Chapter 2: Camp

“Not good” Finished Ranma. His head was thumping like a tycho drum, and his stomach doing flips that Kodachi would have been proud of. One by one his other senses started to return. First he heard the noises of others, at least one of whom was busy emptying their guts. Forcing his rebellious body to quiet he forced the world to steady enough for him to sit up and get his bearings.

Together with some other forms, presumably the others from the room he was lying in some long grass on a hill, clad only in the remnants of his former clothing. Birds circled lazily overhead, beneath fluffy clouds that blew slowly across the blue sky. The sun shone down on them. Other than them the only thing wrong with the picture was the lingering smell of ozone.

“Hot damn” he muttered, trying to still his head.

“If” came a rasped voice “you dare to breathe ‘I told you so’ then I will kick your ass!”

“Ucchan?”

“Yeah, its me, or at least what’s left of me sugar,” she replied, with pain clear in her voice.

“Anyone else up?” Ranma asked, turning slowly in an attempt to prevent the world from spinning again.

“Nah they all look sparked” Ukyo replied, “not as much practice with hangovers as us eh?”

“Ha” Ranma laughed not bothering to point out the holes in the statement. “Anything else here? Or for that matter any idea where here might be?”

“We’ve got bugger all sugar” Ukyo offered, “Us, one hill and some grass.”

“Then how the hell did I manage to hit the only bloody feature around here?” groused Nabiki. Both others turned to look, the girl in question was propping herself up against an old western style wooden box.

Ranma was up in a shot and by her side, inspecting her head for injuries.

“Hey” she protested.

“You’re bleeding” he explained, “not bad but…” she looked up at him, watched as he tore another strip off one of his favourite shirts to make a pad to apply pressure on the wound.

“Man don’t move so fast” slurred Ukyo, slumping again while holding her head.

“Would you guys mind letting me die in peace?” complained Konatsu from the grass a few feet to the left. The other three looked over in time to see the cross-dresser rise shakily to his feet. “Damn, I loved that dress” he muttered, clutching at the tattered remains.

“Give us a hand up sugar?” Ukyo requested.

“Sure babe” Konatsu replied. “You know” he continued as he helped her up “there was a time when I would have given almost anything to have seen you like this.”

“What, hungover?” Ukyo asked confused.

“Nearly naked” the transvestite corrected with a smile, pointedly looking at the ruins of the chef’s clothes.

“Eep!” The chef exclaimed trying to cover too much with too little and then suddenly realising and good naturedly slapping the young man in front of her. The two shared a quiet smile. “And what do you mean” she interrupted as he turned to walk away, “You saw me naked plenty of times!”

“Yes but not when I was dressed the same.” Konatsu argued. “Has anyone checked on the others?”

“Their chis are stable” Ranma offered, “if anything they are a little up on normal.”

“You read that from over there” Ukyo asked

“Uh-huh”

“Damn I’m getting slack”

“You said it” Ranma muttered, still dabbing at Nabiki’s head. “There you go Nabs” he said, “all fixed.”

“What you’re a doctor too?” Ukyo asked none too nicely.

“Actually he does a fair line of reiki-healing” Nabiki answered, “and his massages are to die for.”

“And you would know how?” Ukyo asked, implying she already knew the answer.

“Cuz he’s a pervert!” Akane swore from the floor, “and he can’t keep his hands off anything in a skirt.”

“Lay off princess!” Ukyo retorted. “Now what’s in the box?” she asked, hastily changing the subject. All eyes shifted to the pair by the crate. Nabiki shrugged and turned to crack it open, while Ranma stood back in a wary stance.

“Loads of stuff” Nabiki said, “We got clothes, a couple of books, and a load of other junk.”

“I’ll give you a hand sorting it” Ukyo offered, hobbling over to the other girl.

“Hadn’t we better do something about the others?” Konatsu queried.

“I’t’ll be dark soon” Ranma began. “I’ll see about setting up some sort of camp” Ranma offered, looking at Nabiki, Nabiki nodded and off he went towards a stand of trees nearby.

Akane moved to help Ryoga, Konatsu to help Gos, which left Ukyo alone with Nabiki for the first time in years.

“So sugar,” Ukyo started “how long’s that been going on?”

“What?” Nabiki asked, placing a bundle of clothes on the grass.

“You and Ranma?” Ukyo replied, starting to help sort.

“Ha” Nabiki joked, “it isn’t like that”

“No?”

“No,” Nabiki explained, picking out a Chinese style machete and laying it down next to the clothes.

“So…” Ukyo prompted.

“You missed quite a lot when you left Nerima.” Nabiki began, with a hint of reproach in her voice. “The wedding changed very little indeed, the fights, random suitors, all of it went on regardless. Then ‘boom’ everything came to a head, some really nasty stuff started happening. By the time the dust settled things had gone too far to ever be fixed.”

“So what’s this got to do with you banging Ranma?” Ukyo queried, an edge to her voice. Nabiki stopped and favoured her with a very cold glare.
”You know him better than that” she said coldly, “or at least you used to.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” the chef demanded, temper rising.

“It is supposed to mean that he really could have used a friend” Nabiki explained, “especially considering Shampoo. And nobody was there for him. Nobody, of all the people who Claimed to care for him, nobody gave a damn. By the time I got home on summer break he was a mess.”

“So you decided to help him out of the goodness of your heart?” Ukyo sneered.

“Something like that” Nabiki replied, going back to sorting.

