The Demoness Within...
Michael Chen
michael.h.chen@yale.edu


This story is kind of an experiment for me.  Despite the fact I hate the
paragraph format, I have attempted to write this entire story in prose
format.  I desperately need Comments on this one. (Just avoid comments on
misuse of tenses... I'm working on that for the next version.)

Prologue:
I've always wondered why Kuno Kodachi is such a psychotic, violent person,
who has a fascination for black roses, and martial arts rhythmic
gymnastics.  Here's a fanfic story which illustrates how effective Math
115a can be for generating story ideas.

Warning:  The following story is not meant to be humorous.  This story has
violence (to the level of Dragonball Z, but there are no sex scenes.

Chapter 1: Flash back...

     There is a beautiful woman in bed.  All around her are her life's
treasures, a bouquet of black roses, a lot of rhythmic gymnastics
equipment, a picture of her mother, a picture of Ranma.  This women is
Kodachi.  She is calmly sleeping in bed, dreaming about her childhood...

     "Nah nah!!!!  I bet you can't catch me!!!"  Kodachi jovially punched
her older brother and took off at a respectable pace.

     "Foolish girl!!!!  I'll get you!"  Both started giggling helplessly,
as Kuno slowly caught up.  His hands reached forward to tag her, but he
never reaches her...  Kodachi openned her cute little purse, and threw
handfuls of red rose petals at him, blinding him.  Kuno accidentally
tripped on a stray root and lands, skinning his knee.  Tears begin to well
up in his eyes, as he gingerly holds his knee.  Kodachi is there, and
crying.

     "Kuno, I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to skin your knee!" She kept on
crying.

     Kuno pretended not to be in pain.  "Never mind, it doesn't hurt."  He
used all of his willpower to suppress his desire to start bawling crazily. 
Taking her hand, he slowly got up and both walked home.

     They slowly walked through the major streets of Nerima, pausing here
and there to watch amusing things.  They passed numerous houses, the Tendo
Dojo...  Kuno heard the laughter of some other girl.  He looked in through
the gate, and saw Nabiki and Kasumi playing with Akane.

     He shouted, "How are these lovely ladies faring today, it is I
Kuno..."  Nabiki and Kasumi looked at each other, and each made a wicked
smile.

     "Kasumi, shall we chase him?  I bet 100 yen I'll catch him..."  Both
girls took off after Kuno.  He smiled and started to run haphazardly down
the street, dodging grownups and waving his plastic sword about, with two
girls behind him.  Kodachi was left behind.

     "Kuno!! Don't leave me!!!" cried Kodachi who began to cry.  More
scared than enraged, she ran off in some random direction.  She was
completely lost.  She fought the urge to cry and to help comfort herself,
she played with her old ribbon while she ran.  With a flick of her hand,
the ribbon zoomed and latched itself to a pole.  With another flick of her
wrist, she used the ribbon to cut down some beautiful roses from a thorny
bush.  Pausing, she placed the roses into her hair like a garland. 
Whirling the ribbon around made her more secure: She loved to whirl the
ribbon around, and let the thing flutter as if it had it's own life as if
it was her best friend.

     After an hour of wandering, Kodachi saw the family mansion and began
to run there, however a glint of light stopped her.  She stopped running,
and walked up to the source of the light.  It was a golden ribbon!  Kodachi
found herself slowly drawn to it, and despite her instincts which told her
to continue towards home, she picked up the ribbon and played with it.

    She ran about, letting the golden ribbon flutter behind her in a
helical path.  She expertly flicked her wrist and caused the golden ribbon
to wind itself firmly to a telephone pole.  She gave it a tug, and the
ribbon wouldn't come back!  Trying with all her might, it seemed that the
ribbon would not untangle from the telephone pole.  She tried harder and
harder, and finally the ribbon sliced right  through the pole bringing it
down. 

     Amid the sparks of electricity, Kodachi thought that something was
wrong with that ribbon and decided to leave.  However, all of the sudden,
golden ribben wrapped her body up and dissolved into her!!!!  She tried to
scream, but she couldn't.  She felt a painful force like a giant needle
entering her head.  Crying, she held her head, stumbled a little, and
finally landed on the street as blackness filled her mind.

     "Kodachi, Kodachi!!! Wake up"  Kodachi gradually became aware of her
annoying older brother shaking him.  She looked at him coldly in the face,
and began to laugh evilly.

     "Ha-ha-ha-hahahahahahaha.  Dumb brother!"  She pushes him off
forcefully. "Think that I'm too weak??? Ii'm going home"  She makes a
tremendous leap, leaving Kuno, who was crying, with Nabiki and Kasumi.

