A/N: Workin' on the 4th chappie... workin' on the 4th chappie... !Sings! Huh? Oh, you're here! Thank you, all the people who previously reviewed! You rock!

The reason why Akane was sleeping with Ranma... (NOT LIKE THAT! NOT LIKE THAT, YOU PERVERTED PEOPLE!) well, for one, it fits in for... a part of my story. You'll see... or maybe it was 'cos i had nothin to do so i made weird events happen.

Also to add something, when italics are on there's no way for me to show accented words, so I used blah to convey that meaning.

Conflagration of Talents

Chapter 4

"This is your mind. As-" Lu Dongbin looked around, "-this would normally just be a black field if you did not concentrate, I assume that you have been here before?" He asked. The eight of them were sitting on chairs that they had pulled out of nowhere, and Ranma had done the same. He tried not to think about it, because he knew that the moment he did his chair would vanish into nothingness. He nodded in answer to Dongbin's question.

"Have you ever tried training here?" Han Xiangzi asked.

"Not really. Every time I try to do that my concentration wavers and I end up waking up." He replied.

"Then the first thing we'll have to do is catch up on your Ki gathering techniques and your concentration..." He noted, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

"Well, as Xiangzi pointed out..." Lu Dongbin shot a look of annoyance at his friend. "We basically hone you to be a very good fighter. Not just physically, but in the spiritual sense as well. But as we cannot go to the outside world, you must come here."

"We will tutor you in studies as well, and ways of life, for ignorance is not an option for the Chosen." He continued.

"Uhh... can I ask a question?" Ranma hesitantly said. When he nodded, Ranma asked, "You guys and my Pop keep on talking about 'Chosen'. What does that mean?"

"Every generation in the Saotome line, one male child is chosen to be the representatives of the Eight Immortals. This was because of a deal made a long, long time ago-" Lu Dongbin frowned, "-by a certain Shikashi Saotome."

"No offense to my ancestors, but how did he get you guys to agree? I mean, you look like really good martial artists." Ranma pointed out.

"It was by means of a gamble." Lu Dongbin's mouth twisted in disgust. "Your great-great-great-great-grandfather was a very good gambler, and Han Zhongli here has the unfortunate vice of gambling." He jerked his head towards the corpulent man, who looked off in the other direction and whistled innocently. "Shikashi was also a good fighter, but he knew that skills faded over time, and he got our help to ensure that the line of Saotome remained alive and strong."

'*That would make sense. Sounds much more practical than whatever horrible idea Pop might have cooked up to get the same results...*' Ranma thought as he listened to Lu Dongbin finish his lecture.

"We will teach you how to better control your Ki, and teach you Ki attacks, of course. We will also teach you the Eight Immortals Martial Arts System. Right now you will lose to even one of us, but at the end you should be able to beat all of us attacking you at the same time," the handsome man ended.

"Not to mention we can teach you all sorts of practical things," Lan Caihe told him.

"Yes, like how to attract a woman." He Xiangu finished with a smirk. "Or a man, depending on your form."

Ranma blushed furiously, and several of the immortals roared out in laughter.

"Stop embarrassing the poor boy. In any case... would you like to get started on your Ki?" Zhang Guolao asked him.

Very thankful towards the old man, Ranma nodded frantically.

"Aw, you're ruining our fun..." He Xiangu pouted.

"Stop that!" Lu Dongbin huffed.

"Ignore them, my boy. Now... empty your mind." Zhang Guolao began.

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"Are you sure Ranma's alright, Mr. Saotome?" Nabiki asked the panda. He and her father were currently playing a game of Shogi, and it was clear the panda was losing. The panda raised a sign, with the words "Whatever he's doing is part of the introductory ritual for the Eight Immortals. He won't be injured... I think." on it.

"Oh, my daughter is so thoughtful! You'll be a fine wife! I'm so glad!" Soun began sobbing into the shoulder of the panda who looked affronted but did not bat off the other man. He raised a sign and fixed Nabiki with an annoyed look. The sign read "Now you've gone and done it! Once he's like this it'll take forever to get him to play! Then again, I was losing anyway..."

Nabiki thumbed her nose at the panda, then started musing over what her father had just said. Was she concerned? No, it was just a business venture. She didn't want him to die or get injured before she could milk him for all he was worth.

She looked over to where Ranma was sitting on the porch. He was sitting cross-legged in a lotus position, and had a serene look on his face. He had been like that ever since the fight, and it was nearly two hours already! 'Introductory ritual for the Eight Immortals'? What if there was something wrong with him? Had he fainted? He might be injured... then again, Kasumi's cooking would probably get him up pretty quickly. She had been shocked by the feelings of jealousy she felt welling up when Ranma first complimented Kasumi on her cooking; she'd forced it down, but she still couldn't help feeling a bitter flash whenever he smiled at Kasumi or delivered a muffled compliment around a mouthful of rice. Most uncharacteristic of herself; if she wanted to keep her Ice Queen reputation she would have to stop that.

But first, to secure a flow of income... *and* to get back at Ranma for all the strange things he had been making her feel. "Daddy, isn't it time for Ranma to go to school? After all, I don't want to have an ignorant buffoon who knows nothing but martial arts for my iinazuke..." She added the last with a quiver in her voice.

Her father fell for it hook line and sinker, and in short order he declared, "Of course! I wouldn't dream of letting my son-in-law stay stupid!"

The panda nodded in agreement, holding up a sign that read "I second that notion. The boy needs to go to school!"

'*Really...*' Nabiki thought. "Since you're his wife, why don't you tell him about it?" The panda held up a second sign with those words on it.

