DISCLAIMER: Ranma Nibunnoichi is the property of Takahashi Rumiko,
Shogakukan Inc, Shonen Sunday Comics, and Viz Video. It is used without
their permission and is not intended for profit but only for the
enjoyment of fans of the Ranma series. All characters within this fic
that are not the property of the above mentioned are copyrighted to the
author, Joseph Kohle, January 1997. This work of fiction is the result
of the author's hard work and is for the enjoyment of others. Please do
not change, modify, or use any segment of this story without the
author's knowing and written consent. Feel free to archive this work.

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                       Meiyo Ai soshite Nikushimi

                       A Ranma Nibunnoichi Fanfic
                            by Joseph Kohle
  
		    Part II: The Judgement of Boukyaku
		     Chapter V Sacrifice and Betrayal

 
     Nabiki was rooted in front of the television sightlessly watching a
movie as it played out on the screen. A dramatic play of tragedy and
despair. It told the tale of two lovers ripped apart when one's family
falls to disgrace. There was no point to watching the feature, she
already knew the ending. Driven by disastrous circumstances, the two
lovers had done the unthinkable and taken their lives committing
shinjuu; however, it was not a traditional shinjuu, they did not bind
themselves hand and foot, plunging into the water to certain death.
Instead the dishonored male went to seek vengeance  on the one who
had dishonored him fully expecting his own death.
     Penning his beloved a note of farewell filled with his dread inten-
tions, he departed and sought out the ronin who had brought him
down. When he found the churlish ronin, the twice-cursed, base-caste,
bastard had been in the midst of attempting to kill his patron, the one to
whom the ronin had dishonored the hero. Having nothing to lose, the
samurai places himself in harms way and prevents the assassination and
forces the ronin to his knees and confession, gaining back his lost
honour.
     At the same time his lover found the note.  Distraught with grief,
realizing she would never be with her lover, she took her family tanto
and spilled her blood and life upon the thirsty earth. She died expecting
to join him in paradise. 
     The hero returned, reinstated to his samurai status as a personal
retainer of his patron, to find his love dead by her own hand. Realizing
the horrendous result of his path, he had taken his life using the same
tanto, mixing their blood as he committed shinjuu.
     The tragedy and sorrow of the tale were poignant to Nabiki. How
could she not be moved? Had not her sister returned only a few hours
ago, ravaged by grief? Nabiki shuddered as her sister's face flashed
through her mind. 
     Lunch was ending, the family circling the table when they heard the
front door open. Curious, Nabiki turned towards the hall to see who
was intruding within their home. The wait was not long as Akane
turned into the hallway and moved towards the family, slowly dragging
her feet, her head bowed like she carried the weight of the world on her
shoulders. 
     "Akane!" Kasumi had stated in her cheerful voice as she glanced up
from the table to see her younger sister, "Did everything.." Kasumi's
voice had died as Akane lifted her face from the floor, the room's light
illuminating her features. "Oh my.."
     Nabiki sucked in her breath in surprise and sympathy. It was not
Akane that had returned from the trip. Some hollow shell that had
acquired her younger sister's features now stood before Nabiki. Her
skin was waxy, ghostly pale in the incandescent light, like an unfinished
porcelain doll. Unkept, lusterless hair framed the pale face. But the
eyes, her eyes were a blow to Nabiki. Her sister had always had a vi-
brant spark within her, a burning personality that blazed brighter than a
thousand fires on a dark night. Her eyes had no longer held that.
Wooden orbs of pain and sorrow stared back at her, rending her own
heart.
     Nabiki switched off  the television as the samurai's childhood love
read the note. She could not take that. It was enough that her own
sister had been thrown into the depths of depression. Nothing had
roused Akane from her room since she had returned. Akane had not
even mentioned what had happened, shambling past her stunned family
and disappearing upstairs.
     The story had been dragged from a silent Saotome Genma as Ukyou
had returned Ranma to his room and then had left the house quietly,
leaving the family alone. Nabiki and the rest had listened intently as
Genma had explained the failed attempt. 
     She had listened as he explained finding out the information from
Miyanoo-sensei and then the trail that had led to Okinokami, the
mysterious sleeping village. He had told them of Akane wandering off,
only to return hours later looking very similar to how she had looked
upon returning home.
     According to Genma, Ukyou and himself had been unable to get
anything from Akane except a imperceptible motion to follow the path
on which she had returned. Worried they had followed the path to find
Ouchi-sensei's home and his grave marker in the garden. Apparently he
had died several months previously of simple old age. Their mission had
been worth nothing, a false hope that had thrown Akane into a deep
depression.
     Nabiki was terrified for her sister, afraid of what might happen if
things continued like this. Her extra-curricular activities had given her
an insight into the human psyche, and just to be prepared she had spent
time study psychology and mental afflictions. She knew that sometimes
people just withdraw from the world when faced with overwhelming
tragedies. In most cases the person would return on their own, but in
a few cases the victim had simply wasted away to death. 
     Trying to prevent this, she and Kasumi had both gone to Akane
after hearing Genma's tale. They had found her curled on her bed
clutching a picture frame tightly to her chest, rocking gently on the bed. 
     They had tried to talk with her, comfort her, reason with her, even
bribe her.  Nothing they had said had reached her, nothing had broken
through to the Akane that was locked within that pathetic vessel laying
on Akane's bed. The whole thing was tearing Nabiki up. She was feel-
ing horrid about her sister's suffering and helpless because there was
nothing that she could do to alleviate it. Cologne held all the cards
now, the one hope of a cure they had had was a fleeting puff of smoke
dissipated by a transient breeze.
     If there was a way, Nabiki knew that she could find it eventually,
but this time nothing had played out right. It was as if fate and the kami
were playing against them, betting on them to lose. Damn Cologne.
Damn her.
     Cologne had done something that Nabiki found reprehensible, un-
forgivable. The ghoul had hurt her family, and Nabiki promised herself
that she would find a way to ruin the old woman. If she had been a
samurai, it would have been blood debt between them, but now it was
just a personal vendetta with Nabiki. Attacking Ranma like she had was
enough to anger Nabiki. She liked Ranma, he was a part of the family,
or would be, she had no doubts about that. But now it also involved
her sister. For that Cologne would pay and pay dearly.
     So caught up in her own plans of revenge, Nabiki did not hear it at
first, but soon it became hard not to notice in the tomb-like stillness of
the house. A soft, coughing sob was echoing through the house,
steadily growing stronger. Akane. Nabiki knew it was her sister
immediately, she was the only who might be crying.  
     More importantly, it meant that Akane had finally returned to
herself, breaking from her depression and shock. Nabiki hurriedly
scrambled to her feet and rushed upstairs, some of her worry and fear
dissipating under this auspicious turn of events. She found Kasumi
already in Akane's room, holding their younger sister as she sobbed
uncontrollably in her oneechan's arms. Silently, Nabiki joined them and
held both of them as Akane cried, the closeness of her beloved sisters
comforting the stricken child.
 
     It was a subdued Akane that joined the family. To anyone who had
not seen her earlier, she would have appeared sickly and withdrawn,
but compared to her earlier bearing, this Akane was doing much better.
She picked at her food and watched the family a little. Her skin was not
as pale, yet her eyes were still haunted mirrors. There was not much
conversation at the table that night. No one was going to chance
bringing up a subject that might unhinge Akane again. She was at least
now back among the living, for which Nabiki and the rest were very
thankful.
     The silence that hung over the table was a miasma that improved the
situation like a festering sore improved one's health. Nabiki felt the
tension around the table, even Kasumi was subdued, a sad expression
on her face. Ranma's father ate absently, not even bothering to try and
take more than he was given. Her father was crying softly, mumbling
about how his and Saotome's lines would never be joined.
     Just as the depressing atmosphere was becoming too much for
Nabiki, Akane stood up and left the table. "I need to be alone," she
explained as she left the dining area and walked down the hall to the
front door. Nabiki watched Akane leave with a worried expression. She
silently hoped Akane found some sort of solution while she was out.
Sometimes being alone to think was the best medicine. She knew from
personal experience. Who had ever been lonelier than her?

     A hot breeze tugged incessantly at his loose pants, demanding his
attention with ravenous glee. Closing his eyes, Ranma attempted to
ignore it, ignore the withering heat that had gradually intensified over
the incalculable time since Boukyaku had attacked him. Delving within
himself he retreated from the prison realm and found his focal point.
Gathering it tightly around himself like he would a thick blanket on a
cold night, Ranma found a serene safety from the deceptions of
Boukyaku's realm.
     This safety was as much an illusion as the prison. To stay here was
unthinkable, he needed to connect with his physical body, spread the
calm of his inner being to reality and eventually into his surroundings.
Encompassing his body within the peace he floated was a simple task.
There were no surprises for him within his body. Every muscle, tendon,
bone, sense was instinctively known to him. So he only needed to
include his body as a part of his psyche and ki. 
     Soon he felt the repulsive environment around him, caressing his
body. Though it was muted by the calm he had embraced, he needed to
spread that calm into the world to break Boukyaku's spell. In theory it
was easy to do. Take the inner calm and create a skin around himself,
while making the physical body the center; however, even in the
relatively passive surroundings Xian Lin had taught him in, he had only
accomplished the task once. It was like draining the ocean with a sieve.
For every few drops he managed to hold in place, most returned from
whence it came.   
     In a hostile environment, it was like he was trying to move the water
through a thick layer of ice, while he was drowning underneath it. This
was not to say that Ranma did not try. He threw his whole being into it,
trying to shatter the ice and begin protecting himself. It was to no avail.
Boukyaku was too strong for him. He did not have the control, the
experience to do it. Reluctantly, he released his hold and felt peace slip
away from him only to be replaced by the nauseating taste of the
damnable prison.
     Forcing himself to ignore Boukyaku's influence, Ranma turned to
face Xian Lin. Unlike him, she could seal herself away from the prison
and had been doing so for most of the time since Boukyaku had
confronted them. Before slipping into her meditative trance, she had
explained that she was much more vulnerable than him and that it
would be safer for her. 
     Against his better judgement, he had relented to her request and
watched with mixed emotions as she left him alone again. Sighing he
glanced at the sky. It was no longer the sooty red. Instead a chaotic
swirl of fire and darkness hung over his head, an omen of the power he
faced. The world around him, like the sky, was blooming into its
semblance of life as Boukyaku became more firmly entrenched in the
single statue instead of the twelve.
     Heat radiated in waves from the parched ground. Hot breezes
rushed over the land grabbing dust and adding to the grow storms of
wind and sand. The mountains were burning in the distance, and rivers
of flames meandered across the land like burning trails of gasoline. 
     Most of it did not touch Ranma. It stayed beyond his reach, pushed
back by his own hold on reality and himself. Only the hot breeze made
its way to him, penetrating his defenses as easily as a needle pushes
aside the individual fibers of cloth. 
     Ignoring the breeze, he returned his contemplation to Xian Lin. She
was meditating in the lotus position, her hands resting easily on her
knees, her head bowed forward. The quiet of the area around him was 
disturbing. Since he had met her, Xian Lin had made a point of talking 
incessantly. As if she were trying to make up for fifteen hundred years 
of imposed silence, she would rattle on about anything and everything. 
     At first her garrulous nature had taken him by surprise and caused
him a certain amount of uneasiness. Simply talking with someone for
the  joy of talking was a new experience to him. In most cases he never
conversed normally with any of his friends. They never chatted about
how they felt, what they liked, what their goals were. It was always
threats, insults, plots, and misunderstandings. To compound the
situation, he was not very good with words. Speaking always resulted
in him making a slip of the tongue. Generally this brought about
unwelcome and often disastrous and painful results. 
     With Xian Lin, he rarely spoke unless he was instructing her or
asking questions. Instead he listened to the constant flow of words,
mesmerized by her voice. She had a beautiful voice, a rich alto that
caressed each word as she spoke it. After a time he was so used to the
sound of her talking about the people she had been trapped within, the
things she had seen, that when she was silent he had checked to make
sure she was okay.
     At most of those times she was not. He remembered the sullen
expression that filled her face whenever she fell silent. He knew she was
suffering. The pain and grief rang like a bell in his mind at those times.
It was her original life that was making her suffer, and he did not know
how to make her talk about it, but it hurt her, and so in a way hurt him.
     He hated those silences, and now he was aching to hear her voice
again. Living in silence with nothing but Boukyaku's hatred throbbing
around him was fraying his already taunt nerves. Maybe if I go up to
her. She should know I'm there. Maybe she'll decide to return for a bit,
just to talk.
     A few twinges rippled through his muscles as he moved from the
spot he had occupied for what had seemed like hours. He took a few
tentative steps and then began to walk in earnest toward Xian Lin once
he had every part of his body under control once more.
     He felt a snarl rumble through the prison. Boukyaku was becoming
stronger by the minute. It would not be long before they faced the
cursed beast. He smiled grimly. The thought still terrified him, he
would not deny that, but the prospect of doing something was
exhilarating in its own right. It meant that he was going to return to
Akane soon. 
     Smiling softly as her face flashed through his mind, he stopped
directly behind Xian Lin. He missed Akane, more than he had thought
possible. It seemed that a year had slipped by while he was trapped. So
much was left unfinished between them. There was so much that he still
needed to do, that Akane deserved to have him do. The first thing I'm
going to tell her is that I love her. 
     Carefully he reached out and touched Xian Lin's shoulder, resting
his hand on her warm body. "Xian Lin," he called, "I think it's almost
time." He smiled then and added, "Besides, I need something to drown
out Boukyaku's muttering, and your voice is perfect for the job." He
laughed as he felt her anger flash through his mind.

