Meiyo Ai soshite Nikushimi
                                         Chapter III
                            The Judgement of Boukyaku 
                               Part IV: Facing the Truth                

                             A Ranma Nibunnoichi Fanfic
                                      by Joseph Kohle

     All characters of the Ranma series are the products of Rumiko
Takahashi's imagination and are used without the permission of her or
the innumerable companies that have rights to her products. This is not
intended for sale and all creative and copyright privileges and rights
belong to the author and Rumiko Takahashi.

     
     "No, no, no, no, NO!" Ranma shouted, slamming his fist into the
red earth with each word. Each blow scattered earth, leaving behind a
slightly deeper hole. "I can take being dead. I can take eternal loneli-
ness, but I will not spend eternity with her! Do you got that? Do you?!"
He screamed at the burning sky. Somewhere, some god was listening.
     "Will you stop that?" Ranma-onna demanded imperiously, walking
up to the crouched form of Ranma and grabbing his shoulders. Ranma
shuddered at the touch and wrenched his shoulders free, retreating
from her reach.
     "You've ruined my life long enough. I don't need this. Don't you
have anything better to do than bother me?" He struggled to his feet,
weary and battered both mentally and physically. "I hate you," He
seethed between clenched teeth.
     Ranma-onna gave him a hurt look, her bottom lip trembling slightly.
"You don't really mean that? After all that I've done for you?"
     "All you've done for me?" Ranma snapped incredulously. That did
it. She was going to get it, real or not real. "Do you have any idea what
you've done for me? Because of you, Akane and I are barely together.
Because of you, I have some misguided fool trying to date me. Because
of you, I've gotten into more trouble than anyone can possibly imagine.
And you ask me if I really hate you." His eyes were glowing in fury at
that moment. He stalked up to her and halted in front of her, looking
down into her eyes.
     "I don't hate you. I despise you, I loathe you, I find everything about
you contemptible, disgusting, nauseous, infuriating, insufferable," he
was fast running out of adjectives to use, "Stupid, monstrous, pathetic,
disgusting."
     "You've already said that one," Ranma-onna said sweetly, smiling
into Ranma's suddenly confused face.
     "Nani?" 
     "You already used disgusting, but then you've used the same three
or four insults for Akane for the past year and half, why should you
suddenly get creative?"
     "Why you little bitch!" He lunged for her, trying to grab her. Ran-
ma-onna ducked and started running, her laughter tinkling through the
air. "Get back here and fight like a man!" Ranma raged and started
chasing the fleeing girl.
     "I'm a girl," Ranma-onna quipped back, "No wonder you have so
much trouble with your fiancees if you can't figure out the difference
between a guy and a girl, or was the distinction starting to blur in your
mind." An animal growl of pure rage leapt from Ranma's throat as he
launched into the air. The insult was just too much for him the bear.
This girl would pay.
     His action was unexpected, and Ranma-onna suddenly found herself
tackled by a very irate Ranma. He hit her hard, knocking her flat onto
the ground, their bodies rolling across the cracked earth. Ranma wasn't
sure what happened, but he found himself on the bottom, Ranma-onna
straddling his torso, a serious look on her face. 
     "I think I've had enough of this foolishness," she said, her eyes
flashing, "Obviously you're not going to listen to me reasonably. Well
fine then. If you don't want to listen to me then you can just die. I won't
help you get out of here. I won't get you back to Akane. I won't do
anything. Your death won't hurt me Ranma. I'll just go back to the pool
and wait for the next unlucky individual." She lifted his shoulders and
slammed them into the ground. Ranma grunted in pain.
     Getting to her feet, Ranma-onna glanced once at Ranma and then
started walking away. Stunned, Ranma could only watch her walk
away. Eventually though, her words filtered into his mind. I'm not
dead. She can get me back to Akane. She doesn't have to help. She can
get me back to Akane. "Wait!" He scrambled to his feet and started
running after her.  
     Ranma-onna ignored him and continued to walk away from him, her
back stiff. "Wait, please!" Ranma called again, catching up with her. He
quickly fell into step next to her. "What do you mean you can help me?
Can you get me out of here?" She ignored him, turning head away from
him.
     What the heck does she want? It's not like she didn't deserve what I
gave her. What does she expect me to do, kiss her? He glanced over at
her. She is someone to talk to, she says she can help, get me back to
Akane. Am I really not dead? I wonder what happened. Maybe I should
apologize.
     He almost choked on that one. That girl did not deserve his apolo-
gy. She should be apologizing to me, but it is the only chance I got.
Sighing he opened his mouth and started speaking. "I'm s-sorry for
yelling at you, but what do you expect? It's not like living with you is
very easy. Far from it."
     "How would it feel to be trapped in a pool for fifteen hundred
years? To be constantly pushed down by the person carrying you? I
suffer as much as you, Ranma." Her voice was soft, heartbreaking in its
pain.
     "I never thought about that," Ranma stated quietly. Why am I talk-
ing to her? She does not deserve this. She's not real. 
     "I'm as real as you are," Ranma-onna said simply, stopping and
facing him.
     "How? I thought that. I mean.. How can you do that? Stay outta my
head!" His face was half confused, half infuriated. 
     To make matters worse the girl started laughing. "Stay outta your
