Gosunkugi collapsed onto his stool, exhausted as he recalled the events
of the past 24 hours....  

	First Ryouga....now Kunou....who's next?  Mousse?  It was bad enough
when I had to compete with Ranma, now I've got THREE muscle bound
fighters to take care of!  Sometimes life really bites....

	Gosunkugi glanced at his attempt to create a Kunou Voodoo Doll
yesterday.  Then he looked at the Ranma Voodoo Doll he had been trying
to create for the past hour.

	"I can't understand it!  I followed the spell from that book to the
letter!  Where could I have messed up?!"  Gosunkugi shouted out loud in
frustration.

	"You have to do more than simply create a doll.  You need to obtain
personal items from them."  A voice spoke from behind him.     

	Gosunkugi spun around and saw someone with their back turned to him.

	"Hey!  Who the hell...."  Gosunkugi shouted angrily.

	The figure turned around slowly to face him.  Gosunkugi's jaw dropped
as he recognized the features, even in the dull red light of his
basement, of Akane Tendo.  She was dressed in a boy's school uniform,
the top three buttons unclasped. 

	"A....Akane?"

	"To make a workable Voodoo doll, you need to gather some of the
victim's hair, a sample of his body fluid, a piece of fabric from
clothes the victim has worn and a bone from another member of the
victim's family."  Akane replied in a matter-of-fact voice.  

	Gosunkugi was stunned.  "How did you....?"

	Akane walked over to the "Sorcery of Old" book that Gosunkugi used to
create his magic and flipped it open to exactly the same page Gosunkugi
was studying earlier.

	"This book is quite old and some of the writing has faded away. That is
why your Voodoo dolls have never worked before.  As for the rest of your
magic....well....one thing at a time."  Akane said as she turned her
attention to some of the other things on the shelves.

	"Uh....Akane?"  Gosunkugi tried to get her attention.
	
	"Yes?"  Akane replied without looking up.

	"Not that I mind but....how did you get here?  Why are you here? And
how come you suddenly know so much about Voodoo?"  Gosunkugi asked with
curiosity written all over his face.

	"Actually, what's you're doing is called Hoodoo.  Voodoo is a religion
that...."  Gosunkugi cut Akane off before she could finish.

	"H....How did you know that!?!  What's going on here?!"  Gosunkugi
demanded, rising to his feet.

	Akane gave him a small smile.  "I came to help you Hikaru-Chan. I WANT
to help you."

	Akane walked over to Gosunkugi and embraces him.  For a long moment,
Gosunkugi is too shocked to respond, then he places his own arms around
Akane and holds her closer to him.  She murmurs in appreciation and
rests her head on his chest.  Finally Gosunkugi found his voice again.

	What about....I mean....Don't get me wrong....I'm happy to be in your
arms....VERY HAPPY...."  Gosunkugi yelped as Akane moved one of her
hands along his chest.  "But aren't you engaged to R....Ranma?"

	Akane sighed as she released her embrace, making Gosunkugi regret ever
asking the question.   "Can I count on you to keep this between us?"

	"Oh!  Of course!"  Gosunkugi nodded vigorously.

	"Okay.  You'd better sit down for this."  Akane replied.  

	Gosunkugi took his seat at his workbench but quickly realizing it was
the only seat in the room, graciously offered it to Akane while he
leaned against the edge of a stone sink and listened intently as
Akane begin to speak....

	"As of right now, There are four Akanes existing in this universe. The
first one is the one that belongs here and denies her love for Ranma
Saotome.  The second one has fallen in love with Ryouga Hibiki and also
possesses a curse of Jusenkyou...."  

	"Curse?!  You mean she's cursed like Ranma and Mousse and...."

	Akane interrupted his babbling.  "Yes.  The third Akane has fallen for
Tatewaki Kunou and possesses a intense jealousy for
Ranma in his female form.  I fear she may be mentally unstable.

	"W....What about you?"  Gosunkugi nervously asked.

	Akane smiled at him.  "I am for you Hikaru Gosunkugi.  I have dedicated
my love and my life to protecting you and helping you realize your true
potential with magic." 
   
	"This....This is insane!  On the other hand, it would explain why Akane
is falling for a different man every day.  So there's only four of you
then?"  Gosunkugi asked.

	Akane's face fell.  "No.  There are others.  As each new day arrives,
another Akane Tendo, each one with their own characteristics, will
appear and fall in love with someone else."  

	"Why?  Who's responsible for all this?"  Gosunkugi wanted to know.

	"I afraid I haven't figured that out yet.  Whoever did this did not
give reasons.  The only thing I do know is the existence of the other
Akane clones and that I am to be your lover and soulmate for the rest of
my life."  Akane replied seriously.  

	"Ha!  Fat chance!  Now that I know you're not the REAL Akane, you can
just...."  Gosunkugi began.

	Akane rushed forward and silenced him with a passionate kiss on the
lips.  Gosunkugi tried to resist but soon found himself responding,
unable to help himself.  When they finally come up for air a few minutes
later, Akane looks right into Gosunkugi's eyes.

	"Please don't reject me, Hikaru.  I AM exactly like the original Akane
Tendo in every way.  The only difference is that I'm knowledgeable in
magic and that I love you and not Ranma."  Akane said.

	"That's not true!  Akane....The REAL Akane doesn't love Ranma!  He
makes her life a living hell!  He constantly insults her and her
cooking!  He....he...."  Gosunkugi's voice was filled with
desperation....

	"Hikaru....You know deep down I'm right....If Akane hates Ranma so
much, why doesn't she break the engagement?  Why doesn't she kick him
out of her house?"  Akane paused.  "Why doesn't she tell you so?"

	Gosunkugi swallowed hard as the bitter taste of reality threatened to
overwhelm him.  He choked back his tears and turned away from Akane. 
She walked over to him and gently placed a hand on
his shoulder.

	"Forgive me Hikaru......I did not wish to hurt you like that."  "I want
you to know....I'm here for you...."  Akane said, her own eyes brimming
with fresh tears.

	Gosunkugi said nothing and Akane pressed on.

	"If you really don't want me around....I'll leave you alone.  It's up
to you, Hikaru."  Akane whispered.

	Akane waited for an answer. Gosunkugi still says nothing.  Akane sadly
lowers her head and turns to leave.

	"WAIT!"  Akane stops.  "D....Don't leave.  I don't want you to go." 
Gosunkugi said with a shaky voice as he walked over to Akane and
embraced her from behind.  She smiled while her tears escaped from her
eyes and fell down her cheeks.  This time they are tears of joy as
Gosunkugi kissed Akane's neck and draped his arms around her to join
hands.  Akane suddenly turns around and starts leading him out of the
room.

	"So tell me, where's the bedroom in this place?"  Akane asked with a
wicked smile on her face. 
 
	"Eep!"

	Gosunkugi quickly fainted.  Akane laughed at his shyness and then
proceeds to carry him up the stairs, being careful not to bang his head
against the walls.

	"Looks like I've got more than sorcery to teach you...."  Akane thought
to herself.



....A SPECIAL FANFIC....