Meiyo Ai soshite Nikushimi
                                         Chapter III
                            The Judgement of Boukyaku 
                                  Part I: Consequences                   

                            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.

     
   "Where's my food?" and angry voice complained from the dinning
area. Muttering under her breath, Cologne threw a bowl of ramen
toward the source of the voice. "Hey watch, it! Hmm, pretty good,
Arigato."
   Where the hell is Mousse? And Shampoo? I sent her out with that
order over an hour ago. Grumbling under her breath, Cologne quickly
prepared half a dozen more orders and launched them in the direction
of their owners. Several surprised shouts were elicited by the flying
food, but her aim was good, and everyone got their food safe and
sound.
   Tonight was not going very well. Here she was, a Matriarch of the
Amazon tribe, and she was cooking food like some pimply, scruffy- 
looking, college kid. She should be back at the village, training the
younger generation, sitting in council to decide the future, dispensing
justice. Instead her three hundred odd years of experience were being
wasted on capturing a snot-nosed man-child and bringing him back
because her own granddaughter was unable to deal with the man. 
   It's disgraceful. No Amazon should be defeated so consistently by
a man, much less an outsider. Obviously Shampoo is lacking in her
training, I'll have to remedy that. Or could it be the boy himself? Had
she underestimated him. He was good, there was no doubt about that.
It wasn't like he could defeat me in a real competition, but he has
prevailed in those limited ones. Have I made a mistake with him? Have
I gone too easy on him? 
   It was that or the boy had the devil's own luck. Everything she tried
failed in the end. Passion spice, pressure points, kidnapings, cures for
his curse..they were all as effective as a crippled fighter. It was
humiliating for her, for the Amazons. But what am I doing wrong?
   "I'm hungry!" A bowl flew from her hand toward the dinning room. I
hate Japan, and everything in it. Things would be so much easier if I
were back in China. I could simply tie the boy up and take him to the
village then. "Will somebody take my order?" Arghh! Where in the
name of all the Amazon Ancestors is that ungrateful, spoiled, dim
witted, fool of a great-granddaughter. If she is not back her in five
minutes I'm throwing her to the dogs.  
   The cracking and splintering of wood filled the dinning area, followed
by the surprised shouts of the customers. Cologne stuck her head out
the serving window just in time to see a purple-haired blur fly past her
and up the stairs, leaving behind only anguished sobbing. Now what?
Well I'd better find out, but it's probably just something about that fool
son-in-law of mine. Muttering under her breath, Cologne left the
kitchen and followed Shampoo upstairs. Today was turning out to be
one of the worst days in her life. 
   As she reached the top of the steps, she began to hear Shampoo's
muffled cries. They started softly but slowly crescendoed into a long
and loud keening wail that filled the restaurant, resonating off the walls.
A screech of rage was directly on the heels of the wail, then the
destruction began. The shattering of glass and the crunch of furniture
slipped through the walls, then the desk came through Shampoo's door
and imbedded itself in the wall across the hall. Now Cologne was
worried.
   Quickly hopping into the room, Cologne found a scene from Dante's
'Inferno'. A disaster zone was understating Shampoo's room. Crushed
lamps and torn pillows littered the place, the feathers still floating in the
air. The shattered remains of vases were scattered on the floor and
imbedded in the walls. Her vanity was crushed, the bonbori used to
inflict the damage sitting in the middle of the wreckage. Her bed was
overturned and thrown against the wall. Shampoo stood in the center
of her room like a some vengeful demon. Her aura was glowing a sooty
red, her hands clenched into fists; however, tears streaked down her
face and her eyes were swollen and red. 
   Breathing heavily, Shampoo was a statue, unaware of everything
around her. Ranma. It was the only ripple that wavered through her
mind. A ripple that turned quickly to a crashing wave that carried her
back into hysteria. "Ranma! How dare he!"  
     With an inarticulate cry of grief, Shampoo grabbed a broken
chair and threw it through her window, shattering the glass. Spinning
around the Amazon looked for more to destroy. Her eye fell on the
lone piece of furniture still standing, a small night table with a framed
picture of Ranma smiling, a vase of flowers next to it.
   "Damn you, Ranma!" She screamed in Mandarin and slashed the
picture with a sword she pulled from the ruins of her stuffed animals.
The picture Ranma was suddenly without head, then without a body as
a bonbori crushed the table with a crunch and crash of glass and
pottery. Then Shampoo dropped to her knees and began wailing in
grief, her anger spent.
   Confused and worried, Cologne hopped next to her great-grand-
daughter and laid a withered hand on the girl's trembling shoulder.
"What is wrong great-granddaughter?" she asked in Mandarin. She had
a small inkling, but the full story was needed. Son-in-law has obviously
gone over some line.
   "R-r-ran-ranma," she sobbed collapsing against Cologne.
   "What has son-in-law done?" This was bizarre. Shampoo usually
became angered at Ranma's other fiancees. Never had she lashed out at
her future husband. What has that boy done now?
   Sobbing, Shampoo began to tell her story. How she followed Ranma
and Akane and disrupted their date. Then how Akane had attacked her
and Ranma, and Ranma defending the violent girl and turning on her.
"Th-then he said I-I had no right to be his h-hu-husband. Said this
wasn't China. He said he'd never marry me great-grandmother,"
Shampoo wailed and then began sobbing uncontrollably.
   "I see," Cologne said quietly. It seems I've become too complacent
in this place. So this boy thinks he can flout three thousand years of
Amazon tradition. I've gone easy on him, now he will see how horrible
it is to anger the Amazons. "Don't worry great-granddaughter. Ranma
will be your husband, and very soon I believe."
   "Really?" Shampoo asked, wiping her eyes, "Even though he no want
Shampoo." She slipped back into Japanese.
   "Ranma will have no choice," Cologne said. It's time I taught that boy
a lesson. "Now clean yourself up and come downstairs and help me."
   "Hai, great-grandmother. Shampoo happy now." The girl smiled and
jumped up and started looking for some clothes that were not ruined. 
   Cologne turned and hopped out of Shampoo's room and down to her
room. Her grand-daughter's happiness did not concern her right now.
Only the honor of the Amazons was important. This boy had insulted
and stood against the Amazon tribe too long. No more was he going to
be a problem. 
