*    *    *


                        Ranma Ichibunnoni
                        Episode Nineteen


                           *    *    *

     "Are you alright?" asked a voice.  It was a voice she knew
well, Ranko thought.  She couldn't seem to place it, however.  Her
thoughts didn't seem to want to work that way.  Perhaps it was her
injuries, or perhaps it was the promise she had made to Happosai. 
     "Ranko?  Ranko!  Speak to me!"  Ranko was *sure* she knew that
voice.  But who?  She put that thought from her mind.  She had to
wake up, didn't she?  That voice seemed to want her to.  And for
some reason, she wanted to make that voice turn friendly, to hear
it speak to her tenderly.  What about the promise?  Oh...that's
right.  If it came down to that, she wouldn't keep her word.  That
was all there was to it.  Some things were simply more important
than honor.  
     "You bastard," said the voice, in a quiet, cold tone.  Ranko
cringed inwards at the voice.  She had to wake up, and then the
voice would be happy.  She tried to open her eyes, but they felt
like lead weights were attached.
     "I'm going to kill you..." said the voice, in a way that made
Ranko realize it was serious.  "You've killed her, you bastard!" 
Ranko tried to shout at the voice.  She wasn't dead.  She was just
resting.  It didn't work.  
     "Wait...did you hear something?" asked another voice.  Ranko
seemed to think she knew that one, too.  She tried to shout again.
     "Hey, now I hear it, too...can you hear me?  Ranko?"  She knew
that voice, too.  But not as well, she thought.  But...wasn't there
a voice missing?  
     "Ran...ma...?" she asked.  Her eyes fluttered open.  
     "See, Ryoga?" asked Akane.  "I told you to wait.  She's not
dead..."  That was the second voice.
     "Ranko-chan!" cried Ryoga.  That was the first voice.  Ranko
smiled, then cringed.  "I lost..." she whispered.  
     "What are you talking about?" asked Nabiki.  "The fight's not
over yet!"  That was the third, then.
     "It's not?" asked Ranko groggily.  She tried to sit up.  That
hurt, but she forced herself to.  The room seemed to spin, except
that she didn't seem to be *in* a room.  
     "You've only been out for five seconds, at most," explained
Akane.  
     "What?" asked Ranko.  "But Ryoga..."
     Akane smiled.  "Ryoga jumps to conclusions quickly," she added
dryly.  Ryoga blushed.  
     Ranko looked at him.  That was when she realized where she
was: in his arms.  "Wha--how did--what...?"  
     Akane smiled and patted Ranko on the arm.  "Ryoga-kun here
came out of nowhere and saved you.  Wasn't that sweet of him?"
     Ryoga blushed again.  "Uh...I...er..."  
     Ranko blinked as she realized his had been the first voice. 
She shoved that aside for the moment.  "Where's Ranma?" she asked. 
She ignored Ryoga's look of hurt.  
     "He's off trying to stall for time," said Nabiki, pointing at
the yard.  Ranma was dodging yet another attack by the old man, she
noted.  
     "Uhhn...let me down," she told Ryoga.  He looked at her with
an unreadable expression, but did as he was told.  She got to her
feet shakily, unsure if she could maintain her balance.  Luckily,
she had inherited the Saotome trait of healing quickly, and she
knew she'd be okay in just a few minutes.  Until then, though,
she'd need help...
     Ranko turned to Ryoga.  "Ryoga-kun," she said sweetly, "could
you please do me a big favour?  I'll pay you back, I promise." 
There was nothing she wouldn't do to get out of this--nothing at
all.  But she always paid her debts.  She hated owing anybody
anything at all.  That must be why her stomach was twisting so much
right now.  She hoped it wasn't from internal bleeding.
     Ryoga blinked.  "Of--of course," he stammered.  
     Ranko smiled wanly.  "If Happosai wins the fight, I have to
marry him."  
     Ryoga turned white.  "M-marry?  That old freak?"  
     Ranko nodded.  "I have to win this fight."  She took a deep
breath.  It hurt.  "Now, I have to ask you if, after everything I
said to you, you could possibly find it in your heart to do me this
favour and--"
     Ryoga's hands shook.  "Let me fight him!" he begged.  "Please! 
I'm begging you!"
     "Um...sure," she said, nonplussed.  Ryoga took off like a
flash.

