Author: Rav
Fandom: Ranma 1/2
Warnigs: None at the moment, might be in the future, then again, maybe not...
Archive: Go ahead.
Pairing: Not telling.
C&C: please?
Disclaimer: I really tried to come up with something funny and smart for the disclaimer, then I realised that I'm not funny or smart. Deal with it. Ranma&Co. Don't belong to me, I only own the story, which of course can't be copyrighted.

Kima wasn't happy, emperor or not, no-one should have the right to trouble her at this time of night. But then again, she had already become accustomed to strange rhythms of lord Saffron. After his hurried re- transformation forced by the attack of the outsiders, he had seemed strangely agitated and restless, waking up in the middle of the night and wandering through the endless tunnels that made the sacred mountain seem like a giant anthill or just sitting gloomily on his throne, his chin resting gently on his hands, not moving, not answering anyone but her.She seemed to be the only one who could bring him out of his melancholy moods.

She stepped past the guards, barely acknowledging their presence, just nodding to them and entered the throne-room of the phoenix-emperor. There again, slumped on his seat, lord Saffron was brooding, in his human form, in the shadows of the barely-lit hall, small shapes moved silently.

[Magpies? What use has Saffron for those creatures?]

She moved forward and bowed low, clearing her throat to inform her lord that she was present. After a moment he slowly lifted his eyes from the floor and looked at her, elicting a small gasp from her.

[By the Phoenix! What has happened, he seems so thin and frail, he wasn't like this yesterday.]

Slowly she managed to calm herself enough to trust her voice not to quiver too much and stepped forward.

"My lord, does something ail you? Your servants said you haven't slept at all."

"I am fine lady Kima, I am merely exhausted from over-exerting my powers. I shall rest soon enough, would you sit with me a while, lady Kima?" Replied the gaunt figure, stretching his delicate frame like a cat.

"Of course, would you like me to call for any refreshments?"

"No thank you, I'd just like talk with you."

"Of course my lord." She replied, now relieved.

[It must be the wedding that's making him nervous, well I have to admit that I wouldn't like the idea of being told to marry someone I haven't even met, how much worse it must be for him, always used to getting his will in any matter and now he's forced to bow to others in such a important matter. But why the magpies?]

Saffron chuckled lightly as Kima snapped out of her thoughts. [Damn, I have to wake up.]

"Sorry, I just got lost in my thoughts. So, what would you like to talk about?"

"Please tell me about the intruders."

"The intruders my lord? What would you want to know of them?" She asked, her disdain for the outsiders showing in her voice.

"I am curious, usually my transformation wipes most of my memories of past existences, but this time I remember it exactly, I wonder if it is because of the hurried process after they left, or something else? The leader of that group, Ranma Saotome, tell me about him."

"Well, he's definetely the greatest fighter of them and a fine warrior even by our standards."

"Merely fine Kima? Remember that he defeated me." the immortal interrupted.

"Yes... but you weren't completely in control of your own powers then. But yes, he is the greatest warrior I have ever seen amongst the outsider. He was, is, rather brash, bold certainly and yet, there's something undefinable in him, I would almost suspect that there's some traces of our kind in his blood."

"Why do you think so?"

"I'm not really sure, it just came to me. Something about him just seems like it.." She trailed off, unsure what to say, but then continued

"Why are you so interested in him lord?"

"Somehow my thoughts are drawn to him, I wake up in the middle of the night, and can't remember what I dreamed, only that he was in it. I sit on the throne and suddenly he appears in my mind, drawing my concentration to himself. This bothers me, why is he so important? This bothers me." He repeated, more to himself.

Kima just stared ahead, scared by her own thoughts. [Is lord Saffron, but, no! It can't be, and certainly not to tha- no. I shouldn't even think like this, but then again, it could.. no.]

"Somehow he commands my mind... and my heart Kima. My heart. Somehow he came to my life like a roque comet, crossing the night sky and now nothing's like before. Before him, it's all blur. Some distant memories, past lifes, past regrets, but nothing like this. I can't live like this! What good is an emperor whose mind is swain so easily by some groundling! But.. I can't help it, I must leave, and find him. I don't know why, but maybe I'll know then, maybe not. But I must find out! I must!"

Kima sat still for a long time, stunned by the confession. Finally she managed to open her mouth, but her throat felt dry and constricted.

"M- my lord?" Was all she managed before Saffron waved her to silence.

