Disclaimer - This crossover story is not for profit.  All characters within are property of their respective owners.  Please don't sue me, you won't get anything out of it since I'm but a poor college student.

Ranma backed up, and felt someone behind her.

Umi leaned over, and grabbed Ranma's arm. "Now, where do you think you are going young lady.  You stink."

Hikaru and Fuu joined the struggle, and successfully restrained the martial artist. A shirt was flinged off, followed by pants, then the under garment.  Ranma by this time was wide eyed, and was frantically wondering what to do.

Rearing back, the three magic knights threw Ranma up into the air in a graceful, but unstopable arc for the warm water.  Water splashed up, and was still for a while.

The three girls outside didn't notice Ranma rise, and were more preoccupied with preparing themselves to clean up also in the large furo.

Meanwhile... underwater... 'Awe man! This sucks!'  Ranma was for one of the few times, not too happy to be reverted back from his female form.  Turning his head, he scanned the area above for some sort of window, or escape route.  Not seeing any through the gentle sways of the water, panic started to develop, and further ate his oxygen reserves.  The moment soon arrived where he couldn't take it, and had to surface for air.

Ranma gasped out, and drew in air.  He then noticed a bare stomache in front of him, glansing up, he saw Hikaru's face looking down in shock.

In the dining room, Presea was just finishing dinner setup and was carrying a stack of glass plates in.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"

BOOM

"Ow....."

Followed by several shattering plates on the floor.

Mokona barely dodged the falling cascade of dishes, and then followed a running Presea to the furo. When they arrived with sword at the ready, Presea was beyond confused.  Umi was wrapping herself back up in a robe, heaving and clenching her fists in front of a shattered bath. Water was flowing out into the hallway, with Fuu trying to get up after being swept with the torrant.  Hikaru was off to the side, looked shocked, and calmly wrapped herself up in one of the large towels and began to walk toward the shattered bath.

"What happened here?" Presea asked. Mokona hopped forward, and looked at the individual that Hikaru was examining. "Who's that?"

The individual twitched, and recovered. "Jeez... hits just as hard as Akane."  Ranma then re-realized his situation, and dashed out of the room, grabbing his clothes on the way out.

Presea blinked once, having barely registered the blur that passed by. "Would someone just explain what is going on here?"

Hikaru snapped out of her trance, and quickly clothed and ran out in the direction Ranma took off. Her look was one more of determination than fury.  Umi was still fuming over the bath.

That left Fuu, "I.. I'm not sure what happened.  One moment we had tossed Ranma into the bath, then when we were about to step in, this young man came out of the water.  Umi then... uh... smashed him into through the bath and into the floor..."

Presea walked over to Umi, "Come on, lets go find out what's going on. If that young man was Ranma, I'm sure she, or he will explain everything." Pausing, Presea thought out loud, "And then I'll have to figure out a way to punish you and Ranma for destroying my beautiful bathroom!"

In the dining room (and fully clothed), Ranma sat down, and ran his finger through his hair. 'Great, just great.  Now they think I'm sort of pervert.'

Hikaru came up behind, puffing, "Ranma? You are Ranma right?"

Ranma was startled, and turned around to face her. "Uh... ya.  Sorry about this." He looked down at the ground.

Taking a step forward, but in a soft voice, "What happened?"

Ranma still looked up, fidgeting in his chair, "Mind if we wait for the others ta get here?"

Hikaru nodded, and gave a reaffirming smile.  Ranma saw the expression, and visibly relaxed his muscles.  When Presea, Fuu and Umi, followed by a bouncing Mokona entered, his muscles tensed again.

The sound of cracking glass under Umi's tapping foot broke the silence. "Well? Who are you?"

Standing, Ranma gave a short bow. "I'm Ranma Saotome, the same girl you threw into the furo. Sorry."

Umi was still not convinced. "Sure you are.  She had red hair, and I'm definitely sure she was a girl - and you are not."

Hikaru spoke up before the insults could fly, "Please, let's let him, or her, explain."

The bunch sat at the table of uneaten food and focused their attention on Ranma.

"It's a long story."

"Well, start talking." Hikaru briefly gave Umi a look that silenced the interuption.

"Back home, I'm a guy.  When I was about six, my pop took me on a ten year training trip. I never saw my mom during that time, and went through hell for the art.  My pop was always saying the life of a martial artist is frought with peril, but I think was just plain crazy." Ranma paused for a moment to collect his thoughts.

Presea sipped on some tea, and knodded her head understandably. "I see, that explains how you fought the monster so well."

Ranma smirked, but it quickly disappeared. "About a year or so ago, we came to this place called Jusenkyo. There, each of the pools is cursed. If you fall in a pool, you are cursed to take the form of whatever drowned in that pool.  My pop fell into the spring of drown panda.  So whenever my pop gets splashed with cold water, he turns into a panda. Hot water changes him back."

