(2 of 2)
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		*		*		*

	Ryouga woke up from where he had fallen asleep the night before. Ranma, 
Akane and he had been watching an early Jackie Chan movie and by the 
looks of it, not a single one of them made it through the whole flick. 
He focused his eyes and stared at his beloved Akane's sleeping form, 
resting up against her fiancee. Ryouga held in his jealousy in check and 
tried standing up, but his legs didn't feel like responding that day.
	Ryouga thought over what they had talked about the night before. Ranma 
was having his bachelor party this very night and Ryouga was now 
invited. That would be the perfect time. He decided to go back to sleep 
since it wasn't dawn yet.


	Akane's eyes slid open slowly and she sat up and gazed down at her 
soon-to-be husband. He seemed so peaceful that there was no reason for 
her to wake him. She looked over at Ryouga, who also slept soundly. She 
was so glad that Ranma and Ryouga worked out their differences. 
Recently, everyone was getting along pretty well, and the fighting had 
nearly ceased. This did not include the Kuno's though, for Tatewaki was 
still trying his best to prevent the 'evil wizard Saotome' from marrying 
'his' Akane and trying to force the release his pig-tailed goddess, 
which was, of course, Ranma's female form. That stubborn fool would 
never give up. She didn't want to even ponder Kodachi's fate. Even Akane 
felt sorry for her.
	She yawned and then got up. 'I bet they'd be so happy if I made them 
all breakfast!' Her hopes sank upon walking in the kitchen and seeing 
Kasumi already up to the task. "Hi, Kasumi."
	"Good morning, Akane-chan!" As usual, Kasumi, in her ever-cheerful 
mood, flashed her a big smile. "Breakfast will be ready shortly." How 
Kasumi managed to wake up every morning and beat her to making it was 
amazing indeed.


	The second breakfast was ready, Ranma's senses suddenly came to life 
and he jumped up and ran to the kitchen table ready to eat. He looked up 
at Akane with a smile as she and Kasumi walked in bringing food. "Aren't 
we punctual when it comes to food?" Akane commented.
	His response was muted by him chowing down. Genma and Ryouga walked in 
about the same time, followed by Soun a short time later. After they 
were well into their meal, Ranma spoke to Ryouga. "Hey bud, after 
breakfast ya wanna spar a bit?" Ryouga nodded as his mouth was very full 
at the time. Ranma smiled and went back to his food.


	Ranma and Ryouga stood across from each other in the dojo in defensive 
stances. They considered each other for a bit when Ryouga took the 
offensive. He charged and lashed out with a few punches and then ended 
with a kick, all easily dodged by Ranma who then counterattacked with a 
high kick of his own. Ryouga went straight into the attack and managed 
to score a few hits against Ranma who was expecting him to dodge. 
Despite taking the kick head on, Ryouga seemed relatively unfazed. Ranma 
went on the offensive and faked a left punch and then turned it into a 
back kick which sent Ryouga sprawling backwards. Ryouga's frustration 
began to build, but he released it while they continued their brawl 
which didn't quite go all out, but instead was a friendly test of skill.
	This continued, with Ryouga taking plenty of hits, and scoring plenty 
himself, but they did so without hitting that hard. Ranma was obviously 
doing more damage then he was taking, though, and Ryouga had to give up 
sooner.
	"That was a good match... thanks Ryouga." Ranma grinned at him as they 
went back to the house. How badly Ryouga wished that he could wipe that 
grin off of the fool's face. With anger carefully in its unusually 
submissive place, Ryouga scowled and followed Ranma closely as to not 
get lost.

		*		*		*

	Shampoo opened her eyes and sat up. She lay on the bed of the motel 
room that she had rented the day before. Noticing the very disgusting 
taste present in her mouth, she ran to the bathroom and swished sink 
water in her mouth. The tap water itself wasn't that good, but it at 
least did the trick. She walked over to the window of her room and 
pushed aside the blinds, revealing it to be night.
	A sigh of utter hopelessness escaped her mouth as she cleaned up and 
prepared to move on. She had to hurry for Ranma's sake. Fantasies, that 
she knew could never be, flooded her mind as she left the motel, leaving 
the key with the manager.
	She traveled by rooftop, jumping from house to house like super heroes 
do in comic books. Her pulse rushed as she kept moving as quickly as she 
could. She had to beat Ryouga... she had to!