head? I think that's quite impossible. Remember I'm part of you now."
     "Part of me?" Ranma asked, then an idea crossed his mind, "Does
that mean I can read your.." She was nodding even before he finished.
"This is too much." Sinking down to the ground, he cradled his head in
his hands.   
     Ranma-onna lowered herself down in front of him and gently placed
a hand on his shoulder. At her touch he flinched slightly, but Ranma did
not pull away from her this time. "I think we need to talk Ranma. It's
important." Ranma could only nod his head.
     For a time they both sat in silence. Eventually Ranma looked up at
his cursed form. Gazing at his cursed form for the first time in his life,
he was very surprised. Being in that form and seeing himself as a girl in
the mirror were very different from looking at her in real life. It proba-
bly had something to do with accepting the change in perspective and
automatically putting everything in relation to your own size, he
decided after a moment.
     She was short, shorter than Akane by ten or so centimeters. She
also had a thinner frame, with a wiry strength and flexibility more
similar to Shampoo than anyone else he knew. She was also very
beautiful. Being the girl, he knew he was good-looking, but seeing her
as a male, his body reacted differently, telling him how desirable she
actually was. 
     He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Ranma-onna smiled slightly
at him, her small nose wrinkling, and winked, "You're not that bad
looking either. We'd probably make a good couple."
     "Nani?" Ranma stammered, "Listen you're cute and all, but that is
ridiculous. I'm not getting involved with myself." That sounded really
lame and he knew it. "Why don't we just talk. I've got a few questions."
     "Well at least you're finally makking sense," she said quickly. 
     Shooting her a dirty look, Ranma decided to ignore that comment.
Instead he began to ask questions. "Okay, where am I, err we?"
     "Do you remember your last battle with Cologne?" Ranma scratch-
ed his head and searched his memory. There was nothing there..wait,
there was something. Some sort of challenge and a statue.
     "I-I don't know," he explained slowly, "I get pictures of things. I
know I was challenged, and I remember a statue being thrown at me,
but that is all. The last clear thing I remember is all that darkness, with
the thing and the Other.." Stopping he looked closely at her, his eyes
widening. "Th-that was you, wasn't it?"
     "Hai," she confirmed.
     "I guess I owe you my life," he conceded, "If you hadn't been there,
I wouldn't be here now. Why did you help? I mean if you don't care if I
die or anything."
     Ranma-onna blushed. "I wasn't entirely truthful with you. It's true
that if you die, I'll be free of you, but dying is the least of your worries.
If I had not helped you, you would have been consumed, your soul that
is." Ranma's face blanched at that thought. "And if that had happened, I
would have joined you."
     "Why? Why consumed? Why would you be consumed too?" Ranma
asked in a rush. This was getting well beyond his ability of comprehen-
sion.
     Sighing, Ranma-onna patted his thigh in sympathy. "I'll start at the
beginning, maybe this will make some sense. Cologne challenged you
to a fight after you broke your engagement with Shampoo; however
she did not fight you. When you arrived there she placed a sort of curse
on you. It is called the Judgement of Boukyaku. This is a punishment
bestowed mostly upon Amazon males, but every so often a female has
it imposed on herself." She shuddered for a second as she spoke. The
subject obviously cut close to a personal memory, but Ranma was
unable to figure it out.
     "So I'm in this Judgement now?" 
     "Yes and no," she answered, "When the curse is placed on an
Amazon they live like normal from the full moon to the rising of the
new moon."
     "That sounds familiar," Ranma interjected, "I remember Cologne
saying something about moons before I ended up in the darkness."
     Nodding, Ranma-onna continued, "But you are not an Amazon, so
the curse had a different effect on you."
     "It put me here," Ranma deduced quickly.     
     "No," she disagreed, "You were slowly being destroyed by Bouk-
yaku. That is why you were having trouble remembering things. I was
quite proud of you for holding out for so long. Boukyaku is very
strong, and any normal man would have been ripped apart instantly."
Ranma beamed at her, then his face clouded as he thought about what
she had said.
     "You said I was not put here but was being destroyed. Why am I
here then?"
     "Because of me," she answered simply.
     "Because of you?" he asked, "What do you have to do with any of
this? Do you have some sort of strange power because you're dead?"
      "No, you see I was an Amazon before I died," she explained in a
sad tone, "Only an Amazon can resist Boukyaku, not because they are
Amazons, but because of rituals that are done over them when they are
accepted as children in the tribe."
     "Boukyaku is a spirit that is searching for a way into the world. He
needs a host for himself. The Amazons trapped him within thirteen
statues, one for each matriarch. They used him to punish people, but
they could not allow him to inhabit a living body, so they performed
rituals over Amazon children to prevent that. This generation of
Amazons has obviously forgotten that. By cursing you, Cologne is
giving Boukyaku a chance to enter our world."
     "Whoa, slow down. You mean I'm going to be some demon when
the new moon rises?" She nodded. Ranma groaned, his hands and head
meeting again. "Can I get out of this?" he asked in a tone that barely
hid his fear and own doubt.
     "I don't know. The only reason you're surviving now is because you