"I support your decision wholeheartedly, Mr. Saotome, and--" Nabiki's thought processes stopped for a moment.

'*Me tell him? Damn!*' "Uh... but I can't tell him! As his father, shouldn't you do it? After all, he might get angry with me... he hates books..." She made her voice quiver as if sad at the thought.

"Don't worry, he's a gentleman! I'm sure he won't do anything *too* bad to you, Nabiki!" With that, Soun gave Nabiki a push towards Ranma, and resumed the game with Genma. The panda had of course seized the chance while the two Tendos were talking to rearrange the pieces, and he now looked at Soun and said a very smug and satisfied "Gworf."

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'*Right, a gentleman who turns into a girl,*' Nabiki thought sourly. This hadn't gone the way she had wanted at all!

"Hey sis, why are you looking so glum?" asked Akane casually as she jumped down the stairs fluidly. She was wearing a dress, and her long blue-black hair fell to her back. Nabiki looked enviously at that beautiful hair; what she wouldn't give to have hair like that! She had seen Ranma staring at it on more than one occasion, and...

What was she *doing?* She felt jealous of *Akane?* Was she crazy? Nabiki forced it out of her mind and said: "Daddy wants me to tell Ranma that he has to go to school." She could have hit herself; it had come out as sullen and irritated, just the image she didn't want to project to Akane!

"So why are you feeling down? It's probably a great attempt to get back at him. I mean, like you said, you're just doing it for Daddy after all. And so far anyway, Ranma didn't even want to look at books, much less study." Akane pointed out.

"I... I don't know..." Nabiki admitted. Why *was* she irritated? "I'll go wake him up from... whatever it is he's doing first."

With that, she marched over to Ranma.

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"Excellent! Very good, Ranma!" Zhang Guolao praised the dark-haired boy as he fought to control the glowing blue lines of energy weaved into the shape of a flower in front of him.

Zhang Guolao had started out with telling the boy that Ki was all around them. Ranma nodded; he had heard as much from his father. The old man then went on to saying that there was only one kind of Ki, but that it could be formed into different elements. To prove his point, he traced a pattern in the air with his finger, and soon a chinese dragon made out of solid lines of fire appeared before them. Ranma watched it, fascinated, as it flew around before swallowing its own tail and disappearing. "Now you try," the old man said kindly.

Ranma had got the basic idea in his first try, and so far could form water, earth, fire and small amounts of some shadowy substance. When he had made a black circle with the black substance he had earned quite a few nervous glances from the immortals, and decided to note that down and ask them about it later.

Using his Ki felt incredible. The first step was to open his mind, and then mentally picture a light, and reaching out to it. When he did that, pure sweet power filled his body, and he was so drunk on the pure glory of it he felt like he could move a mountain. To make it appear visibly, however, was much harder. And holding too much Ki for prolonged periods of time gave him muscle aches so severe he couldn't move.

He charged up some Ki in his arm, and focused it towards his fingertip. Just as his finger felt like it was going to explode, he pictured dark red, and forced the energy in his finger to go beyond, tracing a picture he had once seen in an artist's shop--a lion. Just as he finished the last bit on its tail, he brought his hand back. Moving away, he felt a distinct connection between him and the lion. Holding it up was a great effort, and he had to wipe away his sweat several times while he attempted to imagine the lion putting its front paw forward. The image wavered in and out of view, and Ranma felt like he had been kicked in the stomach by a bull.

"Ranma, if you can't control it then let go!" Zhang Guolao said sharply, all traces of former obliviousness wiped away. When Ranma showed no sign of stopping, the old man moved forward and brought his hand down sharply in between the boy and the lion. His hand glowed a bright blue, and the connection between Ranma and the lion suddenly snapped, sending the youth flying backwards.

"Ugh..." groaned Ranma. Zhang Guolao moved over and easily lifted the boy with his hand, a feat the teenager found shocking considering how feeble the old man looked.

"Ranma, promise me you will let go of the connection the moment you feel your control slipping," Zhang Guolao said sternly. His tone allowed for no rebuttals, but Ranma would have agreed even if the old man had merely asked it of him. He felt like the time his father had thrown him into-

His mind cut off the thought instinctively. He *did* feel terrible, though, and was very glad when Zhang Guolao told him that he could take a rest. The immortals went over to consult each other, but Ranma did not feel like trying to listen in. All he wanted was to sleep...

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Nabiki nearly jumped back as Ranma flinched on the wooden planks. His face was a picture of pain, and it made Nabiki wince in sympathy even though she did not know what exactly had happened to Ranma.

"Ranma. Ranma!" She gently shook his shoulder. The boy jerked in pain, and his black mane of hair fell on his face, obscuring it from her view. "Wake up." When her iinazuke showed no signs of waking, she flicked his ear lightly with her finger, using her nail to briefly scratch it. For some reason, Ranma was exceedingly afraid of anything long, sharp or pointy, but refused to tell her the reason why.

Her iinazuke jerked his head, and slowly opened his eyes. She found herself staring into crystal blue depths, and felt mysteriously light-headed. "N... Nabiki?" He said hesitantly.

"That's it! Kiss her!" A whispered cry filtered in from behind them, and the pair whirled round to see the entire family very badly hidden and staring at them. The moment passed, and the two awkward feeling teenagers blushed.

"Come on, Ranma, let's go eat." Nabiki helped the boy up from the ground, and did not miss the soft cry of pain he gave when he stood up. Something had happened to him, and she intended to find out what it was.

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A/N: How'd you like that? Polls still open... hum hum Aniway, please review!