   Entering her room, she went to a locked chest and opened it with a
key hanging around her neck. Digging through the artifacts, she pulled
out a black bag with ancient Chinese script flowing over it in white
letters. This was her only choice. It did not matter if the boy was not an
Amazon. His punishment would be the same as an Amazon male who
openly defied the Ancestors and Matriarchs. Unless of course he
relented, then maybe she would let him survive. 
   The bag was warm and heavy. It was just waiting for a target. It
knew a Matriarch was holding it. It was pleased, Cologne could sense
that. Then she smiled and began to prepare for her encounter with that
fool Saotome Ranma.   

   Toweling off, Ranma entered the house from the backyard and
quickly made his way down the hall to the bath. It was still early and
only Kasumi was awake, her voice singing softly in the kitchen him.
She had greeted him politely when he had returned from his morning
jog, obviously she did not share her father's and his own father's views
of the situation. Whereas they condemned him, Kasumi accepted the
turn of events with a smile and proceeded to support the new
arrangement as if it were the old. So she allowed him in the house to
get a quick shower before the two patriarchs woke.
   When he and Akane had returned the previous night from their
eventful date, they had been confronted by their respective father, both
of whom were elated at the turn of events that had brought Akane and
him closer. They had gone on and on about how their schools were to
finally be one. This had gone to the extreme of them starting to plan a
wedding. He had been forced to step in at that moment and inform
them that he had broken off the engagement.
   Happiness and elation had turned instantly into two irate fathers
tearing into him, literally. Soun had done his demon head, yelling at
Ranma for his inconsiderate and churlish ways. His father had slammed
him into the ground and started lecturing him on the proper duty of a
son. Insults and blows had been rained on his head like refuse. 
   When Akane had tried to intervene, she had been ordered to go to
her room. All the blame had fallen squarely on his head. It was his fault
and only his. Besides he did not want Akane taking the heat for this,
just like he had wanted to protect her virtue by not having anyone find
out why he had been injured. His love for her, his sense of honour just
too great to allow him to save himself.
   Finally the tirade had ended and he had been able to stand, anger
burning in his soul. Soun and Genma had confronted him and told him
to renounce his renouncement and accept the engagement. 
     "Son, you are on the path of dishonor," Genma had said. His
father's eyes had bored into his own soul. He had seen the pain, the
shame he had inflicted, the wound he had given his father. He was a
child who had deliberately disobeyed the pater familia. Such an act
could bring about his own death or worse disownment. 
     Disgust had echoed his father's shame in the eyes of Tendou
Soun.  "What you have done is unforgiveable. We will not allow it.
You will marry my daughter Saotome Ranma." He had slunk back
under their demanding stares, his own sense of giri pushing him to
accept and just take the punishment.
     "You will accept the engagement," his father had stated
deliberately, "After all I have done for you, I will not have you tarnish
our family name." 
     That had snapped him back. What his father had done to him
through the training had been horrendous. Many of the things they had
done still burned shamefully in his soul. And his father was brining that
debt on him? No it would not be. 
     Drawing himself up, he had shaken his head and told them no. It
had been the hardest moment of his life. He had beaten back a whole
lifetime of honour and duty to have a chance at love. If the choice were
offered again, he would do the same. He knew he would, even after
they had thrown him out of the house, ordering him to not return until
he accepted his duty. 
   Thank the gods for Kasumi, or else I'd be in real trouble. Quickly he
slipped into the bathroom and washed himself and left. On his way past
the kitchen, he was halted by Kasumi.
   "Ranma," she said, walking out of the kitchen. In her hands she held a
box that smelled delicious. "Here's your breakfast."
   "Okagesama de," he said accepting the box from Kasumi. He smiled
at her. "What would I do without you? You're a life saver."
   Kasumi giggled a bit and patted Ranma's cheek. "I'm sure everything
will work out, Ranma-kun. I'll give Akane your lunch." 
   "Arigato," Ranma thanked her. Kasumi smiled and returned to the
kitchen, her voice rising in a melodious tune. Ranma stood quietly and
listened for a moment. His mother had sung while preparing food.
Although he had not seen her since the age of five, he remembered her
voice like it was yesterday. It had been sweet and filled with a tender
love of life and her family, so much like Kasumi. One more reason to
love Kasumi-oneechan. Where had that come from? Oh well.
   Shrugging his shoulders Ranma went into the backyard where he had
pitched his tent in the far corner, as far from the house as he could get
without leaving the yard. Walking to the tent, he ducked inside and
brought out a small mat. Placing it on the ground, he kneeled and
began to eat his breakfast, his eyes unconsciously fixed on the sunrise,
the sky becoming a molten collage of colours as he watched. 
     He rarely had time to appreciate the beauty of the world around
him. It was always training. Training, according to his father, did not
involve the beauty of the world. Unlike Tendou Soun, his father was a
man of actions. Words and thoughts were for the philosophers, not
simple warriors. 
     It was strange in a way. Ranma earned his dislike of school
from this fact, yet his father pushed him into learning so that he would
develope mentally and physically. Ranma however observed the
hypocrisy in his father and did what he pleased. In essence he was two
people, and not just because of the curse.
     Trained in his school since birth, he was a fighter of unparalled
skill. Any Samurai of ancient times would have been envious of
Ranma's skill, but utterly confused by the way he applied himself. At
times he was the perfection of honour, yet the next he would be the
insolent boy that had been created by his father. 
     He was constantly at war with himself, tying to find himself in
the mess of his life.  It was times like these, when he had a goal, that
everything was pushed below and the real Ranma came out. He was
not fighting and trying to be someone. Instead he was the person few
ever saw, few knew even existed. A man who just wanted to live his
life on his own terms.  A man who was beyond his years. 
     This was one of those moments, where he just found the
serenity with in himself and enjoyed the world around him. He ate
slowly, savoring the taste instead of wolfing down to avoid his father.
When he had finished he set aside the empty box and chopsticks. Right
now he had no worries, no doubts. HE enjoyed that for a few more
moments, before he went back to the tormented life he had left. 
   Standing up he slipped back inside his tent and changed. Exiting the
tent he stood tall and stretched his muscles, enjoying the pleasurable
pain of tight muscles loosening. It was still early, but he knew that his
presence around the house would only aggravate matters, not that he
really cared. A bout or two with his old man had a satisfaction to it. On
Oyaji he could release all of his anger, his frustration, his confusion and
simply have the catharsis of pounding him into the ground. He clenched
his fists, cracking his knuckles. Maybe I can stay for a bit.
