Dual Destinies
 
Ranma Saotome and crew belong to Rumiko Takahashi. The Dual Destinies story is my idea. Please don't sue me.
 
<>: Thoughts
<" ">: Chinese Language
{" "} Telepathic communication
 
  Chapter 12
 Further Revelations
 
 All those in the house of Nodoka listened in on the matriarch of the 
Amazons as she began her tale.
 "One thousand years ago, during of the time of the ninth Contract 
Renewal, twin Amazons were chosen to be the Champions of the Earth 
Realm. Their names were Shampoo and Cologne. They were our 
ancestors, more than twenty-seven generations ago."
 "Whoa!" Both Ranmas remarked.
 "As you are being trained now, the Chosen Twins were also 
instructed in the mystic arts and elemental power." Soren added. "Their 
attributes were remarkably similar to you two. They easily mastered 
techniques and could adapt to any situation."
 "When the skill levels of our Champions reached a certain point, we 
also bestowed to each of them a weapon of power in which they could 
use in their battles against the Dark World." Taron added.
 "That is right." Cologne nodded. "My namesake was trained in the 
mystic arts while the first Shampoo had been granted access to nature's 
power. After being prepared to face the Dark Ones, they were given a 
mystic sword and a mighty war hammer to use in battle. The legend is 
that these weapons were the tools of the gods themselves."
 "Actually, they were." Taron smiled. "Both weapons hold tremendous 
power and are essential in fighting the Dark World."
 "In any case," Cologne continued. "The Amazons defeated the 
minions of the Dark World. Afterwards, Taron and Soren entrusted 
them to keep these weapons of power in the family, until the time of 
the next Contract Renewal. They have remained with the Joketsuzoku 
since then. In fact, they are the two treasures that Happosai did NOT 
take from us! The responsibility of guarding these artifacts has been my 
family's duty for ten centuries.
 "So where are these weapons now?" Ranma Blue asked.
 "My namesake had hidden the sword in one of the many caves that 
are in the mountain regions near our village. Her sister Shampoo had 
secretly concealed the hammer in one of the Jusenkyo Springs. Even 
the guides of that cursed training ground have no idea that it is there. 
They told no one but their eldest daughters. At present, only I know the 
location of the two weapons."
 "So where are they?" Ranma Red inquired.
 "I cannot tell you as of yet, son-in-law." Cologne replied. " It was just 
after Happi had stolen from our village…
 
