko dug into the pack until
she found it.  "This?"
     "That's it."  Ryo unpinned his sleeve and pushed it back to expose the
socket for his prosthesis.  When he'd been given it he began slotting it into
place.  "Makes for a great distraction don't you think?"
     Yuriko averted her eyes as she asked, "That's why you didn't put it on
earlier?"
     "Yup, I had a hunch we'd run into Ranma.  It was unlikely he'd pick up
anything but why take the chance."
     "Seems a little paranoid but nevermind."  Yuriko uncapped her thermos,
"In the meantime I'm going to change into something more comfortable."  She
upended the thermos pouring the hot water over her head.  Belldandy watched
without surprise though both Keiichi and Yohko gaped again.
     Ryoga Hibiki closed his thermos and made a note to get some more hot 
water, he was almost out.  "So should we get on with it?"
     Ryoga Hibiki looked up from fitting his artificial arm into place.  "No
time like the present, might as well start the ball rolling.  HAHAHAHAHAHHA!!"
     "Why are you laughing like that?'
     "It's traditional."
     "It's traditional if you're doing something rotten.  We're here to save 
the world ..."  He paused, "... at least that's why we think we're here."
     "I wish he'd given us a bit more information.  Actually I wish I was back
home with Kodachi."
     Ryoga 1/2 nodded, "And I wish I was back home with Nabiki.  But until we
get the job done we're all stuck here."
     "So let's get started."  Keiichi, Belldandy and Yohko all nodded.

End of Prologue.
Continued in Part 1 : Now here's my plan!

Authors note:  Perhaps you're sitting there saying, "Oh no it's another one of 
             those alternate Ryoga stories that start off funny but turn dark 
             and bloody pretty quick.  Not this time.  Timelines is intended 
             to be more of a traditional Ranma story.  Misunderstandings that
             compound creating a huge mess.  In case you read "Crossover" 
             and/or "Worlds in Collision" yes it's Ryogas 2 and 5.  Oh and
             those aren't the normal Yohko, Keiichi and Belldandy.  They're
             from Ryoga 5's world.  Keiichi and Yohko had a cameo in the
             epilogue to "Worlds in Collision" as Kuno's ninja assassins.
             More on this later.  Next, how and why they're here.  Onward to
             silliness.