are in your cursed form back in the real world. The Jusenkyo curse
made you part Amazon in your cursed form, so it holds Boukyaku at
bay, making it harder for him to attack you directly."
     "So he brought me here." Ranma finished in a hopeless voice.
     "Hai, but here you can actually fight him."
     Ranma shook his head. "I can't. He's much stronger than me. I mean
I can hold him off, but not defeat him. Even doing that I'll slip and he'll
get through. It'll only take one mistake and I'm done for. I almost didn't
make it in that first fight."
     "That's not like you," Ranma-onna observed sadly, "You've never
backed from anything, even if it was beyond you."
     "Hmph! Tell me about it." A dozen examples instantly appeared in
his mind as he responded.     
     "So why now? Why in this?" Looking directly at him, she pleaded
silently for an answer.  Dropping his eyes, Ranma turned away. He did
not want to explain his fears, his doubts.
     "Well, I'm waiting," she announced. He shook his head. "Tell me!"
she demanded.
     "I don't know! Okay?" he shouted, "Maybe because I don't want to.
Maybe because I realize it's useless." Maybe because I'm scared.
     "You're scared, aren't you?" Ranma-onna asked, moving closer to
him, so their knees were touching.
     "Stay outta my head!" It lacked the force he wanted it to have. "I
don't go into yours. Can't you just leave me in peace.?"
     "No, I can't." The answer confused Ranma. Why couldn't she? 
     "I don't understand, why can't you?" This time he latched his gaze
onto her eyes. Retreating from his intense, demanding expression, she
found something interesting to look at between their knees. 
     "If I leave you in peace," she said fearfully, her voice small and
powerless compared to her normal tone, "I can die. If I leave you in
peace, I have no one to be with, to talk to. You are all I have."
     "You talk to me?" Ranma asked, surprised by this revelation.
     Shaking her head in answer, Ranma-onna lifted her face and watch-
ed him through lowered lids. "No, I can't talk to you, but it is almost
the same thing. I get to hear your conversations, do what you do, feel
what you feel. And in your dreams, we sometimes talk, just for a time.
You never remember them, but then, they always end in fights. I know
you hate me, but I can't leave you. If I did, I would simply vanish,
become a wandering, lost soul. Through you I get to live again. Can
you understand that?"
     "I-I think I can." This was really becoming confusing to him. How
much of his inner self did she know? Did she know everything? Why
should this matter anyway? I don't like her. I never have. I never will.
He glanced at her, her sorrowful expression, her hurt posture. I can't
like her, can I?
     "I always have to fight you, try and keep in you, so I can live. You
deny me so much, push me down so much, that it becomes harder and
harder to resist you. You're strong Ranma. What you do semi-consci- 
ously, I have to fight against with my whole being. Sooner or later, I'll
lose, but does that stop me from fighting?" She shook her violently.
"No, because I won't let that happen. I want to be alive. I want to be a
part of you, even if it hurts you. I'm scared of losing, I'm scared of
facing you, I'm also scared of what will happen if I don't fight. If I give
up, then I lose it all. If you give up without a fight, then you'll lose it all,
and so will I."
     "But if I fight now, and lose, then I cannot be saved. What if my
friends and family are trying to help me now? What if they can get a
cure? If I lose, I cannot go back to them. I'll be trapped here forever."
A shrill note of terror and hysterics was entering his voice as he spoke.
"I won't risk that. I want to go back. They'll find a cure. Don't I
always rescue them? Don't I always find a way out eventually? Why
can't they?"
     "Ranma, are you really going to place your safety in blind hope and
faith? How do you even know that they know what is wrong with
you?"
     Dumbfounded, Ranma only starred at his companion. "Exactly,"
Ranma-onna stated emphatically, "If you fight, you'll have a definite
chance. Look, by yourself, without my physical help, you held out
against Boukyaku in his own realm. This is his prison." She motioned
around her at the world surrounding them. "Here I can help you.
Together we are equal to him if not better. Is that a better chance than
blind hope?"
     "At least try. You can always retreat and wait, but remember," she
warned, "The longer we wait, the stronger he gets. I don't know how
much longer until the new moon rises, but once it does, we won't be
able to fight him. Please, if not for me or yourself, how about Akane? I
know how you feel about her. Can you just give her up without a
fight?" Ranma shook his head slowly. No he could not.
     "All right, you win. I'll try it," he finally conceded, "I will do what I
can. If I can, I'll win. If not, I'll die. It's that easy. Are you satisfied?" 
     Taking his hands, Ranma-onna tugged him to his feet. "I'm satis-
fied." Smiling she urged him to walk with her. "We need to practice
though. I have to teach you a few things. I don't want you to die."
     "What things?" Ranma asked curious, his interest taking hold of
him. It had to be something to do with martial arts.
     "A few techniques that you'll need to know," she explained in an
exasperated tone, "Really, you are incredibly dense!"
     "Hmph! Look whose talking tomboy" Ranma shouted back, starting
to enjoy himself again. At least she is someone I can talk to.
     "Baka!"
     "Bimbo!"
     "Hentai!"
     "That's your fault!"
     "Oh yeah, who was stupid enough to fall in!"
     They walked on, shouting insults back and forth, both enjoying
themselves for a time, forgetting about the danger they were embroiled
in. Some things were more important than others, sanity was one of
them.

