alrighty, here it is! After two months since part 12's release, we get to
the plot finally!!!

			Chinese Samurai
			     By Jack Ji
		       Part XIII: Big Daddy Cool!
	I sat against a wall in my room. I stared out the window into 
the dark silence. The rain was so peaceful yet my spirit was not. My 
friends are gone, captured by a demon that I could have defeated.
	<Jack,> a knock interrupted my thought.
	<Go, away, Shampoo,> I shouted. <I don't want to talk about 
it right now.> I heard a sigh followed by footsteps walking away.
	I turned my attention back to window, back to the peace. Is 
that what I sought? Peace? But how can I find peace when my friends 
are in trouble?
	A flash of lightning streaked outside, followed by a loud roar 
of thunder. I saw my reflection in the window and jumped to my feet.
	It was for just a split second, but the image I saw was of me 
but it wasn't. It looked just like me, but with long hair in a pony tail, 
wearing dark clothes and -- the most startling of all, a V mark on my 
forehead. And the expression on that face was not the sad expression I 
had, but one of a sly and evil grin.
	"I need some sleep," I mumbled to myself. I turned off the 
lights and rolled into my futon and fell asleep with my clothes on.
			******
	"Give him time," Belldandy put a hand on Shampoo's 
shoulder. "He needs time by himself."
	"But-but wife always comfort husband in hard times," she 
argued.
	"Hey, you two aren't married yet," Urd retorted, "so don't go 
on with this wife-husband thing OK?"
	"Besides," Belldandy went on, "you must take care of 
yourself... And the gift that is coming to you."
	Shampoo gasped, "How you- Oh, that right. You goddess."
	"Here," Keiichi handed her a cup of tea. "Drink up."
	"Onesama!" Skuld came running into the living room. "I 
found this note just outside Jack's room. It's written to Jack, and it's 
from Mara but there's nothing in the body of the text."
	"Hand it over," Urd snatched the piece of paper from her little 
sister's hands. "It must be encrypted so that only Jack can read it. I 
don't think we can decode this one, Belldandy."
	"And we shouldn't," Belldandy nodded. "If we try, it may 
change the message."
	"So what we do now?" Shampoo asked.
	"Let's get Jack to read it!" Skuld suggested.
	"Yes, but not right now," Belldandy shook her head. "He 
needs time to himself. We'll give this to him in the morning. As for 
now, I suggest we all have go to bed."
	"Agreed!" Keiichi threw his hand in the air. "I'm pooped."
	"What if Mara comes back?" Skuld grasped her mallet.
	"I doubt that she will come back so soon," Belldandy allayed 
her fears. "Come on, let's all go to bed."
	"Sad," Urd stood up. "And I was beginning to find Dan's 
glasses cute."
			******
	Everything was silent at Tendo Training Hall. Everyone was 
asleep in their rooms, just as it was when Jack and his friends left.
	Ranma opened his eyes and blinked for a few seconds. He was 
in his room. His dad was sound asleep next to him. Everything was 
quiet. He didn't even hear Kasumi working in the kitchen.
	Ranma remembered what happened and screamed, 
"ARRRGGGGHHHH!!!! I'M GONNA GET THAT SON OF A BITCH 
IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO"
	"Shut up, boy," Genma smacked his son. "Go back to sleep."
			******
	Deep in the corridors of a mansion in Tokyo, Kuno slept 
soundly. Once again, he had his dream of the pig-tailed girl and Akane 
Tendo.
	He smiled and sat up, "Pig-tailed girl! I shall not let these 
peasants harm you!"
	Sasuke immediately jumped into the room, "Master Kuno, I 
did not know you returned. I was beginning to get worried about you."
	Kuno looked around in confusion, "Tell me, Sasuke, how did I 
return to my humble estate?"
	"Uh, I don't know, Master," Sasuke replied. "You left many 
hours ago. I searched for you but did not imagine that you would be 
back in your room."
	"The last moment I can recall is that of a battle with a short 
Korean boy," Kuno said. "And then, the presence of the pig-tailed girl 
distracted me while my enemy attacked me. It seems but a dream to 
me."
	"Yes, Master," Sasuke nodded. "Very interesting dream."
	"Fool!" Kuno grabbed him by the collar. "`Twas no dream! 
The foul fiend Ji was assaulting my pig-tailed goddess. I shall seek him 
out and destroy him for my goddess in pig tails!"
