Subject: [FFML] [fic][Ranma][Alt][C&C Requested] Epiphany Chapter 10
From: "Tripolar Disorder" <tripolar@hotmail.com>
Date: 1/19/2002, 2:59 PM
To: "Ffml Post" <ffml@anifics.com>


Here it is, the next chapter in my ever growing story.

Tell me what you think, since I seem to have LOST all my prereaders except
one.

******************************************

Epiphany Chapter 10

By Tripolar Disorder

A new day, a new curse, but old fears (Part two.)

Previous chapters of this story and all my stories can be
accessed from my website at:
http://www.geocities.com/tripolareq/fanfic.htm

Now here is the second half.  I'd sum up the first half, but you
are better off reading chapter 9 for yourself.

*****************************************************************

As Akane-Neko stood up, Chibi-Ranma-chan giggled in delight as
she noticed the tail and began to stroke it.

Akane closed her eyes as she felt her tail slide between
Ranma-chan's fingers.  She felt her knees buckling under her.
"Please stop that Ranma, I can barely keep standing."

The redhead put her hands down behind her back.  "I'm sorry
'kane.  I didn't mean to hurt you."

Akane sighed, and put her hand against her forehead.  "You don't
need to apologize, Ranma.  You didn't hurt me, but now is not the
time.  If you promise to be as gentle later, then you can play
with it all you want when this is over."

Ranma-chan smiled.  She took Akane's hand in her own.  "Then lets
go.  I wanna have fun with you as soon as possible."

Ranko laughed.  "You two look so cute together."  She then
pointed off to Akane's right.  "We gotta head that way."

*****************************************************************

After walking for several minutes, Akane thought she saw movement
along the horizon.  Ranma-chan noticed it too, and she pointed at
it.  "Look 'kane, what's that?"

Ranko looked, then nodded.  "Yup, that's him, or it, however you
want to think of it."

Akane couldn't quite see it and she squinted.  "What's it?"  She
asked.

Ranko responded.  "The Neko-Ken.  It's over there, and that is
the next part of Ranma we need to catch."

They continued until they could see it clearly.  It was
definitely Ranma, but he sported black hair almost to his butt.
The full body fur also was unusual.

Ranko stopped, she took Chibi-Ranma's hand and she sat down,
taking the little girl into her lap.

"What now?"  Akane asked.

Ranko pointed to Neko-Ran.  "It recognizes you as its mate, so
call to it and get it to come over here.  If we don't attack it,
it won't see us as a threat."

Akane nodded and turned toward Neko-Ran, who was now watching
them.  She sat down as well, and Neko-Ran slowly padded its way
over, stopping ten feet from the trio.  It was sniffing the wind,
trying to decide what was happening.

Akane put her hand out and in a calm voice said.  "Come here
Ranma, come here."

Neko-Ran's ears perked up.  It recognized the voice and came over
to her hand.  It sniffed it gingerly before letting her rub it.

Akane started scratching it behind the ears, when it noticed her
tail and batted it playfully.  She giggled, and it let out a
questioning meow.  She noticed where it's gaze seemed to be and
lowered her head.

I sniffed her ears and then pawed one, watching it flinch.

It gave another questioning mew at Akane, who nodded.

"Can you understand it 'kane?"  Asked Chibi Ranma.

"Kind of.  I know what it's thinking.  Just not the exact words."

Chibi-Ranma giggled.  "What'd he say then?"

"He said I look cuter now."  Replied Akane calmly.

Ranko leaned down into Chibi-Ranma's ear.  "Lets just hope he
doesn't change his mind about Akane."  She whispered.

The girl looked up at Ranko.  "What do you mean by that?"

Ranko sighed.  "Neko-Ran is so powerful, and were he ever to hurt
Akane..."

Chibi-Ranma's eyes began water.  "He wouldn't, would he?"

Ranko shook her head.  "He is so unpredictable, he might decide
that maybe someone else is better to his liking.  Or he could
seriously hurt someone, when he is let out next time.  But you
have the power to control him."

Chibi-Ranma's fists balled up.  She stared at the furry version
of herself, now curled up in Akane's lap.

"I can't let you hurt 'kane.  We haveta become one."

The cat opened its eyes.  Looking at Chibi-Ranma, it gave a nod.
Climbing out of Akane's lap, it padded over to the little girl.
She began petting it, and it sat down in front of her.
Ranma-chan put her arms around it, and it seemed to take on a
more human-like quality as it returned the gesture.

Suddenly there was bright flash from the pair, and Akane and
Ranko were bowled over by an intense shock wave.

As Akane opened her eyes toward the spot she had been moments
earlier, she saw what she thought was a clothed Ranma-kun laying
on the ground, curled up, into a ball.

Ranko motioned for her to stay back, as the redhead approached
him.

As she put her hand on his shoulder he launched upward, and
landed in a crouched tiger position several meters away, ready to
pounce.