                           *    *    *

     Ranma desperately dodged another attack.  He couldn't dodge
them all, he knew, but he had to buy time.  That was all he *could*
do, thanks to that infernal wish.  The others should be here, too,
he knew.  He felt anger burn in his heart that they were not.  It
may have been irrational, but he didn't care.
     He cared when Happosai flung him into the dojo wall for the
fifth time, however.  Ranma struggled to clear his head.  It didn't
work.  He moved, though, because to stay still was to lose.  He
heard a crash from behind him, and spun around.  
     "DIE, MONSTER!!" yelled a voice from behind him.  Ranma
blinked.  Behind him?  Happosai was in *front* of him.  Suddenly,
Ryoga leapt past him, leg outstretched in a kick attack that
Happosai easily dodged.  
     "That wasn't very nice," commented Happosai as he easily threw
Ryoga into the ground headfirst.  Ryoga stood up, apparently
unhurt.  Happosai didn't blink an eye.  Ryoga launched half a dozen
punches at the old man as Ranma stared.  
     "So, you want to play, too?" asked the old man, easily dodging
the attacks.  "Very well!  But I won't be easy on you!"  He spun
his pipe in a circle and hit Ryoga over the head.
     Ranma groaned.  If that had been easy, he wasn't sure he
wanted to face the hard.

                           *    *    *

     "Don't you think you should be lying down?" asked Akane
worriedly.
     Ranko gave her a cold stare.  It faltered.  She shrugged
instead.  "I have to do this," she explained.  "Even if it kills
me."
     "That's exactly what it's going to do if you keep this up,
Ranko," came a voice from behind her.  She spun in a circle and
felt pain from even that.  
     "What?" she gasped.  "Who are you?"  The tall, brown-haired
man now in front of her seemed familiar, but she couldn't place
him.  
     "We've never met," said the man dryly.  "Which is a bit
surprising, considering your recent activities.  I think we need to
talk about that later on.  But for now...well, my name is Dr. Ono
Tofu."
     Ranko gasped.  "Oh!  Doctor..."  She tried to bow, and winced. 
"How did you get here?"
     "Ryoga asked me to guide him here," he explained.  Then he
shook his head.  "Akane is right; you should be resting."
     Ranko pouted.  "I can't!  Not now...I have to fight--"
     Dr. Tofu smiled sadly.  "I expected no less.  You're a lot
like Ranma, do you know that?  But I'm afraid you can't."
     "He's my brother," explained Ranko.  "Wait, what do you *mean*
I can't?" she asked angrily.
     Dr. Tofu poked her in the side, and she fell down, a single
moan her only protest.  His strong arms caught hold of her.  "You
see?  You're too badly hurt, Ranko.  Physical exertion will just
make it worse--much worse."
     "But I have to fight," she begged him.  "Isn't there something
you can do?"  
     "Well..." admitted Dr. Tofu, "there is *one* thing I can
try...a special Shiatsu point that will let you ignore pain.  But
hand-to-hand combat is out, even with that, I'm afraid."  He tapped
her in the indicated spot.  "So I'm afraid I can't do that in clear
conscience."
     "Really, Dr. Tofu?" asked Kasumi.  
     "Ka-Kasumi!" stammered Dr. Tofu, his glasses fogging up. 
"What an incredible coincidence to find you here, of all places!" 
He twisted Ranko's arm.  She cried out in pain.
     "Oh, Dr. Tofu, I live here," giggled Kasumi.
     "YAAAAAAHHH!!" screamed Ranko.  
     "Oh?  Ranma, is something wrong?" asked Dr. Tofu.
     "My arm!  My arm!" screamed Ranko.
     Dr. Tofu examined her arm--the other one.  "It looks fine to
me," he said.  "What seems to be the problem?"
     "P-pain!!" she whispered.
     "Oh, that's easy.  Here," said the doctor, poking her in the
side.  "That should do it.  Now, Ranma, be sure not to fight with
Akane so much.  Don't you think so, Kasumi?" he asked Akane.
     "I'm Akane, doctor," said Akane.
     "Hey!" exclaimed Ranko.  "It doesn't hurt any more!"  
     "Oh?  And how long have you been that way, Akane?" asked the
doctor.
     Akane grabbed Ranko.  "Don't you dare!"
     Ranko looked at her.  "What are you talking about?"
     Akane glared at her.  "Don't you dare fight Happosai in your
condition, you baka!  You heard what Dr. Tofu said!"
     Ranko grinned humourlessly.  "So?"
     Akane grabbed her by the shoulders.  "Let Ryoga do the
fighting."
     Ranko stole a glance at Ryoga.  He was in the air, landing on
his head.  She winced at that in sympathetic pain.  She turned back
to Akane.  "I don't think so."
     Akane shook her head.  "I won't let you fight."
     Ranko raised an eyebrow.  "Well...then, there's still one
way," she said.  "Do you still have those goldfish of yours?"

