He stood quietly and listened.  He could feel the demon's presence.  
He wasn't sure what it was planning, but he knew he would stop it.  Then, 
then he would have time to reflect on what he should do.  Two thousand 
years.  Things were different now.  Evil sorcerers probably don't scare 
people any more, and besides, evil just didn't have much of an appeal any 
more.  Perhaps it is time to just settle back into the world and enjoy 
what time is left . . . After destroying the demon.

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

   Ranma decided to head back to the Tendo's.  It was getting late.  He 
had talked to Ukyou for what seemed like a few minutes only to find it 
had been hours.  She seemed concerned for both Ryoga and Akane, and 
promised to help him look for Morphine tomorrow.  As he walked Ranma 
silently hoped that Akane would be in a better mood when he got home.

   The whole house seemed to be too quiet.  It was like everyone was 
waiting for something bad to happen.  His father was sitting quietly with 
Soun.  They were pretending to play chess, but they were really just 
sitting and looking worried.  Kasumi was sitting at the table nervously 
trying to knit.[1]  Nabiki was no where to be seen, and neither was 
Akane.

   "So, has anyone seen Nabiki or Akane?"
   Kasumi jumped, "I . . . I think Nabiki is in her room.  I'm  . . . I'm 
not sure where Akane is."

   Ranma took one more look around the room, and then headed up the 
stairs.  It felt like he was walking into some kind of cage.  It was 
forbidding.  He went to Nabiki's door and knocked.
   The door opened a crack, "Ranma?  What do you want?"
   "What happened?  I know Akane was mad . . . but. . ."
   The door opened the rest of the way.  He could see what was wrong.  
Nabiki had a black eye, "She told me that if she ever found out that we 
were together, she was going to beat me up."
   "Has she gone completely nuts?"
   "I don't know.  I'm tired, and I hurt, and my little sister is possessed 
by an evil sorcerer.  I'm going to sleep Ranma.  I suggest you do the 
same.  We have to find this Morphine guy tomorrow."
   Nabiki closed the door, and Ranma headed to his room.  Nabiki was 
pretty tough.  She must be upset, but she seemed to be holding it all 
in.
   "So Ranma, am I just not enough for you?  Is that it?"
   Ranma froze.  What is with her?  She has always been possessive and 
jealous, but this was going too far, "What is your problem Akane?  One 
minute your planning our wedding, and the next your beating up your 
sister."
   "Oh, don't play innocent with me.  I know what you two were up to," 
yelled Akane throwing a punch.
   Ranma let it hit him, "Are you happy now?  I used to like you Akane.  
Now I can't even stand you.  I'm going to find a cure for you even if it 
kills me!"
   Akane stared at him transfixed.
   Ranma walked by her, and barely audibly he said, "and if you still 
want, I think I could marry you."
   
                                   *

[1] Not that Kasumi can't knit, its just that its harder when your hands 
are shaking.

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

   In the very back of her heart something went ping.  It was a sound 
like a pin dropping.  Not a very powerful sound.  Unless your holding a 
grenade.  It was as if all the walls and emotional defenses broke at 
once.  She was left standing in the middle of a sea of pain.
   Akane had always known deep down that she loved Ranma, but she was 
afraid to tell him.  What if he rejected her.  What if he made fun of 
her.  What if he didn't.  But now, now, he had almost said the same 
thing.  And now she was driving him away.  And she had beat up Nabiki.  
And yelled at Kasumi.  And . . . and . . . she had to try to fix things, 
before it was too late.

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

   Nabiki heard a light knock at her door.  She got up.  Honestly.  She'd 
already had her little sister terrify her and accuse her of having an 
affair with her fiance.  The day really needed to end.  She just wanted to 
go to bed and forget about it till tomorrow.  Why did people have to keep 
waking her up.
   Akane was standing there.  She looked really upset.  Like a little 
puppy.  Akane never used the puppy look on purpose, it was always really 
how she felt.  Nabiki had a feeling Ranma had done something to her, 
"What's wrong now Akane?"
   "Nabiki," her voice was cracking, Nabiki could tell she was about to 
start crying, "I'm sorry.  I don't know what I was doing."
   So much for laying the guilt trip on Akane.  What ever Ranma did it 
seemed to have broken the spell she was under, "Its ok Akane, you were 
under a spell or something."
   "It not ok," Akane said hugging her.
   Oh great, touching family scene.  Nabiki had never been good at this, 
what did Akane want her to do.  Wave her hands and make it better?  Then 
she felt the first tears on her neck.  This wasn't fair.  She could deal 
with Akane hitting her better than crying on her shoulder.  She should be 
crying on Kasumi's shoulder, Kasumi would know what to do.  She hugged 
Akane back, "Akane, its really ok.  I'll be fine.  Why don't you go 
apologize to Kasumi, and dad, and Mr. Saotome, and  . . ."
   Akane pulled away, "You don't have to make it sound like I assaulted 
everyone Nabiki."
   "I'm glad your feeling better."
   Akane looked at the floor, "I'm sorry."