This was when Ranma's eyes opened up.  This was also when Akane
noticed he had ears and a tail, just like hers.  His tail
swishing back and forth like he was going to attack.  He
suddenly realized what he was doing.

He stood up and walked over to Ranko, who was shaking from
fright.  "Sorry bout that Ko-chan, but you caught me off guard."

She went to strike him but found his hand appeared to block it
instantly.

Akane got up, and came over.  "What happened?"  She asked.

Ranma turned toward her.  "We merged, because we both care about
you and that Neko-Ranma knew you would never love him as he was."

Akane stood there shocked.  Ranma walked over, his tail waving
behind him.  He grabbed her around the waist.  He said.  "He was
right, you are cute."  He grabbed her butt, and she squealed.

"You need to put on some clothes Akane, this place is a bit
chilly."

As if on queue, several white whisps of energy were carried
seemingly by a wind no one could feel.  They created a vortex
around Akane before settling upon her skin and forming into a
white and black striped cat suit, with a folded collar.  Another
wisp and she had a skirt around her waist that grew until it
reached her knees.

Akane and Ranma stood there shocked.  Ranko took the
opportunity and commented.  "See Ranma, you put your mind to it
and there is nothing you can't do."

Ranma was busy admiring Akane.  "Damn, I do good work."  He said.

Ranko laughed.  "Now There is the Ranma I know and love.  C'mon
you two, we still have one more part to merge with."

Ranma sprang forward.  "What are we waiting for?"

Ranko nodded at Akane.  "See?  This part of him is totally
committed to you, and fearless.  Completely fearless."

"What other part is left Ranko?"  Asked Akane.

She replied flatly.  "His fears."

*****************************************************************

After a short walk, they were standing outside a cave-like
entrance.

Ranma was nearly jumping.  "Ok, lets go in!"  He went right for
the mouth of the cave.

Ranko was about to yell, when Ranma was blasted backward by a
wave of force coming out of the darkness inside the cave.

Ranma went rolling before he tucked and landed in a crouch, he
pounced forward and again hit this wall of force.

Akane helped pick himself off the ground.  His teeth were
grinding.  "Why can't I go in there?"

Ranko sat down.  "Same reason I can't go in there either."

Akane was confused.  "Why is that?"

Ranko sighed.  She stood up and walked over to Ranma, and
began to scratch his ears.  "Ranma is hiding from his fears, and
his pain is enough to keep what he is afraid of far enough away.

I am another symbol of his dream gone, of his mother taking him
back and loving him forever.  Cat-boy here should be obvious.

So we are stuck outside, but you, Akane, are Ranma's only hope.
I could not break his feelings out, or get his cat-form near me,
or come near his fear, but you can."

Akane nodded.  She focused her resolve and began walking inside.
She felt a wind blowing against her, but it was not strong enough
to stop her, and she continued.

*****************************************************************

After walking in darkness for a minute, she bumped into something
solid.  She staggered backward from the impact, which felt soft.
Light appeared out of nowhere, and Akane found she had bumped
into a likeness of Genma.

He began to laugh.  "You are a fool to love someone so weak as
Ranma.  He should be a girl forever, he is so weak.  He even acts
like a girl."

Akane's temper soared.  "Ranma isn't weak at all, in fact he is
more powerful than ........."  She suddenly realized something.
"He is not weak at all.  He is better in every way than Genma
ever could have imagined.... and he knew it.  He knew that his
own son could have easily even killed him.  He was just putting
Ranma down, so he could use him."

Akane watched as the Genma-likeness began to back up.  "Oh no you
don't, you are beaten, and I have been feeling in the mood to put
the hurting on Ranma's father, and you will be just as good!"

*****************************************************************

Ranko and Ranma sat outside, hearing the sounds of an old man
screaming, and being pummeled.  Several battle cries and crashing
noises floated through the air.

Ranma was busy licking his hand and rubbing it on his ears.  He
stopped for a moment.  "Sounds like she is having fun, wish I
could join her."

Ranko replied flatly.  "I wonder if I did the right thing.
Bringing her here I mean."

Ranma gave her nuzzle against her shoulder with his cheek.
"You knew what you were doing Ko-chan, she will be ok."

Ranko sighed.  "It's not Akane I am worried about."

*****************************************************************

As Akane dropped the broken, whimpering body of Genma, it
disappeared.  She turned as she felt another presence.  It was
Nodoka.

"Ranma is not manly enough.  I will never love my child unless
he decides to be my daughter forever."

Akane looked at this version.  It was unlike the Nodoka she knew.
Cold and emotionless, and staring off into space.  "Does Ranma
really believe that?  Does he really think she won't love him?
She has told him otherwise countless times."

"He never returned as a man amongst men, and so I will never
accept him as my son."

Akane pondered for a moment.  "Do you even know what your mother
considers a man anyway?  How do you know that you wouldn't have
been a man in her eyes?"

Nodoka suddenly had this strange look on her face.

"Figures.  Ranma wouldn't have bothered to ask her what was on
the contract.  Sounds like something I would do.  Jump to a
conclusion without getting all the information."