                           *    *    *

     Ryoga flung his fists out at the old freak who, true to form,
easily ducked underneath, tripping him.  He landed on top of Ranma. 
     "Hey!  Get off me, you idiot!" yelled Ranma.  
     "Shut up!" replied Ryoga.  "You can't even fight him!"  
     "Like you're doing such a good job of it, yourself?" asked
Ranma.  
     "This is no time to fight, guys..." said Ranko, wearily
jogging up to them.  
     "Ranko!" both of them said together.  All three, in fact;
Happosai glomped onto her.  
     "Get...OFF!!" she yelled, punching him away from her.  She
gasped at the exertion.  It hadn't seemed to hurt, but she knew
she'd be paying for it later.  She smiled at Ryoga.  "Ryoga-
kun...stand here...and wait until I give you this sign, okay?"
     Ryoga looked puzzled, but nodded.  "Okay..."
     Ranko pulled one leg up, fluttered her eyes, and struck a
coquettish pose.  "Oh, Happosai-kun," she sang musically.  "Come
an' get me, you big hunk!"  
     "SWEETO!" said Happosai, jumping at her.  Ranko hastily made
the sign, and Happosai's lunge was interrupted by a rock-hard fist.
     Happosai blinked.  "Bah!  That wasn't fair!  Well, you won't
get me again the same way."  
     Ranko nodded.  "You're right."  Then she let her blouse fall
open again.  "Oh, my!" she exclaimed.  "My blouse fell open!"
     Happosai's eyes lit up.  "SWEETO!!"  
     Ranko quickly made the sign again.  Happosai glomped onto her. 
She made the sign again.  She looked up at Ryoga.  His eyes were
glazed.  "RYOGA!!" 
     Ryoga seemed to come alive with a start, and blushed as he
grabbed the old man off of Ranko's chest where he had been rubbing
up against, and flung him into the ground.
     Happosai stood back up again and smashed Ryoga into the
ground.  Ranko threw her hand into the air.  It had a pair of
panties in it.  "Fetch," she suggested, throwing it over his head. 
He jumped in the air.  Her fist met his face.  
     "This is almost too easy," she said smugly, about half a
second before Happosai flung her into the wall.  
     "Ohhh..." she moaned.  "Not working fast enough..."
     Akane rushed up to her.  "Here you go..." she said, handing
over her goldfish bowl.  Ranko took one look and shrieked.  Akane
blinked.  "Don't you want it?"  She thrust it at the terrified
girl.  Ranko fainted.  Akane blinked.  Ranma jumped down from the
tree where he had been and slapped her face.  
     "Akane, give me that for a sec," he said.  Akane handed him
the goldfish bowl.  Ranma took it and turned it upside down,
quickly slamming it down over Ranko's head.  
     "WHAT THE HECK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" demanded Akane. 
Ranko woke up with a start, and started to panic.  
     "Um...I'm trying to get Ranko to go into shark-mode," he
explained.  
     "Not to mention drown her," added Nabiki.  Ranma looked at
Ranko.  She was beginning to turn blue.  Her eyes were spinning,
and little goldfish were swimming, apparently undisturbed, around
her face.  Suddenly, she stopped moving.  
     "Aaah!" cried Akane, letting go of Ranma.  "Oh no!  Ranko!"  
     "Don't sweat it, Akane," said Ranma.  "She's not dead, she's
just gone into shark mode."
     "And what are you going to do about the fish, Ranma?" asked
Akane coldly, trying to get the bowl off of Ranko.  
     "Oh...that's easy," said Ranma.  "Hey, stand back, willya?" 
Akane blinked and took a step back.  Ranma leaned forward and
smashed the bowl with his fist.  
     Akane screamed.  "MY FISH!!"  She turned to Ranma and started
to pummel him into the ground.
     Ranko stood up slowly.  Ryoga landed in front of her, struck
down by the old man once again.  Ranko grabbed him by the shoulder
and bit into his neck.  Ryoga grabbed her and tore her away.  "What
are you doing?" he asked her.  She didn't answer.  She was eerily
silent, just staring with cold eyes.  Ryoga began to panic.
     Ranma got free of Akane and stood back up.  "Hey, that's not
supposed to happen," he said.  "She doesn't usually bite people...
except under...ah..." he blushed, "...very *odd* situations."  
     Ryoga frowned.  "What is she *supposed* to be doing?"
     Ranma turned to him.  "Oh yeah, that's right--you don't know,
do you?  She's a shark."
     Ryoga's frown grew even more pronounced.  "A shark?"  He
gasped as Ranko bit into one of his fingers, and he let go of her. 
She bounced onto the tree and away.
     Ranma hastily amended his statement.  "Well, she *thinks*
she's a shark.  But usually she uses the shark-fist, not biting." 
He frowned.  "Maybe she's hungry...?" he guessed.  
     "I don't think so, Ranma," said Nabiki.  
     "Huh?" he asked.  
     "There was water in the bowl, remember?"
     "So?" he asked, still puzzled.
     "So...what happens when Ranko touches cold water?" asked
Nabiki.
     Ranma blinked.  "She changes...but...oh...she's never been in
shark-form *and* bimbo-form at the same time, before..."
     "Bimbo-form?"  Akane raised an eyebrow.
     "Hey!" he said defensively.  "I need *something* to call it!"
     "How about Azusa-form?" asked Nabiki.  Akane blinked
uncomprehendingly.
     Ranma shuddered.  "PLEASE don't mention that name to me," he
begged.  "Ranko met a girl called Azusa once, in her..." he stole
a glance at Akane, "er, her *other* form.  She nearly spent the
rest of her life being called 'Marie-Antoinette' and being kept as
a pet.  The worst part of it was, she *liked* it."
     "The name, or being kept as a pet?" wondered Ukyou.
     "Er...shouldn't somebody be doing something about Happosai?"
wondered Akane.  
     "And where's Ranko?" asked Ryoga.  
     "Oops," said Ranma.