     Xian Lin patiently hovered within her protective aura. Through the
centuries of her curse, this had been the way she had kept her sanity
within the turbulent and violent energies she was forced to be a part of.
In this way she was able to watch the world and keep safe. Although it
was harder and it was more like sensing than seeing, it was a way to
interact without the danger of direct involvement like she had taken
with Ranma.
     To any who would try this, they would find the experience not
unlike floating beneath the surface of a hot spring. There was a
detached calm and freedom of movement for the body and soul, only
the energy that surrounded the body could be felt, while the outside
world was perceived as a tremor against that energy. If she could have
remembered the experience, Xian Lin would have realized that what
she was experiencing was almost exactly what she had felt within her
mother's womb.
     She had calmly observed the increase in Boukyaku's presence within
the single statue Ranma and herself were trapped. Soon it would be
time to face the cause of so many of her woes, and in spite of her
determination, she was terrified.
     Boukyaku was stronger than the last time. She could feel the pure
malevolence and desire to be free in the thing. He knew there was a
chance to be free. He knew that there was an unprotected body waiting
to be his vessel. 
     More than anything Xian Lin would not allow such a thing to
happen. If it meant her own death and Ranma's to keep the creature
from the face of the Earth, she would gladly pay the price a hundred, a
thousand times over.
     There were none but her who had contacted Boukyaku's mind and
uncovered the twisted desires that lay therein. The horrors that
Boukyaku contemplated were unimaginable. Once in the world, the
demon would become unstoppable, jumping from one host to the other
as needed, consuming soul after soul.
     The Amazons never should have made that deal. They never should
have contacted that thing. We were wrong, so wrong. Why did they
not realize it? Why haven't they yet? Each time we feed its hunger, it
becomes that much stronger. How many have gone to oblivion since
I've been trapped? Too many, if Boukyaku is this strong. Too many.
     She had assured Ranma that they could win. She was not so sure of
their abilities anymore. Even with Ranma's strength and potential, the
battle was going to be barely even. He was just too inexperienced to
face this creature, and no matter what, even if they could hold
Boukyaku, unless someone broke the curse, Ranma was doomed.
There was nothing she could do to prevent that from occurring. The
hold of the statue and the curse placed upon Ranma would simply side
with Boukyaku and destroy Ranma.
     To tell him that was beyond her though. She knew that only the
hope of freedom was forcing him onward. His desire to see his beloved
Akane, to return to his life were making it possible for him to face this
threat. If he even knew how little of a chance he had, how much hinged
on people they could not see, contact, or even find out about, his
resolve and courage would shatter like a crystal vase thrown against a
wall.
     She cared for Ranma. Being trapped within him, she had gained a
deep understanding of his life and motivations. She was the only soul
to fully understand what made the young man do what he did. On
account of this, she had become attached to him over the time she had
been fighting him to stay alive. At times she tried to help, but it was so
hard to do against Ranma. He was stronger than Boukyaku when he
was in full control of his body, and maybe that strength would save
him. She hoped it would. She did not want to see him lose. He did not
need any more suffering in his short life.
     The familiar presence of Ranma approaching, broke Xian Lin's
thoughts. He was very worried and..lonely. The thought surprised her.
She had never thought that Ranma might miss her company. She had
gone into seclusion to keep herself at full strength. Truthfully fighting
off Boukyaku's clumsy attempts to control them would have only
stretched her reserves a tiny amount. Maybe she should start paying
more attention to him. He was being very nice to her, and it was
enjoyable to be able to talk with someone again, even if he stayed silent
most of the time.
     She felt his hand break through her barrier and touch her physical
body. It was impossible to ignore such things. Boukyaku used
manipulation, but Ranma was real, and her meditation was not meant to
protect against physical attacks. She heard his voice calling her, telling
her to wake up. She muttered angrily as he told her he needed her voice
to override Boukyaku. So what if I talk a lot? I wanna see him stay
silent after fifteen hundred years. What a baka. 
     Quickly she released her hold on the barrier and let the prison to her
physical body and senses. Just as quickly she pushed aside all of the
small tricks Boukyaku had created, leaving a sterile environment
around her. It was an environment that should be there.
     Quickly she scanned the world. It was hard to judge things within
her meditative state, and Boukyaku had gained a strong foothold while
she was occupied. Silently she berated her carelessness. As if they
needed a harder time from all of this. They were already fighting an
uphill battle, and she had let the enemy get entrenched.
     "This is going to be difficult," Xian Lin explained carefully, watch-
ing the burning landscape, "We need to go and confront Boukyaku, but
not on his ground. We need the neutral area, the realm we've become
used to. Otherwise we'll be trapped in his deceptions."
     Ranma nodded once in response. His martial training already
detecting the danger in facing someone on their own turf. Only fight on
ground of the enemies choosing when there was no other option. "How
do we do that?" He knew she had the answer.
     "It doesn't take much," Xian Lin explained. She turned to face
Ranma and reached her hand up to his. As if he were expecting this,
Ranma took her hand and helped Xian Lin to her feet in one smooth
motion. Taking his other hand, Xian Lin closed her eyes. "Just relax
and do what I do. It won't take long and it will be easier to start doing
it now than once we are fighting." 
     "Hai," Ranma responded. He said nothing else as he opened his
mind to Xian Lin. The connection was easy to forge between them.
Soon Xian Lin was leading him through the steps that would protect
themselves by breaking Boukyaku's hold.
     
     With a heavy heart, Toufu-sensei rolled the last of the scrolls and
bound it, the ribbon rasping against the dry and brittle paper. Since
Saotome Genma had called him from the airport in Okinawa, he had
buried himself in his library looking for an answer, even if it was only a
way to prolong the time Ranma had. Nothing. There was nothing he
was going to be able to do. 
     There were hundreds of remedies for possessions, curses, and
haunting oni, but they were folk remedies, many of them based in
mythology. The possibility of any of them actually working was slim.
He doubted any of them would work. One reason was that Boukyaku
was bound to the Amazon tribe. Having Cologne and Shampoo in
Nerima had given him an insight into the Amazon culture. He under-
stood that they were a closed people, and very individualistic. This
would insure that none outside of the tribe learned the secrets of
Boukyaku, and even in the tribe it was in all likelihood reserved to the
few older females. 
     Second, the statue was the key to the whole curse. The statue held
both Ranma's ki and the physical form of Boukyaku. Most of the
remedies worked on the physical body or the flow of ki within the
body. Since Ranma had no attainable ki, Toufu-sensei knew that trying
any of the remedies would be useless as sowing seeds on a bare rock.
     If he could only find a way to remove some of Ranma's ki from the
statue and back to his body, then they could simply destroy the bloody
thing. With just a slight amount of ki, Ranma could regain his health in
a few weeks. There was something nagging him, something familiar
about replacing lost ki. The connection was just out of his grasp
though. It was some sort of herb, but what? None of his scrolls had
mentioned it, but he knew there was something he had heard before. If
he could only remember..
     His thoughts were broken as he heard the door to his clinic open
and close. "Toufu-sensei? Are you here?" Toufu recognized Akane's
voice and pushed away from the table he was sitting at, the chair legs
scrapping against the wooden floor.
     "I'm back here, Akane," he called as he left his small library, closing
the door behind him. He found her in the hallway, waiting for him.
Head bowed and shoulders slumped in dejection, she glanced up at his
soft step. A hope-filled plea glowed in her hazel eyes as she looked at
him.
     The memory swept into him unbidden. The eight-year old Akane
was curled in a chair in his Sensei's clinic. Her knees were drawn up so
her forehead rested on them as she gently rocked herself. She glanced
up at him as the door to the examining room closed. "Will mommy be
okay?" she asked in a fearful voice. Wide eyes begged him to tell her
that her mother was going to be fine. 
     His Sensei had told him to leave the room, but even he knew that
Tendou Kimiko was terminally ill. There was nothing to be done, but
he felt sorry for this scared little child. She looked so lost and alone,
even with her family sitting in the waiting room. Kneeling down beside
her, he brushed a tear from her cheek. "I'll do everything I can, Akane-
chan. Your mommy is a very strong person." She smiled a bit at him
and then hugged him around his neck.
     It was not so easy this time. Akane was no longer child. Evading the
question was not an option, but he did not want to hurt the child. It
was obvious that she was already suffering. Her bearing was of a
person who had nearly given up. She was coming to him for one last
chance, one hope that might help her, knowing full  ell that it was not
to be. If I just had one thing to give her, just one thing.
     "Is there anything? Can you help him?" she asked her voice for that
instant sounding exactly like she had nine years ago.
     The poor child. I wish I could help you. "I looked, Akane. I'm sorry,
there was just.. I can't do.."
     Her eyes dropped, her shoulders shaking silently. "I-I understand. I
know you tried, but.. It's just like with Mom."
     Toufu watched the girl slowly turn around and start walking down
the hall. Helpless he stood in place. He was a doctor, skilled in the
healing of wounds, treatment of maladies, but human suffering was
beyond him. "Akane," he called. She stopped and looked back at him
over her shoulder. "There is always hope. I'm not giving up yet."
     Akane was silent. Slowly she turned away and took a step before
stopping again. "Everyone told me to hope for the best when Mom was
dying. I did. I prayed to the kami and promised to give up everything if
she would just get better. It was all useless. She still died. I won't let
him die. There is nothing left but one thing to do. I lose him, but he
lives." She began walking away. "Why do I lose everyone I care for?"
she whispered as she disappeared into the waiting room. A moment
later, the door to the outside opened and closed, leaving Toufu alone
and miserable.
     
      "Aahh!" Ranma cried out as a burst of flame exploded in front of
him. "I thought you said we'd be safe while doing this."
     "Ignore it. None of this can hurt you. Boukyaku is extending his
powers to place this in our sphere," Xian Lin said. To prove her point
she calmly walked into a pillar of flame and stood there nonchalantly
until the illusion disappeared.
     "Show off," Ranma muttered and continued walking. He still wasn't
sure about any of this. Everything looked so real, so dangerous. As if
to prove his point, the ground in front of him cracked open, a vent of
white steam hissing into the air. As the steam cleared he saw a twenty
foot chasm in front of him. He was about to jump across the obstacle,
when he noticed Xian Lin walking unconcerned across the open air.
Maybe she is right. 
     Closing his eyes he stepped forward willing the ground to be there.
His foot hit on solid rock. He took another step and another. Sighing in
relief he opened his eyes and almost snapped them shut in surprise. He
was standing over a black pit that extended down into
immeasurable depths. Gulping he continued to step gingerly across the
chasm until he reached the other side. 
     "See it's not that hard," Xian Lin commented as Ranma reached
the other side, "Just trust me, I've been doing this longer than you."
     "Oh, so you're used to being trapped in statues fighting
obscenely powerful demons?" Ranma drawled. He was feeling foolish
and defensive because he had been scared. 
     "Don't start," Xian Lin warned, "We need to keep connected and
fighting between us is exactly what Boukyaku wants."
     "Gomen," Ranma apologized. She was right as usual.
     "And to answer your question. This is a lot like trying to survive
against you, although you're a lot more subtle and much more deadly to
deal with. I prefer these clumsy and unimaginative attempts."
     Ranma smiled at the partial compliment. Although he did not
remember ever facing off against her, he believed her, and he was
feeling slightly guilty about it. He had not realized that his curse
actually had a real side to it. To him it had been an annoyance and
sometimes a fun game, but no matter what, he had always hated it and
tried his utmost to repress and deny the curse.
     They continued to walk. They had decided to walk towards the
center around which the burning heavens were swirling. It seemed to be
a focal point, and that meant that Boukyaku was most likely entrench-
ing himself there. It was spurious logic, but it was all they had to work
on. Weren't they supposed to be denying this world, not accepting
certain parts of it? How dangerous was it to walk toward an illusion,
anyway? Besides they had to do something besides sitting and waiting. 
     Unlike when he had been walking to the mountains, it now seemed
that they were making some headway. Every time he glanced at the
sky, their goal seemed to be closer, almost like it was moving toward
them. He dismissed it as another fabrication of Boukyaku.
     Burning stones began to fall around them, many bouncing harmless-
ly off his body. It was becoming easier to simply ignore Boukyaku's
attacks. The more ridiculous they were, like the dragon that suddenly
appeared over his head, and the worm like creature that tried to
swallow him, the easier it was to convince himself that they were only
illusions and tricks. The dragon he simply dismissed, and the worm,
though it swallowed him, he just stepped through. Curious about how
he could entertain himself, Ranma tried something when a chasm
opened up underneath of him.
     He imagined a bridge stretching across it. As soon as the image
entered his mind, he was walking on a stone bridge. He smiled to
himself as he heard a snarl of rage. 
     "Don't show off," Xian Lin said, "There is no need to do it."
     "But it annoys that bastard," Ranma explained, "I think I deserve to
be able to nettle him."
     "Just be careful and don't get trapped in one of the illusions by
fighting them with your own," Xian Lin warned.
     Ranma nodded in response and continued to walk. Truthfully he
was not as worried now. Somehow it seemed like Boukyaku was not a
very strong opponent. No, it wasn't that Boukyaku wasn't strong, he
was just childish, and that fact irritated Ranma. It was like he was being
insulted. Boukyaku was so confident that he did not need to take their
presence very serious. So Ranma particular enjoyed twisting Bouk-
yaku's attacks back at him.
     It continued like this for a time. Ranma contemptuously picked
buckets filled with water out of the air and dumped them on fires. He
casually flicked his hand to deflect avalanches of rock and mud. Once
he even sent a mouse to terrorize a group of beasts stalking Xian Lin
and himself. Each time the act was met with the burning hatred and
rage of Boukyaku. Then the unthinkable happened. Boukyaku found
his revenge.
     A cloud of smoke drifted across Ranma's course, obscuring the path
in front of him. Shrugging, Ranma began to walk through the smoke
when a figure appeared in the dense cloud, moving towards him. Cur-
ious about what Boukyaku was doing, Ranma waited. A slight breeze
swirled the smoke and the figure was directly in front of him, her hazel
eyes burning with hatred and rage.
     "A-Akane," Ranma stuttered. No this is not fair. I can't fight her. I
can't ignore her.
     She raised her hand and slapped him hard. His head snapped to the
side, his cheek stinging from the blow. "I told you not to fight Cologne.
I told you," she cried out, "And now you're going to get yourself killed.
I hate you. I hate you!" She spun and ran from him, sobbing.
     "Akane!" Ranma cried and tried to follow her. A hand grabbed his
shoulder and dragged him to a halt.
     "No!" Xian Lin shouted, "She's not real. She's just an illusion."
     "Akane," Ranma whimpered as the reality situation began to
reassert itself in his mind. It had been so real, so very real. "That's not
fair. She can't hate me. She can't."
     "She doesn't," Xian Lin comforted him, "It's what Boukyaku wants
you to think. If you go to her, you lose everything, including her. Stay
with me Ranma. You promised to help me get out of here. Please trust
me. She wasn't real."
     "I-I know," Ranma said as he sank to the ground. Xian Lin kneeled
next to him and grabbed his shoulders, locking her gaze to his. "I-I just
can't do anything against it. I can't fight her. I can't. I love her too
much, even if it's only a shade, and Boukyaku knows that."
     "I know," Xian Lin responded, "That's how he fights. He knows
your weaknesses, he'll use them against you. Just don't give in to them."
     "I'm going to kill that bastard for this," Ranma swore as the rage
began to build in him.   
     "I'll be right beside you the entire time. I'll make sure this doesn't
happen again." The look Ranma gave her was full of gratitude. On
impulse she pulled him against her and hugged him tightly. "I promise
we'll defeat Boukyaku. I'll think of something. There is no way I'm
letting that thing win." 
     Ranma was shocked by the vehemence in her words, the warm
comfort of her arms. Feeling like he was betraying Akane, he returned
the embrace, finding comfort in his companion's presence. After a few
moments though, he sheepishly pushed Xian Lin away. 
     "Sorry," he said, "I-I.." He dropped his eyes. Xian Lin nodded in
understanding and then helped him to his feet. 
     "We've gotta get going," she said, attempting to brush aside the
awkward moment. Trying to hide the slight blush that was blooming on
her cheeks, she prodded Ranma onward to their destination. If Ranma
noticed it though, he didn't mention it. 