      "Hedo Misaki? That's in Okinawa right?" Akane asked, her voice
betraying her doubt about the whole situation. They were gathered
around a table in Dr. Toufu's office, herself, Dr. Toufu and Saotome
Genma. A cool, spring breeze spilled through an open window rustling
a few sheets of paper on the table and tugging slightly at her clothes.
Under other circumstances it would have been pleasant, but now it just
went unheeded among all the conflicts warring within her mind.
     "That's right. Ouchi-san lives somewhere around the area. Professor
Ikeda says if anyone can help, he can," Dr. Toufu explained once again.
     "It sounds like a great big, wild-goose chase," Genma said dubious-
ly, "Some guy in Nepal says there is this guy he's barely heard of in
Okinawa that can heal my son. Is it even worth going?" 
     "But what else do we have?" Akane asked becoming sick of
Saotome-san's pessimistic view of the world, "If we don't at least try,
we have to accept Cologne's terms. I don't want that unless absolutely
necessary." Turning she looked directly at Saotome-san. "Ranma
would've tried."
     Genma started guiltily, his face blanching under the admonition. "I
guess we have no choice then. I won't let my son down again. Okay
Ono Toufu, when can we leave?"
     Dr. Toufu gave a short laugh and shook his head. "No, no, no. I'm
sorry if I misled you, but I can't go. I've too many patients here. Be-
sides I would not be much help." He gave them an apologetic look.
"You're on your own this time. Just take Ranma with you. That way,
Ouchi-san can cure him there, instead of trying to explain the procedure
to you."
     Akane nodded quickly in agreement. It was a sound plan. She did
not think that she would be able to memorize and perform a ceremony
to save Ranma's life. Uncertainty in her own abilities would destroy the
whole thing, probably causing a catastrophic event. Her cooking always
turned out horrendous, no matter what she did. What might happen if
she tried to concoct a remedy? The thought was a sobering one.
     "However, I would not wait too long before you leave. Tonight will
be the seventh since this all started. That means you have seven left."
     "And we still have to get there and look for Ouchi-san," Akane
finished for him, "I guess we've gotta leave soon."
     "Tomorrow?" Genma asked her.
     Why is he asking me? It's not like this is my decision alone? He's
older. He's used to traveling. Can't he decide? "Sure," she answered
sullenly, deciding it was easier to agree than argue with him. She was
not looking forward to traveling with Ranma's father. Although it had
been rare, there were a few times that Ranma had told her some of the
more ridiculous and stupid things his father had done while on their
training trips. If he tries anything, I'll kill him.
     "Great!" he exclaimed, "It's going to take us a few days to hitchhike
there."
     "Nani?" Akane started, shocked by the suggestion, "You think
anyone is going to let us hitch a ride off of them while carrying a
comatose body?" What was with Ranma's father? "Don't you have any
money to rent a car at least. We can drive down south and take a ferry
to Okinawa. It's not that hard. C'mon. You do work here, and that
money is spent on nothing." Genma was visibly shrinking under Akane's
onslaught, actually he was beginning to cower as Akane's anger began
to take hold. "No wonder Ranma has so many problems. This is all
your fault. Why can't you just be human for once? He needs you, and
you're doing the same stupid things?" 
     Genma opened his mouth to answer the accusations, but nothing
came form his mouth. How could he respond? It was all true. His head
dropped in shame. I've failed my son again. 
     "Did you hear me?" Akane's shout broke his thought, forcing him to
look up at his tormentor. She was enraged. "Actually I don't care if you
did. I'm going to help Ranma if I have to bankrupt my family. If you
come to your senses, then I'll listen to you. Until then leave me alone!"
Turning on her heel she marched from the office, slamming the door
behind her. 
     Genma flinched when the door slammed. For a time he sat quietly in
his chair, before getting up and walking to the faucet. Turning the tap,
he watched the cold water spill from the faucet, splattering in the stain-
less steel sink. Hesitantly, he reached for the water.
     "This is all your fault!" The words echoed through his mind. "No
wonder Ranma has so many problems." I don't deserve to be a father. I
don't deserve any of this. Nodoka was always right. "This is all your
fault Oyaji!" Ranma's voice echoed through his mind. Genma cringed
and touched the water, a small bit running over his finger.
     "Sure I'll learn the Nekoken. I trust you." The small boy's voice
stopped his hand, pulled it back. "When are we going home? I miss
Okaasan. Okay, just one more month. Of course I trust you." "No,
Otoosan, I can do it. Trust me. I trust you." "I don't want to leave
Ucchan. But.. But.. Really? Leave me a dojo of my own? Hai, I'll do
everything. We can come back? Right? Okay, I trust you. I love you
Otoosan." "Cursed Training Grounds, huh? As long as you're sure.
Okay then, I trust you. Let's go Oyaji." "Fine we'll stay for awhile
Oyaji, but I'm leaving to look for the cure as soon as I can. No, I don't
trust you. Why should I?"
     "What have I done?" he asked in a stunned voice, "My son did
everything for me. Everything. And I can't do one simple thing for him.
Give him a chance?" His hand wavered next to the water, his soul
howvering on the dark edge of an abyss. "Why can't you just be human
once?" Akane screamed in his mind. His hand jerked back to fall to his
side. "I can be human. I don't deserve to have a son like Ranma, but he
at least deserves a father once in his life." He pushed himself to his feet
and left the office, not even seeing Dr. Toufu smiling in satisfaction
behind his desk. Saotome Genma had to help his son.