		*		*		*

	A maniacal giggle escaped the ancient man's mouth as he collected 
another bundle of his precious women's undergarments. Oh, how the poor 
little things cried out for him to take them up safely, and take them 
back with him. He beamed in pure satisfaction as he traveled the 
rooftops of a nearby district. Nerima had become a place where one 
couldn't leave their window open at night! What has become of it now 
that most people lock their windows and doors so tight?
	Another giggle escaped his lips as he noticed a figure bounding over 
the rooftops in the direction he was headed. How sweet it was indeed, 
when he noticed who the figure was.


	Shampoo nearly fell off a roof in surprise as a small ball of 
perversion latched itself onto her chest. She looked down and boiled 
with anger when she saw the familiar little demon, whose name, in 
Joketsuzoku, was a reminder that bad little girls would get snatched up 
if they didn't behave themselves.
	Her first reaction was to pull out her bombori and smack the little 
freak into the top of the roof on which they stood, her to follow up in 
a punt, but neither happened. Instead, an idea came to her.
	"Shampoo no want fight you now! Shampoo need your help!" Happosai 
looked up at her with his eyes never leaving the girl's chest. She 
pondered on pounding him again, but if she was to get his cooperation he 
would have to be conscious.
	"Hmm," Happosai considered. "How can I help such a beautiful young 
woman as yourself?" He went from his perverted state to his wise and 
most knowledgeable one state looking up at her curiously.
	"Ranma in trouble! Pig-boy want take Violent Girl so he go to..." her 
words cut short when she realized what the ancient master held in his 
hands. Her eyes narrowed and she reconsidered her choice and attempted 
to knock the little man unconscious, which didn't work out quite well.
	The next thing she realized was that she was flying backwards and into 
an alleyway, pain flooding her. She refused to be knocked out for 
Ranma's life could be at stake.
	"That was very unwise of you Shampoo. If someone is in danger then you 
should spit out what you have to say." Happosai sounded very serious for 
once in his life.
	The ancient one helped her up and what she noticed next was that he now 
held TWO of her undergarments. She checked both under her top and bottom 
to find what was missing under her clothes. "AHH!! Hentai!!!" She then 
punted the gleeful master into the stratosphere.
	"When I come down, tell me what you were going to say!" he yelled 
before he winked out of existence.
	Now back to getting to Ranma! She leaped back up onto the roof towards 
Nerima.

		*		*		*

	All of Ranma's friends had gathered at the Tendo residence and were 
about to leave when Ranma spoke, "Anyone see Ryouga?" Everyone either 
responded in the negative or shook their heads, besides his friend from 
Furinkan, Hitoshi. "Hai, I saw him walk by my house an hour ago. I 
called out to him but he didn't hear me and kept going."
	Ranma scowled. They finally got to be somewhat of good friends and he 
gets himself lost. Typical. "Oh well, if he shows, great. If he doesn't, 
we really can't blame'em." The small group then left to the nightclub, 
where they were going to have the bachelor party.

	"Where am I now?" Ryouga asked himself for nearly the thousandth time 
this month. He had to get to Ranma's bachelor party, but like usual when 
he went looking for the bathroom he got lost and found himself quite far 
away from the Tendo residence. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! Oh, this is your 
fault Ranma! I hate you!" He started pounding holes into the ground with 
his fist.
	After a few moments of bashing inanimate objects, he felt a slight 
change in the temperature making him shiver from the sudden cold. 
'That's odd.' Ryouga then looked at his surroundings. He stood in a 
forested area that was quite disturbed since most of the trees near him 
had fallen from his random smashing. 'Hmm, that seems like the way to 
go.' He then walked along the path that his destruction uncovered and 
followed it.


