RANMA 1/2 - THE BITTER END - PART 1 OF 2

##  ***  ##

Ukyou and Ranma walked slowly back toward the Ucchan.  After a
rocky start, the meeting had seemed to go well enough.  At least no
one had made fun of Ranma, or his curse.  Ukyou was pleased.  If
Ranma realized that he was among friends - friends who understood
what he was going through - they might just find a way to solve his
problems.

"Well, what did you think?"

"I dunno."  Ranma was noncommittal.  "It was interesting, but...."

"But what?"

"But I can't *do* those things!  Do they seriously expect me to... that I
could file charges against Akane?"

Ukyou managed a sad, little half-smile.  "No, Ranma.  I doubt that
anyone really expects you to do that.  But it is an option - and that's
what this group is all about... exploring options."

"Hmph"  After a moment of silence, Ranma shook his head and
snorted.

"Something funny?" asked Ukyou.

"Can't you just see it?  'Hi!  My name is Saotome Ranma!  I'm a
martial artist!  I'd like you to arrest my wife because she hits me!'
I'd be laughed out of Japan!"

"Well, what about the counseling?  Do you think that Akane might
agree to something like that?"

"Are you kidding?  You know Akane - she hates to ask for help with
anything."

"You mean like her cooking?" Ukyou asked snidely.

"Ucchan!  That wasn't a very nice thing to say."  Ranma grimaced.
"But if I even suggested something like counseling, she'd *really* pop
her cork."

The pair walked in silence for a few minutes.

"The next meeting is in two weeks."

"Next meeting?  But...."

"Ran-chan... You didn't expect change overnight, did you?  This is
going to take time.  Miyuki tells me that this group meets every
other Monday."

Ranma digested that piece of information.  "Just what good are these
meetings supposed to do?" he asked.

"Well, first of all, they are to let you know that you are not alone."

"But I *was* alone... I was the only guy there!"

"They let you know that there are others who have similar problems
- and that there are things that you can do about them.  They are
there so that you can talk about your problems - focus on them, and
try to find solutions."

Ranma thought about Kimiko's story.  "You don't mean leaving
Akane, do you?"

"Perhaps.  I won't kid you - I think that you ought to consider it."
Ukyou held up a hand to forestall his objection.  "I said 'consider'.  I
don't expect you to leave Akane, no.  Not all of the problems are
solved that way - a lot of these couples can find solutions that will
work for both parties."

"Ah...."

"And when the people *do* split up, it's not always permanent.  A lot
of them get back together after their problems are worked out, and
end up a lot happier for it."  Ukyou paused.  "Most of these people
married the people they loved - they don't want to throw that away.
All they want is a way to stop the abuse - to fix their problems so
that they can live happily together.  Divorce and such are very much
a last resort."

Ranma looked relieved.  "Every other Monday, huh?  I don't know...."

"Don't make me beg you, Ran-chan.  You *need* these people - you
need to find answers that you can get only from people who have
experienced what you're going through now."

Ranma thought about that, as they approached the Ucchan.  Ukyou
was right - he did need help.  Could these people really give it to
him?  There was only one way to find out.

"Okay," he said.  "I'll go back.  But I have a condition."

Ukyou paused and turned to face him, raising an eyebrow.  "What
sort of 'condition'?"

"Will you go with me?"

Ukyou smiled.  "You bet I will, Ran-chan."

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

Akane had, as Ranma expected, chosen to go to college.  She'd opted
to attend the same school that Nabiki did - it was a good school, and
it was close, so she could still live at home.  That had helped to keep
expenses down.  She was studying business management, with some
additional concentrations in art and literature.  She reasoned that not
only would she be better able to manage the dojo, but she'd have a
number of other career options that she could choose from.

However, Akane was discovering that college was not quite as easy
as she had been led to believe.  She was a month into classes, and she
was up to her neck in schoolwork.  Research papers, essays, tests and
other homework all conspired to keep her running.  There were
times that she envied Ranma his relative freedom... he already knew
what he wanted to do with his life, and was working smoothly to
achieve those goals.

Ranma made it look so easy - made it appear so effortless.  Ranma
wasn't spending his time tearing his hair over some obscure fact or
formula.  He wasn't having to deal with deadlines, and busywork
assigned by harried professors who had too little time, and too many
students.  No, Ranma was having fun; taking it easy.  And Akane was
beginning to hate him for it.

One afternoon, Akane came home from school to find Ranma, in girl
form, sprawled lazily in front of the television.  She appeared to be
watching an old episode of Star Trek.  Looking at her watch, Akane
frowned.  Didn't the man [sic] have any time-sense at all?

"Ranma...." she said, coming into the room.  When no answer was
forthcoming, she called out again, more loudly.  "Ranma!"

"What do you want?" asked Ranma, without turning away from the
television.

"Shouldn't you cha... be getting ready?"

"Ready for what?"

Akane was starting to get exasperated.  "Ready for your *classes*,
baka!  Your students should be here any minute."

"Oh.  That.  No."  Ranma lapsed back into silence.

She moved between Ranma and the television.  Ranma ignored her.
"No?" Akane felt her blood pressure start to rise.  "No What?"

"No *sir*" Ranma replied sullenly.

Reflexively, Akane slapped Ranma across the face.  "None of your
mouth," she growled.  "Now, what do you *mean*, 'No'?"

Ranma reached up to rub her stinging jaw with the back of her hand
as she glared at her wife.  "I mean," she said deliberately, "that I
don't have to get ready... I don't have to... to *change*."  Her tone was
bitter.  "No one is coming; there *are* no students."

Akane was taken aback.  "What?  What happened?"  she asked.

Ranma's stare never wavered.  "Their parents canceled their classes.
They were very nice about it, but they just didn't feel that this dojo
could foster the 'sense of peace and discipline' that they wanted for
their children."

"And why not?  What's wrong with this dojo?"  Akane's temper was
heating up again.

Ranma's smile was cold.  "I'm sure that I don't know." she said
levelly.  "But it *might* have something to do with the rumours that
the sensei and his wife fight all the time.  Call it a hunch."

"Are you telling me that this is *my* fault?  Is *that* what you're
telling me?"

"I didn't say that.  I said...."

"I *heard* what you *said*!  It's what you were *implying* that's the
problem."

"Well?  Do you have a different theory?" asked Ranma, her tone
holding a note of challenge.  "It's not like people won't notice, is it?
The whole damned neighbourhood can hear you when you're yelling
at me!"

"Well, I wouldn't *have* to yell at you if you didn't deserve it, now
would I?"

"I suppose not.  Just answer one question for me then.  What did I
do?  Why are you so angry with me?"

"You have to ask?"

"Yes, dammit, I do!  I don't know!  Do you think that I *like* having
you angry?  Do you think that I enjoy it when you're hammering on
me?"  Ranma shook her head in frustration.  "All I want is to see you
smile more often!"

"You want to see me smile more often?  Then STOP PISSING ME OFF!"

"GYAAAHH!"  Ranma closed her eyes and started counting to ten.  By
the time she had reached thirty she felt safe in resuming the debate,
but Akane had gone.

A sharp cracking sound caught her attention.  She looked down and
noticed the pulverised remains of the TV remote caught in her fist.
"Damn," she sighed softly to herself.  "There goes another one...."

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

When meeting night rolled around, Ranma was so nervous that he'd
only been able to eat six okonomiyaki.  He was still a little uncertain
about these things... the last meeting had come so close to being a
disaster.  But Ucchan was optimistic, Ranma could think of no good
reason not to go, and so they went.

Ranma was relieved to see that their arrival was greeted with smiles
this time.  He and Ukyou found a pair of vacant seats in the circle,
and dropped into them.  He was not exactly relaxed, but at least he
wasn't quite so tempted to bolt and run.  Comfort and true
acceptance would come only with time.

Sitting and watching the others gather, Ranma was relieved to note
that Kimiko had been right.  The red-head with the long pig-tail had
come back after all.  What was her name again?  Oh, yes... Hikaru.
Ranma took a moment to study her.

She was shorter than most of the others, and quite slender.  Wide
brown eyes looked out of a child's face, but it was no child behind
those eyes.  Her pigtail hung past her hips, and was in constant
motion as she talked.  She looked nervous to Ranma, but relieved at
the same time.  With a start, Ranma realized that the person she was
talking to was pointing at him, and that Hikaru was now headed in
his direction.

Ranma managed to find his voice as she approached.  "Matsumoto-
san... I'm sorry about...." he started to say.

She shook her head to silence him.  "Please, call me Hikaru.  May I
join you?"

Ranma nodded.

"The fault for last week was mine, not yours.  My friend Umi-chan is
always telling me that I act first and think later."  Hikaru grinned
ruefully.  "It looks like she might be right."

She took a breath.  "I want you to know just how sorry I am.  After I
left here during the last meeting, I did some heavy thinking.  I was
so angry at what your friend had said.  It hurts a lot to have your
own prejudices rammed down your throat.  I felt awful.  And there
was no one that I could talk to about it either... all of the people that
I trusted were still here.  I felt so lost, so *alone*.

"Then it occurred to me that what I was feeling right then was just a
small sample of what you must have felt, the way we were treating
you.  If I hadn't had this group to draw strength from, I think that
maybe I'd have died... and here I was sentencing someone else to
that same emptiness just because he was a man."

Hikaru looked up at Ranma, and there were tears in her eyes.  "I am
so very glad that you stayed - that you didn't let us drive you away
before we came to our senses."

Ranma had no idea what to say.  He settled for "Thank you."  Kimiko
spared him the need for further comment by calling the meeting to
order.  Ranma took a quick poll as everyone sat down, and noticed
that this time, Keiko was missing.  Ranma wondered if there was
something wrong, or if not everyone attended all the meetings.

The door opened at this point, and Keiko walked in.  She grinned as
she headed for a vacant chair.  "Sorry I'm late."

Ranma's eyes narrowed as he watched her move.  There was the
slightest hesitation in her gait as she brought her right leg forward,
and her right shoulder seemed stiff.  She detoured by the snack
table, picked up a pastry and some coffee, and joined the circle.

Once she was settled, Ranma asked casually.  "Are you okay?"

"Just fine!" she answered, a little too brightly.  "Why?"

"Well, you've that big bruise on the your right thigh, and another just
under the right shoulder, above the breast.  And there are at least
two deep bruises on your upper right arm." said Ranma calmly.

Keiko almost dropped her pastry, her eyes wide.  She was wearing
slacks and a sweater - baggy and opaque.  "How...  how the hell did
you know that?" she stammered.

"You can tell a lot from the way a person moves, if you know what to
look for."

Ukyou nodded in confirmation.  "He's right.  You can."  Hearing an
odd tone to her voice, Ranma glanced up to find her looking at him
with a sad 'I told you so' expression.  He had the good grace to blush.

"Another bad night?" Kimiko asked.

Keiko nodded glumly.  "Kyousuke lost his job the other day.  He
didn't take it very well, I'm afraid.  I had heard about an opening
with a company from a friend.  But when I told Kyousuke about it, he
got mad.  He said that he didn't need my help, and that I should stop
'interfering'...."

Kimiko winced.  Ranma was wearing a dark look.

"You seem disturbed, Ranma...."

"What kind of coward beats up on a woman - let alone his wife?"

"Well, what about that harpy that you're married to?" Keiko shot
back.

"Hey!"  Ranma caught Keiko's sardonic grin and mentally kicked
himself.  It *had* been a thoughtless remark.

Keiko wasn't holding it against him, though.  "He's my husband, and I
love him.  But he's sick.  He can't help being the way he is... at least,
not on his own."

Ranma shook his head.  "I'm sorry, Keiko.  I spoke without thinking."
He grinned ruefully.  "It's a habit that's gotten me in a lot of trouble
in the past.  Please forgive me.  I didn't mean to offend you."

"But what about you?"  Keiko studied Ranma.  "That's a pretty nasty
bruise you have over your eye."

"It sure is," agreed Hikaru.  "What on earth happened?"

Ranma gingerly felt his forehead, wincing slightly as his fingers
brushed over the injury.  "Oh, this?  This is from the stone lantern in
the garden at home."

"Did your wife trip you or something?"

"Mmm?  No, she threw it at me.  I just didn't dodge in time."

Natsumi turned to Ukyou.  "He *is* kidding this time, isn't he?"

Ukyou shook her head.  "'Fraid not.  I didn't actually see her throw it
in this instance, but I've seen her do so in the past."

A number of eyes around the circle widened at that, and a brief
silence followed.  Kimiko finally broke it.  "Well.  As Ranma is new
here, perhaps we should explain in a little more detail what we do.

"Most importantly, we try to make sure you understand that your
being abused is not your fault.  But there *are* things that you can
do about it.  The most obvious, of course, is to get away from the
abuser.  Get out of the relationship."

Ranma looked mildly uncomfortable.

Kimiko went on.  "As obvious as it is, it's both the easiest, and the
hardest thing to do."

"You'll have to explain that," Ranma said.  "It sounds contradictory to
me."

"It's the easiest because it's the simplest.  You just leave.  Walk away.
It's the hardest, because it's the ultimate surrender, and no one likes
to give up.  It means that you write off a substantial investment of
time and emotion.  It's also scary, because it's such a drastic change.
It's a big step to give up everything that is familiar to you and to
strike out on your own.

"Many victims are reluctant to choose this option.  Sometimes that's a
good thing - and others, it's not.  There are a lot of reasons that
people stay in abusive relationships, and one of the things that we
try to determine is just why each of us has stayed in our own - and
whether there is hope to fix it, or if we should admit defeat and
abandon it.

"Some victims seem to need the abuse - to seek it out, almost.  Deep
down they feel that they must deserve it - and that just isn't true."

Noting Ranma's confused look, Hikaru piped in.  "No one *wants* to
be abused.  But for some, it's the only form of attention that they've
ever really known - and even negative attention is better than no
attention."

A thoughtful expression crossed Ranma's face.  What Hikaru was
saying almost made sense in a twisted sort of way.  He knew how
much he hated to be ignored.  Would he actually prefer abuse to
indifference?

Kimiko took up the thread again.  "Most of us do want to save our
relationships.  We don't take our love, or our commitments lightly.
But at the same time, there comes a time when it is apparent that
there is nothing more that we can do, and the time has come to get
out.  The trick is recognizing that time - and often, other group
members will see it before we will.  Until that time *does* come for
each of us, there are a number of other things that we can do to help
one another."

Yuriko nodded agreement.  "One thing we try to do is to find non-
confrontational ways of dealing with abusers - ways to talk to them
without triggering angry responses, yet also without letting them
walk all over us.  Also, when they *are* mad, we try to find ways to
calm them before the abuse starts."

"It's tricky," Natsumi added.  "What works will vary considerably
from personality type to personality type, as well as depending on
the reasons that the people we love treat us so badly.  We try very
hard to figure out just what those reasons are.

"We also try to find ways to convince our husb... er... sorry... spouses
to find help.  Most abusers are not exactly receptive to the idea that
they might have a problem, but if you CAN get your spouse to go to a
counselor, jointly or alone, then you have a much better chance of
stopping the abuse."

"We discuss other options too." Kimiko went on, "Agencies and
shelters that exist to give us a place to go, if things get too bad -
programs, and other resources that we can use when things get
really bad."

Ranma tried to imagine himself running to a women's shelter and
failed.  Even as a girl, it would be a long time before he would be
ready to surrender that much of his pride.

"You'll be encouraged to share your own experiences and feelings
with us, as we will with you.  You can never tell when another
member will have that little bit of insight that could be the key to
solving your problems.  What one person may be too close to see,
another might pick up on instantly.

"And lastly, we're here for mutual support - so that you know that
you are NOT alone, and that there are always people who care, and
who understand.  People who know what you're dealing with, and
can feel your pain, and frustration.  It may not sound like much, but
it really does help."

Ranma blinked, still trying to sort out all that he'd been told.  There
was a lot more to these group things than he had expected.  He still
wasn't sure what good all this talk stuff was supposed to be, but he
had promised Ucchan that he would give it a chance.  And Ranma
kept his promises.

Kimiko gave Ranma a sympathetic look.  "Miyuki?  Shall we begin
with you tonight?  Since this is Ranma's first meeting as a full
member, why don't you tell him your story?"

Miyuki nodded.  "Well, Ranma, my husband is a graphic artist.  He's
worked for one of the larger consumer electronics firms for almost
four years now.  While most of his work was in advertising, they
occasionally had him working on the design end - where he would
get to use his imagination a little more.

"Everything was going our way.  We had just gotten married, he liked
his work and we didn't have a care in the world.  But, a little over a
year ago, things started to go wrong....

"After a poor showing on the Nikkei, his company started to make
some management changes.  They pushed him back into the ad
department, but they were having him do less and less.  They've
been using a lot more 'clip-art' in their ad layouts in an effort to cut
costs even further.  People have been losing their jobs, and he has
never been sure from one week to the next that he would still have a
job to go back to.

"Since then, it's only gotten worse.  He hates his job, and he doesn't
get along well with some of his co-workers  He says that even a
trained monkey can use clip-art, and that's how he sees a lot of them.
The company is still in flux, and the job market in the graphic arts is
pretty bad.

"He has no confidence in himself, though I think he's damned good.
I'm afraid that my opinion of his talents doesn't carry the same
weight as his employer's might, and they don't really seem to give a
damn.  It has put him under a lot of stress.

"As a result, he's gotten progressively more depressed, and short
tempered.  He's usually more of an optimist, and he hates being like
that.  It becomes a cycle - he gets more depressed because he's been
depressed to begin with.

"The real problems started when he started drinking more.  One
night, about six months ago, he came home really drunk.  He'd come
really close to losing his job that day... one of the few people that he
*liked* in the department *had* lost his job.  He was feeling relieved,
and guilty at the same time.  I was trying to comfort him when he
snapped.  I never even saw him move, but the next thing that I
knew, I was on the floor halfway across the room, and the side of my
head was ringing like a bell."

Miyuki paused to take a drink of her tea before continuing her story.
Ranma was listening attentively, though his expression had hardened
a bit at the point where she had described being struck.  This time,
however, he kept his mouth shut, and waited for her to continue.

"That was the first time that he'd ever hit me.  He just stood there,
staring at his own hand as if he'd never seen it before.  I don't think
that I've ever seen him look more frightened.  He started crying like
a baby...  He swore that he was sorry, that it would never happen
again.  He was begging me to forgive him.  Of course, I did."

"But it did happen again, didn't it?" Ranma asked softly.

Miyuki gave a sad little nod.  "It did.  It was almost two weeks later.
He was drunk again, and feeling sorry for himself.  He really is a
good man, but it's sometimes difficult to convince *him* of that.  He
just doesn't see the good in himself that others see.  When something
bad happens, he overreacts.  He thinks that he deserves the pain, and
when the alcohol breaks his control, he lashes out at anyone or
anything that tries to make him feel better.

"It just didn't get any better.  He never hit me more than once at a
time, but it got to the point that if I tried to talk to him while he was
drunk, he'd lose control.  He didn't always hit *me* then - sometimes
it'd be the wall, or a table, or a door - anything to release some of the
anger that was building up inside him.  I never got the feeling that
he was angry with *me*, but that didn't stop him from hitting me
when the anger came out.

"Then one day, after a particularly bad night, he locked himself in his
study, and wouldn't come out for days.  He took vacation time from
work, which they granted, though I suspect he'd have taken the time
regardless.  I didn't see a trace of him for three days.  The only proof
I had that he was still there - that he was still alive - was that every
now and then I'd hear him muttering to himself, or a clatter as he
dropped something.

"I was starting to get really worried.  I was almost to the point where
I was ready to force the door, when he came out on his own.  He
looked like he hadn't eaten or slept at all in those three days.  There
were dark circles under his eyes, his complexion was sallow, and he
needed a shave badly.  He wouldn't let me get close to him, but for
once he didn't seem angry... just sad.

"His study was littered with drawings... when I asked him about
them, he just said that he was tired of being destructive; that he
wanted to create things again.  I didn't press him for details at the
time, though I did ask to see some of his drawings.  I don't pretend
to understand all of them, but they look very good to me."

"What sorts of things did he draw?" asked Ukyou.

"Characters, mostly... though there are lots of sketches of other things
- machines, animals, buildings, places.  Even some maps and charts.
They look like they all fit together somehow, but I haven't been able
to make out the pattern.

"Several days later, he told me about finding this group.  He wanted
me to come here for help.  At first, I didn't want to come.  It seemed
to me like he was blaming me for all his trouble, since he expected
me to go for help, but wasn't willing to go himself.  But after I got
here, after the first couple of meetings, I learned differently.  His
sending me here was a cry for help.  He needs the help, he knows
that he needs it, but he has no idea how to ask for it."

Ranma was looking thoughtful.  "You say he really likes to draw?"

"Oh, yes.  Lately, it's been like a refuge for him.  The more depressed
or angry or bitter he gets, the more he loses himself in his drawing.
He gets very wrapped up in it.  What are you thinking?"

"Well," Ranma took a deep breath, "I know that when I get upset, I
practice the Art to feel better.  It's what I enjoy doing, and I can
usually find some peace in it, even when everything else is coming
apart.  I feel like it's what I was born to do.  I was just wondering if
maybe drawing wasn't the same thing for your husband."

Miyuki smiled.  "Well, he *is* an artist after all.  But, yes, I see what
you mean.  The drawings that he does at home are very different
from the sorts of things that he does for work."

"Yes, that makes sense," Ranma was nodding.  "If he is drawing to get
his mind off of his problems, it would be.  It might be interesting to
see some of his drawing.  It might be that it could tell you something
about what he was really thinking or feeling."

"Do you really think so?"  Miyuki looked surprised.  "I hadn't thought
of that, but now that you mention it, it does sound reasonable."

"Why don't you see if he'll let you bring some of his drawings to
show us?"  Kimiko suggested.  "Ranma's idea is a good one - maybe
someone here can see something in them that might help.  And if we
can't, maybe a professional can."

Miyuki looked doubtful.  "He's pretty protective of his drawings.  I
don't know if I'll be able to talk him into it.  But it's worth a try."

Hikaru piped up, "Well, I'd sure like to see them!"

"So would I," added Keiko.

"Right then.  I'll ask him for the next meeting."

##  ***  ##

After the meeting had ended, as the group members were getting
ready to go, Ranma approached Keiko.  "Umm... look," he started.
"About what I said earlier...."

"Forget it," Keiko waved it aside.  "You're not the first to suggest it.  It
may even be true.  But it doesn't change the fact that I love him."

"I know," said Ranma quietly.

"You know, I do believe that you just might, at that." said Keiko with
a grin.

"Does he always hit you like that?"

She sobered.  "He hits me a lot."

"Actually, that's not what I meant.  Does he always hit you the same
*way*.  Does he always use the same attack?"

"Oh, I think I see what you mean.  Well, he uses a backhand alot, and
then he's got this... I don't know what it's called...."

"Show me."

"But...."

Ranma laughed.  "You're not going to hurt me, Keiko.  Please.  Show
me."

"Well... okay."  Reluctantly, Keiko swung her fist at Ranma, but she
diverted her punch at the last minute.  "Something like that...." she
said.

"Try it again, and this time, don't swing to miss... I need to know
where he's hitting you, as well as how."

After a moment's indecision, Keiko shrugged, and swung again.  She
needn't have worried about hurting Ranma, she found out.  When her
fist got to him, he wasn't there anymore.

Again and again, Ranma had her try to hit him as her husband hit
her.  After she got over her fear of hurting Ranma, Keiko had put
more effort into the attempts, but she still could not touch him.  She
would have gotten frustrated if not for Ranma's encouragement and
questions.

A number of the others were gathering round, curious and mildly
alarmed that Keiko was trying to tag Ranma.  Kimiko moved in to put
a stop to it, but then she realized that Keiko was doing all the
swinging, and Ranma had a thoughtful expression on his face.  She
motioned the others to keep quiet, and settled back to watch.

After a few minutes more, Ranma called a halt.  "Okay, I think I've
got it now.  Ucchan?  Can I borrow you for a second?"

Ukyou had been watching with interest.  "Sure, Ran-chan.  What'cha
need?"

"I want you to hit me like Keiko was trying to do...  Keiko?  I'd like to
show you something."

