On Tue, 29 Oct 1996, Zen wrote:

Ucchan-
If you are reading this it means that you woke up before I could get
back.  Please do not worry - there's something that I need to do.  I'll
be back before dawn.  I promise.
--Ranma

	Sure, *now* he gets thoughtful.

But with the death of that hope had come a certain peace.  Finally he
could let go - could now justify his defiance of his father's wishes -
could be man enough to let Akane go, and to get on with his life as
she would with hers.  Just as she had gotten over her crush on Dr.
Tofu, so he was over her.  At last, there would be an end to the chaos
and turmoil that had ruled his life since his arrival in Nerima.

	Oh, I wouldn't bet on that...

Whenever he had been hurting, she had been there - and he had
almost driven her off as well...

	Whenever he was trying to make up with Akane, she was interfering...

Once more in what he considered to be his proper shape, Ranma
relaxed and took the teacup that Ukyou handed him.  "He was a
strange one, too...  dressed up in some kind of formal cape and top
hat getup with a mask over his face.  It might have been Kunou,
except he only had the one rose..."  He took a sip of the tea and
sighed.  "Boy that feels better.  Thanks a lot, Ucchan."

	Shouldn't he be over in Juuban?

"You think he'll catch on once he gets to Nerima and finds us gone?"

"Who knows?  But this'll be his big chance.  Maybe he'll have better
luck making Akane happy than I did."  Ranma smiled at the thought.
"I hope so.  They both deserve it."

	Doubtful.  Ryouga's just as big a jerk as Ranma in his own way... 
And there's Akari, too.> 

"I'm not really sure," Kasumi replied.  "He seemed very... tense...  as if
he were nervous about something.  When he left, he said good-bye
almost as if he didn't expect to ever... see... me... again...  Oh my."

	Uh-oh.

heard him.  "Saotome!"  Soun turned his wrath on Genma.  "This is
*your* fault!  Where is that boy of yours?!"

	Dang right it's Genma's fault.

True to her 'wishes' she had not seen Ranma since.

Mindlessly, Akane swept up the remains of her victims, and headed
for the bath.  She had a lot of thinking to do.

	Indeed.

A wave of guilt passed through her as she heard her sister enter the
next room.  Well Nabiki knew those sounds - sounds that Akane
would have denied, even as she dried her tears.  Akane was going to
be the one who really suffered.  For reasons that Nabiki could never
even begin to understand, Akane had cared for Ranma - and he had
abandoned her.

	Darn straight!

Nabiki started to get angry all over again.  Ranma had hurt her sister,
and for that he would have to pay.  Nabiki wasn't sure how, but he
was going to pay.  She would see to it.  NObody could be allowed to
hurt her family.  Nobody.

	You go, Nabiki!

SKJAM!