                           *    *    *

     Ranko bounded off the tree.  There was prey near, but she
ignored it.  There was also a silly little prey trying to get her
attention, but she ignored him, too.  There was something more
important she had to do.  Ranko dived into the pool.
     Ranma looked at Ranko bubbling and gurgling as she swam in
small circles around the pool, and shook his head.  "Oh, man," he
said.  "This is bad."  
     Happosai peered at her.  "What's the matter?" he asked.  "Are
you giving up?"  He smiled.  "I could do with a swim myself, come
to think of it...especially with my new fiancee..."  He dived into
the pool after Ranko.  
     There was a splash, and one of the prey had entered the water
with Ranko.  Ranko felt fear.  What if the prey wanted to kill her? 
Somewhere deep inside her shark being, she knew that prey existed
to be hunted, not the other way around.  Ranko ignored it and swam
as fast as she could.  
     "Does she realize the pool is only two feet deep?" wondered
Akane, seeing Ranko madly shuffle along her stomach.  
     "Sweeto!" cried Happosai.  
     "That *does* it!" yelled Ryoga.  He picked up a tree (1) and
flung it at Happosai.
     "Well, *this* was a great idea, Ranma," said Nabiki
sarcastically.  He winced.  
     "Isn't there some way to change her back without losing the
shark-form?" asked Akane. 
     "I dunno," replied Ranma.  "We always use hot water to get her
out of it...so you see..."
     Ukyou groaned.  "Well...is there any way to get her to fight
in that form?"
     Ranma shrugged.  "I don't know...I mean...well, you know what
she's like.  I can't think of anything that would make her angry
enough to fight."
     Nabiki smiled evilly.  "What if someone she loved was in
danger?" she asked.  
     Ranma hesitated, then nodded.  "Maybe." he said.  "Why?"
     Nabiki smiled again.  "Because I have someone I'd like to
introduce to you," she said.  "Ranma, meet Fluffy.  Fluffy, meet
Ranma-snoogums."  She held up a cat and placed it on his face.
     Ranma screamed.

                           *    *    *

     Ranko paused in her frantic swimming.  She could hear a voice
screaming.  That meant easy prey.  But...that voice was not prey,
was it?  Two parts of Ranko warred inside her.  Then one part won 
out.
     Happosai finally caught up with his soaking wet fiancee.  "Oh,
Ranko-chan!" he sighed.  "What a lovely bride you'll make!"  He
glomped onto her.  It was too bad for him that sharks, as a rule,
are silent, or he might have had some warning.
     Ranko suddenly grew brighter, and from her arms some kind of
light came forth.  In its way, it sent Happosai flying away from her. 
Weakened from this, it nevertheless managed to strike the cat on
Ranma's face, which yelped in pain.
     Ukyou stared.  Was that a...shark she had seen?  It was almost
as if the water Ranko had splashed--a rather long way for a splash,
she admitted--as if it had taken on the form of a shark.  Fluffy
screeched and clawed Ranma's face before jumping off him and
running away at top speed.  Ukyou stared at Ranma.  She sighed.  He
was in cat form again.  He turned to her, then bounded onto her. 
Ukyou stared in surprise for a moment, then smiled.  "Good kitty,"
she tried.  Ranma yowled and jumped off her into the pond.  She