   "Ranma?" Akane's voice snapped him from his thoughts, probably
saving Genma's pathetic hide. "Are you okay?"
   "As good as possible," he muttered angrily, turning to face her.
Maybe a fight with Akane will make me feel better. The idea died as he
saw her though. She was already dressed for school, a worried frown
on her face. Baka, she's here to help you.
   "I-if you wanna, you know, become engaged again, I'll understand,"
she said tentatively. There was something in the way she said it though,
that made Ranma stop and think before he answered. It was almost if
she wanted him to do it.
   He shook his though. "I can't. I won't," he said simply. How to
explain? How did he tell her that he was not going to be forced into
something again? That he wasn't going to give in? Besides if he allowed
this one, refused to revoke it, he lost footing with the others. They
would say he was being inconsistent, and he would be. He could not
keep one engagement forced on him and get rid of the others by saying
they were forced on him. The others simply would refuse him and
continue on like before, maybe going after Akane, since it would be
obvious that she was their biggest threat.
   Akane nodded her head indicating she understood. "Maybe I can
explain it to them," she offered, "It's not like we're saying we'll never
marry."
   "Arigato. You can try, but I doubt it'll help," he explained. He saw
Nabiki exit the house and start walking toward him. Time to get outta
here. "I'll see ya later. I wanna talk to Ucchan before school."
   "Do you want help?" Akane asked. She did not want to be there, but
she knew everything was eating at Ranma. He was a person who solved
his problems himself and tried at the same time to help those around
him. Ukyou was just one more stress that was slowly going ot rip him
apart.
   "No, it'll be easier on her if it's just me." He turned and leaped to the
top of the wall. "By the way, tell Nabiki I'm not paying her  anything."
With that said he left the yard and worked his way toward Ucchan's,
taking the most indirect route he could find. He was not looking
forward to this.
   Ranma knew how hard breaking the engagement with Ukyou was
going to be, hard on her and therefore hard on him. It was not that he
loved her, well he did, but it was different than what he felt for Akane.
Ukyou was his friend, his confidant, a memory of happy times in his
life. In a way he felt like he was throwing that away. It felt like he was
taking a beloved picture and smashing it.
   There had been times when he had thought that if he was to marry
any of his fiancees it would be Ukyou. It was true she had tried to kill
him at first, but that had been a misunderstanding. Once that had been
put behind them, she had come to love him. On the other hand, he had
resumed their lost friendship. At the time it was the one thing he
needed, a friend. With all of his problems that had appeared in the time
since he had arrived at the Tendo's, Ukyou's arrival, despite the
addition of a fiancee, was a godsend for him. In one stroke he gained a
friend, a link to better times, and someone who was nice, pretty, a good
cook and was interested in the only thing that had mattered to him,
martial arts.
   On top of this she had accepted his curse with good faith. She had
not cared that he changed into a girl, since she herself had pretended to
be a boy for most of her life. They had become close quickly. Their
friendship was what he had based his assumption of their marriage on,
and eventhough he knew now that it had been a fanatasy, he did not
want to lose that friendship. Ukyou's friendship was very important to
him. She had helped him so many times. He just did not know what
might have happened if he had not had her. Nor did he want to find out
now. 
   The others had not had a claim like that on him. Really he did not
care for them. Shampoo was too violent, and loved him only because of
the Amazon law. On top of that her methods and those of the ghoul
dissuaded him, they were not honorable. Love could not be tricked or
bought or forced. Kodachi was just insane, and that was reason
enough. Akane, now that was a vexing one. They fought constantly,
hated each other, provoked one another, and simply could never put
aside their differences. Really he did not even know where his love for
her had come from. Over time it had just slowly grown and matured
beneath his mask of hostility.
   Now because he loved Akane, he was going to hurt the only friend he
had ever had. He did not want to. If he had his way he would allow
Ukyou to live with the hope of gaining him forever, and he knew when
he told her the engagement was off that he would still give her that
hope. He was not going to tell her about Akane and him. That was why
he had refused Akane's offer, no matter how much he wanted someone
with him.
   Ucchan's was just up the street from him. Ucchan. He had always
called her that, even when he had thought she was a boy. Ucchan and
Ranchan, to anyone else it would have seemed a relationship made in
heaven. To him it was pure agony right now. Please forgive me for this,
Ucchan. I have to do it. You're my friend. I love you like a sister, but it
can never be. I'm sorry. Please forgive me.
   Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he walked up the street
and knocked on the door to the restaurant. The sounds of somebody
walking down the stairs, and pulling back the locks came from inside,
and then the door opened. Ukyou was then face to face with him. Her
face went from startled to a look of pure joy faster than Akane could
lose her temper. "Ranchan!" she exclaimed, pulling Ranma into an
embrace, "What are you doing here? Have you eaten? Come in." 
   Before he could say a thing he was ushered in and to the counter.
Then Ukyou started whipping up a okonomiyaki for him, humming
happily in front of the grill as she poured the batter and flipped it with
practiced skill. Ranma groaned. This was going to be harder than he
thought. Sighing he opened his mouth and began to speak. Each word a
burning agony in his heart. 
   "Ucchan, we need to talk about a few things." I'm sorry Ucchan.
I'm so sorry. Please forgive me.

   "Shampoo!" Cologne snapped, her voice echoing through the
building. She was in the middle of the preparations. On a small altar the
black bag stood, five candles marking the points of a pentagon around
it. There were only a few more steps, and then she only had to wait for
the full moon to appear. Two days until Ranma was put in his place.
   "Yes, great-grandmother? What you need Shampoo do?" She popped
into the room, bubbling with good spirits. Great-grandmother had
promised Ranma as her husband, and great-grandmother never failed.
   "I need you to get a few things for me," Cologne said grabbing a
piece of paper and jotting down half a dozen items. Then she handed
the paper to Shampoo. "I need all of them by tonight, before the moon
rises."
   Shampoo glanced over the list quickly. Everything seemed to be easy
to find. Most were ingredients for a protection circle. Holy water or a
Shinto blessing on parchment, wolfsbane, garlic, red orche, animal
blood, and.."Huh? Why you need drop of Husband's blood?"