	"Very good, Master," Sasuke nodded again. "But I believe you 
are bending my collar bone too far, Master."
			******
	"Huh?" Mousse sat up quickly. "How did I get here? The last 
thing I remember was... SHAMPOO!!! Where are you?"
	*BASH* "Hush, Mousse," Cologne smacked him over the 
head with her cane. "Shampoo is where she belongs, with Jack."
	"I must find her and win her back from that foul fiend!" 
Mousse exclaimed.
	"You are not going anywhere," Cologne tripped him as he ran 
for the door. "Because Shampoo is gone, you must take over her 
chores."
	Mouse wanted to curse the old hag but decided it was best not 
to if he wanted to have a chance to find Jack. He began planning his 
revenge immediately, making several mental notes as he stood up.
			******
	"No, no, I'm not a pig," Ryouga turned away. "No, don't eat 
me! I'm not good for you!"
	Ryouga shot up out of his bed in a cold sweat, "Man, I hate 
that dream." He looked around. He was back in his old house. How did 
he manage to make it back from Tendo Training Hall? And what was 
this slobber on his cheek?
	"Arf!" Checkers barked.
	"Checkers?" Ryouga turned to his family dog. "Checkers! 
Wow, come here, boy!" The dog jumped on his lap. "Aw, it's been so 
long."
	"The last thing I remember was a bunch of rocks flying in the 
air," Ryouga said, patting his pet. "And then a bright light..."
	He pushed his dog off his bed, "Sorry, boy, but I must seek 
out Jack and Dan. This may take a long time, but I'm determined to do 
it. Even if it's the last thing I do!"
	"Arf!" Checkers pulled on Ryouga's pants with his teeth.
	"I know you don't want me to go," Ryouga opened the door, 
"but I have to do this. Take good care of the house while I'm gone."
	"Arf." Checkers barked sadly.
	"Uh, where's the way out, Checkers?" Ryouga peeked his 
head back in the door. Checkers barked happily and showed the way to 
the door for his master, knowing maybe that it'll be the last thing he'll 
ever do for him.
				******
	The fresh, post-rain morning air awoke me with the bright sun. 
Even though I had my windows shut, the scent still seeped through the 
walls. It made my awaking much more pleasant. What made it even 
more pleasant was that I didn't find Shampoo next to me. Maybe she 
read "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus" and learned 
something from it.
	I shook the sleep from my eyes and stood up with a big breath 
of air. I felt much better than I did the night before. I walked out to get 
some breakfast. Or, from the looks of the sun, more like brunch.
	"Good morning, Jack," Belldandy greeted me as I walked into 
the living room. "Did you sleep well?"
	"Yeah, as well as you can sleep by yourself," I answered. I 
covered my mouth in surprise. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came 
over me."
	"Did groom miss wife?" Shampoo hugged me from behind.
	I turned around and embraced her back, "Yes, and no. Man, 
I'm starving."
	"I kept some breakfast warm for you," Belldandy smiled. "Oh, 
and there's a note to you from Mara."
	"What did it say?" I shut my eyes and frowned. It ruined my 
good mood.
	"We don't know," Belldandy answered. "It's encrypted so 
that only you can read it."
	"OK, so I guess I'll have to read it" I reluctantly took the piece 
of paper.
	"Well, what does it say?" Urd popped out from behind me. I 
hate it when she does that. "I'm dying to know!"
	"Well," I frowned at her, "it tells me where Mara's hide out is 
and even has a map on it."
	"Where is it then?" Urd eagerly asked.
	"It's- it's at," I began but couldn't finish. "Strange, I mean, for 
some reason, I can't tell you." I could read it and comprehend it but I 
couldn't repeat what I read. It was so weird.
	"Just great!" Urd rolled her eyes.. "Leave it to Mara to leave a 
mental encryption also!"
	"Well, as long as you remember where it is," Belldandy sat 
down with us, "Urd and I can begin to decode it without having to 
worry about changing the message."
	"I don't get it," I blinked. "It's right out in front of me but I 
can't repeat it. I mean, it's a... very well-known... place... on Earth."
	"That helps," Urd said sarcastically. I frowned at her. We 
didn't need that kind of sarcasm.
	"Jack, promise me you won't go off trying to rescue your 
friends all by yourself," Belldandy solemnly ordered. "It's just too 
dangerous.
	"Hey, I can't argue with a goddess," I smiled and began my 
post-sleep meal.