     Slowly, Cologne backed away from the open window. The threat of
discovery was not a concern for her, but it was sloppy to let one's
guard down. So she cautiously slunk from the clinic before hopping to
the rooftops and speeding across the unknown highway belonging to
the few privileged of Nerima
     So the fools would try to cure Ranma on their own. It was an
applaudable sentiment yet destined for failure. These weak Japanese
had obviously once again underestimated the skill and determination of
the Amazons. Well they would be unpleasantly surprised at the end of
their road. They would make a choice and son-in-law would die, no
matter what they did.
     It was really very simple to do. She only needed to find Ouchi-san
before they did, and that would be easy. Drugs and potions were used
for more than obtaining love. In Okinawa, there were going to be some
very tight lipped inhabitants. They'll never find Ouchi-san.
     Cackling, she bounded out of the Nerima ward and made her way
steadily south. Even on foot she could beat those soft foreigners. This
was almost too easy. No, it was too easy, like taking candy frm a baby.
Once I'm back in China, then I'll once again have a challenge. Too bad I
must kill son-in-law. He would become a formidable opponent later in
life. What a pity. She laughed and bounded onto the back of a truck,
before settling down to ride through the day ahead.

     Akane stalked down the street muttering evilly under her breath.
"Am I the only one who cares abut him? I used to hate him and now I
seem to be the only friend he has on this earth. His father is too
cowardly and self-centered to stand up for him. Ukyou, well I haven't
seen her. In fact no one has seen her since Ranma broke off their
engagement...and Shampoo."
     "That bitch..th-this is all her fault. If it wasn't for her, Ranma would
be fine. I'd not be in this. I could just go home and hit the baka." Her
voice cracked in grief and rage as she blindly took a turn and then
another a few blocks later.
     "Why did she have to come to Japan? Why did she have to bring
that withered ghoul? I hate them. I hate them all. Why do they have to
make it so hard? And I thought she loved Ranma. She doesn't care for
him, if she is just going to let him die." She wanted to, desired with her
whole heart to punch something, someone. It was no fair to her. It just
seemed like she was facing the world alone, carrying the entire load on
her back.
     Genma's nonchalant attitude had infuriated her. With her emotions
in a riotous uproar, swinging from grief to anger to depression to
helplessness, she had been in no mood for his actions. Coupled with too
little sleep and an uneven appetite over the last few days, she was in
a dangerous and very unstable mood.
     And now, now things were just eating away at her. She was building
up her anger like a geyser built up pressure before violently exploding
upwards. That point was quickly arriving, and she needed an outlet,
something to release the pent up anger upon. Generally it was Ranma
or bricks. But breaking bricks was not the answer now, and she had no
reason to hit Ranma, nor any desire to. No, she needed someone to
fight. Kunou, Kodachi, Shampoo..
     Suddenly her surroundings filtered into her mind and she smiled
wickedly. Maybe today was going to be a very good day after all.
Cracking her knuckles in anticipation she walked up to and then into
the Nekohaten, the tiny bell tinkling and announcing her arrival. Fresh
cat was going to be the special today.
     Bright light illuminated the interior, giving the place a light and airy
feeling. A dozen tables were scattered seemingly at random about the
main room. In the rear a staircase could be seen leading up into the
darker, upper floor, which Akane knew held the sleeping quarters for
the three residents. Off to her right a swinging door led into the
kitchen, a counter was open to the kitchen area to make serving food
easier. That was the most likely place for Shampoo to be.
     The restaurant was empty, the lunch rush was still a few hours
away. That just made it easier for Akane. She did not like people
getting accidentally hurt when she fought. Something was not right
however. Neither Mousse or Shampoo had slipped into the dinning
area to check on their newly arrived customer. 
     Curiously, Akane walked to the serving window and stuck her head
into the kitchen, careful to check in case Shampoo was waiting to
ambush her. An empty room, looking like it had not been used for
several hours was all she saw. "I wonder where she is?" Akane
muttered softly. Some of her anger was disappearing under the mystery
of the empty Nekohanten. 
     She started as a soft noise echoed through the room. "What was
that?" Curious, she looked around, until she heard it again. It was
coming from above her. Glancing up she saw a small vent. So Shampoo
was upstairs. With a light step, Akane turned and headed for the rear of
the restaurant and the stairs.
     Quickly Akane bounded up the stairs without a sound. She found
herself at the end of a hallway that stretched to the front of the build-
ing. There were three doors on the right and four on the left. The
muffled sounds were emanating from the last door on the left.
     Up here she could make it out more clearly. It was female, and did
not sound remotely like the old ghoul, so it had to be Shampoo. Care-
fully, Akane made her way down the hall, avoiding any loose boards
that would give her away. 
     With each step the muffled sound of Shampoo became clearer, yet
they were still beyond her understanding until she reached the girl's
door. Light spilled from the small crack of the slightly opened door,
throwing a line of liquid silver across the dark floorboards.  
     She was about to push open the door, when she realized what she
was hearing. Crying. Shampoo was crying in her room! Shocked and
slightly curious, Akane's anger receded as she knelt by the crack in the
door and listened.
     Shampoo was crying softly in Mandarin, making it impossible for
Akane to understand. However, she sometimes caught Ranma's name
among the sobs. Was it possible that Shampoo was actually worried
about Ranma? That she did not want him to die, or even come this
close to dying? It made Akane think. "Maybe this not all that bimbo's
fault," she decided in a quiet voice.
     Slowly she got to her feet intending to leave, when she heard
Shampoo call out in Japanese. "Shampoo no want Husband die, but
violent girl won't give him up, and Great-grandmother won't heal
unless marry Shampoo. Shampoo no want Husband to die. Shampoo
love Husband. Shampoo...." The rest was lost as Akane fled from the
Nekohanten, tears threatening in her eyes. 
     Her hatred of Shampoo disappeared when she heard those words. It
was the ghoul's fault. All the ghoul's fault. Shampoo had nothing to do
with it. The Amazon suffered just as she did. Why did everyone have to
suffer so much? Why? Why?