     Fast forward.....Eventually, the Kuno household realized the damage
that had been done to their precious Kodachi.  She used to be nice and
sweet and helpful.  Now she was rebellious and mean.  She broke things. 
She stole her father's money to buy exotic pets, such as her baby
alligator, and she experimented with poisons.  Their mother, poor soul,
suffered a complete mental breakdown.  She had blamed herself for failing
to enrich Kodachi and making her life fun.  She committed seppuku.  Her
sudden death had shocked everyone, including Kodachi.  But instead of
improving Kodachi's mental condition, her sanity quickly degenerated.

     After many violent episodes in Furiken High School, her father,
considering that he could lose his job, had Kodachi transferred to St.  
Academy.  At the same time, he also became insane.  He took a business trip
to the United States only not to return.  Only poor Kuno was the only one
"normal" person left in the family, and since he was technically the oldest
man in the house.  He took over, taking care of the family property and his
psychotic sister.   He still had some hope that Kodachi could be cured,
however, after too many fruitless attempts, he gave up on her and turned to
kendo. 

     He found a certain allure to kendo.  Not only did he excel quickly, he
found that the discipline he learned was invaluable.  It was by sheer
discipline that Kuno did not become insane like his sister.  He had never
forgiven himself for leaving Kodachi unprotected, and he constantly, in
private, cried because he thought he made his sister insane.

     Then came Ranma, who Kodachi found to be the first man she had ever
loved.  However, both were completely different.  Ranma had a thing for
honor, and Kodachi, well, was plain insane.............

      Suddenly, a pain richocheted through Kodachi's head, waking her from
her dreams.  Stumbling out of bed, and she looked quickly into the mirror. 
For some reason, she could see something like some other person.... 
Shaking her head, Kodachi quickly washed her face over the wash basin and
looked in the mirror

     "Nope.  Nothing strange.  I thought I was going insane.
Hahahahahahahahaha."

     Meanwhile, downstairs Kuno is reprimanding a maidl for fouling up
Kodachi's breakfast, and as soon as he hears her evil laugh, his eyes begin
to water, and he quickly walks to his study and locks his door.

Chapter 2: Crimes...

     It's breakfast at the Tendos, and Soun is slowly paging through the
newspaper.  The cover story: Attempted Murder.

    "Hmmm, Genma, I think that this town is just too quiet sometimes.  It
lacks the excitement of the real city!"  Genma-panda, who was eating his
rice soup rather quickly, pauses and looks at the newspaper.  He points out
the coverstory to Soun.

    "Oh my god, oh my god!!!  This place is too dangerous, this stuff only
happens in the inner city!!!"  Everyone stops eating to take a look at
Soun, who's still panicking about the crime.

     An hour later, both Ranma and Akane are running off to school.  Ranma,
as usual, is practicing his balancing technique on the fence, and Akane is
far ahead worrying about being late for class.

    "Ranma! Hurry up!  We're going to be late again!"  Akane hurries up her
pace.

    "So what if we're late, nothing's going to happen."  Ranma continues at
his normal pace.  Akane looks back, and gets angry.

     "Ranma! Do you want to be the world's only 24 year old highschool
freshman?"  Not waiting for an answer, Akane runs up to Ranma, picks him
up, and starts to run like crazy.

     "Hey, what do you think you're doing!!!!  I'm a man, and I shouldn't
be carried by a..."  For some reason, the route they picked today passes
right by the water-woman's house.  A splash of cold water lands on Ranma,
Akane doesn't care.  She continues running, when she trips on a ribbon!

     Ranma-chan flips out of Akane's arms, and catches her before she hits
the ground.  A mallet smashes down onto Ranma-chan's head, knocking her
out.

     Few hours later, some cold water is splashed onto Ranma-chan's face. 
Gradually his eyes focus, and he sees Kodachi in front of him.  She has a
wicked smile, and she is only wearing a very, very tight suit that shows
off her curves rather nicely.

     "Oh Ranma, will you marry me?"  She tightly embraces Ranma-chan, and
plants a sloppy kiss on his cheek.  Ranma tries to resist, but he finds his
hands bound behind him.

    Ranma also realizes something else.  "Whoa, Kodachi!  I thought only
Kuno had the hots for me."  Kodachi laughs evily, sending a chill down
Ranma's spine.

    "Ranma, you shouldn't try to trick Kodachi like that, even though she
knows about your curse..." She begins to play with Ranma-chan's hair. 
Ranma gasps.  "Yes you, the most handsome boy in the world also turns into
a beautiful girl....that ought to be very interesting...."  Kodachi grabs a
pail of hot water, and splashes Ranma.  "But I prefer you in this form."

