A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction All Ranma 1/2 Characters Copyright Rumiko Takahashi   Cast A Long Shadow by Mark MacKinnon Part Six :  That Last Innocent Night   On The Roof I      I lay back on the gentle slope of the roof like I had so many times in my old life, feeling the fading warmth of the day soaking into me from the tiles against my back.  The breeze was kicking up a little, and the scudding clouds that now obscured part of the sky spoke of rain, maybe by tomorrow.      I closed my eyes and tried to imagine once more that this was my home, that when I opened them again everything would be back to the way it had been, me and Akane fighting, me dodging my multiple fiances, no real or lasting hurt ever being done to anybody.  But that wasn't the way it was anymore.  Hell, maybe it never really had been that way.  I was beginning to wonder.  But one thing was for damned sure.  I couldn't fool myself into thinking that I could just carry on with my life here.  Not after all that had happened.      Even with my eyes closed, I could feel the spot where I'd found my Akane, throbbing like a rotten tooth at the edge of my awareness.  It was under me and off to the left.  Even though I knew that if I went down there and looked for a thousand years I'd never find any trace of blood, I still winced when I passed that spot.  Everything here, the same yet different.  Enough to drive a strong man insane, I suspected, given time.  And I wasn't sure how strong I was, not anymore.      The darkness surged up behind my closed eyelids suddenly, causing my throat to tighten, and I clenched my fists reflexively.      "Not yet," I whispered to the voices, to the shadows that wanted me.  "Please, not yet.  Soon."  They didn't want to go back into the tortured depths, but they did.  Reluctantly.  More reluctantly every time.  I knew the time would come when I could no longer hold back the pain, and I knew it was very possible it would break me.  But in less than 24 hours, I would face down Jack, and then I would leave this place forever.      Then I would give the voices of the dead their due.  Then there could be a reckoning, and we'd find out how much the words and forgiveness I'd received in this place actually meant in my deepest heart, where it really counted.      I jerked slightly when I felt rather than heard a soft footfall on the edge of the roof, then smiled inwardly as I recognized the movements, the feel of the other person, as if they were my own.      As, in fact, they more or less were ...      "Hello, Ranma," I said without opening my eyes.  I heard him chuckle as he moved up beside me.  I was actually getting used to saying that, and I no longer minded being called Ranko all that much. Still, when I left, I intended to take my name back.      "Boy, what a day, huh?" Ranma sighed, easing down beside me.  I opened my eyes and turned my head to look at him.      "Yeah, and how about that dinner?  Just another mealtime at the Tendou dojo, huh?"      "Oh, boy.  What a mess!"  We laughed together, remembering the way the meal had finally dissolved into complete chaos.  It had taken a half hour just to clean up the garden afterwards.  The group had gradually broken up, going their separate ways, but I knew that, as long as I was here, the fiance brigade and various hangers-on would be making its presence felt even more than usual.      "Hey, did you notice ..." Ranma began hesitantly.  I raised my eyebrows.      "Notice what?"      "Things seemed, I don't know, stranger than usual."  I had noticed, in fact, but played dumb.      "Like what?"      "Like, Akane kept watching Ryouga.  You don't think she knows ..." he trailed off suggestively.  I laughed.      "Are you kidding?  She still hasn't figured out that he's P-chan after all this time, much less that he's in love with her."      "*Was* in love with her."      "Let's be honest.  Still is, at least a little.  He decided to give her up, but his feelings aren't going to change right away."  Ranma nodded.      "I guess.  And how about Mousse?  He hardly payed any attention to Shampoo at all!  No fits of jealousy, and only the occasional protest.  And if I didn't know better, I'd think it drove her crazy!  He kept watching Uc-chan.  And Uc-chan ..."  Ah.  Here it comes, I thought.      "And Uc-chan," I prompted him.  He gazed up at the sky, his expression troubled.      "I hated seeing her that way," he said finally, still not looking at me.  "Did you really have to hurt her like that?"      "Ranma, I didn't want to hurt her, you above all people should know that!  But Uc-chan is special to me.  She's my oldest friend, and I owed it to her!"      "To hurt her?" he asked in disbelief.      "To let her go!  I don't want her holding out false hopes for the future when I know, right now, that it will never be.  It hurts now, but in the long run it's better, *kinder* this way.  She swore she wouldn't give up, but eventually I think she'll have to understand.  At least it's out in the open."  The unspoken criticism was that he had never had such a talk with her.  I was sure it wasn't lost on him.  We lay there in silence for a time as I waited for him to say what I knew he needed to say.      "You told her you still love Akane, didn't you."  It wasn't a question, but I answered anyway, my chest tightening.      "Yes."  He turned to face me finally, his expression tightly controlled now.      "Well, she's right downstairs, you know.  You could just go down and tell her.  The worst that could happen is that she'd have to choose between us.  You must have though of that.  I mean, it's no sure thing that she'd pick me over you, is it?"  We both sat up, staring at each other, his posture tense and unhappy.  This was a battle he didn't want to fight, I knew, one he didn't know *how* to fight.  After all that had happened earlier, he didn't want to cause another rift between us. And with my decision made, I knew he didn't have to worry.  But the temptation was there, and just for a second I wondered who she would have chosen, if it had come down to that.      Stop it!  Damn you, you know it can't be this way!  You know it, now tell him.  Tell him.      "That's not gonna happen, man.  You know that."      "Do I?"      "I know how you feel about her.  I wasted my chance, and it's up to you whether or not you waste yours.  But whatever happens, I'm not going to interfere."  He scowled angrily, staring at his clenched fists, then meeting my gaze again, his blue eyes shading to a stormy gray to match his inner turmoil.      "I'm sorry, I just find it hard to believe you could just sit and watch while I try to find some way to tell Akane what she means to me.  You know how hard it is for me, you know why I'm still ... hesitating.  But I bet you wouldn't hesitate, not after losing her once.  I bet you could say the things she wants to hear, couldn't you?  Sooner or later, no matter what you say now, the temptation would get to be too much."  I nodded slowly.      "Oh, yeah, you're absolutely right about that.  It would kill me to be so close to her but not able to have her.  That's one of the main reason's I'm leaving."  Ranma blinked.      "You're ... what?"      "Listen.  It's like Ryouga said to me, it's insane to make yourself miserable hanging around and pining for someone you can never have.  I'd be miserable, and you're right, sooner or later I might be tempted to do something stupid.  But that's not gonna happen if I'm not here."      "So you're leaving because of what I said."  