Ranma & Ryouga vs. Kouhai.
--------------------------

Fiendish laughter echoed disconcertingly through the trees as Ranma
raced to her teacher's rescue. A branch broke to her left and a
shadowy figure loomed. She pivoted reflexively, shouting, "H'ya!",
her right leg snapping up perfectly collinear with the other to
connect hard with the person's chin. The figure staggered a bit,
then whapped Ranma's head.
  "Don't do that, you bastard!"
  "Ryouga!? What happened? Geez, don't sneak up like that." Ranma
faced him.
  "Nevermind that! We have to help Kohane-san! Which way?"
  Ranma snatched Ryouga's wrist, bounded to the edge of the grove.
They emerged to see Kohane crying out in pain, encased in the terrible
spiritual cage. Her facial scar was bleeding and her dougi was
stained all over from her other renewed wounds.
  Kouhai spotted them and grinned. "Ah, your students! Great!" he
bellowed. "They can watch you die!"
  Ranma and Ryouga were filled with some indignation, but mainly
anger. Ryouga began to charge but the red-head beat him to their
target, jumping to kick the evil immortal.
  "Even these children won't distract m-- Uug!" Kouhai was taken
off-guard by Ranma's speed, but he responded to the kick by grabbing
her ankle and swinging her around twice before slamming her into the
ground. The trap surrounding Kohane began to fade.
  Kouhai tried to restore the trap but Ryouga thrust a mighty punch
with a roar. The immortal had to block then bash him away.
  To Ryouga's dismay, he landed in the nearby fountain and was lost
under water, struggling in his clothes for air in his piglet form.
  Ranma faced him again, showing an expression of determination.
  "Pity that you're not really a girl," Kouhai said, "because then
I'd let you live for a little while afterwards. Heh heh heh..."
  "Grrr! MOUKOU TAKABISHA!!"
  The chi began to explode from Ranma's hands but then Kouhai swung
a glowing palm in her direction. The move backfired, hurling Ranma
backwards to skid against the fountain. Fortunately, the attention
Kouhai spared for this caused his cage to unfocus and fizzle. Kohane
dropped, unmoving, to the dirt.
  He regarded her. "Well, you're not going anywhere." He turned to
see Ranma struggling to her feet. "I'll just deal with you first!"
he yelled. A fiery chi shot formed in his hands.
  "RYUUSOKU TAI DAN!!"
  A streaming ball of actual _fire_ blasted at Ranma. Her eyes bugged
and she leaped just in time. The blast impacted on the fountain base
and shattered it. Boiling gouts of water were thrown into the air.
  "HOThothothothot!!" Ranma howled, slapping the water from his self.
  "Hothothothot!" screeched Ryouga, somehow restored properly into
his clothing.
  Kouhai scowled as the guys alighted and shook off any disorien-
tation. Ranma took a solid stance with his fists balled. "Ryouga and
I will make you pay for what you've done to our friends," he shouted
defiantly.
  Kohane lay in the shallow depression where she had landed. Her body
responded with pain at every attempt to move. But she could hear all
that went on, and she thought, I hope you two won't hold back...
  "Do you know," Kouhai said absently, "how many mortals have
challenged me, for some stupid reason of other. They _could_ have
lived for the rest of their pathetic natural lives." He stanced. "I
always kill my opponents. If they beg for mercy, I don't make it too
painful. Prepare for your fate mortals! MOUSHIN CHIKARABAKU DOU!"
  Ranma and Ryouga braced themselves against the shockwave and saw a
burning dull gold and crimson aura burst into existence around the
immortal. "_FIGHT!!_" he roared.
  The pair leaped at him, readying their attacks. The man offered no
defence, and when Ranma fell through the air and fiercely swung his
leg upwards to hit the chest, the kick had no effect. Before he
landed, Ranma noticed the burning pain striking the foot he just
used. Similarly, Ryouga came off worse for wear after a futile though
tremendous side kick to the abdomen.
  Ow, it burns! Ranma thought. He tried to hide his reaction to the
pain.
  The immortal grinned and swung a high roundhouse to bash Ranma's
shoulder. He took an uppercut in the solar plexus before 
jumping backwards to land unsteadily and screw his eyes shut from
the fiery pain. The blows he took had much more effect than they
ought to have.
  Ryouga was unsure after seeing Ranma nailed so quickly. In his
moment of indecision Ranma dashed to have another try. He reared his
fist back then sent a huge chestnut punch at the man's face. Every
hit connected but he responded immediately, like nothing touched
him, with a snap kick to the guts which sent Ranma ten metres away.
  "He's no use," Ryouga muttered. Kouhai turned to him and advanced.