     "This is useless." Ranma through his hands up in the air and sat
down on the ground. 
     "Just once more," Ranma-onna pleaded with him, "You almost got
it right that time. Just once more."
     "Why?" Ranma asked in a less than cordial tone, "What's the point
of the attack? I can already tell it is only a quarter of the strength of any
of my other ki attacks, and that will be only after I practice it for a few
months. It's useless."
     "No it's not," she said sitting down next to Ranma, "It is intended
for a different purpose. This is not a physical attack, but rather a
spiritual attack. If we were in the real world it would do nothing
against a physical opponent."
     "What would it do?" Ranma asked curiously.
     His companion's eyes lost their focus for a second as she looked for
the memory. "I really don't know," she finally conceded, "I developed
these after I died and became part of the pool. At first they were
defenses against those who I became attached too. I used them to keep
from being submerged."
     Ranma was very confused. "I don't understand," he finally admitted.
     Sighing in frustration, Ranma-onna pushed herself to her feet and
paced in a circle around Ranma for a few moments before sitting back
down. "Okay let me see if I can explain it. I was trapped in the pool for
about two hundred years before someone fell in and became cursed.
Some things changed for me at that point. When I became part of
someone else, I discovered I could exert my will on them, almost
communicate with them. Yet they automatically fought it, whether
consciously or not Because of this I had to fight them to keep my place.
Some of them were easier than the others, but the first one was very
strong and I needed a way to defeat him."
     "I don't know how I did it, but I came up with these attacks I'm
trying to teach you. The one you've almost got is very simple. All
you're doing is creating a damper with your ki. This makes it harder for
any attacks to get through to you, sort of like weighting down your
opponents arms in a battle, but the best thing is that you use less than
they do to keep it in place, and it does not matter how strong you are
and how strong it is. No matter who does it, it is the same strength, the
same affect."
     "Why is that?" Ranma asked more interested than before. This could
be useful.
     "I'm not sure, I think it uses part of your opponent's strength and
includes that in the block."
     "Oh, I guess that makes sense. So the stronger the opponent the
stronger your technique."
     "Yes and no, it is proportionally the same to the enemy's strength,
so really you gain nothing accept not having to expend more for the
same amount of protection. Now will you try it again?"
     Nodding in agreement, Ranma stood up and cleared his mind. The
connection to his ki came naturally. The first time he had learned to use
the attacks he had found it difficult to find the inner strength and bal-
ance of energy. It had taken days of meditation to find it, but once
found, as long as the balance was maintained, daily practice and exer-
cises that cleared the mind and brought body and soul together kept the
connection in place. So now all he had to do was surrender to himself.
     Now came the tricky part. He had conditioned himself to use his ki
in massive attacks. Therefore it naturally went to one of those attacks
depending on how he was thinking. That was why he shouted the
names of his attacks before he used them. The words meant nothing,
they just gave his mind an image to focus on and forced the ki into that
shape and pattern. 
     This attack seemed to have no name though, so he could not use
that method. Instead he concentrated on what Ranma-onna had shown
him. It was not a physical sight, but a mental impression. He had the
impression of a giant pillow that spread the attack outward, or even an
empty center where all the force of the attack was spread outward.
Well at least a certain portion of it. It was like she created an eye in the
middle of a storm, like a hurricane. That's it!
     "Hurricane Eye Deflection Technique!" He felt the ki rush from his
hands to form a swirling mass in front of him. It was not exactly like
what Ranma-onna had shown him, but it seemed to work the same
way. This was proven as Ranma-onna threw a ki attack at him. It hit
the defense, scattering to the outside of it, leaving a calm in the center. 
     "Let it go," Ranma-onna instructed him. For the first time, Ranma
realized he was actually holding the attack in place. a small trickle of
his ki continued to pulse out on its own, without his direction, feeding
the swirl, holding it together. Consciously he broke the connection,
watching as the swirling energy disappeared.
     "Was that right?" Ranma asked uncertainly. He was not sure that
was exactly what she had wanted.
     "That's better than mine!" Ranma-onna complimented him enthusi-
astically, "Mine allows part of the attack through, because it can only
absorb so much. Yours will take full attacks until it can no longer be
contained by your ki. Of course you'll have to be careful. Don't drain all
of your ki preventing attacks." Ranma mumbled his agreement. That
made sense to him. Fights were lost by concentrating on one single
technique instead of a variety.
     "But why did I not get the same result as you?" Ranma asked, "I
pictured it the same way, but it came out different."
     Ranma-onna was silent for a moment before speaking. "I think it is
because you are a man and I'm a woman."
     "Huh?"
     "Overall I think they both will prevent the same amount of damage,
but mine will take a long view, protecting me no matter how long the
fight is, always lessening the blows I receive. Yours is made to take the
brunt and deflect all damage for a short time, giving you the ability to
attack without worrying about ki attacks. It is all in the way men and
women think. You need a noticeable advantage, and prefer a quick
solution. I look at the long run, the overall effectiveness. That is why
they are different. I know I can't take a stronger opponent quickly, so I
spread out my defense. Remember a ki attack is formed by your own
personality and mind, so it takes on characteristics of you."
     "I think I understand," he stated and then looked at the ground. It
was hard to train when his mind was being innundated by so many new
and obscure ideas. This was hard on him. He did not like the place, he
hated why he was here. He hated being trapped, forced into something
he could not avoid. Fight or die, that was his choice, and neither one of
them were on his list of things to do. Why did things like this have to
happen to him?
     "Can we stop for a while?" he asked carefully. He did not want to
offend his companion, although a fight would probably raise his spirits.
Even that felt like an empty solution though. He hated this. "I don't feel
like training anymore." Ranma-onna nodded.
     "Yes, but I still want you to learn those other three attacks." 
     "I will, it's just that.." He left it hanging and flailed his arms in a use-
less attempt to convey something even he did not understand.
     "What's wrong?" Ranma-onna asked.
     "I don't know. It's this place....I..I just don't like it. I'm sick of it. It
feels like it is talking to me, trying to drag me in," Ranma explained.
     "Don't let this place become real for you," she warned him carefully.
     "Why?"
     "This is not a real world. It is a world created within the statue
Boukyaku is trapped within. Really this place should be darkness, like
you were in before. Boukyaku formed it into an image he liked. If you
start believing it is real, it will be easier for it to suck you in. You must
deny Boukyaku at all times. The more you give to it, the stronger it
becomes and the easier it will be for Boukyaku to beat you."
     "Is that why you stopped me from eating that fruit, and going to
that tree?" Ranma asked quickly. Her reasons for appearing to him
were still unclear.
     "Yes, I realized you were in trouble and had to help. I could not
let Boukyaku win. I would not let you give up that easily."
     "Why?"
     "I like you." Ranma-onna smiled a bit at him. "I was so much like
you. Headstrong, egotistical, a strong martial artist, flamboyant,
arrogant, but still a decent person. You have your good spots, and I
think you can become something. That's why I helped you. That and if
you were sucked into oblivion, I would have to share your body with
Boukyaku." She shuddered at the thought.
     Ranma watched her with a curious expression on his face. Hundreds
of questions were running through his mind, but he asked the simplest
one. "What is your name?"
     Startled, Ranma-onna stared at him for a second, a small smile
formed on her face. "My name is Xian Lin. I was an Amazon, until
I..until I killed myself." She fell silent and turned away.
     "Sorry, I didn't want to bring up bad memories, Xian Lin. I just
wanted to thank you for helping me." Gently he reached out and took
her hand. "Maybe we can help each other out. We need to get out of
here, and I think you want to be free of me." Xian Lin nodded. 
     "I'll make you a deal. I'll learn what you want me to, and get out of
here. In return I'll find a way to free you. Agreed?" 
     A bright smile lit Xian Lin's face. "Oh thank you, thank you. Any-
thing to be free of this. You've no idea about the pain of living inside
another person." 
     "C'mon," Ranma said, "We have work to do. Let's go onto that
next technique." Xian Lin quickly began explaining and showing him
what to do. Ranma watched intently, for once a useful purpose,
something he could feel good about, shining before him. I will get out
of here. I'll help her. I will get back to Akane. Cologne will not keep
me here. She is going to pay, big time.