Ranma looked even more troubled, and I rushed to cut him off before he could start feeling guilty again.      "No.  I'd already decided, earlier today.  Look, the situation with Akane would hurt, but it's not just that.  It's a lot of things.  If I'm gone, and you do end up with Akane, then Uc-chan and the others will have to face facts."      "I wouldn't count on that," Ranma grumbled.  I gave him a small grin.      "Hope springs eternal," I said lightly.  Then my grin faded and I sighed.  "A lot of it has to do with just being here, though."      "Meaning what?" he asked, puzzled.      "I've been trying to figure out for a while now whether being here, with all of you, is a good thing or a bad thing.  I've come to the conclusion that it's a little of both.  When I was wandering around in what was left of Nerima, those last couple of days, I'd lost everything. I thought I might go crazy.  Actually, I might have gone over the edge for a while there, I don't remember things very clearly.  I'm not sure how I survived ... when something would attack me, I'd fight back out of instinct.  I've still got the scars from those encounters.      "Then, after my "rescue", when I ended up here, it was like getting a second chance.  Everything I lost was here.  And it helped me push the dark, the memories of what happened, away.  For a while. But those feelings are still there, I just haven't really dealt with them yet. And this place, it's not a second chance really.  It's your home, and there were never supposed to be two Ranmas here."      "We could make it work," Ranma said intensely.  "What I said before, about Akane ..."  I grabbed his shoulder and shook him gently.      "We can't share her, and we can't share your life.  Listen to me.  It would be so easy for me to stay here, but it would be wrong.  I need to find someplace, something that's just mine, not yours and mine, and see if I can deal with my ghosts.  Maybe, if I can do that, I can come back here someday and not mess up everyone's lives.  Maybe.  But I have to get away from all this, because it's too seductive, too easy to pretend that I could just go on with the way things were, and that would be wrong, not to mention unfair to everybody."      "If you go," Ranma said quietly, "you'll be alone.  The way you were ... the way *we* were before we came here.  You won't even have Pop along.  I don't like just letting you go off alone.  It doesn't feel right to me.  You're becoming almost like a brother to me, you know?  How can I just abandon my brother?  Are you really asking me to do that?"  He looked at me, pleading.  He knew my reasons were sound, but his honour wouldn't allow him to let me go so easily.  I knew I had to make him understand, so he wouldn't beat himself up over this once I was gone.  That was one reason I'd decided to talk to him first.      "You can do it because I'm asking you to," I told him, " and because you know it's the right thing to do.  If I don't do this, I'll never be more than your shadow, Ranma.  I have to find my own path.  I have to lay my ghosts to rest, or I'll never have a moment's peace again."  He looked at me for a long moment, his face full of uncertainty, wanting to find a flaw in my argument, even though having me stay would cause problems for him.  He was trying so hard.  I hoped I'd have been so honourable, had our positions been reversed.      "What about tomorrow?"      "You mean Jack.  He should be here around supper time.  I'll turn him down again, of course.  I'd never serve those bastards, not after the way they abandoned everyone who ever mattered to me.  And I'll make it clear that if they decide to come after me, I won't be anywhere near this dojo."      "But where *will* you be?  Where will you go?"      "Somewhere.  Anywhere.  I'll know when I get there, I suppose.  I have a feeling the journey will be more important than the actual destination."  Ranma's shoulders slumped and he sighed.      "You're really going to do this, aren't you?"      "I have to.  It's the only way I might be able to make myself whole again.  I want you to understand that.  I need you to know why I'm going."  He hung his head wearily, then raised his eyes to mine.      "I think I understand," he said finally.  "I just wish it didn't have to be like this.  When will you tell the others?"      "Tomorrow will be soon enough.  Let's have one last night together, all of us."  He just stared at me then, as if he could see what I was thinking.  But he couldn't.  We'd ended up on different paths, and those paths were growing further and further apart.      And there was no telling if they would ever come together again.      "Hey, you two.  What's with the serious faces?"  We both looked up to see Akane coming over the top of the roof, looking down at us curiously.  I felt a sharp pang, knowing that soon, by my own choice, I wouldn't be seeing her anymore.      But it was the right choice.  It was.  I just wish being right didn't hurt so damned much.      "I thought I might find you up here," she said into the uncomfortable silence.  "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."      "No," I said as lightly as I could manage.  "We were just talking."      "Good.  Um, Ranko, I'm sorry to ask, but could I talk to Ranma alone for awhile?"  She looked at me, something unreadable in her warm brown eyes, and I resisted the urge to tell her that I'd do anything she asked, forever.      "Sure," I said instead.  "I wanted to go take a bath anyway and it's getting late.  See ya."  With a casual wave to both of them, I trotted to the edge of the roof and leapt lightly to the ground.  The look on Akane's face told me that those two were about to have a serious talk. Maybe *the* serious talk, the one I'd never gotten to have with my Akane.      I wanted to wish them luck, but my heart really wasn't in it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ On The Roof II (Ranma)      Ranma watched warily as Akane settled beside him.  He definitely didn't like the serious expression she was wearing, nor did he think the obvious tension in her posture was a good sign.  To someone who knew her, the warning signs were obvious.  Akane was not happy, and she was about to share her unhappiness.      "Uh, is everything all right?" Ranma asked, wincing a little at how lame his question sounded.  Akane sat very still, her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs, staring up into the sky.  The breeze blew her short hair into her face and she swept it back behind her ear absently.      "I was going to ask you the same thing.  You and Ranko looked pretty serious.  What were you talking about, anyway?"      "About, you know, tomorrow.  When that guy Jack comes back."  Her eyes tightened slightly, and Ranma noticed that her hands were gripping her knees quite tightly.      "Ah, yes.  That.  You know, Dad wants me to go with Kasumi, Nabiki and your mother tomorrow, to stay away from the dojo until it's all over."      "That's a good idea."  Ranma knew, as soon as he'd said it, that it had been exactly the wrong thing to say.  He braced himself for an explosion of Akane's temper.      Much to his surprise, it never came.  She just kept staring up at the sky, as if searching for something.  And her expression, while still tense and controlled, seemed a little sad too.      "You think so, huh?"  She dropped her gaze finally, to look Ranma in the eye.  "I guess I shouldn't be surprised, should I?  That's the way you always act, after all."  Ranma wanted to tell her that it wasn't a bad thing, that he just wanted her safe, but as usual the words seemed to jam up in his throat.      "A-Akane, what ...?"      "Shut up!"  He jerked, surprised at the vehemence in her voice. Her tone had taken on a raw emotional edge, and she blinked rapidly, as if fighting back tears.  "Damn you, Ranma!  This is my home! You're my fiance, even if you don't want to be!  I will *not* run and hide like some frightened schoolgirl, I'm a martial artist!"  She glared at him now, and he found himself literally speechless in the face of her urgent rage, somehow different from her usual tantrums.      "I know I'm not as good as you are, but dammit, almost no one is!   Ranma, I'm no delicate blossom to be protected.  The man I marry is going to have to treat me as an equal, a partner.  But then, maybe you don't care about that.  After all, you've never said you wanted to marry me, have you?  And that's the whole problem.  No, *we're* the whole problem."  Ranma's chest felt tight, and he struggled to breathe. What the hell was this?  What was she saying?      "Akane, what ... what're you talking about?  Why're you so mad?" he asked plaintively.  He wanted to get mad in response, but this wasn't like their usual fights.  This was something different.  Something big.  He felt like the foundation of his world was shifting.      "Why am I mad?" she asked quietly.  Some of the tension had gone out of her now, and she seemed more sad than angry.  "You really don't know, do you?  All of this, the last few days, it's been like a warning, a vision of how things might have been.  Look around you, Ranma.  Almost everyone we know, their lives are on hold waiting for us to decide if there's anything between us.  Is there?  Will there ever be?  Or am I too much a tomboy for you, not enough the flower that needs protection?  Tell me, Ranma.  I need to know."      Ranma stared at her, noting the way she bit her lower lip, seeing the moisture of unshed tears in her eyes.  She needed to hear an answer just then, really needed to.  Her need was so great he imagined that it would wash over his skin like heat lightning if he reached out to her.      Then Ranma thought of Uc-chan at dinner, thought of all the people whose feelings were at stake, of the fragile house of cards that existed around him.      And he just couldn't do it.      Normally, if he wanted to have a serious conversation with Akane, someone would show up to ruin it.  Shampoo's bike would hit the roof with a cheery "Nihao!" or his old man would be hanging around with a video camera, or something equally as intrusive.  But now, when he desperately wanted to put this conversation off, when he desperately needed a diversion, there was none to be had.      So he made one last frantic attempt to hold on to the status quo.      "Let's not talk about this now, okay?  Maybe later, after everything ..."  He trailed off as she stood abruptly, brushing at her skirt.      "If not now, then when?  What the hell are we waiting for?"  He was hurt, confused, by her sudden need.  He didn't know what to say, so as usual he said the wrong thing.      "Hey, maybe I don't *want* to talk about this, okay?  Maybe I'm just tired of pushy women!"      "I see," she said, and her voice was neutral, dead.  "I understand. I guess we don't really have anything to say to each other, do we, Ranma?  Good-bye."  And she started walking to the edge of the roof. He just sat and watched her go, his eyes wide, his heart hammering in his throat, cold liquid fear slicing through his veins.  He was suddenly sure that if he let her go, that would be it, the end for them.  Panic like he'd never felt, not even around a hundred cats, rose up in a glistening black tide, threatening to swamp him, to leave him adrift and alone in a sea of despair.      Come back, he wanted to say.  I didn't mean it.  I need you.  But the words wouldn't come.  Just like always, when he needed the words, they just wouldn't come.  His throat closed in, choking him, and he couldn't speak.      And she was LEAVING.      Then, as she was getting ready to leap down, he saw, with crystal clarity, Ranko-chan's face again as she talked about losing Akane, about not being there for her.      "She was so worried ... the look in her eyes," Ranko-chan had told him, clutching her emotions tightly.  "That was the closest I ever came to telling her what she meant to me.  But I didn't.  And now I never will."      He remembered the raw pain in Ranko-chan's voice then, and he knew if he let Akane walk away now, he'd regret it for the rest of his life.      He couldn't let that happen.      So he gritted his teeth.  Gathered his tattered courage.  Cursed his inability to speak.      And hurled himself into the unknown.   (Akane)      So that's the way it is, she thought to herself numbly.  I told him how much I needed to talk about this, how important it was to me.  And he couldn't be bothered.  He's never going to change, never going to make up his mind.      At least now I know.  Now I can just ... just ...      Frankly, she had no damned idea *what* to do now.  She looked over the edge of the roof at the warmly lit yard, feeling a single tear slip down her cheek.  She tensed to jump off.      And then she was off balance, being pulled back suddenly. She blinked, surprised.  Something was squeezing her tightly. Arms. *Ranma's* arms.  She looked down at them stupidly.  She could feel him behind her, holding her tightly, and for a second she dared to hope. But he still said nothing, and she swallowed hard, trying not to let her voice shake.  She'd come this far.  She couldn't let things go on the way they were.  It wasn't fair, not to her, not to any of them.  She'd done her part, and he hadn't reciprocated.      "Ranma, let go."  Nothing.  She took a deep breath, not moving. "Ranma.  Let.  Go."  For an eternity, nothing.  Then, just as her fragile control threatened to shatter, he spoke.      "Don't go.  Please."  She froze, shocked.  His voice was tiny, pleading.  His face was pressed into her hair and she could feel warm wetness on the back of her neck.      Crying?  Ranma was ... crying?      "R-Ranma ...?"      "I want to tell you ... I do!  I just don't ... don't know how.  Akane. Stay.  Please.  Give me just one more chance."  He whispered urgently and she closed her eyes, feeling his strong body against her, his arms around her.  The sensation made her dizzy.  She took a deep breath and tapped his arms lightly.  Slowly, reluctantly, he let her go and she turned to face him.      Tears.  His face was wet with them, and every muscle in his body seemed to scream with tension.  She felt her own tears, barely leashed until now, escaping in greater numbers, stinging her eyes, dripping off her chin.      "What?  Tell me, Ranma."  Her voice was hoarse, unsteady, and he moved his hands up to her shoulders, resting them there lightly. She let him.  He guided her down to sit beside him on the gentle slope. It was full dark now, but the houses and streetlights provided more than enough light for her to see him struggling to find the words he needed to say.  Finally he turned to her.  They were sitting so close that their bodies touched, but for once he didn't pull away.      "Tell me," she said again, pleading with him, trying to make him finally understand. "Please, I want you to talk to me.  I need you to."      "I wasn't trying to hurt you, Akane," he said finally, his voice steadier now.  "I've just ... I've never had to put this into words before, never had to explain it.  Not even to myself.  I'm just not sure how ..."  He trailed off uncertainly.      "I'm listening, Ranma," she said, touching his arm lightly, trying to will him to continue.  "I do want to hear this.  Please."  He looked startled, and blushed a bit at her touch, but nodded.      "Okay.  Here we go."  He drew a breath, closed his eyes, and exhaled noisily.  "When I was growing up, you know Pop dragged me all over the place.  Except for that time with Uc-chan, and all those fights with Ryouga, I never really had any friends.  I never had anything. That was how we lived.  We carried our lives on our backs, and never stayed in any one place too long.      "And I hated it.  Oh, how I hated it.  It was supposed to be a great and noble adventure, but secretly, all I really wanted was to have a real life, with a home and friends ... not that anybody asked me, of course.  I wasn't supposed to show any weakness or vulnerability, so I could hardly tell Pop that I was lonely, could I?"      "Ranma."  Akane studied his face, amazed.  This was so unlike the Ranma that she knew, exposing his feelings to her.  But she had seen brief glimpses of this Ranma, she had known he existed.  She reached out impulsively and squeezed his shoulder.  He glanced at her, smiling weakly, then  looked down at the roof, elbows resting on his knees, hands dangling loosely.  His face was red with embarrassment, but he forced himself to continue.      And she loved him for it.      "The point is, I never had anything.  But, I also never had anything to lose.  And then we came here."  He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, saw her watching him, and dropped his gaze again.  "This last year, you've got no idea what it's been like for me.  Even with the curse and all the problems I've had, I've finally had a home, I've had friends. I ... found you."  Her heart caught with a sweet pang as he smiled slightly, still unable to face her.  "For me, it's been like heaven compared to the years before.  But ..."      "But what?" she asked softly.  She could sense that now he was getting close to the heart of the matter, and she resisted the urge to hold her breath, hoping, wishing ...      Tell me, Ranma.  Please.      "But now I *do* have something to lose.  Everything here is so caught up together, so tightly twisted, so *complicated*!  Don't you think I know how painful it must be for everyone to have things the way they are?  I never wanted anyone to get hurt!  But," he stammered, flailing around for the right words, "I-I just don't know what to do!  I'm afraid to change things!  I'm scared, you get it?"  He gritted his teeth and grimaced, as if it was physically painful for him to admit to being afraid.  As she stared at him, literally speechless, he slowly, painfully, raised his tearstained eyes to hers, ragged breaths escaping from between his clenched teeth.      "I'm afraid that changing things might wreck everything here, might end up driving us all apart, and I might end up alone again.  Without a home, without you, with nobody.  It seems like being ungrateful to risk all this, like tempting fate, to say "I'm happy, but it's not enough.  I want *more*".  At least the way things were, I felt safe."  He laughed bitterly. "If you can believe that.  Safe.  And because I didn't want to lose what I had, I ended up hurting everybody.  And I hurt you."      She gasped as he reached out suddenly and took her hands in his. They were so big, they covered hers completely.  And warm.  Her skin tingled at his touch, and her heart beat like a hummingbird's wings.  She looked up, slowly, into his eyes.  She could see the truth of his words there.  He was scared, and uncertain, not at all the brash and cocky boy she'd come to know.      "I never wanted to hurt you," he whispered.  "And I never want to lose you.  You have no idea how hard it is for me to tell you this." She laughed through her tears.      "Yes I do," she said, her voice breaking.  "As hard as it's been for me.  I just wish I knew what you were feeling, all this time ..."      "I couldn't tell you," he said.  "I didn't know how.  I never had to talk much growing up, just fight.  But it took me a long time to understand that there are some problems that no martial arts technique can solve.  When I thought you were gonna walk away from me just now, I finally knew that it would be worth anything not to lose you. Even if I had to decide to change things finally.  Even if I had to risk everything.  You asked me what I was waiting for, remember?  Well, now you know.  I was just being a coward."      "No, Ranma," she whispered earnestly.  "I know you.  You just don't want to hurt anyone, and I understand that.  That's a noble impulse, but sooner or later this situation was going to have to change. You couldn't have four fiances forever.  It's not your fault that someone has to get hurt."  She squeezed his hands, wanting him to smile, to stop looking so unhappy.  Talking like this was what she'd wanted, what she'd needed.  She was glad it had finally happened, and she wanted him to be glad, too.      "I never asked for my life to be like this," Ranma told her quietly.  "Changing into a girl, having all these girls chasing me, I never asked for any of it.  But because I was afraid of changing things, I almost let you go."      "I guess we came pretty close, didn't we?  To throwing away our chance, I mean," Akane whispered.  Ranma looked down into her eyes and smiled finally, his expression tender.      "Yeah, I guess we did.  But everything's gonna be okay now."      "Is it?" she asked softly.      "Uh-huh.  You know why?"  He swallowed hard, his blue-gray eyes holding hers, bottomless and beautiful.      "Tell me."      "Because I love you, Akane Tendou."  Just when she thought she couldn't feel anything more, her heart exploded in a soundless nova of joy.  She stared at him, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks.  He'd actually said it.  He had.  She felt light-headed.      "You do?" she whispered finally.  He nodded solemnly, reaching out to wipe away her tears, gently brushing her cheeks with his fingertips.      "Yeah.  For ever and ever."  She began crying again.  He suddenly looked uncertain.      "Ranma!" she sobbed, throwing her arms around his neck and curling up against him.  She felt his arms come around her hesitantly, holding her gingerly at first, then more firmly as she sobbed against his shoulder.      "Hey, what's the matter?" he asked, sounding genuinely concerned.  She sniffed, burrowing into the comforting solidity of his body.      "Oh Ranma," she giggled tearfully, "you don't know a thing about girls, do you?"  Then she snaked one hand up behind his head, twining her fingers in his soft hair, and pulled her face up next to his ear.      "I love you too," she whispered huskily.  She pulled back to see the relieved grin on his face, the colour high in his cheeks, and knew that he'd needed to hear the words, just as she had.      "Really?" he asked.      "Really," she said solemnly.  "For ever and ever."  They were staring at each other, the universe reduced to just the two of them on that rooftop.  Akane looked up into Ranma's face, alight with the emotions she'd always wanted to see there, and more than anything she wanted to kiss him right then.      So she did.  She leaned forward and brushed her lips gently against Ranma's mouth.  She could feel the tension in him, the surprise, as she held her mouth against his, carefully parting her lips.  Then, tenderly, and oh-so-slowly, he kissed her back, his hands sliding slowly up her back, a sweet white heat building in her heart, burning away all the problems and squabbles and doubts of that day.  