Two hundred and eighty-two years ago...
 On the banks of a river near the village of the Joketsuzoku, an 
eighteen-year old Cologne is busy practicing with a quarterstaff. She 
has become stern and more hardened after Happosai had betrayed her 
trust by stealing nearly all of the village's treasures. Even now, she is 
thinking dark thoughts about the little lecher.
 <Curse you Happosai! It's all your fault! How dare you betray me, 
then take my magic mirror and bracelet? I swear by my ancestors! If I 
ever catch you, I will make you suffer! You robbed us all of our most 
precious possessions!>
 <"He didn't get all of the treasures of the Amazons!">
 Cologne whirled around at the sound of that voice. She silently 
cursed herself at being caught unawares. She saw that she faced not one 
opponent, but two. Both men were lean, yet possessed well-muscled 
frames. One wore a white Chinese-style shirt and black pants with Kung 
fu shoes. The other was similarly dressed, but had a black shirt. Both 
had short black hair and were identical in appearance. Cologne 
suspected that she was looking at twins. She had to admit both were 
very attractive. Far more so than Happosai was. She began wondering
what she ever saw in the little pervert.
 <"Who are you? What do you want?"> Cologne demanded as she 
took a fighting stance.
 Taron smiled. <"Calm yourself Cologne. We mean you no harm.">
 <"How do you know my name?">
 <"We know everything about you."> Soren replied. <"Oh forgive us! 
Where are our manners? I am Soren and he is my brother Taron.">
 Cologne became a little startled when she heard those names. 
Recently, her mother had just told her the legend of the Chosen Twins 
and the names of the great warriors who taught them supernatural
powers. She then shook her head. <It's just a coincidence!>
 <"I repeat my questions! Who are you? What do you want? And how 
do you know me?">
 Soren nodded as he answered. <"In order, Soren and Taron. We have 
business concerning the Mystic Sword and Elemental Hammer. And we 
know you because we have been watching you since you were born.">
 <"What?!"> Cologne exclaimed. No one outside of her family even 
knew of the existence of those sacred weapons. Even the current elders 
of the village were in the dark about them. After her ancestors had 
defeated the great evil, which threatened the Earth realm, they had kept 
their involvement in that incident a secret. Generally, the world was 
unaware as to how close it had come to destruction.
 <"You need not be so shocked Cologne."> Taron said. <"The reason 
why we know of the sword and hammer, is because WE gave them to 
your ancestors seven hundred and twenty years ago. We were the ones 
who trained them to battle the Dark World.">
 <"I don't believe you!"> Cologne declared as she prepared to attack. 
<"No one but my mother and my grandmother know of the legend! I do 
not know who you are, but you cannot be the ones who trained the 
Chosen Twins! I don't know as to how you know about those weapons, 
but I swear you won't live long to tell anyone!"> With these words, 
Cologne leapt at them.
 Taron stepped back as he let his brother handle the Amazon. Soren 
simply vanished from view, just as Cologne made her first strike. She 
was found herself staring at an empty space where her opponent had 
been. Before she realized what was happening, Soren reappeared behind 
her and tapped her on the shoulder. Cologne whirled around and tried 
another attack. Soren dodged the blow with ease. She then tried a 
blinding series of kicks and thrusts. The immortal evaded each attack 
with casual ease.
 <He's so fast! I don't believe this! Only Happosai could move fast 
enough to dodge my attacks! But Happi would be like a snail compared 
to this one! Whoever he is, he's good!>
 After a five minutes of the one-sided battle, Soren decided to end it. 
Lashing forth with a speed that totally caught Cologne off guard, he 
disarmed the Amazon in a nanosecond with a blurring hand motion. The 
future matriarch found herself weaponless and was nocked off her feet, 
as the brother of Taron used her own staff to trip her up.
 Cologne found herself flat on her back. Before she could even think 
about getting to her feet, Soren lashed forward with the staff and pinned 
her down with one end on her chest. His hands glowed with a red light 
as he focused his power through his weapon. The energy flowed down 
the wooden pole and Cologne was blasted with it, causing her to black 
out.
 
 Some time later, Cologne awoke and saw that the twins were sitting 
on some boulders near the river. They looked at her casually and Soren 
smiled a bit. She looked at Soren with an appraising eye and got up. Her 
legs were slightly unsteady as she was still feeling some aftereffects 
from the power blast she received. She shook her head to clear it and 
then went towards Soren to carry out her duty as an Amazon.
 Soren was a bit nervous as she approached him. He knew what he had 
done, but there was no help for it. He braced himself as the attractive 
woman warrior came forward, wrapped her arms around him and said, 
"Wode Airen." Then she promptly kissed him.
 <Oh boy!> Soren thought. <This is going to be complicated!>
 
