Subject: [Fic][Ranma] Naisen, Part 4
From: KLEPPE@execpc.com (Gary Kleppe)
Date: 6/22/1997, 2:52 PM
To: fanfic@fanfic.com
Reply-to:
SMoonUsagi@aol.com, RyougaLost@aol.com

Please send all comments to the authors of this, RyogaLost@aol.com and
SMoonUsagi@aol.com. Enjoy! -- GK




                          LA FEMME NEKO

                  Another Wacky Ranma Story By
                    SMoonUsagi and RyogaLost



Ranma looked at the clock.  Looked out the window.   Watched a
butterfly wander by the glass panes.  Propping his chin in his
hand, he sighed.  (Man, this is totally boring.  Today's GOT to've
lasted for 50 million years already.)  He fought to stifle a yawn
as Mr. Noiroze's voice droned on.  (Wish the bell would hurry up
and ring so we could go home.  I'm hungry.)  Looking over, he
caught Akane's eye, made motions as if scooping up food with
chopsticks.

Akane nodded, after sneaking a quick look at their teacher to make
sure he wasn't watching.

Ranma then made little 'walking' motions with the first two fingers
of both hands, pointed in the direction of the ramen shop, then
pointed at himself and Akane.

Another nod, more emphatic.  Then she glanced over at Neko, who was
idly doodling on a piece of paper.  'Her too?' she mouthed.

Ranma grinned and gave her a 'thumbs-up'.  He looked back out the
windows again, then jumped a little and stood up.  Ignoring the
rest of the class (and Mr. Noiroze), he slid open the panes, leaned
out.  "Hey!  Look at that!"

"Ranma!..." Akane stood, wandered over.  "What the--" she stopped,
staring.  The front gates of Furinkan High School had seen many
strange sights, but nothing like the procession coming through it
now.  It looked like something out of the ARABIAN NIGHTS; a group
of armored men on elaborately-carapaisoned horses, proceeding in a
neat rank to line the sidewalk up to the school doors and saluting
as a white elephant stood up and gently knelt, allowing its rider
to disembark.

"What's with the parade?  Is today a holiday or something?" Ranma
wondered aloud.

"That's not a parade."  Nabiki walked in, peering out the window. 
"Haven't you been reading the paper?  That's Prince
Rhamalamarangdang."

"Prince Whatzit?!"

"Rhamalamarangdang.  He's the ruler of a province in India...
Nepapal, I think it's called."  Nabiki leaned dreamily on the
windowsill.  "He's one of the 100 top richest men in the world. 
Has his own private rare game reserve, a palace in the mountains,
diamond mines, and so forth.  The word is he's looking for a wife."
She smiled.  "My my my, I could definitely get used to the
lifestyle of a princess."

"Yappa pa, Nepapal, big deal, who cares."  Ranma shrugged.  "Money
ain't everything."

"Maybe, but it certainly helps you afford SOME things."

"Hey, he's coming in here!"  Akane ran to the door, along with most
of the other girls.  A buzz of conversation was already rising. 
Ranma sighed.  "So much for after-school snacks," he grumbled.

In a few minutes a plump little brown man, wearing a brightly
colored purple top hat nearly as tall as he was thick, swept in and
waved at the room.  "Greetings, greetings, most wonderful people of
Japan!" he carolled.  "I am being called Toppahatti, pleased to be
making your acquaintance, yes yes!  As Prime Minister of the
province of Nepapal, I am having great enjoyment to be introducing
to you now his Most Exalted Highness, the ruler of our happy
country, Prince Rhamalamarangdang!"  Sweeping off his hat, he bowed
low as a figure appeared in the door.

All the girls murmured and gasped softly.  

Ranma moved over to have a look at Rhamalamarangdang for himself. 
The Prince was tall and slenderly muscular, with long chestnut hair
and liquid brown eyes framed by long dark lashes.  His dark gold
skin was set off to perfection by the dark green robes he wore.
With a charming smile, he bowed low.  "Good afternoon," he said,
voice almost a purr.  "Please, call me Prince Rham.  My name is
entirely too long to force you say more than once or twice a day."

The girls giggled.

"I'm sorry to disturb you all; please excuse my impertinence."

"Trust me, Your Highness, anyone as good-looking as you can
interrupt us anytime," Nabiki said, eying him up and down.  The
Prince smiled, caught her hand, and deposited a gentle kiss on the
back of it.  "You're so gracious, milady," he murmured.

(Oh man,) Ranma thought, scowling.  (This guy's too much.  Jeez. 
He could give Kuno AND Mikado the Molester a run for their money.)

Rham spent the next few minutes greeting everyone, paying attention
to the girls, asking their names and flattering them mercilessly. 
When he came to Akane he bowed low and asked, "And your name, young
lady?"

"I'm-- I'm Akane Tendo."

"Akane Tendo."  The Prince nodded.  "How wonderful and apt.  Your
last name means 'the way of Heaven', doesn't it?"

Akane nodded.

"Yeah, that's my Akane," broke in Ranma, putting his arm around
Akane as he eased between her and Rham.  "She's a real great girl,
huh?  Just goes to show you how the right guy can cure a tomboy!"

Akane glared up at him.  "Ex-CUSE me?  You make it sound like I had
some kind of DISEASE!"

"And you would be?" Rham broke in smoothly.

"I'm Ranma Saotome.  Akane's MY fiancee."

Rham's eyebrow rose and he laughed lightly.  "I see!  Well, young
Master Saotome, my congratulations.  The young lady is fortunate to
have so attentive a suitor."  He glanced around the room, his eye
falling on one particular desk where a figure still sat, lost in
contemplation of the paper in front of her.  He drifted that way,
stood by the desk, cleared his throat softly.

Blinking, Neko looked up.  "Oh, hello," she said shyly.

"How do you do."  The Prince bowed.  "I am Prince
Rhamalamarangdang.  Prince Rham, for short."  He held out his hand.

Neko bowed back.  "I'm Neko Tamamichi.  Welcome to--to Furinkan
High School, Your Highness."

"May I see what you're working on?"

Neko blushed, dipped her head so her hair fell over her face. 
"It's nothing, really..."

"May I?"  Rham knelt and looked at the paper.  It was a pencil
sketch, rough and unfinished but very well drawn, of a young dark-
haired man with a bandanna tied about his head.  In the background
the tall trees of a forest framed a mountain, its summit crowned
with snow.  "This is excellent," he murmured, leaning in closer and
slipping one arm casually around Neko's back.  "If I saw this man
on the street I'd know him in an instant--that is, if he truly
exists?"

Neko's cheeks grew a touch pinker.  "Oh yes," she said faintly. 
"He's-- he's a very dear friend of mine.  But I haven't seen him in
a long time..." her voice trailed off and she looked at the
Prince's arm with a touch of trepidation.

"He should be soundly chastised, then.  So talented and attractive
a young woman should be treasured, not abandoned."

"Thank you..." Neko fidgeted, her tail twitching nervously.  Seeing
it, Prince Rham stood.  "Thank you for letting me see your art," he
said softly.  "You have talent; don't let anyone tell you
differently.  In fact, it would give me great pleasure to have this
picture as a memento of my visit.  May I ask this of you?"

Neko nodded.  She timidly slid the picture over to Rham.

Prince Rham swept to the door, bowed once more, and put his hands
together in front of him.  "Thank you all again for permitting me
to visit you.  I intend to enjoy your marvelous city for several
days; perhaps I can visit you again, if I'm welcome."