			******
	"Let me see your sword, Jack," Urd said as she sat down next 
to me in the living room. I had just finished eating.
	"Excuse me?" I replied. Boy, she had some nerve to say that.
	"Your katana," she said. "I want to show you something on 
it." I summoned my katana and let her look at it. I misinterpreted what 
she meant.
	"Interesting," she nodded. "I knew I saw something on here. 
Yo, Skuld!"
	"What do you want?" Skuld shouted down the hall.
	"Bring me your rune-reader goggles," she began, "and be 
quick! I don't want any fuss about it."
	Skuld quickly walked in, dropped the goggles in Urd's hand 
and walked out with her nose in the air.
	"OK," Urd handed me the goggles, "put these on."
	"They're not going to do something... bad to me are they?"
	"Just put them on."
	I did as I was told. Nothing happened to me yet. Maybe Urd 
didn't have some sick plan for me.
	"Now, look at your katana. Do you see it now?"
	I looked at the blade. I saw blue runes shimmering off it.
	"What are these?" I asked, pointing to the strange letters. They 
strangely resembled Thai letters.
	"They're magical runes," Urd said. "They are the words to a 
spell, a healing spell. On the other side, there's another spell."
	I flipped it over. Sure, enough, there was more runes on it. But 
they were different and they were red.
	"This spell makes you this sword's sole master," she 
explained. "That's why it disappears whenever you let go of it."
	I took off the goggles, "Gee, thanks."
	"No problem, babe," Urd got up and walked outside.
			******
	The day went by quickly. Shampoo stuck around me the entire 
time, making sure she kept me in a good mood. It was nice to be around 
someone you care about. It helped me let go of my problems and my 
anger.
	Urd and Belldandy had decoded the first few lines of the note 
by sunset. From what I remembered, it wasn't corrupted so they didn't 
mess up yet.
	As it got dark, I began feeling sad again. It was the middle of 
summer but I started getting depressed by the darkness already. The 
night was cloudless so Shampoo and I hopped on the roof to have a 
chat in the starlight.
	"Look at the stars, Shampoo-chan!" I pointed to the sky. I love 
the constellations. It takes me away from my troubles. "Isn't it strange 
that we are living with the Fates and so many cultures believe that the 
stars tell one's fate?"
	<Speaking of fate,> Shampoo began, <I have something to tell 
you that I've been trying to for a long time.> She seemed pretty serious.
	<What's that?> I snuggled up to her. It felt so good to be close 
to her warm, soft body. All the times that I dreamed of going out with a 
babe zipped through my head. My heart started to pound hard. I was 
getting VERY excited for some reason. I could feel my emotions 
scrambling.
	<Remember that night that we... were together?> she asked. I 
chuckled and nodded.
	<How could I forget? Those were the best cookies I've ever 
had.> I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
	<You do know what happens when two people do that, don't 
you?>
	<Well, yeah, I've gone through sex ed in school. What are you 
saying?> I moved away a bit. I had a bad feeling about where this was 
leading to.
	<Uh, Great-grandmother gave me some pills.>
	I scratched my head, <Why would she give you birth control 
pills?>
	<They weren't birth control pills,> she looked away and made 
some articulations on the roof with her finger. <They were birth 
increase pills. They augment the chances of pregnancy by 1000%.>
	I blinked several times, <You mean... That you're...> I moved 
away from her more.
	<I'm pregnant,> she tried to make the moment joyous. She 
could tell how upset that I was but she still tried. <Isn't it great?!>
	"Great?! Great?!" I stood up and shouted. "This sucks! Do 
you know what the repercussions are? Are you nuts? Yes, I know you 
don't have much of a future other than being a wife for the rest of your 
life but I plan to go on to college!"
	I was furious. This was the last straw. All the other times that I 
got pissed at her all came together in this one moment. The anger 
burned through me just like it did the day I left Nerima.
	"But Great-grandmother say baby make husband more 
faithful!" Shampoo attempted to subdue my rage. I let out everything I 
had stuffed down my gut. I let out all the anger from the times that she 
made me even the tiniest bit mad.
	"No, this isn't my baby," I shook my head in denial. "It's 
Ranma's! You still love him, you little slut!" I backhanded her across 
her face, making her fall back on her knees. The anger flowed through 
my body like it was blood. Shampoo pushed me over the edge, but it 
felt good. The rage and anger felt, right and normal.