 It took the twins three hours and several displays of magic spells and 
elemental power, before Cologne was finally convinced that they were 
who they claimed to be. The task was made even more difficult, due to 
the fact that Cologne had become lovesick over her supposed new 
'husband' and was constantly trying to shower him with affection. But 
eventually, Cologne accepted the truth that a marriage between Soren 
and herself was impossible, due to the fact that, with the exception of 
gods, immortals were incapable of having children.
 <"I apologize for attacking you Soren."> Cologne said with 
disappointment. <"A pity that you will not be my husband. After 
meeting Happosai…">
 Soren gave her a compassionate smile as he replied, <"That is all 
right Cologne. I know that you have suffered much since then. >
 Cologne nodded. Many of the villagers had become a bit hostile 
toward her as they blamed her for bringing Happosai to their village in 
the beginning. Besides stealing their most sacred treasures, the lecher 
was quite the nuisance as he constantly stole their undergarments, food 
and whatever things that wasn't nailed down. His nonstop groping of 
every female in the village over sixteen had also made him unpopular 
with the men as well as the women. However, they did not have his level 
of skill and were ineffective in stopping the little pervert.
 Cologne sighed as she thought back at her history with the future 
master of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts. She had thought 
of him as a young and brash martial artist who was only trying to get by 
in the harsh world. She had invited him to stay in the village for a while, 
to rest up before continuing on his training journey. His little quirks 
and unusual demeanor was somehow… amusing to her. She was the 
only one who showed any kindness towards him, when the others 
treated him like a disease to be eradicated.
 The young Amazon's face became dark as she remembered that dark 
time when Happosai finally went too far. It was two days ago that a 
strange party came to her village. An extremely old woman who hopped 
on what looked like a matriarch's staff had called her by name. What 
was surprising to her was that she felt as if she should know that person. 
The old woman had come with two middle-aged men, two girls that 
were about her age and boy with a pigtail. It was that boy whom she 
found most intriguing.
 The boy had introduced himself as Ranma and seemed to be very 
familiar with Happosai. In fact, whenever the lecher was mentioned, the 
boy would frown and denounce anything nice that was said in favor of 
her Happi. Cologne could not believe it at the time, but after 
Happosai's final betrayal, she had to admit the boy was right.
 The situation wasn't made any simpler when the two girls tried to 
hook her up with Happosai. The girl with short hair, she did not 
recognize, but the girl with long purple hair had aroused her curiosity. 
Cologne could not help but notice the resemblance between herself and 
the stranger. She spoke in broken Japanese as she did and seemed to 
move like an Amazon. Once again, she had that feeling of déjà vu.
 When the plan to set her up with Happosai had failed, Cologne began 
to have some suspicions about the group. When that boy Ranma 
scolded the two girls, she had been listening in on their conversation 
from behind the kitchen door. She had become very confused when he 
said, "If it was meant to be, don't you think she would have married him 
in the first place?"
 However, she did not have a chance to find out more as the group 
disappeared shortly after Happosai had made off with the treasures of 
the village. Snapping herself back to the present, she asked Taron, 
<"Why are you here? I thought that the Contract renewed itself every 
thousand years. There's still more than two hundred and eighty years to 
go!">
 <"You are correct Cologne. However, some other events are taking 
place now and in the future. You will play a part in the next Contract 
Renewal. The final one." 
 <"Huh?"> Cologne said confused.
 <"Do you remember that boy Ranma?"> Taron asked.
 <"Yes.">
 <"He is fated to become our champion during the next Contract 
Renewal."> Soren said.
 Cologne became even more confused. <"I didn't see any twin 
brother. Even so, what does this have to do with me?">
 <"It has much to do with you Cologne."> Taron declared. <"You see, 
that boy is destined to marry your great-granddaughter.">
 <"Great-granddaughter? I don't even have a husband, much less a 
great granddaughter!">
 <"Do you remember that other girl? The one with purple hair?"> 
Cologne nodded. Soren became serious as he said, <"That was your 
great-granddaughter Shampoo.">
 <"Shampoo? You mean like the twin sister of Cologne. The one I 
was named after?">
 <"That is correct."> Taron nodded as he continued. <"You see, in the 
future, Ranma and his group had confronted Happosai and got a hold of 
your magic mirror, which sent them here. You had just met your future 
son-in-law.">
 <"So that's what Ranma was talking about when he said if it were 
meant to be! And I thought Shampoo looked a lot like me!">
 <"That's right! Which brings us to the reason for our visit."> Taron 
nodded toward Cologne, <"During her sixteenth year, Shampoo will be 
defeated by Ranma Saotome. We want you to accompany her to Japan 
and aid her in getting him as her husband. Do not be surprised if Ranma 
becomes stubborn. Also, do not be surprised if he has a few… 
idiosyncrasies. We want you to train him in both the Chestnut 
Technique and the Hiryu Shoten Ha, in order to prepare him for the 
Contract Renewal.">
 <"Those are two of our most secret moves! And I still don't 
understand why Ranma is the Chosen One! He has no twin!">
 Soren said with a grin, <"Do not worry Cologne! All things will be 
explained in time. After you have arrived in Japan, we will contact you 
again in several months.">
 <"Considering what you have told me, I find it all too incredible to 
believe! >
 <"I know it does, but the final fate of the world rests on that boy's 
shoulders! Will you do this?"> Taron asked.
 Cologne thought for a long time. What she had been told was too 
fantastic to be the truth. However, there was no doubt in her mind that 
she was in the presence of the immortals that had trained her ancestors. 
With the fate of the world and the future of her tribe at stake, there was 
only one decision she could make. After a long silence, she nodded. 
<"You have my word.">
 Both brothers smiled as they said their thanks and disappeared in a 
flash of light.
 
