Background - This is my second fanfic.  I'm still working on Chaos Energy Times Infinity, but wanted to work on something on the side that was a little less "chaotic".  Also, I wanted to center on fewer characters and spend more time with individuals.  Finally, I wanted to fulfill a nagging feeling in the back of my mind - I've read a few MKR/Ranma x-overs, but few (if any) have Ranma accompany the MKR crew from the start.  So, here is my epic presentation of "Pillars of Strength".  Enjoy, and feel free to send me your feedback.  What you say is important as I'm not perfect.

They don't call it the Nerima wrecking crew for nothing.

Unfortunately, Shampoo was riding on top of that same bus, and saw her prey leap from car to car toward Tokyo tower.  Cologne had recieved news earlier in the week that Furinken High would be taking a field trip to the structure, and she wanted her granddaughter to learn more about modern Japanese culture. Or it could be fact that Ranma was going.

The pigtailed martial artist caught Ukyo in the side of his vision, and changed directions in the opposite direction over a busy intersection.

In Nerima, or any other ward, this would have been taken with stride and the citizens would go about their business. This area of the metropolis was not used to sights of flying ultra powerful martial artists, sailor senshi, youma, energy beams, flying tree spaceships, giant robots with umbilical cables for a power source, etc. So, the driver in a red jeep did the next best thing that came to her mind, she vered sharply left and hit a hydrant. Water rocketed in the air as the pressure contained within found an outlet.

"Water!" Ranma found it difficult to change directions in midair without something to push against, and so went into the man made cold water geyser. "Why does this always happen to me!?" yelled out a female voice.

Shampoo jumped off a car in another direction to avoid the spray, but then continued her pursuit. Ukyo now joining the chase after seeing the water explode upward. Water and property damage equates to Ranma in the area, so she headed in that direction.

The doors to the tower were crowded, and Ranma would definitely be caught if the he-turned-she waited.  Jumping above the crowd, she proceeded to go from beam to beam to the observation deck. Shampoo and Ukyo were not trained in the aerial techniques of Anything Goes and weren't as confident in performing the same. So, they pouted and did the next best thing - beat each other up in the parking lot.

Up in the observation deck of the tower

Hikaru Shidou put a five yen piece in the lense.  Leaning down to peer through the eye piece, she blinked once when she saw a pair of blue eyes looking back, yelped, and fell backward. Looking up from her seat on the ground, she tried to see who was the cause for her surprise.  To her surprise again, the redhead that looked almost exactly like her, but with a shorter pigtail. Finally, the person was -outside- of the observatory and was climbing some of the bars outside of the window for one of the higher open ventation windows.

The redhead finally flipped in, and landed in front of Hikaru. Extending a hand, "Sorry about surprising you like that, you ok?"

Hikaru knodded and grasped the hand. The redhead pulled her up easily with a firm grip. "Thank you.  That was a surprise though." Giving a short bow, "My name is Hikaru Shidou. I'm visiting here on a field trip with my class."

"Wow, what a considence, so is my class. My name is Ranma Saotome." Ranma looked around, and thankfully didn't see anyone from her school yet. "Let's find someplace out of the middle of the way here, I'm trying to avoid a few people."

"Is that why you were out there?" Hikaru asked.  She was still trying to comprehend how Ranma could get from the bottom of the tower to the top without ropes.

"Hehe, kinda." Ranma turned, and plowed over two girls.  One had blue hair and the other was blond with large circle glasses.

The blue haired girl recovered from her shock quickly, "HEY! Watch where you are going! I could have been injured and I wouldn't be able to participate in the upcoming tournament."

The blond stood up slowly, but without the hostile reaction. "Oh my. I'm sorry, I should have been more careful myself."

As the four were reorienting themselves, in another world known as Cephiro

Princess Emerald strained under the concentration.  She could see into the world known as Earth that was connected with Cephiro.  However, her vision was blurred.  She knew the three magic knights were in the same general vicinity, but she couldn't tell which ones to take to help save her world. The one in the blue hair and the one with glasses were definitely two of the three.  However, the other two were very close in features.  One side of her feelings said the one with the long pigtail was the magic knight, but the other also felt a strong power and feelings of confidence from the other girl. There was also some magic mingled, but of what nature the princess could not decern.

Her connection to the other world was starting to weaken, so she made the final decision.

Back in Tokyo Tower

A bright yellow light blared through the windows.

Ranma shielded her eyes and put her feet in a ready position, "What the!? Not here! I don't have time for these battles."

The other girls were speechless as they heard another voice.

"Help me Magic Knights.  Please save Cephiro!" A faded image of a young girl with flowing hair mouthed outside.  Then, the image flashed out to be replaced with an aerial view high above another world, and of all things, a flying fish.