    She begins to intensely kiss Ranma, and says "Marry me."  Some how
Ranma manages to throw her off.

     "Are you crazy?  I'd rather marry Ukyou than you.  I'd consider
Shampoo before considering you!!!!!!  Heck, if I had to, I would marry
Ryoga before I'd ever think of marrying you!!!!"  Ranma explodes into her
face.  Kodachi's face turns grim and cold.

    "Well, if that's what you feel..."  She knocks Ranma out with a mallet.
 " I think I can fix that...."

    Much later, "ohhhhhhhhhh"  Ranma tries to rub his head, but he can't. 
His eyes snap open and he finds everything upside-down!  After a few
seconds of contemplation, Ranma realizes that he is wrapped up tight in a
gymnastics ribbon, hanging upside-down from the bamboo tree in the middle
of the Tendo yard.  

     Genma-panda walks out, and flashes a sign: "What happened to you?"

     "I got ambushed by Kodachi!  Get me down from here!!!!"

     Genma looks at the tree, signs, "No sense in wasting the tree."  He
starts to eat it, and after five minutes of Ranma shouting and cursing, he
holds up another sign, "Timber......"  The tree slowly tilts to one side,
slowly gaining momentum until, Ranma gets his head buried in the lawn. 
Genma picks him up, and brings him into the house.  

     Ranma, after dinner and a quick hot shower, is beginning to feel
worried.  He thinks something is wrong...

     Meanwhile, Ukyou is closing shop, when a black rose zooms past her,
and imbeds itself into the wall.  Feeling her sixth sense tingling, Ukyou
ducks below the counter and grabs her spatulas.  A couple whooshes, and six
very deadly poisoned roses are left in the wall where Ukyou's head was
moments ago.  

     Ukyou gathering her courage leaps up from behind the counter,
launching a spread of throwing spatulas.  She hears an exclamation from her
attacker, and satisfied, she runs out the door.

     Ranma leaps from the dining table, shouts "Ukyou!"  He bursts out of
the dojo in the direction of Ukyou's restaurant.  Akane shouts, "You idiot,
wait for me!!!"  She runs after Ranma into the night.

    Ukyou makes ten paces, when she feels one rose graze her shoulder.  She
begins to feel the effect of the paralytic poison coursing through her
blood.  She stumbles, her body betraying her to the effects of the poison. 
Ukyou manages to struggle a few steps, when she feels a sharp ribbon
penetrate her shoulder.  She tries to scream, but she can't...

     A moment later, she feels another stabbing pain in her left thigh. A
person, who is wearing very heavy robes and a dark hood, enters Ukyou's
field of vision.  Ukyou is completely scared of the mysterious person in
front of her, whose eyes are burning red with hatred.  The person makes a
final strike with her ribbon when.....

     "Unerring Dragon Claws!!!!!!!"  Blades of Ki energy protrude from
Ranma's hands, and he leaps between the person and Ukyou.  The ribbon is
reduced to shreads, and the mysterious attacker disappears.

     "What?!"  Ranma curses.

     "Ranma...."  Ukyou passes out from blood loss.  Ranma looks down and
is apalled.  He hastily scoops up Ukyou, and runs to Dr. Tofu's.  Akane
also catches up, and happens to be carrying a mallet.

    "RANMA NO..... Oh my god, what happened to Ukyou?"  Ranma fights back
his tears, and he runs off, carrying Ukyou's limp, bloody body.

     "Hmmmm.  There should be no permanent damage done."  Dr. Tofu is
carefully probing Ukyou's pressure spots. "Good thing you got there in
time, Ranma, another minute and she would have been dead..."  Ranma shivers
a little...  

   He turns to Akane, and looks into her eyes. "Stay here with Dr. Tofu, I
have a feeling this night's not over, yet."  He runs out the door.

    Ryoga is wandering around aimlessly in the streets of Nerima.  "Where
am I?  Everywhere looks the same!"  He walks about a little more, when
something pierces his back.  It's a rose.  Screaming in pure anger, he
reaches behind and yanks the rose out.  A hooded figure leaps from the
shadows, and lands in front of him.

    "Die you hooded freak!!!" He charges the figure, and makes his attack. 
He's surprised to find his reflexes slower... "What's this!?!?  Poison!" 
The hooded figure ducks out of his way, and makes his attack.  The person's
hands become a big blur swinging metal clubs, as Ryoga feels his ribs
fracture and crack from multiple impacts.  Stumbling, he steadys himself to
make his attack...
    