A chorus of (female) voices answered, "YES!"

With a chuckle Rham departed, followed by Toppahatti.

"Yummy," Nabiki said with a sigh.  "Oh, just you definitely come on
back any time, Prince Rham.  I'm looking forward to it."

"Gimme a break," Ranma muttered.

Outside, Toppahatti sidled up to his lord and master.  "Is she not
perfection, Most Exalted One?"

"She is."  A faintly wicked smile curved Prince Rham's lips.  "I
want her, Toppahatti.  But we must be... careful.  There is a man." 
Holding out Neko's drawing, he added, "Find out who he is, then
find him.  Make sure he doesn't interfere."

"Most assuredly, yes indeed, your word is law, O Prince."  Holding
the sketch, Toppahatti frowned thoughtfully.  "I believe this is
his name here, Great and Magnificent Ruler."  He pointed at the
kanji along one side of the portrait.  "R-Y-O-G-A  H-I-B-I-K-I."

                    *              *              *

"Guys like that just give me the creeps, that's all."

Akane stopped; looked at Ranma; started to giggle.  "You're
JEALOUS!"

"I am NOT!...."  Ranma hunched his shoulders. "Okay, maybe a LITTLE
bit.  What's wrong with that, huh?  I'm your fiancee!  Nerve of
that guy, thinkin' he can beat my time!"

"Ranma, really.  He was being nice to all the girls, not just me." 
Akane started walking again.  "Honestly, you act as if you were
worried I might LIKE being slobbered all over."  

"Whatever."  Ranma looked over his shoulder at Neko, who was
trailing along behind them.  "Hey, Akane..."

"Hm?"

"Has Neko.. y'know... said anything to you about some guy?"

"About what guy?"

"I dunno.  Some guy.  See, when we were goin' to the Sawara dojo,
she seemed kinda down.  So I asked her what was wrong, and she said
a whole bunch of stuff about some boy she missed.  Said he was
really cute and everything, but she hadn't seen him for a while. 
I was wondering if maybe she'd told you anything.  I mean, she's
lookin' sort of unhappy."

Akane glanced back.  "I see what you mean... no, she hasn't told me
anything, but then I haven't asked her.  She didn't mention his
name?"

"Nope."

As they continued down the street, the cheery jingle of a bicycle
bell filled the air, followed by a loud "Nihao!" as Shampoo neatly
flipped from the rooftops and landed beside the trio.  "Ranma!  It
beautiful day, yes?"

"Hi, Shampoo, yeah," Ranma muttered, eyes straight ahead.  Akane
just scowled.  "Listen, I ain't got time--"

"Shampoo not here talk to you right now, very sorry.  Need talk
Neko kitty-girl Shampoo friend!"

"Huh?!" Ranma and Akane chorused.

Wheeling her bike in beside Neko, Shampoo handed her a folded note. 
"Here you schedule for this week," she said.  "Great-grandmamma
want know it okay, or you maybe need special days off, want work
different days, what."

Neko unfolded the note, read it.  "It looks fine to me, Shampoo. 
Oh, good--she's got me working the Sunday lunch!  I always love the
buffet.  Do-- do you suppose Mousse would save me a teeny bit of
fresh fish?"

Shampoo nodded.  "I make sure Mousse not forget save you extra-
special good piece.  Must finish delivery now."  Stopping the bike,
Shampoo leaned over and gave Neko a hug.  "See you tonight!"  With
a wave she resumed her journey.

"What the heck was THAT?" Ranma demanded the second Shampoo was out
of hearing.

"I didn't tell you? --Oh, no, I guess not.  I'm working at the Cat
Cafe now part-time.  3 evenings a week and every other Sunday
afternoon.  I make deliveries and wait tables.  Shampoo's great-
grandmother-- you know, Cologne-- gave me a raise just the other
day because sales are so good!"  Neko giggled.  "And I've only been
there a week and a half!"

"You're kidding," Akane said.

"Mm-mmm."  Neko shook her head.

"How'd that happen?"

"Well, right after I left your house the other day... after going
to the Sawaras.. I sort of... well, I was walking around, and I
stopped by the Nekohanten, only I didn't realize it, and Shampoo
was there, and we started talking, and she asked me in..."  Neko
clasped her hands.  "And Cologne gave me a job because I can run so
fast.  I'm so happy--I finally found something my speed's good for
besides running away from trouble!"

"I... um..." Akane managed a smile.  "That's great, Neko!"

"That conniving old ghoul," Ranma added under his breath.

"Old ghoul?" Neko asked, ears cocking.  "You... you don't like
Cologne?"

"She's sort of trying to get Ranma married to Shampoo," Akane
explained, and went on to tell Neko about the Chinese Amazons. 
When she finished, Neko nodded.  "Okay, I understand," she said. 
"But really you can't blame her.  She's just trying to follow
something she's been raised all her life to believe in. It's as
important to her as... as being a martial artist is to Ranma."

"Huh.  Well, I wish she'd cut me some slack about it."  Ranma
flapped a hand in the air.  "Look, let's just drop the subject,
huh?  I'm so hungry that my stomach's tellin' my backbone that my
throat's been cut!"

"Me too."  Akane walked into the ramen shop, the other two
following her, and slid into a booth.  They chattered back and
forth over their noodles, exchanged class notes, and finally left,
parting ways at the end of the block.

                    *              *              *

The morning papers and TV talk shows were full of Prince
Rhamalamarangdang; his country, his palace, how much money he had,
and speculations as to whether or not he'd come to Japan in search
of a wife.  

"My, you're looking nice today, Nabiki," Kasumi commented as the
middle Tendo sister showed up for breakfast in some of her most
flattering clothing.

"Just making sure my advertising is up-to-date," Nabiki replied. 
"Oh good.  Daddy, be sure you save the paper.  I want to brush up
on Prince Rham's background.  Keiko called me this morning and said
there was a really good article on him."

"A prince," Kasumi said.  "That must be exciting.  Did he visit the
high school yesterday?"

"Yeah, and if you ask me he coulda skipped us."  Ranma finished his
soup and bowed.  "Thanks, Kasumi."

"Ranma doesn't LIKE princes very much," Nabiki announced smugly. 
"Or at least handsome ones who pay attention to Akane."

"Nabiki!"  Akane slammed down her chopsticks.  "Would you PLEASE! 
I had a hard enough time getting Ranma calmed down yesterday
without any help from YOU."

"Okay, sis, okay, my lips are sealed, I don't know anything."

"That's the spirit, Ranma!"  Tendo leaned over and patted Ranma's
back.  "Make sure everyone knows who Akane's with. Be fierce and
possessive; that's the way to let a woman know you care."

Ranma rolled his eyes skyward; Akane groaned and covered her face. 
"Dad, honestly!  Do you think you could embarrass me just a LITTLE
bit more?"

"C'mon, Akane, we're gonna be late."  Ranma stood up, grabbed his
satchel. 

"Don't you dare start acting like you own me, Ranma!"  Snatching up
her own bookbag, Akane strode out.  "You are such a JERK
sometimes!"

"Better than a tomboy!"

"Oh yeah?!"

They continued quarrelling loudly until they were outside the walls
of the house; then Ranma and Akane exchanged glances, burst into
laughter.  "I never thought f-fighting could be so much fun," Akane
managed to force out.

"Yeah, after all the stuff they've put us through, your pop and
mine deserve to be kept guessin' a little while longer."  Ranma
paused.  "Except they might notice I ain't tellin' you you're
uncute any more.  Cause... cause it ain't true."

