Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Ranma ˝ or Street Fighter characters depicted in this story. All the Mage the Ascension characters are mine and mine alone. Mage the Ascension is property of Witewolf Inc. and seeing as this is just an extension of what they have you do in the game I am certain nobody will mind… Doesn't matter seeing as I'm not getting paid for any of this so I can't be sued. Some of the characters in this story are based off of people in real life, I'm not saying which ones and you will have to guess, all of those people have given their permission to have their likenesses used.

The World of Darkness is a little different in my story than in normal and although I am pretty well versed in Japanese culture I am changing things as part of my writer's prerogative, So if you notice any glaring errors please inform me and I will make the changes unless it was intentional. Constructive criticism is welcome and you can send questions, comments, or suggestions to GrubeyC@vandegrift.navy.mil . Please no Flames, The connection I get underway is bad enough on my email as it is.

Now on to the Storytelling.

Chaos, Paradox, and Paradigms

Prelude:

Honor, Obligations, and Letters from home.

In room Building 4, room 321 of Todai's (Tokyo University) woman's Dorms, a young lady with short-cropped chestnut hair sat at her desk. She had a distressed look upon her face and seemed to be reading over some papers. On the desk was a Computer and a torn envelope tossed off to the side. As we look a little closer we can make out the writing on the envelope.

Nabiki blinked again, and reread the letter just to be sure that she hadn't missed something, she still couldn't believe the impact that this was going to have on her immediate future.

Ranma's Voice:

"Dearest Nabiki   Nabiki-chan   To: Nabiki,

Umm.. I'm not quite sure how to address you now after what's happened let alone how to attempt to break this news to ya… Member the last time we saw each other. It was at Kasumi's wedding ‘bout 4 months ago. You and I had a long talk discussing the problems in my life and you gave me some advice as to how to take care of at least a little of it, namely the engagements and stuff.

Well I took yer advice and as you said once I accepted the Tendo engagement formally and in writing it took care of most of em. The biggest issue was explaining in to the girls, Ukyo seems to have taken it the hardest out of the bunch but she's holding up and I think there's a chance we might still stay friends though this. Even if she isn't speaking to me right now.

Next was Xian-pu, that was a tough one but it turned out to be one of the easier ones. I settled for speaking to the old ghoul instead and did my research first. Thanks by the way fer the copy of the Amazon Law book you loaned me. Was that the one that Xian-pu had when she first arrived? Well it turned out there was a loophole that I could exploit, just like you thought and it had to do with my Jyusenkyo curse. It seems that in the Amazon's eyes a person with a human Jyusenkyo curse is considered to be two people... My girl side and my boy side are considered brother and sister, and thanks to that work you did getting me an Identity as Ranko Saotome, it made it even easier to convince them. Turns out a woman given the Kiss of Death that has shown sufficient battle prowess and lived for at least a year without killing her pursuers can request to speak a vow of peace with the tribe. If she does this then her and her family become tribal allies. Tribal allies are exempt from the marriage law except in formal marriage Challenges.

So the end result was that I ended up nullifying my engagement to Xian-pu and making an ally of Mu Suu and Ku Lon, under the condition that at any of my children's 18^th birthday they take part in one Marriage Challenge different from the others in that male or female if they win they choose whether or not to get engaged. Nobody could have to marry them by them beating someone… guess I'm going to have to train my kids pretty hard.

There is one issue that comes up though because of this. My honor, my family's honor and Japanese Law I am bound to marry a Tendo. I could have lived with Akane I think, even though we were not in love, but, and well this is the reason I'm writing this letter... funny how all the problems and issues in my life always seem to be a mixture of Marriage or Martial Arts... ummm... I guess I should get to the point.

The thing is that Akane had already met someone else...  And before you ask I haven't met him. For crying out loud I don't even know if it's a him and not a her with your sister's rep. J/k. *chuckles*

Well when Pops and Mr. Tendo arranged another marriage...

AKANE ELOPED

She left two nights ago, and last night we got a marriage license in the mailbox. She'd been planning this for a while now.

The issue now is that the merger of the families is still in effect and is a legal matter. Our families are still insisting on it. Both Kasumi and Akane are married now, leaving you as the only Tendo daughter that is eligible...  Not to mention I guess after the last two years yer probably my first choice anyways. I mean you're trustworthy... A lot prettier than the tomboy and smarter and stuff. And ‘sides we're friends and that's the important part right. I'm sorry to burden you with this, but before you go and have a heart attack on me lemme finish.

I managed to get some concessions out of "OUR" Pops. I enclosed the agreement with this letter.  Some of the stipulations were mine and others were our families. I tried to buy you as much time as you needed and a few loopholes in case marrying me would be too horrible to even consider.