Ryouga faltered, but steeled himself. Suddenly hopping into range,
the boy delivered some roundhouses and powerful punches; Kouhai did
not even bother to evade or block but waited until he had an oppor-
tunity to grab Ryouga by the throat and lift him off the ground.
Ryouga let out a gurgle of pain. Kouhai, with his free hand (the
bleeding had stopped) rapidly punched him in the face and guts.
He swung him overhead and slammed him on the ground. Ryouga could
barely roll away, coughing and hacking and clutching at his neck and
wincing from the pain.
  Ranma had stood and watched Ryouga get away. "We've gotta give up
our usual tactics, Ryouga! Stay out of range!" he called, hurled his
fist forward with gritted teeth. The Suisei Ken had a lot more power
than a normal punch, but Kouhai hardly trembled under the impact.
  "This is getting tiresome!" yelled the man.
  "Then this should liven things up!" Ryouga shouted. His rapidly
focused chi burst upwards,
  "SHISHI HOUKOU DAN!!"
  And descended upon Kouhai. There was an explosive flash and rumble,
but as the chi cleared Ranma and Ryouga saw him standing as before,
the ground beneath him little more than cleared of lawn.
  "Nice try..." Kouhai lunged for Ryouga again but Ranma pounced to
intercept him. Ranma cooled his body and chi as he passed behind the
guy to collect the heat streaming off him in his run, then circle
back tightly to hastily form the desired air currents and be in front
of him. Ducking a dangerous thrust, Ranma punched at the heavens.
  "HIRYUU SHOUTEN HA!"
  He closed his eyes momentarily from the enormous effort of util-
izing such a huge temperature (Kouhai's skin almost ignited him on
contact before), but then Ranma saw the man standing firmly in the
whirlwind's eye before him. Kouhai's sudden upward arm motion
launched Ranma himself into the tornado.
  He half expected this - though Ranma had decided to take on an
apparently invincible enemy, he was not going to underestimate him.
With more effort he regained control in the air and manoeuvred to
the centre. He began falling, collecting the titanically powerful
energy in his palms. When it was at least twice the size of his
original Flying Dragon Descent Bomb, Ranma released it directly
above Kouhai.
  "HIRYUU KOURIN DAN!"
  Ranma landed aways away near Ryouga to see the effect. The monu-
mental blast had at least illicited a bigger reaction from the guy:
Kouhai had his arm above his arm above his head to shield it. More
damage was done to the surroundings, with a wide two foot deep crater
which the immortal stood in, a side of which was a ten foot high
mound of rock jutting up behind him that  had been unearthed and
overturned by the explosion.
  "A bit better, but now you'll get it back." Kouhai raised his hands
into the air.
  Kohane had managed to raise her head to see the large-scale combat,
and at the man's motion she screamed, "Stop him! He'll kill you!"
  Suddenly inspired, the two decided on a mutual plan of attack. They
needed to inflict damage on a localised point rather than blast
Kouhai's whole body. And it had to be _really_ damaging.
  Ryouga skidded sideways and reared his hand back, concentrating
yellowish chi onto it.
  "BAKUSAI TENKETSU KAITEIBAN! BAKUTOU KUZUTEN DAN!!!"
  He roared and punched a streaking arrow head-shaped Comet Fist at
Kouhai. The guy actually bothered to dodge, though not much because
of the seemingly poor aim. The energy impacted into the wall of rock
behind him, causing loud cracks.
  Kouhai ignored it as another futile attempt by the mortals, prep-
aring to throw his arm down. His month opened to shout the kiai for
his Ama No Dakaru, but then light shined from cracks in the rock as
the Exploding power coursed through it. His body was hurled forward
from the enormous unexpected explosion right behind him. He was taken
by surprise as his body fell fast towards Ranma.
  Ranma drew his glowing fist back too, fiery red swirling around
it. He landed his follow-up with his screamed kiai.
  "RYUUSEIUU TENSHIN AMAGURI KEN!!!!"
  In the blurry speed of the best of Ranma's chestnut punches, he
released a barrage of over three-hundred Comet Fists. They streamed
together in a dazzling, bulging blast of chi, hitting Kouhai in the
chest. With a cry of pain, he was knocked backwards onto the ground.
The tumbling rocks from the revised exploding point came down upon
him, burying most of his body in heavy stone. The echoing rumble
died away and dust began to settle.
  Ryouga panted, with his finger still held out. Ranma's attack was
somewhat more draining; he slumped to his knees, breathing heavily
and sweat almost dripping off him, the arm he used clamped to his
body. It ached terribly and he was grimacing. They both looked over
at Kohane who was trembling, trying to get to her feet.