With that, Nodoka disappeared.

"This is getting easier then I thought."  Said Akane out loud.

*****************************************************************

She was getting annoyed.  Akane had now faced nearly ten people
including Ukyo, both Kuno's, Herb, and Taro.  Each time she had
managed to find a gaping hole in their argument, and had
dispelled them, but she knew there was little left.  She would be
facing someone intimately familiar.

Materializing in front of her was indeed whom she suspected.  It
was herself.  A little younger, wearing her practice Gi, and with
the longer hair she had when Ranma met her.

The girl was scowling, and she stood in a ready stance.  Akane
remembered how she had treated Ranma that first day.  "I know
what you are going to say.  And he is NOT a pervert.  I was
wrong."

"He's a girl half the time, why would anyone love him?  He is
a freak, a pervert and a horrible person.  Everyone hates
him, and tries to hurt him.  They hurt us trying to get to him."

Akane's hands were coiled, her knuckles white.  She stood there
staring into the eyes of her own reflection.

Finally her hands un-folded, and went limp.  She closed her eyes
and let the tense muscles loosen.  Akane stood there nearly a
minute before her eyes flew open.

"I love him."  Was her only reply.

The psuedo-Akane looked at her.  "What do you mean?  How could I
love him?  He isn't even sure about himself."

"I love her too."  Said Akane flatly.

"But, but, but..." The image began to argue.

"But what?  I think Ranma is a very caring person now that he is
expressing himself.  I also think that Ranma is cute no matter
what body he currently is in.  Ranma has never used his girl-form
as a means to be perverted.

His mother loves him, I love him, and heck, even Kasumi and
Nabiki care about him.

He is also able to take care of himself.

Like I said, you are wrong."

The Akane-image seemed to flutter and it shifted until it looked
just like her.  Short hair and all.

"You are lying.  You are just going to hurt Ranma later."

Akane dropped her head.  "I promise, I will never hurt Ranma
again."

With that her reflection vanished.

Akane looked around at her surroundings.  There was nothing
around her, but she could hear crying in the distance.

She walked in the direction of the sounds, until she came across
a very frightened Chibi-Ranma.  He was curled up into a ball.

When Akane approached him, he jumped up and tried to run.  Akane
grabbed the little boy and pulled him in tight.

"C-C-Cat!  Get offa me!!!"  He was struggling to get away.  The
wind in the cave started to pick up and increased until it was
blowing very hard.

"Calm down Ranma, please calm down, I am not going to hurt you."

The wind forced Akane to sit so she would not fall over.  The
little boy in her arms seemed oblivious to it and continued to
struggle out.

Akane remember something she saw Nodoka do one day when she was
holding a sleeping Ranma-chan.  She knew that Ranma had an attack
that day and that was why she was in her mother's arms.

Akane started running her fingers through his mop of hair.  He
instantly started to calm down.  After a minute He turned around
to face her.  She could see the tears in his eyes.  "B-B-But your
a C-C-Cat!  Why are y-you bein' n-n-nice?"

Akane tried to smile.  "Because cats are nice."

Akane watched as chibi-Ranma began to cry.  She let him cry on
her shoulder, and she put her arms around him.  The wind was
dying down.  He also calmed down just a little.  "B-But why did
those c-c-cats hurt me?"

Akane sighed.  "Because your father starved them and then put
food all over you.  They were just hungry."  She started running
her fingers through his hair again.  "You don't need to be afraid
of me, or any other cat.  I won't hurt you, and I know someone
else who won't hurt you either."

Akane picked up the little boy, and carried him out toward the
light.

*****************************************************************

Ranko was busy watching Ranma's tail as it twitched back and
forth, when suddenly his ears perked up toward the cave.

Ranko turned to see what he was looking at and gasped in surprise
as Akane emerged from the cave holding a frightened chibi-Ranma
in her arms.

She sat down across from Ranma-Kun and turned her little cargo
around so he could look at him.

Chibi-Ranma stared at him.  The adult Ranma held out his hand.

Akane could feel how scared he was, and so she held on a little
tighter.

It seemed Ranma-kun knew what was expected of him, and was trying
to play nice with his younger self.

The little boy in her arms was quickly losing any fears and he
was soon happily laughing and having a mock-fight with his older
self.  They were rolling around and Ranma-kun was leaping up and
out of the way of the smaller boy's charges.

They were both having fun with each other.

Ranko pulled Akane to the side.  "I can't believe you got him out
here.  It shouldn't be possible."

Akane was about to comment when she and Ranko were hit by another
massive shock wave.  The light became intense and Akane moved to
shield her eyes from it.

Suddenly the light faded.  Akane opened her eyes to find she was
in the Dojo, with a sleeping Ranma-chan still hugging her waist.

Tofu got up from his position against the wall, and walked over.
"Did you take care of what Ranko needed help with?"

Akane nodded.  "I think so.  I really hope so."

*****************************************************************

Well, that concludes the end of the Two parter.




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