Ukyou nodded, and Keiko looked confused.  "What are you doing?"

"Just watch.  Okay, Ucchan.  Any time."

Ukyou moved in to attack.  Mimicking Keiko's attack precisely, she
swung at Ranma.  This time, however, Ranma didn't dodge.  Instead,
he moved his arm up, and deflected the blow to one side.  Ukyou
pulled back and swung a second time, and again the blow was
diverted.  Ranma nodded, and Ukyou broke off the attack.

Keiko's eyes were wide.  "How did you do that?" she asked.

"It's simple, really.  The thing to remember is that when a punch is
thrown, it is hard for the thrower to change its direction.  The harder
the punch, the more effort it takes the puncher to redirect it.  It's a
matter of momentum."

"So?" Keiko asked.

Ranma grinned.  "It's also true that the harder the punch is, the
*easier* it is for the person being punched to deflect, or redirect the
blow."

Keiko blinked.  "That doesn't make any sense."

"Sure it does.  The person doing the hitting is putting all that energy
into keeping their fist going in a certain direction.  Once they start
the attack, their own weight serves as the driving force, as well as
muscle strength.  All it takes is a little force applied at the right point
to push that blow off its course."

"I still don't understand."

"Okay.  Here's an analogy.  Close your eyes, and imagine that you are
holding a garden hose.  Got the image?"

Keiko shut her eyes and concentrated.  "Okay... got it.  I still don't...."

"Don't worry, you will.  Now.  You're spraying your garden... put your
thumb over the nozzle.  Try and stop the flow of water.  What
happens?"

"I get wet," said Keiko.  "I can't stop the water, it just sprays around
my thumb, all over everything."

"Right.  That's because the water is stronger than you are.  It can
apply more pressure than you can - there is no way that you are
going to stop it.  Now, take your thumb and press it against the *side*
of the nozzle, against the stream of water.  What happens now?"

"The water shoots off to the side, because...."  Keiko's eye's snapped
open.  "I get it!"

Ranma grinned.  "Now.  I want you to swing at me again, but very
slowly."

Nodding, Keiko took up a ready stance, and swung as slowly as she
could.  Ranma brought up his arm, crossed against her forearm, and
pushed the punch to one side, while he moved to the other.  Keiko's
fist passed harmlessly through empty space.

"You see?  It's easy."  After another fifteen minutes of practicing and
demonstration, Ranma had satisfied himself that Keiko really did
understand the fundamentals of the move he was showing her.  He
smiled.  "Now, *this* is how you can avoid that backhand...."

##  ***  ##

Ranma, Ukyou and Kimiko were sitting in a booth in a small kissaten
near the Civic Centre.  Once they had placed their orders, Kimiko
turned to Ranma.  "I'd like to thank you for showing Keiko those
moves this evening," she began.  "She's one of the girls that I worry
about the most."

"How so?" asked Ranma.

"Of the group, her husband is one of the more violent abusers."  An
image of a stone lantern winging its way across a garden flashed
through Kimiko's mind.  "At least he *was*."

"You realize that the moves that I showed her tonight are purely
defencive... there was no offencive component to any of them."

"That's a lot more than she had before.  At least now she'll have more
of a chance, if her husband loses his control completely."

Ranma nodded.  "I suppose so.  But without a lot of training, that sort
of thing is more of a measure of last resort.  What I showed her will
enable her to avoid getting really hurt, but it won't stop him hitting
her."

Kimiko looked thoughtful for a moment.  "Ranma... I'd like to ask you
a favour, if I might."

Ranma exchanged a puzzled glance with Ukyou.  "Sure, I guess."

"The Civic Centre has a small gymnasium.  I think that I could get it
reserved for meeting nights.  Would you consider showing some of
those moves to the entire group?"

Ranma was startled.  "What, you mean like a class, or something?"

"Yes.  A self-defence class.  There are a number of girls in the group
who could benefit from such a class."

"I don't know," Ranma began uncertainly.  "I'm not all that sure that
everyone would be comfortable with the idea... and I don't want to
disrupt things any more than I already have...."

"I know this is difficult for you," Kimiko's voice was gentle.  "You still
don't feel like you fit in, do you?"

"Not really, no."  Ranma hesitated.  "I know that you are all trying
very hard, but I'm still not sure how well this is going to work.  I
mean... well, it's just that...."

"I understand.  It will take time.  We really do want to help, and I
suspect that you will be just as much a learning experience for us as
we are for you.  Please don't let a little awkwardness get in the way."

Ranma stared into the depths of his teacup.  He had enjoyed showing
those blocks to Keiko... he had felt like he was really doing something
to help.  But a class?  That implied a commitment; an obligation.  Was
he really ready for that?  Was he so sure that they would come to
truly accept him?  No.  But they needed, and had asked for his help
as well.  Even if he hadn't asked for theirs, duty demanded this of
him.  His insecurity and his conscience fought a brief battle.  "What
sort of a class did you have in mind?"  Ranma asked quietly.

Kimiko tried to keep the excitement out of her voice.  "Nothing too
elaborate.  I thought maybe that it could be set after the meetings,
and anyone that wanted to could stay after to attend."

"And what would you want me to teach them?"

"You've seen what can happen; what's being done to them.  Teach
them what will help them survive."

Ranma's eyebrow rose.  "That was an... interesting choice of words."

"It was deliberate.  Not every abusive husband will go that far; not
*many* will; but there are those who do - and whether it was malice
or accident won't matter to the ones who pay the price."

Ranma closed his eyes and shuddered.  He'd had no idea.  He owed
them this as a martial artist.  And if they helped him rebuild his
relationship with Akane, it would only magnify the debt.  He could
not, and would not turn his back on them.  He nodded to Kimiko.
"There are some things that would need to be absolutely clear."

Kimiko nodded.  "Fair enough."

"First of all, I'm NOT going to teach them how to fight."

That statement caught Kimiko by surprise.  Noting her look, Ranma
explained.  "Learning to fight well takes a long time, Kimiko.  More
importantly, a real fight is very likely to make things worse.  If I
understood what you were saying in the meeting earlier, then it
would be a safe bet that suddenly fighting back is only going to make
the abuser even angrier.  That won't stop the attack, it'll intensify it."

Kimiko nodded thoughtfully.  "You have a very good point there.  But
surely there is something that can help!"

"Certainly.  There are a number of things that they can learn fairly
quickly.  First of all, they can learn how to take a punch without
getting hurt as much.  Then there are a number of ways to dodge or
block an attack.  Lastly, I can teach a number of ways that they can
quickly disable an attacker - at least for a short time."

"That sounds ideal, Ranma."

"One thing that I want to make sure is clearly understood though.
These disable strikes are not lethal, but they can be very painful.  I
can pretty well guarantee that if they have to use them that it will
*really* piss off their attackers.  They had damned well be ready to
run."

"But if they *were* ready to run... it could give them a chance to
escape?"

Ranma nodded reluctantly.  "Yes.  It could give them that chance."

"I understand.  Any chance is better than no chance, Ranma."

"Yes, I can see your point there."

"Then you'll do it?"  Her tone was hopeful.

"I'll do it," Ranma said.  "But I have a request."

"Anything that I can do," agreed Kimiko.

"Not of you," Ranma smiled.  He turned to Ukyou, his expression
serious again.  "Ucchan... if this is going to work, I'm going to need a
trained partner.  Can you spare that much more time?"

It embarrassed Ranma to see the relief in Ukyou's eyes as she said,
"You bet I can, Ran-chan."

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

Kimiko opened the next meeting with an announcement.  "As I told
each of you over the phone last week, Ranma has agreed to teach any
of us that are interested some basic self-defence techniques.  For
those of you that have decided to take him up on his generous offer,
we will gather in the auxiliary Gym after our meeting adjourns.
There is a locker room where you can change into the appropriate
clothing."

Once her announcement had been made, Kimiko turned to Miyuki.
"Last time, you said that you'd try to bring in some of your husband's
drawings...  Did you get the chance?"

"Yes, I did."  Miyuki pulled out a stack of drawings, and handed them
to Natsumi, who was sitting next to her.  As she talked, the stack
began to make its way around the circle.  "This is what he does to
relax - sometimes he'll spend hours on it, and it's like he's in another
world.  He might as well be, for all the notice I get out of him at those
times."

"Was it difficult to get him to let you bring these?" asked Keiko as
her turn with the stack came.

"That was a little strange, now that you mention it.  It wasn't as
difficult as I had expected."

"Oh?  What do you mean?"

"He seemed a little... reluctant, but he let me bring that stack without
too much persuasion.  It was almost as if he was hoping that I'd ask."

"Maybe he was," said Hikaru.

Keiko muttered, "I wish that *my* husband was so eager to make
things better."

Ranma's turn had come to look through the drawings that Miyuki
had brought.  After sorting through them, he shuffled them into a
neat stack, and waited for a lull in the conversation.

"Miyuki-san?"

"Yes, Ranma?"

Ranma paused for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to ask
his question.  He shrugged mentally and opted for the straight line
course.  "I was just curious...." he indicated the stack of drawings in
his lap.  "There are more of these, right?  More that have the same
characters in them?"

Miyuki looked puzzled.  "Yes, I think so... There are a LOT of them.
Why do you ask?"

Ranma looked sheepish.  "Well, I kinda got wrapped up in the story,
and wondered where he was going with it."

"Story?!  What are you talking about?  Those are just some of his
drawings - aren't they?"

A number of the others in the group were exchanging puzzled
glances as well.  None were too sure how this was relevant to
Miyuki's problem, but Ranma seemed very sincere in his question.

"You didn't know?" Ranma seemed genuinely surprised.  "Yes, these
are all part of a story - at least I'm pretty sure that they are."

"I never really thought about it," Miyuki said.  "I just thought that
they were pretty good.  Would you show me?"

"Sure."  Ranma got up and trotted over to an empty table, and started
laying the drawings out in sequence.  The others started to gather
round, as Ranma started pointing drawings out to Miyuki.

"Okay, this is the first one, I think.  See this character?  She's the
heroine of the story.  These two are her sidekicks - or her pets, I'm
not sure which."

Miyuki looked at the drawing and nodded.  "Go on...."

Ranma moved from drawing to drawing as he described what he
could deduce of the story.  "The heroine here," he said, "is fighting
against some sort of evil empire - you know, the sort that drains all
the resources, and throws 'em away, leaving the people to rot.  Her
sidekick here, is in love with her, but she treats him like dirt.  There
looks to be a scene or two where she knows how he feels, and that
she loves him too, but she won't show it.  There are a number of sub
plots that I can't tell too much about from these drawings, but that
much seems clear."

Miyuki was nodding slowly.  "Yes... I see what you mean.  Now that
you mention it, there are a number of things that seem sort of...
familiar about some of this as well."

"Really? Like what?"

Miyuki grinned.  "Well, I'd never have thought of this before I met
you, but for one thing, your 'love struck side-kick' looks a lot like a
male version of me."

Ranma looked at the drawings, and back at Miyuki several times.
After a moment, he was nodding, too.  "I see that now.  So, tell me; is
there any resemblance between the heroine and your husband?"

"Well, not in looks, no.  But if your guesses are right, then there are a
number of attitudes that they both share...." Miyuki's tone was
thoughtful.  "I wonder...  I am *definitely* going to have to take a
closer look at the rest of these drawings when I get home."

"You might also try to talk your husband into publishing this," said
Ranma.  "The artwork is very good, and I like what I've seen of the
story.  I'd really like to know how it ends."

"So would I, Ranma.  So would I."

Standing off in the background, Kimiko smiled to herself.  She loved
it when the group was working.

##  ***  ##

Ranma's martial arts class was to be held in a small gym off the main
civic centre facility.  It was ideally suited for his purposes, though.
There was matting available to cover the floors and prevent injury,
and there was an attached locker room and shower.  It was not, of
course, as nice as the dojo, but it was as close as he ever expected to
get in a community facility.  He had been very pleasantly surprised.

Standing at one end of the little gym, it was all Ranma could do to
keep from pacing like a caged animal.  He was nervous.  How had he
let Kimiko talk him into this?  He still wasn't sure that these women
would really accept him, or that there would be any real interest in
what he had to offer.  Still, if there was anything that he could do to
help these people... there never had really been a choice.  Taking a
deep breath, he calmed himself and waited to see who was going to
be taking the class.

Finally, people started to trickle into the room.  Ukyou led the crowd,
and a crowd it turned out to be.  Ranma did a quick head count.  It
looked like the entire membership was there.  Kimiko noticed his
stunned expression and grinned.  "We may be inexcusably rude from
time to time Ranma, but we're not stupid."

Ranma looked confused.

"She means, Ranma," Miyuki said gently, "that if you offer us an edge,
we'll take it."

With a nod and a grin, Ranma assured himself that his new students
were ready and began.  "In a martial art, one of the first things that
you learn is how to fall - and how to be hit."

"How to BE hit?  We KNOW how to be hit," said Natsumi darkly.

Ranma grimaced.  "That's not what I meant.  In order to fight back
most effectively, you have to learn how to move and absorb impacts
to minimize their effects.  You are going to fall, and you are going to
get hit.  If you can keep from getting hurt in the process, you'll be
better able to do something about it."

"How do you mean?" asked Yuriko.

"You have to know how to fall without breaking your neck, and how
to turn that fall to your advantage.  You also have to know how to
take a blow - how to absorb the energy in the blow without allowing
it to cause damage.  From there, up to a point, you'll be in control of
how badly you get hurt.  Then you can best use that moment against
your opponent, whether it be to run, or to fight."

Natsumi was scratching her head.  "But that doesn't make sense!
How can we control how badly they hurt us?"

"You've all seen really impressive fights in movies, haven't you?"

"Well, I'm no Jackie Chan fanatic, but yes, I've seen a few brawls in
films.  What about it?" asked Setsuna.

"When they make the movie, do the people in those fights get hurt?"

"Of course not!  Those fights aren't real!"

"Oh, but they are, to a point.  True, punches are pulled, but it's also
true that they'll rattle your teeth if you don't know how to roll with
'em, and they connect.  A stunt man can do these things and not get
hurt because he knows how to fall - how to absorb impact over a
distance to keep from getting damaged.  Martial arts use the same
principles."

"I thought that stunt men had all kinds of special equipment to keep
them from getting hurt," said Hikaru.  "Like those great big airbags."

"Yes, but not for a basic fight.  That still relies on skill and training."

"Falling doesn't hurt.  It's the sudden stop at the end." laughed
Yuriko.

"Yes.  That's it exactly," Ranma nodded.  "And the emphasis really is
on the 'sudden'.  Let's look at the mechanics of it.  When you jump off
of a diving board, gravity takes over.  The farther you fall, the faster
you are moving when you hit the water, right?"

"Yah, so?"

"The faster you move, the more energy that you have.  The faster
that energy is transferred, the more damage it does to you - the
more it will hurt."

Makoto looked confused.  "I'm not sure that I quite follow that."

"Okay - think of it this way.  When you dive into the water, how
deep do you go?  You'll go deeper from the higher board, won't you?"

"Well, yes, I suppose so."

"The water in the pool is absorbing the energy of your fall.  It does so
by slowing you down.  The faster you are moving, the longer it takes
the water to slow you, so the deeper you go.  The energy in your fall
is being transferred to the water relatively slowly."

Keiko was nodding.  "That makes sense."

"Now imagine that you have jumped off the board, and there is no
water.  What happens to you?"

"I'll hit the bottom and break every bone in my body!"

"Right!  D'you know why?  It's because the energy of your fall would
be transferred to the concrete almost instantly.  The concrete won't
give, like the water does.  Instead of absorbing the force of your
impact over a distance, like the depth of the pool, it does so in no
distance at all.  The shock of that sudden stop - that sudden transfer
of energy - is what makes the fall lethal.

"It's the same way with falling on the floor, or taking a punch.  The
longer that you can draw out that transfer of energy, the less it will
hurt, and the less damage it can do."

Light slowly began to dawn on the members of the group.  "So what
you're saying," piped up Hikaru, "Is that if we can move *with* the
impact, it'll hurt less?"

Ranma smiled.  "That's it exactly!  Once you know how to minimize
the damage that you take, you'll be in a much better position to fight
back, or, better, to run."

There were nods and murmurs from the assembled women.  Ranma
smiled.  "Let me demonstrate.  Ucchan?"

Ukyou squared off with Ranma and they proceeded to demonstrate a
few falls and tumbles.  Then, one by one, Ranma showed the group
members how best to roll with a fall to absorb the impact, and how
to use that momentum to get quickly back to their feet.  It took a
while, but by the end of the session the pained grunts and cries had
been replaced with mild exclamations of triumph.

Ranma watched the class finish the last few tumbles, and then called
a halt to the evening's exercises.  Once he had everyone's attention,
he said, "You're all doing very well.  Next time, you'll start learning
how to defend yourselves.  We'll begin with a few basic dodges and
blocks, and a quick disable or two.  Then, we'll add more advanced
variants in following classes."

As the women filed out of the room, Ranma listened to their excited
chatter and sighed in satisfaction.  He really did enjoy teaching, and
helping people like this was one of the reasons he studied the Art.

Ukyou came up behind him and handed him a towel, startling him
out of his reverie.  "What are you thinking?" she asked.

After a pause to consider his reply, Ranma said, "I like them.  They're
interested in learning."

Ukyou smiled grimly.  "Some of them certainly have a reason to be
well motivated.  C'mon, Ran-chan.  It's time to go home."

Ranma nodded and followed his friend out into the night.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

On Wednesdays, Ranma's father came back to the dojo to train with
him.  As usual, the pair ignored the dojo in favour of the back yard,
and the pond.  For hours they would leap over the water, each intent
on trying to catch his opponent off guard and send him plunging into
the pool.

Today, Genma was having little difficulty getting the better of his
son.  After the third time he's sent Ranma into the pond, he halted
the session and headed for the house.  He was mildly surprised that
he made it into the house unchallenged.  He'd deliberately left his
guard down, and Ranma had made no move to take advantage of it.

"What's the matter with you, boy?" he asked the dripping girl.  "If
you can't do any better than that, you might as well give up the Art
and take up knitting."  Genma dropped into a crouch, ready to ward
of his son's angry attack, but again, it didn't come.  Ranma ignored
him completely on her way to the bath.

Genma didn't like the looks of this.  There was something bothering
Ranma, and he meant to find out what it was.  Genma decided that
now would be a good time for him to take a bath as well.

By the time Genma got into the bathroom, Ranma was already in the
tub, soaking.  He washed quickly and then joined his son in the hot
water.  Still, Ranma ignored him.

"Son," Genma's voice was surprisingly gentle.  "What is it that's so
bad it takes your mind of the Art?"

That got a reaction.  "Is that concern I hear in your voice, old man?
You must be slipping."

Genma sounded tired, even to his own ears.  "Is it really so hard to
believe that I would be concerned for my son?"

A pause.  "No.  I suppose not.  I'm sorry, Pop."

"So tell me.  What is it that has you so distracted?"

"What else?  It's Akane.  I just can't figure her out.  No matter what I
do, or don't do, I end up making her angry."

"Oh, is *that* all," Genma sounded relieved.  "I thought it was going to
be something serious."

"Pop!  It *is* serious!"

"Ranma m'boy, you're taking things far too seriously.  Women are
always angry - it's just the way they are.  No one really knows why."

Ranma raised an eyebrow as he regarded his father across the
steaming tub.  "I'm beginning to understand a little more about why
you liked life on the road so much.  You don't understand, Pop.
Akane gets *really* angry."

Genma shrugged.  "So what's your point?  She's always done that."
He watched as Ranma stood and climbed out of the tub.  A shiver
passed through the boy, and Genma wondered whether it was the
sudden shock of the cool air, or the force of Ranma's emotion that
had caused the tremor.

"Not like this, Pop.  Not like this."

The old man's eyes widened, and he gasped.  "You're afraid of her,
aren't you?  You're afraid of Akane!"

Ranma whirled on his father, fury in his eyes.  "Is that really what
you think?  That I'm that much like you?  You may think that the
perfect couple squabbles all the time, but I don't.  And I don't think
that Akane does either."

"Are you implying, son, that I am afraid of your mother?"

Ranma smirked.  "Implying it?  Hell no!  I'll say it outright!"

"I am *not* afraid of my wife!" Genma growled and reached for a
nearby bucket of cold rinse water.  He hurled the contents at his son.
Ranma sighed, shook her head, and resumed drying her hair.

"Is that why you wasted ten years of our lives running in terror from
her every time she managed to track us down?  Is that why I had to
be 'Ranko' every time she came to visit?  Or are you going to blame it
all on your stupid promise, and my curse again?"

"Careful, boy, or I'll see to it that she finds out just how 'manly' you
are right now, acting like a girl as well!"

"If you must," Ranma said as she walked out of the room.  "Just so
you remember the entirety of the promise that you made her.  Are
*you* that eager to die?"

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

When the next meeting night came, it was Ranma's turn on the grill.
"So, tell us, Ranma.  How did you meet your wife?  What brought the
two of you together?" asked Kimiko.

"Ours was an arranged marriage.  Pop and Tendou-san had agreed
that our families were to be joined, and so I was engaged to one of
the Tendou daughters, practically before I was born."

"Ack!  People still do things like that?"

"They do.  Of course, Pop never told *me* any of this.  Not until we
were just a few kilometers from the Tendou house.  This curse was
only a few weeks old, and it was raining, and Pop tells me that I'm
supposed to marry some girl that I've never met before.  It was
*not* my best day."

"I guess not," agreed Miyuki.  "Why did you marry her then?  You
could have just told your father to get stuffed."

"Oh, I had no intention of marrying anyone.  Even as we got to the
Tendou's place, I was ready to head back to China."

"And what stopped you?" asked Keiko.

"Fate, I guess.  Tendou-san had been expecting his old friend, and a
son.  What he got was a girl and a panda.  He fainted.  I'd never been
so embarrassed in all my life.  It went downhill from there."  Ranma
settled back in his chair.  "Tendou-san had three daughters.  Kasumi,
Nabiki and Akane.  Kasumi was fretting over her father and Nabiki
was complaining to anyone who'd listen that she didn't want to
marry a girl.  Akane was the only one who didn't act disappointed.

"Akane treated me like a friend, and I badly needed a friend.  The
last time that I'd had a real friend, it was Ucchan here, and at that
point, it had been ten years since I'd last seen her.  Traveling with
my father wasn't easy at the best of times - we seldom stayed in one
place long enough for me to make any friends.  It was a lonely way
to grow up.

"But when Akane found out that I wasn't a girl, she didn't deal with
it so well.  I guess she felt like I'd betrayed her somehow.  She got
angry, and then I got angry, and both of us said some pretty mean
and silly things.  Naturally, our fathers decided that Akane and I
were perfect for one another."

"Sounds like a pretty rocky way to start an engagement," chirped
Kyoko.

"You know it.  Each of us was angry, and neither of us wanted to be
told who to marry.  We tended to take it out on each other."

"That doesn't seem like much of a reason to stick around, let alone
get married," Keiko said dryly.

"It wouldn't have been, except that every now and then, the friendly
girl that I'd first met would peek out.  I didn't see her often, but I
saw her enough to know that she was still there.  Every time I *did*
see her, it was like the whole world went away.  Nothing mattered
except that moment."

"Boy, you *have* got it bad." said Hitomi.

Ranma blushed.  "I guess I have at that - and you have no idea how
hard it was or how long it took for me to realise that." he admitted.
"But once the engagement became public knowledge, Akane ended
up being angry with me most of the time.  After that, things started
to get complicated."

"AFTER that things started to get complicated?!"

"Believe me, it's the truth," chimed in Ukyou.  "It'd take *months* to
tell it all."

"I'm gonna be looking *forward* to that," muttered Ryouko with a
shake of her head.

"Well, there's one thing that I still don't understand.  How can she do
this to you?  You're a martial artist, aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm a martial artist.  My family and the Tendous are the sole
practitioners of the Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu.  It's a highly adaptive
style of martial arts.  The continuation of the school was the prime
reason that Pop and Tendou-san arranged my marriage to Akane in
the first place."

"The continuation of the school?  What, like some kind of family
tradition or something?"