   "Do you want son-in-law to marry you?" Cologne asked.
   "Yes, Shampoo want very much," she gushed, bouncing in place.
   "Then get every single one of those items." Her tone broached no
argument. Shampoo nodded dutifully and left her great-grandmother's
room. How am I going to get Ranma's blood? Why does she need it
anyway? I hope she doesn't hurt Husband. Sighing, Shampoo ducked
out of the restaurant and started searching for the items.

   "Is it true?" Mio asked Akane as they walked to lunch, "Did Ranma
break off your engagement?"
   "Yeah, spill it," Koiko demanded, "We've been hearing rumors all
morning."
   "I heard he dumped all of his fiancees," Raiko said.
   "Ukyou never came to school," Mio observed.
   "Come to think of it, I haven't seen Ranma either," Raiko said,
"Maybe they eloped."
   "No they didn't," Akane said quietly, "Ranma dumped her this
morning, before school started."
   "How do you know?" her friends asked, pulling Akane to a halt
and surrounding her.
   "He told me."
   "You're still talking to him?" Koiko asked incredulously, "I'd never
speak to someone who dumped me like that, after a date and all."
   Akane sighed in defeat. Nabiki had spread at least half a dozen
rumors for a good deal of money that morning. The problem was that
those six had spawned at least a hundred others. So far she had heard
everything from all of Ranma's fiancees dumping him to Ranma running
away to join a monastery. 
   Ranma and Ukyou not being at school also complicated things.
Personally Akane had not expected either to be here. She knew how
much Ranma cared for Ukyou. Those two were close friends. Ranma
was probably jogging off his frustration and Ukyou was at Ucchan's
crying, but the stories had taken their absence like fire takes gasoline. I
just wish Nabiki had kept her mouth shut.
   "Yes, I'm still talking to him," Akane responded curtly, "It was
mutual. We went out for ice cream afterwards, no hard feelings.
Actually were getting along better now."
   "You two are confusing," Koiko observed, "Engaged you fight
constantly. Dump each other and your friends. Am I the only one who
finds anything disturbing in this whole thing?"
   "You've lived in Nerima your whole life, and you only find this
strange?" Raiko laughed, covering her mouth politely. Koiko shot her a
dirty look and shook her head in resignation. "But she's right. It is
weird. So spill it, we're all friends here."
   "I don't really understand it." Akane said, looking around the school
yard for some sort of escape. She did want to try and explain that
Ranma had broken their engagement because he wanted them to have a
chance at a relationship. It just sounded so..so, well, stupid. "We were
sick of fighting because of it, and it just seemed like a good idea to
break it off. I guess it's working."
   "Oh, I heard some junior say that he broke up with you because you
stabbed him," Mio said. Akane face vaulted.
   "N-nani?" I'm going to kill Nabiki. 
   "That's right. Ranma was in the hospital a few days ago. A friend of
his said he'd been stabbed," Koiko chimed.
   "I didn't stab Ranma!! I don't hate him." Akane shouted, then
dropped her voice as she tried to explain, "We fight but I don't want
him dead. That whole thing was an accident. Oh never mind." Then she
saw a familiar black-haired head with a pig-tail moving across the
school yard. There was no doubt that it was Ranma. "Excuse me, I see
Ranma, and I've got his lunch." With that she pushed past her friends,
who suddenly had at least another hundred or so questions for her,
which she did not want to answer.
   Once free of them she hurried across the school yard, trying to catch
up with Ranma. She had almost caught up with him, when a voice
brought her up short. "Ah truly, this is a day that shall live forever in
mine heart as one of complete perfection, for not only have mine ears
heard that the foul perfidy of the sorceror Saotome Ranma has been
removed from my beloved Tendou Akane, but the very object of my
heart's eternal desire has been presented to me. Oh the god's must be
with me this day."
   "Kunou, I'm in no mood.." She was cut short as Kunou grabbed her
in an embrace from behind. Anger flared in her. How dare he touch me! 
    "Ah, I know that you doth only wish to enjoy your glorious freedom
from that vile villain Saotome. Thy world must be an eternal bliss of
warming sun and fragrant fields and flowering trees, but let me enjoy it
with thee, oh beloved Huntress," Kunou continued speaking, oblivious
to Akane struggling to get her arms free so she could crush the fool. "I
do love thee, Tendou Akane, let us spend this day toge...ugh."
   Akane saw the blur and then Kunou's vice grip dropped from her.
"Leave her alone, Kunou," Ranma said from her side. Spinning,
glowing with rage, Akane saw Ranma's fist planted firmly in the face of
her assailant.
   "SSSAOOOTOOMEE!!!!!" Kunou shouted as Ranma dropped his
fist, "This dishonorable intrusion shall not go unpunished! The
vengeance of heaven is slow but sure, and today it will be metted out
on your pathetic body. You have finally lost your malicious hold on the
lovely Tendou Akane, and soon I will liberate the pig-tailed goddess
from thine lecherous arms. For the last time have you come between
my loves and me."
   "Why don't you let Akane decide, asshole!" Ranma shouted back. He
needed a release. Ukyou's grief stricken face was still haunting his
mind, her uncontrollable sobbing, her pleas and demands echoing in his
mind like a torturer's favorite tools. Kunou would do nicely, besides,
Akane was still his, engagement or not.
   "She has no need to decide. Heaven has decreed that we two should
be as one, that is all that any need to know. Now prepare thyself for
death!" Kunou rushed towards him.
   "Kunou no baka!" Akane screamed bringing down her mallet. Ranma
was faster than both. His hand flashed out and crunched into Kuno's
diaphragm forcing the wind form is lungs. In the next instant, he had
grabbed Kunou and pulled him into his knee. Akane's mallet just missed
Kunou by a hair, crushing the stones of the walkway to a fine powder.
Kunou could not even grunt as Ranma's knee connected with his
stomach. He just crumpled in on himself and fell to the ground. Then
Akane's mallet crushed his head into the dirt. "No one decides for me.
It is my decision." She was starting to see why Ranma had broken off
the engagement. She also did not want to be forced. She had a choice
in her life.
   Around them the crowd oo'ed and ah'ed in appreciation, a smattering
of applause circulating. Having Kunou humiliated and beaten to a pulp
was always a crowd pleaser at Furinkan, almost as pleasing as Ranma
becoming a girl.