“And now he just happens to follow you around like some sort of lost puppy,” Ukyo continued, unwilling to let it rest.

“Ukyo, just drop it okay”

“What I don’t get is why you out up with it?” Ukyo needled, going back to sorting herself. After a while Nabiki finally stopped and turned to the other girl.

“Because besides being the most honest, caring, honourable man I have ever met I owe him more than I can ever repay. And Tendo Nabiki always pays her debts!” Ukyo matched looks with her for a few moments then turned back to the crate, perhaps remembering less cynical times.

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As the sun started to set the crew had relocated to the stand of trees nearby. Ranma had rigged a couple of bashers for shelter during the night and started a fire for warmth. Ukyo was currently cooking a couple of hares over the flame that she had caught earlier. The others were busy making the camp as homey as possible, all apart from Akane, who was still nursing the sleeping Ryoga, and Nabiki who was just sorting the last of the gear from the crate.

“Guys I just found something here” Nabiki called. Everyone turned to look and Nabiki held up a letter. “Its addressed to ‘Gos and friends’”

“Er guys” Ranma interrupted, “sorry to interrupt but we have another problem” he finished, pointing at the sky. Everyone followed his finger.

“Whoo, stars, so what?” sneered Ukyo, not looking properly.
”They shouldn’t look like that should they?” Konatsu hazarded.

“I’ve travelled nearly as far as fang boy there, maybe further, and I have never seen a sky like that.” The others looked agaion and sure enough not only were the stars completely wrong for what they were used to some were also moving.

“Is that one blue?” Ukyo asked.

“Uh-huh” agreed Akane.
”And that one’s red isn’t it?” she continued.

“Uh-huh” agreed Konatsu, “and look at that one, its puce! Is’nt that pretty?”

“That is just freaky” Nabiki stated. “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore Toto.”

“huh?” Ranma questioned. Nabiki waved off the query and pointed again.

“I can see lights.” She said.

“Yeah so can we all!” Ukyo retorted.

“No!” responded Nabiki “not that kind of lights, those” she finished pointing again. Everyone followed her hand and one by one they could make out a different pattern of lights.

“Are those houses?” Konatsu asked hopefully.

“yep” Ranma asserted, “but no streetlights”

“How can you possibly know that?” Ukyo asked, somewhere between doubtful and impressed.

“Long years of experience” Ranma offered, with more than a trace of bitterness.

“We should check it out tomorrow” Ukyo stated. Ranma shook his head and went to go back to trimming the firewood. “What?” she demanded.
”Nothing” he replied, unconvincingly.

“Spit it out Saotome!” she ordered.
”If we really want to check it out night time is better” he replied quietly.

“Why?” she demanded.
”Suppose that they’re hostile to outsiders….” Nabiki filled in, “I for one would much rather find out when we can still run and hide.”

“Fine” Ukyo agreed, far from happily.

“But I really think you need to hear this first” Nabiki said, turning back to the letter and tilting it to shine the firelight onto the surface.

“Dear Gosunki and friends,

First of all let me apologise for the deception and assure you that my apprentice had no part in it. He is as much a victim of my deceit as the rest of you.
By now you should have found the few supplies I have been able to offer you. These represent years of careful study into translation through the veil. Amongst the rest you will find a few items of special interest, a book of spells that I assure you is authentic, along with a primer of the way the weave works in the land you have found yourselves; a selection of weapons that it is my firm hope will discourage trouble; and a sack of coinage that will ensure your transition is easier than you might expect. The horn will produce food, water and wine on demand. There are also clothes and footwear that will assist you with assimilating into the local populace.
By now I suspect you will all be wondering why I have done this to you.

“Damn skippy” Ukyo interjected.

“The answer is fairly complex but suffice it to say that I am not a native of the world you knew as home. In fact I am an exile from the world you now find yourselves in. And I long to return.
On the reverse of this sheet you will find a map to an artefact known as “The World Gate.” Not only does this represent your only way home but also the end of my own sojourn in the wilderness.
I promise each and every one of you that when you open the way for me I will reward you in ways that you can never dream. Curses will be cancelled, riches bestowed, blessings beyond your wildest dreams will all be in my power to grant.

yours sincerely

Dr Srthur Deighton

“Well he can kiss my ass if he thinks I’m helping his over used bent-ass shunt hole!” Ukyo swore heatedly. Konatsu coughed pointedly. “Sorry hun.” She apologised “product of the repression generation.”

“I don’t think we have a choice anyway” Nabiki interjected.

“How do ya figure” Ukyo demanded.

“This ‘World Gate’ is apparently the only way out for us,” Nabiki explained.

“Assuming he’s not lying” Ukyo retorted, “Its not like he’s fed us shite before afterall…”
”He has to guess we’ll check” Nabiki replied, refusing to be drawn.
”How exactly?” Ukjyo demanded, “what’s the chances any of us are gonna understand a fucking world the local piss-ants say?”

“This isn’t the time guys” Konatsu interrupted.

“When is?” demanded the fuming chef rounding on the cross-dresser

“Calm down” ordered a steady level voice that talked straight to their guts.

“Ranma?” Nabiki queried, only just identifying the voice.

“You’re tired, hungry and freaked,” he explained “this way only leads to blood and bruises.”

“Well I never,” Ukyo sneered back “Since when have you been the peacemaker?” she demanded.

“Since I had to kill one of my friends with my bare hands,” he replied with cold sincerity. That made Ukyo shut up.

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