	Ranma and his friends shivered as they made their way towards the club. 
Looking up at the sky in dread, they heard the rumbling of thunder in 
the distance, causing them to hurry towards their destination.
	Just as they were about to enter, they were caught in a sudden 
downpour, not pleasing the now very wet and very female Ranma. "God damn 
it! We almost made it!" His friends, who were all well aware of his 
curse, chuckled ushering her into the building seeming to thump from the 
music played inside.
	Ranma grinned and shouted to her friends over the loud noise from the 
night club, "Well, I guess this can be considered a bachelorette party 
now!" They all laughed some more and walked into the main part of the 
club.


	Ryouga tried to figure out the language the road signs on the street 
were in, but it was quite difficult through the heavy rain. He then gave 
up and walked down one of the streets continuing until he heard a loud 
thumping noise from a building that was on his right... or was it left? 
He looked around and seemingly right when his confusion would take him 
somewhere else, something about the building that was now in front of 
him told him that it was the one he had been looking for earlier.
	He approached it and was stopped short of entering by a large bouncer. 
"You have reservations here, boy?' Ryouga looked up at the very large 
man who held him back from his goal. Ryouga was about to show him the 
bright light that near death experiences always were supposed to 
contain, but he decided to keep all his anger for the one who made all 
of this a sad reality. "I'm Ryouga Hibiki... I'm expected."
	The bouncer looked at him suspiciously for a second and then moved out 
of the young man's way. "Ahh, your with the Ranma party," Ryouga sighed 
relief at this. "Right this way... no this way!" He pushed Ryouga in the 
right way and was greeted warmly by Daisuke, one of Ranma's high school 
buddies, who led him to where the rest were.
	"Yo, Ryouga! Glad you could make it buddy!" Ranma said in his sweet 
female voice. Ryouga took a deep breath. This had to look good.
	"Hey, Ranma." That was the best 'nice' greeting that he could pull off 
in his current mood. He looked around and saw everyone talking over a 
few drinks. "Is this a party? I don't see you all drinking... waitress! 
Next round's on me!" Ryouga could only hope he had enough cash on him to 
pay for it.
	One of Ranma's friends that Ryouga had never met before, named Kenji, 
engaged him in an interesting conversation. Before long, they were all 
quite drunk excluding Ryouga.
	Ranma sat down next to Ryouga. "I'm sooo glad you're here man... 
wouldn't be the same without ya." Ranma weakly put her arm around Ryouga 
neck flashing one of the grins that would usually set Ryouga off. Not 
this time.
	"Come on, you think I'd miss your wedding? We may have not been 
friendly to each other before, but I've seen how Akane loves you. I 
won't get in the way of her happiness." Ryouga said that matter-a-factly 
and sipped his beer. He wouldn't stand in the way of Akane's 
happiness... but Ranma was going to ruin her. He couldn't allow that.
	Ranma suddenly pulled herself off of Ryouga, much to his relief, and 
said, "Eek, the men's... er ladies room calls." Ryouga glared daggers at 
the young woman's departure and glanced at Ranma's unattended glass. 
'This is for Akane. I can't stand back now!' He pulled a capsule from 
his the pocket of his jacket and opened it over the drink and stirred 
the contents in. 'Phew, that's done.'


	His eyes glazed over and his thoughts all shifted to one thing: Akane.
	"Love! For you, I will do anything!"
	"Do you really mean it, Ryouga?"
	"Of course, dearest heart!"
	"Oh Ryouga! Why did I ever love that heartless beast, Ranma? He could 
never be you. Your my everything!" The two lovers melded together, 
becoming one. No one could destroy his fantasies this time. His heart of 
glass was reinforced with steel. His love was with him in his arms.