   Akane looked up, her mallet disappearing into Hammerspace. Ranma
was starring silently at Kunou's groaning form, almost like he wanted
the fool to continue. "Arigato, Ranma," she said quietly. He only
nodded. "I've got your lunch, you must be hungry. C'mon." She
grabbed his arm and tugged him away from the sight of the skirmish.
   Ranma followed in a daze, his mind still on the mornings events.
Ukyou had taken the news even worse than he had thought possible.
After he had told her that he was breaking off their engagement, she
had simply starred at him in shock, her mouth forming the word no
over and over in denial. Then she had attacked him.
   It had been an act of desperation, a fight for the only thing she had
left. For Ranma it had been the worst battle of his life. Ukyou had been
attacking without restraint. To lose had meant that she lost Ranchan, so
Ranma had been forced to defeat her, but he could not hurt her while
fighting. For an hour they sparred back and forth, the fight moving
from Ucchan's to the streets and rooftops of Nerima. Finally Ukyou had
begun to tire, and he was able to overpower her, disarm her, and hold
her immobile. She had continued to struggle for several minutes, before
just collapsing to the ground sobbing. "Why, Ranchan, why?"
   Her question had destroyed him. He had almost relented and let her
remain his fiancee. Her tear-streaked face had torn his heart. Having a
girl cry because of him was horrible for him. It made him feel so
helpless, so weak, so ashamed. He was a man, it was not honorable to
attack a girl with fists and even words were too much if they brought
about tears. So he had been at a loss as to what to do. He had to hurt
her, but it was just impossible to do it. He had finally compromised and
kneeled before her.
   "Ucchan, I'm not just breaking my engagement with you, I'm
breaking all of them. I don't wanna be forced into anything. I'll decide
who Im gonna marry."
   Ukyou had looked up at him a gleam of hope in her eyes. She had
sniffled and wiped her eyes, "Does that mean you might still be mine,
Ranchan? I don't wanna lose you. I love you, Ranchan. Please don't
leave me." Her voice had been broken and hurt and filled with such
love and hope that he had been unable to take it away from her.
   "Hai, there is a chance." Only if something happens to Akane, only
then Ucchan. Why does it have to be so hard? Love was supposed to
be wonderful, not this painful torture and macabre farce that it had
become in his life. He had taken her back inside then, dried her tears
and made her some tea. They had sat silently, unable to speak.
Anything they said would just open wounds. Finally he had excused
himself and left, unable to stand the suffering anymore. I hate my life.
   "It didn't go well, did it?" Akane asked as they sat down under a tree,
the shade cool and refreshing.
   "No," he answered simply.
   "I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?" she asked, handing him his
lunch. He took it absently and opened it. Idly he picked through his
food, not really interested in food. Ukyou's face refused to leave his
head.
   "Just stay with me, I don't wanna be alone." Akane nodded and
simply sat quietly next to Ranma while she ate. Ranma did not eat,
however, he stared off into space, lost in his own worries and troubles. 
   Akane was at a loss. It was obvious Ranma needed something, but
she just did not know what to do. Since last night their relationship had
become even more confusing. Were they friends? Lovers? Or was it
just companions? She wanted to hold him and make his pain go away,
but at the same time was unsure whether he wanted that. At least
before they could have started fighting, that would have snapped
Ranma out of his depression, forced him to think of something else, but
that just seemed wrong now. So instead of becoming closer they kept
the neutrality that had formed between them, and therefore they were
both miserable as they ate lunch.
   "Why do I have to hurt the people I love?" Ranma asked quietly after
a time. The silence was grating on him. He was not hungry, he was
depressed and there was no way to let it out without fighting or talking.
"I hurt her so much that I just couldn't take everything away from her. I
had to give her some hope, make her think she still had a chance. But
even that is just delaying it. I don't wanna hurt her anymore."
   "Does she have a chance?" Akane asked.
   Ranma shook his head. "I lied to her, just so I didn't hurt her more,
but in the end it will just hurt her more. I just couldn't stand her tears. I
made her cry, my best friend. I've known her so long. Why did she have
to love me? Why couldn't Oyaji just think before he acted? It's not fair.
Just not fair." His voice was barely a whisper, and he looked like he
was about to cry, but he didn't. Akane knew he would never cry in
public, no matter how hurt he was.
   "Would you, I mean do you, um, want to make her happy?" It was
hard to say, but she had to give Ranma the chance now. She did not
want to lose him, but then she did not want an emotional wreck on
her hands, always having second thoughts about the way things turned
out, especially if Ukyou did something drastic.
   For a while Ranma sat silently, pondering his reply. "I want her to be
happy, but I don't love her like that. She's my friend, the sister I never
had. I always knew we weren't meant for each other." Akane sighed in
relief.
   Reaching out she touched his cheek. "Then you'll have to find a way
to make her happy." Ranma turned to face her, their eyes locking. His
eyes are so beautiful. She was drawn into their grey-blue depths. They
were filled with sadness, but behind that she still saw the simple love of
life that he had, the vivacious strength. Unconsciously she leaned
towards him.
   Ranma was surprised by what he saw. Love and desire burned side by
side with compassion in Akane's hazel eyes. Suddenly what he had
done seemed worth it. As long as it was Akane, anything was worth it.
Slowly he started to lean into her, his eyes closing.
   "Nihao, Ranma." The mood shattered around them like a beautiful
dream upon waking. Ranma growled beneath his breath. Akane was
only a beat behind him with her own angry grumbling.
   The bundle of Chinese energy bounced over to the two with a
carrying case for ramen and a small day pack on her shoulders. "What
do you want, Shampoo?" Ranma's voice was anything but friendly. The
girl was getting on his nerves. Twice in as many days she had ruined a
good moment for him.
   "Shampoo hear husband dump violent girl," Shampoo gushed,
"Shampoo so happy. Husband still love Shampoo."
   "I do not love..."
   "Shampoo bring food for Husband. Great-grandmother says we be
married in few days. Aren't you happy?"   
   "What's that old troll got planned now?" Ranma demanded, "You can
tell her to forget it, I'm not marrying you, Shampoo."
   "Husband only saying that not to hurt violent girl," Shampoo smiled.
Akane growled something under her breath. Ranma caught something
about skinning and a Chinese rug. This was a good time to break
everything up before someone got hurt.