sighed.  So...she had just been a stepping stone for him.  Oh,
well.  There were worse things to be.  She brightened and went into
the dojo.  
     Ranma and Ranko landed together.  Then both turned their gaze
onto Happosai.  The old man shook his head.  "My, my," he said. 
"You youngsters sure are tiresome.  I'll have to end this soon,
much as I'm enjoying the exercise."  
     Ranko raised her arms as Ranma leapt forward.  Suddenly two
distinct attacks charged the air, and Happosai was thrown
backwards, smoking.
     "What was THAT?" asked Akane.  
     Mr. Saotome walked up to her.  "THAT was the ultimate special
technique of Twins Fighting Cat-Fu and Shark-Fu, combined!!"  He
clenched his fist.  "The Shark-Fist is an attack that fuels your
Ch'i into the air in one long, concentrated stream.  You focus on
your arms, not your fingers.  And then that long range-attack is
combined with the short-range attack of Cat-Fu, and no human
opponent can stand up to it!"  
     Happosai stood back up.  Ranma attacked while Ranko sent
another wave at him.  This time, Ranma was struck out of the air by
Happosai, shielding Happosai from the Shark-Fist as Ranma took the
brunt of its blast.
     "Uh-huh," said Nabiki.  "It appears like Happosai is an alien,
then."
     "I'd believe that," said Akane flatly.
     "Oh, my!" exclaimed Kasumi.  "Really?"
     Genma was startled.  "That...that *can't* be happening," he
stammered.  Then his eyes widened.  "Of course!" he said.  "Ranma
can't attack at close range...but that's what he's been trained
in!"
     "What?" demanded Akane.  
     Genma started sobbing.  "I trained him in Cat-Fu...a close-
combat attack.  Shark-Fu was the complementary long-range attack. 
They were equal, but different.  Partners.  I trained them exactly
the same--except for this.  Ranma is used to attacking up close,
with Ranko supporting him from further away."
     Ranma stood up shakily.  Happosai lunged forward as Ranko let
loose another Shark-fist blast.  He barely dodged it, but kept
going.
     "So she's going to lose?  Is that it?" asked Akane.  "Can't
you do something about it?"
     Ranma stood up and clawed at the air.  It spiralled into
furious air currents, slashing at Happosai.  Ranko dodged his
attacks and tried to launch her own attack.  Happosai was too
close.  He twirled his pipe, and she spun out of range.
     "It looks like Ranma's doing okay," commented Akane.  "But
Ranko doesn't stand a chance."
     "Not like that, anyway," added Ukyou, coming out of the dojo. 
She hefted a tea kettle.  "I had a feeling that Ranko might be
wanting this...
     Happosai paused as his target was suddenly enveloped in steam. 
Was this some new attack?  Ranko sat up, spluttering.  "Next time,
don't throw the stupid kettle, too!" she shouted to nobody in
particular.  Happosai shrugged and jumped at her.  
     "YEEK!" she screamed, kicking at him.  He blocked.  She dodged
behind a tree, then tripped him.  He recovered and slammed her into
the tree.  Although she felt no pain, she could hear a rib snap. 
She didn't have much time...or much left to give.
     "Excuse me," came a voice from behind Happosai.  He turned
around in surprise.  It was Ryoga.  "I believe this is my dance,"
he hissed.  