     In a daze, Shampoo scrubbed the dishes in the hot, soapy water.
Tonight was the thirteenth night. Tomorrow Ranma would die if Akane
and Saotome Genma did not relent. She hated this. Her great-grand- 
mother was not going to allow her intended husband to live if he was
not given. "Stupid, Amazon pride," Shampoo muttered angrily. Didn't
her great-grandmother see that no one won if Ranma died? 
     Angrily, Shampoo grabbed another dish and shoved it violently into
the water, causing the water to splash over the edge of the sink and
onto the floor. Cursing in Chinese since she would have to clean up the
new mess, Shampoo scrubbed the dish until it sparkled.
     She felt so helpless an guilty about the entire situation. Cologne had
refused her pleas to release Ranma. Even arguing the law with her
great-grandmother had been as effective as talking to a statue. She just
did not realize the danger of what she was doing. Ranma was not an
Amazon. The Law dictated that one not of the Amazon tribe was killed
for disobedience or an insult to the tribe. The Judgment of Boukyaku
was the ultimate punishment for anyone in the tribe. 
     If I hadn't followed Ranma into that theater, if I'd just listened to
him for once, none of this would have happened. If Ranma had married
her in the first place, none of this would have happened.  Whose fault
was it? She was the one who had not been able to fulfill the Kiss of
Death. She was the one who had lost to an outsider. She was the one
who had returned without a husband, only to be punished by Cologne,
to have her great-grandmother come to Japan and begin her relentless
quest to attain Ranma as Shampoo's bride.
     Whose fault was it? Was it Ranma's for eating the winner's banquet
in the first place and then contemptuously defeating her, Shampoo, one
of the best warriors in the tribe. That had forced Shampoo to give the
than girl Ranma the Kiss of Death. 
     Whose fault was it? Did it even really matter. Assigning blame was
not going to give her back her husband if he died. Death was perma-
nent. She did not want to lose her Airen. But what could she do?
     Placing the last dish out to dry, she leaned against the counter,
ignoring the water and soap slowly permeating her clothing. She
wanted someone to talk to, but Mousse had been ordered back to
China by Cologne, and even if her were here, talking to him would not
help her. She knew he would take it as a sign of affection toward him,
something she did not feel, but who else was there?
     It was useless she finally decided, pushing herself off the counter.
She was a spectator in this game and could not even shout instructions
at the players. Resigning herself to whatever fate was decided, Sham-
poo began to leave the kitchen when she heard the front door open, the
chimes ringing softly to announce the arrival of a customer.
     "Who stupid enough to come in restaurant when closed?" Shampoo
muttered under her breath. 
     She was halted as the new comer began to speak. "Cologne?"
Curious, Shampoo moved to the divider between the kitchen and dining
area. The voice sounded familiar, but there was something wrong with
it. She couldn't quite place it.
     "What do you need Tendou Akane?" Cologne asked. This surprised
Shampoo. She had not heard her great-grandmother come down the
stairs since she had cleaned the dining area. Using all of her skills to
remain silent, she slipped to the divider and peered into the dining
room.
     The violent tomboy that had ensnared her Husband was standing
submissively at the door, her head and shoulders bowed. Her great-
grandmother was seated at a table in the middle of the room, her pipe
clenched between her teeth, her small form bundled in a warm wrap.
     "I want you to release Ranma. He doesn't deserve this," Akane said
raising her head to face Cologne. Shampoo was shocked by the grief-
ravaged face she saw. It looked like Akane had been crying for hours,
maybe even longer. Her eyes were puffy and red, her skin pale as the
moon. For an instant Shampoo felt sorry for her rival, but Cologne's
voice crushed the pity.
     "Son-in-law deserves everything he has been given," Cologne
stated.
     "No he doesn't!" Akane shouted in rage, "No one deserves this. No
one deserves to die, especially Ranma."
     "And why is he so special?" Cologne asked mockingly, "He is only
another man. There are billions of men on this world. Surely the loss of
one is not so significant." Shampoo was shocked. She knew her great-
grandmother was hard, but deliberate cruelty was not a facet of the
venerable Matriarch that Shampoo had ever seen.
         "There might be billions of men, but there is only one Saotome
Ranma," Akane shot back as she took a step toward her adversary,
"What is so wrong with him trying to choose his own life? Is it that
wrong for him to want to have a choice?"
     "The foolish boy has no choice. He defeated my great-grand-
daughter. He either must marry her, or he will die. That is Amazon Law
child."
     "There is no other way?" Akane asked hopefully.
     "None," Cologne stated happily.
     "Despite what you think, Ranma does not deserve to die," Akane
said quietly. Her voice barely reached Shampoo. "I-I renounce all
claims on him. He can marry Sh-Sham..your great granddaughter."
     Cologne chuckled, "I knew you would give in child. Bring him to
Toufu-sensei's clinic tomorrow before midnight. If son-in-law's father
agrees, I will revive him."
     "He'll agree," Akane promised silently. Shampoo watched as Akane
slowly turned and walked from the Nekohaten. As soon as the door
closed, Shampoo rushed into the dinning area.
     "Aieee!" she cried, "Shampoo so happy. Soon will be married.
Violent girl and spatula girl never had a chance. Thank you Great-
grandmother. Shampoo so happy. Shampoo finally get what Shampoo
deserve."
     "Yes, great-granddaughter. You will get what you deserve." Sham-
poo did not see the wicked gleam in Cologne's eye. She was too happy
that her husband would not die. Everything in the world was wonderful
as far as she was concerned.

        The trek lost the air of confidence and ease with which it had
started. Each moment was a torturous hell for Ranma. Boukyaku had
mercilessly thrown illusions of Akane, his friends, and his loved ones at
him, yet the creature did not do it en mass. Instead many of the original
spectacles would confront Ranma, and then when he was least
expecting it, the true horrors stepped out.
     Each encounter was worse than the last. Many times Xian Lin had
to physically restrain him so as not to lose him. He saw Akane bent
double over a katana jabbed through her abdomen. He saw Ukyou
crying over his picture as she slowly sliced her wrists. His mother
wandering lost, crying out for him to return. Akane walking only to
have a pit open up underneath her. She screamed for help as she
clutched at the edge, ever so slowly losing her grip and then plummet-
ing to her death. Ryouga saved Akane from a fire and then taunted
Ranma as he kissed her and led her away to a secluded grove, his hands
already flowing over her body.
     Finally Ranma just clutched at Xian Lin's hand and squeezed his
eyes shut, willing the torture to end, as tears slid down his cheeks. Even
this did not end the torment. He heard his friend's screams, their taunts,
their pleas. 
     With each step the torment increased, with each step the rage and
hatred crescendoed within his heart. He could feel the energy of his ki
pulsing over his body radiating outward into the blasted landscape. I'll
kill that bastard. He took a step. Crumble this prison around its head.
Another step. I will not let that thing win! One more step...
     "So you've finally arrived," a deep voice rumbled around them.
Ranma opened his eyes to see what kind of place Boukyaku resided in.
There were no surprises for Ranma.
     Xian Lin and himself stood at the edge of a bowl shaped depression.
The center was a seething lake of molten lava contained by a shore of
jagged peaks of ice. In the center a pillar of flame rose towards the
heavens, to rip through the chaotic sky, forcing it to swirl upward with
it into darkness.  
     Ranma took a step forward, poising himself to leap downwards into
Boukyaku's personal hell. It was time to end this. "Ranma." He felt
Xian Lin's hand gently restrain him. "That is exactly what Boukyaku
wants. He wants you to enter his world. You'll be destroyed there.
Remember our plan. We want to choose the ground. He will come to
us."
     Ranma nodded and stepped back from the edge of the valley.
"Afraid to face me boy," Boukyaku cackled, "There is no way to win
against me. You are nothing compared to me, Saotome. I will destroy
your soul. Your body will be mine, and then I will devour your world
piece by piece. I will enjoy tormenting your Akane. She will die slowly,
to commemorate our efforts."
     "Bastard, I'll never allow you out of this prison," Ranma seethed,
taking a step forward despite Xian Lin's attempt to hold him in place,
"If you're so damn sure of yourself, why don't you just come and fight
me. Coward. You're nothing. Nothing. Without me you'd be trapped
here for eternity. I will destroy you!"
     The derisive laugh that responded to Ranma's challenge nearly
drove him over the edge. "Let him come to us. We want him in our
reality, than destroy the bastard."
     "I know your plan, mortal," Boukyaku explained, its voice rumbling
from the heavens, "But I care not. I'll enter your world. There are
things you don't know about this place, my lovely Coward.." The world
shimmered around them and a huge weight suddenly descended on
Ranma as he became responsible for creating and sustaining half of the
world around them. 
     The hellish landscape turned to a plain grassy field with a blue sky
hanging above it. In the center materialized a dark cloud, swirling in
random patterns. "I thank you for taking that burden off my shoulders." 
     Ranma smiled and glanced at Xian Lin. She smiled in response and
nodded her head. "You can have it," Ranma said an released his hold at
the same moment Xian Lin did. The world slipped back into the barren
landscape that had existed at first. 
     Boukyaku howled in frustration as the burden crashed into his mind.
The one thing Boukyaku had forgotten was that the statue was con-
nected to his own energy. When Ranma and Xian Lin released their
control, it reverted to Boukyaku, slamming the demon with the strain
of holding the world in place.
     Because of this, Boukyaku was now extremely vulnerable. It was
the perfect moment to attack, and attack they did. "Hiryu Shoten Ha!"
Ranma shouted releasing his blast at the swirling cloud. At the same
time he saw a bolt of pure white flash from Xian Lin's hands. Both
attacks slammed into Boukyaku's form and ripped through it like a fist
through paper. 
     Boukyaku screamed in rage and pain. The cloud pulsed once and
the ground began to shake and crack as creatures began to drag them-
selves from the earth like some horrific plants, groping toward the light
of day. 
     There was no turning back now Ranma realized. This was it, fight
or die. He would not lose. With a cry of hatred, Ranma attacked as the
demon minions began to defend Boukyaku's physical form. 
     Heedless of the consequences he rushed in, his rage pushing aside
his fear of failure. No matter what he would make Boukyaku pay. He
would get back to Akane. He would keep his promise to Xian Lin.
Instantly he was swallowed by the seething mass, Boukyaku had
created. Ranma quickly discovered that they were very real and could
hurt him when a claw grazed his arm. This was going to be nasty,
Ranma decided, as he viciously kicked a tentacle aside, and lashed out
with a ki enclosed fist that destroyed the tentacle's owner.