Ranma sighed.  "Very much so.  I began my study of the Musabetsu
Kakuto Ryu when I was barely old enough to stand.  The Art was my
father's life, and naturally, I was expected to follow in his footsteps.
There was also the lure of getting to be the hero; fighting injustice,
and protecting those who couldn't, for whatever reason, protect
themselves.  Every boy, I think, likes to be proud of his father, and
think of him as a hero.

"To truly master the Art, one must have discipline, and above all,
control.  You must control your body, your mind, and your emotions.
The first is the easiest - all it takes is practice.  Controlling the mind
is just a matter of focus; developing the ability to concentrate on
what you're doing.  You have to be aware of your surroundings in the
most minute detail, but still be able to filter out any distractions.
The hardest part is learning to control your emotions."

"You mean like Vulcans do?" asked one of the women.

Ranma smiled wanly.  "Sort of.  But the idea is not so much to hide
your emotions as it is to channel them - draw strength from them,
and yet keep them from controlling you, or your actions.  As you are
all well aware, anger can make a person act without thinking if it is
not controlled.  But used properly, that same anger can be a
tremendous source of power.  'Chi', or life energy if you will, is
amplified by strong emotion.  If you can tap into it, and focus it, you
have a valuable tool that no one can take away from you."

Ukyou handed Ranma a soda, which he took gratefully.  After taking
a sip, he went on.  "As I got older, I found out that there was a dark
side to the Art."

"Beware the dark side of the Force, Luke!" quipped someone from the
back of the room.

"My father," Ranma continued, with a heatless glare in the offender's
direction, "did not always behave honourably, and it caused...
problems."

Ukyou choked on her soda.  After a brief coughing fit, and a slap or
two on the back from Ranma, she managed to catch her breath again.
"Gomen, Ran-chan...." she gasped.  Ranma flashed her a sad smile and
turned once more to his story.

"Pop's worst qualities were greed, and impatience.  He could control
neither of them, and as a result, there was constant trouble.  It was
Dad's impatience that resulted in this curse of mine."  Ranma paused
for a careful sip of his soda.  "Of course, Pop got what he deserved on
that front.  I may turn into a girl, but *he* turns into a Panda bear."

"A... *panda*?" gasped Hikaru.  "As in those big fuzzy black and white
bears with the bob tail and the bamboo fixation?"

Ranma nodded.  "Pop knows his martial arts - but when it comes to
anything to do with being a person - let alone an honourable person,
he tended to teach with negative examples.  But one of the things
that he *did* teach me was that there was no honour to be found in
fighting with women."

"Well, there's at least *one* point in his favour," said Hikaru.

"To be honest, in retrospect, I think that he said it because he was
always getting into trouble with women.  He and Akane's father both
studied under the same master - a twisted, evil little pervert by the
name of Happousai.  In their travels, they incurred the wrath of LOTS
of women.

"Pop and Akane's dad were really close friends, despite all of that -
or maybe even because of it.  They at least had the decency to feel
guilty about what the master, and by extension, they were doing.
Finally, they got away from him, and each led a relatively peaceful
life - well, peaceful for a martial artist at any rate.  Pop married my
mom and had me, and Soun had three daughters."

After another sip of his soda, Ranma continued.  "Their paths didn't
really cross again until we got back from our training trip to China,
and Pop took me over to Tendou-san's house, to seal the engagement.
The rest, as they say, is history."

"Some history." said Setsuna.

"Well, it has one positive aspect, to be sure!" Keiko piped.

"Oh, really?" asked Ryouko.  "and what would that be?"

Keiko looked at Ranma and grinned.  "I'm willing to bet that it was
never dull...."

##  ***  ##

Once everyone had gathered in the gym, Ranma said, "Okay.  Today I
promised to teach some moves that you can use to start defending
yourselves.  Before I begin, there are a few points that I want to be
sure get made.  I'll be repeating these at the beginning of every class,
because they are important."

After the curious mutters died down, Ranma went on.  "First - I am
NOT going to teach you how to beat up your abuser."

"But you said...." started a voice from the back.

"I said that I'd teach you how to defend yourselves, and a few quick
disables.  I am.  I'll get to that in a minute.  For now, though, you are
in a position where your attacker has the advantages of strength,
reach, mass and experience.  Those are going to be difficult for you to
get past.  It is possible to teach you enough to fight against that sort
of opponent, but the level of mastery required can take years to
achieve.

"Fighting should always be viewed as a last resort.  Most people will
assume that fighting is what martial arts are all about.  Some of you
are probably thinking that even now - it is a reasonable enough
assumption to make.  It just isn't true.  Martial arts are about control.
Discipline.  Without those, a martial art means nothing.  You have to
be able to control your body, and control your emotions.  Strength,
and the ability to fight come as consequences of that discipline.

"Second, you need to be aware that if you are put into a position
where you have to fight back, your primary goal is escape.  If you
resist your attacker, the chances are good that it will make him
angrier, and more determined.  You need to be ready, and *willing*
to get away.

"Third, the quick disables that I'll be teaching you are part of a class
of strikes that are designed to give you the opportunity to escape.
Some will do more damage than others; all of them will make the
target mad.  If you use them, there are two things that you *must*
remember.  Do NOT hold back, strike, and strike *hard*  And when
you've struck, RUN."

"Run?  Run where?"

"Anywhere.  A friend's house, or to your mother.  Perhaps to a
market or restaurant, where there are people around.  Someplace
where you can keep away from your attacker.  I cannot stress this
point strongly enough - the MOST important part of a disable-and-
run manoeuvre is the *run*."

Ranma looked around the group.  "Are there any questions?  Good.
Let's get started then.  One thing to remember is that an all out
attack from your opponent can actually give you an advantage."

"WHAT?"

"Yes.  If an all-out punch misses, it leaves the attacker off balance.
Let's start with a demonstration of sorts.  Keiko, do you remember
when I asked you to throw that punch, but slowly?"

Keiko nodded.

"Good.  Come here and do it again."

Keiko moved into a ready pose and threw a slow motion punch at
Ranma.  This time, Ranma caught her fist as the blow was completed.

"Now.  Think carefully.  Was it easy to punch me in slow motion?"

"Of course!  I didn't have to move very fast at all!"

"Ahh, but was it really?  For a second there, you looked like you
were going to fall over."

"Well, yeah, but that was just because I over-balanced.  It was an
accident."

"Okay.  Let's test that.  Try it again."

Keiko did as she was asked, and again, as her fist moved towards
Ranma, she faltered before he caught her.

"Damn," she said.  "I don't know why I'm so clumsy today."

"You're not."

"Eh?"

"Think about it.  When you throw a punch, your whole body moves.
Balance is motion.  Even walking is nothing more than a controlled
fall.  When you hold back on your punch to slow it down, you are
fighting your own body's momentum.  Without that momentum, you
lose your balance.  Try this.  Walk toward the end of the room.
When I tell you, stop.  Instantly.  Just freeze, okay?"

Keiko nodded and started walking.  Ranma waited till she had just
lifted a foot and called "Stop!"

Keiko froze - but stumbled as her weight shifted forward.

"You see?  Your body was expecting that foot to be there for support
- when it wasn't - when that motion was disrupted, it disrupted your
balance."  Ranma turned back to the others.  "That is the essence of a
principle basis for many martial arts.  You have to learn to use your
opponent's motion against him.

"Now - what's better than blocking?  Dodging.  A block should be a
back-up, in case the dodge fails.  This is especially true if you're less
interested in counter-attacking and more into just keeping yourself
safe.  It's easy, too - just turn your hips to one side, maybe letting
the leg step back as you do so.  That'll give you greater stability."

Ranma had Ukyou make a few attacks to demonstrate his point.  As
Ukyou would move in and throw a punch, Ranma would twist, or
lean to the side, and the blow would pass through empty space.

"Now.  The arm that swings forward - raise it.  In one position, the
hand can easily deflect a straight punch away; in another, the arm
itself can divert a strike off towards the outside.  The most important
thing is that a very narrow profile is presented to the attacker.  Give
them as little to aim for as possible."

Again, Ukyou attacked, and this time, Ranma used his leading arm to
deflect her blows as well as dodging them.  When the demonstration
was complete, he started showing each student exactly how to move
- to anticipate where the punch was going, and how not to be there
when it went.

Once they had all practiced a few rounds, Ranma showed them two
disable moves.  "Both of these particular moves assume that your
assailant is a man," he said.  "They can be very effective, and will
give you plenty of opportunity to escape.  Just be sure that you do
escape, because when he recovers from these, he is going to be
*pissed*."

After making sure that everyone understood those, Ranma called
once more for attention.  "One more thing that I want to show you
tonight, before we go back to practice some more.  The exercises that
I'm going to show you are optional, but they will help.  They'll help
you develop your coordination, and your strength.  You don't need
any special equipment to do them, either."

Ranma ran through two basic sets of kata, slowly, so that trying to
make sure that everyone understood the steps.  When he'd finished,
a hand went up in the back of the room.

"What *was* that?" the person asked.  "It looked more like a dance
than an exercise."

Ranma grinned.  "Dancing *is* exercise.  But to answer your question,
it is called a 'kata' - and it really is very much like a dance.  It is a
sequence of stances, of positions, that is designed to build stamina
and coordination.  The better you are at the kata, the more fluid the
transitions between those stances will become.  Then we'll go on to
more complex patterns, if you're interested."

After stepping the group through the kata, Ranma declared an open
practice session, and settled back to watch.

##  ***  ##

Ukyou came up behind Ranma.  "What's the trouble, Ran-chan?  You
look disturbed."

"Hmm?  Oh, I was just watching Rei over there.  She hasn't quite got
the hang of the dodges and blocks I've shown them, but she stiffens
up and shies away whenever I try to help her."

"Maybe she's scared of you," Ukyou said softly.

"Yah.  That's kind of what I was afraid of."  Ranma sighed.  "Ucchan...
get me a cup of water, will you please?"

Ukyou smiled warmly, and got him the water.  With another sigh,
Ranma tipped the cup over his head, and changed.  She was just
grateful that most of the other women were too wrapped up in their
own practice to take much notice.

Ranma went over and tapped Rei on the shoulder.  "Here," she said
gently.  "Let me help you with that."

Rei stiffened at the contact, and spun to face Ranma.  Here eyes went
wide as she noticed that Ranma was no longer quite so much taller
than she was.  She blinked, but allowed Ranma to guide her through
the first set of kata.  By the end of the set, the tension had left her,
and she was starting to get the moves down correctly.

The rest of the class had broken off their repetitions of the exercise,
and were gathering around to watch as Ranma guided Rei through
each of the kata.  After the third repetition, Ranma was satisfied that
Rei had gotten the idea.

"Your masculinity is very important to you, isn't it?" Rei asked.

Her voice was so soft that Ranma almost missed the question.  That,
and Rei so seldom took any active part in group discussions that her
asking caught her off guard.  Ranma nodded mutely.

"I thought so."  Rei turned to Ranma and bowed.  "Thank you."

Ranma tugged at her pigtail, embarrassed, and smiled nervously.  "No
worries," she said.  Rei actually smiled.

Ranma looked around and noticed that everyone else had gathered
around them.  She turned red for a moment, and then stammered,
"Okay... that's enough for tonight, people.  Next time, I'll show you a
new set of blocks, and two more disables."

Slowly the group began to disperse.  While there had still been a few
disbelieving stares from some of the women, Ranma was relieved to
note that no one had commented on her 'change'.  At least it was
worth it, Ranma thought, as she watched Rei leave.

"I don't know how you did it, but thank you."  Ranma jumped.  She
had been watching Rei so intently that she had not even heard
Kimiko approach.  It was a good thing that her father hadn't seen
that; she'd never have heard the end of it.

"What do you mean?" asked Ranma.

"Rei.  I was beginning to despair of ever reaching her."

"What happened to her?" Ranma asked softly, after the rest of the
group had left.

"Rei's abuse started years ago with her father."

"Her *father* beat her?"

"Not at first.  At first, it was just emotional abuse.  But as Rei got
older, it turned sexual.  The violence didn't start until she got old
enough to understand what was being done to her, and to say 'No.'"

"You mean... you mean...." Ranma felt sick.  "Oh my god."

"I don't think that she's ever known a truly kind man before."

Ranma looked down at herself and sighed.  "I'm not so sure that she
knows one now."

Kimiko put a comforting arm across the redhead's shoulders. "She
knows, Ranma.  She knows."

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

Ranma was walking down the street towards the shopping district
when a shout caught his attention.  "Saotome!"

Oh, bugger, thought Ranma.  Not him again.  He spun and dropped
into a defensive crouch.  "What is it this time, Ryouga?"

Ryouga strode up to where Ranma was waiting, but he made no
move to attack.  Ranma eyed him quizzically, and maintained a ready
stance.  The lost boy sighed and shook his head.  "Relax, Ranma.  I'm
not here to fight with you."

Still a bit suspicious, Ranma notched back to Defcon 2.  "You're not?"

Ryouga shook his head and tried his best to radiate an air of peace
and good will.  "Nope.  Not anymore."

Ranma finally allowed himself to relax, and straightened up.  "Not
that I'm complaining or anything, but the last time we spent any
time together, you were trying to kill me.  Why the sudden change?"

An odd look crossed Ryouga's face.  He shrugged and said, "I just got
tired of it.  What's past is past, and killing you wouldn't change it."

"Ah," said Ranma.  "So.  How have you been?  It's been a while since
I've seen you around."

"Oh, well enough.  I was home last month for a while, and since then,
I've been all over."

"Yah, I'll bet.  Still no sense of direction, eh?"

Ryouga shrugged again.  "It really hasn't been as important to me
anymore.  Traveling isn't so bad when you can take the time to enjoy
the scenery."  He paused.  "So.  How is Akane?"

Ranma's defences snapped back up.  "We're still married, if that's
what you're asking."

Ryouga made a pacifying gesture.  "No, no...  Don't worry.  I know
that Akane was never meant to be mine.  I learned that even before
the two of you were married.  I was just too stubborn to admit it."

"So you've given up on her?"

"Given up on being anything more than just her friend, yes.  I still
care about Akane, but she is not the one for me.  I know that.  So.
How is she?"

"Well, you know how she is.  She hasn't really changed much," said
Ranma.

Ryouga winced.  "I'm... sorry to hear that," he said.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Hey, take it easy, Ranma.  All I meant was that I had hoped that her
temper would have mellowed a bit.  It's hard to be happy if you're
angry all the time.  Believe me, I know."

Ranma studied his former rival carefully.  He looked sincere enough.
"I guess you would at that," Ranma conceded at last.  "So what's the
secret?"

"I don't really know.  I just... decided that I didn't want to be angry
any more.  It was taking too much of my time - too much of my
energy.  I'm sorry that I can't give you more than that."

It was Ranma's turn to shrug.  "I never thought it would be easy."

"You know, it might help if you each found someone to talk to.  If
there's anyone that you can discuss this with, it might at least let you
get a fresher perspective on the problem."

Ranma hesitated.

"If you want, I'd be willing to listen.  I know that we haven't always
gotten along, but neither of you are going to be really happy until
you get past this."

"Thanks, Ryouga.  I appreciate the offer. I'll... I'll think about it,
okay?"

"I understand," nodded Ryouga.

"Hey!  Why don't you drop by the dojo sometime?  I know that
Akane would be happy to see you."

"Thanks... I'll try to do that."

"Good.  Just be careful about cold water, eh?  It took Akane a long
time to get over P-chan's disappearance.  I'd really hate to see all
that start up again."

"I'm sorry about that.  But I had to go.  It wasn't good for her for me
to stay."

"Yah, I know.  You did the right thing, Ryouga.  Sometimes... there are
times when I wish that P-chan was still there, if only because it gave
Akane some pleasure, but if she had discovered your curse...."

Ryouga shuddered.  "I know.  Look.  I gotta go now, but I'll try to get
by the dojo soon, okay?"  He stuck out a hand.

After a second, Ranma took it and they shook.  "Take care of yourself,
P-chan."

Ryouga turned and started walking off.  "And you Ranma.  Take care
of Akane."

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

When meeting night rolled around again it was raining.  By the time
that Ranma and Ukyou got to the Civic Centre, both were soaked to
the skin, and Ranma was, of course, in female form.  Squelching past
the refreshment table to get cups of hot tea, they made their way to
an opening in the circle, found a pair of vacancies, and sat down.

As Ranma was sipping her tea, she noticed that Rei was looking at
her with a concerned expression.  She smiled at the girl and
shrugged.  "It's okay.  I don't mind it so much when I'm around
friends."  Rei blinked and a ghost of a smile crossed her face.

Hikaru was telling the group about the events of her past week.  "My
husband's sister, Nanami, was in town on business, so naturally she
stayed with us.  It was an education, I can tell you!"

"An education?" asked Kimiko.  "What sort of education?"

"Well, I learned an awful lot about my husband.  I'd never realised
just how little I knew about him when we married."

"Ouch," winced Misato.

"Ouch is right," Hikaru sighed.  "Seems that he was a jerk when he
was younger too.  I'm sure that some of it is just the natural bias of a
younger sister's viewpoint, but I doubt that all of it is.

"For example, I'd known that he was president of his class in high
school - what I hadn't known was that he bought the votes of a lot of
the school clubs to get it - with school money no less.  And that's just
the tip of the iceberg."

Shaking her head, Hikaru continued, "He apparently had a reputation
as quite a bully.  Not just that he'd beat up on people that he didn't
like, but he'd also attack them indirectly.  He'd try and ruin their
reputations, or their relationships... he was NOT a nice person."

"Damn," said Hitomi.  "I'm sorry, Hikaru.  I guess that once the apple
rots, it stays rotten."

"Eh?  What does fruit have to do with anything?" asked a confused
Ryouko.

"I think she meant that you could expect an abusive husband to have
been a bully when he was a kid."

Hitomi was nodding her head.  "Yes, that's exactly what I meant!
What it really boils down to is that abusers are all just big bullies!

"Whoa.  I think that you're making a mistake there.  It's dangerous to
just assume that abusers are all bullies."

"What makes you say that, Ranma?  It seems logical to me."

"Well, I can't claim any expertise about abusers, but I know bullies.
A bully at least has the virtue of being predictable.  For example, a
bully won't pick on someone that can defend himself."

"Why not?  I thought bullies were just mean."

"They are.  But a bully is a coward.  For whatever reason, they feel
threatened, and the only way they can assert their superiority, the
only way they can prove their own worth, is with violence."

"THEY feel threatened?" Makoto huffed.

"Yup.  Deep down, people who are bullies generally feel like they're
inferior.  Whether it's true or not really doesn't matter; it becomes a
self fulfilling prophecy.  They feel insecure, like they are trapped in a
corner.  Like any trapped animal, they lash out.  They're scared.  But
they'll never admit it."

"So what you're saying," Setsuna broke in, "Is that an abuser might
have one or two specific targets, but that a bully is more inclined to
pick on everyone that they see as weaker?"

Ranma drained her teacup.  "In part.  Bullies will push the limits too.
The more you let one get away with, the more he'll *try* to get away
with.  The trouble is that once he's gotten away with something once,
he expects to be able to get away with it again.  At that point,
resistance can make matter worse.

"The best way to stop a bully is before they start.  Draw a line, and
then back it up.  Sitting back and taking it will only lead to long term
trouble."

"Yes - that brings up a question that I've been wanting to ask.  YOU
just take it from your wife.  With your training you ought to be able
to stop her any time.  Why don't you?"

"I wish I could answer you, Keiko, but the truth is that I don't know.
That's one of the reasons that I'm here.  To find a way to get through
to Akane other than fighting her."

After a quick trip to the snacks table for more tea, Ranma went on.
"I suppose that a part of it comes from the way that I was brought
up - men should not fight women.  I realize that involves an
'outdated gender stereotype', but it's one that is very deeply
ingrained."

"Well, that's one stereotype that I can't say I'd mind being more
common," said Misato.

Natsumi asked, "Have you never fought a woman?"

"Oh, yes, I have.  But only when it was absolutely necessary."

Keiko was incredulous.  "Your wife literally beats you to within an
inch of your life, and you don't consider it necessary to fight back?"

"If I've had to fight a girl, I've never been able to fight my hardest;
to really put my heart into it.  I just can't.  It's cost me a few fights,
but the only times that I could ever manage to set that aside were
those when someone was threatening Akane - or Ukyou here."

"But what if you were a girl at the time?  Wouldn't you be able to
fight her - or at least defend yourself then?"

"Look.  Just cause I've got this body... this curse, that don't make me
a girl!"  Ranma sighed and shook her head.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean
to snap at you like that.  What I am at the time, be it girl or boy,
really doesn't make any difference.  I was brought up to think that
fighting girls wasn't honourable.

"Besides, Akane is my wife.  I *can't* fight her.  It's wrong to fight
with a person that you love, a lesson that it took me a long time to
learn.  Akane and I used to fight all the time - not with blows, but
with words.  I was too stubborn to tell her how I felt about her, and I
almost lost her several times because of it.  I can not - WILL not take
that chance again.  She is too important to me."

"But stopping her from hitting you... can that really be considered
fighting?" asked Keiko.

"I dunno."  Ranma shuddered.  "I tried it once.  I will never forget the
expression on her face - I've never seen such hate in her eyes, and I
don't *ever* want to see that look on her face again."

"You know, there may come a time when you don't have any choice.
You'll *have* to fight back."

Ranma looked glum.  "Yes, I know.  I'm just praying that it will never
come to that.  If it does, I'll lose her for certain."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that I can't do it."  Ranma sagged and looked away.  "The one
time that I did stop a punch she threw, the only thing that kept her
from breaking her own arms trying to hit me some more was the fact
that she *had* promised to listen to me.  If I had to fight her, she
would not stop until I had hurt her badly.  I would rather die than
do that."  The last was a bare whisper.

After a long moment of silence, Miyuki piped up.  "Well, *I* for one,
have some good news!  My husband is going in for counseling... He's
going to get help at last."

"That *is* great news!  How'd it happen?" Ranma asked, glad for the
change of subject.

"You did it, Ranma!"

"Me?  What'd I do?"

"Well, when I was telling him what you said about his drawings, I
mentioned your name...."  She looked at her guiltily but Ranma just
waved it aside.  Relieved, she continued.  "He said that 'Ranma' was
an odd name for a girl.  I told him you were a boy and that seemed
to surprise him.  He was real thoughtful for rest of day.

"Then, just last week, he told me that he had made an appointment
with a counselor."  Miyuki's tone became apologetic.  "He said that if
a martial arts instructor could go to a support group for help because
his wife was beating him, then he could admit that he needed to get
help too...."

That drew a few snickers from various members of the group.
Ranma turned bright red for a moment, then fought down her
embarrassment.  She even managed a good natured snicker of her
own.  After all, she reflected, the important part was that Miyuki's
husband was going for help.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

Kasumi had made a special dinner.  Ranma's parents had come to
visit, and she was determined that the evening would go well.  She
had already asked Ranma to be on his best behaviour, and Akane as
well.  Still, when the families had gathered around the table a tension
permeated the atmosphere like an electrostatic charge.

Ranma's father was as colourful as ever at the dinner table.  He ate
like a man starved.  Ranma, by contrast,  was quiet, sedate even.
Genma's chop sticks flashed and snagged a morsel from his son's
plate.  Ranma didn't so much as blink - let alone move to stop him.
Again and again Genma stole food from his son's plate, and each theft
attracted no more attention than the last.

Finally, Genma's frustration got the better of him.  "Dammit boy, at
least defend yourself!"  His chopsticks flashed once more towards
Ranma's plate, but he got nothing this time.  Indeed, he only got back
half of each chopstick - they had been sheared neatly in two.  Genma
blinked.  He would have sworn that Ranma never moved.  Indeed, as
far as he could tell, Ranma was still ignoring him.

"Cheeky boy!"  Genma grabbed his son by the front of his shirt and
tossed him out of the house and into the garden pond.

As the surface of the water calmed, Ranma hauled herself out of the
pool, and walked back into the house, pausing briefly at the table to
bow and say, "Please excuse me."  She headed for the bathroom
without another word.