     "Shishi Hokodan!!!!!!!!"  His depression, anger, and fear of death
create an immense ball of ki, which he propels at his attacker.  The
attack, surprised takes full impact from the blast.  The robes are blown
off, and he's surprised to see a faded image of Kodachi.  Kodachi swings
her ribbon around, and it flies at Ryoga's neck...

    Ranma was a block away, when he saw Kodachi about to kill Ryoga. 
Feeling the adrenaline surge through him, he covers the block as Kodachi
started to swing, and Ranma lands in front of Ryoga, using his body as a
shield.  Kodachi is shocked at what she has done.  Ranma feels splitting
pain in his left shoulder, and he notices that the ribbon passed completely
through his bone and flesh.  His black shirt is wet with his blood. 
Kodachi screams in outrage, and fades away.  Ryoga looks up at Ranma...

    "Ranma, I'm forever in your debt..."  He coughs up some blood.  Ranma,
still on his adrenaline rush, picks up Ryoga and runs to Dr. Tofu's clinic.

   Akane, who is really worried, is pacing back and forth in Dr. Tofu's
clinic.  Dr. Tofu is still working on Ukyou, when Ranma staggers into the
room, carrying Ryoga.  Akane's eyes light up.

     "Ranma!  What took you so long?"  Ranma does not respond to Akane. 
Instead, he places Ryoga onto a bed and collapses from blood loss.  Akane
screams.

    "Ranma, don't die!"  She hugs Ranma fiercely, who manages to smile. 
Dr. Tofu hurries over, and looks at Ranma.  He smiles encouragingly at
Akane.

    "Not to worry, it's only some blood loss.  Ranma should be back to
normal tomorrow."  Dr. Tofu, returns to tend to his two unconscious
patients.  Ranma tries to get up.  Akane pushes him down.

     Ranma murmurs,
"I...must...help....Shampoo....Kodachi....will...kill...her."  Akane looks
at Ranma rather angrily.

     "Hmph, trying to be Mr. Hero again?  If you go out again, you might
die..."  Tears begin to well up in Akane's eyes, she leans over and
whispers something into Ranma's ear.  "Don't worry, Cologne and Mousse will
try to take care of Shampoo."  Unconsciously, Akane reaches and grabs
Ranma's hand.

     At the Neko Haten, all is quiet.  Shampoo is in the kitchen, cleaning
after a pretty heavy day.  Suddenly, a ribbon shoots in through the wall,
and swung around in a perfect circle.  The wall falls inwards, revealing a
person outside.  Shampoo grabs her bonbori.

     "Shampoo kill you now!!"  Shampoo leaps at the intruder.  As she
readies to swing here bonbori, Shampoo is horrified to see the heads of her
weapons sliced off by a ribbon.
	
     "Kodachi?"  Shampoo realizes that it is indeed Kodachi.  She continues
charging and readies for an attack, when three black roses pierce her arm,
stomach, and leg.  The paralysis poison sets in.  Shampoo, fighting against
the urge to give up, manages to make a few steps and make a loud scream. 
She collapses onto the floor, her body refusing to move.  Kodachi lets out
a laugh.

    "Die evil person!!!"  Mousse charges and he launches a storm of flying
weaponry.  Chains, spears, swords, daggers, knives, and other stuff. 
Momentarily, Kodachi is stunned, as several knives nick and cut.  She lets
out another evil laugh, and teleports to behind Mousse.  She makes an
attack, snapping both of Mousses's arms.  Mousse lets out a cry of pain and
falls to his knees.  Kodachi takes out her ribbon, to finish off Shampoo. 
As she swings her ribbon, Mousse, concentrating to ignore the pain, butts
her with his head.  He lands, jarring both broken arms.  He screams in
agony, and faints after 5 seconds.  
    
     Kodachi tries to attack Shampoo again, when Cologne appears.

     "Demoness Hai Chi!!!!  I demand that you leave now!"  Cologne
immediately flashes a mirror at Kodachi.  She looks in the mirror and
starts to scream.  She runs quickly out of the story.  Cologne looks at the
roses, and takes a tiny lick.  Pondering for a moment, she began to push
various pressure points over Shampoo's body.  
 
    "Owww!!!!  Shampoo's arms numb!!!"  Shampoo winces with pain as the
feeling returns to her arms and legs, very quickly.  Cologne turns to
Mousse and looks him over.

     "Hmph, typical.  Do you call yourself a warrior?"  Cologne looked at
Mousse.  "Shampoo, we'll take him to Dr. Tofu and talk with your
future-husband."

     Shampoo and Cologne enter the clinic carrying Mousse.  Shampoo
practically drops Mousse when she sees all of the wounded.