     The metallic clinking of coins dropped upon the counter, the heavy
steps of the man who had been eating heralded the close of the day. It
had been a horrendous day. She had only opened the restaurant at the
last minute, deciding that the work would distract her, bury her worries
under the constant drudgery of running her establishment. How wrong
she had been. No amount of work had relieved her mind, not even
dealing with the massive lunch rush despite her help not showing up.
Instead the work had only become harder, more grueling and stressful
as the day wore on, finally grinding to a close.
     The bell above the door jingled for a moment and then the door
closed with a soft thump. Sighing in relief, Ukyou put down her spatula
and briskly closed the distance between her and the door. Glancing out
into the street, she saw the broad back of her last customer disappear-
ing down the nearly empty, night shrouded street. She flipped the sign
over to closed and slipped the lock home. 
     As the bolt clicked into place, her body surrendered to the stress
and emotional drain of the day,  and she slumped against the door, a
soft sob shaking her body as she slid to the floor. A floodgate opened
within her, and all the disappointments and the sorrow of the week
poured out of her. She cried for Ranchan. She cried for her unrequited
love, for the emptiness within herself, for the unfairness of life. She
cried and cried, her body eventually shaking silently as her voice
weakened and died.   
     Everyone would be at Toufu-sensei's clinic preparing to save Ran-
chan, watching her Ranchan. Ironically she was here, alone in the
restaurant she had built to stay near Ranchan, hiding from facing him.
She wanted to be there, next to him, but if she went, if she went she
would be forced to give up Ranma. Once Cologne saw her, she would
be forced to make the same promise Akane was being forced to make.
     Such a promise was not possible for her. Ranma was everything to
her. His was the face that she woke to, that she fell asleep to. For him
she labored day and night to keep her business open while attending
school. For him she waited patiently as he was pursued by the others,
as Akane hit him, as he was in fight after fight, and then she was there
with a smile and some food. Then every thing she endured, the lonely
night, the heartache and the tears became worth it when he smiled at
her, his eyes sparkling in gratitude and friendship.
     Yes friendship, it was not love, but she was willing to wait until the
heavens turned to dust and the world stopped for him to say he loved
her. She had no doubts that Ranchan would love her as she loved him.
If he died though, if he didn't make it, if he went to Shampoo, every
thing she had done would be as useless as the dirt in the street. But to
give up his love forever was making her sacrifice just as worthless.
     It had all changed. In the past week all her dreams had shattered
around her. It was not supposed to be like this. Ranma was supposed
to take her out and kiss her, telling her he loved her. He was supposed
to marry her. To be ripped from her like this, by something she could
not control was not right. She did not deserve this. Ranma didn't
deserve it. 
     Her eyes traversed the dimly lit interior of Ucchan's. Tables and
chairs were sparkling and well used. So many people had sat there and
complimented her cooking, giving her a prosperous business. Ranchan
had sat at that table in the corner or at the counter while they chatted
about nothing. 
     This place held so many memories for her, even for such a short
time. Could she let the last one be herself cowering in the dark like
some small child. If she stayed, she knew the regrets would live with
her forever. All the joy-filled moments would become dust covered
photograph albums, while she wasted away, bitter and broken.     
     Her hand touched the lock bolt and she stopped. She had not even
realized she had stood, her heart making and unconscious decision for
her. No matter what Ranma was more important to her than anything
else. She had to be there for him. If she wasn't it meant that she did not
care, that it was always about her and not about him. But it was about 
him. He was her Ranchan. His happiness was all that mattered. His life
was more important than her own.
     The bolt slid loose, and the knob turned. Ranma needed her more
than she needed him. Why was she still here when he was in trouble?
The door opened and she stepped into the cool night air. If he dies? She
shook her head angrily. Ranchan wold not die. Her steps became
quicker as she moved down the street. But what if? And I'm not there?
She was running now, sprinting down the street as she made her way to
Toufu-sensei's.  

     The waiting room in Toufu-sensei's clinic had been cleared of extra
chairs and a bed had been placed in the center of the room. Ranma-
onna lay on the bed, the statue of Boukyaku held tightly in her hand.
Ironically, being the person in the most danger, it was around Ranma-
onna that the room seemed most calm. The sheets covering the bed
were pristine. Her face was calm and composed, betraying none of peril
she was facing.
     Around Ranma were the people that loved her. They were arrayed
in a small circle each sitting silently in a chair watching the bed in the
center, waiting for Cologne to make her appearance. On each face was
a reflection of often hidden emotions. Tendou Soun was crying softly,
sad for the loss his daughter was suffering, regretting the fact that his
and the Saotome's schools would never be joined.
     Nabiki was distracted, her eyes wandering from one artwork that
hung on Toufu-sensei's walls to the next. She tried to look everywhere
but at Ranma or her sister. Living with someone for a year and half
formed a connection with that person. It was simple human nature.
Even two people who hated each other and avoided each other in the
same house would find a sort of strange comfort in their relationship
after a time.
     Nabiki did not hate Ranma. On the contrary, she was rather fond of
him, much like an older sister was to a troublesome brother. Of course,
if she admitted this to anyone, they would stare at her as if she were
crazy, the unspoken question, "Don't you just take money from him and
sell him out to everyone with an interest in him?"  gleaming in their
eyes. 
     Sadly she had to answer yes to this, but she had to do it because her
family needed the money. In a way it was her form of teasing Ranma. If
she had not liked Ranma, she would be charging exorbitant prices for
her help. Since she liked him, and she knew he had very little money,
she only charged him as much as he could afford, and even then just
enough to cover for his and his father's room and board. 
     She knew it was a strange form of love, but then weren't Akane's
and Ranma's feelings expressed in a similar way? It was just a part of
being a member of the Tendou family. 
     Anyone who looked into the family saw a very supportive and lov-
ing family on the exterior. Once in that family though, the peculiarities
became obvious. A loving and contemplative father became an unstable
man ruled by emotion. A beautiful girl passing her twentieth year caring
for the family, giving up her life so her younger sisters might make it
somewhere. A young girl caught up in martial arts as her only outlet.
Hopelessly violent and unable to deal with her emotions, she was the
most sensitive of the daughters. And Nabiki. She knew she was cold
and mercenary, but what else could she be? The family needed money.
She needed something to keep her going. 
     Ranma had thrown a wrench into that life, disrupting their comfort
and throwing them into chaos. Her father suddenly had a purpose, a ray
of hope in darkening prospects. Kasumi was given more work to do,
dealing with the obvious problems that Ranma caused. The emotional
disruption in Akane, the sorrow of Ranma and the complications of his
curse. He had changed them, forcing them to face themselves.
      The Tendou sisters had always been close, but in a way that was
distant and was never shown. They loved each other dearly and would
do anything for the other, but they did not know how to express that.
Ranma had become a sounding board. Through him they had started to
see the problems within the family, the tension that was slowly tearing
them apart. He amplified their quirks and faults just by his presence,
and somehow brought out the better qualities they had always kept
hidden. 
     More than that it would just not be right without him in the house-
hold. Along with him he had brought excitement and profitability, but
more than anything else he seemed to have brought the family together. 
      Now, with him leaving, Nabiki already could see the family starting
to fray. Father was becoming more distracted by Akane's grief. Kasumi
no longer held her smile at all times. She did in front of the family,
offering them that harmony and stability that they needed, but Nabiki
saw her oneechan sometimes stop outside of Ranma's door and brush
away a few tears. Even now, she was not smiling as she sat next to
Akane, trying to comfort their younger sister.
     Akane was the worst. When she had returned from her walk, she
had been a fright. Puffy eyes and tear-streaked cheeks giving testament
to the fact that she had spent most of the night crying. She had spoken
only a few moments when she had returned, informing the family that
she had accepted Cologne's offer and that they needed to have Ranma
at Toufu-sensei's clinic before midnight of this day.
     From there she had disappeared upstairs. Worried Nabiki had
followed her while Kasumi had comforted their father. She had found
her sister in Ranma's room, sitting beside her bed, holding her free
hand. She had not even turned as she had entered, instead Akane had
simply spoken. "Please, I want to be alone." Nabiki had unobtrusively
disappeared out of the room, leaving her sister alone, respecting her
privacy. She had gone back later to check on her, only to find Akane
curled against Ranma, fast asleep.
     Now she was simply silent, only speaking when spoken to. She went
through the motions of the living, but something had died within her
when she gave up Ranma. Nabiki knew Akane was expecting the
worst. She seemed to blindly accept that Ranma would lay down to
their wishes. Nabiki doubted it would be that easy. 
     She prided herself on being a good judge of character, and if
nothing else Ranma was loyal and very stubborn. He would do what he
wanted in the end, but there was always the chance he would follow his
bloody honor, and that small chance had seized Akane and refused to
portion her out any hope. 
     Silently, Nabiki promised that she would find a way to keep Ranma
here with them. The family needed him more than Shampoo or the
bloody Amazon's ever would. Besides this was not an honorable way to
gain a promise. Cologne was threatening life to break a solemn
promise. It was low and underhanded, something even she was not
likely to do. Extort, bribe, bet, blackmail, and lie, yes, but she would
never force someone's honor like this. 
     There were always loopholes, however, and Nabiki would find one,
at least for her sister's sake. Besides, she always could use the extra
money Ranma generated. She was willing to admit she wanted Ranma
around because she liked him, but her mercenary nature forced her  to
have a tangible reason for keeping him to compliment the emotional
one. That way she could keep up the illusion she had created that kept
her from getting hurt.
     Her thoughts were broken as the front door opened and Saotome
Genma entered the clinic. 'Uncle' Genma was for once not a panda. As
he entered his eyes flashed over everything in the room, marking
positions and distances like a trained fighter. Finally his eyes rested on
his son and stayed there as he walked into the room and took a chair in
the corner.
     Out of the corner of her eye, Nabiki saw Akane glance toward
Saotome-san. Indecision crossed her sister's face and then disappeared
like a fleeting shadow. Gently she removed Kasumi's hand from her
own and stood up. With determined steps, she crossed the room and
stopped directly in front of Saotome-san, forcing him to look at her.
     She asked him a question. He shook his head. Curious, Nabiki
leaned forward trying to catch the conversation, but they were keeping
their voices low. She had an idea about what they were arguing about.
This was confirmed when Akane pointed at Ranma and said something.
Saotome-san flinched and dropped his head, shaking it once again.
     Akane started to turn away and then reconsidered. She turned back
and sank to her knees in front of Saotome-san and spoke for a few
minutes, gesturing every so often. Saotome-san listened. It was obvious
Akane was not going to give up without fighting, and he obviously
realized this. Finally Saotome-san nodded his head once in acceptance.
     Nabiki watched as Akane stood and returned to her seat, her face
calmer than before. As she passed the table, she lightly touched Ranma-
onna's cheek, a small, wistful smile lighting her face. Returning to her
seat, Akane sank back into the chair in relief, her face once again
becoming an unreadable mask as she watched Ranma. Kasumi gave
Nabiki an encouraging smile when she noticed Nabiki watching. Nabiki
smiled back but was unable to say anything as the door opened
admitting Cologne and Shampoo.
     The room was immediately crackling with suppressed tension.
Everyone who was occupying the room had a reason to hate the old
woman, and at least a good reason to dislike the purple-haired bundle
of Chinese hormones that was gaily smiling next to the withered, old
crone. 
     Both seemed oblivious to the mood in the room. Cologne assuredly
did not care that these people were suffering. Nabiki could tell that
Shampoo was lost in some alternate reality, happily planning her
wedding to Ranma. It sickened Nabiki. For the first time in her life she
wanted to do something for no motive other than petty revenge. She
wanted to ruin them, humiliate them, force them to come begging to
her for mercy while on their knees.
     Genma was glaring at the newcomers, ripping the two limb from
limb with his eyes. Akane was glowing slightly with repressed anger.
Kasumi pointedly ignored the two, going so far as to look the other
way when they entered. This was more of an insult than any of the
others combined. Discourtesy on the part of Kasumi was tantamount to
slapping someone in the face after kicking his aging mother out of her
own house because the minute egg had been cooked an extra ten
seconds.
     Nabiki settled for a smug expression of superiority. There was no
way she was going to give these two the impression that they had
unhinged her calm and orderly world. 