"I must go, and I must go tonight. I cannot fulfill my duties and marry Hakkou, even if she has been chosen by the noble families as my wife I cannot. However, I would like you to rule as my regent while I'm gone." Now there was pleading in the eyes of the young man, silent but urgent.

"No." Kima simply replied after some thought.

"But.."

"No, I will not act as a regent, I shall come with you, to help you. As a friend. And, I have some business of my own with the groundlings too." Kima smiled now and soon she was answered by the first real smile from the proud lord of Jusendo after his shameful defeat.

"As a friend. So be it Kima, the magpies have been my eyes in Japan for some time now. We leave now, do you wish to take anything with you?"

"No."

"Then we go."

Notes: I've absolutely no idea if there really are any magpies in Japan... Oh, and I do realize that Saffron is going all Elricy on us, I can't help it.

Notes: I have to admit that I've 'borrowed' the idea of Kodachi on medication from 'Kodachi on prozac', sorry 'bout that, but, as Michael Moorcock said "never be too proud to steal a good story" words of wisdom, ne? That said, I hope you like it, it's been a while and I'm a little rusty.

And at the same time, in Japan. Kodachi is dreaming, her subconcious throwing strange images at her, like a film edited by a madman, coherent for as long as it takes to recognise the images, then blurring again and again and again.

Her dearest Ranma, looking so proud and regal, staring at her, but now, blurring, becoming something else. The red-haired girl? What is she doing here? Dressed like Ranma, now blurring again, her brother speaking in the background, not spewing bad poetry like he seems to do nowadays, but murmuring softly, comfortingly like when they were young. After mother died Tatchi seems to have changed, but so has she. Now it's Ranma and the red-haired girl together, they look so alike, like sister and brother, maybe that's it, they're siblings and so very protective of each other, perhaps.

Now blurring slightly they exchange places, no they exchange faces, still the same and different at the same time. Her beautiful Ranma and the strange girl becoming one. Melting into each other, forming an androgynous creature, strong and regal like Ranma, beautiful and frail like the girl. A young godling, reaching to her, reaching and at the same time, receding into infinity.

She woke up. Cold sweat chilling her in the night air. She waited for her breathing to settle down, crickets whirred outside and the soft scent of cherry blossoms filled her senses. Slowly she reached for her bedside table, picking up a glass of water and the bottle of pills. It helped her to think more calmly and to plan ahead too. The irony of the situation made her chuckle for a moment, she who had always counted on chemical and herbal 'additives' to win a fight was now using them to avoid unnecessary conflict. Still it made life easier.

She swallowed the medicine and leaned back, letting the cold water flow soothingly down her throat, much better now. Then she cast her mind back into her dream. Yes, it was more than probable that Ranma, and- the _other_ Ranma were siblings, same name and those looks. But what sort of people would give brother and sister the same name?

Well, this called for change of tactics. She should try to attain the good graces of Ranma-chan, instead of fighting her, she should befriend her, to make snaring of her brother easier. And then another thought entered her mind, of course, Kodachi, being (nowadays) a pragmatist, had considered the possibility of losing Ranma-kun to some of her competitors. Although it still seemed hard to understand and just a while ago the very thought would have seemed blasphemous to her, but she had to consider every possibility, so if, Ranma would choose someone else, then maybe something could still be salvaged from the mess, the red-haired girl, did indeed look like Ranma, and she was indeed beautiful, no need to concentrate on just a one target, Kodachi knew, one should always have auxiliary goals too. Now fully relaxed, Kodachi settled back and sighed.

But jumped up just as quickly, medication or no, she was still rather impulsive. Why waste time sleeping, she was awake enough now, she should find Ranma-chan now. Besides, it was easier to have her full attention at night, with fewer people to interrupt.

So, donning her trademark black leotard and grabbing her ribbon, she slipped out into the night.

**************

Slipping effortlessly through quiet streets of Nerima Kodachi made her way towards the Tendo dojo, her mind alight with all the new possibilities that had just opened, she chuckled quietly to herself, a saner sound by far than her usual laughter and it would have been nice to call it a melodious sound, unfortunately it wasn't, on the whole it sounded remarkably like Fran Drecher with bad sinus trouble.

As she homed in on her appointed target Ranma was (by happy plot contrivance) indeed currently female and awake. He was rolling restlessly on his bed, his insomnia brought on by being unaccustomed to sleeping alone, his father having just moved into a room of his own.

tbc.