I am sorry if this letter upset's you or causes you grief, but I intend to carry on with the engagement this time. I will visit in a week for two weeks before I leave on my training trip. Please find a way to have some time off round then though I know you are busy. I would like to spend that time together before I leave.

From this day forth, through the end of existence
Yours truly, body, heart and soul,
Ranma Saotome

Official Document:

I, Ranma Saotome of House Saotome, heir to the Saotome style of Anything Goes martial arts do hereby swear on my honor to marry One Miss Nabiki Tendo, Now sole eligible heiress to the Tendo style of Anything Goes martial arts.

The following conditions to be insisted:

1.    The courtship shall begin exactly 2 weeks after I return from a training trip of undetermined time in with I will perfect my family style of martial arts, For which time Miss Tendo shall be a free and single woman held by no promise of engagement. And shall study her father's style of the art with special tutelage by one Ryouga Hibiki.

2.    My method of courtship is to be my own with no interference from any party, any interference in said courtship shall be grounds for nullification of this agreement and the engagement. No set amount of time shall be allotted for the courting period to extend unto indefinite.

3.    The Final stipulation shall be that a marriage will only commence if and when Miss Nabiki Tendo of her own FREE WILL, under no coercion, magical,  drug induced or otherwise, states to Ranma Saotome these exact words. " I love you Ranma, I will marry you, and I never want us to part."

 

Conditions if broken,

1.    An heir will be provided… if not through the loins of us together than through one of our children. And if neither has any children then together we will train a qualified student or multiple students to take up the school.

2.    If in the case that one of our family members causes this contract to be broken that member will be declared Ronin and stripped of honor and family.

3.    Finally if broken by myself or Nabiki Tendo these conditions apply. If it is through actions of my own I shall declare myself Ronin and consign to never marry. If on the case that Nabiki Tendo breaks the engagement solely to marry another man or woman, she will still be obligated to bear a child by Ranma Saotome to be heir to both schools. After the birth of the child Ranma Saotome will furthermore swear off his own manhood via the use of item Chiitsuon to be forever after known as "Aunt Ranko".

Signed
  Ranma Saotome
    Chaos
  Soun Tendo
    Heaven's Gate
  Genma Satome
    Dark Horse

This document is signed and sealed by the department of state and is a legal document under current Japanese law.

Sealed by my hand this day of 08 Jan 1999
State Representitive
Daisuke Kawaguchi

Nabiki finished looking over the letter again and turned it back to the front glancing at the date on the top.

"One week eh... well that gives me 3 days more to prepare for you Ranma, er...," picking up a pencil on the desk and chewing on it, she began to strum her fingers on the desk.. after continuing this for a moment she removes the pencil and begins to strum it on the desk. "Well Ranma-honey, little sis may have not left me with much choice; but hopefully with the way you've been turning out it could very well be her loss and my gain." Sighing and placing her pencil back next to her keyboard she picks up Ranma's letter once again. She opens up a drawer in the desk and pulls out a small black box in the back, opening it up we see little gifts, pictures and letters all from Ranma over the last year or so. She places the letter in with the others and returns the box to where it was.

Sniffing a little she raises her hand up to her cheek to wipe away the lone tear that seems to have found it's way there. She smiles a little and walks towards her bed stopping for a moment at the window to glance up at the stars.

"Always something with you Ranma, always something, you sure know how to make life interesting you know that.. I'll bet you're out there right now looking up at the same stars and thinking about things. Probably on the rooftop somewhere just staring. What are you thinking of Ranma? Me? Or this whole mess that you're in this time? Ah well it seems we're in this one together this time, and you always somehow seem to end up on top. "

Her smile brightens a bit and she continues over to her bed. She picks up a sheer blue nightgown and changes into it before crawling under her covers. As she reaches over to turn off the light something seems to strike her as funny, she breaks out into a giggle. "Well Ranma, if we ARE getting married, you had best not ‘ALWAYS' end up on top. I want a turn too..." As the giggle turns to laughter she switches off the light and turns in to bed. Her last thoughts as she falls asleep and perhaps what would induce her dreams that night are of her new ?boyfriend? and all the trouble that he would cause and they might be able to make together...

End Prelude.

Authors notes: I didn't want the prelude to be limey or lemony but there will be aspects of that in this story. I'm not quite sure where this story idea came from though I am an avid believer in Ranma and Nabiki match-ups. They compliment each others personalities just so much better than any of the others. Even though they do need to grow up a bit before they can work, as in the original series it shows. But from what I've seen of people they do change over the years especially the first couple out of high school. And I can see some of the changes coming about for them that would need to be there. Well as I said send questions and comments to my email addy. And I will be more than glad to respond.

Hopefully my next update will be soon.

Bye-Bye now.

Xavier T. Elenis