  "You two oughta work together more often..." she said with shaky
humour.
  "Kohane-san, Are you all right?" Ryouga yelled.
  She clutched at her torso: broken ribs. Blood had stopped leaking
but it formed a dark line on the side of her face, and some had dried
down her neck. "Uh," she affirmed with a nod.
  "Ranma-a-a! Kohane-san! Ryouga-kun!" shouted Akane as she emerged
from the trees, along the path. Akane was dressed for combat in her
cream gi and headband.
  Ranma perked up immediately. "Akane, what are you _doing_ here!!?
It's too dangerous!"
  Without warning, light shone from the gaps in the rubble behind
him, and Kouhai exploded free. His blood red aura was brighter yet
shone more darkly than before. Rage filled his eyes, hate in his
animal snarl, and his chi fuelled his moves. Ranma could not even
pivot in time and was left open to every attack.
  Kouhai lay explosive kick after punch on Ranma, each strike
impacting solidly and causing burns. Ranma was forced back but
Kouhai gripped his shirt and hurled him into the fountain over the
other side of the park. She splapped into the remaining shallow
water which was cool enough to trigger the curse.
  "RANMA!!!" Akane cried.
  Kouhai wasted no time, raised his hand into the air then plunged
it down in Ryouga's direction.
  "AMA NO DAKARU!"
  Ryouga was fried by the abrupt lightning strike and was blasted
into the ground. He came off pretty badly, with his top torn and
smouldering down the back, his body only moving with his shallow
breathing. Ozone and the smell of burnt skin wafted thinly in the
strong winds.
  Akane was shocked for a moment, then her anger got the better of
her. She leaped while Kouhai's back was turned to connect a drop
kick to his back; he whipped around to reply with a swipe but Akane's
recovery caused her to neatly dodge it, and pivoted 360 degrees for
a roundhouse. Her foot travelled around, rising obliquely to attain
Kouhai's head height, and accelerated by her control of chi. For the
last half of the circle, white chi sprayed off the foot and expanded
outward in a bright arc, giving the kick huge momentum, and Akane
shouted,
  "HANSHUU NAMI KYAKU!"
  Her foot connected with the blocking arm in a bright flash. Kouhai
looked down at Akane in surprise and impatience. "I want to end this
fight," he growled, "so I won't waste any time on little warrior-
wannabe schoolgirls." He gripped her shin in his burning hand and
lifted her whole body over his head.
  Akane screamed in pain as she was hurled into the ground half a
dozen metres from Kouhai. She curled up clutching her leg, tears
streaming from her screwed shut eyes.
  Kouhai reached into a pocket of his top and pulled out a semi-
automatic handgun. "You must be insane to throw your life away like
this. I refuse to waste my strength on you." He aimed.
  Ryouga was still unconscious.
  Kohane's eyes widened.
  Ranma balked. He's going to _shoot_ Akane!! She panicked. It was
at least ten metres from the fountain to the man's position - she
couldn't jump that in time. Her Comet Fist was too slow. A blast
wouldn't even faze him... and yet...
  Ranma let the desperate feeling that she was powerless in this
situation consume her mind, and the chi collect in her hands. It took
a fraction of a second. Nothing big... she just needed something
bright.
  "AKANE-E-E!!!"
  *BLAMM!!!*
  The chi blast cut Akane out of Kouhai's view when he was surrounded
by glaring energy. He lost his lethal aim but he knew he hit some-
thing.
  Kohane was the only one with a clear view of the action. Akane's
shocked face descending backwards, blood fast staining the midsection
of her gi. This... was definitely _not_ supposed to happen.
  "NOOOOOO!!" Kohane was upon him before he could lower the gun. She
bashed it from his grip, breaking it, and punched his face with a
left thrust so hard that even his aura did not shield him. He stag-
gered back, leaving a brief opening. Kohane pivoted and accelerated.
  "ROKUBAI HANSHUU NAMI KYAKU!!"
  Kouhai took the punishment as Kohane continually roundhoused him,
each blow faster than the last, shouting, "HEEL! TOE! HEEL! TOE!
HEEL!" as her legs switched. She hopped into the air to deliver the
final kick and her body blurred in a glowing half-circle motion.
KA-POW! Kouhai skidded back on his rear.
  A huge look of rage dominated Kohane's face. She stanced and
immediately a titanic white aura burst around her. Not giving Kouhai
a chance to rise, she jumped for him.
  "A-KYAAAAA!!!!" she roared.
  "EE-HYAAAA!!!!" he answered.