     Cologne shivered slightly as she jumped from the rear of the truck
onto the streets of Osaka. She shrugged, someone had to be threat-
ening her, but it did not matter. All of her powerful rivals were dead or
soon to be dead. 
     It was night, the clear sky showing only a few bright stars because
of the glare of the city lights. The night air was chilly but invigorating,
sending a brief shiver across her body. Ignoring it, Cologne took a deep
breath and began to make her way towards the airport. She had a plane
to sneak aboard, so she could get to Okinawa on time.

     It was early evening when Akane opened the front door and
returned home. The place was peaceful. Kasumi was in the kitchen, the
sounds of dinner being made filling the living area. As she walked past
the eating area and to the stairs she saw her father sitting on the rear
porch, watching the koi pond with a thoughtful look on his face. 
     Not wanting to disturb him, Akane slipped past him on silent feet,
and made her way to the stairs and up to her room. At her door she
stopped and turned around, walking down to the other end of the hall,
where the guest room was located. 
     As usual, the door was shut. Without a second thought, Akane
opened it and walked in. She wanted to spend some time with Ranma.
What she saw inside, brought her up short. Ukyou was sitting silently
by Ranma's bedside, holding her hand.
     Jealousy reared its green head. Holding Ranma's hand, comforting
him, watching over him was her job. He was her fiancee. She was about
to let lose her anger at Ukyou when a small voice actually stopped her,
reminding her. You're no longer his fiancee, neither is Ukyou. She is his
friend, probably very worried about him. Give her a chance.
     Red with shame, Akane gave into her own reason and stepped into
the room, closing the door behind her. Ukyou jumped when it clicked
shut. Glancing behind her, she saw Akane and started in surprise.
     Hastily, she stumbled to her feet. "I'm sorry. Kasumi said I could
come up and see him. I..I just heard from Nabiki. I didn't know. I was
so worried.." A single tear fell from her eye, rolling down her cheek
and then she was crying.
     Akane was rooted in place by Ukyou's tears. She was not a friend of
Ukyou, but she really did not hate the girl. In many ways she envied
her. She was strong resourceful, pretty, and very independent. She was
everything Akane wanted to be. So she was in unknown territory on
what to do. Should she comfort Ukyou? Just let her grief run its
course? 
     A single sob broke Ukyou's lips and Akane decided. It was too
much like what she had suffered through. And when she had broken
down, if Nabiki had not been there, she did not want to think about
what might have happened.
     Gently, she moved beside Ukyou and took her hand, bringing her
down to the chair she had been sitting in. Then she dragged another
chair beside Ukyou's and simply held her hand while she cried.
     "It's okay, Ukyou," Akane soothed her, "No one has seen you, and I
was just so..so worried that I didn't think to tell you. I'm sorry. I
should've told you."     
     "Don't worry, he'll get better. Dr. Toufu told us of a man who can
help Ranma. We're taking him thee tomorrow," Akane announced the
good news, hoping to calm Ukyou some. It worked.
     Ukyou's sobs dribbled off after a few moments, and she turned her
bloodshot eyes on Akane. "Really?" she asked, "You're not just saying
that?"
     "Of course I'm not just saying that!" Akane replied indignantly, "Do
you think I want Ranma to die?" She remembered when his heart
stopped, remembered the blood pooling underneath him as he lay on
her floor, the tanto clutched tightly in his fist. "I don't want him to die. I
don't want to let him go," she said in a hushed whisper.
     "So you're going to give him to Shampoo?" Ukyou asked in an
accusing tone. 
     Akane looked into Ukyou's eyes and then glanced down at the still
form of Ranma. She realized she could never let him die, no matter
what. Even if it meant losing him to Shampoo, she had no right to let
him die. He would do everything to keep her alive even giving his own
life. He loved her that much.  He loved her. Suddenly she was not so
worried, the dangers and stress of the last week washing away from
her in this new realization.
     "I'll promise that I won't stand in the way of his marriage to
Shampoo. I'll give up my claim on him. We're no longer engaged
anyway," she said the last sadly, and Ukyou caught the tone, and
watched her with a speculative expression on her face. "I can't let him
die. That's too much."
     Suddenly she smiled. "But we are going to find a cure. Dr. Toufu
told Saotome-san and myself of an Ouchi-san in Okinawa who has
cured this curse before. We can get Ranma cured if we can find him, I
know we'll find him! I just know it!"
     "So you'll give him to Shampoo. The one fiancee who doesn't
deserve him," Ukyou demanded violently. Stunned by this sudden
onslaught, Akane was fixed to her seat, as Ukyou stood, her eyes
flashing dangerously. "Don't you care for him? She doesn't deserve
him. He's mine, Ranchan is mine. I'll never give him up!"
     "Would you rather have him dead?" Akane snapped as she found
herself on her feet, facing the enraged Ukyou. Ukyou looked perplexed, 
like she had not thought of what death really meant. "No one gets him
then. We bury him, and never see him again, never touch him, never
see him happy.." Akane was crying now, tears streaming down her
face.
     "Have you ever faced death? Huh? My mother died..Ranma almost
died in my arms because of that stupid `accident', he died on Dr.
Toufu's table." Ukyou's face blanched as she heard this.     
      "H-he die..die.." She shook her head unable to believe what Akane
was saying.
     "Hai! His heart stopped. He was dead." His skin had been so cold,
so cold. Just like Okaasan. "I don't want to deal with that again. I
can't.. I can't!" Akane sobbed, sinking back into the chair and turning
to Ranma. She grabbed Ranma-onna's hand as if to reassure herself.
The warm flesh slipped easily into her palm. "Don't leave me Ranma,
please don't leave me."
     Ukyou involuntarily had her gaze drawn to Ranma's still form.
Nabiki had just said he was under a curse, and would die unless they
met Cologne's terms. She had thought it was another one of the stupid
schemes that always fell through, she had not been worried. 
     Instead she had only been thinking about Ranchan dumping her,
calling off the engagement. Even if he had done it with all of his
fiancees, it still hurt. She had not wanted to see him, speak to him. She
was angry at him. She would not do anything until he apologized, but
now this. After speaking with Nabiki she had come here, looking for
her Ranchan. After nearly a week of keeping herself from everyone and
every thing because of the pain, she had forced herself to come here,
hoping to gain Ranchan back.
     Everything had disappeared as she had rushed over to Ranchan's
side. He needed her. She would protect him and nurse him back to
health, and then he would fall in love with her and they could be
married again. But what Akane said. Ranchan dying..No it was not
possible Ranchan was always okay. Nothing stopped him.
     He died, like her own mother. "No, no, no! I didn't know. I'm sorry.
I don't want him to die. Don't go!" Her tears began again as she joined
Akane next to Ranma. 
     For several minutes neither of the girls spoke, as they just watched
Ranma-onna and let their emotions run their course. Finally Akane
sniffled a bit and wiped her eyes. "It hurts when you think about it. I try
not to, but every time I see him like this..." She did not finish the
thought and instead patted Ranma-onna's hand.
     "I never realized," Ukyou said softly, "I didn't think it was real.
When have we ever taken anything seriously. I never thought anyone
would be hurt, but now. I'd give him up too, just to keep him alive. I'm
sorry I yelled. I didn't think." Ukyou felt Akane's hand squeeze her
forearm. She looked over and saw Akane smiling shyly at her.
     "Arigato," Akane said in gratitude, "I wasn't sure if it was the right
decision. It's one less thing to carry around."
     "No problem," Ukyou shrugged absently, "Why do we care about
some guy who dumped us?"
     "Because he didn't dump us. He just wants to make his own choice.
He hates being forced, and he had duty to each of us and so he said to
hell with all of it," Akane said, smiling at Ranma-onna, "He explained it
to me when he broke our engagement. I guess I understand, and I think
he was right."
     "Hai. But it still hurts. I love him so much. I don't know what I'd do
if I couldn't have him." Akane remained silent. She was not going to
hurt Ukyou anymore. Ranma was right. Too many people were
suffering. No need for one more.
     "C'mon, let's go get some tea," Akane suggested after a pregnant
silence, "I can never stay too long by him. It is so depressing." Standing
up, she offered her hand. Ukyou reluctantly took it and followed Akane
out of the guest room with a last glance back at her Ranchan.