Fuu understood and finished, "And you fell into the spring of drowned girl right?"

"Yes."

"You should have not tried to get into the bath with us then if you are a guy!  What kind of a pervert are you?!" Umi pounded on the table with the flat of her hand.

Hikaru shook her head, "No. Ranma didn't do anything wrong." Umi's face was shocked at that comment.  Standing up, she walked over to Ranma, "Ranma, we should be the ones to apologize.  You tried to get away, but we threw you into the bath. I still think you are a cool friend to have, even if you are cursed."

Presea and Fuu nodded and smiled. Umi did so last, but still retained the frown.

Ranma thought the questioning was over, was about to suggest they dig into the food, when Presea spoke up.  "What was that light that was around you? I can understand your curse working here since it would be like an enchantment, but that light wasn't like that.  You can't use magic in the forest of silence."

"Light... oh that!  That was my battle aura."

"Battle aura?" The four girls said in quad stereo.

"You know what ki is?"

All shook their head negative. Sighing, Ranma gave his explanation, "Within all of us is our life force.  I've trained to control it, and use it to help increase my speed, strength, and do some attacks."

"Cool! That fast punching you did was one of them?" Hikaru leaned forward.

"Yup.  About a week ago, I learned a new one called the Hiryu Shoten Ha." Smirking, "The pervert didn't know what hit him." Looking at the group in all seriousness, and scratching the back of his head, Ranma asked the group, "Um.... When can we eat?"

A round of face faults occurred, except for Hikaru.  "Me too! I'm starving. We can talk about this stuff later."

As the group ate, Umi kept looking up at Ranma between bites.  Ranma didn't notice, and ate an increasingly fast rate.  After dinner was over, the shadows grew increasingly dark, signaling night.  Which brought up the topic of sleeping arrangements...

Leading the teens down the hall, Presea showed them a simple room with three beds. Mokona hopped in and bounced on the first one nearest to the door, followed by Hikaru, "I get this one!" She then hugged Mokona and sat down.

Umi and Fuu went in.  While Fuu continued forward, Umi turned sharply, "Ranma is NOT staying in here.  I don't trust him in here with us, and besides, he's a boy."

Ranma hid behind Presea, who only knodded in agreement, "I don't have any other places, I was only expecting you three."

Ranma offered a suggestion, "I can just stay out in the courtyard.  I don't mind, being on a trainin trip and all."

The decision made, Presea went out to help get some outside sleeping blankets, and closed the door to the magic knights' room behind her. The three girls changed into sleeping garments that were laid out on the bed.  Hikaru fell asleep almost immediately, hugging Mokona.

"This certainly is strange, don't you think Umi?" Fuu looked over at the blue haired girl.

"I guess.  Hikaru and Ranma get along, but I don't see why.  He lied to us and saw us in the bath." Digging herself deeper into the covers, Umi whispered to herself and was overheard by Fuu.

"I know, I wish I was back in Tokyo also, but this world needs us. Hopefully tomorrow we can reach the Spring of Eterna safely.  Hikaru and Ranma fight great as a team and I have faith in them."  Fuu then closed her eyes.

Tossing restly in her bed, Umi looked up at the ceiling, "I guess you are right. But I still don't like him."  Slowly, sleep claimed the last magic knight.

----------- THAT NIGHT, AT ZAGATO'S CITADEL -------------------------

Inouva walked in behind his lord and bowed, the high priest Zagato. "My lord, you called?"

Zagato didn't turn, and continued to look into the mirror, scanning the lands. "Plans are not going smoothly.  The magic knights have entered the forest of silence."

Inouva stood, "The forest is full of monsters, it should be enough to finish them off. Besides, they were separated from master mage Clef and are lost without him."

Zagato frowned, "I don't believe our adversary would be so foolish Inouva.  That fourth one that is with the magic knights is more skilled than we thought, and could be a threat."  Turning to face his right hand man, "Inouva, I want you to send Lafarga to go into the forest to take care of the knights and this threat.  Without magic, they will surely fall."

Giving a short bow, "Yes my lord."

Inouva left to carry out the orders, and Zagato turned back to the mirror to continue his search. His eyebrows furrowed, thinking, 'Where are you Clef, you can not hide from me forever.'

------------ BEHIND A TREE ON THE EDGE OF THE FOREST OF SILENCE ----

Clef looked up at the stars, "I made it. I hope that Ranma can help the knights out of the forest."  Sitting down, the mage laid his staff against the knarled trunk of the tree. "Now I need to hope that they pass close to here, and I can guide them to the spring and teach them how to use their magic."

Although tired, Clef kept wide alert, scanning the dark depths of the forest for the monsters that made it so dangerous to trespassers.