(1)  Yes, a tree.  A whole tree.  Ryoga is *strong*.

                           *    *    *

     Happosai sneered.  "Stay out of this, boy."  
     Ryoga shook his head.  "Sorry," he said.  "I can't do that. 
You see...I love Ranko."
     Everybody gasped, and Ranko turned bright crimson.  She had
forgotten everybody else was watching.
     Ryoga turned to Ranko.  "Ranko-chan," he said softly.  "I want
you to know...I'm doing this...for you."  
     Ranko cocked her head at him.  He blushed.  "I know...you
don't want me around," he said.  "And...I've caused you pain.  So
this is my way of trying to make it up to you.  Without you, I
couldn't do this."  He took a deep breath.  Then he turned to
Happosai.  
     "SHISHI HOUKOUDAN!!!" he cried, as pain and light enveloped
his body.
     "What's happening!?!" cried Akane, shielding her eyes.  
     "The full Shishi Houkoudan..." breathed Soun.  
     Ryoga's body seemed to glow for a minute, one moment in time,
as he twisted in pain.  White energy crackled around him, was let
loose with all the destructive force of a hurricane.  A huge column
of light soared up into the heavens.
     "What...the heck..." gasped Akane.
     "Forget that!" yelled Ukyou.  "RUN!"  She grabbed Akane's hand
and dragged her along. 
     "The full Shishi Houkoudan..." murmurer Genma.  "I never
thought I'd see it in my lifetime.  The Lion Roar Projectile.  It
uses the power of depression to destroy...the more depressed you
are, the stronger the force of the blast.  Truly a double-edged
sword...first, it goes into the air, and then..." he snapped out of it 
as he remembered what happened next.  "What the heck am I 
doing here?!?"  He ran for the dojo.
     Happosai desperately began to build up his own Ki for a last-
ditch defence.  All this was happening in the space of mere
moments.  Even as they thought of it, the great blast lost
momentum, began to fall, gaining speed as it flew towards the
ground, larger and more powerful than when it had left.
     "Too late, old lech," gasped Ryoga.  "Too late for that.  When
you hurt my Ranko-chan, I..."
     "You what?" asked Ranko.
     Ryoga spun around.  "GYAAAAAH!!" he shrieked.  "WHAT ARE YOU
STILL DOING HERE!?"  
     Ranko blinked.  "YOU'RE still here."
     Ryoga pulled his hair.  "I'M immune to it's effects, if I
concentrate and don't move--oh no, no, NOOO--!!"  Ryoga grabbed
Ranko and threw her to the ground, landing on top of her.  Then
everything became white as the blast hit home.

