Sorry about that. The damn computer wouldn't let me put the rest of this on
one message.

=======

While Akane was talking to Ranma, Mousse happened to look upwards and saw
something odd. The water droplets were reconverging on their way back down
to earth, becoming one large mass as they did so. He began quacking
urgently to warn Akane and Ranma.
        The two girls looked up to see a large ball of water coming towards
them...

X.

        Ranma and Akane awoke sometime later in the back of Tsubasa's van.
Ranma noticed he was male again and Ryoga, Mousse and Shampoo were all back
to human form. They must have found some hot water somewhere.
        "Oh, my achin' head"," said Ranma. Next to him, Akane was
expressing similar thoughts. Then he realized where they were.
        "How much time do we have?" he asked urgently.
        "We're cutting it close now! We've just entered Nerima, but we've
got about five minutes before it's too late!" Tsubasa called from the
drivers seat. Ryoga endeavored to explain.
        "We had to wait for Tsubasa to wake up, after which we heated up
some hot water and fixed you guys. I got lost in the trees, sorry." Ryoga
made a gesture which meant "thanks." Ranma made one in return that meant
"That's two you owe me, pal."
        "Anyway," Ryoga continued, "It took us longer than we thought to
get back to the van, and you guys slept the whole way here,"
        "What about the water," Akane asked. Mousse appeared with a small vial.
        "Right here," he said.
        "Then put the pedal down, Tsubasa!" Ranma commanded, "And damn any
cops we meet on the way!"

        Miraculously enough, the rescue party didn't meet any members of
the law enforcement community and got to Ucchan's with a minute thirty
left. Ranma tooke the vial from Mousse and they all burst into the
restaurant.

        Cologne heard them coming and looked down at the disturbingly still
Ukyou.
        "Oh no," she thought. Then, she got an idea. The old woman posted
herself next to Ukyou's bedroom doorway and thrust her staff across it at
ankle level.
        "The less rivals Shampoo has in the battle for my future
son-in-law's affections, the better."

        Ranma dashed around the corner. "Ucchan! We got it! We got the-"
        Ranma's feet connected with Cologne's staff.
        He tripped and the vial of Hanakatasha water went flying. Time
seemed to slow down. Ranma saw the vial go flying across the room and
shatter on Ukyou's spatula rack. He saw the water flow down the wall,
useless. He saw the old ghoul, a smug expression on her face. Then he heard
himself scream "NOOOO!"

        Tsubasa's voice, teary and choked, came in clear as doom.
        "Th-thirty seconds,"
        Ranma crawled across the room and cradled Ukyou in his arms. Her
eyes opened part way. Ranma felt his own begin to tear over.
        "Ucchan, I-I'm so sorry," Ukyou smiled faintly.
        "Don't be. At least you tried," She looked behind him at Akane, who
was also beginning to cry. "Take care of him Akane-chan," Ukyou looked back
at Ranma.
        "Ran-chan, I want you to know something. I want you to know that,
no matter if we never meet again, I've always loved you and I always will,"
Ranma swallowed.
        "I--love you too, Ucchan," he said. She smiled. Ranma, in a sudden
burst of inspiration, bent down and kissed her.
        With that last act, the eyes closed, the muscles relaxed, the skin
went cold, and Ukyou Kuonji quietly passed from this world.

=====

C&C accepted.

---Erin 2.5