Akazukin Cha Cha meets Ranma ½

Part 6

"Oooooooh" said Cha Cha, as the box was opened. Inside the box was a small brown piece of paper. "This is it," Adon, but he tried to lifts the map, it breaks into bits! "Ahh! Oh no, the map's ruin!" said Riya. "What?!" said Genma. "That's it, it's gone?" "I'm afraid so," said Adon. He was about to close the box when a reassuring hand stopped him. It was Popy. "Don't forget Grandpa, you have me, I have X-ray vision, I can tell you what's on the map." "Really Popy!" beams Cha Cha. "I'll try," answers Popy.

The room is silent as Popy scans the paper fragments with his X-ray vision. "Hmm…" said Popy. "What?" asked everyone excitedly. "This is not the map," said Popy. "What? It is not the map? Then where's the map?" "Calm down, Ranma," said Ryouga. "I'll explain," said Popy, "The piece of paper in the box is not the map. The writer wrote this, I'll read it to you… 'I refrain from leaving the actual map inside this box, because paper rots over time and I do not know when the right time for the map will be. Hence the map is enclosed in a safer place. Sign Graf'." "Graf? Did you say Graf, Popy?" asked Adon. "Yes I did, why?" said Popy. "Then I know where the map is," said Adon, he walks off. "Follow me, you all have a long journey ahead."

"Grandpa, who's Graf? Was he a pioneer?" asked Sanae, half-running to keep up with Grandpa's pace. "Graf is not a person or a living thing. It is a code used by our elders to pinpoint the location of objects," answered Adon, he begins to rummage through a pile of maps. "Grandpa, these maps are new, what use will they of be?" asked Riya. "You'll see," answered Adon. He shows the gang a map with 4 axes. "Now, G…R...A...F," said Adon, drawing lines from the 4 axes. "The map is here," said Adon, pointing to the spot where the lines crossed. "The River Mountain?" asked Ryouga. "Yes, it very easy to get to River Mountain, but it's how you move around that matters," said Adon. "Only those lost will ever find their way out, you may think that you'll get lost eventually and you'll find your way out. But be warned River Mountain opens and closes with the river tides, the tide changes on a very irregular cycle when you finally find the way out, the entrance may be sealed. The entrance may not open, there are those who've died waiting. According to the time and cycle patterns, if you make it to River Mountain now, you just be in time to see it opening, then you have exactly 3 hours to go in, get the map, and come out, if not the entrance will seal for the next 100 years." "Hmm…I have a plan…" thought Ranma. "You guys best be off in order to catch the opening. Good luck! Riya and Sanae, try to come back alive, okay?" said Adon. "Yes, Grandpa! Don't worry!" chorused the boys.

The gang set off for River Mountain. Riya and Sanae lead the way, knowing the terrain well. Before long, they reached the towering River Mountain. "This is it," said Sanae. "River Mountain!" "Whoa, man's it big," said Ranma. "Now what are we suppose to…huh?" Ranma was cut short but an earthquake, a crack appears on the mountainside, it splits into a jagged doorway. "Come-on let's go we've only got 3 hours," said Ryouga. "How are we going to get lost Ranma?" asked Shiine. Ranma bends down and whisper into the boy's ear. "Ryouga has the tendency to get lost everywhere he goes. He has no sense of direction. Can you may an invisible rope to tie around Ryouga? That way we'll follow him and get lost as well and he's won't know we're following him." Whispered Ranma. "Sure Ranma," whispered Shiine back. Shiine magic an invisible rope and lassos it around Ryouga's backpack. (Author's note: Ryouga always carries his backpack!) Everyone holds on to the rope. The gang follows Ryouga into the cave, unknown to Ryouga himself. "Ooh, it's pitch dark in here," said Cha Cha. "Ouch," said Ryouga.

"What happened?" asked Genma. "Nothing…I just wanted to aaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!" said Ryouga as his voice fades off in the distance. A tug is felt on the rope, and everyone is pulled in the same direction Ryouga went!