                           *    *    *

     Ranko coughed and sat up, rolling Ryoga off her.  The garden
she had been standing in moments earlier was now a desolate crater. 
She had to blink her eyes to get rid of the tears caused from the
smoke, and she thought she would never regain her hearing quite the
same.  
     "Ohhhh..." she groaned.  "Man, Ryoga.  When you get angry, you
really do it in style, dontcha?  Remind me never to make you mad at
me."  She looked down at him.  "Ryoga?"  He didn't stir a muscle. 
     Her eyes widened.  "RYOGA!!"  She grabbed him by the shoulders
and shook him.  "HEY!  RYOGA!!  WAKE UP!!!"  
     Akane peeked out from the dojo.  She couldn't believe her
eyes.  Nearly the entire garden was one smoking crater.  And in the
centre, three figures were still...and one was crying.  She
ventured outside.  Ukyou followed with her, glancing at Akane for
mutual support.  Strangely, Akane felt warmed by that gesture.
     "Ryoga..." sobbed Ranko.  "You didn't have to do it...not for
me...never for me...please wake up..."  He didn't respond, was so
still...not moving at all.  She sobbed, and her throat seemed to 
choke her as she did.
     Ranma walked up to her from wherever he had hidden, and pawed
at her half-heartedly.  He mewled at her, trying to cheer her up. 
     Ranko put her arms around Ryoga's still form and sobbed into
his chest.  "Oh...Ryoga...I wish...I...I...I'm so sorry..."
     Ryoga weakly held her hand with his.  "If I die now...I will
die a happy man..." he managed.
     Ranko's eyes widened.  "RYOGA!!" she yelled happily.  
     Someone coughed.  Ranko looked up, irritated.  Then her eyes
widened.  She sat up.  Ryoga felt saddened, but resolved not to let
her see it.  Ranma's hair stood on end and he hissed.
     "Happosai!" shrieked Ranko.  "You're still conscious?!  How--"
     The venerable psycho stood up straight to his full height (1). 
He coughed again.  "Very impressive," he croaked.  "But not good
enough."  He stepped forward.  
     "No!" yelled Ranko fearfully.  She ran backwards, abandoning
Ryoga.  Ranma ran alongside her, not understanding.  Happosai
followed slowly.  
     "No..." said Ranko, slower.  "No," she said a third time.  She
took a deep breath.  "Not again, not this time.  I won't let you."
     "KIAI!!" yelled Ranko, leaping into the air at the same time
as Ranma sliced into it, once more knowing her move before she even
made it.  The air to both sides of Ranko were sliced through with
Cat-Fu, while the one narrow avenue between was suddenly filled
with her foot.  She connected with the old man, and he was sent
flying, landing in a silent heap.  He didn't move again.    
     "Ha!" she cheered.  "Gotcha!"  Then she looked down.  "Oh,
no..." she breathed, as she saw the pond before her.  "Not AGAIN!!"
she shrieked.  In a flurry of desperate movement, she grabbed Ryoga
from midair and tossed him forward, using the momentum gained from
that move, and kicking off from him, to escape the cool waters of
the pool.  
     Ryoga fell into the water with a splash.  Akane stared. 
"What...what did you do that for, Ranko?"  She ran to the pool. 
"He's not surfacing!  He must be too injured to swim!"
     Ukyou turned to Ranko, shivering on shore.  "Using the man who
nearly gave his life to save you...how cold-hearted."
     Ranko opened her mouth, then shut it again.  She turned away. 
Behind her, she could hear splashing as Akane tried to find Ryoga. 
"Come on, Ukyou, help me!  You too, Ranko--unless you want him
dead!"  Ranko didn't answer.  "Ranko!"  She started walking back
into the dojo.  "RANKO!"