"Ranma..."  Akane beamed up at him, slipped her hand into his. 
They walked like that all the way to school.

As Akane slid into her desk, she looked around, puzzled. 
"Ranma...have you seen Neko?"

The boy frowned.  "Nope.  And that's kinda funny.  She usually
always meets us on the way."

"You don't suppose she's sick, do you?"

"How'm I supposed to know?"  With a shrug Ranma added, "Tell you
what: we'll go by her house this afternoon and check on her. 
Okay?"

Akane nodded.  "I hope it's nothing serious."

That afternoon they made their way to the Tamamichi's.  It was a
neat little two-story traditional house, like a tiny version of the
Tendo home.  

"No, I'm sorry, Ne-chan ISN'T here," Mrs. Tamamichi said, looking
anxious.  "She left this morning to go to school, and that's the
last I've seen of her.  It's very strange.  She COULDN'T have
gotten lost, she never gets lost.  Oh, you don't suppose
something's happened to her!"

Akane exchanged a worried look with Ranma.  "This isn't one of the
days she's supposed to be working at the Cat Cafe, is it?"

"No, not that I know of.  But perhaps she got called in to work." 
Mrs. Tamamichi sighed.  "Neko's always been very good at taking
care of herself.  She's a good, sensible child."

"We'll go look for her," Akane volunteered.  "I'm sure it's really
nothing to be upset about.  When we find her, we'll let her know
she needs to call you."

Unfortunately, Neko wasn't at the Nekohanten either.  "Neko kitty-
girl friend Shampoo?"  Shampoo shook her head.  "No see her, not
since last night when she work."  The Chinese girl looked
concerned. "Something not right."

"That's what we're thinking," Ranma agreed.  "I mean, her folks
said she left for school this morning, and we know she never made
it.  Something's GOTTA have happened."

Shampoo turned to Cologne, who'd come in on the end of the
explanation. "Great-granmamma, is okay Shampoo go help look for
Neko kitty-girl friend Shampoo?"  

"Of course, child."  Cologne tapped her way over to the window,
looked out thoughtfully.  "I thought I felt a disturbance somewhere
this morning.  This explains what, if not why."

"I too shall go," Mousse announced, to be stopped by Cologne's
stick.  "You, Mr. Part-Time, are staying here to help me out with
the evening crowd," she ordered.  "You can go looking for Neko
later, after we close."

"But, Granny!"

"How would you like to be on the menu as the Cook's Special tonight
only?  I've had lots of requests for Peking Duck, you know."

Mousse gulped.  "I, I think I'll stay."

"Wise choice."


The three of them--Shampoo, Akane and Ranma--scoured the
neighborhood for the rest of the afternoon, but found no trace of
Neko.  Tired and discouraged, they made their way back to the dojo
to plan their next move.  Shortly after dark Mousse joined them.

"I just can't understand it," Akane said, gathering P-chan into her
arms and cuddling him.  "What CAN have happened?  Who'd want to do
anything to Neko?  She's the sweetest girl I know."

"Neko run very fast too.  Trouble must've happened quick quick,
take her by surprise."  Shampoo twisted a lock of hair around one
finger idly.

"I guess we oughta tell her folks, so they can report it to the
police--" Ranma stopped as a huge, furry figure burst through the
door, waving a sign frantically.  "Oh.  Hiya, Pop.  What's up?"

"Rrr!"  Genma-Panda pointed at the sign, which said, 'Terrible! 
Awful! Calamity!'  He then flipped it over and scrawled, 'With my
own eyes I saw it!  The poor girl!'

"Girl?  Mr. Saotome!  Do-- do you mean Neko?"  Akane leapt to her
feet, tumbling P-chan out of her lap. "Oh please, tell us, hurry!" 

"Mowr rowr," agreed the panda, and started scribbling again. 
Losing patience, Ranma bounded out the door, came back with a
kettle, and drenched his father.  "C'mon, Pop!  We ain't got time
for playing charades!"

"That WAS boiling water, you know, Ranma..."  Genma sat with a
THUD.  "I was working this morning at Dr. Tofu's office.  As I
swept the sidewalk, I saw your young friend Neko walking down the
street.  She was lost in her thoughts, and didn't notice the large
black car drawing up behind her.

"Suddenly, from the back of the car emerged five strangely-clad
men.  They were wearing flowing, baggy dark robes and sandals, and
they had coils of rope and strange, curved blades at their waists. 
Each had an odd tattoo on his forehead--I'll never forget that
eerie symbol as long as I live.  It looked like a smiling cat's
face.  

"Without a word, they leapt on her, and before she could cry out
one had a cloth over her face.  She stopped struggling almost at
once. I ran over to see if I could help, but they drove away faster
than I could follow them."

"And you waited till NOW to tell us this?  Mr. Saotome, how COULD
you!"  Akane got in Genma's face.  "Do you know how worried we've
been?!"

Genma looked moderately contrite.  "I didn't think it was all that
important."

"You WHAT?!  Girls getting kidnapped aren't IMPORTANT?!"

"Oh, this is great.  Just great."  Ranma flopped back down.  "How
are we supposed to find her?"

"Look to the mountains of India," a cracked little voice announced.

All eyes turned to the door outside, where Happosai stood limned
against the light.  "These men you describe sound like members of
an ancient secret sect of martial arts fighter-assassins known
as..." he paused dramatically.  "The HUGGEES!"

"The..." Shampoo started.

"...Huggees?" Mousse finished.

Happosai nodded.  "It's true!  When I was traveling around the
world in my youth improving my martial arts skills, I took a
journey to India.  It was there I encountered the Huggee cult,
which worships a dread tiger-goddess called Kit-Tii and holds all
tigers sacred."

"Tiger worshipers?"  Mousse slammed a hand on the table.  "But of
course!  That's it!  Neko's appearance would convince these Huggees
that she too must be of divine origin."

"Cats.  Man, it just HAS to be cats."  Ranma slumped further. 
"Okay, drop the other zori.  What's so special about these
Hippies?"

"HUGGEES," Akane corrected.

"Huggees, Hippies, what's the difference?"

"Ranma!"  Happosai thrust a finger at him.  "Don't underestimate
your enemy!  The Huggees practice a highly effective style of
martial arts wrestling that renders them nearly invincible in close
combat, and they're absolutely devoted to the leader of the sect,
who they view as Kit-Tii's voice on Earth."

"So where we find these bad people?"  Shampoo asked. 

"In the province of Nepapal."  Happosai folded his arms.  "Ah, I
remember it well..."

"Nepapal..."  Akane gasped, hands flying to her face.  "Ranma! 
That's where Prince Rhamalamarangdang is from!  And people are
saying he's supposed to be in Japan looking for a wife!!"

"That lady-killin' no-good sleazebag!"  Ranma clenched his fist. 
"Man, he's got some nerve comin' here and kidnapping Neko!  We
gotta get to this Nepapal place and rescue her, pronto!"

"Is so!"  Shampoo nodded emphatically.  "Nobody take Neko kitty-
girl friend Shampoo away like that!  They pay for what they doing."

"We'll need to leave tonight," Mousse murmured thoughtfully.  "They
already have a day's start on us."

"I wish Ryoga was here."  Akane sighed.  "We could REALLY use his
help. Ranma, you don't happen to know where he is, do you?"

Ranma threw one quick look at P-chan, who was lying contentedly at
Akane's feet, and shook his head.  "Not really."