	Shampoo put her hand to her red cheek, "But-but Shampoo 
faithful wife! Shampoo give up Ranma long time ago. You only man in 
Shampoo's life!"
	"Shut up!" I summoned my katana. "I will hear no more of 
your lies, you little whore!" I pointed the katana at Shampoo's throat. I 
ominously brandished my weapon in front of her face. "I'm going to 
say this once: go back to Nerima, go to Dr. Tofu's, get an abortion and 
you had better hope that I don't see you before then or I will perform 
my own abortion on you and I won't care about hemorrhaging. Got it?"
	She burst into tears and nodded, "Sh-Shampoo obey 
husband." She turned around, about to leap off the roof.
	I grabbed her hand and spun her around. I smiled when I saw 
the small glint of hope in her eyes. I knew she thought I was going to 
apologize. But she was wrong! And how I enjoyed shattering her hope.
	"Give me your hand," I commanded. I took her right hand and 
made a cut with my katana on her index finger. "Now, tell me how to 
write `slut' in Chinese."
	She reluctantly showed me how on her left hand, written with 
her blood.
	"Good girl," I chuckled sarcastically. "Some wounds never 
heal, and that cut on your finger won't." I then examined the character 
carefully and quickly carved it on Shampoo's cheek. She didn't move 
or shriek. She just stood there and let me carve the character in her face 
with my katana like a compliant wife.
	"Now, get out of my sight," I pushed her away. "And heed my 
words carefully, unfaithful bitch."
	<Good... Bye,> Shampoo hopped off the roof, and ran, while 
crying, towards Nerima.
	I watched her run off in fear of me. I grinned as I laid back 
down on the roof. I didn't mind the blood on my hands. After all, it was 
just a little bit. And she deserved it.
	I then looked at my katana and saw the blood on its blade. 
How naturally blood looked on it. Yet, the blade did not feel happy. It 
was not happy with me. I could sense it. It was the bond between blade 
and wielder.
	I turned my thoughts to Mara and I grinned again, "Mara, look 
out, baby." I sat up, and hopped down and headed for Mara's hide out, 
Mount Fuji!
			******
	Shampoo ran away crying. The man she loved, the man she 
trusted and the man she cared so much about had turned his back on 
her. Her emotions were in a jumble.
	What would happen now? Would she lose her unborn child to 
keep her honor and husband or would she keep her baby but lose her 
honor and groom? What would Cologne say? What would she do?
	Without Jack, the only one left to turn to was Mousse. And 
how she loathed him. This was her choice. To live without honor is not 
a life at all.
	She kept running. Her tears stung her wounded cheek but she 
didn't feel it. She emotional pain shadowed the physical pain.
	The biggest question on Shampoo's mind was Why?
			******
	Like Shampoo, Jack ran also. But he ran with a vengeance; he 
ran with a purpose. Fed by his emotions and his chi, he ran faster than 
he had ever. He almost float a few centimeters above the ground. He 
didn't know it yet, but the major source of his power and speed came 
from his destination.
	He kept running in the cloudless, starry night. He was 
physically tired but he wanted Mara more badly than anything else. In 
the cool summer night, Jack glanced at Mount Fuji as it came to view.
			******
	"Anyone seen Jack or Shampoo?" Skuld walked into the living 
room. She had seen them walk outside but that was hours ago.
	"I thought they were on the roof," Hanny answered. He 
looked at the ceiling, "They have been pretty quiet for a while. I haven't 
heard any foot steps for a long time. You don't think they're..."
	"Heh, wouldn't blame them if they did," Urd nudged Hanny. 
He looked at her funny and moved away. Urd just shook her head and 
finished drinking her tea.
	"You don't think that Jack left to seek Mara," Belldandy said. 
She had sensed that he wanted to pursue her earlier but it was so low in 
his priority list that she didn't make too much of it.
	Everyone looked at Belldandy. There was dead silence. They 
all wanted to deny it, but they knew Jack was emotionally unstable right 
now. He could do anything.
	"Skulk, go on the roof," Belldandy ordered. "Urd, search for 
Shampoo's aura. I'll search for Jack's."
	"Right," Urd nodded. She shut her eyes and began to 
concentrate.
	Hanny and Keiichi sat and stared at the two goddesses. They 
felt very left out and useless. They watched them shut their eyes and 
concentrate on the two teenager's aura's.
	"I can barely feel Shampoo's aura," Urd stopped her search. 