The present…
 "So THAT'S why you trained us in the Chestnut technique and the 
Hiryu Shoten Ha!" Ranma Red exclaimed.
 "Yeah!" Ranma Blue agreed. "I always wondered why you taught us a 
method of getting the Phoenix Pill from you, even though it would have 
been easier for you to wait until we gave in! It also didn't make sense 
that you would train us in a technique that could defeat you!"
 "Correct!" Cologne replied.
 Taron then began the rest of his explanations. "After Shampoo had 
declared not to use any more potions and was going to treat Ranma 
better, we sensed that Cologne was beginning to doubt us. So after 
Shampoo had left for that… takeout order, we decided to pay her 
another visit!"
 
The Nekohanten, three days ago…
 Cologne was in a bit of a huff as her great-granddaughter had left to 
deliver the last order of the day. Mousse had already finished his 
chores and had gone to bed, leaving the aged Amazon alone in a dimly 
lit restaurant to contemplate. Things were not going well. Since Shampoo 
had declared not to use any potions, Cologne had become fearful for her 
only family. If she were to fail to gain Ranma as her husband, then by 
Amazon Law, Cologne would be forced to execute her.
 The elder began to curse herself for promising to train Ranma in 
those Amazon techniques, knowing full well that she should have just 
waited until he had yielded to her will. She started to think that at the 
time, she was nothing but a foolish and naïve teenager when she had 
made that promise to the immortal twins. With the theft of her magic 
mirror and bracelet, not to mention the startling revelations afterwards, 
Cologne began to suspect that she was mad to have agreed to such an 
oath. It was then that a bright flash suddenly appeared in the room and 
Cologne found herself face to face with Taron and Soren.
 "YOU?!" Cologne hissed as she grabbed her staff and prepared for 
battle. "How DARE you return?!" 
 Both twins maintained a calm expression as Soren said, "Why 
Cologne. I thought you would have been happy to see us! It has been a 
long two hundred and eighty-two years."
 "Do not patronize me!" Cologne replied in a voice that dripped 
venom. "I have done what you have requested! Ranma has mastered both 
the Chestnut technique and the Hiryu Shoten Ha! Yet he still will not 
wed my Shampoo! I have must have been insane two and three quarter 
centuries ago! Now Shampoo jeopardizes her very future with her silly 
notions!" She tensed down, intent on delivering a death strike via 
pressure points to the twins.
 Before she could spring forward to deliver an attack, Soren faded 
from view and then reappeared behind her, placing a hand on her 
shoulder. His hand glowed with a red light, which washed over her. He 
crouched forward and whispered into her ear, "Calm."
 Cologne tried to fight the calming spell, but found it too irresistible. 
Her body lost all tension as her feelings of anger and doubt vanished. 
Her staff fell to the floor from her hand and she felt a sense of serenity 
wash over her. In that one moment, all the weight of her many years 
seemed to fade away. All emotions of frustration and despair were gone.
 Soren released his hand from her shoulder and then spoke to her in a 
quiet, measured tone. "Cologne, we are very aware of what you have 
suffered through these past several months, but we give you our solemn 
word, it will all be over by tomorrow."
 Cologne looked up in confusion. "Really?"
 Taron nodded. "The time of the Contract Renewal draws near and 
Ranma Saotome will soon fulfill his destiny."
 "I still do not understand." Cologne said.
 "All things will become clear to you by tomorrow night. All that we 
ask you now is to wait one more day." Soren stated.
 Cologne looked at the immortals with a suspicious eye, then said in 
a careful tone, "For two hundred and eighty-two years, I have been 
patiently waiting for events to occur as you had told me. I saw the birth 
of my great-granddaughter and watched her grow into the girl that I had 
seen when I was eighteen. I met my future son-in-law for the second 
time in my life, despite the fact that he did not know me at the time. He 
had several idiosyncrasies, including a Jusenkyo Curse, the Cat Fist and 
multiple engagements! I had met my former self when the magic mirror 
sent us back in time to China! I very tempted to alter history and stop 
myself, but because of my promise to you, I did not! I have suffered much these many decades because of my oath! If you say that this will be 
over by tomorrow, then I shall wait one FINAL day! But I warn you…"
 "No need to make threats Cologne. As we had stated before, all 
things shall be revealed in due time." Soren assured as he walked back 
to where his brother was standing. "We are very thankful for what you 
have done for our champion. Do not worry."
 The twins nodded toward the aged matriarch and disappeared in a 
bright flash. A moment later, Shampoo entered the shop with a dreamy 
attitude and humming her favorite song.
 'Child, what has come over you?" Cologne asked concerned.
 "Oh, nothing great-grandmother! Shampoo just think that tomorrow 
will be very big day!" With these words, Shampoo literally floated up 
the stairs.
 