     "Ukyou?  Ryoga?  Ranma????"  Shampoo plasters herself over Ranma's
resting body.  She sees the bloody bandages around his shoulder, and gasps.

Chapter 3: Counterstrike?

     The next morning Ranma, Genma, Soun, Akane, Shampoo, and Cologne meet
at the Dojo.  Cologne is explaining to them what is happening.

     "According to legends, a long time ago, a powerful martial artist
succeeded in banishing an evil demoness Hai Chi.  The problem was that Hai
Chi had already foresaw her banishment, and prepared a mechanism through
which she could return, a golden ribbon.  When the ribbon is used by the
hands of a young rhythmic gymnest, a gateway to the netherworlds is
created, and Hai Chi will escape into that gymnest's mind, to lay dormant
for 10 years.  Apparently, Kodachi found such a ribbon in her childhood,
and is now the carrier of the demoness."

     "No wonder she's so insane!" exclaimed Ranma, "The demoness inside her
head must have influenced her!"  There is a knock on the door.  Kasumi
calmly opens the door.  Kuno walks in, crying.

     "It is all my fault!!  It is all my fault!!  How could I have been so
mean to my sister!!  I shall repent for my evil doings..."  He pauses and
gives Akane a passionate kiss, and starts to lament... "Oh, my pig-tailed
goddess.....farewell to all."  He pulls out a tento blade.

     Ranma jumps onto Kuno, and yanks the blade out of his hand.

     "Kuno, are you mad?!?"  Kuno looks at Ranma, his eyes a cold black on
pale white segmented by blood red lines.  Kuno no longer feared death.

     "I am mad!!!  It was I who made my sister insane!!!!!  Give me that!!"
 He reaches for the blade.  Ranma dodges him and breaks the blade.  He
grabs Kuno by the collars and shouts at him.

     "Listen, get a grip!!!!  Kodachi's insane because she's possessed!!!!"

     Kuno starts crying again.  "Then why couldn't I have protected
her!!!!"

     Akane, who is tired of Kuno's deprecations, nails him on the head with
a hammer.  Ranma ties up Kuno, and puts him in his room.  Ranma turns back
to Cologne.

     "Cologne, so how do I get rid of the demon?"

     "Son-in-law, that might not be wise.  The advised way is to kill
Kodachi..."

     Ranma is horrified.  He stares Cologne in the eyes.  "I will not kill
her."  Cologne flinches when she hears the steel in Ranma's voice, and she
sighs.

     "Alright, you need to make a barrier with this and apply positive ki
energy to flush out the demon.  The demon will be stuck in the barrier, and
you can then kill it with this sword."  She gives Ranma a pouch of dust and
a wooden sword made out of sanctified wood.  Ranma almost laughs.

     "You mean that these simple things can be used to defeat a demon!!" 
Ranma almost starts to laugh.

     Cologne remains serious.  "No, you must plunge the blade within the
demon before the barrier breaks...  If you penetrate the barrier with
anything that is not living, it will break.  Therefore, it is impossible to
kill this demon."

     Ranma realizes that this might be a problem...

     Ranma is alone on the driveway to the Kuno mansion.  He leaps over the
fence and continues towards the huge building.  Barely breaking his pace,
Ranma kicks down the door and enters.  He is in a huge entryway.  Marble
tiles floors, gold trimmed .  Mahogany stairs and panelling.  Ranma lets
his breath out.  This is definitely a home for an opulent person.

     His eyes rapidly pan and scan until they land on the scantly dressed
form of Kodachi at the top of the stairs.  She leaps down landing in front
of Ranma.  Ranma takes out his sword, Kodachi's eyes betray fear.  But she
lets out that evil laugh yet again!  She grabs a bouquet of roses from the
vase next to her, and flings them at Ranma.

     Instinctively, Ranma grabs the roses, and as he applied pressure to
the stems, a gas sprays out, it's a sedative!  Ranma walks about struggling
to stay awake.

     "I...must........" Ranma falls into Kodachi's arms.

     "It's going to be fun to corrupt you..."  And she carrys Ranma off.

     Eventually, Ranma awakens.  "Hey let me go!!!!"  He tries to struggle,
but his arms are bound with metal cable!!!  

     Kodachi kneels in front of Ranma.  "Only before our wedding.  But I
have some unfinished business, primarily Akane..."  She lets out an evil
laugh, and Ranma starts to struggle even more.  She walks out.

     Ranma starts tugging his hands, and eventually his wrists are rubbed
raw.  He shouts "I must stop Kodachi!!!!"  He feels energy welling into his
body, as soon as he thinks of Akane....