She tasted the salt of their mingled tears, felt his warm breath on her face as she closed her eyes and revelled in the sensations of being in his arms.      She and Ranma had finally taken that tremulous first step.  They broke the kiss gently and stared at each other, the knowledge that everything had changed between them burning in both their gazes.      But they were together, and that was all that counted.   ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nabiki and Kasumi      Just cold numbers.      Nabiki stared glumly at the open ledger in front of her.  Usually, figures spoke to her.  Manipulating values was like art, like a dance, and she could grasp the subtle shifting patterns and make them dance to her tune.      But not tonight.  Tonight, they were just cold numbers, and they refused to dance.  She sighed and snapped the book shut.  Leaning back in her chair, she clasped her hands behind her head and stretched languorously.  This was all Ranko's fault, she was sure of it.      She dropped her arms and sighed.  Ranko.  She hadn't meant to tell him all that, hadn't meant to open up to him the way she had.  So why had she?  Why let him see her soft, undefended heart?  She shook her head and chuckled.  Must've been the legendary Saotome charm, she told herself wryly.      But that wasn't it, and she knew she couldn't brush it off that easily.  Things had been building inside her for some time, and the incident with Ranko had been the trigger.  Knowing the pain she had caused him, feeling the pain he had inflicted on her in return, she finally had to admit that her schemes were hurting people.  Never this badly before, but how much hurt was it acceptable to deliberately inflict on those around you?      She sighed again.  She didn't want to think about all this, because without her schemes, what did she have?  Nothing, that's what.  Nothing at all.      Besides, she *liked* money.  So what was the answer?      Her increasingly chaotic thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door.  At her invitation, Kasumi came in, smiling.  As usual.      "Hey, sis.  What's up?"      "Oh, nothing much.  I was just wondering how you were." Some things, Nabiki thought warmly, you can always count on.      "I'm fine, Kasumi.  Really."      "Did Ranko talk to you?"  The question was posed casually, but Nabiki could tell her older sister was very interested in the answer.      "Yeah."  She blushed slightly, wondering how much to tell Kasumi.  Ah, what the hell, she thought.  Go for it, you're not getting anywhere on this by yourself.      "Actually," she went on, "we had a pretty interesting discussion. He was really sorry about what he said.  It was pretty plain it tore him up, you know, what with his own family having just died.  I know that he wishes he never said it.  The thing is, I started thinking about what I did to make him say that, and ... I wasn't proud of myself.  I hurt him pretty bad, too, and even though things are better between us now, I've been thinking about ..."      "About what?"      "About what I do."  Nabiki sighed noisily.  "I bring in a lot of money for the household, and I like doing it.  But my means aren't always pure and lily white, you know?"      "Shocking," Kasumi said dryly.  It was such an un-Kasumi like thing to say that Nabiki stopped for a moment, caught off-guard. Kasumi's smile widened.      "Um, yeah, well ... I don't want to hurt people, you know, I don't enjoy that.  I'm not a monster.  But I don't want to stop making money either.  And the way I've always made money has been by exploiting people's weaknesses.  I'm really good at it, too.  If I stop, I'm not sure what else I can do."  Kasumi nodded as if she had been expecting just this, and sat primly on the bed.      "You're wondering if you can carry on with business as usual, knowing what you know about the effects it can have."      "Something like that."      "Nabiki, I think you know exactly what to do, you just don't want to do it."  When Nabiki looked at her nervously, she continued, "You are a very smart girl when it come to some things, but people are not one of your strong suits.  Oh, you know how to exploit their weaknesses all right, but all that does is drive them away from you.  I have confidence that you can continue to exercise your talent without causing innocent people pain.  Surely you can do business that way, can't you?  You can be a business person with a conscience, I'm sure, and you'll find it easier to live with yourself.  I trust you to make the right choice.  Having seen the alternative, that is."  Nabiki studied her older sister for a long moment, considering her response, then clasped her hands together in front of her chest and wriggled ecstatically, her eyes big and sparkling with adoration.      "Oh big sister," she squealed, "you're so WISE!"  Kasumi began giggling at the spectacle, and Nabiki joined in.  It felt good to laugh. There had been too much darkness around the dojo lately.      "Okay, so it won't be easy," Kasumi said at last.  "But you know you have to try."      "I know, I know.  Boy, but that felt good," Nabiki responded. "Dinner was so tense, I thought somebody might explode."  Kasumi nodded thoughtfully.      "Yes," she said sadly, "it appears that things aren't going to be getting any easier for Ranko anytime soon."      "What do you hear about tomorrow, anyway?"      "Father will be sending us out early with Auntie Saotome." Then her face went carefully blank.  "He wants Akane to go with us."      "Oh my," Nabiki said softly.  "I'll just bet that went over well." Kasumi nodded.      "Yes, she was quite upset when she stormed out of the house. I wonder where she went?"      "The roof, I think.  I heard some clumping around up there earlier.  I think she's up there with Ranma.  They're probably fighting again."  Kasumi sighed gently.      "I wonder what it will take for those two to finally come together," she mused.  "Nothing ever seems to go easily for them." Nabiki swallowed a sudden surge of bitterness, resisting the urge to tell her sister that maybe the problem was some things came too easily for the young couple.      "I think our little sister is somewhat enamoured of young Mr. Saotome," she said instead, her tone dry.  "I'll bet you any money that she ends up beside him tomorrow."      "I know better than to bet against you," Kasumi said primly. Then her expression sobered, and she added, "Still, don't you think it's too dangerous for her to stay?"      "So, what?  You want her to cut and run when things get tough?  Ranma would stay for her, and she knows it.  She'll stay, and woe to whoever tries to make her go."  Kasumi nodded glumly.      "I suppose you're right.  I don't mind telling you, I'm a little scared about tomorrow.  I have a very bad feeling."  She looked at Nabiki, as if for reassurance.      "It's the waiting, the anticipation, it's getting to everyone.  The sooner it's over with, the better."      "I hope you're right," Kasumi said nervously.  Nabiki grinned.      "Sis, this group may not be the most emotionally mature or stable, but when it comes to fighting there's few better.  It'll be okay. You'll see."      Nabiki just wished she felt as confident as she sounded. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Shampoo and Mousse)      Mousse had felt a multitude of emotions toward Shampoo during the many years they had known each other.  Most of them were the kind of emotions which drove poets to write sweet prose of the agony of the heart, or reverent praise of beauty.  