     Ukyou's steps slowed as she approached the clinic and finally
stopped when she was a few buildings from her destination. It was late,
probably close to midnight, but it was hard to tell. The lights from
Tokyo were obscuring the sky, reflecting from the sparse clouds and
blocking out any hope of seeing the stars. Only the deserted state of the
street and the slowly gathering chill told her it was getting later.
     Rubbing her arms for warmth, she took a step toward the clinic and
then stopped as she saw two figures approaching from the other direc-
tion. Instinctively she crouched against a nearby stone wall and
watched.
     There was a small figure hopping on a stick and another with long
hair and a luxuriant figure. Ukyou was able to make a good guess as to
their identity. This guess was proven correct as the two entered the
cone of light thrown by a street lamp. 
     Shampoo, her head bowed in silence, was walking a step behind her
great-grandmother. Cologne seemed unaware of this and hopped
steadily along until she came to Toufu-sensei's front door. Without a
pause the withered goon proceeded up to the door and waited while
Shampoo caught up and opened the door for them both. 
     As the door closed, Ukyou found her feet and moved to the side of
the clinic where she down against the wall. She was not sure if she
wanted to go inside. Not with Cologne there. She did not want to make
any promise, but she needed to see Ranma.
     "So I see almost every one has gathered," Cologne cooed, "But
where is the good doctor?" The voice reached Ukyou's ears, startling
her. Glancing upwards she saw an open window. Smiling since her
dilemma had been solved, Ukyou got on her knees and looked into the
clinic's waiting room. She could watch Ranma, be there for him, but
not be seen.
     Her positioning was pure luck and very fortunate. The entire family
was circled around Ranma's bed, their backs facing toward her.
Cologne was watching Ranma, and Shampoo was beside her, both of
them sideways to her own position.
     "I'm here, Cologne," Toufu-sensei replied. Ukyou flicked her eye to
see Toufu exit from the back hall, a calm expression on his face.
     "Thank you, I need a witness for this. Are you willing?" Cologne
asked. Toufu nodded his head in acceptance. "Now there are only the
small matters of the conditions I made."
     "I already promised," Akane explained in a small voice. Ukyou
couldn't see her face, but the pain in the answer was evident. Pity for
Akane welled up within Ukyou. Akane had not had a choice in this.
Everything had always rested on her decision. 
     Shame for the way she had treated Akane closely followed the pity.
The reality of the situation had never really asserted itself on her. Sure
Akane had told her Ranma had died. That had shook her confidence,
but it was hard to believe that anything could hurt Ranma. So she had
just accepted that they would find a cure. When Akane had returned
from finding Ouchi-sensei, the look on her face the set of her body had
rammed the entire situation home.  Ranma was in serious trouble.  
     At that moment she had understood why Akane had been so close
to Ranma, why she was acting like she had been. She had only been
trying to fix him in her memory, trying to give herself something
lasting. If she had only known she would have done the same.
     "Ah, but Saotome-san has not, and I want you to give son-in-law up
in front of everyone," Cologne explained, shocking Ukyou back into
reality. She saw the withered old ghoul turn and bore her eyes into
Akane and then Genma.
     "Are you saying my daughter is not honorable?" Soun asked in a
threatening voice, "That she will not keep her word?"
     "Did I say that?" Cologne asked avoiding the question, "But as I
think about it, I want your word that engagement between son-in-law
and your daughter is broken. Do I have it?"
     "That wasn't part of the bargain," Nabiki challenged. The anger and
rage were pulsing in Nabiki's voice. Ukyou did not blame her. Cologne
was deliberately provoking them. "You've already got enough. Akane
has agreed. Saotome-san is going to agree, there is no need for this.
Besides, a deal cannot be changed once made unless both parties
accept."
     "Do you have a choice, Nabiki?" Cologne snapped, "I hold the
cards. If I want Ranma to die he dies. I will save him only if I get
what I want! Do you understand that?" Nabiki could only nod in
acceptance, unable to argue with Cologne's unassailable position.
     "You are pushing, Cologne," Toufu-sensei said, "Honor only goes
so far, and the insults you are throwing about so lightly could beget a
blood-feud you would not want."
     "*Japanese honor is weak. You are nothing compared to the
Amazon tribe. I will show you,*" Cologne stated in Mandarin. Ukyou
tried to understand what she was saying, but her Chinese was minimal,
only reflecting enough to relate to customers.
     "*Be careful what you say,*" Toufu-sensei answered in impeccable
Mandarin, surprising Ukyou greatly, but then Toufu-sensei was a
learned man, "*Your language is not hard to learn, and I will tolerate
only so much of your insolence. As a martial artist, Ranma would
rather die than see this travesty go through. You are traversing thin ice,
Matriarch of the Amazons. Ask for the promises, nothing else. No
more games. I will not allow this family to suffer any more.*"
     Ukyou watched as a satisfied rumble ran though the assembled
family as Cologne glared at Toufu-sensei after he spoke to her. It
meant that Toufu had gotten under her skin, which please Ukyou as
well. 
     Cologne nodded at Toufu-sensei before turning back to the group,
smiling. For some reason that smiled reminded Ukyou of a cat she had
once seen stalking a wounded bird. The same malicious joy was in the
ghoul's eyes as had gleamed within the cat's. "Saotome Genma,"
Cologne intoned, turning to facing Ranma's father, "Do you annul the
engagement between your son Saotome Ranma and Tendou Akane?
Do you pledge that your son, Saotome Ranma, will marry my great-
great-great-granddaughter, Shampoo? Do you annul all other engage-
ments you have made for your son, Saotome Ranma? Do you swear
this by the honor of your family name?" 
     Ukyou gasped at the strength of the oath Cologne was asking. To
ask on personal honour was generally strong enough, but to bring
family honor into the picture. Not only was Cologne implying that she
did not trust the individual honor of each and every person present, she
was implying that Ranma was not honorable enough to hold up the
honor of his own father.
     "I do," Genma said after a moment, "I swear by the honor of my
family that all that you ask shall be done." After he spoke his head sank
to his chest in defeat. For the first time, Ukyou felt sorry for the old
man who had caused her so much grief. She saw Saotome Genma's
age reflected in his face and body. He appeared as a withered old man,
who had just surrendered for the last time.
     Cologne nodded as Shampoo eagerly clasped and unclasped her
hands. Cologne turned to Tendou Soun. "Tendou Soun. Do you annul
the engagement between Saotome Ranma and Tendou Akane? Do you
give up any claim to Saotome Ranma carrying on your dojo? Do you
swear this on your family honor?"
     "I swear it," Tendou Soun answered in a tearful voice. Cologne
nodded in response as Soun began crying in earnest, grieving for the
loss of his dream.
     "Tendou Akane," Cologne began, but she never finished as Akane
interrupted her.
     "I swear anything you ask,. I give up Ranma. He is no longer mine.
Just stop wasting time, stop tormenting us. Save Ranma," Akane
demanded, her voice near to breaking from grief and anger, "And if you
don't," Akane whispered. Ukyou barely caught this, and Akane was
only sitting a few feet from her window.  "If Ranma dies, I will
spend my life finding a way to destroy you. This I swear on my family
honor." Ukyou saw that Cologne did not hear this last part, for she only
nodded and began to pull objects from her robes and set them on the
floor in a pattern Ukyou could not discern.
     "It will take time to prepare for the ceremony," Cologne explained
as Shampoo found a chair and sat down, "I will be finished when the
moon rises, and then we will begin."
     Shaking with fear Ukyou slipped back down the wall and hugged
her knees to her chest. There was something wrong here, but she could
not figure it out. Ranchan was going to have the hardest night of his
life. Ukyou knew this as certainly as she knew the sun would rise in the
morning.

     The image formed in her mind and was quickly merged with her ki.
A moment later an arc of shimmering energy swept outward from her
hands to slash through the ethereal form of Boukyaku, leaving a swath
of darkness missing. With a shriek of rage, Boukyaku formed a shield
around his form, retreating to heal once again.
     Letting out a breath of air in relief, Xian Lin turned to help Ranma,
but decided against it as she watched him fight amongst Boukyaku's
creations. They had split up the fight early. She was concentrating on
Boukyaku's physical form, since she was more efficient with her ki
attacks.
     Ranma had taken the burden of defending her from the minions
Boukyaku disgorged from the ground. His strength in this prison made
the job a simple one, only the number of demons hindering him. 
     Xian Lin watched in awe as he moved through the converging
beasts, his red shirt the only splash of colour among the seething mass
of black. He flowed through them like a stick into water, sliding past
demons in a fluid dance of death that left mangled and still forms in his
wake.
     There was no pause in his form. One attack led to another and then
another. Styles changed in mid step. From power to precision and
grace. One moment he was a charging bull bringing down a massive
beast, only to switch in the next instant to a lithe reed that slipped
between the smaller opponents, lashing out quickly and efficiently to
remove the threat.
     It was not fighting, it was an art form. The heightened connection
Ranma had gained with his spirit had created a masterful fighter in this
hellish prison. He used small amounts of ki to augment his attacks,
allowing him to remove opponents with one strike in most cases.
Enthralled, Xian Lin watched him slip beneath an outstretched arm,
striking upwards as he swept the feet of another beast on his side. The
first fell, it jaw smashed into it brainpan. The other died as Ranma's
foot crunched down on the exposed neck when he vaulted off the fallen
beast to leap toward a massive worm-like creature. 
     Xian Lin saw a brief flash of ki as Ranma descended. She recogniz-
ed it instantly. It was his failed attempt at diverting a ki attack. He had
changed it into an extension of his arm, his perfect reflexes allowing
him to strike and release the blast in perfect conjunction. The worm
split open, the black mist that composed its form dissipating into the
air.
      As he landed, Ranma pivoted and lashed out with several kicks that
were a blur to even Xian Lin's trained eye. One, two, three creatures
fell, and then Ranma completed the circle, coming to rest on the balls of
his feet. So caught up in Ranma's movements, it took a moment for
Xian Lin to realize that the last of Boukyaku's latest wave had been
defeated. 
     Ranma relaxed slightly and turned toward her. He nodded his head
and made his way to her side, as the creatures he had defeated
dissolved back into the earth. 
     "That one was shorter than the others," Ranma observed as he
neared her, "I think we're starting to exhaust Boukyaku's strength."
     "He was not ready to fight us," Xian Lin explained, as she watched
Boukyaku for signs of reentering the fight, "I told you that the four-
teenth night has not yet started. Once it does, Boukyaku will gain his
full strength, and then we will be in trouble."
     "How's that?" Ranma asked, "We seem to be holding our own, if
not getting the better of the situation. Those creatures he's creating are
like fighting practice dummies."
     "That's because they are extensions of his power. One on one they
are no match for you, and Boukyaku does not have the skill to counter
your martial arts and deal with me also. He might be powerful, but he is
still limited in how he thinks. That will end when the new moon rises.
The statue will start augmenting his power than. We will be in serious
trouble. I don't know if we'll be able to defeat him than."
     "But you said we'd have a chance," Ranma exclaimed, "Now you're
saying we have no chance?"
     "No, we can still win," Xian Lin shouted. She had to tell him the
truth, but she didn't know how to make it sound encouraging, "If
anyone breaks the curse, we'll be fine.  We can hold out for the entire
night. If we do not find a way out by the time the new moon sets, then
we'll lose for sure. It just becomes harder at this point. We've just
gotta hope that someone will break the Judgement."
     Ranma glanced at her uncertainly. Xian Lin could feel that he
thought she had betrayed him, and it hurt her. "Don't turn away from
me, Ranma," she pleaded, "We will lose if we don't work together. I
don't intend to let Boukyaku have you or me. Trust me."
     Nodding Ranma turned to watch the encased form of Boukyaku. It
would only be a little while before he began to fight again. Boukyaku
healed faster than Happousai could steal panties. "I'm not giving up.
Not now, not ever. We'll finish this, Xian Lin. One way or another it
ends." He fell silent for a second before turning back to face her. "I
trust you. I have no reason not to."
     Xian Lin smiled as she drank in his faith and acceptance of her.
Then the world around them began to tremble, the air shimmering.
     "What's happening?" Ranma exclaimed in surprise. 
     "The moon must be rising," Xian Lin shouted back as the air filled
with a thunderous rumble, deafening to the two companions. Their ears
pulsed in pain as the noise became unbearable. Then everything went
silent, painful, eerily silent. 
     The air ceased shimmering and became a dull red color. Ranma and
Xian Lin found themselves standing on a flat, featureless plain of black
marble that extended as far as the eyes could see. In front of them
Boukyaku was a vaguely man-shaped form, the chaotically swirling
darkness of his previous form shaping the body. "Now you are mine!"
he proclaimed triumphantly.
     The ground exploded around them, disgorging hundreds of his
demon minions. In an instant the tide of the battle had turned and Xian
Lin and Ranma were fighting for their lives as Boukyaku chuckled in
amusement.

     Cologne finished her preparations. All of the ingredients and objects
needed for the breaking of the Judgement were spread out before her in
the correct design. Everything would go fine. That is it would go fine if
she hadn't switched one of the key ingredients, a herb that when
ingested opened the body and mind to the energy of the world, but
when mixed with the other objects blocked the power of Boukyaku,
preventing him from attacking the victim. Instead of the herb, a powder
of wolfsbane and ginger was held in the container that had once held
the herb. Toufu would never notice the difference since wolfsbane and
ginger had established niches in mythological medicine.
     A triumphant surge of emotion blossomed from the statue as the
moon rose unseen in the sky. This signaled the start of her doctored
ceremony. Cologne began speaking in the ancient tongue of the
Amazon tribe. The words were the same as she had been taught to use
to break the Judgement. She reached for the first object and began the
purification ritual. That doctor would be sorry for insulting her, the
whole family would suffer, particularly Ranma.

     Toufu watched as Cologne began her ceremony. More than
anything he was curious about how the Amazon Matriarch was going
to break the Judgement. He hoped to gain some knowledge from her
that might help him with many of his patients. Besides she wanted to
make sure that he was able to help anyone else who was Judged by the
Amazon tribe.  
     He could not understand the language. It was not exactly Chinese,
but it was close to it. The forms and inflections were different though,
so he could not follow it. He could follow the ritual though. Fascinated
he watched her prepare a mixture of water and mustard seed. He used
the same mixture hot to relieve congestion, but this was cold and she
added a powder that caused the mixture to foam. This she took to
Ranma's bedside. Dipping her fingers in the paste she drew a complex
series of patterns across Ranma's brow and right arm. Then she took a
piece of red ochre and spiraled the patterns together, connecting the
statue, third eyes and heart. The remainder of the mixture was poured
over the stature, hissing violently as it dissipated upon touching the
statue. 
     From this point she returned to her original position and replaced
the bowl and red ochre exactly in their original positions before she
started on the next step of the complex ritual.