     "Unerring Dragon Claws!!!!!"  Once again, blades of ki grow from his
hands, slicing his bindings asunder.  He runs out, pausing to grab his
sword.  He runs out of the mansion, and down the driveway.  He makes a
spectacular leap over the fence, and continues down the road to the Dojo.

     He bursts into the door, and sees damage.  Kasumi on the floor. 
Nabiki face down on the floor.  Genma stunned on the floor.  Ranma quickly
goes from person to person.  He is relieved that it's only a sleeping gas. 
Only Soun is moving.

     "Akane," continuously moans Soun.  Ranma grabs Soun and slaps him a
couple times.

     "Wake up!!! Wake up!! Where's Akane?"  Soun momentarily wakes up from
his delirium.

     "High school..."  Soun enters his delirium again.  Ranma cries out a
curse, and leaps out of the window hoping that he isn't too late.

Chapter 4: Kodachi's ploy...

     While Ranma was struggling in captivity, Kodachi paid a visit to the
Tendo Dojo.  She kicks down the door, and enters slowly.  Genma charges
Kodachi, his fist moving into a powerful punch.  Kodachi calmly sidesteps
the attack, grabs Genma's fist and uses his strength to propel him into the
wall.  Shampoo tries to attack, but Kodachi punches her so viciously that
Shampoo falls to her knees gasping for air.  Cologne tries to attack, but
she is blasted backwards by a mind blast.

     Kodachi slowly looks around the room, until her eyes rest on Akane. 
Akane, who is visible scared, grabs a mallet and attacks Kodachi.  A ribbon
shoots out, entangling Akane.

     "Ahhhh! Let me go!!"  Akane starts to struggle, and feels the ribbon
getting tighter.

     Kodachi lets out a laugh.  "Keep struggling, eventually I would not
need to expend the insignificant amount of energy required to kill you." 
Akane reluctantly gives up.  Suddenly the door to Ranma's bedroom bursts
off its hinges.  Kuno managed to escape his bonds!

     "Kodachi!!! I will no longer take this insanity!!!"  He charges her
with a sword.  Kodachi calmly ducks the sword and grips him by the throat,
lifting him off the ground.  Kuno struggles for air.

     "Listen to me.  Before I would have hesitated to kill one of my own
blood, but recently I've been getting different thoughts..."  She tightens
her grip on Kuno.  He starts to gasp, his tongue shaking, his eyes
bulging... "but I won't, dear brother."  Her voice was laced with so much
sarcasm.  She threw him on the floor.  

     Nabiki and Kasumi try to stop Kodachi, but she manages to throw a
bouquet laced with sleeping gas.  Akane starts to cry.

     Kodachi taunts her.  "Oh don't cry Akane.  I won't kill you here. 
I'll kill you at the high school."  She runs off to the high school
carrying Akane.

     Ranma, panting really hard, eventually reaches the high school.  The
entire courtyard is empty.

     "Kodachi!!!!!!  Hai Chi!!!!!!  You evil bitch!!!!!!" Ranma shouted.

     Behind him. "You called?"  Ranma whirls around to see Kodachi.  Ranma
draws his sword...

     "No no no Ranma, watch!"  She points to her side, where he sees Akane
all tied up.  Kodachi teleports right next to Akane.

     "The instant you attempt to threaten me, I cut Akane's throat....  But
I might be willing to let Akane live if you marry me...."

     Ranma is angry.  "If you are the almightly Hai Chi, why must you
resort to trickery to get me to marry you!!!!!"

     Kodachi teleports back to Ranma.  "Because once I marry you, I am free
to completely leave the netherworld.   That ancient hag forgot the part
that my carrier must marry  the man she trulys loves without using magic
before I can be released..."

     Ranma seems to be torn between two positions.  He shruggs, looks at
Akane.

     "I'm sorry, I do not want to see you die"  He then turns to Kodachi,
"And I do not want to release a powerful Demoness."  Ranma's thinking, and
he looks at Kodachi while drawing his sword.  He slowly gets onto his
knees.  Kodachi horrified takes a step back...

     Akane cries, "No Ranma!!!  She'll still kill me..."  Kodachi punches
Akane viciously.  Akane doesn't cry, but tears fall from her face.  Ranma
calmly looked at the tiny gems fall onto the floor.  One after another, in
some unusual pattern.

[For sad ending, look at ending #2] otherwise read on...