  Dawn broke very early. Ranma hit the deck to shield herself and
avoid loss of sight. The two immortals waged this conclusive fight
directly with chi alone. Any lesser human would be reduced to ashes
in the explosive spiritual struggle.
  Ranma did not procrastinate though, and skirted the white and red
miasma to where Akane was. She was immediately at her fiancee's side
and cradling her head. Akane's eyes were open (but not looking at
the current battle), she was trembling, but her breathing was deep.
  "Akane!! Oh God - can you hear me Akane!?"
  She suddenly blinked and looked at Ranma. Tears of pain and fear
began. She reached for her. "He... shot me... Oh, it hurts so
much..."
  Ranma hugged Akane as tight as she could. "You're gonna be fine.
We've gotta get to a hospital. But first... I hafta try to stop the
bleeding." Ranma curled one of her arms around Akane's waist and
pressed the bloodied area which bled on bath sides. Akane settled
into the side-ways hold as Ranma rocked her. "You're gonna be okay,"
he reassured.
  "K- Kohane... san."
  "She's finishing the bastard off."
  Inside the blinding bright manifestation Kohane was poised above
Kouhai in the air, crouched, with her fists balled, her hair free
and flying back. He knelt defensively, also with his fists at his
sides. Both immortals' mouths gaped wide in kiais of such force that
they no longer propagated as sound. Then Kouhai's attack faltered
and she stabbed at the opening with all of her power.
  Ranma shielded Akane as best she could, while holding her tighter.
The glare and pain in her back presently died down. The girls looked,
cautiously.
  Kohane, with her chest heaving, stood over her enemy who was on
all fours and gasping for air. She regarded him with hatred, her
hair framed her darkened face.
  "How... how did you... gain so much pow...power?" he wheezed.
Kohane ignored him and took a few steps, bent and scooped the part-
ially buried hilt of her sword. There was no special glint to the
remaining blade. She went back to Kouhai, stood over the labouring
man and unceremoniously plunged the sword through the small of his
back. He immediately slumped forwards and lay motionless.
  Akane looked for a second, then fainted in her fiancee's arms.
  Kohane-san killed him, Ranma thought with a gnawing pain in the
pit of his stomach. I wanted to kill him for hurting Akane and
Ucchan, but Kohane-san actually _killed_ him...
  Kohane dusted her hands as if it was a job well done, though there
was no satisfaction in her tired expression. She withdrew the blade
and sheathed what there was of it, left the body and approached Ranma
and Akane.
  "How is she?" she asked with concern. A lot of the fatigue suddenly
caught up with Ranma and her eyes became bleary. "She... she's
breathing normally, but losing lots of blood. I, ah, I think the...
bullet went right through."
  Kohane knelt beside them. "Let me see the wound. I'll try to stop
the blood." She held her hands out, and saw the hesitation. I can't
blame him, she thought resignedly.
  Ranma let go of Akane and the immortal put her hands on either
side of the warm body over the torn flesh. Half a minute later, after
quiet concentration, she said quietly, "There. Take her to a hospital
now. She'll be fine."
  "Where are you going?"
  Kohane responded with a wavering voice. "I killed that man. I had
to. I have been prepared to kill in the past, but mercifully never
been driven to it. This has destroyed your belief in me. I, also,
must consider what I've done. I _must_ leave. Bie liao, Ranma-chan.
Please tell the others goodbye for me. I really enjoyed it here."
She stood, a tall teenager with grey hair and eyes, dressed in a
torn and bloodied dougi with a useless sword on her back. 
  "Kohane-san!" called Ranma. "Why did this happen!?" she asked. The
question popped into her head - she would never have the chance to
know, otherwise.
  Her face darkened. "His justification was sick in its incredibility.
It's one of the reasons I don't regret taking his life. I don't want
you to know - it's the sort of dark knowledge that drives mortals to
madness." She gave her a last sorrowful look, the original twinkle
glimmering far back in her eyes. Kohane turned and moved away. When
she passed Ryouga, she bent and felt his pulse, nodded and continued
into the darkness.
  Kohane departed and went on to live forever. Ranma never saw her
again.
  Ranma knew she should take Akane back to the dojo or straight to
hospital. However, her vision was failing and her muscles were pre-
senting convincing arguments to simply collapse. When a large shape
loomed over her, she could do no more than look up to see if it was
friend or foe.
  A giant panda regarded its son and her fiancee (!) then scooped the
short-haired girl up with utmost care and draped her over its broad
shoulder.
  "Oh... Oyaji..." mumbled Ranma as she lost consciousness. The panda
repeated the motion and put the red-head over the other shoulder. It
surveyed the devastation briefly, then trotted off down the path.