Permanent 10: A battle of witsPermanent 10: A battle of wits.
Ranma snorted as she stood outside the window of the small shop in the shopping 
district of Nerima. Akane stood nearby with her friends and looked at some 
jewelry in the window of a nearby store. They talked excitedly and giggled 
amongst themselves. Ranma merely stood in disbelief and glared at the window of 
the much smaller and inconspicuous store. "I don't believe it, the nerve!" she 
whispered angrily.
"What is it Ranma?" asked Akane noticing Ranma's agitated state.
"I'll be right back," muttered the red head as she stormed into the store.
"Hello miss can I help you?" said the elderly man inside pleasantly.
"Yea," said Ranma as she surveyed her surroundings calmly. "You can tell me what 
you think your doing selling that book," she snapped as she indicated the black 
book sitting in the window.
"Pardon? This is a magic shop my dear we cater..." started the man smugly.
"How about if I report this to the counsel?" said Ranma calmly.
The man became white as a sheet. "You wouldn't," he said as his voice seemed to 
give out on him. "You can't."
"I can and I will, that book is one of the most evil things on this planet and I 
want to know how you got it, now," said Ranma as she leaned over the counter and 
looked the old man in the eyes.
"Please! A man sold it to me! He didn't want much for it and I could sell it to 
some deviant high school kids for a good price. They wouldn't know how to use it 
anyway. So I figured..." stammered the man in hysterics.
"I'm taking it off your hands, I want this store gone by tomorrow and I never 
want to see you in business ever again. If I do I take this straight up to the 
top," sneered Ranma as she walked over to the window and lifted the book off the 
shelf.
"Yes Ma'am," said the shopkeeper as he backed away from her gaze.
A few moments later she walked out into the street with the book under her arm 
and sighed. Akane was in a dress shop across the street and smiled and waved at 
her as she noticed her. "Hey Ranma, what do you have there?" asked Akane 
cheerfully as she noticed a small bag in Ranma's hands. The book was held 
tightly under her arm. She felt her skin crawl as she held it tightly.
"It's a Phoenix egg, I've always wanted one." said Ranma as she shook the bag.
"What? That's silly," said Yuka as she placed a dress back on the rack.
"It a real one," said Ranma calmly as she walked off.
"What?" said Sayuri dumbly as she turned from her own shopping. "That's 
ridiculous."
"If Ranma says its real then it is," said Akane as she frowned and watched her 
friend walk off.
"Do you think we should go after her?" asked Yuka.
"Nah, she does this sort of thing all the time." said Akane as she picked up an 
outfit that seemed to suit her.
A few moments later Ranma entered the Tendo home and walked up to her room. She 
threw the book down violently and fell to the floor clutching herself in 
disgust. She crawled over to a large chest she had in the corner. It had 
markings she had carefully painted on it when she had arrived in Japan. It was 
very special and important to her. She knelt before it and muttered something as 
her hands began to glow. The lock on the box snapped open and she gasped as the 
dark power sealed inside it overwhelmed her, she shielded her face against it 
and picked up the book she had 'acquired' throwing it into the box with the 
other assorted books before slamming the lid shut again. The seal returned and 
the evil energy that had filled the room was sucked back into the box. She 
turned and looked at a small pile of books next to the chest and frowned. All of 
them were Necrinomicon Exmortum. Gosunkugi appeared in the back of her mind. 
"Worse? Is that possible?" he said.
"Yes it is," she answered bitterly.
Cologne stood outside the Dojo with a frown on her face. "So that is why they 
sent this to you my dear, You've been saving them a great deal of trouble. I 
thought it was a bit much to give you something like this just for playing 
doctor." she turned away and bounded into the night. 
Mousse stood and glared into a mirror. He looked at his hands and frowned as 
they shook uncontrollably. At his feet Shampoo purred and rubbed his leg 
happily. He had just fed her. "Oh Shampoo, if only you had been so affectionate 
with me when you were still human," he whispered. "Still, I cannot face that 
monster again yet; I must find a way do defeat her!" he muttered as he collapsed 
on the small mat he had been sleeping in. He held his head in his hands and just 
sat. Shampoo worked her way on to his lap and simply sat with a satisfied purr. 