     Ranma quietly says, "Ok Kodachi, you win.  I'll marry you..."  Kodachi
overjoyed, lifted up Ranma, and passionately kisses Ranma.  Unknown to
Kodachi, Ranma's left hand slowly goes into his pocket and extracts the
pouch of dust.  Struggling hard, he manages to open the pouch, and he
throws the bag into the air, effective dusting a large circle around
himself and Kodachi.  In seconds the barrier is finished...

     "Virtuous Lightning Fist!!!!!!!"  Ranma's hand begins to glow with
energy.  He quickly places his hand onto Kodachi's forehead, allowing his
ki to purge Kodachi.  

     Kodachi starts to shake wildly, her head snaps back,  Ranma holds her
up...  A red smoky mist escapes from Kodachi's mouth.  The mist begins to
coelesce into a roughly humanoid shape.  

    Kodachi, as if she woke up. "What happened?"  Ranma looks at her, and
already sees something different in Kodachi.  He pushes her out of the
barrier.

    "Kodachi!! Untie Akane!!"  Kodachi nods, and goes to help Akane.  She
ties Akane and holds her

     "Akane! I'm scared."  Both women look helplessly at Ranma and the
demoness in front of him.

     The demoness is absolutely ravishing.  She looks at Ranma in the eye. 
Her clothing vanishs, and Ranma turns a nice shade of pink.

     She smiles wickedly at Ranma, "I want to get out of here.  If you help
me out, I'm make it worth your while."  She wriggles her body seductively. 
Ranma gulps, and steels his will.

     "NO!"

     "Remember I offered you a better solution."  The demoness rushes
forwards really fast.  Ranma attempts to attack...

     "Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!!!"  His fists flash back and forth 500
times, the demoness had little problem countering the attacks.

     She gives such an evil smile. "Now, it's my turn."  She punches Ranma
straight into his chest.  He feel his upper ribs fracture longitudinally,
and his left lung fill with blood.  Ranma screams in pain, blood droplets
spewing from his mouth.

     Kodachi cries in fear and buries her head into Akane's shirt.

     Still determined, Ranma attacks again.

     "Virtuous Lightning Fist!!!"  His punch lands on the demoness, but no
effect.  The demoness gloats.

     "Ha ha ha hahahahahahaha, you're mortal attacks can't effect me!!!" 
She punches Ranma, he raises his left forearm to block.  He feels the bones
in his arms get pulverized.  Again he screams in pain, again Kodachi cries.

     Akane screams, "Ranma!!!" 

     For Ranma, time slows down again.  His head turns towards Akane.  He
smiles and mouths "I love you...."  Akane understands and she cries even
more...  He looks at Kodachi, whose eyes are red, and he too smiles at
her...  She manages to smile back, but starts crying again.  Ranma  hears
his own breathing, almost drowning in his own blood.  He turns his gaze
back up to the demoness, and his energy rises again.....

     "Unerring Dragon Claws!!!!  Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!!!!"  He leaps up
and from his good hand, 2 feet long blades of ki spring from his hand.  He
then rapidly punches the demoness.  The demoness is shocked by the
determination in Ranma.  She smiles grimly as her wounds instantly heal,
and sweeps Ranma with such force, he feels his left leg break right above
the kneecaps.  She punches him in the stomach, warm scarlet blood spews
forth from Ranma's mouth.  She impales Ranma's right shoulder with her
finger. Falling to his knees only intensifies his pain.  He screams again,
blood dripping from his lips and nose.  Ranma fights to maintain
consciousness.

    Both Akane and Kodachi try to comfort each other.

    The demoness leads down and lifts up Ranma by the neck.  "The pain can
end Ranma!  All you need to do is release me!"  Ranma starts thinking.  And
he remembers the sword.  With his right arm and his last bit of energy, he
draws the sword, and quickly plunges it into the demonesses black heart. 
She drops Ranma, screaming in pain.  Ranma lands on all fours, screaming
just as loud from the pain in his leg and arm.  His blood leaking from his
mouth on to the floor.

     Suddenly, the demoness and the sword explodes.  The blast so powerful
that even Ranma is blown backwards 40 feet.  The demoness was dead.  Ranma
was close to dead.  His clothing in tatters, coated in his own blood. 
Akane and Kodachi rush to Ranma, each hold one hand...

     Ranma looks upwards, "I love you Akane."  Akane starts to cry
uncontrollablely.  Ranma looks to Kodachi, "You are healed...Goodbye..." 
Ranma's vision gradually fades, and all of his muscles go lax.

      Kodachi starts to cry and puts her head on his chest.  "I love
you..."  She detects a slight murmur from Ranma's heart.  She scoops up
Ranma gently and runs off to Dr. Tofu's clinic.  

     "Akane!!! He's still alive!!"  Both girls run off.  