"We haven't got time to go looking for him, either."  Giving her
pet a quick pat, Akane stood. "I'm going to go pack some stuff for
us, Ranma.  I'll be ready in just a minute."  

The second she was out of sight, Ranma leaned across the table,
looking at P-chan.  "You hear that?" he said in a low voice. 
"C'mon, Ryoga.  I know you're still in there somewhere.  We need
you, man."

Something flickered briefly in the piglet's eyes, then subsided. 
He stood, yawned, turned around in a circle, and lay back down,
looking innocently up at Ranma.

"Ryoga..."  Ranma let his head drop.  "What's gotten into you? 
Don't you CARE any more? You've been a pig nonstop since we got
back from Ryugenzawa!  What're you tryin' to do, anyway?!"

The pig grunted, rolled over on his side.

"That it!  Shampoo hear enough!"  Shampoo walked around the table
and snagged P-chan by the bandanna around his neck.  "You come with
me, stubborn pig-boy," she said under her breath to the squealing,
struggling piglet.  "We need talk."  She picked up her delivery box
with her other hand and stomped out through the sliding doors.

"Hey, wait up!"  Ranma jumped up and followed Shampoo.  Reluctant
to let his rival have any time alone with Shampoo, Mousse joined
the march outside.

Shampoo dropped Ryoga unceremoniously behind the dojo building, out
of sight of the main house.  Taking a kettle from her delivery box,
she doused the piglet with still-hot water and stepped back.

Ryoga appeared on the ground, naked save for the bandanna now in
place around his head.  For a moment he crouched there, blinking,
as though unsure of where--or who--he was.  Ranma paused several
yards away, watching in tense silence, wondering if there was
anything of the Ryoga he'd known left behind those green-dappled
eyes.

Then Ryoga seemed to snap out of it.  He bared his fangs at
Shampoo.  "What did you do THAT for?!" he demanded.

"Hey!" protested Ranma. "That's MY line!"

"You shut up, Ranma!!"

Shampoo brought the kettle down hard on Ryoga's head.  "You shut
up, stupid, stupid boy!!"  

"I don't have to listen to you!" Ryoga bellowed up at her.

Shampoo grabbed Ryoga by the throat, hauled him to his feet and
slammed him against the wall hard enough to crack the brickwork. 
"You WILL listen Shampoo," she hissed, her voice barely audible,
"before Shampoo pop off head like bottlecap!  Is all YOUR fault
Neko kitty-girl friend Shampoo taken away!"

Ryoga couldn't speak--Shampoo's grip on his throat had shut off his
windpipe--but his eyes widened in amazement.

"Shampoo know.  Neko kitty-girl tell Shampoo friend about
heartache.  Heartache because of you!  Neko-friend love stupid
Ryoga, only he too busy chasing after other woman to notice.  You
not even man enough to tell Akane how you feel about her, but you
no have sense to see good woman with good heart who miserable
without you!  If she not so worry about you staying little pig,
maybe she see trouble before it catch up to her!  So you to blame
for everything, stupid Ryoga!"

"Hey--wait a minute!"  Ranma couldn't stay quiet any longer when
realization hit him.  "You mean--you mean the guy that Neko's been
moonin' about all this time is--RYOGA?!?"

"Hmph.  He no deserve good woman like Neko kitty-girl, but she love
him.  It his fault she in terrible trouble.  It his responsibility
to rescue her!"

"Well, he's not gonna be savin' anybody if you don't ease up on the
choke-hold, Shampoo."

"Aiyah?"  Shampoo looked at Ryoga, who was by this time turning
blue-faced.  She half-shrugged and let go.  

Ryoga fell back against the wall, gasping, one hand to his aching
throat.  For long moments the only sound was his struggling for
air.  

Then, slowly, Ryoga brought his hands up and looked at them. 
"Ne...ko...?" he rasped, still out of breath.  Then he looked at
Shampoo, who still stared at him with bitter scorn.  "She...loves
me?"  He grabbed Shampoo by the shoulders.  "She said that?  She
said she loves me?!"

"Not like you deserve it," Shampoo snarled, whacking Ryoga with the
kettle again and knocking him back away from her.  "When we find
Neko kitty-girl friend Shampoo, you have talk with her or Shampoo
rip out tongue by root!  Come, Mousse--we get ready to go."

"At once, my darling Shampoo!"  Mousse trotted off after his
departing beloved.  

Ranma looked after them, then his eyes slowly tracked to Ryoga, who
had slid slowly down the wall to a sitting position, knees doubled
up in front of him.  As Ranma watched, he ran his hands through his
hair and murmured, mostly to himself, "I...I've been a fool..."

Ranma snorted.  "You got THAT right."

"You're not helping, Saotome."

Ranma slung something at him.  "I guess you're gonna want these
then, huh?"

Ryoga caught the bundle and looked at it.  "My...clothes...?"  He
looked up at Ranma.  "How...?"

Ranma shrugged. "I sorta picked up your pack from where you left it
back in Ryugenzawa.  I figured you might need it eventually or
somethin'."

Ryoga pulled on his clothes in silence.  It wasn't until the two
youths were walking back around the dojo towards the house when
Ryoga stopped and looked at Ranma.  "She...she said she loves
me...?  She really said that?"

Ranma paused and looked back.  "Well, sure.  I mean...Neko said
some really nice things about you."

"She did?  Like what?"

"Well...uh...she said you were good-lookin'...and that she really
likes the color of your eyes..."

"Really?  Huh.  Wow.  --Anything else?"

"Uhh...aw, man, what're you askin' me for?!  I can't remember stuff
like that.  Why don'tcha find her, and then ask her for yourself?"

Something flickered behind Ryoga's eyes...a new determination,
something that had never been given light there before.  "I will,
Ranma," he said softly.  "I really will."

                  *             *             *

The first thing Neko noticed as she woke was the way her
surroundings smelled.  The scent of flowers and smoke hung in air
that was somehow a little crisper, a little fresher, than what she
was used to.  

Slowly she levered herself up, ears working this way and that as
she looked around.  She was lying on a huge canopied bed, its
curtains drawn protectively around her, muffling light and sound
alike.  Carefully she put out a hand, parted the curtains just a
crack, and peered out.

An enormous room, filled with luxurious furnishings--thick, rich
carpets, paintings, sculptures, elaborately comfortable chairs and
divans, and a single massive carved wooden door-- met her eyes. 
Curiosity overcame wariness and she crept out on all fours, padding
quietly over the marble floors, and made for the only window in the
room.  The landscape it revealed wrung a gasp from her.

Around and below her stretched the expanse of some huge building,
clearly a palace of some kind.  It was built on top of a large hill
or small mountain whose top had been planed flat.  At the bottom of
the hill a glitter of water proclaimed a river's presence.  The
sides of the tower she was in were smooth part of the way down,
and, looking at it, Neko concluded ruefully that there'd be little
hope of climbing down the outside, even with the help of her claws.

"Ah, you're awake.  Good."

Neko whirled.  "P-Prince Rham!"

Rham bowed.  "Welcome to the Imperial Palace.  I hope you like it."

"I DON'T like it."  Neko stamped a foot.  "What do you think you're
doing?  You take me home!"

"My dear Neko, you ARE home."  Rham smiled gently... as gently as
a shark.  "I went to Japan to find a bride, and I've brought her
back with me.  Your beautiful little ears and tail mark you as
favored by our tiger goddess Kit-Tii.  You'll make me a wonderful
wife, I'm sure."

"W-wife..?  But I don't WANT to be your wife!" 