The Tendous and the Saotomes were left to exchange puzzled glances
over the table.  There was a sharp clack as Nodoka slapped her own
chopsticks onto the table.  With a glare for her husband that would
have killed smarter men, she excused herself and followed after her
son.  The rest of the family finished their meal in silence.

##  ***  ##

Nodoka caught up with her quarry in the bathroom.  Coming up
behind the still dripping redhead she asked gently, "Ranma.  What is
wrong?"

Ranma tensed but did not turn to face her parent. "Nothing, Mother."

"Do not lie to me, Ranma.  It is disrespectful.  Is it your father?"

"No.  Nothing like that."

"Then what is it?  I'm your mother.  Surely you can tell me."

Ranma stood, wringing the pond water out of her pigtail as she
considered her answer.  "It's Akane." she said at last.

"I noticed there was some... tension at the dinner table.  She seemed
to me to be angry."

"I imagine that she was.  She's almost always angry now.  I don't
know what to do anymore.  I've tried everything that I can think of,
but I just can't get her to smile."

"You've been fighting with her again, haven't you?"

"No."

"Ranma...."

"No!"  Ranma turned to face her mother, a haunted look in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, mother.  But I haven't been fighting with Akane.  I swear
that I haven't!"

"That makes no sense, son.  Why would she be so angry if you have
not been fighting?"

"I wish I knew," said Ranma miserably.  "Maybe then I could fix it."

##  ***  ##

Nabiki found Kasumi in the kitchen, cleaning up after dinner.  Akane
was in the dojo, Soun and Genma were playing shogi on the veranda,
and Nodoka had gone after Ranma, so the two of them were alone.

"Kasumi - you got a minute?"

"Of course, Nabiki... what can I do for you?"

"It's about Akane and Ranma...."

Kasumi looked sad.  "Yes, I thought that it might be...."

"I'm... worried about Ranma.  Did you see the way he was eating
tonight?"

"I didn't see anything wrong with the way he was eating."

"That's just it!  He was eating properly - his manners were perfect!"

Kasumi blinked.  "And this is a *bad* thing?"

"No, it's just not the Ranma that I know!  It didn't really hit me til I
saw Uncle Genma again, but Ranma hasn't been eating all that much
lately, either.  He used to inhale his food as fast as you could put it in
front of him, but now...."  Nabiki shook her head.  "I can't even
remember the last time I saw him finish the first portion that you
served him."

Kasumi smiled.  "Really, Nabiki, he's just maturing.  Acting more like
a responsible adult."

"Kasumi, he's losing weight, and he looks like hell.  Akane... she just
won't let up on him, and he won't fight her.  She's hitting him harder
and harder, getting angrier and angrier with him, and it's starting to
really scare me."

"Akane will calm down - eventually.  She's a good girl, and she loves
him.  She would never hurt him deliberately."

"'Deliberately' is not the issue!  She drowned him once already - was
that deliberate?  Ranma would have been just as dead."

Kasumi frowned.  "That was an unfortunate incident, but I talked to
her afterwards... she was genuinely sorry that she had hurt him."

"'Sorry' isn't the point either.  The point is that she *did* hurt him -
and badly.  The point is that she is *still* hurting him - just as badly.
She's out of control, Kasumi.  Something has to be done."

"I think that maybe you are overreacting a bit, ne?  Akane listens to
me. if I ask her not to fight with him, she will not."

"But for how long?  You've asked her that before.  Even you can't
keep watch over her all the time.  Don't kid yourself, there's going to
be trouble if something doesn't change soon."

For a time the silence was broken only by the gentle sounds of water
running over recently washed dishes, and the occasional squeak of a
towel on porcelain as Nabiki dried them and handed them to her
sister to put away.  Finally, Kasumi asked, "So you think it is time to
interfere?  What is it that you would have me do?"

Nabiki sighed.  "Honestly?  I have no idea.  But it's just not going to
get any better on its own."

Kasumi paused, and turned to face her younger sister.  "All right.  I'll
take care of it, Nabiki."

"Thanks, sis.  I'd hoped that you might."

Kasumi watched her sister leave, and shook her head sadly.  "I just
wish that I knew what to do," she said to herself.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

"I have a question for you, Ranma."  Keiko sat down as the group was
coming to order.  "Just why is it that Akane can hit you?  I mean, it's
obvious that you have no trouble evading her attacks when you're
sparring - why is it so different when you're not?"

"I guess the main difference is in her anger.  When she's practicing in
the dojo, she can usually keep her temper under better control.  It's
outside of the discipline of the Art that she loses her temper and
something or someone gets hammered.  Usually, it's me."

"Can't you just avoid her attacks, like you've been teaching us?"

"It's not quite that simple, Natsumi.  Akane is also a trained martial
artist.  A good one.  When I *do* come up with an evasion, it doesn't
take her long to develop a counter for it."

"I'd have thought that it'd be easier to evade her if she were so
angry that she lost control." said Makoto.

"Up to a point you'd be right.  When she's that mad her technique
goes straight to hell.  On the other hand, her attacks get faster,
stronger and harder to predict.  To make it worse, the longer I hold
her off, the angrier she gets, and the more vicious her attacks
become."

"And you can't just stop her?"

"When she's in the middle of one of her rages, she *won't* stop.  Not
until *she's* ready.  Physically, I could restrain her, I'd have to hurt
her to do it.  Like I said, I can't do that."

"Okay.  How about another approach.  Just *why* is she so angry?
You wouldn't think that someone could stay mad all the time without
a good reason."

"I really don't know," Ranma said.  "But Akane's been angry as long
as I've known her.  The first day I met her, she flattened me with
the dining room table."

"In God's name, why?" gasped Hikaru.

Ranma looked sheepish.  "That one was definitely my fault.  Akane
was the first to discover that I was a boy - she did so by walking in
on me in the bath.  She'd been expecting to share the bath with
another girl, so you can imagine her surprise.  She ran off screaming."

Several of the gathered women snickered.

"Yes.  Well.  Once I got out of the bath and back into the living room,
it was to find Akane raving about the pervert in the tub.  She was
*not* happy.  It was also the first time that any of the others had
seen me as a male."

"That must have raised an eyebrow or two," agreed Ryouko.

"Oh, it did.  Pop explained the curse to the Tendous, and Akane, who
hated boys anyway, was the one they chose to be my fiancee.  She
liked that even less."

"And so she hit you with the table?"

"Ahh... no.  She stormed on about not wanting to marry a pervert.  It
really was more than I could stand, at the time.  It had been one of
the worst days of my life already, and to have her blaming me for
her own mistake of walking in on me in the bath was more than I
could take.  I said something stupid, and *then* she hit me with the
table."

"What on earth did you say?"

Ranma mumbled something, just barely loud enough for the others to
hear, but not loud enough for them to understand.

"I'm sorry... I didn't quite get that." said Natsumi.

"I said," Ranma took a deep breath, "That Iwouldn'thavebeenspying
onher'causeIwasalreadyabetterlookinggirl...."

There was a moment of silence.  "You're right," said Keiko at last.
"That one *was* your fault."

"You said that Akane hated boys?"  Kyoko looked puzzled.  "Does she
like women instead then?"

Ranma coloured.  "No, not in the way that I think you mean.  Akane
had a person that she was interested in - an older man that she felt
was more mature than the guys her own age."

"I can believe that," said Ryouko.  "But I don't see where that would
explain or even justify the level of violence that she's demonstrated."

"Akane's was violent towards boys before I met her.  Used to be that
you could just say the *word* 'boy' and it would set her off.  She'd
been pounding the stuffing out of them since long before I got to
Nerima.  She used to have to beat up thirty or forty of them every
morning, just to get to school."

"You *are* kidding, right?"

"Nope."

"Exaggerating, just a little?"

"Nope.  Furinkan had more than its fair share of martial artists.  The
leader of the crew was a pompous blowhard by the name of Kunou
Tatewaki.  He wasn't a bad kendoist, he was just a little peculiar.  It
seems to run in the family."

"Gallop, you mean," muttered Ukyou.

"Yah.  Well, Kunou had it bad for Akane, and so he told all the *other*
nuts in the school that if they wanted a date with her, they'd have to
beat her up first.  So, every morning, they'd try.  She'd get mad, and
there would be bodies everywhere."

"I take it then, that no one ever managed to beat her."

"Of those clods?"  Ranma snorted.  "Not likely.  You'd think that they
would have learned after the first two or three tries, but no.  It was a
regular morning ritual."

"Well, I can certainly understand why that might make her angry.
It'd make *me* angry.  But what did that have to do with you?  Did
you ever defeat her?"

"Define 'defeat'," said Ranma.  "I never really fought her.  We sparred
a bit in the dojo on the day we met, but all I did was dodge.  At the
time, of course, it was before I knew anything about Kunou and his
idiot decrees.  I'd just met Akane and she didn't know that I was a
boy.  As I've said, I don't fight girls.  Still, Akane considered it
enough of a 'defeat' to tell me that she was glad that I was a girl.
*That* hurt, I can tell you.  I think that was what made her the
angriest when she found out that I *was* a boy."

"Just when I think that I've heard it all, when things just can't get
any weirder...."

"That was just the beginning.  It took Akane a long time to forgive
me for not being a girl.  Sometimes I don't think that she really has."

Yuriko's tone was thoughtful.  "You know... it sounds to me like your
wife has a real problem with anger.  Controlling it, I mean."

Ranma nodded.  "She still spends an awful lot of the time angry.  I
just wish I knew why.  If I could figure out what it was that I was
doing to make her so mad, then I might be able to do something
about it."

"Maybe it's not you."

"It has to be me.  I'm the only one that she ever really gets mad at
anymore.  I'm *certainly* the only one that she still pounds on."

"That just means that you're the focus for her anger - it might not
mean that you are the *cause* of it."

Ranma looked confused.  "I'm not sure that I understand the
difference, Yuriko."

Yuriko took a deep breath.  "Well, I'm just guessing here - I'm not a
professional, but I think that your wife might be suffering from what
is called a 'rage disorder'.  What you've been describing certainly fits
the patterns."

"A 'rage disorder'?  What's that?"

"Well, basically, a rage disorder is a bio-chemical imbalance that can
cause a person to fly into extreme fits of anger over the least little
provocation.  Sufferers literally can not control their tempers, and
the level of anger that they exhibit is all out of proportion to the
things that set it off."

Ranma's expression grew thoughtful.  "Interesting.  It sounds like
Akane, but I have to admit, I really don't see how that would make
things any better.  It seems to me like it'd actually make things
worse."

"One word, Ranma." said Yuriko.  "Treatable.  Rage disorders are
treatable.  There are a number of names for them, and a number of
causes.  I can bring more detailed information to the next meeting, if
you'd like."

Ranma's eyes went wide.  "Please... I'd be very interested to see
that."

Yuriko smiled.  "What is it you say?  No worries."

##  ***  ##

The walk back to the Ucchan after the meeting and class was
unusually silent.  Finally, Ukyou spoke.  "A yen for your thoughts."

"Hmm?  Oh, I'm sorry, Ucchan.  I was just thinking."

"About what Yuriko was talking about?  About that 'rage disorder'
thing?"

"Yeah.  Do you believe any of that?"

Ukyou considered for a moment.  "I don't know, Ran-chan - I'm no
expert either.  But Yuriko is right about one thing - Akane *does* fit
the profile she was describing."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking too."

"You sound pretty happy about it."

Ranma's tone was upbeat.  "Yeah, I guess I do."

That caught Ukyou by surprise.  "Ran-chan!  Why?!"

"Eh?  Think about it, Ucchan.  If what Yuriko said was true - if Akane
really does have this rage thingie, then there's a *reason* that she's
been this way - and it's *not* my fault!  Even better, she said this
thing was *treatable* - that there was a cure!"  Ukyou could almost
hear the relief in Ranma's voice.

Ukyou had to smile.  This was more like the Ranma that she had
known in the past - optimistic, confident, on top of the world.  Ranma
had hope again, and Ukyou was hopeful that even more major break-
throughs could not be far behind.

There was a laugh in her voice as the approached the Ucchan.  "C'mon
in, Ran-chan.  I'll fix us both a treat."

Ranma grinned.  "Thanks.  I'd like that a lot!"

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

"Ranma, I have a question for you."

Ranma stiffened, forced a smile, and turned to face his wife.  "Sure,
Akane?  What is it?"

"I want to know just what it is that you've been doing every other
Monday night.  You're gone for hours."

Ranma had been dreading this question, but he had a well rehearsed
reply ready.  "I've been asked to teach a basic self-defence course at
the Civic Centre.  It meets every other Monday."

There was nothing in his statement that was untrue, but there was a
lot that he didn't mention.  As long as she asked the right questions,
or didn't ask the wrong ones, Ranma was safe.

"Ah!" said Akane, apparently pleased.  "What are they paying you?"

Right question?  Or wrong question?  Borderline, thought Ranma.  "I,
umm, sorta agreed to teach it for free."

"Free?" asked Akane archly.  "What possessed you to do that?"

"Well, I *had* to.  They needed it - it's a matter of duty."

"But what about your duty to your family?  As a martial arts sensei
your time is valuable too!"

"But Akane!  They *need* the help!"  Ranma thought desperately.
"Think of it as a community relations project.  Besides, some of the
people from this class might come to the dojo for more advanced
training later!"

Akane softened, but was not convinced.  She took a step toward her
husband.  "And just who needs this 'help' so desperately, eh?"

Ranma started to sweat.  This was it.  He could not lie.  "Well, umm,
y'see, there's this group that meets at the Civic Centre.... It's kind of a
support group for battered spouses... and... well...."

Akane's eyes widened.  "You're teaching a self-defence class to abuse
victims?"  Ranma nodded.  "That's wonderful!  I'm so glad that you're
helping all those poor women!  I'm proud of you, Ranma."

Ranma blinked as Akane gave him a quick hug, and turned back
toward the house.  Well, he thought.  That went better than I would
have expected.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

The next Monday night at group, Ranma had just settled into his
chair with a cup of tea and some cookies when Yuriko spoke up.  She
had a number of papers in her lap, and was sorting through them as
she was talking.

"Ranma, I've been doing a little more digging since last meeting.  I
think I've found some things that might help you with Akane."

Ranma almost dropped his tea.  "Really?" he asked.  "Yuriko!  That's
great!  Thank you!"

Yuriko smiled a bit at Ranma's enthusiasm.  "Don't get too worked up
yet, Ranma.  Remember, this is only a guess on my part, and I'm NOT
a pro.  And even if I *am* right, it does not mean that this will be
easy."

Ranma nodded soberly.  That was good advice.  With an effort, he
calmed himself and gave Yuriko his full attention.

Yuriko spent a few moments more shuffling through her stack of
papers before finding the one that she wanted.  "Ahh, here it is...
Intermittent Explosive Disorder, (IEP) is often indicated by several
discrete episodes of failure to resist aggressive impulses that result
in serious assaultive acts or destruction of property.  The degree of
aggressiveness expressed during the episodes is grossly out of
proportion to any of the precipitating psycho-social stressors."

Ranma's eyes were glazing over.  "Huh?" he managed intelligently.

Yuriko grinned.  "It took me a while to sort through all of that too.
Basically, a person who suffers from IED or Rage Disorder becomes
short-tempered and touchy about some subjects.  He will most likely
be angry much of the time.  This is usually generalised anger.  Rage
attacks can be triggered by any number of sources, which vary from
person to person.  The person may also have nightmares."

"Oh," said Ranma.  "That makes more sense.  But... you said that it
was a 'generalised' anger?  Akane is usually only mad at *me*."

"The key word is 'usually'... Rage disorder displays both general and
directed anger.  Rage attacks are almost *always* directed, and can
sometimes even be directed at the patient himself."

"And a 'rage attack' is...?"

"Is just what it sounds like.  A rage attack is similar to a berzerker
rage, but is not consciously initiated by the person.  During a rage
attack, the person has adrenaline-enhanced strength, speed and
stamina and will either not feel pain or will not be bothered by it.
This makes the person almost unstoppable - until he runs out of
steam, at which point he'll feel as though he just ran a triathlon."

Ranma looked thoughtful. "You know... that might just explain
something that's been puzzling me."

"What's that?"

"Well, when Akane and I are sparring in the dojo, she can't touch me.
She's never been able to come close.  But outside of the discipline of
the Art - at those times when she loses that control, she's nailed me
every time.  Mom always said that it was because deep down, I knew
that I deserved it - but now I'm not so sure."

"Yes, that fits." nodded Yuriko.

"So what causes this?" Ranma asked.

"Oh, anything can set them off," said Yuriko.  "Usually, the trigger is
associative, rather than literal - though specific words or actions can
certainly also be triggers."

"No, that's not what I meant," said Ranma.  "What I wanted to know
was, do they know what causes the condition?  What can they do
about it?"

"Ahh.  Well, the short answer is 'no' - they don't really know what
the causes are."  Noting Ranma's crestfallen expression, Yuriko added
quickly, "They know of several potential causes, and all will respond
to various forms of treatment."

Ranma looked up again, hope in his eyes.

"There were two causes listed in the references that I found - One is
genetic - it is incurable, but it IS treatable.  Usually, it accompanies
some other affective disorder - like manic depression, panic disorder
or something like that.  It is also the rarer form by far."

"Ahhh."

"The other is psychological.  Most often, it occurs when a traumatic
event in the past has been suppressed.  The memory is beginning to
resurface, but the subconscious still wants to repress it.  The inner
battle 'spills over' into conscious activity in the form of violent rages
that occur whenever something gets too close to that memory."

"So, what you're saying is that when something starts to remind
them of this 'event', they blow a gasket?"  Ranma considered that.
"But what would it be?  Akane gets mad at me for LOTS of things."

"It doesn't have to be a specific action - it can be a thing, or a person,
or just something about a person.  The triggers are associative."

"Associative?"

"Yes - a sound - a color - an odor; anything that the subconscious
associates with whatever the person is trying to forget.  It can be an
indirect association, too.  Say that event 'A' is the trigger.  Event 'B'
reminds the person of event 'A', so event 'B' becomes an indirect
trigger.  Person 'C' is associated with event 'B', so there is yet another
indirect trigger.  Depending on how deeply nested the events are, it
can be difficult to determine what the root causes really are."

Nodding thoughtfully, Ranma asked, "So how can they treat it, if it's
so hard to find the causes?"

"Well, the genetic varieties are treated with medications.  Usually, a
combination of anti-rage and anti-anxiety drugs will be prescribed.
Other therapy forms, like talk therapy, aren't really very effective,
but can help that patient deal with the effects that their illness has
on others."

"What about the other?"

"They'll most often start with medication to calm the patient down
enough for other methods to take effect.  But the drugs are strictly
short term.  They begin a program of intense psychotherapy to get at
the roots of the problem, and wean the patient off the medications as
that therapy progresses.  Once 'event one' is uncovered, and the
person can resolve the issue, a permanent cure is not uncommon."

Ranma's eyes widened.  "Really?  You mean... that Akane...  Akane
could be happy again?"

"If she *does* have a rage disorder, then yes.  The chances are good."

"But how can I tell?  How do I find out?"

Yuriko looked sympathetic.  "That will be the hard part.  You are
going to have to get professional help.  An experienced counselor
should be able to tell if it is a possibility, but you will have to get her
there."

"Counseling again.  It always comes back to that, doesn't it?"

Yuriko's tone was apologetic.  "Counseling is critical to the diagnostic
process, yes."

"It's not so bad, Ranma," said Kimiko.  "What you're doing now is a
form of counseling.  There's no shame in going to an expert when you
need help.  The hardest part is the admission that you *do* need the
help."

"Ahh," Ranma said, "So if I can get Akane to agree to go... if this *is*
the problem, then there is a treatment, right?  There's hope?"

Yuriko nodded.  "It won't be easy, but yes.  There is hope."  She
passed an envelope to Ranma.  "Here are copies of the articles that I
have on the subject.  Maybe they'll help you."

Ranma took the envelope and smiled at the dark-haired girl.  "Thank
you, Yuriko.  I don't know how yet, but somehow, I'll find a way."

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

Ranma poked his head into the dojo to find Akane sitting against the
wall, resting after her workout.  He studied her carefully for a few
minutes, but could tell little.  At least she wasn't obviously in a bad
mood.  Taking a deep breath, Ranma walked into the training hall.

"Akane?  Have you got a minute?"

Akane looked up at him, her expression unreadable.  "I suppose so.
Was there something that you needed?"

"Yah," said Ranma as he sat down across from her.  "I seem to have a
bit of a problem, and frankly, I need help."

Akane appeared to find that amusing.  "You?  You have a problem?
What sort of problem do *you* have?  Apart from that little matter
involving water, that is."

"This one is a little more serious than that.  You see, I can't seem to
avoid making my wife angry...  I don't know what it is that I'm doing
to provoke her so, but whatever it is, I'd really like to fix it."

"So," Akane's eyes narrowed.  "You're saying that *I'm* your
'problem'?"

"No!  That's not it at all!  I want you to be happy.  I want to see you
smile more." Ranma's tone grew wistful.  "You're so pretty when you
smile.  I miss that.  I figured that if I could stop making you so mad
at me, I might get to see it more often."

Akane glared at her husband.  "Really, Ranma, that's not so hard.  If
you don't want to make me mad, all you have to do is stop doing
stupid things."

"Well, you see, that *is* the problem," said Ranma.  "I don't know just
what it is that I do that's so stupid.  I've tried everything that I can
think of, and honestly, I'm out of ideas.  You won't tell me anything
specific, so what am I supposed to do?"

"It sounds like you're trying to make this my fault somehow...."

"No!  That's not what I'm saying!.  I want... Akane... I want to go for
help."

"Go for help?"

"To a counselor.  Will you come with me?"

"A counselor...." Akane stared at her husband for a long time.  "And
just what good do you expect that to do?"

"I had kind of hoped that someone who was really neutral might be
able to help us find out why you keep getting so angry with me.  I
just can't fix it if I don't know what I'm doing wrong.  And no one
will give me an answer that makes any sense.  I don't know what
else to do!"

"What's happened to you, Ranma?" Akane's voice dripped contempt.
"You used to be a fighter!"

"That's not fair, Akane.  I'll fight the devil himself, but I won't fight
girls, and I sure as hell won't fight my wife!"

"What's the matter?  You think girls are inferior or something?"

"No!  I never said that!  It just isn't right!  Guys shouldn't beat up on
girls!"

"So you DO think that women are inferior!"

"Why do you keep putting words in my mouth?!  Look... all I want is
for us to be happy together!  Is that so terrible?  Can't you see that?"

Akane got to her feet and headed for the door.  She paused on the
threshold, and turned back to face her husband.  "All I see is that one
of the strongest fighters that I've ever known is turning to jelly right
in front of me."

Ranma watched her go and sighed.  Yuriko had been right.  This was
not going to be easy.

##  ***  ##

When Akane came in to go to bed that night, she found Ranma
already asleep.  Ranma was in girl form, curled up tightly, not quite
in a foetal position, but close.  It was as if she were huddled against
the cold, despite the heat of the room.  Every so often, a tremor
would shake her, or a flash of pain would cross her face as she slept.

Looking down at the sleeping girl Akane shook her head.  Ranma had
been sleeping as a girl more and more often lately.  Akane wasn't
sure why, and it bothered her.  She could not remember the last time
that the two of them had cuddled up together as husband and wife.

There was a gap growing between them - a chasm that was getting
more impossible to cross with every passing day.  The worst part of
it was that she had no idea what was causing it.  There was just a
distance between them now.  Perhaps Ranma just no longer found
her attractive.  He didn't hold her like he once did, and the fire that
had burned in his eyes when he looked at her was slowly going out.
And now... now he would not even sleep with her in his natural form.

Akane looked at the chain around the redhead's neck.  She could just
see the glint of the gold band that was Ranma's wedding ring nestled
between the sleeping girl's breasts.  She'd worn that chain ever since
that morning in the ryoukan - when she'd discovered that a ring
sized for her male side was too big for her female body's finger.

Akane wondered if now she just wore it out of habit.  She looked
down at her own ring - the trophy that she had won, a little over
three quarters of a year before.  Was it really hers after all?  Or had
she been fooling herself?  Akane wasn't sure.  And she wasn't sure
that she really wanted to know.