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

   Dr. Tofu looked at the men, "You say he fell?"
   "Well, we didn't actually see it, we just found the, uh . . ."
   "Yes, well he is definitely dead.  Do any of you know him?"
   "No . . . ."

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

   Ryoga snapped awake.  He was in a doctor's office.  There were several 
men leaving, and Dr. Tofu?  How did he get to Dr. Tofu's clinic?  He 
didn't remember it being near a mountain, or a nature preserve.  Dr. 
Tofu looked down at him, "Poor kid."
   "Hey I'm fine," said Ryoga jumping off the table.  See?"
   Dr. Tofu didn't even look up from the body.  THE BODY?!?!?!?
   "Hey wait!  I'm not dead!  I just fell!"
   Dr. Tofu seemed to notice the picture in the corpse's hand, "What's 
this?  Akane and Ranma?"
   Ryoga started to get angry, first Tofu wouldn't pay attention now he 
was bringing up that photo again, "Listen, damn it, I'm not dead!  I'm 
right here!"
   "You are dead Ryoga Hibiki.  You fell off of a mountain and caught your 
neck between two rocks.  Though people are likely to see it differently 
given the photo and the location of your corpse," said a voice like a 
grindstone on teeth.
   Ryoga turned around.  The man was tall, and black.  That was the most 
distinctive thing about him was black.  Jet black skin, black hair, black 
uniform, black boots, black horns.  He was black.  It seemed to suit 
him.  It seemed to be him.  His eyes were red.  They were the kind of eyes 
that make sinners convert.  The were the kind of eyes that made churches 
crumble.  They were the eyes that sentence you at the gates of eternity.  
They were staring at him.
   "This must be one of Nabiki's photo's."
   Ryoga snapped back around.  It had never occurred to him that the 
photo might have been a trick.
   "That's right Ryoga.  You never think do you."
   He turned back to the black man, "What's that supposed to mean?"
   "It means that you go off with out thinking.  You don't let logic 
stand in the way of your unreasoning hatred of Ranma Saotome.  You have 
yet to realize how Ranma feels about you."
   Dr. Tofu put down the photo, "oh no.  You aren't one of Ranma and 
Akane's friends are you?  Oh, this could be worse than I thought."
   "Of course I'm one of Akane's friends you dope!"
   "Ryoga Hibiki.  Have you ever wondered about the after life?
   "No!  I've been . . ."
   "You should."
   ...oh god...
   "Not quite."

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

   He stood on top of the jungle gym and waited. (some people can look 
cool no matter where they stand)  The demon was making his move.  He 
could feel his presence, it was very strong.  Like back in the stone.  
Back in the eternal desert.
   Where bugs were food, and urine was to valuable to waste.  Back, where 
despite all logic, it seemed like the only hope was in looking for the 
end of the desert.  Day after endless day, crawling through those 
burning wastes.  Skin scorched and blistered.  Oozing fluids that he 
needed to survive.  And no magic.  None.  The only thing to do was to 
make your own.  Draw in the pain, suck it up and ask for more.  Be a 
black hole of pain.  The demon had given him that.  Unwittingly, but it 
was his doings that had taught the one time sorcerer how to heal.  Now 
it was time to pay back the pain.  Time to ruin all the demons hard laid 
plans.  It was his turn.

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

   Great Grandmother had told them to beware the sorcerer, but it was too 
tempting.  She and Mousse had to find him.  He could cure them.  So just 
this once she would team up with Mousse.  Just till they found the miracle 
man.  Then she could go back to Ranma.  Shampoo wondered if Mousse 
realized it.  He should know.  It shouldn't be a surprise.  But he would 
probably be crushed anyway.  She hated that.  He would blindly follow 
her, and then feel hurt when she went after Ranma.  He should know!  Not 
that it really mattered.  She didn't really care if his heart was broken.  
Just . . .
   Mousse was wearing his glasses, which was probably why he noticed the 
man on the jungle gym first.  Not that he was any less distracted than 
Shampoo, just that his eye sight (in glasses) was better.  His hopes 
soared.  Soon he would be back to normal, and Shampoo would be too!  Then 
they could get married, "Shampoo!  I see him!"
   Mousse was right, the man was all in white.  He had a far away look in 
his eyes, as if concentrating on something no one else could see.  
Shampoo put on a burst of speed.  This was it, she was finally going to be 
cured.  No more fear of rain.  Then when she was whole again Ranma would 
love her!

