DISCLAIMER: I don't own Ranma or Danny or Ember or anyone else who's copyrighted, ok? And Theo isn't mine either, she belongs to my friend.

Confusion - Chapter 3
Absent Elements / Change

"Theo, angel of wishes, does it again!" The triumphant shout echoed throughout the cave but failed to rouse the young man who slept beside Theo's spring.

Ranma had gone through several changes, thanks to Theo's meddling. Only a couple changes were obvious however.

Ranma's hair had changed; his bangs were now a silver-white color and the same color swirled in and out of the braid that he wore. Had Ranma's eyes been open, he would've noticed his normal blue-gray eyes now had shocks of neon green here and there.

Our favorite martial arts hero was now a half-ghost. And other changes that had occurred wouldn't become noticeable until later.

Theo nodded and snapped her fingers. Ranma's hair color suddenly switched, his pigtail and bangs black while the rest was white. With another snap of her fingers a flash of light engulfed Ranma, his pack, and his staff, then all three disappeared.

"Another job well done," Theo stated proudly. A glass of champagne appeared in her hand, "A small reward is in order, I think."

She smiled and raised the glass to her lips, but never got the chance to taste it as thunder roared in the sky and a message etched itself in front of her spring. Her eyes widened as she read the forgotten language of the gods and her champagne glass dropped into the spring from nerveless fingers.

"Oh, dear. I did it again..." Was all she managed to say as she disappeared from the cave in a crack of lightening.

(-)

In another universe, Ranma appeared in a flash of light, leaning against a tall cliff face. The cliff and the flat ground beneath it was actually a floating island that hovered in the darkness that was the dimension. Similar islands decorated the entire area, while doors and windows hovered in the sky for seemingly no reason.

Ranma pulled his blanket tighter around himself as he shifted to use his pack as a pillow.

Above him, a young woman sat on the cliff's edge. She had teal hair done up in a ponytail and all of her clothes were black. Her tight black shirt was sleeveless and left her stomach bare, a long black glove was worn on her right arm and stopped at the middle of her bicep. Her black jeans were tight and hugged her thin waist just right while a gray spiked belt hung lopsided around her hips. And the gray platform shoes she wore on her feet hung off the side of the cliff, swaying back and forth.

The young woman gazed down at Ranma with curiosity in her neon green eyes, Did someone hear my wish?

She snorted as the thought, "Yeah, like that'd ever happen," but another thought crossed her mind as well and gave her some hope, But this is too much of a coincidence.... Of course, it could also be a conveniently timed death as well.

She slid from her perch and descended gracefully to stand before the sleeping young man. Though her landing made only the slightest of noise it was enough to wake the slumbering young man. Despite the fact that Theo's mad cackling had failed to do so earlier.

He blinked the sleep from his eyes and looked up at her while sitting up. Tilting his head, he gazed at her through bleary eyes, "An angel...am I in heaven?"

(-)

Theo looked around her and sighed as she found herself in a giant lobby. She walked over to the desk that sat beside the huge double doors and stood before the Valkyrie seated at the desk.

Said Valkyrie looked up from the holo-screen before her and blinked, "Theo? What're you doing here?"

"Father sent for me..." She trailed off.

"Caught meddling outside your assigned universe again?"

"My job is to grant wishes! All I was doing was my job!"

"Whatever you say," The Valkyrie shook her head with a small laugh and idly noticed a small flashing window pop up on her holo-screen; "Anyway, Father will see you now."

"Thanks..." Theo sighed dejectedly. She just knew this was going to lengthen her punishment. And I was almost finished too!

As the large ornate doors swung inwards, Theo walked into the large office. The room was covered in plants and trees of all kinds, some only know to the world of Asgard. As she continued further into the room, a large desk that seemed out of place in the forest-like room greeted her.

A figure sat behind the desk and greeted the small angel, "Theo, angel of wishes, please, have a seat," The figure's voice boomed from behind the desk, sounding both overbearing yet kind and gentle all at the same time.

Theo sat down on one of the 3 chairs in front of the desk and fidgeted uncomfortably, "Father," She began, "I know I have broken the rules of my restriction, on more than one occasion now, and will except any punishment you deem fit for my crime."

Kami-sama's gentle laugh reached her ears as he spoke, "Relax, child. It seems your imagination has run away with you on the topic of your punishment."

Theo looked shocked, "I do not understand, Father..."

Kami-sama leaned back in his seat, "You will indeed be punished for your second offense, but it seems it is only in the matters of love you seem to act before you think things through," He trailed off a moment before continuing, "So, I will assign you to Ranma Saotome as his guardian angel. You will remain as such until he has mastered all of your gifts and I have deemed him ready to be without your constant guidance."

"And what happens when he doesn't need my constant guidance? My punishment is over?"

"You will grant him someway to keep in contact with you, how he does so is your own choice. Afterwards, you will be returned to your spring and serve out the rest of your former punishment," Kami-sama explained.

Theo stood from her seat and bowed low, "Thank you for your leniency, Father."

Kami-sama waved her thanks away, "It's time for you to go check up on your new charge. Try to avoid others from seeing you as well, it's easier when only your charge knows of your existence," Theo nodded and with a flash of lightening she was gone.

(-)

Ember couldn't help but blink in confusion as the young man before her spoke in a strange language. She would've questioned him but a bright light interrupted her "interrogation". When the light faded a small figure was hovering in the air between the two.

Theo looked around, "Oh crap. So much for avoiding being seen."

To Be Continued…

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-Lov3the3vil