Curling into a ball of her own, Akane cried herself to sleep.

****  ####  ****

"Akane, do you enjoy being angry all the time?"  Ranma was trying
his best to keep his voice neutral.  He had known this wasn't going to
be easy, but he was starting to get frazzled.

"Eh?  What kind of stupid question is that?"

"Is it that stupid a question?  You've been so angry so much lately
that I'm not sure what else to believe anymore."

"Yes, it's a stupid question!  Of course I don't like being angry!  Who
would?"

"Then will you *please* help me to stop doing whatever I'm doing
that upsets you so much?"

"Just what is it you want, Ranma?"

What do I want?" Ranma asked bitterly.  "I want you back!  I want
the Akane that I married, the one who would occasionally smile at
me.  I want the kind and compassionate girl who likes holding hands,
ice cream, romantic movies and walks in the park.  That's what I
want!"

Akane stared at her husband in shock.  "Ranma!  What has gotten
into you?  I haven't changed!  I've just been busy!  I've been going to
school, remember?"

"Yes, I know that, but you *have* changed, Akane."

"No, I haven't!  I'm still the same person that I always was."

"Really?  When was the last time we took a walk together?  When
was the last time we went out for dinner, or even just a movie?  I
know you've been busy, but we used to be able to find the time.
And then you get so angry...."

"I get angry," Akane snarled, "because you keep doing things, and
saying things that *make* me angry."

"It's not the same!  You're starting to scare me, Akane.  Even *you*
didn't get *this* mad all the time!"

"And just what the hell is *that* supposed to mean?"

"It means that I want us to go and get help!  It means that I want us
to see someone that can help us do something about this.  Someone
that can tell us why you are so mad at me all the time!"

"Are you on about that again?  How is it *my* fault?"  Akane grabbed
Ranma by his collar and shook him.

Ranma threw up his arms defensively.  "That's just my point!  It's
*not* your fault.  But we can't go on like this!  I can't...."

Ranma never got a chance to finish his protest as Akane started her
attack.  The last thing that he heard as the cool, sweet darkness of
unconsciousness claimed him was Akane growling, "If it's *not* my
fault then it *must* be *yours*...."

****  ####  ****

Over the next couple of days, Akane started to wonder.  There was
something fishy about Ranma's recent behaviour.  She couldn't help
feeling that it had something to do with the martial arts class that he
was teaching at the Civic Centre.  It must be a damned intensive
class, she thought to herself.  He was gone for *hours* on those
nights.

And now there was all this talk about counselors and anger, and how
much she had changed.  Just where had all that come from?

Something didn't add up.  And just how had Ranma gotten involved
with a group for battered spouses anyway?  This was more going on
than met the eye.  She decided she needed to so some investigating.

Akane placed a call to the Civic Centre.  When the girl answered the
phone, Akane tried her very best to sound scared and upset.

"Nerima Civic Centre - to whom may I direct your call?"

"Umm, Hi.  My friend told me that there was a group for battered
wives that met down there... could you give me a little more
information?"

"Sure!  We have a very good group for battered spouses.  They meet
on the second and the fourth Mondays of each month, at six in the
evening."

"I thought that it was a martial arts class...."

"Oh, *that* starts at eight!  Runs 'til ten.  One of the group members is
the teacher, and he's very good."

"Excuse me... but did you say 'he'?  And that he was a member of the
group?"

"That's right.  To the best of my knowledge, he's the first man that's
ever joined the group, but he's well liked."

"I see.  Doesn't it see odd that a martial arts instructor could be a
battered spouse?"

A laugh.  "You'd think so, wouldn't you?  But, no, I believe it.  He's a
heck of a good fighter, but I don't think that I've ever met a gentler
individual."

"He sounds great."

"He is.  Look, if you want more information, I can give you a phone
number for the group moderator."

"Yes, please."

"Okay.  you ready?  Her name is Takahashi Kimiko...."

Akane pretended to write the name and the number down, thanked
the girl and hung up.  So.  Ranma was a *member* of the group.  Why
would Ranma have joined... and then those pleas to go and see a
counselor....  Akane's eyes snapped wide.  Ranma... Ranma thought of
himself as a battered spouse?!?  Inconceivable!  Akane could feel her
blood beginning to boil.  Worse, Ranma had been telling some crowd
of strangers that she had been abusing him?  And still worse, they
had apparently believed it!

Ranma would never have done that on his own.  He'd never have
been willing to admit that kind of weakness.  Someone had talked
him into it.  There was only one person on the planet who Ranma
talked to that much.  Only one person on the planet that Ranma
considered to be a friend above all others.  Only one person on the
planet who was too stubborn to see that all the trouble was Ranma's
fault.  Kuonji Ukyou.  Damn her, but she was *still* after her
husband!

Akane had just worked her way up to 'seething' when her husband
got home.  Ranma walked into the living room in girl form, and
plopped down in front of the television.  She reached for the remote,
but Akane got it first.

"Hey!  I was gonna watch that."

"Later.  I think that we ought to talk a bit first."

"Okay.  What is it you want to talk about?"  Ranma sounded hopeful.

"I notice that you're a girl at present."

Ranma blinked.  "Yah, it's raining.  So what?"

"You've been spending an awful lot of time as a girl lately."

Ranma shrugged.  "It's the rainy season.  Not much I can do about
that."

"Are you starting to think of yourself as a girl, then?"

"No.  No, I'm not."  Ranma scratched her head, puzzled.  "What are
you on about, anyway?  Is there something bothering you?"

"Of course not!  What would be bothering me?  Why should it upset
me that my *husband* - the great Saotome Ranma - master of the
Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu - thinks that he's a battered spouse?"

Ranma paled.

"Why in the *hell*," yelled Akane, punctuating the word with a
backhanded slap, "would you think that would bother me?"

"oboy" said Ranma in a small voice.

"You must think I'm formidable indeed, to go running off to a group
of women for help!"

Ranma scuttled behind the table.  "Now Akane, calm down... please,
let's talk about this...."

"I AM CALM!" Akane shouted as she batted the table aside.  "But YOU
are gonna be in a world of hurt.  How DARE you say those sorts of
things about me!"

"Akane, please!"  Ranma brought her arms up in a gesture that she
knew would be futile.  Ranma never had a chance.  Plea after plea
was ignored as Akane pressed her attack.  Ranma dodged as best she
could, but there was no match for Akane's fury.  Blow after blow got
through her defences until finally, after a crunch, a squawk and a
splash, silence once more descended like a pall on a little part of
Nerima.

****  ####  ****

Kuonji Ukyou was busily mixing up another pitcher of her special
Okonomiyaki batter when someone walked into her shop.

"Irasshaimase!" she called, as she turned to greet her customer.  The
word died in her throat and the pitcher dropped from her nerveless
fingers at the sight that greeted her.

Ranma was a mess.  Her fiery red hair was matted with blood, her
right eye was blackened - swollen shut, and the whole side of her
face was red and puffy.  Purple and black bruises mottled her
forearms, and she was walking with a pronounced limp.  There was a
large bloodstain soaking into the fabric of her shirt just under her
ribs, and her breath rattled in her throat.  She hobbled painfully up
to the counter and took a seat, wincing sharply as she sat down.

Ranma smiled brokenly at Ukyou.  "Hi, Ucchan...  Do you happen to
have any hot water handy?"

"Omigod... Ran... Ran-chan!" she gasped, when she could find her
voice.  "What *happened*?!"

Ranma made a deprecating gesture.  "It's nothing, really," she said.
"You should see the other guy."

Ukyou scowled as she reached for the kettle.  "Don't lie to me, Ran-
chan.  You know better."  Her expression darkened as she passed the
kettle over the counter.  "Akane did this, didn't she?"

"Now, Ucchan...." Ranma began.

"DIDN'T SHE?" Ukyou repeated, her temper rising.

After a pause, Ranma seemed to fall in on herself.  "Yes," she said
quietly.  Slowly, she raised the kettle over her head, but hesitated
shy of dousing herself.  With a sigh, Ranma returned the kettle to the
counter, still full.

Ranma noticed Ukyou's surprised look.  She shrugged.  "What would
be the point?  I'll just end up in the pond again."

Ukyou shook herself out of her fugue and ducked behind the counter
for her first aid kit.  She came around front and took the seat next to
Ranma.  Rummaging in the kit for a few moments, she produced a
large bottle of antiseptic wash, and some bandages.  Quietly, she set
to work tending Ranma's injuries.

Ranma winced again as the antiseptic stung the abrasions on her
face.  "Ouch!  Dammit, that hurt!"

"Hold still!"  Ukyou chided.  "It's got to feel better than *getting*
them did!"  Ranma grumbled a bit, but complied.  "You know, I really
ought to take you to Tofu-sensei...  This looks pretty bad...."

"I'm telling you, Ucchan, it's nothing, really...  Ouch!"

Half an hour later, Ranma looked a lot better, but she was still pretty
sore.  Ukyou went back behind the counter and cooked up a pair of
her deluxe okonomiyaki and put them on a plate for Ranma.

"Here," she said.  "Eat this... you'll feel a LOT better."

Ranma smiled her thanks, and ate, while Ukyou mopped up the
contents of the pitcher that she had dropped.  Once the mess had
been cleaned up, Ukyou sat down and gave Ranma a long, searching
look.

"Why?" she asked finally.  "I have to know, Ran-chan.  Why?"

"I think it was because I insulted her cooking...  I'm not entirely
sure," said Ranma.

"That is not what I meant, Ran-chan, and you know it."

"I finally asked her about getting counseling.  She... declined."

"I know that Ranma.  That was days ago.  What did she do this for?"

Ranma shrugged.  The movement cost her.  "Dunno - I got home, and
all of a sudden, she was on me about Monday nights - I don't know
what brought it all up - or how she found out I'd been a part of the
group.  But she knew all about it."

Ukyou winced.  "I see that she didn't take it too well."

"No," Ranma grimaced.  "She did not."

"So tell me.  Why do you put up with it?  Why do you let her do this
to you?  Why do you stay with her?"

Ranma's expression was unreadable.  "She's my wife."

"And that gives her the right to... to do *this*?"

"It's not *that* bad."  The red-head sighed heavily.  "Besides... I sort
of have it coming, don't I?"

"What in the HELL do you mean by that?" asked Ukyou in a shocked
tone.

"I deserve it... I *must* deserve it, or Akane wouldn't do it."

"Ranma!  *Nobody* deserves to be treated the way Akane's been
treating you.  There isn't any justification for... for this kind of
abuse!"

"You'd think that I'd have learned my lesson by now, wouldn't you?"
Ranma smiled bitterly.  "But no...  My mouth is still getting me into
trouble.  I guess she has a right to be mad...."

"But to brutalize you?  You *can't* be serious!  Won't you at *least*...."

"I don't fight girls, Ucchan." Ranma voice was gentle.  "You *know*
that."

"Ran-chan, I'm begging you.  Leave her!  Go to China and live with
Shampoo, enter a monastery, join the Foreign Legion, it doesn't
matter; but you have got to get out!  Get away!  Get away while you
still can!"

A new voice spoke up before Ranma could answer.  "Ahh, Ranma!
Here you are!"

Ranma stiffened as the owner of the voice walked in.  "Hello, Nabiki."

"Spending time with Ukyou again.  And conspiring, no less.  Tsk tsk...
You know what Akane will say if she finds out, don't you?"

Ukyou growled in the back of her throat.

Ranma just sounded tired.  "I don't have any money, Nabiki."

Nabiki flinched.  "I'm... sorry, Ranma," she said quietly.  "You *know*
I didn't mean it like that.  She won't hear anything from me."

Ranma turned to study her sister-in-law for a moment before getting
painfully to her feet.  "I guess that I'd better be getting back to the
dojo," she said.  "Thanks for the help, Ucchan."  She turned to leave.

"Ran-chan...."

Ranma paused.

"Please - don't go."

Ranma looked at the floor.  "I have to... she *is* my wife...  I made a
vow."  Ranma turned toward Ukyou and gazed into her eyes.  "Thank
you, Ucchan.  You're a good friend.  We... we can talk more about this
later.  I promise."  After a final glance at Nabiki, Ranma was gone.

Ukyou and Nabiki stood, each lost in their own thoughts, for several
moments after Ranma left.  Finally, Ukyou broke the silence.

"Nabiki...  What will she do to him?"

"When she finds out that she - I mean he - was here?"  Nabiki shook
her head.  "He's in for another beating, I expect."

"Will he defend himself?  Will he fight back?"

"You already know the answer to that."

The counter cracked under the pressure of Ukyou's grip.  "Yes...." she
said at last.  "Yes, I do."

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

Kimiko scanned the group, mentally taking roll of the attendees.
Everyone had arrived, except for Ranma and Ukyou.  There was still
time before the meeting was scheduled to begin, and she expected
them to walk in at any moment.  She walked over to the refreshment
table and selected a pastry and a cup of tea.  Idly she wondered
what Ranma would be teaching them tonight after the meeting.

Kimiko was startled out of her musings by a gasp from Natsumi.
"Kuonji-san!  What *happened*?"

Turning to see what Natsumi had been talking about, Kimiko stopped
in shock.  Kuonji Ukyou looked terrible.  Her hair was mussed, her
eyes were red and puffy, her face streaked with tears.  A tightness
gripped her as she also noticed that Ukyou was alone.

Ukyou shuffled in and collapsed into a chair.  She buried her face in
her hands as silent sobs shook her.  Other members of the group
stood by, feeling helpless.  Kimiko set aside her tea and approached
the crying girl.  Gently she put a hand on Ukyou's shoulder, trying to
comfort her.  "Kuonji-san...  Ukyou...  Where is Ranma?" she asked
softly.

After several abortive attempts, Ukyou drew a shuddering breath
and managed to get herself under control again.  "Hos... hospital...."
she said quietly.  She sniffled a bit and wiped at her eyes.  Miyuki
sat down next to her and offered her a handkerchief which she took
gratefully.

Other members were gradually taking their seats, pulling them into a
circle around Ukyou.  One of them, Ukyou remembered her name as
Misato, handed her a cup of hot tea.  Drawing warmth from the cup,
she took a few deep breaths to calm herself before looking up into a
sea of anxious faces.  "Thank you," she said.

After another few moments of silence, Ukyou started to talk - slowly
at first, but with increasing intensity as her story came pouring out.

"On meeting nights, Ranma always meets me at my shop.  I have an
Okonomiyaki restaurant over near Furinkan.  We talk, I make us a
light supper, and then we come over here.  Tonight... he didn't show
up.

"At first, I thought he was just running late."  Ukyou paused.  "When
I saw him last, he was in his girl form, and he had been very badly
beaten.  I think that a couple of ribs were broken, but he wouldn't let
me take him for treatment.  That was two days ago.

"When he hadn't shown up by our normal dinner time, I was starting
to get worried.  Though my shop is between his home and here, I
decided to go by and see what was keeping him.  I wasn't too happy
with the idea - Akane and I... don't get along."

"I would imagine not," agreed a sympathetic voice from the group.

Ukyou's answering smile was tight. "I got to the dojo, and it was
really quiet.  Finally, I worked up enough nerve to actually announce
myself and ask about Ranma."  Her grim smile faded into a somber
expression.  "Kasumi answered the door, thank God.  She seemed to
be very upset.  When I asked her about Ranma, she said that Ranma
was in hospital - that Akane had gotten mad at him again, and had
beaten him so badly that... that for a minute his heart had stopped....

"She beat him because...." Ukyou fought back the sob that threatened
to overwhelm her; "She had beaten him because she had smelled the
okonomiyaki on his breath.  She almost killed him because he had
been with me."  Ukyou wrung her hands in the handkerchief she had
been given.  "She beat him because of me...." she said again.  This
time she did not fight the tears.

Kimiko felt her own tears threatening to burn their way out of her
eyes.  "Oh, Ukyou... don't do this to yourself.  It wasn't your fault.
You *know* that."

There was a long silence from the assembled women.  The only
sounds in the room were the occasional broken sobs that managed to
break through Ukyou's efforts at control.

Finally, Natsumi asked, "You love him a lot, don't you?"

Not trusting her voice, Ukyou could only nod her head as she cried.

After Ukyou's tears had slowed somewhat,  Kimiko spoke up again.
"Why don't you tell us about it... from the beginning," she said gently.

Ukyou nodded again, and wiped her eyes.  Still sniffling a little, she
began.  "My dad and I traveled a lot, just like Ran-chan and his
father did.  Dad had a yattai; he made most of his living selling
okonomiyaki.  He taught me how to run a business, how to cook, and
how to fight.  He was very devoted.

"I met Ranma when I was five years old.  Both of us had trained in
the Art since the time we were able to walk, and neither of us had
ever really had any close friends before.  For almost two years, we
were inseparable.  It was the longest time that either of us had
stayed in one area, too.

"Finally, shortly before I turned seven, Dad had a chat with Saotome-
san.  He knew how I felt about Ranma, and he told me that he'd fix it
so that Ran-chan and I could be together for ever and ever.  He
offered Genma his yattai as a dowry, so that I could marry Ranma.
Genma accepted."

"You mean... you were *engaged* to Ranma?  But what about Akane?
Wasn't she engaged to him?"

Ukyou's smile was feral.  "That never stopped Saotome-san.  Over
Ranma's lifetime, his father traded him, sold him or engaged him to
lots of people."

"No wonder Ranma dislikes his father so...."

"What happened, then?"

"I woke up the next morning to find that Genma, Ranma, *and* my
dad's yattai were all gone.  I was devastated.  I couldn't believe that
Ran-chan had done that to me.  That he had abandoned me after all
the time we had spent together.  But for ten years, there was little
else that I could believe.

"I spent those ten years training - honing my skills in the Art.  I was
determined that I would have my revenge for what Ranma and his
father had done to me.  I gave up my identity - for all intents and
purposes, the girl that was Kuonji Ukyou died on that day.  I dressed
as a boy, lived as a boy, attended boy's schools.  And I trained."

"My God...." Hikaru gasped... "How *horrible*."

"Finally, after ten long years, I tracked them down.  They had come
here to Nerima, and were living at the Tendou dojo.  I found Genma
fairly quickly, and gave him the first of what would have been many
thrashings.  My revenge was at hand.  And then, it was Ranma's turn.

"But Ranma was glad to see me!  I couldn't understand that... I had
come there to make him pay for abandoning me all those years ago,
and here he was, acting like he was glad to see his long lost friend!

"His father," Ukyou's tone turned bitter, "had never told him that we
were engaged.  He'd just taken Ranma and the yattai, and left me
behind.  Ranma, in all his infinite perception, hadn't even realized
that I was a girl.  It just hadn't been important to him when he was
six.  I was his best friend, and that was all he ever knew.

"When he found out that I was a girl, he told me that I was cute.  I
couldn't hate him anymore.  I tried, but I just couldn't.  He was the
same Ran-chan that I had loved ten years previously, the same Ran-
chan that I still loved."

"And after all of that, you would help him cure her?  Help him keep
her?"

Ukyou shrugged helplessly.  "What else can I do?  I tried to keep him
for myself.  I tried to take him away from her.  I don't really have a
choice.  He loves her."

"Ranma must be pretty special for you to feel that way.  I'm not sure
that I could be so selfless."

"Don't get the wrong idea," Ukyou sniffed.  "If I thought that I could
take Ran-chan away from Akane - if I thought that he would come
with me, I'd do it in a heartbeat.  But I'm honour bound as his friend.
I can't do anything that would hurt him."

"He means that much to you?"  Rei squeaked.

"He does.  Ranma is one of the noblest people that I know, for all that
he can be a jerk at times.  Given his father's record, it's a miracle that
Ranma grew up as well as he did.  But there is nothing that he would
not do, no price he would not pay for love, honour or friendship."

"I can't help but love him...." Ukyou finished in a small voice.

Kimiko sighed.  "You realize, don't you, that the hardest part is still
ahead."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you might *have* to take him away from her after all.
You may have to do what we call an 'intervention'"

"And what is an 'intervention'?"

"You may have to take steps to see to it that Ranma and his wife are
separated until help can be obtained.  Not only will you have to fight
her, you may have to fight him.  You'll have to convince him to come
with you willingly - convince him that things will not get better until
there is some distance involved.  It will NOT be easy.  Can you do
that?"

"I don't know.  Ranma can be very stubborn.  You're right when you
say that it won't be easy."

"We'll help all we can.  But it's you that he trusts.  If it comes to that,
and judging from what you've told us tonight it very well might, you
are going to be the one that can save him."

"I understand."

That night, on the way back to her restaurant, Ukyou had a lot to
think about.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

Ranma woke up, and immediately regretted it.  Pain messages that
had been queued up in his neural network flooded into his brain as
soon as it came back on-line.  There were a lot of them.  Ranma tried
to remember why, but the recent past was a total blank.

After a few moments, Ranma tried to open his eyes.  It took some
time and a lot of blinking for them to adjust to the light.  Even so, it
was too bright to be really comfortable.  As full consciousness
returned, Ranma began to subtly probe his surroundings.

He was in a bed.  His chest felt like it was on fire, and there were
needles in his arm.  The lights were just a touch too harsh to be
pleasing, and there was the god awful stench of antiseptic in the air.
Hospital, Ranma thought.  I'm in hospital.  But why?

A low moan escaped his lips.  His throat was dry and caked like three
day old oatmeal.  He extended a swollen tongue to lick parched lips.
An arm holding a cup with a straw moved into view, and toward his
mouth.  Gratefully, Ranma drank it all.  The cup was withdrawn and
refilled.  Again, Ranma began to inhale the contents.

"Easy... take it easy...." said a voice gently.

Akane.  Ranma choked on the water, his gasp for breath dissolving
into a coughing fit.  Once he could breath again, he choked out his
wife's name.  His voice sounded like sandpaper.

"Oh, Ranma...  I am so sorry...."  Akane's tear-stained face hovered in
the center of his field of vision.  "I didn't mean to hurt you like that.
I swear that I didn't...."

Ranma studied his wife.  She probably means that - now, he thought.
But she's said it before.  And will she still mean it tomorrow?

"Why?" croaked Ranma.  "I was only trying to get help.  I... I just
wanted to see you smile again."

"Oh, Ranma... couldn't you have just come to me and talked?  I would
have listened.  You didn't have to go behind my back like that."

Ranma's head hurt.  She probably believes that too, he thought.  "I'm
sorry, Akane...  I never wanted to hurt you... to make you angry."

"I know, Ranma.  I know."  A pause.  "Ranma?  I don't want you to go
back."

"But... but why?  I like them.  They... if nothing else, they can really
use the training in the Art...."

"Ranma, listen to me.  Someone else can teach them the Art now.  I
don't want you to go back.  Stay home and talk to me instead."

"Why?  I don't understand...."  There was a buzzing in Ranma's ears.

"Because you're embarrassing me!"

The buzzing grew to a roaring, and Ranma could feel himself losing
his grip on consciousness.  "But... but I just wanted... to get some help.
I'm so lost.  I want us to be happy together.  I want it to be the way
it was before... back when you smiled...."  And Ranma fell back into
the blackness.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

It was a lovely day.  The sun was shining, the birds were chirping,
and despite the testimony of the bare trees that spring was still
months away, the air was warm, and the breezes gentle.  All of it was
lost on the young man sitting on a bench in Ueno Park.  He was so
lost in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice the attractive
brunette that sat beside him until she put her hand on his knee.

"Akari!  I'm sorry that I'm late...." he stammered.

The brunette smiled.  "Only two days."  Her expression sobered.  "Tell
me, Ryouga... what's bothering you?  You look so sad... it's like you're
a million miles away."

"Do you remember Saotome Ranma?"

Akari nodded, a delighted smile crossing her features.  "I certainly
do.  If it weren't for him, I might never have found the man of my
dreams."  She patted Ryouga affectionately.

Ryouga nodded.  "Yes, I suppose I do have him to thank for that."

"Is there something wrong with Ranma?  He's okay, isn't he?"

"No, he's not.  He's in the hospital."

"What happened?"

"I'm not entirely sure.  Ukyou didn't have too many details, but she
was sure that it was Akane that was responsible."

"Akane?"  Akari was incredulous.  "You can't seriously believe that."

Ryouga was silent, but that silence spoke volumes.