"You don't have a choice in the matter.  Although you'll soon find
I can be a very generous and affectionate husband."  Prince Rham
strode across the floor to Neko's side, took her hand.  "You'll
enjoy the life of a princess--no, a queen.  Everywhere you go
people will fall over themselves to indulge your tiniest wish.
You'll dine on the rarest delicacies of the field, dress in the
finest silks and satins, wear a country's ransom in jewelry.  I can
offer you EVERYTHING, don't you see?"

Neko snatched her hand away.  "Everything but love!"

"Love?  Love has nothing to do with it.  All I require from you is
grace, a certain willingness to obey me, and beauty.  Oh, and a few
dozen heirs.  Those are very important to any dynasty."

"Well, I'm not going to give you any of those things."  Neko's ears
flattened and her tail whipped angrily from side to side.  "I don't
love you and I'm not going to marry you, so you might as well just
give up your silly ideas and take me back to Japan right now."

Rham's eyes narrowed.  "I don't believe you understood me," he said
pleasantly.  "You have NO choice in the matter.  You're in my
country now, Neko.  I make the rules here.  And I've decided that
I'm going to make you my bride."  Without warning he grabbed her,
fingers digging into her arms.  "And there is NOTHING you can do
about it."

Neko winced, blinking back tears of pain.  "I will NOT," she said,
voice trembling.  "My friends won't let you do this to me.  They'll
come for me.  Just you wait and see."

"Ah yes, your 'friends'."  Rham smiled, this time without any
pleasantry at all.  "Particularly a young man named Ryoga Hibiki?"

Neko caught her breath.

"I'm looking forward to meeting Mr. Hibiki, actually. If he decides
to attend our nuptials, I have a special welcome planned for him. 
One he'll remember for the rest of his life." (Which won't be very
long,)  Rham added silently.  Releasing Neko, he gave her a little
shove at the same time so that she fell to her knees in front of
him.  "Resign yourself to the fact of our marriage, Neko, and your
life will be paradise.  Continue to defy me, and..."  A mocking
cruelty crept into his voice.  "I'll make your life...
INTERESTING."

With a bow, he turned and exited, the door slamming shut behind
him, the rasp of a bolt sliding home following a second later. 
Neko stared at it, trembling, then curled up in a ball and started
crying helplessly.  "Ryoga... oh please, Ryoga, don't leave me
here..."

                  *             *             *

It took Ranma and the other youngsters nearly all night, but at
last they found a small trader whose captain was willing to let
them 'hitch a ride' to Nepapal in return for working on board.  

One starry night Ranma wandered up on deck to snatch a few minutes'
worth of practice time before bed, only to find someone else had
had the same idea.  "R-Ryoga."

The other boy whirled, relaxed only slightly when he saw who it
was.  "Ranma."

"Um."  Ranma scuffed a foot over the deck.  "Practicing, huh?"

"I have to. I can't let Neko down.  I CAN'T."  A note of
wistfulness entered Ryoga's voice.  "I've... I've already
disappointed her enough."  He sat down on a coil of rope.  "I can't
believe I was so blind.  How could I've not understood what she
truly meant?"

"Cause you never listen to anything you don't wanna hear, and you
didn't wanna hear that somebody besides Akane was in love with
you."  Ranma leaned up against the mast.  "Man, people can talk to
you till they're purple in the face, and it goes in one ear and out
the other like there's nothing in the middle."

Ryoga's eyes flashed with a brief anger, then calmed again. 
"You..." he said haltingly.  "You're... you're right, Ranma."

"Huh?  What'd you say?!"

"I said you were RIGHT, Ranma.  What's the matter, am I using too
many big words for you?"  Ryoga smirked.  "Should I talk a little
more slowly?  Maybe spell everything?"

"Don't start something you ain't ready to finish, P-CHAN," Ranma
warned.

"Don't call me that!"  Leaping to his feet, Ryoga took a half-step
forward.  "How dare you make fun of me when you're to one to blame
for my suffering?!"

"Hey, nobody dragged YOU to China.  Nobody made YOU go to Jusenkyo. 
You coulda stayed home and waited, but noooooo!  You just HAD to
follow me, didn't'cha?  If anybody's to blame for you bein' cursed,
Ryoga, it sure ain't ME!"  Ranma also took a step forward.  "I'm
tired of you blaming all your problems on me just cause you're not
willin' to admit you might've been to blame your OWN self!  You're
supposed to be 'mature', remember?  So what about taking a little
responsibility, huh?  Why don't'cha act like a REAL man?"

"A real--" Ryoga choked.  "You-- I--"  His hands closed into fists. 
"Ranma, DAMN YOU--!"

"C'mon," Ranma said, taking a stance.  "Beat me up, Ryoga.  That's
what you always do, ain't it, instead of think about stuff?  Beat
me up?  Use your fists instead of your head?  Sounds like running
away to ME."

The other boy stared at him, wide-eyed, trembling with rage.  For
a second Ranma was sure Ryoga was about to scream and launch into
a flurry of blows.  Then, slowly, Ryoga stopped shaking; his fists
opened again; he sat back down and put his face in his hands.  "So
what else am I supposed to do, Ranma?  You have people to turn to--
Akane, your father, Mr. Tendo.  Who do I have?  Where do I go when
I need to talk to someone?"  He looked up, the moonlight catching
a suspicious glitter of silver in his eyes.  "I'm a loner, Saotome. 
I've ALWAYS been alone.  I've never had anyone to trust in or rely
on.  The only way I have of solving problems is to hit them until
they go away."

"It doesn't have to be that way, Ryoga."  Ranma knelt down in front
of the other boy.  "Look, I-- you remember, back in junior high,
the stuff with the bread-- that wasn't anything but a game to me.
Me and Ucchan used to play like that all the time.  Sure, it was
training, but it was fun too.  I figured if it worked once, it'd
work again.  Only you got mad.  But I wasn't trying to make you mad
or nothin'.   I... dammit, Ryoga, I wanted to be FRIENDS with you,
you dummy, and that was the only way I knew HOW to be friends!"  He
shook his head.  "Haven't you ever just, y'know, had fun with it? 
Does everything have to be life and death to you?  Life's kinda
short to be all doom and destruction."

"The world is a dark and lonely place, Ranma.  If a man isn't for
you, he's against you.  There's no PLACE for taking things lightly. 
If you don't treat yourself and your studies seriously, somebody
will come along and walk all over you.  And don't think people will
stop to help you up, either.  It's the oldest law, Ranma--survive
or don't survive.  You have to look out for yourself, because no
one else will.  Defend what's yours, or someone will--" Ryoga
stopped, looked away.  "Someone will steal it from you," he
finished.

"You-- you really believe that?"

A bitter half-laugh.  "What else is there TO believe in?"

Speechless, Ranma stared at Ryoga.  "Man, that's cold," he said
finally.

"Yeah," Ryoga agreed.  "But if I'm always expecting the worst, at
least when things go well it's a PLEASANT surprise."  He turned to
look out over the shadowed waves.  "I heard a song recently that
kind of sums things up. Part of the lyrics go, 'Is the glass half
full or empty / I ask her as I fill it / she says it doesn't really
matter / pretty soon you're bound to spill it.'"

"But then you could just fill it up again," Ranma retorted.

Ryoga laughed--once--and shook his head.  "You just don't get it. 
Well, never mind, Ranma.  It works for you."  He reached out and
gave Ranma's shoulder a tentative pat.  "It's funny, but more and
more often we're talking to one another instead of fighting.  I
used to think I'd never be content with anything less than beating
you utterly.  Maybe... maybe that isn't quite true any more."