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

   "These are things you should be able to figure out for yourself."
   She sounded like his mother.  Well if a god had a mother.  Sarcasm was 
getting irritated, "Look, this is important.  If I don't find out what's 
going on someone else may interfere.  Don't you get it?  Am I going too 
fast?  Not everyone believes in non-interference!"
   The woman called Chagrin looked at him, "Kids these days, right Zulvaria?"
   The third woman, Zulvaria, smiled, "You don't seem to understand, this 
is a lesson.  You should be paying attention, not bad mouthing your elders."
   Sarcasm started to sweat, this was bad.  There were the young gods and 
then there was HIM.  There weren't supposed to be any other gods out 
there.  And the longer he talked to them, the more they reminded him of 
his brothers and sisters.  But gods don't have parents!
   "Oh," asked Zulvaria, "then where do gods come from?"
   The first woman spoke up, "Well I just popped into existence."
   "That's because someone is a klutz."
   Chagrin glared, "Oh yea?  Well I, for one, had parents.  You, I think, 
probably hatched."
   The air in the room seemed to crackle with energy.  Sarcasm cracked 
his knuckles.  At least they weren't as creepy as HIM.
   All three snapped around and stared at him, and as one spoke, "You 
understand nothing of the multiverse.  You are too young.  One day things 
will become clear.  You are the oldest.  You must help the others 
understand.  Go seek the wisdom in your father's actions."
   Sarcasm started to back away.  The three who act as one bit was really 
unnerving.[1]  And who was his father supposed . . . to . . . no.  That 
was unthinkable.  How could he be related to HIM.  Sarcasm could feel his 
skin crawling, and his palms started to itch.  He had to get out of here 
now.
   The first woman called after him, "and take the others to the clinic!"

                                 *

[1] It was also a blatant rip off from Robotech.

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

   Nabiki felt like hell.  And after looking in the mirror she came to 
the conclusion that she looked like hell too.  With Akane acting normally, 
she had insisted on making an apology breakfast.  This was, of course, 
grounds for an instant yelling match between she and Ranma.  While that 
was going on, dad and Mr. Saotome had snuck out the back to hide.  Things 
probably couldn't get any worse.
   The phone began ringing.  She picked it up, it was Dr. Tofu.  Things 
got worse.

   Akane was about to punch Ranma through the roof.  How could he be such 
an insensitive jerk.  She tried to make breakfast to apologize, and all 
he could do was insult her cooking!  He deserved . . . she heard Nabiki 
say something about a corpse.  Someone who had fallen?  Jumped?  He had a 
picture of her and Ranma?  She let go of Ranma.  Nabiki hung up.  When 
she turned around she looked exhausted.
   "Who was that on the phone?"
   "Dr. Tofu."
   "What was he calling for," asked Akane nervously.
   Nabiki looked at her for a long minute, "There is a body at the 
clinic.  He thinks it might be someone we know.  He has a picture of you 
and Ranma," she didn't have the heart to tell Akane what he'd said about 
bandannas.

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

   He could feel the power shift.  Things were coming to a head.  He 
could feel the demon.  Half a mile northeast.  At a clinic.  THAT BOY I 
CURED!  The bastard was trying to destroy his work.  Morphine turned.  
There were two people, a girl and a boy rushing toward him.  They too 
were cursed.  There must be an angry witch around here.  No time for them 
now.  Now it was time to stop the demon.

   "Hey you," yelled Mousse, displaying his remarkable lack of social 
skills, "You cured Ranma, now we demand you cure us too!"
   The man looked down at them, "I haven't the time now gentle children.  
Fear not I shall return, and then I can exorcise your afflictions."
   "What!  No time!  You have to cure us you charlatan!"
   "Mousse right!  You fix first then go."
   The man leapt off the jungle gym, and over their heads.  He had a grace 
of motion that made the leap look more like a bird in flight than a man 
jumping.  Shampoo spun and rushed him, as Mousse jumped at him.  The man 
side stepped Shampoo, and deflected Mousse toward her.
   "That is enough.  I have business elsewhere.  Desist you aggressions or 
I will be forced to stop you."
   Mousse leapt to his feet, "How dare you throw me into Shampoo!"
   They charged him as one.  He made some sort of motion with his hands, 
it seemed abnormal.  Shampoo felt something sticky splatter against her.  
It was as strong as rope and its force threw her back against Mousse, and 
the jungle gym.  The man looked at them one last time and then took off at 
a dead run.
   The sticky stuff bound her tightly against Mousse, and the jungle gym.  
Shampoo struggled in vain for a few minutes, "Mousse."
   "Yes Shampoo," he was pinned right behind her, she could feel his 
breath on the nape of her neck when he spoke.  It was very erotic.  
Shampoo reminded herself again that it should be Ranma her with her, 
"Mousse, Shampoo stuck.  No can move."
   "I can't get free either."
   There was a long silence as they tried to think of something to say.  
Shampoo could feel his heart beating.  It was pounding, "Mousse?"
   "Yes Shampoo."
   "Why for your heart beat so hard?"
   "For you."
   "oh"