   "I think it is time for you to leave, Shampoo," he said evenly, pointing
towards the school's gate.
   "Leave soon, must get something for great-grandmother first." With
that she pulled a small knife and grabbed Ranma's hand before he could
move and sliced his finger.
   "Itai! Wachyadothatfor. Bloody bimbo." He tried to pull his hand
away, but Shampoo held tightly and squeezed a few drops of his blood
into a small vial. Releasing his hand she stood up. Ranma quickly stuck
his finger in his mouth and sucked on the wound, the sharp iron taste of
blood filling his mouth. What was with this girl the last few days? Has
she gone crazy? He shuddered at the thought of an insane Shampoo.
Kodachi was bad enough.  
   "Great-grandmother needs. Great-grandmother issue you challenge
too," Shampoo said, picking up her things and leaving a bowl of ramen,
"Tomorrow night, just when moon rise."
   "N-nani?" Ranma and Akane blinked.
   "Says you are weak, snot-nosed boy who cannot fight way out of
paper bag much less defeat Amazon Matriarch. She says gaijin baby
could beat Ranma in fight." Ranma was fuming now.
   "You tell that miserable, dried-out mummy that I'll be there. We'll see
how good that decrepit, senile, old troll is. I'll make a purse from her
hide. Nabiki can probably sell it as real alligator skin." He was on his
feet, his entire body trembling in rage.
   "Shampoo tell great-grandmother, but she not be pleased."
   "I don't give a damn!" Ranma shouted. He was not really thinking
straight at this point. With last night, being thrown out of the house,
hurting Ukyou, Kunou, and Shampoo's interruption, the old ghoul's
insults and challenge had simply struck a nerve. Ranma needed a target,
just like with Kunou, and the old ghoul was the perfect one. Pounding
her withered hide would be very cathartic.
   "See Husband tomorrow night." Shampoo blew him a kiss and
hurried out of the school yard.
   "Ranma, are you sure this is a good idea?" Akane asked, placing a
restraining hand on his arm. I hope he calms down before the fight. In
this state a gaijin baby could easily demolish him. 
   "I don't care. I've had enough of that ghoul's meddling." 
   Akane sighed. It was time for Ranma to go home and get some rest.
"C'mon Ranma, let's get you home before anything else happens."
   Ranma allowed himself to be led out of the school yard. He was
preoccupied with what he was going to do to that Chinese monstrosity.

   Akane dropped Ranma off at the dojo and then headed back to
school after telling him to get some rest. Ranma had other ideas
though. He was not even remotely tired. It was quite the opposite with
him. The incident with Shampoo had him so keyed up he could barely
think straight. 
   He did realize that he needed to calm down, but sleep was not the
answer. Instead he disappeared into the dojo and started going through
katas. Soon he was lost in the rhythm of his skills. As he worked his
mind began to calm and he started thinking straight. He started to
regret his decision. He was not up to a fight with Cologne.
   The wound in his abdomen had not healed yet. He had pushed it that
morning in his fight with Ukyou. The only reason it had not opened
was because she had not hit him once, yet he had still been sore and
very tired by the end of it. Fighting Cologne was going to be ten times
worse. He would be lucky if he kept her blows down to only a few.
Well there was no turning back now. He had accepted the challenge,
and now he had to go through with it.
   He continued to practice until his muscles had loosened and he was
breathing heavily. Much of the stress of the day had bled away with his
workout, but there was still a little left. His eye caught the stack of
bricks outside the dojo door that Akane used to work off her day's
worth of frustration. Breaking something sounded good to him.
   Grabbing half a dozen of the masonry blocks, he carried them inside
and set up three. Kneeling in front of them he brought his fist down
abruptly and crushed them. That felt good. Smiling he grabbed the last
three and set them up. This time he concentrated, closing his eyes as he
imagined smashing the bricks. Unfortunately, his body decided to shut
down at that moment. He had taken himself to the limit, emotionally
and physically over the past few days, and his body retaliated. Ranma
fell asleep in front of the masonry blocks and slept in blissful peace.

   Cologne stood in the center of the circle she had drawn on the floor
of her room. Just at the edge of it, facing the rising moon, the table
with the black bag sat waiting. The candles around it were guttering
despite the absence of wind. It was time.
   Reaching forward she picked up the bag. It jumped in her hands, heat
filling her hands. A snarling filled her mind and she could feel the
hunger of the thing. Sharply she spoke a word and the thing fell silent.
Dipping her fingers in the garlic and wolfsbane mixture she began to
untie the knot holding the bag closed. As it came loose a rush of wind
filled the room, plunging it into darkness as the candles extinguished.
   Cologne cared little for light. Placing her hand in the bag she grasped
a warm, pulsing stone figure. She pulled it from the bag and held it
before her. A dull red glow filled the room. It was a small stone statue
the size of a child's doll. Looking at it she could discern no intentional
form, it was a swirling chaos of stone that seemed to imply terror and
fear. She averted her eyes.
   Kneeling she began to intone a small cadence. "For three thousand
years the Amazons have stood and cared for You. Now we call upon
You once again to dispense your justice. One has broken our laws, has
defied the Matriarchs who gave You form and gave You sustenance. I,
Cologne, a Matriarch of the Amazon tribe demand punishment. I
demand the Judgment of Boukyaku on the man Saotome Ranma." 
   From the floor she picked up the vile that held Ranma's blood.
Opening it, she poured it over the statue. As the blood splashed on the
statue it disappeared with a hiss and a satisfied rumble. Gently Cologne
placed the statue on the floor in the middle of the circle. Backing up
she smiled viciously. Tomorrow son-in-law. Tomorrow you pay. 

   Ranma bolted awake, sweat pouring down his body. Something had
been in his dreams, dark, malevolent, hungry. He shuddered. I wonder
what brought that on. Must be nerves. Yet he was unable to shake the
feeling that it was more than a dream. The presence had been so real,
waiting just beyond his reach. Nerves, just nerves.
   Slowly the real world intruded in on him. It was dark outside. Voices
filtered through the walls of the dojo. Probably everyone eating dinner.
His stomach growled hungrily, reminding him that he had not eaten
lunch and only had a small breakfast. Maybe Ukyou can..no I can't go
to her. Maybe Shampoo? He dismissed that thought quickly. There was
no way he was going anywhere near Cologne or Shampoo until
tomorrow. It was looking like his own money was going to be wasted
tonight.