"You aren't really Shampoo any more are you? You're just a cat now. Even if I 
were to find a way to bring you back you would never be my beloved again," he 
sadly stroked her fur affectionately.
"That is correct, It is best if she remains as she is," said a voice from behind 
Mousse. He showed no signs of being surprised.
"It wouldn't matter, I know even if her mind didn't leave her she would have to 
remain as she is to retain her honor. I am glad she did lose it and could find 
happiness," replied Mousse as he turned to face Cologne.
"Why did you take her?" asked the Amazon elder.
"I didn't want to; She followed me, I don't think she truly became a cat until 
we arrived here," said Mousse sadly.
"I see," said Cologne simply.
"I wanted to have our revenge together and give her at least that comfort, but 
now I must have it alone," he lay down and looked at the sky.
"Let it go Mousse, you know you have no place in this," sighed Cologne.
"I cannot," Replied the boy simply.
"Then you must be punished," she replied simply.
"There is nothing you can do to me that can be worse than losing my Shampoo," he 
said simply.
"I know boy but the punishment is fitting of someone of your loyalty," she gave 
a withered and cold smile. "You will be her guardian forever, you must care for 
her always. You may never marry another. Constantly you will be reminded of her 
condition, when she dies you will perish with her, and finally you will never 
have your revenge on Ranma Saotome. She is your superior, your better." 
Mousse felt a chill run down his spine as her words drove a knife into his 
heart. "You mean?"
"Yes, the others are already preparing their assault," she said with a smile.
"No you can't deny me this! I won't allow it!" cried Mousse as he threw a volley 
of weapons at the old woman. She dodged easily and poked his neck with her 
staff. Mousse felt his body grow cold as he collapsed. He fell into a puddle 
that had formed at his feet. "Bah, I am no longer a man, I could not even 
control myself. I don't deserve Shampoo," he thought as he passed out.
Tatewaki Kuno stood at the edge of the bath and stepped inside. He sighed as he 
felt the warmth surround him. His wings ruffled instinctively as he bathed and 
sent strange but not uncomfortable sensations down his spine. His day had not 
been unpleasant. He had lost his daily duel with the young Ranma again. It 
seemed to be getting easier for her to defeat him and he had to work something 
out. He had endured the stares of others on the streets and smiled at the 
memory. It seemed that others were afraid of him or simply in awe. He wore 
gloves to hide his clawed hand, but the wings were a different problem. It was 
the summer and the heat made it difficult to hide them in public. It was a 
problem he would deal with however since the added bonus of flight made the 
stares well founded and worthwhile. He felt liberated when he took the skies, it 
was amazing and he had never felt so free.
His sister seemed strangely absent for the past few days and had commented 
several times on the foolishness of wearing such fake looking decoration. He saw 
no reason to enlighten her. He stood from the water after a while wrapped a 
towel around his waist. His wings ruffled again and he sat down and preened them 
carefully. It was another strange habit he had acquired. "I suppose it is 
instinct," he thought to himself. He finished and walked out into the hallway 
and towards his room after half dressing himself in a pair of loose pants. He 
glanced in a mirror vainly and smiled as he noticed his now golden eyes. "I do 
look devilishly handsome don't I?" he asked the reflection. With that he simply 
walked into his room.
Kodachi Kuno stared from her doorway in disbelief as her brother walked by 
without his shirt on. She gasped as he passed her in the hallway. "Those foolish 
wings my brother has been wearing...are real?" she thought. "This cannot be left 
unattended."
Ranma Saotome sat up in her bed. She stood and glared out the open window in her 
room. "I didn't open that," she muttered as she turned and looked at her father 
who was snoring loudly on the ground beside her. "Who ever you are come out!" 
she called quietly. Two figures seemed to melt out of the shadows, both held 
spears at their sides and one of them obviously did not know how to use it 
properly. Ranma recognized their dress immediately. "Amazons," she whispered in 
silent horror.
"We greet you Ranma," said the one on her left. "I am Ko li and this is Talcum." 
The other girl smiled darkly; Ranma only frowned. 
"We'll go out to the dojo and settle this, this is not my home and I don't wish 
to disturb them," said Ranma as she leapt out the window. The two girls 
followed.
TbC...
 
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