	"Uh, Ryouga? Could you let up? Your going to squeeze me to death!" His 
eyes opened in complete shock. Was Akane really with him? Ranma's 
sapphire eyes blinked at him in response. "Sorry, buddy... umm how much 
have you had to drink?" Ryouga instantly release his hold on the 
redhead, feeling very embarrassed. She patted him on the back and 
smiled. "It really is good to have you as a friend. Oh shoot... I'll be 
right back!" Ryouga watched her bound over a few tables and rush back 
into the women's bathroom.
	'Fate is with me! I almost forgot to put the pill in Ranma's drink!' 
The fact that he did it already completely slipped his mind after his 
day dream of Akane. He looked over at Ranma's glass and back to the door 
to the ladies room. 'Okay Ryouga, don't chicken out now! You can't let 
Ranma get away with this! Its for Akane's own good!' He then pulled out 
another capsule and opened it over Ranma's drink once more, stirring it 
in. 'Phew, now I only have to wait for him to get sleepy and then I take 
him home like the good little friend that I am!' His mind shifted into a 
dream state as he imagined Akane and him living in a house of their own 
with children running all around the place.


	Ranma sat down next to him again and took a big swig of her glass. "So, 
bud. Tell me about you and Akari. How are you two doin'?" Ranma paused 
and took another sip of her beer.
	Ryouga seemed to snap out of whatever fantasy he was in to answer him, 
"We're doing just fine, Ranma. I guess you and Akane are good too?"
	Ranma took a few moments to answer, "We're getting along really well 
now." Ranma's eyes felt like dead weights, but she kept her gaze firmly 
on Ryouga. How many drinks did she have? Certainly not enough to be 
passing out this fast.
	"You okay, Ranma?" Ryouga asked with curiosity in his voice, to which 
Ranma nodded her head. "Seems everything�s turning out good for you." 
Ranma was too busy fighting to stay awake to notice the jealous 
hostility in Ryouga's voice. "Are you sure your okay, Ranma?"
	"I feel... odd." Ranma's vision blurred and he could hardly tell that 
the form in front of  her was the lost boy. 'I don't even remember 
drinking that much!' Ranma fell out of her chair as nausea suddenly 
consumed her. She felt like she was about to vomit but passed out cold 
too quickly.


	Ryouga's quick reaction saved Ranma from landing on the floor, but she 
passed out that same instant. His face beamed a sadistic smile as he 
looked at the unconscious girl. "Are you okay, Ranma? Ranma?" He had to 
make it look good. He couldn't allow anyone to be able to point their 
finger at him later on.
	He felt Ranma's wrist for a pulse and didn't find one. His heart beat 
quickened. He felt her neck trying to find a pulse there. Nothing. He 
then placed his palm to her chest in a desperate attempt to feel a heart 
beat. He felt it beat few and far in between, but she was alive. She 
would be alive for a very long time, suffering in the misery as he had 
been for so many years.
	"Heh, your so drunk, Ryouga! That's Saotome! Hehe!" Daisuke promptly 
passed out. He wondered what the boy meant, when he saw his hand on a 
beautiful female's chest. It didn't cause the usual nose bleed; though, 
it was Ranma after all, but it did look bad. He removed his hand from 
her chest and propped her up in her chair and her head slumped over onto 
the bar.
	Ryouga stood up looking at all of the people he was drinking with, now 
all of them completely passed out besides Hitoshi who was obviously 
struggling for consciousness. He walked over to the young man and spoke 
to him, "I'm going to take Ranma home, you'll be okay here?" Hitoshi 
smiled at him and said he'd be fine and that his idea was good. Hitoshi 
wasn't in the right frame of mind to remember about Ryouga's little 
directional problem.
	Ryouga walked back to Ranma and picked her up easily carrying her up to 
the bar where he put some cash down covering his part. "I'm going to 
take her home before some stick gets ideas about taking her back 
with'em." The bartender nodded and told him to be safe as he walked out.
	The chill in the air caused adrenaline to fill Ryouga. His vengeance 
was almost complete. Nothing could go wrong now. He wouldn't allow it.

		*		*		*

	Shampoo arrived in Nerima and immediately headed to the Tendo dojo. 
There could be no excuse for her if Ryouga beat her. She decided to 
enter calmly and assess the situation just in case Ryouga did beat her 
to the mark. She shivered in the cold air, and could only hope that she 
wasn't too late.
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What is Ryouga going to do now? Will Shampoo save
Ranma before Ryouga can do anything else or is it
already to late? Find out in the next installment
of Vengeance.


Ryan Erik
ryanerik59@hotmail.com or
magusbloodstone@hotmail.com

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