"I wouldn't mind.  Heck, we make a pretty good team.  I'm fast,
you're strong--we got all the bases covered.  Remember the phoenix
that crazy Kuno hatched out?  We kicked butt on that one."  Ranma
poked Ryoga (gently) in the chest with a finger.  "And who's always
showing up with hot water right when I need it most?"

"Hm?... Yeah... I guess so.  Huh."  Ryoga scratched his head. 
"Well, SOMEBODY'S got to keep you in line."

"So...you wanna be friends?  I don't mean not ever arguin' or
nothing sappy like that.  I don't guess we're ever not gonna fight
about SOMETHING, what with the way we look at things so different. 
But tryin' to keep ahead of you makes me a better martial artist,
and you trying to keep up with ME does the same for you... and like
I said, we make a great team.  C'mon, what'd'ya say?"  Ranma held
out a hand.

Ryoga stared at it as if he thought it might bite him.  Slowly he
began to reach out, then stopped, shook his head.  "I--I can't. 
Not yet."

"What?  Why the heck not?  What'd I do now?"

"It's not you, Ranma, it's me."  Ryoga sighed.  "There's still the
matter of our fight.  You know, the one it took me four days to get
to?"

"Man, are you still thinking about that? That was YEARS ago,
Ryoga!"

"Maybe you've gotten past it, but I haven't.  A man-to-man duel
that was never finished... it's a matter of pride and honor, Ranma. 
And my pride and honor are pretty much all I have.  Until it's
settled for sure, I can't allow myself to accept your offer.  I
wouldn't have the RIGHT to call myself your friend."

Ranma scowled a little.  "I... guess I can understand that," he
admitted after a moment's thought.  "But nothing's getting settled
tonight."

"We have something more important to concentrate on."

"Yeah.  Neko.  Got any ideas what we're gonna do when we get there? 
I mean, this Prince guy isn't gonna let us just walk in and take
Ne-chan home if he went to all this trouble in the first place to
get her."

As they talked, neither boy noticed a dark shape crouched in the
gangway leading down, listening.  Presently it crept noiselessly
away, making its way towards the radio room.

                    *              *              *

Back in Japan, two men were watching the moonlit skies, each lost
in silence, wondering where his child was and what they were doing
at that very moment.

"The life of a martial artist is fraught with peril," Tendo said
after a while.

"Mm."  Genma nodded.  "Those who follow that path must be prepared
to lay down their lives in pursuit of the truth."

"Justice for those who've been wronged."

"Defense for the weak."

"And low annual salaries."

"THAT's for sure."  Looking up, Genma squinted.  "Tendo, it
certainly is getting cloudy all of a sudden, isn't it?"

"It certainly is..." Tendo stood, a sudden wind whipping his hair
out behind him.  "Saotome!  Do you hear... an elephant trumpeting?"

"Never mind the elephant.  Do you see that?!"  Genma pointed into
the heart of the clouds, which were opening up around SOMETHING.

Tendo groaned and covered his eyes.  "Not THEM again..."

                    *              *              *

The next morning dawned bright and clear, with a smudge on the
horizon that rapidly turned into a shoreline.  "All right!  We made
it!"  Ranma yelled, throwing his mop and bucket in the air.  The
bucket, unfortunately, came down on top of him-- water first.  

"Way to go, Einstein," Ryoga said, peering under the bucket at the
soggy redhead underneath.  "Keep that up, and you'll be juggling in
no time."

"Aw, what'd'you know from juggling anyway?" Ran-chan muttered,
wringing the edges of her shirt out.

Ryoga promptly picked up the bucket, balanced it on the end of the
mop, and then balanced the entire ensemble on the tip of his pinky. 
"Oh, not much," he said casually.

"Shampoo only hope we be in time."  The Chinese girl's lips curled
in a wicked little smile. "And if we not, we make Neko kitty-girl
widow REAL quick."

"I hope it doesn't come to that."  Akane leaned on the ship's rail. 
"I'm so worried about Neko.... if only she knew how to fight, she
might've be able to get away from those guys in the first place."

"Aiyah!  What you say?"  Shampoo blinked at Akane, astonished. 
"Neko no can fight?  You serious?  No joke with Shampoo?"

"That's right!"  Akane nodded.  "She's said so herself."

Shampoo looked pensive.  "Mousse," she called.

"Right here, Shampoo my beloved!"

"That life preserver.  Shampoo over HERE."  Grabbing a fistful of
long black hair, Shampoo hauled Mousse over to one side and began
talking to him in rapid-fire Chinese as Akane watched, not
understanding a word.  Mousse looked first astonished, then mildly
concerned.  When Shampoo finished, he shrugged and answered in the
same language.

Shampoo shook her head, obviously not pleased by his reply.  She
poked him in the chest a few times, folded her arms impatiently.

Mousse heaved a sigh, gestured helplessly and said something that
Akane guessed was along the lines of 'What do you want ME to do
about it?'

Shampoo looked disappointed, but nodded slowly.  The pair stood
silent a minute, obviously thinking deeply.

Abruptly Mousse gasped, slapped his forehead, grabbed Shampoo's
upper arms and said something excitedly.  Shampoo's face lit
immediately and she flung her arms around his neck with a happy
squeal.  Then, as if recalling she wasn't supposed to be showing
him any favor, she stepped back, made some off-handed scornful
remark.

Mousse only smiled--a little sadly-- and bowed his head, accepting
the comment without protest.

For just a minute, unseen by Mousse, Shampoo's features softened
and she looked at him wistfully.  Akane caught her breath softly. 
(Could--could it be?) she thought.  (Does Shampoo really love
Mousse instead of Ranma?  Then why-?  Oh, of course!  The Amazon
laws!  She CAN'T be nice to Mousse, because until he beats her in
combat he's not worthy of her!  And I bet Mousse goes easy on her
because he loves her and doesn't want to hurt her... so every time
he TRIES to fight her, he LOSES.  There's got to be a way we can
fix that...)

They were close to the docks now, so Akane pushed the idea out of
her head for the time being.  Somewhere out there Neko needed help. 
That was what mattered right now.

As soon as the boat tied up, the youngsters disembarked, looking
around.  The docks led directly onto a small open-air market,
fairly well deserted due to the early hour, framed on either side
by buildings and canopies.   "Now what?"  Akane asked.

Ran-chan shrugged.  "Ask for directions?"

"That is not being necessary," a strange voice interjected.  "We
are here to be welcoming you."

Everyone turned to see Toppahatti, the Prince's advisor, looking
ominously happy to see them.  Instinctively Ran-chan fell into a
fighting stance, as did the others.  "I remember you," Ran-chan
said.  "You're that guy with the Prince."

"Very sorry, but I am not being remembering you."  Toppahatti
looked directly at Ryoga and added, "However, I am regretting to
being informing you that since this man is with you, you are
doubtless here to disrupt the wedding of our illustrious Prince to
the so-beautiful tiger-girl."

"You're damn straight we are!" Ryoga snarled, shrugging out of his
pack.  "Where's Neko?!"

"Oh, very sorry, very sorry, but we are not letting you make
trouble.  Indeed no.  Orders are very specific."  Stepping back,
Toppahatti gestured.  Immediately huge fishing nets sailed over the
edges of the roofs surrounding them and fell in cascades around the
adventurers.  Shampoo screamed shrilly as one covered her; Ran-chan
yanked Akane out of the way of three more; Mousse ducked one but
got his feet tangled in a second and fell; Ryoga leapt aside and
drew his umbrella as a net narrowly missed him.