They were the emotions which inspired songs of love, acts of reckless passion, or heartfelt quixotic vows.      The emotion he was feeling now, however, had probably never inspired anyone to do anything greater than bang their head against a wall.  Frankly, Shampoo was beginning to irritate the living hell out of him.      She slammed the door of the Nekohanten shut and glared at him, beautiful as always, even in high temper.  And Mousse supposed he should be glad she was paying any attention to him at all, but frankly it had been a long and very strange day and his patience was nearing its limit.      "Well, what you have to say to that, Mousse?" she asked testily.  He took a deep breath.      "I already told you ..." he began, only to be interrupted by the arrival of Cologne.      "Well, child, how did it go?  Was the information accurate?" Shampoo nodded grudgingly, with another venomous glare at Mousse.      "Yes, great-grandmother.  There another Ranma.  It very long story."      "Really?  You'll have to tell me all about it," she said.  Then she noticed Shampoo's agitated state.  "Did something happen, Shampoo?"      "Stupid Mousse embarrass Shampoo!  He act all googly-eyed, flirting with stupid spatula girl!"      "That's not true!  And she's not stupid!" Mousse returned hotly.  "I was just worried, that's all!  She wasn't acting like herself!"      "Worried about another woman?" Cologne asked with great interest.  Mousse flushed deeply.      "It's not like that!" he protested.  "This other Ranma, his appearance is causing all sorts of problems, that's all!"  Cologne continued to look at him in a way that made him distinctly uncomfortable.      "Googly-*GOOGLY*-eyes," Shampoo clarified sullenly.  "And he smoochy smoochy with her too!"  Mousse felt heat rise in his cheeks as he remembered Ukyou giving him a peck on the cheek.  Cologne scowled at his expression.      "Mousse, I do hope you haven't been doing anything to cause embarrassment to my great-granddaughter," Cologne said in a very cool tone.      "Of course not!" he said through clenched teeth.  "I was only ... ah, what's the use?  Good night!  I'm going to bed!"  Then he wheeled around and headed through the swinging doors into the back.      Once through the doors, he slumped against the wall, stewing in his impotent rage.  It was so unfair!  He had just been wondering why Ukyou was suddenly so miserable.  It had been nice, talking to her.  It made him feel good, and seeing her so unhappy bothered him all the more because of that.  Why should being concerned about someone embarrass Shampoo?  Was it because Ukyou was competition for Ranma's heart?  Could she really be that petty?      "So, Shampoo," he heard Cologne say, "which of them do you like better?"  There was a startled silence.      "G-great-grandmother, how can you ask such thing?  Shampoo marry Ranma!  Ranma beat Shampoo in combat!  Stupid Mousse never be man that Ranma is, never be good enough ..."      "Shampoo," Cologne interrupted with a tone of bemused tolerance.  "Which *Ranma* do you like better?"  Mousse could feel the heat of the blood that rushed to his face.  Never good enough, huh? He clenched his fists until his forearms ached, but continued to listen.      "Oh.  Well, they the same.  But ... new Ranma, they call him Ranko, he sad deep inside, hurt in his heart.  Bad things happen to him before he come here."      "Hmmm.  Technically, you have no claim to this new Ranma. However, if need be, I could probably change that."  Mousse winced at the smugness of the elder's tone, his teeth grinding angrily.  "Come. Tell me all about it."      That old witch, he thought blackly, pushing away from the wall and heading for his tiny quarters.  She'd listen to the whole story, then hatch a scheme to get what she wanted.  No matter who got hurt.  And Shampoo would go along with the whole thing.      And him?  Who was he to stand in the way of their grand schemes? Just some insignificant amazon male, not worth worrying about.  He felt a grim little smile twitch at his lips then, remembering how much nagging Shampoo had done on the way home.  So his worrying about Ukyou had upset her, had it?  Well, fine.      He unclenched his hands, not noticing the tiny rivulets of blood that flowed from the cuts his fingernails had made in his palms.  His protestations of love hadn't gotten him anywhere.  Maybe it was time to try a new tactic to win Shampoo's heart.      He thought again of his earlier conversation with Ukyou, and the smile grew a little wider.      Yes.  A new tactic indeed.   ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ukyou      She sat on her bed, wearing the same clothes she'd put on for him earlier.  She leaned back against the wall and paged through her photo album, page after stiff page filled with memories.      Memories of him.  There were pictures of Ranma as a boy and as a girl.  Pictures of him running, standing, talking, and fighting.  Oh, yeah, quite a few of those fighting pictures.  Most of the pictures had been purchased from Nabiki, who always seemed to have plenty to assuage Ukyou's insatiable appetite.  She could just never get enough.      She scanned the pages, seeing image after captured image of her true love, and wished they were the real thing.  She was startled when a teardrop hit the plastic page with a loud spat.      "I'm not going to cry," she said to the empty room.  "I'm not going to cry because I'm not going to lose him.  He'll come to me.  He will."  She closed the heavy album, caressing its cool leather cover lovingly.  Then she clasped it tightly to her chest and let herself slide slowly to the bed, drawing her knees up protectively and burying her face in her pillow.      "He'll come to me," she whispered urgently.  "He has to.  Because I love him most of all."  And then, like that night so many years before when she'd been abandoned that first time, she cried herself to sleep. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ House Kunou      Kodachi could barely be contained within the four walls of her room.  Two Ranmas.  Two.  Let those other simps try to decide which one to court.  Kodachi was made of more ambitious stuff than that.      She'd simply have both.  It was meant to be, she could see that now.  Not just one Ranma, but *two*!  Devoted to her, loving her, making her life a paradise.  Two.      She raised her hand daintily to her mouth, palm out, and laughed her beautiful laugh for the sheer joy of it.  Joy.      And just like that, she stopped.      THEY didn't want her to be happy.  THEY never wanted her to have anything.  And THEY were laughing at her.  Mocking her.      "Filthy little vermin," she hissed.  "You'll not laugh once Ranma's heart is mine.  Once they're *both* mine, you'll never dare laugh at me again!  Do you hear?  Do you?"  Her voice rose to a piercing shriek.  "DO YOU THINK I DON'T SEE YOU?"  Uncoiling her ribbon, she began striking at the shadowed corners of her room, sharp, vicious strikes.      "THERE!" she screeched.  "AND THERE!  AND THERE! YOU CAN'T HIDE!"  She struck again and again, her special ribbon throwing up splinters of wood from the floor where it struck.  She flew around the room in a frenzy, caught between glee and fury, until the door slammed open suddenly.      And she stopped.      Her brother stood in the doorway, wearing his usual kendo outfit, bokken gripped tightly in one hand.  He looked at her impassively as she fought to bring her breathing under control, sweat beading on her forehead.      "They were laughing," she said finally.  Matter of factly.  "You know how I hate that."  