"She's heading for Tokyo and she's VERY emotional. Something must 
have happened up there.."
	"I can't feel Jack's aura," Belldandy also stopped. "He must 
be too far away."
	"Onesama!" Skuld ran in. "I found blood on the roof."
	"You don't suppose they had a nasty argument up there," Urd 
looked at Belldandy.
	"Why would they?" Hanny asked.
	"There's only one thing else that could have happened," 
Belldandy said. "Quick, how is the decoding coming along?"
	Urd looked at the paper, "It's to two-thirds the way down the 
paper. I think it's a mountain."
	"Well, that helps," Keiichi said. "You know how many 
mountains are in Japan?"
	"It'll take too much time to go to every mountain in Japan," 
Belldandy said. "We have to wait until the program is finished."
	"Shit!" Hanny jumped up. The note burned up on the table.
			******
	Jack jumped over the last rock and reached the cave. The exact 
spot that was described in the note and the map that was on it also. He 
entered the cave, triggering a spell that went off back in Nekomi City.
	"Welcome, Jack," Mara greeted him from the darkness. He 
could barely make out her silhouette  "I've been waiting for you for a 
long time."
	"Cut the crap, Mara," Jack pointed his katana at her. "You 
know why I'm here."
	"Yes, I know," Mara smiled, "but do you know why you're 
here?" Jack eyed her carefully, not knowing what she meant.
	"To get my friends back and to carve you up!" he exclaimed. 
He took a careful step towards her.
	"Well, half of that is done," Mara grinned. "As soon as you 
came here, I sent Dan and Mike back to the temple. They were merely 
bait. Say, how do you like my driving?" She alluded to the fact that she 
had driven them to Nekomi City, disguised at Jack's nanny.
	"Shut up!" he smirked. "So you pretended to be my nanny. 
For that, I am going to cut off your head."
	"Oh, and take my power along with it?" Mara teased. "I don't 
think so. You should really drop that Highlander crap. It doesn't apply 
in this universe anyway." She pulled out a small electronic device and 
hit a switch.
	Jack dropped his katana; it disappeared just before it hit the 
ground. "What the hell are you doing to me?" Jack dropped to his 
knees.
	All of Jack's jumbled up emotions separated like 
chromosomes in a cell during anaphase. All of his positive emotions 
dissipated. All of his negative emotions enhanced many fold.
	"Why, what I've been doing all along," Mara laughed. "You 
see, I put a small patch on all your CD's. So small, that you didn't 
notice."
	"What are you getting at," Jack struggled to look up. The 
emotional scramble overwhelmed him. He had never felt so much 
anger, hate and rage before.
	"The crux is that they've been adding subconscious messages 
in your mind each time you listen to them," she went on. "Why do you 
suppose you just totally beat up the girl you love?"
	"Correction," Jack smirked. "Used. I never loved that slut. 
Never could, never will. I merely used her for the physical aspects of 
the relationship and to gain experience with women." The emotional 
division began to show.
	"Good," Mara nodded. "That's what I'm talking about. 
Haven't you noticed how you're always angry or upset about 
something?"
	She was right. That does explain what happened before they 
left Tendo Training Hall. This explains everything that was unexplained 
before.
	"You see, you have a very powerful weapon within you. And 
that's your anger and your rage. That, my friend, will beat out any ki 
power from any cursed half-girl. I just helped you bring it out."
	"You made me a monster," Jack screamed out as the last bit of 
positive emotion disappeared.
	"Ah, correction, making you a monster," Mara laughed and 
turned the switch up another notch. Jack screamed out once more as all 
the negative emotions overpowered any positive feelings he had. Every 
bit of happiness, love or joy was eradicated by anger, lust, rage, sadness 
and depression. All the warm fuzzies turned into cold pricklies!
			******
	Jack stood up and looked around. He chuckled for no reason 
at all, "Mara-baby, thanks for `showing me the light.' HAHAHAHA. 
Look out, world, cause here comes Big Daddy Cool!"
	Mara and Jack laughed together, staring out into the night. An 
owl flew across the moon. Many things were about to change.
			******
	Mike and Dan were asleep in their rooms. Both had appeared 
out of thin air right after the note burned up. Both returned 
unconscious. 
	"Poor, Dan," Urd kissed him on the head. "You must have 
gone through a lot in that alternate dimension. You poor thing, you."