The present…
 "So now you know everything." Cologne finished.
 Everyone except the immortals and Cologne had been struck dumb 
as they digested what they had been told. Finally, Ranma Red spoke up.
 "So everything that's happened to all of us was MEANT to happen?"
 "That's right Ranma Red." Soren replied. "And now that we've gotten 
all that out of the way, it is time that we informed the both of you of 
two other things."
 "What's that?" Both Ranmas asked.
 "First of all, we must now complete the final phases of your training. 
What we have so far taught you were the basics." Taron declared.
 "BASICS?!" Both Ranmas eeped.
 "That's right!" Soren agreed. "The new skills will be harder to master 
but are necessary if you are to wield the weapons of power. Furthermore, 
these techniques are far more powerful than anything you have learned 
previously."
 "You mean that the Thunderbolt Strike and the Dragon Spirit were 
just… NORMAL MOVES?!" Ranma Blue asked incredulously.
 "That's right." Taron said. "These new techniques will take a little 
longer for the two of you to master, possibly a week. Mind you, there is 
going to be a lot of pain involved. It's going to make your battle with 
Happosai look like a warm-up exercise. "
 Both Saotome brothers looked at each other, then nodded. It was 
then that Ranma Blue asked the obvious question, "So what's the second 
thing that we have to know?"
 Both Soren and Taron looked at each other, then gave the twin 
Ranmas a sheepish smile. There was a long silence before Soren 
decided to answer.
  "When you have completed your training here, we will all need to 
travel to China in order to pick up the weapons of power."
 "Couldn't you just teleport there, get the weapons, then come back?" 
Ranma Red asked.
 "No Ranma Red." Taron answered. "The Mystic Sword and Elemental 
Hammer can only be held by the Mortal Champions of Earth. Since 
we're IMMORTALS, we are forbidden to touch them. Besides, you two 
must retrieve them as part of your final training."
 "Okay…that doesn't sound too bad." Ranma Red said slowly.
 "Actually, getting the sword and hammer is the easy part. It's what 
you have to do when you get to the Amazon village. That's the tricky 
part."
 "What do we have to do?" Both Ranmas said.
 There was another one of those long silences. It was then that 
Cologne decided to answer for Soren and Taron. "Simply put, you both 
have to get married."
 Shampoo and Ukyo stared in wide-eyed shock at Cologne's words. 
Nodoka became almost giddy with excitement at the prospect. It was 
then that everyone turned their gaze to the Ranma twins, who had taken 
this information as anyone in their position would have. They fainted.
 
To be continued…
 
Author's Notes
 Well how's that for a cliffhanger? I had decided to watch that anime 
episode with the magic mirror in order to get some ideas on how to 
connect Cologne with the Immortal Twins. I feel much better about this 
rewritten chapter as it made the rest of the story flow together. What is 
happening with Akane, Mousse, Ryoga and everyone else? Just wait and 
see as Chapter 13 will go into that.