(1)  Happosai stood up, to his full height of two foot six inches. 

                           *    *    *
 
     Ranma felt cold water splash him, and he blinked, unsure where
he was.  "What happened?" he asked.
     "You really don't remember, Ranma?" asked Akane.  
     Ranma blushed.  "Ah...well...I never remember what I do in
cat-form," he said.  He looked around.
     "Ranko is in her room," Akane said matter-of-factly.  
     "Oh," said Ranma sheepishly.  He opened his mouth again.
     "Happosai is tied up in a barrel with chains and locked in the
basement," she continued, "Kasumi is in the kitchen preparing
lunch, Nabiki is tallying the costs of the fight to the dojo, and
both your father and mine are celebrating in the living room."
     Ranma blinked.  "Oh..." he said.  "How about Ukyou?"
     A hand reached out and took his.  "I'm right here," said
Ukyou.  She smiled at him tenderly.  "I didn't want to leave you
when you might need me," she admitted.  
     Ranma recoiled from her.  "So who asked you?" he demanded.
     Ukyou sighed, and looked down at the ground.  "I was hoping...
since you acted so differently before...I mean..."  Her voice
trailed off.
     Ranma ignored her and turned back to Akane.  "How about Ryoga? 
Anybody else I miss?"  Akane held out a dripping wet Ryo-chan to
him.  He rolled his eyes.  "Gee, I dunno, Akane, but I wasn't
really thinking of pets.  I meant real people."
     Akane gave him a rueful look.  "What, you don't think a pig
counts as a person?"
     Ranma snorted.  "I'm being serious, Akane!"
     Ukyou trembled.  "Ranchan," she said, "I don't know how to
tell you this, but..."  Ranma ignored her.  She grabbed his
shoulder and spun him around.  "Listen, you ungrateful, pompous
little ass, I helped you out there.  The least you could do is
*listen* to me when I'm trying to help you again!!"
     Ranma gulped.  "Ah...right.  Sorry, Ukyou.  What was it you
wanted to tell me?"
     Ukyou took the unconscious piglet from Akane's hands. 
"Ranma...when you were in Jhusenkyou...did you ever hear of a...I
don't know...spring of drowned pig, or piglet, or something?"  
     Ranma frowned.  "I dunno...there are so many of them, and I'm
not good at Chinese..."
     Akane shook her head.  "Ukyou, you have to be direct with
Ranma."
     Ranma looked back and forth between the two girls.  "What?" he
finally asked.  "What am I missing?  I ask where Ryoga is, you give
me Ranko's pet pig, and then you ask me dumb questions about..." 
His voice trailed off.  He grabbed the pig from Ukyou's hands.  "He
*couldn't* have..."
     Ukyou held out a kettle of hot water.  He grabbed it from her
and liberally poured it over the pig.  There was a shimmering, and
then a fully naked young man lay on the floor next to Ranma.  
     Ranma looked up, hatred in his eyes.  "He...that bastard...
slept with Ranko...how *dare* he..."  He took a deep breath.  "Does
Ranko know?"  Akane nodded silently.  "How did she take it?" 
     "She just said 'oh, that's nice'."  Akane frowned.  "Maybe you
should talk to her."
     Ranma clenched his hands into fists and looked down at the
unconscious Ryoga.  "I..." he unclenched his hands, with some
effort.  "Yeah."  He stood up, again with some effort.  "He'll get
his...I swear it."
     He stood up and walked out of the room.  Akane and Ukyou
shared a look between them.  They weren't sure to be worried more
for the unconscious boy on the floor, or the other who had walked
out of the room with such hatred in his heart.

                        End of Episode 19