"You're telling me that Akane... that Akane...."

"Beats the living hell out of Ranma?  Yes.  I suppose that I am."

"But... but... *why*?  Ranma's so nice!"

"At first, she did it because he deserved it.  Now, don't look at me
like that... it's true!  Ranma was always making her miserable.  He
was always teasing her, and while I can't say that he was exactly
chasing other women, he certainly wasn't fighting them off.  It was
no wonder that she would get angry, or that she wouldn't believe
that he cared for her."

"But he does!  Anyone can see it...."

Ryouga nodded miserably.  "Yes... Ranma's fought for her, time and
again.  No matter what the odds, if it was for Akane, he'd fight - and
he'd win.  Every time, he'd win.  And she loves him too.  I know she
does."

"But that doesn't make sense!  Why would she still do that to him if
she loves him?"

"Akane has quite a temper, and Ranma has a knock for setting it off.
But it's never been this bad before.  That's what I can't understand.
Ukyou has to have been imagining things...  That's all there is to it.
Akane would never do that intentionally.  Yes, that's it.  It was all an
accident that got blown out of proportion.  Ukyou has never really
liked Akane that much... she must be overreacting to something
small."

An image drifted through Ryouga's memory - an image from a small
pig's point of view.  Akane beating on Ranma - beating him until his
defenses had collapsed, and then continuing to pound on him without
even slowing down.  With a shudder, Ryouga whispered to himself
again.  "It's just Ukyou's imagination...."  It sounded hollow even to
him.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

A small group of women was gathering in the hallway outside of
Ranma's room in the hospital.  Not everyone from the support group
had been able to get there, but Kimiko was there with Hikaru and
Natsumi in tow, and Rei was there as well.  Keiko and Miyuki were
the last to join the group.

Once everyone had arrived, Kimiko knocked on the door.  The voice
that answered her knock was soft and listless.  "Come in."

Ranma was alone in the room, lying back, and staring at the ceiling.
A half dozen tubes ran from his body to machines on the console
behind his bed.  Most of the lights were green, but there were one or
two yellow, and even one red.

His visitors fanned out around the bed.  Ranma smiled at them, and
tried to sit up.  A grimace crossed his face, and two of the green
lights went yellow, while one of the yellow went red.  The machine
started beeping softly.  Ranma gave up and lay back down, opting
this time to raise the head of the bed.

"Well.  Hello." he said at last.

"Hi, yourself."  Kimiko said gently.  "You missed the last meeting.  We
decided that we'd better check up on you."

Group night!  He'd forgotten all about that.  He tried to sit up again,
earning another electronic fit from the hardware behind him.  "Oh,
damn.  Ukyou!  Is she all right?"  Ranma started to reach for the
tubes in his arm.

Kimiko put a restraining hand on his.  "She's okay, Ranma.  She's
worried about you of course, but she's okay."

Ranma fell back onto his pillow and sighed.  "Thank heavens for that.
I was afraid that she might have had... problems.  So.  What news of
the group?  I'm sorry that I missed my class...."

"Take your time and get well, Ranma.  We want you back whole.  I
think that Miyuki has some news for you though."

Ranma looked at the brunette expectantly.  Miyuki smiled back at
him.  "You remember that you said Tochiro ought to try and publish
his story?"  Ranma nodded.  "Well, he sent it off to Shogikukan.  They
bought it.  It'll be published in about a month.  He asked me to thank
you."

"Miyuki!  That's great news!"  Ranma grinned.  "I'll look forward to
reading it!"

"I'll be sure to bring you a copy," Miyuki sniffed.

There was a pause.  "My God, man.  What did she do to you?"

Noting the worry in her expression, Ranma tried to reassure her.
"It's nothing too bad, really.  I'll be up and around again in no time."

"Nothing?" asked Natsumi.  She had been reading the chart at the
foot of the bed.  "According to this, she damn near killed you!"  She
tapped the clipboard in her hand for emphasis.

"I'm a little harder to kill than that."

Keiko snapped.  "That's exactly the kind of macho crap that I'd expect
from a man!"  She brushed a tear out of her eye.  "Dammit, Ranma,
this is no joking matter."

A nurse leaned into the room.  "I'm sorry, but visiting hours will be
over in a few minutes.  You can come back tomorrow, if you like."

"Thank you nurse.  We'll be going in a minute." said Kimiko.  The
nurse nodded and left.  Kimiko turned back to Ranma.  "We'll be back
to visit as we can, Ranma.  If there's anything that we can do for you,
you *will* let us know.  Right?"

Ranma nodded meekly.  "Yes ma'am.  Thank you.  All of you."

The group started filing out of the room, but Rei and Keiko held back.
Rei approached Ranma hesitantly, but determinedly.  She placed a
small vase on the table.  In the vase was a single, perfect, blue rose.
"Please get better soon," she said in her usual whisper.  "We miss
you."  She was gone before Ranma had a chance to thank her.

A voice drifted into the room from the corridor.  "C'mon, Keiko!"

"Just a minute!" Keiko called back.  She turned her attention back to
Ranma.  "I meant what I said, Ranma.  This is too much.  You *must*
consider leaving her."

Ranma sighed.  "And what about you?  Are you going to leave *your*
husband then?"

"Yes."  Keiko's voice was little more than a whisper.  "I'm afraid that
I'm going to have to."

Ranma was at a loss for words.  "I'm sorry...." was the best that he
could manage.

"Don't be.  Sometimes it's just the way it works out.  If I don't... If I
don't leave him, then I'll end up here.  Or worse.  I don't want to see
that happen to you either."

"But I love Akane... I can't just... just leave her."

Anger flashed through Keiko's brown eyes.  "Dammit, don't you think
that I love my husband?  If I didn't, I'd have left a long time ago!  I
don't *want* to leave him, but I *have* to!"

Ranma sighed ruefully.  "I'm sorry, Keiko.  I seem to have a knack for
insulting you.  I didn't mean...."

"I know that, Ranma.  But you can't help her if she doesn't want to be
helped.  Staying with her is not going to make things better.  I love
my husband too.  But he won't get help.  He won't even admit that
there's a problem.  I can't keep on that way.  I just can't."

"I wish I could help...." Ranma started to say.

"Oh, Ranma.  You *have* helped me... helped all of us, more than
you'll ever know.  Just let us help you.  At least consider what I've
said.  Please?"

Ranma nodded.  "Thank you, Keiko... I... I will."

Keiko left Ranma alone in his room with a thoughtful expression on
his face.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

When Ranma was allowed to go home from the hospital, he was put
on strict orders to rest, for at least two weeks.  Ideally, he was to
stay in bed for as much of that first week as possible.  Kasumi took it
upon herself to see to it that Ranma *obeyed* those orders.  To her
immense relief, Ranma did not seem inclined to argue the point.

He slept fitfully - alternating between periods of violent dreamstate,
and periods of relative calm.  The dreams must have been horrible...
his tossing and turning punctuated with strangled cries; "Akane, no...
don't... please...  I love you Akane...  why?  my fault...."

Finally, Ranma's whimpers would fade into silence, and he would
drift into a deeper sleep once more.

Sitting by Ranma's bedside, Kasumi lost herself in thought.  Ranma
was sleeping quietly again - a good thing - he needed most of his
energy to heal.  Even for someone so naturally resilient as Ranma, his
injuries had been severe.  Kasumi was still having trouble accepting
the fact that it had been Akane that had done this to him.

Kasumi looked down.  There was an uncomfortable silence that hung
in the air while she tried to find the words - the words that would
make it all better - the words that would bend reality to her will,
and restore peace to her home.  That peace had been shattered when
Ranma and his father had come there to live.

No.  That was not fair.  The peace that had preceded their arrival had
been little more than an illusion - a cloak that had hidden a much
darker reality.  Since their mother's death - Nabiki's cold aloofness,
her own oblivious acceptance, and Akane's anger and drive to fight.
These were real - these were what were surfacing again now.

Ranma had served simply as a catalyst - for every fight that he won
against impossible odds, Akane remembered the *one* that she had
lost - the most important fight that she had ever known.

She hadn't known what she was fighting, or how to fight it.  She had
been all of six years old.  She had expected the shadow that came to
steal her mother would be like another person - and that if she were
there - if she were ready - she could defeat the shadow and save her
mother.

But the shadow had come in the dead of night.  While Akane slept,
her tear-stained face buried in a pillow at her mother's bedside, the
shadow had stolen her mother's life.

It had taken the family months to convince Akane that it had not
been her fault - that there was nothing that she could have done, no
way she could have fought the demon that had torn her family apart.
There were times when Kasumi was not so sure that they ever *had*
convinced Akane...

Akane had recovered eventually.  At least on the surface, she was a
normal schoolgirl - but she had become obsessed with the Art - with
learning to fight better - beneath that surface there seethed a mass
of raw emotion of tremendous power.  Even Kasumi had not truly
suspected its intensity until Ranma had come into their lives, and
had broken through Akane's armour - and while it had let him in to
her heart, it had also let the turmoil out.

Kasumi looked sadly at her sleeping charge again.  "You've certainly
gotten through to her, Ranma-kun...." she said softly, "but at what
price?"  Gently, Kasumi changed the damp cloth that she had draped
over Ranma's forehead.  Once she was satisfied that Ranma was still
sleeping peacefully, she settled back against the cabinets to rest, and
to think.  The tears left silver trails along her face in the darkness as
she wept.

****  ####  ****

Ranma awoke to the feeling that something was wrong.  The ceiling
looked wrong.  This wasn't his room.  Then he remembered.  It had
been his room.  His and his father's.  But what was he doing here
now?  He tried to move, and the flash of pain that brought returned
the rest of his memory as well.  He had been in hospital.  He had
been there because....

Ranma tried to sit up, and a groan escaped him.

"Don't move." said a voice.  "You'll have to take that slowly for a few
days."

Ranma lay back on the futon and sighed.  Kasumi leaned over him,
and started to help him into a sitting position.  Where had she come
from, Ranma wondered.  She looks like she's been crying.

"Thanks, Kasumi," said Ranma, once he was sitting up.  "What's the
matter?  Why have you been crying?"

"It's nothing," Kasumi said with a smile.  It looked forced to Ranma.

"C'mon, Kasumi.  Whatever it was, I'm sorry."

Kasumi's voice caught in her throat.  "Oh, no, Ranma.  It's nothing like
that.  I'm very proud of you."

That caught Ranma by surprise.  "You are?  Whatever for?"

"For trying to get help.  For trying to help Akane.  For loving her
enough to do all of that."

Ranma sighed in resignation.  When he spoke, his tone was almost
bitter.  "It's not like it did any good, though is it?  Akane doesn't love
me.  I've been deluding myself, and making her miserable in the
process."

"Oh, Ranma... yes she does.  She loves you...  She just can't, or won't
control her temper.  Since you're closest to her, you get the worst of
it."

There was a long silence.  Finally, Ranma asked in a small voice.  "Are
you saying that I should leave Akane too?"

"I don't know.  You love her so much - enough to do all that you've
done - and she loves you.  I know she does.  But I don't know if it's
enough.  I don't want to see either of you get hurt anymore."

Ranma winced as he shifted position.  "It's okay, Kasumi.  Really, it is.
I just wish that I knew what I could do to help her."

"It took a lot of courage for you to go to those meetings at the Civic
Centre.  That was a good start."

"It might have been better if it had worked," said Ranma tiredly.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

The next couple of weeks were hard ones.  Akane was keeping a
closer watch on her husband, but he still managed to get a little time
to himself.  Whenever he was able, he spent that time with Ucchan.

Ukyou was worried too.  Ranma had basically given up.  He'd refused
to go back to the help group.  When she'd asked, he'd said that he
wasn't quite up to teaching his class again.  That much was probably
true.  Ranma was healing fast, but he was still a little too stiff to
teach effectively.

Then Ukyou asked him why he wouldn't go back to the regular
meetings, and he'd just said that he wouldn't feel right about it when
he couldn't contribute anything to help.  Nothing she could say would
convince him that he had contributed in other ways as well.  It
frustrated her to see him closing himself off like this, but there was
little that she could do.  She could not afford to drive him away too.

When Akane found out that Ranma had been to the Ucchan, he would
usually follow up with a visit to Tofu's clinic.  Tofu, too, was alarmed
at Ranma's state, but had no more luck getting him to do something
about it than Ukyou had.

Ranma had more or less resigned himself to the inevitability of losing
Akane.  He didn't want to lose her - he loved her so much that he
was not sure that he could live without her.  But he still had no idea
how to get her to let go of her anger.  Everything he tried had only
served to make the problem worse, and so, he quit trying.

Kasumi and Nabiki were both trying to keep a closer eye on their
younger sister, and would manage to walk in at awkward moments,
when Akane was really starting to lose control.  If their presence
couldn't calm her, it at least had the effect of giving her a boost in
the control of her temper.  As a result, Ranma escaped the more
severe beatings.

An anticipation hung over the neighbourhood like the calm before
the storm.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

Ryouga rang the bell at the Tendou home, and stood fidgeting while
he waited for someone to come to the door.  Akane answered.

"Hi!  Come on in, Ryouga.  It's so good to see you again!"

"Ahh, no, thanks Akane-san.  I'm afraid that I can only stay for a
moment."  Ryouga stammered, one hand behind his head.  He looked
acutely embarrassed.  "I just wanted to talk to Ranma for a second, if
it's okay with you."

"Sure!" said Akane brightly.  "I'll go get him for you!"

"Doumo...."

Akane disappeared into the house once more, but Ryouga could hear
her clearly.  "Ranma!"  Ryouga's here to see you!"  Ryouga cringed a
bit at the sharpness of her voice.

After a few moments, Ranma came down the hallway towards the
door.  As he approached, Ryouga could hear Akane's harsh whisper
in the background.  "...and *behave* yourself.  I don't want you
picking on poor Ryouga anymore!"  Ranma looked annoyed, but said
nothing.  As he got closer to the door, Akane raised her voice once
more and called after him, "Remember, Ranma, dinner will be ready
in half an hour!"  Ranma shuddered as he walked out the door.

Ryouga looked Ranma over carefully... Ukyou had been right.  The
signs of his injuries were obvious to anyone who knew what to look
for; in place of his normal fluid grace there was a stiffness to his
posture that spoke volumes.  Ryouga was dismayed to note that
Ranma was still wearing his sleeves long as well.

"Hey, Ryouga!"  Ranma looked genuinely pleased to see his former
rival.  "How's it going?"

"Well enough, thanks."  Ryouga answered.  "I dropped by to say
good-bye.  I'm going on another trip, and I don't know how long it'll
be before I make it back here."

"Sure you won't stay for dinner?" asked Ranma hopefully.

Ryouga flashed him a dark look that faded quickly into a smile.  "I'm
sorry," he said sheepishly.  "I already have plans...."

Ranma looked past his visitor into the courtyard.  There was an
attractive brunette standing by the gate, waiting patiently.  Her
white blouse, plaid skirt and warm smile were unmistakable.
Unryuu Akari.

Ranma grinned.  "You sly dog!"  Then his expression sobered.  "I hope
that you two will be very happy together."

"Thanks."  Ryouga was still grinning.  "I think...  I think that we will."

Ranma waved to Akari before he turned his attention back to his old
friend.  "Have a good trip, Ryouga.  Don't wait *too* long before you
visit again."  Ranma started back into the house, but Ryouga gripped
his arm before he could move.

Ranma flinched almost imperceptibly, and looked at him curiously.
"Was there something else?"

Ryouga peered down the hallway, as if to assure himself that there
was no one else there.  When he spoke, his voice was almost a
whisper, but he startled Ranma with its intensity.

"Ranma...  look.  I know it's none of my business, but...."

Ranma tensed.  "You're right.  It isn't."

"Dammit, Ranma, I'm your friend.  I'm... concerned."

"You know, a year ago, you'd never have said that.  You'd still be
trying to rip my head off for mistreating Akane."

Ryouga nodded, but did not relax his grip.  "Things change, Ranma.  It
took a while, but I finally learned that.  Ranma... please...  get some
help before it's too late."

Ranma was silent for a long time.  Ryouga was not sure what to
expect; he was prepared for Ranma to fly into a rage, to attack him
even.  Instead, Ranma's reply was so quiet that Ryouga almost
missed it.

"I... I tried that already," he said softly.

Ryouga was surprised.  "You did?  What happened?  How did it go?"
he asked.

Ranma's smile was lopsided.  "Not *too* badly... I was only in hospital
for a week."

Ryouga winced.  "Ranma... you know how much I respect Akane... you
know that I would never suggest anything that would hurt her...  but
you have to get away, Ranma.  This isn't healthy.  Please."

Ranma studied his friend's expression.  There was no hostility there,
only concern.  "And where would I go?" he asked, shaking his head.

"Go?  Anywhere!  Come with us!  There are one or two techniques of
yours that I really want to learn."

Ranma smiled a little sadly and said, "Thank you, Ryouga... that
means a lot to me.  But I can't leave her.  I made a vow.  I have to
stay."

Ryouga looked at the ground for a moment then back up into
Ranma's eyes.  "If...." he began.  "If you change your mind,  Akari and
I will be in the kissaten at the corner from eight until ten tonight.
Meet us there."

"I can't.  I'm sorry."

Ryouga released his grip on Ranma's wrist and turned to go.  "We'll
wait for you...  'til ten o'clock," he said simply.  He and Akari walked
out of the compound, arm in arm.  Ranma smiled wistfully to himself
as he watched them go.

As they cleared the gates, Akari squeezed Ryouga's hand.  "Do you
think he'll come?" she asked.

Ryouga took a deep breath and looked back at the porch, where
Ranma was still standing.  "No, Akari-chan...." he said sadly.  "No, I
don't think that he will."

##  ***  ##

Ranma walked back into the house, and into the dining room.  Akane
was just setting the dinner things on the table.  Ranma shuddered; he
hated it when Kasumi was away.

"So, what did Ryouga want?"

"He just stopped by to say good-bye.  He's going on a training trip -
he and Akari are going together."

"Oh, how sweet!"

Akane set trays of food on the table.  Ranma was gratified to see that
she had cooked curry.  Akane's chicken curry was nothing to write
home about, but it was actually edible.  Ranma tried not to let his
show of relief be too obvious.

Ranma kept thinking back to Ryouga and Akari as they walked arm
in arm away from the dojo.  They had looked so happy together.  He
looked over at Akane, and found himself wishing that they could
walk like that.

Akane caught him looking at her.  "What's the matter with you?
Isn't your dinner good enough?"

"Dinner's very good," Ranma said.  "I was just thinking about Ryouga
and Akari.  It was nice... they looked so happy together.  You should
have seen the two of them."

Akane nodded her head.  "That's good," she said.  "I'm glad that
Ryouga finally found someone.  He was always so lonely.  And he's
such a sweet guy.  He deserves a girl like Akari."

"You know... there was once a time when *we* were like that...."

"What is it that you want. Ranma?"

"I... nothing."  Ranma's shoulders sagged in defeat.  "It's... it's just that
it's been so long since we really did anything together.  Even a simple
thing like taking a walk."

"So what's your point?"

"I was just wondering if... I mean... would you like to join me for a
walk after dinner?"

"Ranma, it's winter.  It'll be cold out."

"It's not that cold.  And the sky is clear.  We could go down to the
river and look up at the stars."

"I have a morning class tomorrow, Ranma.  I have work to do.  I
don't have time to waste walking around in the cold with you."

Ranma stared into his bowl, but he didn't see it.  There was a loud
snap as Ranma's chopsticks snapped in his clenched fist.  He looked
up at his wife, and in a hoarse voice, he asked, "Akane... do you love
me?"

"What kind of question is that?  I'm your wife, ne?"

"It's an important one.  Please.  Do you love me?"

Akane stared at Ranma in silence, trying to find words.

"You can't say it, can you?  In all the time that I've lived here - in all
the time that we've been married - I've never heard you say it."

"Ranma...."

"There was a time that I thought you might... when we got married.
You *did* marry me after all.  And we had some good times together.
We squabbled less... things were starting to get so much better...."

Ranma looked up, and there were tears in his eyes.  He was making
no effort to stop them, weeping openly.  Akane was shocked.  "Ran...
Ranma... are you *crying*?"

"But it was all in my mind, wasn't it?  You *can't* say it because it
isn't true."  He choked back a sob.  "Why?  Why didn't you say
something?  You could have been free.  You didn't have to do what
your father wanted, if it was going to make you so unhappy!"

Ranma pushed back his dinner tray and got shakily to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Akane asked.  "You've barely touched your
dinner!"

"I'm not really very hungry right now," Ranma said.  "I'm gonna go
get some air."

"But it's curry!"

"I know.  I'll eat it later, okay?"  Ranma walked out of the dining
room and down the hall.  Akane heard him put on his shoes, and
then open the front door.  With a final click of the latch, he was gone.

****  ####  ****

"I might have known that I'd find you here."  Akane's voice was ice.

Ranma froze, his okonomiyaki halfway to his mouth as the hairs on
the back of his neck started to rise.  With an effort, Ranma calmed
himself and turned to face his wife.

Akane stood in the doorway of the Ucchan, her face a dark mask.
"And just what do you think you're doing here?" she snarled.

Ranma blinked.  "Ahhhh... having lunch?"

Akane started forward, intent on letting Ranma know just what she
thought of his wise-ass responses, when a motion caught her
attention from the corner of her eye.  She stopped, and looking over
towards Ukyou, noticed that the okonomiyaki cook had casually
slipped out a couple of her small throwing spatulas.  Ukyou smiled
sweetly at her and shook her head.

"Oh, no.  Not in here you don't."

Akane glowered at her but made no further moves towards Ranma.
Trembling with barely suppressed fury, Akane turned back towards
her husband.  "Go home," she growled at him through clenched teeth.
"I'll deal with you when I get back."

"But Akane...."

"I said GO!"

Ranma gulped and looked towards Ukyou.

"Maybe you'd better go, Ran-chan,"  Ukyou's gaze never left Akane.

"But...."

"It'll be okay, Ranma.  Your wife and I have some things to... discuss."

Reluctantly, Ranma headed for the door.  He started to turn back, but
a glare from Akane stilled him.  Ukyou gave him a reassuring look
from behind Akane's back.  After a moment's consideration, Ranma
surrendered to the inevitable and left the little restaurant.

When Ranma had gone, Akane glared angrily at Ukyou.  "Just what is
it that you've done to him?" she hissed.

The question took Ukyou by surprise.  "Done to him?  Done to
whom?"

"What have you done to Ranma!?  He was crying at dinner last night!
*HE* was crying!"

Ukyou stared at Akane incredulously.  "And you think... You think
that *I* did something to him?"

"You must have done.  The Ranma that *I* married would *never*
have cried!  He was strong!  He was a fighter!  Being around you has
made him weak - taken the fight out of him!"

Ukyou had held her tongue for Ranma's sake.  She had gone out of
her way to be civil - had said nothing that Akane might construe as
hostile - while all the time watching the Tendou woman destroy the
man she loved.

But now; now there was no reason to hold back.  Now, Akane HAD to
be made to see what she had been doing to Ranma, she HAD to be
made to understand.  Ukyou's temper flared and the full force of her
frustration and agony burst forth.

"Are you really that blind?  That stupid?  Can't you see how much he
loves you?  Do you have even the faintest idea of how much you're
hurting him?  You're tearing him apart, and you don't even care!"

Akane whirled on the okonomiyaki cook, her eyes blazing.  "And just
what would *you* know about that?"

"What would I know?"  Ukyou almost laughed.  "I know everything!
When Ran-chan talks, *I* listen!  And when he doesn't, I see!"

"Really...." Akane's voice was sharp.

"Really."  Ukyou shot back.  "I know that he loves you, though I'll be
damned if I can figure out why.  The way you abuse him is criminal;
you *know* that he won't fight you - that he *can't* fight you - and
still you beat him without mercy."

Akane started to retort, but Ukyou cut her off.

"You never listen to him, either.  You just assume the worst and start
in on him again - you never give him a chance to explain anything!
You act on the first thought that pops into that empty head of yours,
and it's Ranma that pays the price for your impatience!"

"If that's all...." Akane started.