     "Hiryu Shoten Ha!" Ranma shouted. The whirlwind flew from his
hands to decimate the massed minions in front of him only to end
abruptly and satisfyingly by slamming into Boukyaku, disrupting the
swirling chaos of the demon's body.
     The attack halted Boukyaku for a moment as he repaired the
damage Ranma had caused. On top of this the minions had been
thinned to the point where Ranma could actually rest for a moment.
Unfortunately, Ranma needed more than a moment of rest. His
resources had been drawn to the limit by this battle. There was no lull
in the combat, just a steady wavering of the intensity. The only reason
they were not being overwhelmed was the weakness of Boukyaku's
demonic creations and the fact that the spirit was unable to adapt to the
strategies Ranma and Xian Lin were inventing as they fought.
     At this moment they had reverted to their original tactics. He was
holding the limitless minions as Xian Lin concentrated on Boukyaku.
The fact that his attack had struck the bastard was just an added bonus.
In most cases he was charged with keeping the demons from Xian Lin. 
     He glanced over at her. She was standing behind him like a burning
angel of vengeance. Her white aura gleamed in the reddish haze of the
world like a lighthouse on a stormy night. With an imperceptible mo-
tion, Xian Lin cast several arcs of ki that streaked toward Boukyaku,
crashing into his body with a crackle of power.
     Screaming in rage, Boukyaku gestured toward Xian Lin. A black
cloud enveloped her, crushing downward oh her form. With a cry,
Ranma raced to her aid. His headlong run was halted as the black
sphere began to crack, white light leaking into the sky. The blackness
closed in once more and then exploded outward. 
     Xian Lin was kneeling on the ground, breathing heavily. Ranma
started to go to her when he saw the ground erupt behind her, dis- 
gorging several massive demons. Shouting a warning, Ranma darted
forward, laughing himself into the air.
     Descending quickly he rotated to aim himself directly at the fore-
most creature, a massive brute that shambled forward, its four arms
waving rapidly in front of it. The thing never had a chance. Ranma was
on top of it before it realized it was in danger. Striking out, Ranma
spoke at the last moment before he struck, "Touch of the Blade." A
blade of ki instantly appeared in his hand, slashing through the
creature's neck and shoulder before disappearing into nothingness.
Ranma could not hold the weapon in place and seriously doubted that it
could be done. Each brief attack was tiring enough. 
     The severed head fell with Ranma, landing next to him, and rolling
in front of him. It shimmered for a moment and then Ranma was
starring at Akane's severed head, her mouth agape in a silent scream,
her eyes starring horrified at him. Screaming he backed away from the
hideous sight.
     There was an evil chuckle echoing in his mind. Glancing away from
the disgusting sight, Ranma found himself confronting Akane and
Ukyou. Each was approaching him, swinging either mallet or spatula.
Involuntarily he stepped backward. He could not fight them. His heart
would not let him. 
     "They're not real," he told himself, "You're not hurting them."
     "Ranma no baka!" He barely dodged the mallet as it descended
toward his head. Leaping backward, he regained his position and warily
watched the two approach him. They're not real, not real.
     With a cry they charged him. Ranma ducked the blows easily, slid-
ing in between the two. He could not keep this up forever though. He
leaped to avoid Ukyou's spatula and then twisted in midair to avoid the
descent of the mallet. His hand touched the ground and he cartwheeled
into a defensive stance.
     Akane and Ukyou pressed in on him, forcing him to dodge more
blows. The more he dodged the faster they became, their attacks blurs
to any but his eye. After a few moments their offensive overwhelmed
him. He dodged Akane's mallet only to be swiped in the side by a
spatula. Stumbling from the blow, he tried to dodge Akane's back
swing but was clipped in the shoulder. He was sent flying by the blow
to land a dozen feet away.
     Grunting in pain, he pushed himself off the ground as the two
rushed at him. He knew he could not win this unless he attacked, but
even if they were shades, they appeared to be his beloved and his best
friend. "They're only illusions. The are not real," he repeated to
himself." Closing his eyes, he met them head on his hand flashing
outward. He pulled the punch on instinct but still felt soft flesh and the
cracking of bones. Akane's scream of pain filled his ears. 
     It almost halted him, but he forced himself to continue. Tears sting-
ing his cheeks, he lashed out in the direction of the scream.  His knife- 
hand connected with a crunch, and Akane's voice was silenced by a
gurgling cry.  Opening his eyes, he pivoted, lashing out backwards. His
foot connected with Ukyou's midsection. Behind him the gurgling cry
ended as Akane's body slumped to the ground with an audible thud.
     No time for that now. Concentrate. Its just Boukyaku. Only
illusions. He spun, his leg whipping around to catch Ukyou on the side
of the head. There was a snap as her head was wrenched to the side,
her neck broken. 
     Ranma stood silently, his eyes riveted to the two creatures he had
just killed. They still looked like his friends. They had sounded like his
friends, and even felt like them to his extended senses. Boukyaku had
done this, perverted his own loved ones. Forced him to do the one
thing he never would.
     Turning he looked past, Xian Lin's glowing form. If she had noticed
what he had done, she did not show it, but he knew she could hear his
thoughts. In a moment she would know what he was thinking. 
     Beyond her Boukyaku rose over the landscape, a black mass of
swirling clouds and vapor. Slits of red approximated eyes and a mouth.
As his eyes found Boukyaku, the demon turned to stare at him, a
gleeful gloating filling Ranma's mind.
     Anger flared within Ranma. This was going too far. It was obvious
they were going to lose. Boukyaku was too powerful, and he had
noticed nothing while here that even approximated outside interference.
Well he would not go easily. He would take Boukyaku with him,
destroy that thing as his last breath left his body. That thing would not
enter his world, would not have Akane.
     Glowing brightly with his power, Ranma launched himself forward,
his feet barely touching the ground as he raced towards Boukyaku. He
was past Xian Lin in an instant. He heard her cry out for him to stop as
she realized what he intended.
     Nothing was going to stop him. Death was a small price for Ranma
to pay. He had been prepared before to pay it before. He would have
gone through with seppuku if his mother had ever found out about his
curse. Now in his death, he would assure the survival of his loved ones. 
     Screaming a battle cry, Ranma allowed his ki to surround him, lift
him up from the ground. In a blinding flash, he streaked downward into
the gloating form of Boukyaku. As he hit the world exploded, darkness
surrounding him as he lashed out, striving to take Boukyaku with him,
as he was dragged into oblivion.

     Akane watched the ceremony with unfeigned interest. It seemed
Cologne was half done, at least she had gone through half of the items
she had placed in front of her. She was now reaching for three more.
She picked up two stones. One was a flat oval, the other a cracked
chunk of some black stone. The third was a white bone that appeared
to be from a human finger, although Akane was not sure.
     Lifting Ranma's hand, Cologne placed the oval stone underneath it
and then placed the broken stone at the corner with the finger bone
bisecting the oval from the broken stone to the opposite edge. Having
done this she spoke a few words and inverted Ranma's hand, and
slammed the statue downward towards the oval. It hit the bone
squarely, pulverizing the fragment, swirling dust around the statue of
Boukyaku. 
     Suddenly Cologne cried out in pain as a blue pulse of energy burst
from the statue to fill the room, flowing over everything and everyone.
The blast rushed through Akane, filling her with an intoxicating taste of
pure power, but as the initial rush reached its plateau within her, she
felt a calm sense of purpose and surrender, a dread sense of purpose.
     "Ranma," she whispered, trying to hold onto the feeling. It was like
trying to hold a breeze. It slipped through her fingers, rushing back out
of her, draining into the statue once again. An aching emptiness took
the place of the dizzying power that had just filled her. She saw her
disappointment mirrored on every other face in the room. Except
Cologne. Her face was confused, filled with fear and shock.      
     Her expression struck Akane. "What's wrong?" she shouted, "What
happened?" Don't let anything go wrong. Please don't.
     "I-I don't know," Cologne answered, "This has never happened
before. The dust is supposed to be fused with the statue. What is
Ranma doing? What is going on?" She continued talking but slipped
into Chinese, making it impossible for Akane to understand. After a
moment, she stopped talking and watched the statue for a moment.
     Curious, Akane followed Cologne's eyes. She briefly saw the blue
covering the entire statue, and then the black was there, slowly growing
more powerful, beating the blue back, beating Ranma back.
     "Just don't stare at it!" Akane shouted, "Help him. Finish the cere-
mony. He's losing. Can't you see that? I made your stupid promise.
Save him, dammit. Save him!" 

     Ukyou jumped to her feet as a blue light flashed from the window. 
Akane's cry forced her to look into the room, pressing her face against
the glass so she could see. She did not care if she was seen now.
Something was going wrong, but she could see nothing out of the
ordinary. Akane was yelling at Cologne and the old ghoul was shaking
her head watching the statue clutched in Ranma's hand.
     Terrified, Ukyou forced her eyes to the statue. It was glowing with
a blue aura. It was obviously Ranma's. At first she did not see the
problem. It looked like Ranma had won, or was gaining back control of
his life, but then she saw the black aura spreading like a malignant
cancer across the pristine blue of Ranma's aura. 
     She shook her head and mouthed the word no over and over again.
He was dying, he was dying. She was about to shout at Cologne when
Akane voiced her opinion. "Save him dammit!" she shouted, as Ukyou
silently echoed her.

     Cologne showed surprise and incredulity on her face, but on the
inside she was smiling in glee. The fool boy was attacking Boukyaku.
Not only was he attacking, but it was obvious he was going to lose.
This would make his death that much easier to explain until she told
them the truth and destroyed them utterly.
     Now all she had to do was go through the ceremony and skip that
one crucial part. Besides, the doctor would never be able to figure out
that datura had an effect on demons. That was a secret kept by the
Amazon tribe. Tonight Ranma would die, and the Amazon's would be
reborn into glory and power she decided as she started on the next part
of the ceremony.

     Akane did not watch her. She watched the statue. The black still
covered less than a quarter of the statue, Ranma seemed to have
slowed Boukyaku's progress, but he had not stopped it. 
     It was an agonizingly slow advance. Ranma fought each step of the
way, at some points even shoving the other thing backwards, regaining
the lost ground, but this was not very often. As inexorable as the tide,
the black spread over the statue like a fungus, until it covered nearly
half.
     At this moment Cologne brought the next part of the ceremony
forward, she had a feather and a small bowl of glittering dust. Dipping
the feather in the dust, she brought it up with a quick jerk of her hand.
A glittering cloud surrounded the statue and Ranma's hand. With quick
and exact strokes, Cologne slashed a pattern in the dust, leaving
glittering marks on the black statue. 
     Akane leaned forward in hope as Ranma advanced against Bouk-
yaku, forcing the black to retreat until it held only a quarter of the
surface area. As soon as the dust had settled though, Ranma was
already losing ground, faster than before. Desperate, Akane glanced at
Cologne. She had picked up four of the last six items. That meant that
she was almost done, three more steps at most, most likely two. Akane
silently urged Cologne to hurry as she glanced back at the scene of the
battle and saw Ranma tenaciously holding onto his precarious position.
     Just a little while longer, only a little while longer. Please, Ranma.
Don't give up. Don't give up. As if Ranma could hear her pleas, his aura
pushed into the darkness, parting it like a knife cutting silk. Then he
was falling back under Boukyaku's retaliation, the blackness penetrating
the blue.
     Akane cried out, but then Cologne was laying the next part of the
ceremony on Ranma's breast which rose rhythmically despite the titanic
struggle Ranma was embroiled in. As the intricately marked wooden
bowl was placed on Ranma's breast, his aura increased in intensity,
pushing against, Boukyaku. A moment later though he was falling
back, losing ground quickly as Boukyaku pressed his attack 
     Crying out in horror, Akane, almost rushed to Ranma's side. His
blue covered only a quarter of the statue now, glowing faintly under the
oppressive weight of the dark aura pressing inward on it. Then every
thing changed and fell apart at once. A white light began to suffuse
Ranma's blue, turning Ranma's aura into a serene blue-white. For a
moment the black was pushed back, but it was not enough. Nothing
seemed to be enough.
     Then Cologne was there again, lifting a bowl over the statue, she
poured it over Ranma's hand and the statue. There was a flicker in the
black, and it was pushed back, but then it stopped and surged forward
almost triumphantly. Something had gone wrong. Something was
wrong.
     "Save him. Stop this. He's not winning. The curse isn't broken."
     "I don't understand," Cologne stated, "It should've worked. I did
everything right. You have to hope now, there is nothing more I can
do. I've opened the way for Ranma. He must find his own way back."
     Ranma was not finding his way back though. He was losing once
again, retreating slowly but surely. The additional power of the white
not able to save him. He was down to a small, wan point among the
black, when Ranma's body began to glow white. Light poured through
the room illuminating everyone's tense face. It increased in intensity
until rushing toward the statue. Ranma's position exploded outward as
the white flooded around and into the statue.
     Boukyaku was shoved backwards in a rush, his position thrown
from the winning side to the losing in a matter of seconds. Then the
consequences of this action struck Akane as Kasumi gasped in shock,
and Toufu-sensei rushed to Ranma-onna's body. Turning her face
slightly, Akane saw that Ranma was no longer breathing. Just like
before. He was dead. Dead. It was impossible to suppress the wail of
grief that rose in her throat, to join Shampoo's own shrill scream.