He continued to watch her, no expression on his face.      "There is no one here, sister," he said finally.  She tittered, coiling her ribbon easily.      "Of course there isn't.  There's never anyone here.  And nothing ever goes missing for no reason.  And Sasuke just got tired of being a devoted personal guard and quit."  She performed a gentle pirouette, coming to face him again.  "This is just a normal home full of normal problems, isn't it?"  He watched her, his face uncharacteristically grave.      "You cried out last night.  For her."  Kodachi went still suddenly, absolutely still, in a way that never failed to strike fear into her opponents.  Her brother, however, was made of sterner stuff.  At least when it came to her.      "You would think, with all our family's resources, that we could afford thicker walls," she said lightly, but the stillness remained.      "You're not sleeping well."  It was not a question.  Kodachi glided over to him, stopping uncomfortably close, peering up at her brother with a heavy-lidded, deceptively lazy expression.      "I have bad dreams, brother.  Do your precious poets have nothing to say on the subject of bad dreams?  I would think, by now, you would be an expert on the subject."  She put a finger to her lips thoughtfully.      "Why does it concern you so?  Could it be that you do not share them this time?"  He watched her impassively, and she smiled, a slow, sensuous smile.  "Could that be it?"      "You promised to tell me if they started again."  A fine edge of emotion had finally crept into his voice.  Anger.  She held his gaze fearlessly.  His anger held no terror for her.  Few things did, anymore.      "It doesn't matter," she said softly.  "My darling Ranma is the light, white-hot and blinding, and you know they cannot abide the light. And two Ranmas are twin suns, orbiting around me!  I'll bring my loves here and their light will drive the shadows away and banish the darkness!  House Kunou will stand in the light again, brother!  Won't that be grand?"  Her eyes sparkled, and her breath came in short gasps as she rose on her toes and tried to make him understand.  "Everything would be all right.  Everything would be like it was again!"  His face twitched at that.      "Your obsession blinds you, sister.  I have told you that Saotome dabbles in black arts.  He is surely a sorcerer.  And his counterpart is wounded in the soul by his own darkness.  Even if this burden could be shared with outsiders, even if it were not the obligation of our clan, those two could not help us."  Kodachi's large, almond-shaped eyes narrowed in anger and she stepped back.      "I think you're just afraid, brother *dear*.  Afraid I might succeed, afraid that love might light my way and leave you behind!  All you are is talk, after all!  Go pine for your pig-tailed goddess and your beloved Akane Tendou!" she spat.  "They'll both have plenty of time for you once both Ranmas have pledged themselves to me!"  He just stared for a moment, the muscles at the corner of his jaw flexing as he bit back a reply.  She turned her back on him, giving her head a haughty toss as she glided over to a desk cluttered with bottles and jars of all descriptions.  She heard him sigh finally, his clothing rustling softly as he shifted his weight.      "The new cook quit," he said finally.  Changing the subject, she thought triumphantly.  Point for me.      "How does the saying go?  "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen?"  I suppose he took it to heart."  She began rummaging through her chemicals and herbs, thinking of the potions and powders she might need to land her Ranmas.  "We do seem to be going through more servants lately, though.  Why do you suppose that is, brother dear?"  She asked almost idly, but she was watching him from the corner of her eye as she spoke.  To her disappointment, he didn't react. At least not visibly.      "Sleep well, sister," was all he said as he left, shutting the door quietly.  She gripped one of the small vials so hard that it cracked, turning to level a venomous glare at the closed door.      "Was that supposed to be funny?" she hissed.  Then she looked down at the clear fluid leaking from the cracked vial and sighed.  She began looking for something to clean the mess up with, muttering to herself.      Tatewaki would never land either that red-headed tart or that simp, Akane Tendou, she knew, because he didn't understand a maiden's heart.  Imagine, telling her that Ranma could not help her. Reading all that poetry, you'd think he would realize that true love conquered all.  Always.  The arrival of the second Ranma was a sign to her, of course.  One Ranma could only love her so much; two Ranmas could bestow upon her the adoration she deserved.      Humming happily under her breath, she dropped the now empty vial into the trash and set about concocting some very interesting surprises for her fiancés.      Because, after all, the course of true love seldom ran smoothly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jack      "I don't believe it.  This kid is incredible."  Jack leaned back from the screen and rubbed his eyes.  "How many fiances has he had, anyway?"      "I told you to read the mission briefing before, didn't I?" Scooter grumbled.      "What a bunch.  I've got a feeling our little rendez-vous tomorrow could get tense.  We got, let's see, deadly flying spatulas, hidden weapons techniques, chi blasts ..."      "Second thoughts, Jackie?"      "You should be so lucky.  If he says no, we'll back out peacefully and call in the cavalry.  Okay?"      "Why do I feel like it's not going to be that simple?"      "Because you're a pessimist.  What's the repair status on major systems?"      "All major systems are up and running, with the exception of communications, which seems to have suffered an intermittent coil failure ... said failure having been dutifully logged ..."      "You're the man, Scooter."      "... and the main sensor web inputs, which are due to be back on line by 0406 hours local time."      "Plenty of time," Jack said.      "Well," Scooter replied hesitantly, "I'm still worried about the anomalous readings the passive SRS systems are getting.  This is really freaky, and I'm not sure it's damage caused by Saotome's chi blast."      "Is there any way to tell what's causing the readings without the main web?"      "Uh, no."      "Well then, quit worrying.  You'll know at 4:06 local time, right?"      "And *you"ll* know at 4:07."      "Listen, you.  I'm gonna have a shower and hit the sack.  If you wake me up at four in the frigging morning, it had better be for the end of the world.  Got it?"      "So noted, for the record.  Good-night, sweet prince."      "Yeah, yeah."  Jack trudged off the command deck, wishing he could shake the feeling that his gamble with Saotome was going to come back and bite him on the ass. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Roof, One Last Time      Ranma leaned back against the roof, Akane beside him, her head on his shoulder.  His arm was around her, their fingers twined loosely, and he shivered deliciously when she absently ran her thumb over his.  His heart hadn't slowed down yet as they sat, just being together for once, hardly speaking.  Their breathing seemed to be in synch, the heat from her body mingled with his intimately, and the scent of her hair made him lightheaded, like a potent drug.  He'd waited for these quiet moments, even without realizing it, almost since he'd met her.  He didn't want this time to ever end.  He especially didn't want to be the one to end it.      