"Oh, I'm not finished yet.  I'm just getting warmed up!  You're so
bloody primitive that the only way that you can think of to deal with
a problem is to hit it.  You hit Ranma all the time; does it make you
feel better?  Does it solve your problems?  It would never occur to
you to use *reason* would it?

"If that weren't bad enough, when you find out that you were wrong,
what do you do?  Do you apologize?  Of course not!  You beat the hell
out of him *again* because *you* didn't believe him the first time!"

Akane was smouldering.  "Now *look* here...."

"I don't know if you're brain damaged, or stupid, or what.  You do the
same thing all the time, over and over again.  Don't you ever *learn*?
Does it never occur to you that he might be telling you the truth?  Do
you *ever* give him the benefit of the doubt before you pound him?

"He worships you like some kind of goddess, but you don't seem to
care.  Feh.  If that is the kind of love to which Ranma is doomed, then
it would have been a kindness for his mother to have made him
commit seppuku."

"Are you *quite* finished?" Akane asked, her voice dripping acid.

"I've said my piece."

"Then hear this.  Stay away from my husband.  He chose ME.  He's
MINE.  He's none of your concern.  I don't want you anywhere *near*
him, do you understand me?"

Ukyou stared hard at Akane before answering.  "Ranma is my friend.
I will NOT abandon him.  When HE tells me to stay away, then I will.
Until that time comes, I intend to be here for him no matter what."

Akane stood, fists clenching in fury, jaw tight.  Ukyou returned the
stare with a maddening calm.  Finally, Akane spun on her heel and
stalked toward the door.

Not this time, Ukyou thought.  "Akane!"  Akane froze, still facing the
door.  "Don't hurt him anymore.  If you want to keep him, let him
know that you love him.  If you hurt him again, you are going to
regret it.  I promise you that.  By all that's holy, I swear it."

Her back rigid, trembling in rage, Akane stomped out of the shop
without looking back.  Ukyou watched her go.  There was going to be
trouble.  She could feel it.  "At least she used the door this time,"
Ukyou muttered to no one in particular.

##  ***  ##

Akane was livid.  How dare that tart speak to her like that!  After all
the trouble that she had caused - after all the time she had spent
trying to take Ranma away from her, and here she was threatening
to do so again.  Telling Akane how she ought to be treating her own
husband!  What would Ukyou know about husbands?  SHE had never
gotten one!

Of course, Akane fumed quietly, the one she's after is mine.  That...
that tramp would never be happy until she had taken Ranma for
herself.  And Ranma, damn him, was either too stupid to see it, or
was actually going along with it.

After all, it had been Ukyou that had dragged Ranma to those
meetings.  It had been Ukyou that had started to poison Ranma
against her.  It had been Ukyou that had convinced Ranma that he
had a problem - that there was something wrong with his marriage.
Everything had been *fine* until Ukyou had started her meddling.

Now everything was in a frightful mess.  Ukyou had just challenged
her - challenged her right in front of Ranma - and here she was,
running home, with her tail tucked between her legs, just like some
stray dog.  Why hadn't she fought?  Why had she let Ukyou say those
things to her - about her - without fighting back?

Because she has that spatula, Akane told herself.  Because Ukyou
doesn't fight unarmed.  But even if she'd had her katana, she didn't
think that she'd have been able to defeat Ukyou.  Ukyou was damned
*good* with those spatulas of hers, and Akane simply didn't have
Ranma's speed.

Besides - there was a quiet little voice in the back of her mind that
was telling her that maybe, just maybe, Ukyou was right.  She told
the voice to shut up, but still it kept nagging at her.  Remember?
asked the voice.  Do you remember when Ranma looked at you and
all you could see was the love in his eyes?  What do you see when he
looks at you now?  Do you see the fear there?  Do you see the pain?
Does it make you feel good to see that?

Shut up! Akane snarled at the voice.  What do you know?

I know, the voice retorted, that you're losing your husband.  With
every punch, with every tantrum you throw, you are driving him
further away from you.  I know that if you don't fix things soon, you
*will* lose him, just like you've lost everything else in your life - just
like you lost your...

"SHUT UP!" Akane screamed.

You're wrong, Akane told the silent voice.  I am not losing Ranma.

Aren't you?  When was the last time you went out together?  When
was the last time that the two of you just sat and talked?  When was
the last time that you did anything but fight with him?  When...

"Last night!" Akane retorted triumphantly.  "He asked me to go for a
walk with him just last night!"

Did you go? the voice asked her.  A pause.  Thought not.  You're
driving him away... and there comes a point when even Ranma will
give up.

"Enough!  I'm the one that Ranma chose!  Ranma still loves me!"

Really?  Why should he love you?  What have you got to offer him?
Face it sweetheart, you're a mediocre martial artist at best, you can't
boil water right, and even dressed as a boy, Ukyou is prettier and
more feminine than you.

Akane snarled again and picked up her pace in a vain attempt to
leave that annoying little voice behind.

Halfway home it hit her.  Ukyou had challenged her - *and Ranma
had not moved to defend her*.  It was true.  She WAS losing Ranma.
And it was all Ukyou's fault.  Ukyou's and Ranma's.  The more Akane
thought about it, the angrier she got.

****  ####  ****

Later that afternoon, Ranma stood behind the dojo, facing a practice
target.  A featureless concrete monolith, the target nevertheless
seemed to Ranma to be staring back, almost as if it were mocking
him.  With exaggerated deliberation, Ranma began a kata that helped
him focus his energy - that helped him channel his Chi.

Ranma closed his eyes as he felt the energies building - gathering -
concentrating.  He faltered for a second as the charge accumulated,
distracted by the pain from his bruised forearms.  Angrily forcing
the pain aside, he resumed the exercise.  The flow reached its peak,
and extending his arms toward the target, Ranma initiated the
release.

"Mouko Takabisha!" he cried, as the bolt crossed the space between
him and the monolith.

The discharging energy splashed harmlessly over the surface of the
concrete, dissipating into nothingness.  Ranma swore in disgust.  If
there had been a fly on the target, it would still be there.  This was
never going to do.

Closing his eyes again, Ranma started over.  Once more he began to
gather his strength, building it, storing it like a giant capacitor until
he would release it all in one concentrated burst.  He drew strength
from all of the positive things he could think of - Ukyou's loyal
friendship, memories of the times when Akane still smiled, the way
his heart had soared when she had laughed, how achingly beautiful
she had been in her wedding dress - the joy he had felt when she
had touched his face after the battle at Jyusendou...

As the energy peaked, Ranma threw out his arms and again his cry
of 'Mouko Takabisha' rang out.  This time, the blast was stronger -
the outpouring of Chi struck the target - and did nothing.  At best, he
could see some minor pitting on the concrete surface.

Ranma stared at the target, as if willing it to show more damage.  His
best attack - his most powerful technique - had done little more than
scratch its surface.  Ranma just couldn't understand.  What was
wrong?  There should be a hole there - big enough to crawl into.

Ranma looked down at his hands.  He was supposed to be the heir to
the Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu... but if this was the best that he could do,
then he didn't deserve that either.  Ranma's fists clenched as the
frustration tore his soul.  Again he had failed.  Like everything else
he had tried over the past two years, he had failed.

He had failed to find a cure for the curse that plagued him.  He had
never been able to become whole again; never managed to reclaim
his manhood.  Every attempt at ridding himself of the curse had met
with failure - had ended in disaster.

He had failed his mother and in his promises to her.  He was not the
manly son that she had so wanted.  His strength, his determination,
his skills - had all been inadequate.  He had failed her again with his
inability to appease the wrath of his wife.  Still she hammered him
for flaws that he had been unable to correct, no matter how hard he
had tried.  In truth, he was not even sure what they were.

He had failed Akane too.  In everything that mattered, he had fallen
short.  He could not lie to her, but he had never won her trust.  She
had no faith in him; in his fidelity, or in his love for her.  He had
failed to make her happy - he could no longer make her smile.  The
only emotions that she would share with him were frustration,
jealousy and rage.  He had failed to live up to her desires or her
expectations.  He could do nothing to please her.  He had failed to
give her the help, the support or the understanding that she needed.
A scream tore itself from his throat.

Dark energies coursed through Ranma - bitterness, anger, frustration,
depression and despair.  In his mind's eye, everything he touched
turned to ash and was swept away by the winds - gone, as though it
had never existed.  The mother he had never really had the chance
to know - the childhood he had never had - the friendships that he
had never built - the loss of his manhood and the disintegration of
his marriage; through it all, he had still had the Art.  Today even that
had deserted him.

Today his failure was complete.

Reflexively, Ranma's hands extended toward the practice target.  His
eyes closed, and he cried out.  "SHI SHI HOUKOU DAAAN!"

The discharge of energies tore through Ranma like lightning, setting
his nerves on fire.  Every cell in his body felt as if it were aflame as
the blast leaped from him to the target, and beyond.  A wall of sound
rushed back past Ranma as the raw Chi energy ripped matter apart,
reducing it to its simplest components.

Drained, Ranma sagged, oblivious to his surroundings, and the subtle
alterations that had just been made to the local topology.

The practice target, thirty cubic meters of steel reinforced concrete,
had ceased to exist.  So had a tree, a four meter section of the
compound wall, the ashcans that had been behind it, and a major
portion of the sidewalk and street beyond.  A trench, meters deep,
was all that was left of the intersection.  Cold water fountained into
the air from a ruptured main, raining down on the courtyard where
Ranma stood, drenching him, and triggering the inevitable shift.

Ranma was blind to it all.  Looking down at herself, she fell to her
knees, tears of frustration burning as they forced their way past
unwilling eyes.  This body, this girl's body was no more than she
deserved - the final symbol of his... no... of *her* failure.

Ranma hauled herself to her feet again and staggered back towards
the house.  The way things were going, she figured that she might as
well clean up and go help Kasumi in the kitchen.  She doubted that
she'd be good for much else.

****  ####  ****

The sun was just peeking over the eastern horizon as Akane stormed
into the dojo.  Removing her katana from its rack on the wall, she
strode to the end of the training hall, where she had set up a practice
dummy.  Straw, packed into several layers of burlap and cotton
batting, all bound into a vague semblance of a human shape, the
dummies were designed to take pretty heavy abuse.  Of course, it
was just a coincidence that all of hers looked so much like Ranma.

Akane could feel her blood singing through her as she swung the
blade.  Her motions were fluid, smooth and elegant.  Slash followed
stab with speed and precision.  For the duration of the exercise, the
clumsy girl that Ranma had so often teased was gone, and in her
place was a warrior that moved with a dancer's lithe grace.

As her kata drew to a close, Akane looked toward what was left of
the dummy.  Bits of straw and strips of shredded burlap and batting
covered the floor around the post where the dummy had been
mounted.  Yes, thought Akane, this was just what she needed.
Pausing to fit the post with another dummy, Akane once more began
to vent her anger and frustration on a hapless simulacrum.

Akane reflected on the cause of her anger.  She had come home last
night to find that half of the rear garden wall had been vapourised,
along with a good chunk of the street behind it.  She'd had a pretty
good idea who had been responsible, and started looking for Ranma.
How could that idiot husband of hers have been so careless?

When Akane had found her, Ranma was in the kitchen, wearing one
of Kasumi's aprons as she cut up meat and vegetables for the evening
meal.  That had brought Akane up short.  Ranma cooking?  Ranma
wearing an apron?  Voluntarily?  Akane's irritation had grown as she
came to the conclusion that Ranma was trying once more to prove
that he could be a better girl than Akane could.

Spin.  Slash.  Feint.  Stab.  Akane's dance continued, the light flashing
off the polished blade.

At first, Ranma had denied any knowledge of the incident, and when
Akane had dragged her out of the house to see the damage, she had
looked fully as shocked as Akane had felt.  After that, while Ranma
did not deny being responsible, she still claimed to have no memory
of the event.  Did Ranma actually expect her to believe that?  It was
just the sort of stunt Ranma would pull, but she was not going to fall
for it - not this time.

Ranma had shrugged, and turned to go back into the kitchen.  That
had been the last straw as far as Akane was concerned.  Akane had
grabbed Ranma by the shoulder and spun the redhead around to face
her again.  Ranma had just looked at her, saying nothing.

Akane had lost her temper.  Her arm had tensed for a moment and
then her hand had flown to deliver a stinging slap across Ranma's
face.  Ranma didn't move.  She didn't evade; she didn't so much as
blink.  Akane had reversed her swing, and tagged Ranma again with
the back of her hand.  Still, Ranma didn't move.

Husband and wife had stared at each other for long moments.
Finally, Ranma had asked in a quiet voice, devoid of any emotion,
"Are you finished?  I need to get back to preparing dinner."  When
Akane made no answer, Ranma had turned and headed back into the
kitchen.  Akane had looked up to see Kasumi watching her from the
porch, with a sad expression.

Anger and shame had warred for control of her then as she stormed
off to the bedroom.  She was still not sure which had won.

****  ####  ****

Ukyou felt like pounding her head against the wall.  Ranma had been
doing so well.  He had been smiling and laughing - the old Ranma had
finally begun to re-emerge.  Ukyou had started to believe that it was
going to work out - that there could be an end to all of the pain and
heartache.  Certainly, Ranma had been making progress towards that
goal.

But Akane had put an end to it.  She had put him in hospital, and
destroyed everything that he had fought for - everything that he had
achieved.  Almost four months of work - all of it had been washed
away in a single, brutal evening.

If anything, Ranma was in a worse state now than when he had
started attending group sessions.  Since coming home from hospital,
he hadn't smiled once.  He couldn't seem to concentrate on anything
anymore.  He walked around as if in a daze, saying little and doing
less.  Ranma was shutting down - distancing himself from everyone
and everything - withdrawing into a shell of denial and indifference
that frightened Ukyou.

The few times that he had managed to come by the restaurant, his
appetite had been off.  He didn't even wolf down his okonomiyaki
anymore - what little she could tempt him into eating.  An air of
quiet resignation hung over him like a fog.  It was as if he just didn't
care anymore.  And yesterday, after Akane had come for him again,
Ukyou had finally had enough.

It wasn't fair!  He'd been so close - so close to helping himself, and so
close to helping Akane.  But Akane hadn't wanted help, and she was
determined to take Ranma down with her.  That could not be allowed
to happen.  There was no way she was going to let Akane destroy her
friend without a fight.

Talk had failed.  Prayer had failed.  Common sense and reason had
failed.  All other options had been exhausted.  It was time to fight.
One way or another, Ukyou was resolved that the abuse would stop
today.

After giving Konatsu some last minute instructions, Ukyou gathered
her bandoleer and her combat spatula, and headed for the door.

****  ####  ****

Akane was fitting a third dummy to the post when Ranma walked in
for his... make that *her* morning exercises.  Akane watched as
Ranma moved to the other end of the dojo, and began a complex
series of kata.  Ranma's natural grace combined with her feminine
curves made the exercise into an exotic dance; precise and controlled,
but with a supple beauty that was mesmerizing.

Despite the bruises, Ranma's expression was serene.  There was, in
the Art, still peace to be found - at least for Ranma.  Akane had
never been able to find much of that tranquillity of spirit.  Angrily,
Akane finished mounting the new dummy and returned to her
practice.

Akane began her kata and let the rest of the world fade from her
awareness as she and the blade became one.  She *was* the blade,
cutting, piercing, slashing.  She could almost feel the material of the
dummy as the blade whipped through it.  She was so involved with
her exercise that she did not even notice when Ranma finished her
warm-ups and fetched a dummy of her own.  Nor did she see Ranma
flinch when one of her strokes removed the pigtail from her own
dummy's head.

Akane finished her routine as Ranma was wrestling a dummy onto
another post.  Something about Ranma's demeanor was beginning to
irritate Akane again.  Perhaps it was the strained silence that had
developed between them.  Perhaps it was the aire of resignation that
hung over her.  Maybe it was just that it was getting harder and
harder to get a rise out of Ranma.  Akane wasn't really sure, but for
some reason she felt an intense need to wipe that placid expression
off of Ranma's face.

"Hey," said Akane.  "Didn't you bathe?"

Ranma's reply was flat and toneless.  "Of course I did."

Akane blinked.  "Then why are you... why are you...."

"Still a girl?"

Akane nodded.

Ranma shrugged.  "Does it matter?"

"A girl doesn't make much of a husband," Akane retorted.

"No, I guess not." Ranma agreed quietly.  Ranma turned back to her
dummy and started her exercises listlessly - pounding on the inert
figure with little effect, and less enthusiasm.

Akane's irritation grew.  "You're gonna have to do better than that,"
she taunted.  "You're hitting that thing like a girl."

Ranma just *looked* at her - then turned back to the dummy.

Akane tried another tack.  "So, where were you last night?"

"I was on the roof.  I was watching the stars, and I fell asleep."

"I see.  What if I told you that I had information that you were with
Ukyou again last night?"

"I'd say that your information was in error."

"Can you prove that?"

"Do I have to?"  Ranma shrugged.  "Nothing that I can say is going to
convince you of anything.  Believe what you want."

"Dammit, Ranma, you could at least ACT like you were interested in
our marriage!"  Akane was really starting to get angry.

Ranma turned towards her wife with an incredulous expression on
her face.  "What...  WHAT did you say?" she managed to gasp.

"You heard me!" snapped Akane.

"You're mad!" Ranma shot back.  "I've tried everything that I could
think of to make you happy!  I've kept every promise!  I've begged.
I've pleaded.  I've given you everything that I have; everything that
I am.  What do I have to do to prove myself to you?

"Well, for starters, you could stay the hell away from Ukyou!"

Ranma had had enough.  "NO!  You've taken just about everything
else from me - what do I have left?"  she asked bitterly.  "I will NOT
let you take away my last friend!"

"Don't you mean your lover?  Your mistress?" Akane's voice rose to a
shout.  "How many times do I have to tell you?  I don't want you
seeing her anymore!"

"But Akane!  We're just friends!  Honest!"

"You expect me to believe that?!" Akane snarled as a red haze crept
across her vision.  This was intolerable - the two people most
responsible for all of her pain were ganging up on her again - her
husband and his mistress.  A small part of her mind cried out that
Ranma just might be telling the truth; that he and Ukyou really were
no more than friends.  She squelched that thought as the rest of her
mind conjured up images of Ranma and Ukyou together - laughing,
talking, having fun.  All of the things that Ranma never did with her
anymore.  "Just how stupid do you think I am?!" she cried.

Ranma belonged to HER, not to Ukyou!  Akane felt her arms tense
and the rage surge through her like a flash flood.  Rational thought
was swept away and she surrendered to the blackness, letting the
torrent of fury overwhelm her.

##  ***  ##

Ukyou could hear voices as she approached the dojo.

"How many times do I have to tell you, I don't want you seeing her
anymore?!"  Akane was screaming.

"But Akane," came Ranma's answer, "We're just friends!  Honest!"

"You expect me to believe that?!"  Akane retorted.  "Just how stupid
do you think I am?!"

"Would it matter?" asked Ranma bitterly.

"WHAT was that?"

"You've never believed me before; I don't expect that you'll start
now."

"Well, why ELSE would you be with HER all the time?  Why not your
other friends?  What about them?!"  Akane's tone was acid.

"What other friends?" Ranma asked.  "Ucchan's the only friend I've
got left!"  She was shouting now.  "She's the only one that you haven't
managed to scare off!"

Ukyou stepped onto the porch, and looked into the training hall.
Ranma, still in girl form, was standing at one end of the room, just
under the family shrine.  Akane stood facing Ranma, holding the
katana that Nodoka had given her when she and Ranma had married.
The blade glinted as she swung the katana towards the slashed
remains of a number of training dummies that bore mute testimony
to the extent of her rage.

"And just what is THAT supposed to mean?"  Akane's voice was
getting shrill.

"Just that!  No one ever comes by anymore because of the way we
fight all the time!  It makes them uncomfortable.  Don't you get it?
They're AFRAID of you!  Ryouga, Kunou... Everybody!  Hell, you even
have KASUMI scared!"

Akane took a half step toward Ranma, prodding at her with the
katana.  Ranma ducked to the side, avoiding the blade, and Akane
moved to pursue.  Ukyou tried to scream, but succeeded only in
uttering a strangled gasp.

Ranma saw her at that point, and called a warning.  "Be careful,
Ucchan!  Stay back!"

Akane whirled.  "YOU!!" she screamed at Ukyou.  "I told you to stay
AWAY from Ranma!  He's MINE!  This is all YOUR doing!"

Ukyou felt as if she were paralyzed - time seemed to stand still.  She
had known that Akane had grown more violent, but she was totally
unprepared for the brutal reality.  The girl that stood before her now
was more like an animal than a thinking being.  Ukyou's eyes were
drawn to the blade that Akane was waving, as the hammering of her
own heart fought for her attention - and lost.

Akane swung the tip of her katana back towards Ranma, her eyes
flashing with ill suppressed fury.  As she tightened her grip on the
handle, Akane's voice was like thunder in Ukyou's ears.  "I warned
you... I warned you both!  DIE, RANMA!"

Ukyou watched, horrified, as Akane thrust forward with the katana.
Ranma was too startled to even *try* to evade;  the blade slid easily
into her abdomen just below the ribs, and out through her back.
Ranma blinked, a look of shocked surprise frozen on her bruised
features.  She fell to her knees as the blade was withdrawn, its bright
finish stained red with her blood.

Ranma convulsed once, coughing up blood as the light faded from her
eyes, and, like a puppet whose strings had been cut, she dropped
quietly to the floor of the dojo.

"Ran-chan... NOOOOooooo!" screamed Ukyou, rushing forward.  Her
combat spatula clattered to the floor, as she tossed it aside.

Ukyou dropped to her knees beside Ranma's limp form.  Frantically,
she rolled Ranma over onto her back, as she pulled the large ribbon
from her hair.  Hugging Ranma to her, and using the ribbon as an
impromptu bandage, she tried desperately to staunch the flow of
blood from the gaping wound.

Ranma's breathing was rapid and shallow, her eyes glazed.  Flecks of
blood stained her lips.  "Ucchan?" she managed to gasp.

"I'm here, Ran-chan...  It's going to be okay...."  Ukyou sobbed as she
fought to stop the bleeding.  "You're going to be all right...."

"I... I'm sorry...."

Ukyou felt a searing white heat pierce her heart as Ranma twitched
in her arms and was still.  She fought to hold on to Ranma's body, but
her arms had suddenly turned to lead, and refused to obey her.
Ranma fell back to the floor of the dojo and Ukyou could see a new
gash between the redhead's breasts.

Numbly, Ukyou looked down.  The tip of Akane's katana protruded
from her own chest, spilling her blood and Ranma's to mix in a pool
on the floor.  She tried to stand, but could not move her legs.  She
stared up uncomprehendingly at Akane's hate filled expression.

"You want him?" Akane snarled.  "Then join him in hell!"

Waves of agony swept through Ukyou as Akane withdrew the blade,
twisting it as she pulled it free.  Ukyou swayed once and pitched
forward onto the lifeless body of her childhood friend.

The last sound that Kuonji Ukyou heard was Kasumi's terrified
scream.

##  ***  ##

Kasumi was walking towards the dojo with a tray of snacks, and
things for tea.  Ranma and Akane had been squabbling all morning,
and when Ukyou had arrived, Kasumi had decided that she had
better keep an eye on things.  Besides, Akane would usually listen to
her eldest sister even when no one else could get through to her.

Kasumi could hear Akane's voice as she stepped into the courtyard.
Though she could not make out the words, the tone was clear enough.
As was her wont of late, Akane was angry.  Kasumi sighed.  This was
not going to be easy.  Suddenly, another shout brought Kasumi up
short.

"Ran-chan!  NOOOOoooooooooo!"

That was Ukyou!  The anguish and despair in that scream had been
almost tangible.  The tray she had been carrying clattered to the
ground as Kasumi began to run.

Nabiki had heard the scream as well, and was leaning out of the
family room door as Kasumi ran past.  Kasumi saw her and shouted.
"Nabiki!  Tofu!  NOW!"

Nabiki bolted for the phone.  She had never in her life heard that
tone from Kasumi, and it terrified her.

Kasumi heard Ukyou sobbing as she hit the porch and ran into the
dojo proper.  What she saw there stopped her dead in her tracks.