     Xian Lin sank back onto her haunches as Ranma disappeared into
Boukyaku, the blazing bolt of blue energy he had become, slamming
into Boukyaku's chaotic form, imposing order upon certain parts of it.
     She knew what Ranma was doing. She had felt him building up to
this moment, and had hoped he would not do it, but he had. It was a
noble attempt and might work, but not with him alone. Unlike him, she
realized many of the truths of his situation. He was no longer a part of
his body. In actuality, she inhabited his body, keeping his body alive
and functioning. At this moment and since he had entered the statue,
Ranma had been spiritually dead. He had transcended the mortal plane
to the one she had been cursed to inhabit, while she was given a hold
on life. 
     It would be so easy for her to slip back into his body and take
control of it, but she would not do that. That action would open the
corridor for Boukyaku and give Ranma to oblivion. She cared for him
too much to even contemplate such a deplorable act. He deserved more
than that, but now he was doing it to himself.
      Without her help he was doomed to failure, but she realized that it
was going to cost his life to defeat Boukyaku. She did not have the
strength to defeat the demon and sustain his body. At least for awhile,
she could let him take the burden. She needed to rest while she could.
     Carefully she watched the battle that raged within Boukyaku, while
she replenished her strength, gaining back her center and balance.
Reckless and foolhardy that his move was, Ranma had the strength to
give Boukyaku a challenge. She saw this in the very first instant of the
attack.
     As he struck, the creature of ki  Ranma had transformed himself into
had dispersed Boukyaku's form, filling it with Ranma's own energy.
Instead of a body of swirling black, a glowing blue sphere had taken
Boukyaku's place.
     This was not destined to last. Ranma had struck quickly and
powerfully, surprising Boukyaku. He had only unhinged the demon,
forcing the thing to recuperate and start from the beginning. Xian Lin
saw Boukyaku begin his counter. A small dot of black appeared on the
sphere Ranma was controlling. 
     Xian Lin heard Ranma's feelings and thoughts clearly. His anger had
not left him and he instantly pounced upon Boukyaku, forcing him into
a defensive position from which he would have to fight out of. Ranma
attacked mercilessly, forcing Boukyaku to gain every inch of ground
that he had lost,. The process was arduous and painful for Ranma. He
was fighting a new type of battle, and only his determination and sheer
force of will was keeping Boukyaku at bay. 
     Dreams and wishes don't build houses, so is it with determination
and will. Though they help, superior skill and strength will ultimately
win out. This was the reason Ranma was slowly beaten back. He was
too inexperienced and not as strong as Boukyaku. Then as the sphere
was almost half and half , the world around them shuddered.
     Xian Lin felt the difference in Boukyaku instantly. He was distracted
by a new threat from the outside, that was trying to contain him. Split
by the second front, Ranma gained his opening. Xian Lin experienced
his dreadful glee, as he slammed into Boukyaku with a renewed
vengeance, pushing him back until he was in a less formidable position. 
     This trend was not a permanent one. Xian Lin realized this instantly.
Someone was trying to break the curse, but that meant that Boukyaku
was going to fight harder. It was imperative that Ranma survive this
fight. If they were breaking the Judgement, he would be pulled from the
fight and saved; however, if he lost before help could reach him, there
would be no saving him.
     As if Ranma realized this, he punched an attack deep into Bouk-
yaku's position, driving a wedge of blue into the swirling chaos, Bouk-
yaku was a step behind him, pushing deeply into Ranma's defense,
swaying the balance once again.
     Xian Lin could feel the desperation in Ranma, the exhaustion. He
was nearing his limit. Then a burst of strength flooded through him,
forcing him back to the edge of the balance for a moment. Xian Lin
knew that the strengthening of the spirit had been completed, there was
only one more step and Ranma would be free, it simply required Ranma
to hold out, but he would not be able to.
     She could feel his attacks weakening, his defenses shattering under
Boukyaku's onslaught. He needed her help. Taking her feet, Xian Lin
decided it was time. Embracing her ki, she moved to the sphere and
touched the blue, joining her own mind with Ranma's becoming one
with him in the fight against Boukyaku.
     The experience was a new one to both of them. There conscious
minds were still separate, but their ki had joined to form one being, a
being that could deal with Boukyaku on two levels. They fought as a
team, bolstering the other's attacks and defending each other. 
     Being of two minds, it was harder for Boukyaku to break though,
but blocking him was still difficult.  His attacks were more powerful
then they could manage. They needed more strength, more power, but
to gain more power she would have to release the hold on Ranma's
body. He would die, but they would win. 
     Hold on. Hold on. There is only one more step, then we can return.
Then this will be over. 
     I know. I'll hold out. He will not win.
     Slowly they retreated from Boukyaku, backing up until they thought
there was no where to go, and then Boukyaku became distracted,
screaming in rage. 
     The final part. It must be. Now Ranma.
     They both surged forward, slamming into Boukyaku, pushing him
into a major retreat that almost turned into a rout, but then he stopped
and held his place, a sensation of glee filling the void they were within. 
     Boukyaku lashed out, throwing his entire might against them. Xian
Lin and Ranma were overwhelmed, tumbling backwards towards the
point they had just left as if an avalanche carried them.
     What's wrong? I thought we had won.
     I don't know. I don't know. Something is wrong. Just fight. We can't
let him have your body.
     Is there anyway to defeat him?
     Xian Lin could feel that he already knew the answer. I don't want
to. There is still hope.
     No, there isn't Xian Lin. I can't let him win. Let me die. It will save
the ones I love. Join with me. We must stop this menace. Trust me.
     Xian Lin knew Ranma was right. They had failed, the cure had
failed to work. There was no other way to keep Boukyaku from
winning. With both of them at full strength, Boukyaku would hold no
chance. They could easily contain him, it was obvious. Gently she
reached back to Ranma's body and freed her remaining ki from his
body, allowing it to die as she gathered all the energy she had used to
sustain him. 
     It rushed into them like a wave of water from a shattered dam. It
filled them, amplified their power to a height unknown to either of them
before. For an instant they discovered what it felt like to have the
power of the kami in their hands. What the held was beyond any words.
It was enough to hold Boukyaku.
     With a combined cry, they used Ranma's death to the utmost and
attacked Boukyaku, forcing him away from the now empty husk that
had held Ranma. He would not get Ranma's body. No one would. 

     Ukyou watched as the white light suffused Ranma's body and then
rushed into the statue throwing the black aura into a disorderly retreat.
She watched in horror as Ranma's chest stopped rising and falling. "No,
no, no," she muttered over and over in her mind. He had to live. He had
to live. 
     Dimly she heard Akane's and Shampoo's cries of grief. She wanted
to join them, but her mind was still denying everything that she saw,
was still unable to comprehend that Ranma had died. 
     Like a statue she stood rooted in place, watching Ranma's body as
Toufu-sensei checked I and then ran from the room. He must live. He
must. But he's not breathing. "Oh god, not Ranchan, not Ranchan."

     Toufu-sensei checked Ranma's vital signs. He was not dead yet, but
it would not be long. His breathing was very shallow, almost impercep-
tible, but his heart was still beating. It was amazing the body was still
living. It meant that Ranma had left some residual ki to keep him alive,
but not much. Toufu did not understand what had happened, but he
knew that if some ki was not placed into Ranma's body he would never
be able to return.
     He stood back from his body, trying to think of something. It was
hard to think with Shampoo and Akane crying. The other's shout and
grief stricken voices were not helping maters much either. 
     "I told you," Cologne suddenly shouted, her voice carrying through
the din to reach Toufu's ears, "I can't do anything. I opened the path for
his ki to return, he just must use it. Obviously he knows it is there since
he drained his ki to attack Boukyaku. Is it my fault the boy is stupid?"    
     Draw ki back into the body. He had heard that before. Some herb.
He knew it was something he had heard of, that he must have in the
clinic somewhere. Suddenly he snapped is fingers. Datura. Datura was
the answer. It would make the body receptive, open it to ki. 
     Spinning he rushed from the room to his medicine room. Throwing
the door open he rushed in and began to dig through the many different
bottles and pouches of herbs. Finally he found what he was looking for
in a bag. It was the dried leaves of datura.
     Grabbing the pouch he rushed to his clinic and turned on the hot
water as he looked for a mortar and pestle. He found one and took it
over next to the sink. Opening the bag he took out three leaves and
then after a moments consideration took out two more. It would be
very strong, almost lethal, but he needed that kind of strength to be
assured of the result.
     Placing the five leaves in the small bowl he ground them to a fine
powder. He poured the powdered datura into a beaker and added
enough water to make it a syrupy mixture. Allowing it to steep for a
few moments, he went to find a hypodermic needle and syringe. 
     He found one on the opposite counter. Rushing back he filled the
syringe with the datura solution. Leaving the rest next to the sink, he
rushed back out into the waiting room. Everything was still in an
uproar. It was split down the middle of grief and anger. Akane was
slowly turning to anger, her grief burning away under her anger. Nabiki
was glaring at Cologne who stood calmly, watching the battle continue
around the statue. No one but Ukyou noticed him as he slipped next to
Ranma.
     To his relief he found Ranma-onna was still living, although just
barely. Without a second thought, he plunged the needle into Ranma's
vein and injected most of the datura into his blood system. 
     Stepping back he placed the syringe on the bed next to Ranma's
right hand and watched Ranma closely. It should only take a few
seconds, just a few seconds. Ranma's body suddenly twitched, her left
hand clenching in pain, a soft moan escaping her lips. Even with the
commotion, the small noise and movement halted everything. Soon
everyone was watching Ranma, praying for him to make it.

     They were holding Boukyaku, they could hold him for the entire
night. He would not win. It was obvious to them. It was obvious to
him. There was an unspoken agreement between them. They were
about to call the contest when the unexpected happened. 
     Xian Lin and Ranma felt it first. A connection with Ranma's body
opened and began to tug at them. Someone had found a way to get
them back, but then they saw the danger. Boukyaku could follow with
them, or simply push past them. There was no way to save themselves.
If they did Boukyaku would win, but it was hard to resist their ki's
natural tendency to return to its original shell.
     We can't go back. We've got to stay.
     I know. I'm sorry I can't save your life. I was hoping so much.
     It is worth it, Xian Lin.
     She couldn't do it. She could not let him throw away his life like
that. He deserved a chance. She did not want him to become cursed
like her. It wasn't fair to him. He had suffered so much in his life.
There was still things he had to finish. Besides she cared for his friends
as if they were her own. In a way they were. She had come to know
them with Ranma. She shared his perceptions and memories of them.
She loved them as much as he did. Therefore she did not want them to
suffer.
     They all deserved more. She made her decision. It was a small
sacrifice.
     Promise me you'll find a way to save me. Promise me.
     What are you doing? You're blocking me.
     Just promise. Please
     I promise Xian Lin. I'll save you, but please don't do this. Let
me stay. 
     No, go. She pushed herself away from him, shoving Ranma back
into his body. Boukyaku screamed in rage as he realized what was
happening, but Xian Lin imposed herself between him and Ranma's
body. He would not get free. He would never get free.
     I promise. I swear I'll find away. That was the last she heard as
Ranma left her life as quickly as he entered it. Then Boukyaku was
crashing into her, trying to crush her. She refused to give him that
satisfaction. She fought him, delaying him while Ranma regained his
body and his senses enough to be able to close the connection between
his body and the statue.
     Hurry, Ranma. I can't hold out forever. Please hurry. She blocked a
vicious attack and slashed back with her own blast of energy. Hurry.
Please hurry.

     Akane watched eagerly as Ranma's body struggled. Ranma's arms
and legs were flailing slightly, as if she were trying to claw her way
back into the real world. Then she was coughing, a weak sound almost
like crying. As her arms lifted from the bed, trying to move, Akane saw
Ranma's eyes flutter open for a second and then again a moment later.
He was going to live. Relief flooded through her body, sweeping aside
all of the difficulties, everything that had happened up to this point. Her
Ranma had returned.
     She began to run to him. He was going to live. The nightmare was
over. Ranma was coming back to her. In her delirious state, she did not
see Shampoo until the Amazon knocked her aside in her own headlong
rush to reach Ranma's side. Akane fell heavily to the floor, her face
reflecting the shock she felt. Angrily, she prepared to rush the Amazon
girl.  
     "Stupid girl, remember promise," Shampoo shouted as she grabbed
Ranma's left hand, "Husband no longer yours."
     Akane sank heavily to the floor as she heard this. It was true, she
had given up Ranma. Cologne had saved him, or at least opened the
way to save him. Rightfully she had no claim to him anymore. She
wanted to cry. She wanted to shout in grief, but she would not give
anyone that satisfaction. She had done what had been needed. She
would not regret it. She would accept it.
     But it still hurt. The pain of not having him tore at her heart, ripping
her apart. Roughly she shoved the grief down. It did not matter any
more. She had lost him. Before he had come into her life, she had
gotten along fine, why not when he was gone?
     Because he is part of you. Akane shook the thoughts away and
stood up, watching as Ranma came back to life, her eyes starring
around groggily. 
     Akane watched as Ranma pushed away Shampoo. Ranma's mouth
was moving soundlessly. It seemed like she was calling for her, but
Akane could not go. She put on a blank face. She would show no
weakness. She would not give Shampoo and Cologne the satisfaction. 
     Ranma's eyes meet her own. Though they were clouded and unfo-
cused, Akane saw the plea in them, the hurt and the confusion. He
needed her. Something horrible had happened to him, and now the one
person he did not want comforting him was and the person he needed
was watching impassively. Her heart was being ground into a fine
powder, her strength breaking under his demanding blue-grey eyes. It
was too much for her. The loss was too recent to face like this.
     Then Ranma turned away, disappointment brimming in his eyes.
As soon as his eyes left her, Akane forced herself to turn away from
Ranma. She walked stiffly towards the front door, her body rigid as a
steel rod. She was not going to cry. Her grief would never be shown to
the world. "Akane," Ranma's soft, begging cry reached her as she
stepped through the door and into the street. It destroyed her. 
     As the door closed behind her she took a few steps and fell to
her knees. Sometimes the loss is too much, the pain so great that there
is no way to express it no release from the burning torment within body
and soul. This grief thrust itself upward grasping Akane's heart in a
vice grip, crushing the air from her lungs as if a steel beam had
slammed down on her body.. She wanted to cry out in anguish, retaliate
against the heavens. Everything pushed against the dam holding it in.
Akane opened her mouth in a silent scream, wanting the release,
needing it. Only a soft whimper escaped her though, as she collapsed
against the ground, her life shattered, her soul crying out in unending
torment.
     From the shadows at the side of the building, Ukyou watched in
silent pity. No one deserved the pain Akane was going through. No
one.