But he had to.  Finally being able to admit their feelings to each other had been a big step, but it was hardly the last one.  If anything, it was going to make their lives more complicated than before.  He'd imagined from time to time what it would be like to tell Akane what she really meant to him, but he'd never given much thought to what would happen between them afterwards.  That first big step always seemed to overshadow everything else.  He sighed, and Akane stirred, lifting her head slightly to look him in the eye.      "What?" she asked gently.  He gave her a rueful grin.      "I was just thinking.  I'm gonna have to do what Ranko did today.  Talk to my other "fiances", I mean.  I know I have to, but I just hate the thought of doing it."  After he'd said it, he tensed, suddenly realizing that Akane might misinterpret his reluctance.  For once, though, she didn't get upset, just looking at him warmly.      "I know you don't want to hurt them, Ranma," she said.  "But you won't be doing them any favours by putting it off.  This uncertainty is hard on everybody.  You ... *we* need to end it, soon.  It's never going to get any easier, you know that."      "That's easy for you to say," Ranma grumbled.  "You don't have to break anyone's heart."      "You mean like Ryouga?" she asked quietly.  Ranma gaped at her.      "How the hell ...?"  She gave him a small, enigmatic little smile.      "Girls always know, Ranma," she said simply.  "And you're right, I'm lucky.  He decided to give up on me by himself.  But we both know it won't be anywhere near that simple with Ukyou, Kodachi or Shampoo.  In fact, there could be trouble."      "Well, let's save it until after tomorrow," he said, squeezing her fondly.  "We already have a crisis to deal with, remember?"  Her gaze darkened and she looked away.      "*We* have a crisis to deal with?" she asked.  He squeezed her hand and nudged her.      "Yes, *we* do.  I won't apologize for wanting to protect you, Akane.  I care about you, and my instinct is always going to be to keep anything from happening to you.  But I don't want to hurt you, and I *was* paying attention to what you said before.  Partners we will be, no matter what."  He paused, looking into her large brown eyes.  "I want you beside me.  I don't want to make the mistake Ranko made."      "What?  What mistake?" she asked.  Ranma realized that she didn't know about what Ranko had told him by the river.  He wondered if he should tell her, then decided that it couldn't hurt now.      "He tried to protect his Akane by leaving her behind, and by the time he got back she was dead."  Shock, dismay and sorrow rippled across Akane's features in quick succession.      "Poor Ranko," she whispered.  "No wonder ... when did he tell you?"      "Today, after I said ... you know.  I didn't think he'd forgive me after that.  I mean, I wouldn't have.  But he was feeling a lot of guilt, too, and he needed to tell someone the whole story.  He needed me to understand.  This whole thing is hard for him."      "But it's going to be even harder for him, seeing us together.  I feel so guilty, I didn't even think about how *he'd* feel!"  Akane looked at Ranma beseechingly.  "I mean, if he felt the way about her that you just said you feel about me ..."      "He did.  But it's not going to be a problem, because he's leaving."  Ranma looked away uncomfortably.      "What?  Leaving?  But ... where'll he go?"  Ranma tried to explain to her the reasons Ranko had given him for his decision.  She looked troubled when he finished.      "I don't like the idea of just letting him go like that, Ranma. He's so much like you.  And you just finished telling me how much it would hurt you to be alone after having had a life here.  We can't just let him go!"      "I'm not sure we can stop him," Ranma responded.  He looked at her for a long moment, then sighed.      "What's wrong?"      "I can't help wondering ... who would you have chosen if he had stayed?  If you'd had to choose between us?  He knew what it meant to lose you, he'd have been able to say all the things I almost couldn't say."  Akane stared at him, her expression sober, for so long he began to worry.  Finally she reached up to trace the line of his cheekbone with one finger, causing him to shiver as she followed the contours of his face lightly.      "He's so much like you," she said softly, "and I like him.  Really.  But he's not you.  After everything we've been through together, everything that's happened to us, all our shared history, you're the one I want.  The only one.  To him I never would have been anything but a reflection of *her*.  But to you ..."      "To me," he said, his voice thick with emotion, "you're the one. The only one."  When she opened her mouth to speak, he pulled her close and looked deeply into her eyes.      "Akane, enough serious talk.  Let's just be together," he said quietly. "Soon, we'll have both our families on our backs, not to mention all the others.  We've got a little while longer before we've got to go in, let's enjoy it in peace.  Just you, me, and the night.  Okay?"  She smiled and nodded.  Ranma swallowed nervously and leaned in close.  Akane looked surprised, but tentatively raised her chin and met him in a gentle kiss.  Ranma slid his arms around her, holding her tight.      "I could get used to this," he thought blissfully.  Akane curled up against him again, and for once, Ranma had no complaints with the world.  He forgot about his curse, his other fiances, and even Ranko. Together, they watched the sky, the world of problems seeming, at least for a little while, very far away.      On the roof, that last innocent night.          Epilogue      In the shadows behind Furinkan High, a white van was hidden from view.  The back doors of the van were open, and it was bouncing on overstressed shocks and springs in an alarming manner.      More alarming, however, were the noises coming from inside the van.      "BAD THINGS, BAD THINGS, BUH BUH BUH BAAAAAAD THINGS!" something sang horribly.  A pair of gleaming red eyes appeared in the shadows, seemingly independent of a body, and glared down at the van.      "Grinnis," something hissed.  The van stopped bouncing and the singing was cut off abruptly.  "GRINNIS," the hissing voice repeated, louder this time.      "WHUT?"      "You aren't supposed to be out here," the voice said calmly.  A bulky figure pulled itself out of the van, towering over it as it stood erect.      "GRINNIS HUNGRY," it growled petulantly.      "There are no more plumbers in the truck, Grinnis," the voice hissed patiently.  "You must go back inside.  We must not be discovered before we are ready, before we are strong enough. Remember?"      "BUT GRINNIS HUNGRY!  GRINNIS WANTS TO EAT! GRINNIS WANTS TO PLAY!"      "Yes, yes, I know.  Soon, Grinnis.  Soon you will be able to do whatever you like with these human cattle."      "SOON?" Grinnis asked uncertainly.  A strange light flared not far away, and something with a lot of tentacles began to slither out of the light, making an unearthly keening noise.  The eyes laughed, a merry, mad sound.      "Oh yes, soon.  Very, very soon."  They glowing eyes laughed again, and a huge idiot grin spread over Grinnis's hideous face.      "SOON.  BAD THINGS, BAD THINGS, SOON SOON BAD THINGS!"      "Oh, yes, my friend.  Many, many bad things."  Its mad laughter drifted away on the night breeze, and wherever that breeze blew, sleepers cried out, animals howled and the dark held sway.   End part six. Revised August 3/97 Feedback always welcomed at:  emmack@ibm.net