	Urd brushed his hair out of his face. He was quite cute but 
more cute with his glasses on. She was starting to become emotionally 
attached to him.
	"Urd, Mike needs help also," Belldandy said outside the door.
	"Uh, right, be right out," Urd said. She gave another kiss on his 
forehead and stood up.
	Suddenly, Belldandy felt a magical object appear in proximity. 
A very powerful object. Long, slightly curved and sharp on one edge 
but protected by a magical wooden mask.
	Belldandy immediately opened the door to Jack's room. 
Inside, on the sword stand, was Jack's sheathed katana. It was right 
above the empty slot, the one designed for another katana.
	"Speak to me, sword," Belldandy said to it. "Tell me what you 
have seen."
	"My master has abdicated me," it mentally told the goddess. 
"He has changed... So much that he has taken up a new weapon. I have 
no other use but to sit here and wait for him to return."
	"Do not worry, blade," Belldandy assured it. "I am sure your 
master will return. Tell me, where did you last see him?" She asked but 
she knew that he was with Mara. And something had happened to him. 
But she didn't know what it meant by Jack changing so much.
	"He last wielded me at Mount Fuji but I do not know where he 
is now," it replied. "Please, now let me be."
	"Thank you," Belldandy turned around. She felt something 
strange coming from a corner of the room. Something from a disc. She 
grabbed Jack's CD holder. It was emulating from the CD's!
	She opened a case. There was nothing strange that the naked 
eye could detect. But she had the senses of a divine being and felt the 
evil symbol adhered to it.
	She put her hand on the CD to find out what it was for. It 
glimmered a bright red. Suddenly, Belldandy dropped the CD and fell 
to the floor. The message and power was too much for her.
	"I must rid of these evil things," Belldandy took each CD and 
destroyed them with a spell. Instantly, they all rose in the air and 
burned up.
	She stared at the sword and realized what it meant. The 
program on the CD was subconscious messages to enhance Jack's 
inner negative emotions. He had, with Mara's help, turned evil.
			******
	A bicycle reached the backdoor of Nekohanten early in the 
morning. Its rider, exhausted. She slumped off it and let the stolen bike 
drop to the ground. Slowly, she unlocked the door and went in.
	"Why have you returned, child," Cologne greeted her, almost 
like she expected her. She saw her face and gasped, "What has 
happened?"
	<Great-grandmother,> Shampoo began to cry. <Jack went 
crazy. I told him I was pregnant and he did this to me. Why, Great-
grandmother, why?>
	<There, there, child,> she assured her. <He is still young and 
grew up in America. He has no traditions. Come now, let's attend to 
your injuries.>
	Shampoo wiped away her tears and nodded.
	Cologne began with some herbs and a band aid on Shampoo's 
finger. The cuts had not even developed a scab yet. The cuts on her face 
were the same but they were straight, sharp cuts, which makes healing 
much easier. Still, it was strange that there were no scabs.
	<Tell me, child,> Cologne began, <did Jack use his katana to 
make these.?
	<Yes,> Shampoo replied. Cologne gave her a despondent 
look.
	<And did he say something about the healing speed of these?>
	<Yes, he said that some wounds never heal and that these are 
one of them.>
	<Then these will never heal,> Cologne sighed.
	<But why?> Shampoo cried. <I don't want this on my face for 
the rest of my life.>
	<Because he has control of the healing process over cuts that 
his katana makes,> Cologne explained. <The only way to completely 
heal these is if he tells them to heal. You must find him and apologize 
before it is too late.>
	<I understand, Great-grandmother,> Shampoo sighed.
	<And you are not to lose that child,> Cologne ordered.
	The situation became a paradox. Jack said the only way for 
even a chance of redemption was to abort Shampoo's child, but 
Cologne ordered her not to abort. It was impossible to get out of this 
mess.
	Cologne put a few herbs on Shampoo's cut cheek and covered 
it with a gauze, "This will temporarily hide the character carved in your 
face. However, it will not last a lifetime. Now, get some sleep. You will 
start your chores when you wake up."
	"Yes, Great-grandmother," Shampoo nodded and went to her 
room.
			******
	In a dark cave somewhere in Japan, Mara began training Jack 
in the martial arts using methods from Demon Central. He had changed 
a lot in just the past few hours both physically and mentally.
	First off, his hair was longer and in a pony tail down to his 
third thoracic vertebra. His bangs hung in front of his forehead all 
pointing towards his nose, much like Akane's, but longer. This 
camouflaged his V shaped marking on his forehead very well.