     It was like swimming through syrup. He struggled to reach the
surface and the fresh air. His mind was exploding form the effects of
the journey into his body. Something was trying to drag him back into
dreams and illusions. No he would not allow it. He would not. If he
gave into the blackness that was trying to drag him down, he might
never wake up. Xian Lin's sacrifice would be worth nothing than.
     With renewed determination, Ranma struggled to the surface of
consciousness. Finally he broke free and became aware of his surroun-
dings, the air rasping in his lungs, the bed underneath him, the clothes
on his body. Like a drowning man gasped for air, he grabbed each of
these sensations and enjoyed them.
     Slowly his other senses came back. Sight was the first. He was in
Toufu-sensei's clinic. The Tendou's and his father were gathered around
him, and.and...Cologne and Shampoo. He tried to push himself up,
wanting to wring the old woman's neck. Then Shampoo was in his
arms, hugging him. 
     Disgusted, Ranma tried to pushed her away from him, but his arms
felt like they had been weighted down with lead. Shampoo barely
moved under his onslaught. She asked him a question as she hugged
him, but he had not regained his hearing yet.
     What is going on? Where is Akane? He tried to move Shampoo
aside and saw Akane starring at him, her face a stone statue. What is
going on? Why is Akane so sad? Why is Shampoo in my arms?
     He glanced around. Everyone but Shampoo seemed to be miserable.
Kasumi had a pitying look in her eyes. Nabiki was glaring at the
Amazon in his arms. Soun was crying, as was his father. Toufu-sensei
only sadly returned his gaze. 
     He turned back around only to catch sight Akane disappearing out
the door. In a moment of desperation, he found his voice. "Akane!" he
called out, but she did not respond. He tried to push himself up to go
after her, but there was no way. He was too weak.
     "Husband stay with Shampoo," Shampoo said. Ranma was over-
whelmed by the noise of the room as his hearing kicked in, pain flaring
in his eardrums as the noise assaulted him. 
     "I'm not your husband," he stated groggily, "Nor will I ever be."
     "Violent girl give you up, Father promise husband to Shampoo,"
Shampoo explained, "It only way great-grandmother allow you to live."
     Ranma sank back onto the bed, his mind reeling. He had to marry
Shampoo? Akane had given him up? No, it couldn't be true. What kind
of hell had he returned to. This was not worth Xian Lin's sacrifice.
     Xian Lin! He glanced down at the statue.  A black aura and white
fought across the surface, but it was obvious Xian Lin was losing. He
had to help her, but how. In desperation he lifted the statue and
smashed it on the bed. There was the crackling of glass and something
wet covered his hand and the statue. 
     Surprised Ranma watched as the black aura of Boukyaku halted its
attack and retreated from Xian Lin. Soon the white covered most of the
statue, the black only occupying a small corner. 
     Picking up his hand, Ranma saw a little blood from where the
broken syringe had punctured his skin, but there was a syrupy sub-
stance on his hand and the statue. Had that done it? He did not know
but for the moment Xian Lin was safe. At least that was one less thing
to worry about. Now to deal with Akane and Shampoo and a way to
free Xian Lin. Ranma suddenly wished he had never broken off any of
his engagements. His life had been so much simpler before. 
     I need some answers. What is going on? Why these promises? Is
Shampoo lying to me? Why is everyone so sad? Oh god, what has
happened? At this point his body and mind retaliated against the
narcotic in his body. Darkness and unconsciousness descended over
him like a comforting blanket. His head and body slipped backwards
onto the bed, as he instinctively curled into a fetal position, the statue
clutched tightly to his body like a favorite stuffed animal.

      The room was in chaos. Everyone was still trying to figure out
what to do. First Ranma had died, or appeared to have died, and then
he had come alive and looked around before slipping into
unconsciousness. 
     Cologne was furious. She did not know how the doctor had done it,
but he had obviously found a way to bring Ranma back to his body. He
must have used some datura, that would be the only reason Boukyaku
lost to that white aura so easily.
     Now was not the time to dwell on that she realized. It was time to
make with what she had been given. She had Ranma now. His death
would have been better, but the fact that he had survived this was
testament to his strength. He would make a priceless addition to the
Amazon tribe. Now she just had to get him away from these fools.
     Really it was a simple task. Ranma had been promised to Shampoo,
so as Shampoo's guardian she could take Ranma with her. She stepped
up to the bed fully intending to do this. Shampoo was sitting beside the
boy when Cologne hopped up beside the bed.
     "We take Husband home now?" Shampoo asked anxiously.
     "Yes, great-granddaughter," Cologne answered, "It is time to
return to Joketsuzoku."
     "Aieee! Shampoo so happy!" Shampoo began to gather Ranma in
her arms when Toufu-sensei intervened.
     "He stays here," he said quietly, grabbing Shampoos forearm and
pulling it away from Ranma.
     "I don't think so," Cologne stated.. This doctor was beginning to
annoy her, "Son-in-law is to be married to Shampoo, as such he will
come with us."
     "You will leave him here, and let him recuperate and say his
farewells to his family and friends." The voice was quiet but it carried
the weight of an emperor. "Am I understood?"
     "Hai, but that does not mean I must agree," Cologne shot back,.
"They promised." She pointed a wrinkled finger at the distraught Soun
and Genma. "Are you going to break their honor?"
     "No, but you are going to make a mistake," Toufu said carefully,
"Ranma is not going to be please when he wakes up. He will not
believe you. He will refuse everything you say and return here t his
family. Only then will he realize the promise they made on the honor of
his family. What do you think he will do then? Commit seppuku? I
believe so. But will he leave it at that or seek revenge first?"
     Cologne smiled inwardly at the thought of her son-in-law's suicide.
It might be worth it, but she realized it was a pointless battle. She was
not going to be able to walk out of here with Ranma. It did not matter.
He was the property of the Amazon tribe now, and nothing would
change that.
     "Fine, you may keep the boy until he is healthy and has said his
farewells," Cologne agreed, "But I will take the statue of Boukyaku
back." She walked forward and grabbed the statue in Ranma's hands
and pulled. To her surprise it did not budge.
     "*What is this? How can he hold this statue while asleep?*" she
muttered in Mandarin. There was no way she was going to be able to
force it from Ranma, he was stronger than her, but there were always
pressure points. She touched a few, but when she reached for the statue
this time, it flared white and threw her backwards. Ranma only
mumbled and pulled the statue closer to her body.
     "I don't think he's going to release it," Nabiki commented condes-
cendingly. Cologne saw the amusement sparkle in the girl's eyes. Grum-
bling angrily, Cologne hopped to her feet. She would come back for the
statue later. She was not leaving it in the hands of these weaklings. 
     "Great-granddaughter, we are leaving," Cologne said and pulled the
bewildered Shampoo form the clinic.
     "Why we leave, Great-Grandmother?" Shampoo asked.
     "Don't worry, we'll be back later," Cologne assured the girl as she
began walking down the street.

     Ukyou watched Cologne and Shampoo disappear into the early
morning darkness. Anger burned within her like the fire in a forge.
Ranchan did not deserve what he was being forced upon him. He had
been unconscious, he had not agreed to any of this, and now Cologne
seemed to be treating him like a piece of meat. It did not matter that
Shampoo loved Ranma. Ranma was being used and Ukyou hated that.
     She hated it because Ranma was going tosuffer and it was hurting 
the only people who had ever been her friends. Akane was suffering. Even
though she was not here, having finally regained her feet, running into
the night just before Cologne had exited the clinic, Ukyou knew she
would be grieving for a long time. She had seen how much Akane
cared for Ranma. The Tendou's were grieving the loss of Ranma, even
in their joy that he was safe. It was not fair, it was not fair to anyone.
     She remembered Ranma's words when he had broken the engage-
ment. They burned in her mind as a testament to her, but also as a
reminder of who Ranma was.
     They were sitting at the counter, Ranma watching her sadly. She
was still crying softly, the tears running down her cheeks. "Y-you
don't love me?" she asked fearfully.
     "I never said that, Ucchan," he said his voice quiet in the empty
restaurant, "I care for you a lot. You're my best friend. How could I
throw that away?"
     She sniffled in response, still trying to come to grips with what
Ranma had said. He was breaking their engagement. He was no longer
her fiancee. "But why?" she wailed, "I've done everything for you. I've
given my life for you. I'll do anything for you, Ranchan. Just give me
the chance. I'll make a perfect wife. Please, Ranchan," she begged
grabbing his hand. She saw the pain burning in is grey-blue eyes, those
eyes that had always captivated her and everyone else. She knew he
was breaking. He couldn't stand to make girls cry.
     "I-I can't, Ucchan," Ranma said, pulling his hand from her's and
standing up, "I can't go on like this. I won't be forced by you or
anyone." he turned around to face her. "This is my life, Ucchan. I want
to choose who I marry, who I decide to spend my life with. I don't
wanna be told who I've gotta love or marry or be nice to. It just ain't
me."
     "I'm sorry I hurt you, Ucchan, but I've gotta do this. I hurt Shampoo
when I told her. I hurt Akane when I told her, and Kodachi..." Ranma
paused and glanced around fearfully, "She doesn't even deserve me to
tell her. I'll send a note or something telling her to get help."
     Sighing, Ranma returned to the counter and sat down. Ukyou
watched him for a second. She had never realized that Ranma hated
being forced so much. Generally he just took it in stride, trying to
juggle all of his fiancees. "D-do I have a chance, Ranchan?" she asked
fearfully, "Will you one day marry me?"
     Ranma gazed into her eyes at that moment. She saw regret in them,
pain, sorrow and then finally acceptance. "I-I..yes. You still have a
chance, Ucchan." He said it silently and then slowly stood and left the
restaurant.
     Ranma did not deserve what was going to happen to him. He was
being thrown around like a rag doll. She knew they had done it to save
his life. She knew they had had no choice, but it was still not fair.
Maybe there was one thing she could do to help him. If he disappeared,
if they couldn't find him...
     She climbed to her feet and glanced into the window. The room was
dark. It was obvious everyone had left while she was thinking. Ranma
was sleeping quietly in the center of the room. She looked so peaceful
as a passing car illuminated the calm and relaxed face. 
     Ranchan does not even know what is happening. I've gotta help
him. He deserves better than this, and maybe, just maybe he'll come
back to me. She smiled at the though and stealthily opened the window
and slipped into the clinic's waiting room. 
     The room was silent and still. No one was about, but Ukyou knew
that Toufu-sensei was in the building somewhere. She silently he hoped
he was sleeping. 
     With soft steps, she approached Ranma-onna and gently lifted the
small, young lady into her arms and then slipped back out of the clinic
into the night. It was the only way. She would take Ranma to her place.
She would let him recover, and then she would help him do whatever
he wanted, and be damned with all of their honor. Ranma deserved
better. She deserved better.  
     


     Author's Notes:

     Boy was that a long one. I never intended it to be that long, but
I guess I really needed to get to the point at a god rate rather that rush
it. Well I don't want to put to much in this Note, just a few comments
that will be a repeat of the things in my Author's Foreword.

     Pt 2 is finished and now we are going on to Pt 3 and the rest of
the series. This is where the original story I had planned takes up. For
anyone who has lost track of the time at this point. pt 2 covered 14
days In the curse and 2 days before, so 16 days, pt 1 Ch 2 was 5 days, 2 in
the hospital, 2 training that were not shown and the one of the date. Ch
1 of pt 1 was a week, about seven days, actually eight because it goes into the
day he wakes up. So total time so far is 29 days, just a little over four
weeks. Just though some poeple might want to know. I don't make a
big dfeal of days of the week or actuall time. It is easy to miss in my
writing, and I guess I dont want people confused.

     Well I didn't really tie anything together now did I? Ha, ha, ha,
And yo thought I'd have a nifty clear everything up solution, well you
probably didn't but let me gloat. I've not had enough to gloat about
lately ^_^ Anyway. Truthfully Ranma only changed states and there is
still a lot of problems, as will be explained in later chapters. I just hope
I keep it interesting enough for everyone.

     Oh well enough talking. Ive gotta start writing again, actually nix
that. I'm going to bed, and I'll write tomorrow

     Until next time
     Joseph A. Kohle

   ----*----*----*----*----*----*----*----*----*----
   All rights and priveleges to Ranma Nibunnoichi       
   belong to Rumiko Takahashi. The characters of her        
   series are used without her permission for the       
   purpose of entertainment only. This work of fic-
   tion is not meant for sale or profit.                    
                                                                         
   All original characters are the creation of the
   author. All copyright privileges to these chara-
   cters are reserved for the author.

   This story is a product of the author's hard work    
   and imagination. Do not modify, add to, or make 
   use of any part of this work without the author's 
   knowledge and consent. Please feel free to archive 
   this work.                             
            
   Comments and criticism are welcome.                   
   Written by Joseph A. Kohle, (c) 1997.                 
   Send all comments to Ashira@worldnet.att.net