   Sighing he stood up and left the dojo, intent on getting something to
eat. As he crossed the back yard, he glanced at the house and saw
everyone sitting around the table eating a large dinner. He halted in his
tracks and watched them for a time. 
   It was strange he actually missed them. Being exiled from the house
was no fun, he wanted to be with them. They were his family. His eyes
widened as the thought crossed his head. Before today he had never
thought of himself as more than a houseguest, but the more he thought
about it, the more he realized that the Tendou's were the closest thing
to a family he could remember. 
   His memories of his own mother were sketchy at best. There were a
few things he remembered. Images of her kissing him goodnight, of her
holding him after an earthquake that had terrified him, reading a book
to him. They were so few, several dozen at most. A tear slipped down
his cheek.
   The Tendou household had become his. Kasumi was like a mother to
him, cooking, sewing, and offering advice, love and compassion. Nabiki
was as annoying as an older sister could be, what with her money
making schemes, but he still liked her in his own way. And Akane. His
eyes absently found her at the table, the spot where he always sat empty
beside her. She was something special. They fought like brother and
sister, stuck up for each other like a brother and sister, yet cared for
each other more than siblings possible could. They could almost be
twins on account of the way they acted. 
   As if she heard his thoughts, Akane looked up and their eyes met
across the yard. She smiled and motioned for him to wait over by his
tent. Wondering what she wanted, Ranma just nodded and slipped over
to his tent. Dinner was going to have to wait. Well at least things
cannot get worse.
   Thunder suddenly rumbled across the sky, and there was a flash of
lightning as rain began to fall in a drenching sheet. Ranma was instantly
transformed into a girl. Muttering profanities, Ranma slipped into her
tent and zipped it up. The rain was beating a steady thunder on the tight
waterproof fabric. 
   There was no way she was going out tonight to get food. I guess I'll
just suffer until tomorrow. Better get dry though, no point in catching a
cold. She turned around and started digging through her gear until she
found her clothes. Stripping off the wet outfit, she slid into some dry
pants and her usual Chinese shirt. This finished she settled down and
waited for Akane.
   It was actually a good half an hour before Ranma heard someone
outside her tent. Getting to her hands and knees, she unzipped the
entrance to allow Akane into her tent. Akane stepped in and placed a
dish of rice mixed with vegetables and some sort of seasoned chicken in
Ranma's hands. This was quickly followed by a warm thermos. 
   Closing her umbrella, she settled down on some of Ranma's blankets.
"I guess I shoulda thought to bring some hot water. Gomen."
   "Don't worry, this isn't the first time I've spent the night as a girl.
Arigato for the food, I'm starved," Ranma said and began to eat,
shoveling the food down. "Mmish ish mreat," she mumbled around a
mouthful.
   "Kasumi-oneechan set it aside for you. She just asked me to bring it
out to you," Akane explained, squirming around until she was lying on
her stomach next to Ranma's sitting form. "Are you feeling better?"
   "Mmm-hmm," Ranma answered. Being famished, she was more
interested in the food than thinking about questions, but she tried to
answer Akane as well as she could. Luckily the food disappeared
quickly, as was usual for Ranma.
   Sighing contentedly, Ranma put the empty dish aside and opened the
thermos. The aromatic steam of herbal tea assaulted her nose. She took
a drink and offered it to Akane. Akane took the tea with a thanks and
took a sip. It was a little chilly for a March evening.
   "I don't think you should fight Cologne," Akane said as she handed
the tea back to Ranma, "You're not in any shape for this."
   "I know, but...I just can't back down, Akane. Besides she insulted
me, honor demands I face her." Ranma glanced down at Akane's form.
Her face was lifted, starring up into her own. Her eyes were wide, her
lips slightly parted, glistening in the lamps low glow. I wish Akane had
brought some hot water. Ranma blushed slightly as the thought crossed
her mind.
   Akane noticed Ranma's blush and regretted not bringing the hot
water, not that she would have a problem with Ranma in this form. It
was just a little more awkward and confusing was all. Shaking her head
to clear the sudden onslaught of daydreams, Akane continued along her
course of questioning. 
   "Why is it always honor with you?" Akane asked.
   "Nani?" Where had that come from?
   "Why is it always honor with you? Why is everything a test of
honor?" she repeated for him, "You get yourself into these big messes
because of your bloody honor, just like trying to kill yourself. Why?"
   Ranma laid back on her sleeping bag, her head at Akane's feet. "What
else is there? I mean, Oyaji raised me to always follow the honorable
path in life, it's all a martial artist has."
   "Yet you are a member of the most dishonorable school of martial
arts." She turned on her side to look at Ranma.
   Ranma blinked at the comment, but retorted quickly, "We simply take
every advantage given. It's not my fault if someone turns their back
because they think they've won. Always be on your guard. Never let an
opportunity slip. Anything can be used as a weapon. The fight's not
over until your opponent retreats from the field. Maintain the honor of
the school at all times. Defeat is unacceptable." He finished the mantra
and locked eyes with Akane. 
   "I've lived with those for my entire life. But I've also got my own.
Don't hit a girl. Never fight someone who can't defend themselves.
Help those in trouble. Respect your parents. Family above self." Ranma
fell silent, but then started again. "Those were the rules Okaasan taught
me. She was the honorable one in my family."
   "You still haven't answered my question."
   "I don't know, okay!" Ranma shouted, "I just can't refuse things like
that. I don't know what else to live by. I'm sorry. I didn't have a normal
life. Your family has been the first taste of a normal life I've had. I
didn't know what it meant to do something for love, or just for fun. I
did everything because I had to. Do you understand?"
   Akane nodded her head. Maybe I do understand. Poor Ranma, to live
without love. Never to have fun. It must have been horrible. "I'm sorry.
I didn't know."
   "It's okay. No one did." Ranma turned away from Akane. "I'd like to
be alone. Please."
   "Hai, I understand." She stood up and started to leave before
suddenly turning back. She dropped to her knees next to Ranma's head
and kissed her forehead. "I'll always be here for you." With that she
scurried out of the tent and into the rain, leaving Ranma behind
confused but for some reason feeling better. Ranma slipped into sleep,
with a smile on her lips.