      "So you're going to look for this man on your own?" Ukyou asked
curiously. They were both sitting on the back porch watching the night
sky as they sipped their herbal tea. An empty plate that held only the
crumbs of the cookies Kasumi had made was between them. "But why?
Won't anyone help you?"
     "I thought Saotome-san would, but he was planning on hitchhiking,
and that will take too long and be too dangerous. I've got some money
saved, enough to get Ranma and me to Okinawa and back. He's saved
my life so many times that this is the least I can do for him," she
answered seriously, her eyes lost in the past.
     "But, by yourself? That's foolish Akane," Ukyou warned her, "At
least take someone along, Ryoga or even Kunou would be preferable to
going on your own."
     "Well I would, but Ryoga is lost again and I don't have enough
money even if he wasn't, and Kunou. I'm sorry, even for Ranma I
would not be alone with that hentai," she stated angrily.
     Ukyou stopped talking for a time and watched the steam rise from
her tea. "I will go with you," she offered quietly, her eyes still focused
on her tea.
     "Nani?" Akane exclaimed, "You-you'd help me. But I thought we
were rivals? And I can't even pay for you."
     "That's okay, I've got enough money," she answered, "And I guess
it does no good to just leave it sitting. Even if we're rivals, I think you
care about Ranchan. And what good does it do either of us to fight
when Ranchan needs our help. He deserves our help."
     "Soo-de su, My son deserves more than I've given him." Ukyou and
Akane both turned around to see Saotome Genma standing behind
them, studying both of them. Finally his eyes settled on Akane. "I'm
sorry for my actions. You were right about me. I don't deserve a son
like Ranma. I've let him down too many times. Not this one. I will be
his father in deed as well as name." He reached into his gi and pulled
out a ticket envelope. He handed it to Akane. 
     "What's this?" Akane asked curiously, still recovering from her
shock. Adults almost never apologized to children. Especially admitting
that they were less than expected or had grievous flaws.
     "Your ticket. We leave tomorrow morning from Tokyo Inter-
national Airport." He faced Ukyou. "You are welcome to come with
us, I have an extra ticket I was going to allow one of the Tendou's to
use. It's yours if you want it." Ukyou silently nodded her head.
Saotome-san handed her a ticket.
     "Arigato," Ukyou mumbled as if she thought she were dreaming.
This was not the man she had come to know and loathe over the years.
     "Now if you'll excuse me. I-I must see my son." He slowly turned
and walked away like he was bearing the burden of Atlas on his
shoulders. Both Ukyou and Akane watched him disappear inside and
down the hall to the stairs. 
     Slowly the girls turned to face each other. "I never expected that,"
they both said simultaneously. Retreating into silent meditation, they
both turned inward and contemplated the turn of events. 
     "Tomorrow," Akane whispered in anticipation, the ticket clutched
tightly in her hand.

     Saotome Genma made his way slowly up the stairs to the guest
room he shared with his son. Walking down the hall he pushed open
the door and went to sit next to his son's form. Gently he grasped
Ranma's small hand.
     "I'm sorry my son. I've failed you so many times. This time it will be
different. I will give you the chance. Just this last time trust me. Trust
me like you used to." His voice cracked. His son was the most
important thing in the world to him, and what he had done to him was
unbearable. Just let this end. Let it end so I can leave. It will be easier
for everyone. He was unaware of the tears that streaked his face. 
     Genma spent that night by his son's side, watching him, facing all the
mistakes in his life for the first time. Eventually he slipped into sleep in
the early morning hours, his body and mind exhausted.

     Cologne eagerly hopped her way up the mountain path. The trip
here had taken less time then she had thought. An hour on the plane
and hen a few hours by truck to this small village in northern Okinawa.
Finding Ouchi-san had been even easier. The first person she had asked
had given her the information, and a most pleasing surprise.
     Now she was making her way to his home, just to check. Just to
make sure. The path opened up into a flat meadow that held a small hut
in the center. Cologne began to look around. 
     An hour later she was heading down the mountain, a pleased smile
on her face. "The fools. The complete fools." Now just to make it
harder for them to find Ouchi. No need to give them too much of a
chance to undo all of her plans.
     In the middle of the night a small troll-like creature might have been
seen as a blur moving from shadow to shadow in the small village at the
base of Hedo Misaki. But in a village few people stayed up late, and no
one saw anything that night. Only a single dog barked as the troll
reached the village well and added a little spice to the villagers life.
Tomorrow and the next few days would be very interesting for the
villagers. 
     Cackling evilly the troll bounded from the village in a vaguely
southerly path. Not even the dog that had barked at the thing raised its
nose. Dogs know when they are in over their head. 



     Author's Notes

     Sheesh you think I could go somewhere in a story, well I did, it
just isn't apparent. More than anything I sounds like Im rehashing the
first few parts. You know have the characters dealing with their
emotions. Hopefully I advanced them some. Well it doesn't really
matter. Unlike the other ones this is a rough draft. I'm not perfectly
satisfied with it yet, so I will repost it when I post pt 5.
     One thing. Soo-de su means that is so. It is a contraction of the
phrase Kore-wa soo-de ari-masu. Soo-de su ka can be used as a
question, Is that so? Basically soo-de su is a stronger version of hai.
     Okay on to the next subject. Ch 3 will only have 6 parts. I've
already got them planned out. Ch 4 will have three or four parts and
chapter 5 will have about five or six, so that puts me somewhere
around eighteen posts. Yikes. Well anyway. I will hopefully have that
done by the end of March. Really I will because I have most of ch 4
written already and ch 5 is not as complicated as this Ch. That's why its
taking me so long. I'm too busy worrying about OOC and if i'm doing
it right. There is so little forward action that I've spent a lot of time on
the characters, and so i'm never quite sure where it will go.
     Take all of Akane's changes of heart, her blow up at Genma.
None of them were in the outline. I threw them in because they made
sense at the time.
     Well anyway. The next two episodes will be a little more fast
paced. Okay more like the tortoise versus the hare, but your choice
which is better.
         Oh well I quess that';s enough of that/ Oh I willbe breaking
from this after the fifth cahpter and ging back to work on the Legacy. It
wioll be revamped and reposted in March, hopefully ^_^ All ten oriinal
chapter, three new chapters anmd a bunch of new stuff, and better
writing.
     Look for the occasional other fic from me, I've got a million of
them floating in my head.

     Ja ne..

     Enjoy- Watch for MASN Ch3 JoB Pt 5 Where the Path Leads 

     Joseph Kohle