	His transformation went down to his style of clothes. He now 
wore black leather boots, magically fit for his size and with he comfort 
of sneakers. He wore leather gloves cut at the knuckle. He had a black 
NWO T-shirt underneath his black leather jacket. The only thing that 
didn't change was his black jeans.
	But with his physical change, came an attitude change. He was 
more confident, so confident that he was arrogant. He let out the 
obnoxious brat side of him and didn't care a thing about anyone's 
feelings toward him.
	"So, Mara-baby," he sat down on a rock, "what's our agenda? 
Just why did you `show me the light?'"
	"First," Mara threw him a pair of metal blocks about 1 by 5 by 
5 inches each, "catch these."
	With the grace and easy of a master martial artist, Jack caught 
one with his eyes closed and did a spin before catching the other one, 
but so arrogantly. Immediately, they changed shape.
	"What the hell are these?" Jack looked at the strange new 
objects in his hands. Each looked like two Klingon batlets 
superimposed over each other. Its shape looked somewhat like this: )(.
	"Those are your knew weapons," Mara answered. "They're 
your very personal pair of elkhorn knives, courtesy of Demon Central. 
Your sissy little katana is nothing compared to them."
	"I like `em," Jack nodded, turning the knives around in his 
hand. The handles were red, blood red. The blade was sharp and 
glistened with black magic.
	"I'll tell you about them later," Mara said. "As for now, all you 
need to know is that they have the same qualities as your katana, minus 
the healing spell and add a few other spells to it. If you let go, they'll 
disappear into N-space."
	"Alrighty," Jack smiled, letting them go. He patted the back of 
his hip, "Hey, it feels like they're hanging between my belt."
	Mara ignored him, "Let's get started. First, that stupid old hag 
made you go through that ceremony that let you download all of your 
ancestor's memories of combat and martial arts training. This means 
you are a big database of techniques.
	"However, if you haven't noticed yet, the only way you can 
actually put those skills to use is if you are exposed to it somehow. But, 
I can bring out every single technique stored in your mind, bring them 
out and enhance them."
	"Sounds like a good deal to me," Jack grinned his evil grin. 
"What's the catch?"
	"Not much of a catch," Mara replied. "Just get rid of the 
goddesses somehow. And Demon Central says you can do it anyway 
you want."
	"Anyway?"
	"Anyway."
	"Let's get started," Jack laughed. His evil laugh echoed 
throughout the cave, almost collapsing it.
	Mara bonked him on the head, "Hey, this is our only hideout."
	"Oops, sorry," Jack rubbed his head.
			******
	Shampoo looked in the mirror. Her hand went up to her cheek. 
She could still feel the cuts and the pain that went with it but she 
couldn't see it. Cologne's herbs were powerful but they are limited in 
supply. She washed her hands, and left the bathroom to get ready for 
work.
	Mouse had run out on her and Cologne. He said something 
about "finding Jack to pay for the insults he gave Shampoo." It was just 
as well, Shampoo didn't want him around.
	"Yo, chica," a familiar voice said. Shampoo didn't recognize 
him because of his accent. It sounded strangely Cuban. Very close, but 
a good linguist would say it was faked.
	"Welcome to Neko-" Shampoo turned around and dropped 
the towel she was carrying. "Jack!" She was in such fear that she hadn't 
noticed his new look.
	"Hey, place doesn't look too busy," Jack remarked about the 
empty restaurant. "I came by to visit."
	Shampoo backed away, "When groom change hair?"
	Jack jumped on Shampoo quicker than she could react and 
backed her to a table, "Oh, you mean this? I grew it."
	Shampoo tried to push him away, but she wouldn't and she 
didn't want to. His aura was too much for her. She was afraid for 
herself and her unborn child. Would he go through what he promised to 
do?
	"C'mon, Shampoo-chan," Jack leaned her over the table. She 
was now lying on top of it. "Why don't we do it right here, right now. 
I'm so sorry for what I did the other night. Hey, I even see that your 
cheek healed up."
	"Here?" Shampoo gasped. "Now? Groom no come to hurt 
Shampoo?"
	"Oh, yes, I came to hurt you alright," Jack passionately kissed 
her on the neck. Before she could do anything, he tapped the back of 
Shampoo's neck and paralyzed her.