Chapter   5: Hospital

     Both Kodachi and Akane stay up the entire night while Dr. Tofu worked
on Ranma.  After a total of 20 hours of working, Dr. Tofu walks out
exhausted.

     Both Kodachi and Akane rush the doctor with questions.
 
     "Is Ranma alright?"

     "Is will he live?"

      Dr. Tofu, overwhelmed, raises his hands.  "Ranma is going to be
perfectly find.  He is such a resistent boy!"  Both Kodachi and Akane
breath a sign of belief.  Dr. Tofu lets them both enter.  They see Ranma
sleeping restfully, although his was covered with casts, and bandages. 
Kodachi looks about at the other sleeping patients: Ryoga, Mousse, and
Ukyou.  She starts to cry, and runs out of the clinic.

     Akane shouts, "Stop!"

     Kodachi runs from the clinic, down the street, all the way back to the
mansion.  She runs into her room, and looks at the tools of destruction she
once loved.  With a cry of anger, she picks up a mallet and starts to
destroy everything.  She pauses to look into the mirror.  She sees
herself....  Anger builds up in herself, and she smashes the mirror!!!

     "I'm such a monster!!!"  She breaks into tears, and collapses onto her
knees.  She stands up, and runs back downstairs to her greenhouse.  With
her mallets, she swings back and forth destroying her own creations.

     "Kodachi! Stop!"  She stops and sees her brother.  He looks at her
with genuine concern.  He gently takes the mallet and leads her out of the
greenhouse.

     "Kodachi, it's not your fault.  You were possessed by an evil
demon...It's my fault."  She sees tears begin to well up in her older
brother's eyes.  "I shouldn't have abandoned you 10 years ago."  A tear
falls from him and lands on the floor.  Kodachi starts to feel terrible,
realizing the self-torture that Kuno inflicted on himself...  Suddenly,
Kuno stops crying...

     "But you're back to normal, and that's what's important, not the
past."  He gives Kodachi a hug.

      "Why don't you give Ryoga, Ukyou, and Mousse a gift?  Perhaps a nice
arrangement of roses..."  Kodachi's eyes begin to glow, and she ran off. 
But before leaving, she turns around

     "Thank you for having faith in me these 10 years."  She makes a laugh,
not unlike a laugh that Kuno last heard 10 years ago.  He is drunk with
joy, and all he can do is sit down into a couch and laugh...

     "Mousse...Mousse"  Kodachi is looking at Mousse in the face.  His eyes
open.  Kodachi puts his glasses on.  Mousse almost screams....

     "No! No! NO! Not Again!!!!"  Akane knocks him on the head.

     "Be quiet, she's sorry and she wants to give you a gift."  Kodachi
presents an elegent arrangement of beautiful lavander, red, and pink roses
to Mousse in the shape of a duck.

     Mousse is speechless.  Kodachi smiles and happily walks off to Ukyou,
then Ryoga, who had a similar reaction to Mousse, and finally Ranma.  She
gives Ranma a quick kiss, and runs off before she can hear Akane scream.

     "Ranma!!!  Kodachi!!!"  Kodachi runs off, laughing as she went.  Not
an insane laugh, but rather a joking, fun loving laugh.  Akane
semi-seriously picks up a mallet and chases after Kodachi, who's playing
with a ribbon...

     Back at the clinic, Shampoo quietly sneaks in.  She looks around, and
quickly gives Mousse a kiss.

     Mousse begins to turn red, and starts to stammer.

     Shampoo looks at him, "Shampoo thank Mousse for saving Shampoo's
life."  She smiles at him.  "But Ranma is still Shampoo's man!"  She
plasters herself on top of Ranma.  Ranma begins to stir.  He looks up and
sees Shampoo.  He tries to struggle, but he's in casts and such.

     Shampoo looks at Ranma,  "Shampoo likes Ranma this way..."   She
covers him with a barrage of kisses...

     Ukyou gets mad, "Shampoo!!! Get off of MY fiancee..."  She struggles
out of bed.

     Ranma moans, "Oh no!"


Epilogue

     Ranma, about 10 years older looks at himself in the mirror, he shakes
his head.  

      "Why did I marry two women!!!!!"

     Both Akane and Kodachi, who are good friends by now poke their head
into the room.

     Akane smiles at him.  "Ranma having second doubts?"

     Kodachi, " Or are you angry at one of us..."  Both women loom above
him, and Ranma, not wanting to face the combined anger of Akane and
Kodachi, decides that he should make best with the situation.  Taking each
wife in an arm, he walks out with them.
    
     "No no, no, I have no doubts..."