"You are being missing!" Toppahatti bounced up and down in rage,
clutching his top hat.  "You are to be trying again or I will be
doing much much worse than kicking booty through all 500 rooms of
the Imperial Palace!"

"Kicking booty sounds like a GREAT idea to me!" Akane yelled, and
jumped at him.  As she connected, she felt Toppahatti roll with the
blow. letting most of its force dissipate.  She also discovered
that Toppahatti's girth wasn't all due to flab; in fact, most of it
felt like solid muscle.  "Ranma, watch out!  He's not what he seems
to be!" she warned, circling the little man.

Now armed men were pouring out of the alleyways, surrounding Ran-
chan and Ryoga, who were standing back to back, and Mousse, who was
tearing at the netting holding Shampoo.  Akane risked a hasty
glance and saw five or six men converge on Mousse, who whipped out
his black lotus and struck at one, dropping him before getting
tackled by the others and vanishing under their bodies.
Freeing herself, Shampoo launched a kick at the group clustered
around Mousse, bowling one over.  She whirled and punched a second,
sending him flying.  A third, holding a doubled coil of rope,
whipped it around her from behind, hastily binding her arms to her
sides even as she kicked backwards and knocked his legs out from
under him.  

Then Akane had to concentrate on her own battle as Toppahatti
charged, moving with surprising speed.  She leapt up and over him,
using his head as a springboard, and landed behind him.  He
pivoted, snapping off the sash around his waist and flicking it at
her like a whip.  One end snagged her wrist and entangled it; she
fought to free herself as he hauled her in.

On the other side of the open area, Ran-chan drop kicked one of her
opponents, pivoted, and punched another.  "Where are they all
comin' from?" she gasped as two more took the downed pair's place.

"Why are you asking me?"  Ryoga snagged a shirtfront and tossed it
(and its unlucky owner) through a booth of crockery.  "Here's one
for you: how'd they know when we'd be here and where we'd hit
land?"

"Beats me.  --Hey!"  Dodging a sword-blade, Ran-chan picked up the
nearest blunt object-- a large clay jug-- and smashed it over the
sword-wielder's head.  "These guys are out for keeps!"  With all
the speed she could muster, she whirled in a tight circle, fists
lashing out too fast to be dodged, taking out another four men. 
They were immediately replaced.

"So am I!"  

"They keep this up, they'll wear us down!  It's wolfpack tactics. 
We've gotta get some breathing space!"

"Maybe if we hit the roofs-- UGH!"  Ryoga dropped to his knees as
a blunt-spiked mace caught him in the middle of the back.  As he
staggered to his feet, he was tackled, went back down.  Instantly
he was the center of a dogpile of assailants.  With a roar of rage,
he fought his way back up, tossing them aside, even as more threw
themselves at him.  Wooden clubs rose and fell, some finding their
mark on the boy's shoulders and head.

"Hang on, Ryoga!  I'm comin'!"  Ran-chan waded in, striking left
and right, struggling to get into the core of the fight and protect
Ryoga's back.  The sheer press of bodies pushed her to the fringes
of the crowd, where other men were waiting to pounce on her.  More
and more swarmed in until there was no room to dodge.  A hailstorm
of blows descended, battering her to the ground.

"RANMA!"  Akane screamed.  "RYOGA!"

In the midst of the whirl of men one hand--she couldn't tell who it
belonged to-- thrust up, was seized and pulled back down.  Then
Toppahatti grabbed her wrists, dragged her close enough to wrap his
arms around her.  Try as she might, Akane couldn't break his hold.
More men appeared and took hold of her.  

Stepping back, Toppahatti surveyed the battleground.  "Indeed these
young people are being much trouble!" he exclaimed.  "I am almost
being underestimating them!"  He made a small gesture and his
followers drew back, revealing the unconscious forms of Shampoo,
Mousse and Ran-chan.  Ryoga was still awake, but obviously dazed. 
The little man walked forward and seized a hank of the young
warrior's hair, hauled him up by it.  "This one," he said.

Several of the Huggees (Akane could see the tattoo on their
foreheads now) stepped forward, began wrapping heavy chains around
Ryoga, thrust a gag into his mouth.  Others knelt and started tying
up the others with ropes.

"What--what are you doing with him?" Akane demanded.  "Tell me!"

Toppahatti only tilted Ryoga's chin up, watching as awareness crept
back into them, followed by rage.  "So sad," he commented.  "Others
will being attending our Prince's wedding and wishing him every
happiness.  You, however, are not being invited.  --Bring them," he
ordered, and set off back towards the harbor.  The prisoners were
dragged along, tossed roughly into the cargo bay of a small barge.

"You didn't answer me!" Akane shouted.  "What are you doing to
Ryoga!?"

Toppahatti turned and looked at her mildly. "Begging the young
miss's pardon, but I am being removing the main impediment to our
Prince's marriage.  Permanently."  He swung an arm.  "Please to be
throwing the very troublesome Hibiki into the water now."

"Water-?  NO!"  Akane twisted frantically.  "He'll DROWN!"

"That IS being the general idea, my yes."  Toppahatti smiled.

As Akane watched, the men carrying Ryoga took him to the very end
of a dock, swung him back and forth a few times, then threw him far
out into the blue waters.  In a few moments a burst of bubbles
rose, rippling the surface again.  When they too were stilled,
Toppahatti nodded, satisfied.  "We are proceeding now to the
Imperial Palace," he told Akane.  "You will be honored witnesses to
the nuptials."

Blinking back tears of rage and sorrow, Akane spat out, "You'll pay
for that!"

"Yes, yes, I am being hearing this many times before."  Toppahatti
waved a hand.  "Cast off!"

The barge churned away, no one noticing the tiny dark form
struggling its way up onto shore behind them and collapsing. 
Raising a weary head, P-chan watched them depart.

As he'd hit the water and sunk, a cold doubt had closed around
Ryoga's heart.  Would this be the one time Jusenkyo's magic failed
to work?  Had staying a pig so long 'burnt' the curse out of him? 
Would the tropical waters be cool enough to trigger the change at
all?  If he didn't become P-chan, his time on earth was going to be
cut drastically short.  

A familiar tingling in every limb answered his questions, and if he
hadn't been holding his breath Ryoga would've shouted for joy as he
felt the painless dissolution begin, his body compressing itself
into a new form that the chains slipped off.  With all his
remaining strength he'd paddled frantically for shore.

However, being a piglet instead of a boy presented a whole new set
of problems, not the least of which was how to follow his comrades. 
(Well, I'll worry about it later,) P-chan/Ryoga thought grimly as
he trotted up the slope.  (First thing is to get changed back, and
for that I need--)  He froze.

Several villagers had timidly emerged in the wake of the Huggee
departure, and they were now staring at him with hungry interest. 
P-chan took a step backwards.  (NOT NOW, YOU IDIOTS!  Go find some
other pig to cook for breakfast!)  He cast a desperate glance over
his shoulder at the barge.  (If I lose sight of them now, I'll
NEVER get to the Palace in time!)

The villagers had ideas to the contrary, however, and they fanned
out, surrounding the little piglet.  P-chan crouched, ready to
fight.  When one of them jabbed a hand at him, he whirled and sank
his teeth in, earning a very satisfactory yelp of pain from his
target, who backed away, shaking his hand and cursing.  The others
laughed at him.