Ukyou was on her knees holding the girl Ranma tightly in her arms.
What she could see of the front of Ranma's shirt was soaked with
blood, and blood was collecting in a large pool under Ranma's body.
Ranma's eyes were all but closed and her breath came in short, sharp
gasps.

Kasumi started forward to help, but came up short again, as she
caught sight of her youngest sister.  Her eyes widened in horror.

Akane stood over her husband and the sobbing Ukyou, wearing an
expression of such animal rage and hatred that she no longer looked
human.  Gory red stains spattered the front of her gi.  She was
holding her katana in both hands, and Kasumi was horrified to see
the crimson film of blood running the length of the blade.

Kasumi could not move.  She was frozen... trapped like an insect in
amber.  It was as if she were held fast by some unseen force, while
the world moved in slow motion around her.  A part of her mind
screamed out that she could fix everything... She could make it all
better.  It would all be all right, if only she could move... if only she
could move...

But it was not going to be all right.  As Kasumi watched helplessly,
Akane brought her katana around in one fluid motion, driving it
deeply into Ukyou's back.  Ranma shuddered once and was still.
Ukyou lost her hold on Ranma's body as her arms fell limply to her
sides, and the red-head fell back onto the dojo floor.  The blade of
Akane's katana had gone through Ukyou, and right through Ranma's
heart.

Kasumi watched as Ukyou looked up at Akane.  Akane was saying
something - the words held no meaning for Kasumi - but the timbre
was unforgettable.  That snarl would haunt her dreams for the rest
of her life.  Akane wrenched her blade from Ukyou's body, twisting
savagely as she tore it free.  With a small, gurgling cry, Ukyou fell
across Ranma's corpse and was still.

Kasumi heard someone begin to scream.  After what seemed an
eternity but could have been no more than a fraction of a second, she
realized that the voice was her own.  Akane whirled at the sound and
the heat of her glare cut into Kasumi with searing force.  The sounds
of other people running and shouting were drowned out as a roaring
filled Kasumi's ears and the world went black.

##  ***  ##

Someone was screaming - Akane could just hear it over the roaring
in her ears.  It was not the sharp scream of anger, or even the ragged
cry of pain, but rather the mournful, keening wail of absolute terror.
Akane whirled to face the source of the sound, and was dimly aware
of a figure crumpling to the ground.

Her mind echoed the scream she had heard.  The effect was like
icewater on her spine, chilling her to the core.  Akane blinked as the
haze began to lift from her vision, and the world swam back into
focus.  The first image she registered was that of the figure collapsed
in the entrance to the training hall.  Kasumi.

Akane reacted on instinct, calling out her sister's name as she moved
forward.  She started to trip over something on the floor.  Looking
down, she froze - unable to fully comprehend what she was seeing.

Ranma lay flat on the floor, her eyes half open, staring blankly into
the nothingness.  Ukyou was sprawled over Ranma's body, sightless
eyes open wide, a trickle of red pooling under a slack jaw.  There was
blood everywhere - and neither of them were breathing.

Akane took a step backward, the horror of the scene before her
washing all thoughts of her sister from her mind.  She slipped on the
blood-slick matting, and fell back onto the floor.  Instinctively, she
tried to catch herself as she fell.  The tatami was warm and sticky -
and her hand came away wet.  Akane's katana dropped from her
numbed fingers and clattered to the floor.  The sound drew her gaze
to the weapon, and the bright film of blood that stained its mirrored
blade.

Akane's mind tried to grasp the enormity of what she was seeing,
and failed.  This could not be reality - it was a nightmare - a horrible
dream from which she would awaken soon.  Any second now, she
was going to wake up in her nice, warm bed, with Ranma beside her,
and this horrible image would be no more than a rapidly fading half
memory.

Any second now.  Any second.  She would be waking up.  Why wasn't
she waking up?  She was ready for this dream to be over now.  She
tried to cry out, but a strangled whimper was all that could squeeze
past the tightness in her throat.  Please, God, let me wake up...
Tearing her gaze from the gory scene before her, Akane looked down
- to see the thick red stains that covered her hands, and the front of
her gi.

Akane screamed.

##  ***  ##

Nabiki was the first to reach the dojo after she had heard Kasumi's
scream.  She ran across the courtyard toward the dojo, until she
caught sight of her elder sister's limp form sprawled in the entryway
of the training hall.  A tightness gripped her chest as fear threatened
to overwhelm her.  Summoning all of her courage, Nabiki approached
her fallen sister.

Kasumi was alive, and there were no obvious wounds.  Her breathing
was deep and even, and Nabiki decided, with no small measure of
relief, that she had simply fainted.  Satisfied that Kasumi was in no
danger, Nabiki stood and walked into the dojo.  She was halfway
across the practice hall before Akane's anguished wail froze her in
her tracks.  She would never forget that instant as the details of the
tableau before her were burned into her memory.

Nabiki started to back slowly out of the dojo, her mind fighting
desperately to deny what she was seeing.  "No...." she sobbed quietly,
"No, please...."  She nearly jumped out of her skin as she found her
retreat blocked, and gentle hands caught her shoulders.  Fighting the
urge to scream and run, Nabiki turned and found herself face to face
with Doctor Tofu.  The expression of shock and horror on the doctor's
face was a mirror of her own.

Tofu's voice sounded hoarse to Nabiki.  "Go on," he said.  "Get Kasumi
into the house.  I'll... I'll do what I can here."

Numbly, Nabiki nodded and stumbled towards the entryway where
her older sister was still lying.  She was grateful for anything to keep
her mind away from the scene in the dojo.  With a strength she
didn't even know that she had, Nabiki lifted her sister's unconscious
body and fled into the house.

##  ***  ##

Tofu had been on the phone with Nabiki when he had heard Kasumi's
scream in the background.  He had been out of the door before the
telephone handset in the clinic had hit the floor.  He ran the three
blocks to the Tendou home as fast as he could.  He had been too late.

Kasumi's injuries were not physical - though she and Nabiki would
both no doubt be scarred for life.  After sending Nabiki and Kasumi
to relative safety, Tofu carefully approached the youngest Tendou.

Akane was babbling, childlike, trying to wake Ranma up.  She would
shake the redhead's body, alternating between pleading and crying.
"Please, Ranma!  Wake up!  I'm sorry, Ranma... I didn't mean it!
Please, won't you please wake up?"

It didn't take any medical training to see that Akane's pleas would go
unanswered.  Tofu came up behind Akane quietly, and, bracing for
the worst, laid a hand on the sobbing girl's shoulder.  Akane froze for
an instant before turning around slowly.  When she saw Tofu, her
eyes lit up with hope.

"Sensei!" she cried.  She threw her arms around him and sobbed into
the front of his shirt.  "Thank god you're here!  Ranma...  Ranma
needs your help!  He won't wake up!  Please, sensei... please make
Ranma wake up!"

Reflexively, Tofu put his arms around her, and hugged her tightly.
As gently as he could, he said, "I'm sorry, Akane.  There's nothing
that I can do for Ranma now.  Ranma... is dead."

"Dead?" she sniffed.  "He can't be dead... he's still a girl!  Make him
wake up."

"Akane, you have to believe me.  Ranma... Ukyou... they're both
dead."

"NO!  You're lying!  He *can't* be dead... he's Ranma!  No one can beat
him!  No one!"  Akane started to struggle - trying to break free of the
doctor's grip.  "You can fix it!" she cried, "You can make it better!
Make the pain go away!  Why won't you fix it?  Why?!"

As Akane's cries pushed into full hysteria, Tofu applied pressure to a
set of key points on the back of her neck.  Akane stiffened briefly
and then lapsed into unconsciousness.  He lifted her and carried her
out of the dojo, and back into the house.

****  ####  ****

Ukyou's father had proven impossible to locate - no one the Tendous
had been able to reach even knew if the old man was still alive.  In a
rare moment of lucidity, Tendou Soun declared that his clan would
take responsibility for Ukyou's arrangements as well as Ranma's.

The funeral visitation was held in the dojo, the caskets occupying the
same space that the altar had at the wedding, not quite a full year
before.  Each coffin was draped with a black shroud, and topped with
a photograph of the deceased.  There were two photos on Ranma's,
one showing his female form.  Candles provided an eerie, flickering
illumination, and the scent of incense filled the air.

Tendou Soun was absent - under sedation and the watchful eyes of
his eldest daughter and the family doctor.

Kasumi dealt with her grief as best she could, alternating between
looking after her father and taking care of the house as she always
had.  As she ran out of chores to do, she would start the cycle again,
cleaning things that were already clean, taking things out of their
cabinets so she could put them back away, straightening already
immaculate rooms, and scrubbing for all she was worth to remove
non-existant grime and dust.  There was an intensity to her labours -
a drive fueled by the nagging feeling that if she had been more like
her mother, if she had been more worthy of her position, she would
have been able to prevent this tragedy.  If she stopped to think
about it, she knew better, but her doubts remained.

Nabiki stared sullenly at the caskets, but made no move to go near
them.  She had an image to maintain, and could not deign to show
sentiment.  Though no one would be allowed to see her grieve, grieve
she would.  Even the ice queen had a heart.

Off to one side of the hall, Genma sat motionless, his face grey and
without expression.  He might well have been made of stone.  He
watched the processional of friends and family through eyes that
were cold and lifeless.  No trace of emotion showed through the
facade.  He had lost his only son.  Nothing mattered anymore - his
future was gone.  Obliterated in one careless, heated moment.

Nodoka entered the training hall and approached the coffins, her face
a mask.  Stiffly formal, dressed in full kimono, she was the very
picture of traditional Japanese grief.  She carried a familiar bundle,
though this time, it was much shorter.

Tradition, thought Nodoka bitterly.  Tradition had ruled her life since
the day she had been born.  Tradition had given her a husband, and
when the Art had taken him away for years at a time, tradition had
given her stability.  It had given her a sense of purpose that had
sustained her during the long and lonely nights while her husband
and son were absent.

She had defied tradition once - when she had given the blade to her
daughter in law at the wedding.  Why couldn't she have waited?  She
had just been too excited to see her son wed.  It had interfered with
her judgment, and now she was paying the price.

Now she hoped that tradition would give her the strength that she
needed to go on in the face of tragedy.  Carefully she unwrapped her
bundle.  "Good bye, my son.  If not for my foolishness, you might still
be here with us now.  I can only pray that your spirits will one day
forgive me."

Reaching into the cloth wrappings and extracting the shattered
remains of the Saotome blade, she laid the pieces on her son's casket.
The last piece was the guard that had borne the family crest.  It had
been snapped cleanly in two.  "The Saotome line... ends here."  With a
heavy heart she stood and moved to join her husband, to make room
as friends and acquaintances came to pay their own respects.

Kunou stood, his expression wooden, though it took every last bit of
the strength he had to maintain it.  He was Samurai - he would deal
with his own grief later.  For now, he had to be strong.  For his sister,
for the Tendous, for the survivors, he had to be strong.

He still could not fathom it.  Saotome Ranma was dead - he had long
prayed for this day.  But not like this!  Not at this price!  Osage no
onna was dead - Kuonji Ukyou was dead - Tendou Akane was in an
institution.  Somehow it was all Ranma's fault - it had to be.  That
was the only thing that made sense - it was the only thing that he
could believe, and stay sane.

His sister, Kodachi just stood - shocked to sanity for the time being -
staring in horrified amazement at the coffins.  The proportions of her
Ranma-sama's casket seemed off, somehow.  the box was just a hair
too short.  Like her brother, she had been shocked that Ranma was to
be interred in the very same vessel as the pig-tailed girl who had so
brazenly contrived to steal his attentions from her.  And so she had
done, for he was now forever beyond her reach.

Once the Kunous had left, a lone figure in a short, Chinese style dress
approached the caskets.  Her great grandmother was back at the
Neko Hanten, packing for the return to China, and Mousse... Mousse
had been warned that if he were to approach her during the next
week, it would be the last thing that he ever did.

Shampoo knelt before Ranma's casket and let the tears come.  With
great care, she took off an amulet that she had worn for the occasion,
and laid it on the coffin.  "Stupid, Ranma.  Why so stupid?" her voice
was a bare whisper.  "Now Shampoo can go home.  But what is point?
You no will be there.  You never know...." her voice started to break,
"You never know how much Shampoo love you."

She looked up at the photographs and a flash of raw anger surged
through her.  "I never know.  I never know what trouble you in.
Never allowed to know...  Husband...."  Shampoo choked back a sob.
She had failed him.  If only she had known what was happening, how
bad things were, she might have been able to do something.  She
might somehow have prevented this.

With a sob and a cry of "Bie Liao,"  Shampoo ran blindly from the
dojo and into the night.

Konatsu, dressed in black, came and stood staring vacantly at the
boxes in front of him.  After a time, he knelt before Ukyou's coffin
and closed his eyes to pray.  "Good-bye, Ukyou-sama.  In the end,
you won your love after all, didn't you?  I hope... I hope that you will
both be happy in the next life.  Think back, on occasion, and
remember those of us that you left behind... because we will never
forget you."  Tearfully, Konatsu laid a small spatula, and a single,
perfect lily next to Ukyou's photograph.

Friends came and went through the evening... Hiroshi and Daisuke
paid their respects as though in a daze.  Gosunkugi had come and
stared owlishly at the two caskets, as if unable to believe what he
was seeing.  Yuka and Sayuri too came to say their good-byes.

The last group to visit was the membership of the self-help group
from the Civic Centre.  Each member took a moment to say a short
prayer for their fallen comrades, and to say their farewells.

Keiko could hardly see the scene before her through the tears in her
eyes.  "Damn you, Ranma," she sobbed.  "I got out.  Why couldn't
you?"  Trembling, Keiko dropped her offering on the casket - a plain
gold band.  Her wedding ring.  "It isn't worth the price you paid."
Yuriko helped the weeping redhead out the door.

When Rei's turn came, she knelt and stared at Ranma's photograph,
her eyes smouldering with barely suppressed emotion.  With shaky
hands she placed a small locket on the box.  Her whispery voice
almost failed her as she said, "Good bye, Ranma.  I will miss you.
Thank you for your kindness."

Miyuki's turn came next.  She had brought flowers for Ukyou, and for
Ranma she had brought a book.  "I promised you this when you were
in hospital.  I know how you were looking forward to reading it.  It
ends happily, Ranma.  It ends happily; thanks to you."  She fought to
keep her voice calm, but inside she was screaming, as she read the
dedication to her husband's first published manga.  "To Saotome
Ranma... a very special man, with heartfelt thanks.  You gave me a
chance to get back my happiness and my marriage.  I am forever in
your debt."  Miyuki set the book gently on the casket.  "And so am I,
Ranma.  Thank you."

Kimiko was the last.  Kneeling before the coffins, she laid a flower on
each, and took a deep breath.  "I am an old and foolish woman." she
began.  "I was very set in my ways, until the two of you came into
my life.  I can't help but feel that this could have been avoided, if
only we had done more.  If we had not almost driven you away.  I
hope that your spirits can find the will to forgive me.  And I bring
you this promise.  Our group will never turn anyone away, nor give
them cause to feel unwelcome so long as I draw breath.  We will not
forget the lessons that you have taught us."

After another moment of silent prayer, Kimiko got slowly to her feet
and walked out of the dojo to join the others.

****  ####  ****

After several suicide attempts, Tendou Akane had to be restrained.
She would not be allowed to kill herself.  Strong medications were
administered to help calm her, but they did nothing for the guilt, the
pain and the loss that she felt.  Slowly they were driving her mad.

Ranma had tried to help her - as Ukyou had tried to help Ranma -
and their devotion had cost both of them their lives.  And for what?

Ranma had loved her, as she had loved him.  They were supposed to
have lived happily ever after!  That was the way that all good stories
ended.  Not in nightmares like this - where demons from the past
had risen and driven her to madness and murder.

She had been wrong - so very wrong.  Ranma had been honourable
and had earned her trust and devotion a thousand times over.  It
was she who had failed him.

Her despair was overwhelming - her sleep tortured by visions that
woke her screaming in the middle of the night.  Daily she would beg
to be allowed to die, to pay for her crimes.  But they would not
release her.

Until one day, Tendou Akane was gone - retreated - banished into
whatever internal hell she had made for herself.  She left only a shell
behind -  a mindwiped doll.  A girl who had no memory of her past,
or sense of her identity.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****
*****  ##  ***  ##  *****
EPILOGUE
*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

The girl was sitting on a bench under a cherry tree, her long, dark
hair fluttering in the breeze.  The skies were grey - the wind chill,
but with a hint of the warmth that would be coming with the spring.
Already the branches above her were showing the buds that in just a
months time would be filling the air with the petals from pink, sweet
smelling blossoms.

He was late.  Though outwardly calm, one who knew her could tell
she was nervous from the way her hands worried the plaid fabric of
her skirt.  She tensed momentarily as a taxi-cab pulled up to the
curb.  Maybe it was the right one this time.  A pause.  Thank the
Kami, it was.  She sighed in relief as the lone passenger exited the
car, paid his fare, and walked toward her.

The force of his depression hit her like a physical blow.  It had not
gone well.  "Ryouga-kun... are you... okay?"

The man stopped in front of her, and she looked into his eyes.  Her
heart ached to see the devastation there.  "She... she didn't know me...
didn't remember me.  She didn't even know her own name!"

She reached towards him, longing to be able to soothe his pain.  He
let her guide him to a seat on the bench alongside her.  Seeing her
worried look, he managed a weak smile.

"I'll be okay, Akari-chan.  Really, I will.  Let's just get this over with.
Which way?"

The couple stood, and Akari led Ryouga down a path, deeper into the
cemetery.  They walked in silence for a time, passing monument
after monument - each one cold, barren and sterile.

"I know that you cared for her...."

"There was a time when I was in love with her.  I'd have done
anything for her... I'd have killed Ranma myself if she'd asked it of
me."

"Killed him?  You can't mean that!"

"Oh, I hated Ranma... I hated him for so long.  I hated him for what I
thought he had done to me.  I hated him for what I thought he had
taken from me.  But in the end, I found out that he was my friend.  I
didn't realize it until it was too late, but he had always been my
friend."

"I think that you did know it... deep down."

"Maybe."  Ryouga smiled sadly at Akari.  "It could have been me, you
know.  I was angry at Ranma for so long that I had almost forgotten
what it was like NOT to be angry.  So many times I let that anger
control me - drive me - until it almost drove me insane.  If you had
never come into my life, If I had never met you, I might never have
learned to let it go.  It could so easily have been me."

Ryouga shuddered and Akari reached out to him, taking his hand in
hers.

"Akane really loved Ranma...  I guess that sounds kind of strange,
after all that's happened, but she did.  It took me a long time to get
to the point where I could accept that.  I had always known, deep
down, but your first crush is always the hardest to get over."

"I know...."  Akari squeezed his hand reassuringly.  "It's okay."

"When Ranma married her, I was crushed.  By then I knew that you
were the one for me, but there was still a part of me that was not
ready to let go of that dream.  Well, after they were married, Ranma
started treating Akane better.  Everyone figured that they would
stop fighting and get along."

"But it didn't get better, did it?"

"No... no, it didn't.  If anything it got worse.  For months, I tried to
figure out what Ranma was doing to her - how he was tormenting
her.  He had to have been doing something!"

Ryouga looked at Akari, his expression mournful.  "But he wasn't!  I
watched him; I watched him like a hawk!  He would bend over
backwards to avoid insulting her, or saying anything that might be
taken the wrong way.

"It was never enough.  She *would* take it wrong.  Every time.  She
reacted to him as she always had - she flattened him.  Nothing he
would do could placate her.  The more nicely he treated her, the
more she seemed to be angry with him!  I couldn't figure it out!

"I know how hard Ranma tried...  Akane could be cold when she got
mad, which was, a *lot*.  But at the same time, I could see how much
she loved him... how she cried after she had hurt him.  She just could
not or would not stop."

Akari nodded and slowed for a moment, before heading off toward
one of the monuments.  A simple stone monolith with the name
"Tendou" engraved on its base.  Three of the gravesites had markers
on them.  The first was old - about ten years, if Ryouga remembered
correctly.  That would be Akane's mother.

The other two graves were recent.  The rich scent of freshly dug
earth still clung to the air around the site - the dark soil still devoid
of grass.  The markers bore nothing more than the names of the
people interred.  Saotome Ranma, and Kuonji Ukyou.

The soft rumble of distant thunder made Ryouga reach instinctively
for his umbrella.  He and Akari stood, staring sadly at the two graves,
as a cold drizzle started to fall.

"Maybe... maybe if I had tried harder.  Maybe if I had done more, if I
had done something differently, I could have stopped this."  Ryouga's
voice was a hoarse whisper.

"Don't do this to yourself, Ryouga," Akari's tone was pleading.  "It's
not your fault.  You did what you could at the time.  You couldn't
have known that it would go this far - nobody could."

Ryouga draped his free arm over Akari's shoulders and held her
tightly.  "It didn't have to be this way.  This should never have
happened.  If... if only Akane had listened to him... If only he had
listened to Ukyou - Maybe then they'd still be with us."

Ryouga stepped forward, and knelt before the gravemarkers.  Gently,
he reached up to his head and drew off two of his bandannas.
Laying one  across each grave, Ryouga murmured a short prayer and
stood again.  "Come on," he said, his voice on the verge of breaking.
"Let's go... let's go home."

Two very sad people wandered off into the afternoon, each drawing
strength from the other... each supporting the other... each loving the
other - the way it *should* be... the way it should have been for
Akane and Ranma.

=====
OWARI
=====

Author's Notes:

If you have read this far, Zen thanks you for your patience and your
persistence.  Zen started out to write an Akane gets Ranma story as
the result of a promise made to Caroline Seawright - who sort of took
exception to Zen's 'Ukyou deserves Ranma' bias.  Zen is afraid that
bias shows up in this story as well.  Funny how that works.

Zen did not start out to write a darkfic... Though Zen does tend more
toward serious stories than light hearted fluff most of the time, Zen
never really intended for this to go down the path that it did.  But, as
Zen was thinking, trying to come up with some new angle from which
to view the Ranma/Akane relationship, Sebastian Weinberg made a
careless comment or two in the C&C of another fic that struck a chord
in Zen - It helped to nail down in Zen's mind just why Ranma and
Akane are *terrible* for each other.

But Zen had promised to write an Akane gets Ranma fic.  So he did -
and this is the result.  It just turned out to be an Akane GETS Ranma
fic.  *sigh*  Caroline, if you read this, Zen offers his apologies... and
hopes that you may one day forgive him.

Zen would like to thank his pre-readers, too.  Richard Lawson,
Sebastian Weinberg, Nicholas Leifker, Sean Gaffney and Raphael See.
Special thanks to Mike "Cynewulf" Noakes, for extensive help with
the fight/class scenes.

Part of the foreshadowing in this story was based on a Japanese
custom.  Japanese people will almost NEVER give anything that cuts
as a wedding present, or to a friend.  It is considered bad luck - as a
symbol that the marriage, or the friendship might be cut short.
Nodoka's gift of her katana to Akane was, in a sense, the kiss of
death.

A note about the group meetings.  Zen researched this bit fairly
thoroughly, and the sad truth is, there are NO support structures in
existence for men who are beaten by their wives.  There are no civil
agencies that'll take them seriously - and most women's groups
*actively discourage* their attempted formation.  The fact of the
matter is, that rather than the entry scene being unrealistic, their
shift to acceptance of Ranma *at all* let alone on the first day, is
totally unrealistic.  Zen had to take a liberty with that, though, or
none of the subsequent meetings would ever have taken place.  For
that liberty, Zen relied on the curse - and Ucchan's little temper-fit
that revealed said curse.  Without it, they'd never have accepted him
at all.

The material on rage disorders is very real.  Zen has a friend who
suffers from such a disorder, though he is getting treatment.  It was
during a discussion with him over the nature of rage disorders that
this story really started to surface - Akane's behaviour throughout
the manga and in many fanfics fits the pattern perfectly.

Zen is off to read something light and fluffy now... like maybe
"Hamlet" or "King Lear."

Ja ne-

Zen no Itan-sha
Ayanami@mindspring.com