   The next day passed quickly for Ranma. School flew by in a blur, the
only slow moment his lunch with Akane. From there he slept through
most of his afternoon classes and then hurried home to get a few hours
of practice in before he faced Cologne. The moon would not be up until
around 9:30, so he had plenty of time to get to the Nekohanten. At
least a few more hours to live.
   Like the previous two nights, Akane brought him his dinner after she
ate. Then she sat down and tried to convince him not to do this. Ranma
told her in no uncertain terms that he was going, and then Akane
demanded that she be allowed to go with him. They quickly fell into
bickering over this. Insults were traded back and forth and finally
Akane pulled out one of her larger mallets and told Ranma in even less
uncertain terms than his that she was going or he would not be able to
go for at least a week. Ranma capitulated faster than the Polish army
when Hitler invaded.
   So Ranma arrived with Akane in tow at the Nekohanten just as the
moon was supposed to be rising, he had checked a Farmer's Almanac.
Shampoo was waiting for them outside of the Nekohanten. She was
dressed in a Chinese wedding dress, a blissful expression on her face.
   "Why are you wearing that?" Akane asked annoyed at the girl's
presence, although it was Shampoo's home.
   "Shampoo marry Ranma tonight, Stupid-Ugly-Violent-Girl,"
Shampoo stated cheerily. Only Ranma's hand on her arm restrained
Akane from disemboweling the annoying Amazon. Silently she
promised herself to make that fool girl suffer.
   "Enough Shampoo," Ranma said, "I'm here to fight the ghoul, not
marry you. This is between me and the troll."
   "Let him in great-granddaughter." Cologne's cackling voice floated
from the interior of the restaurant. "Son-in-law is obviously eager to
get this started. I like a male with spunk." She cackled a short ugly
laugh. Ranma shuddered and stepped past Shampoo, pulling Akane
with him. There was no way he was leaving Akane alone with
Shampoo.
   The interior of the Nekohaten was filled with candle light. Cologne
was perched atop her staff in the center of the room. The table next to
her was filled with small objects. As Ranma walked in, she threw
several at him. Contemptuously, Ranma grabbed them from the air and
threw them over his shoulder. 
   "Did you bring me here to play games, Ghoul?" 
   "No, son-in-law. You're here so I can teach you a lesson."
   "And what is that?"
   "That you can't insult the Amazon tribe and get away with it."
   "This isn't your village," Ranma said. This made no sense. There was
something bothering him in the room, like something was watching
him. It reminded him of the dream he had experienced the previous
night. Whatever it was not very friendly. "We're in Japan. How do
expect to discipline me?"
   "Hear me now Saotome Ranma," Cologne intoned, her voice
somehow swelling in the room, "As a Matriarch of the Amazon tribe I
have found you guilty of breaking our laws. You have defeated my
great-granddaughter Shampoo in battle, yet refuse to marry her. You
are disrespectful to the Matriarchs, and an insult to the Ancestors. For
this I pass the Judgement of Boukyaku on you." 
   Shampoo gasped audibly. "No great-grandmother," she said in
Mandarin, "He is not an Amazon. You cannot do this."
   "Silence child. He has stood against the will of the Amazon's for too
long. By law he is to marry you and therefore an Amazon. His
punishment will be in kind." She turned back to Ranma, and picked up
the chaotic statue and flung it at Ranma. Acting on reflex, Ranma
caught the missile in mid-flight. Suddenly his arm was burning than his
whole body was cold. Pain shot through him, and then there was
something in his head, chuckling evilly, looking on him with hunger.
   Ranma groaned and collapsed to his knees on the floor, his vision
swimming. Cologne was laughing, chuckling evilly. "If you do not
marry my great-granddaughter before the new moon rises, you will die
son-in-law. Your soul will be consumed and you will be sent to
Boukyaku."
   Ranma barely caught the ghoul's statement before he lost his vision.
Then he was falling in darkness, a hideous creature chasing him. Dimly
he heard Akane scream before he was swallowed by the nightmare.

   
Author's Notes:

   Well I finally finished this part. Actually it was easier than it
seemed. It only took me several days to actually come up with the idea.
The hardest part was continuing the plot from the second and first
chapters. In case you are confused about my numbering system let me
explain it really quickly. Overall MASN is divided into Chapters. Each
Chapter is more or less a separate story, or could be with some work
on it. The longer Chapters, like III and most of the other ones will be
split into separate parts like a long fanfic. All of MASN connects in
some way, it is just that the Chapters themselves deal with separate
conflicts. This one centers around Cologne and Ranma. Later on you
will notice that sometimes parts of the Chapters begin on the timeline
several Chapters in the past. I'll try and point those out to readers to
keep the confusion down. 
   In many ways MASN will probably start resembling a Soap Opera
or dramatic TV show like ER or Babylon 5. Plots will come and go
with time, I might introduce new characters every so often. There will
also be Chapters that are just tangents that have no real purpose but are
just there for artistic expression and a more in depth understanding of
the characters.
   I don't know how long Chapter III will actually be. I've really
only flushed out the basics. I have an idea where it is going, and the
timeline it is in. Full moon to new moon is approximately fourteen days,
but other than that I have no clue.
     This is a very large endeavour for me. I am dealing
with as much of the ranma series as I can from relationships to curses
to future lives for as many characters as I can. Oh and any ideas of
people reading MASN will be accepted at value and maybe
incorporated, hey I'm only human. 
   I will attempt to release a new section each week, to keep this
moving forward more than anything. Some weeks I'll maybe hit two or
three depending on how much I can write. Right now it takes me about
eight to twelve hours to write a full section once the idea is developed.
   If anyone wants to know, the full text of Ranma informing Ukyou
of their break up will probably be spread out over several different
Chapters. Part was in this one. Some will be in Chapter VI or VII, and
the rest maybe spread over a few solitary Chapters. So please don't ask
me to post it, I'm really not in a mood for that much depression right
now.
   Well like always I highly encourage C&C, nay demand it, so
please send it to me, even if it is just praise, although I prefer criticism.
   Hmm, oh yeah..I'm still working on the Legacy. I've just hit a
writer's block about how to end it. Don't worry it will be finished in
the next month or two and finally posted on the ML and RAAC.
Starting looking for MASN on RAAC about mid-January.
   Until my next post, have a great time.

   Joseph Ashira Kohle