	Jack slid off Shampoo's apron and cleared his throat, "Great-
grandmother, Shampoo and groom on go date now. Be back later!" His 
voice was exactly like Shampoo's high-pitched voice.
	Taking a glass of water with him, Jack carried Shampoo out in 
his arms. Walking like nothing was wrong, he turned a corner into an 
alley and dropped her.
	Shampoo was now afraid more than ever. She was vulnerable. 
He could do anything, drown her, hang her, torture her or throw her in a 
pit full of snakes. And the worst part was she was conscious of 
everything and could feel everything.
	Jack poured the water over Shampoo. Nothing happened.
	"Damn," he cursed. "Looks like Jusenkyo curses are null 
when in pregnancy. You should feel lucky." He picked her up again.
	"I told you so," Mara walked out of the shadows. "C'mon, 
let's go before the old hag or that blind fool see us."
	A yellow portal opened up. Jack, who still held the 
incapacitated Shampoo in his arms, followed Mara in.
	But back in Nekohanten... "Hmm? Did you say something, 
child?" Cologne peeked her head over the counter.
			******
	Later that night, a tired young girl slowly walked upstairs, 
ready for a good night's rest. It was a long and busy day. It had been 
for the past few days ever since Shampoo left Nerima. This proved 
Ukyou's theory that Nekohanten's food was not as good as Ucchan's. 
All the customers came for the good-looking waitress.
	"Well, let's see what Drizzt Do'Urden is going to do with 
Clacker," she hopped on her couch.
	Suddenly, there was a thud above her. Ukyou looked up. It 
was a spatula, one of her spatulas, stuck on her wall. She sat up and 
pulled it out.
	"What the heck," Ukyou examined it.
	"Remember that, chica?" a strangely familiar voice said with a 
bad Cuban accent when saying "chica."
	"Who the hell are you?" Ukyou jumped up and grabbed her 
giant spatula. The voice came from an unlit portion of the room. "And 
how the hell did you get in here?"
	"Oh, simple," he walked out into the light, "I teleported in."
	"Jack!" Ukyou grit her teeth. "Aren't you supposed to be in 
Nekomi City?"
	"Yes, in theory," he nodded. He had a toothpick between his 
ear. "But do you remember that spatula? It was the same one that I kept 
when I first walked in here. The same one that you threw at me!"
	"Yeah, so?"
	"So, I'm returning it to you."
	"Then you can leave now," Ukyou waved her spatula 
ominously.
	"OK," Jack turned around, "but not without you, lesbian!" He 
threw the toothpick at her. Ukyou easily hit the wooden splint with her 
spatula. Unfortunately, it blew up, causing a lot of smoke.
	"Hey, how do you like my Exploding Toothpick technique?" 
Jack ran in and tapped Ukyou on the neck, paralyzing her. She went 
limp and fell to the ground.
	"Yo, Mara-baby," Jack called. "C'mon out. Let's go home."
	Mara popped out of a puff of smoke, "You got it." Once again, 
a yellow portal opened up and they walked into it.
	Outside the window, an owl watched the happenings standing 
on the window sill.
			******

			End Part 13
			Finished 11-17-96

Author's afterwords:
Well, bet you didn't think I was going to make myself the villain, did 
you? Well, I hope I didn't make it too obvious in the previous chapters 
that Jack was going to become it. Hey, now you know why the events 
at the end of part 7 happened! Wasn't it a great way to push Jack over 
the edge?

I didn't get to finish this part for a while mainly because of school. For 
some reason, I got more homework at the beginning of this year than I 
did at the end of last year. Maybe it's because my first class begins at 7 
a.m.?

Boy, I hope I remember Ryouga's dog's name as Checkers. I'd sure 
look like a fool if it wasn't. Well, I have only one question, does this 
make you want to read the ending to my story or at least the next part 
now? Has anyone else ever put themselves in a fic and made 
themselves the villain before? OK, so that's two questions.

Anyway, this story is almost at its end. Oh, I got that Big Daddy Cool 
idea from watching WWF wrestling. As I stated before, I get a lot of my 
ideas from watching wrestling.

Preview of part XIV: Who is the best there is, the best there was and the 
best there ever will be and what does this saying exactly mean? Find 
out, when Big Daddy Cool runs amuck for Ranma & Co. and the 
Goddesses!


                            
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	  jackji@efn.org - Jack Ji - http://www.efn.org/~jackji