With a scowl he took off his jacket and advanced on P-chan again. 
The piglet waited until his opponent was almost on him then lunged
forward.  The man flinched--as Ryoga'd hoped he would--and took an
involuntary step back.  As he did, P-chan leapt up, using his
momentum to bowl the man over while he was off-balance between one
step and the next.  Jumping over the prone form, the piglet raced
for freedom.

With a shout the men pursued him around the marketplace, crashing
into walls and through booths as Ryoga/P-chan led them a merry
chase.  At last they cornered him in a cul-de-sac.  Crouching, he
growled a warning, determined to sell his life dearly.

This time two men advanced on him, with a net held between them. 
Even as he dodged, they flung it, snagging him.  Squealing in rage,
he thrashed about, trying to kick his way clear of the mesh.  Just
as he did, he felt a hand close on his bandanna and haul him
triumphantly aloft. 

As the procession made their way out of the alley, the man carrying
P-chan spied a backpack lying abandoned against one wall, a fine
metal umbrella on the cobblestones near it.  Whistling happily, he
picked up both (not without a little effort) and slung them over
one shoulder.  First lunch, then a fine new pack loaded with all
sorts of wonderful things... this was certainly HIS lucky day.

Walking into a nearby house, the man shouted something.  Presently
a woman came in, took P-chan into a kitchen, and hung him up by one
leg while she sharpened a long knife and set a large pot of water
on to boil.

(Not THIS again,) Ryoga thought.  (I'm really getting tired of
people thinking of me as the Dish of the Day!... I've got to get
loose.  That hot water is just what I need.)  With a grunt of
effort, Ryoga/P-chan jackknifed upwards, teeth closing on the rope
holding him.  Two good chomps and it was cut through, letting him
fall.

The woman whipped around at the sound and yelled something, came
after him.  Dodging, P-chan jumped--not towards the door, as the
woman obviously expected, but upwards, into the seething cauldron.

(Oh this is going to HURT--)

1.358 seconds later (give or take a few nanoseconds), a slightly
scalded (and extremely naked) Ryoga erupted out of the pot.  "OW OW
OW OW HOT HOT HOT HOT!" he screamed.  "I HATE this stupid curse!  
--Not as much as I USED to, mind you..."

"AAAAYYYYEEEEEEE!"  Flinging up her hands, the woman collapsed to
the ground, bowing and jabbering.  Ryoga stared at her a second,
then realized she thought he was some kind of supernatural being
and was either praying to him or pleading with him not to blast her
into infinity.  "Sorry about ruining your lunch plans," he
muttered, jumping over her and running down the hall.  "Next time,
try being a vegetarian."

By good luck the hallway connected directly onto the main room,
where the man who'd caught him was opening his pack and preparing
to go through it.  He looked up at the sound of running feet, eyes
widening as Ryoga vaulted the table, grabbed the straps of the
backpack, and swung out a window.

Only when he was five or six rooftops away did Ryoga slow down
enough to fish a spare set of clothing out and don it.  Then he
stood, staring out over the harbor.  (What do I do NOW?  Much as I
hate to admit it, I CAN'T find my way around.  If I set off in ANY
direction, it's bound to be the wrong one.  And I can't afford to
get lost!)  Despair welled up in him.  "Oh please," he whispered,
one fist clenching as his eyes squeezed shut, "Merciful Buddha,
help me.  I know I haven't been the kindest or most forgiving
person in the world, but I swear, I'll never ask for anything, ever
again, if only you'll help me find my way to Neko and the others. 
Please-- I have to-- she NEEDS me--"

A sharp rap on the back of the skull interrupted him.  Whirling,
Ryoga found himself staring at a white crane, who darted in and
snatched off his bandanna before he could move.  "Hey!  Hey, you
stupid bird, that's mine!  Give it back, do you hear?  Give it
back!!"

The crane ignored him and flew off.  Snarling, Ryoga followed it.

               *              *              *

Darkness faded slowly to grey, and Ran-chan lay still a moment,
trying to figure out where she was and hoping that given enough
time, her head would stop pounding.  Cool metal under her cheek and
the faint wash of water over the hull hinted she was on board some
kind of boat.  Her arms were tied painfully behind her back with
something rough--jute ropes, she guessed, or manila.   Careful
testing proved them a little too well-knotted and resilient to
break free of in her present form. Her legs were free, however.
Gritting her teeth, she levered herself up, immediately wished she
hadn't as her headache redoubled.  "Oh, man..." she groaned.  "Did
they have to hit me that hard?"

"R-Ranma?"

"Akane?" Ran-chan peered through the shadows.  "Where are you?"

"I'm over here--hang on--" a scuffling and Akane stumbled over,
falling to her knees beside her fiancee.  "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, except my head's doin' the lambada.  Where's everyone else?"

"Mousse is still out, I think... Shampoo's over there."  Akane
jerked her chin towards one corner. 

Straining her eyes, Ran-chan could just make out the other two
people.  "Yo, Shampoo," she said.  "How're you feeling?"

"Shampoo all right," the Chinese girl said.  "Been hurt worse than
this before." A pause.  "Maybe not MUCH worse, but Shampoo get over
it." A cold note crept into her voice, and Ran-chan could just
barely made out an expression of grim fury on the girl's face. 
"But they regret they not hurt Shampoo bad enough keep her from
fighting.  Shampoo not rest till vengeance taken."

"What the heck are you talking about?  And where's Ryoga?  That
dumb jerk oughta be awake by now himself.  His head's too thick to
knock him cold for long."

Silence, broken by a choked sob.  Ran-chan looked up and saw the
tears streaming down Akane's face.  "Oh, Ranma," she gasped, and
buried her face in the other girl's shoulder. "It, it was
horrible... I saw the whole thing--"

Ran-chan sat up a little straighter, eyes widening, a terrible idea
creeping over her. "No.  You ain't trying to tell me--"

Akane sobbed harder.  "They wrapped him up in chains so he couldn't
fight-- he never-- he never had a chance--"

"They..." Ran-chan swallowed, hard, her throat closing till all she
could manage was a whisper.  "They killed Ryoga?"

Akane nodded, unable to speak.

A cold flower of rage and grief blossomed in Ran-chan's chest.   
An image of Ryoga's huddled form cast off in an alley somewhere
filled her mind.  The rain, no longer something he had to be afraid
of, would wash him clean and weep for him at the same time, the
only one who would know or care that he'd ever lived.

"This ain't finished yet," Ran-chan growled under her breath as her
vision blurred with tears.  "Rhamalamarangdang and his whole crowd
are gonna wish they'd never heard of Ranma Saotome before I'M
finished. I'll pull the whole goddamn palace down around his stupid
head and make him EAT it."  Her voice rose and her battle aura
flickered up into blue flames that lit the cargo hold.  "I swear on
my honor as a warrior and on the honor of the School of Anything-
Goes Martial Arts, Ryoga, I won't rest till Prince Rham pays for
what he did to you!  YOU WILL BE AVENGED!"

"Shampoo swear also. In name of Chinese Amazon tribe, I not stop
till evil Prince dead!  Ryoga plenty stupid like cabbage sometimes,
but have good heart, strong spirit.  Not deserve die at hands of
men like that."

"And I..." Mousse said weakly, finally managing to coax his body
into sitting up.  "Mothers will weep for sons and wives for
husbands when we're through, and curse Prince Rhamalamarangdang's
name for centuries."

Akane, eyes blazing, nodded agreement.  "We won't let this be
forgotten.  We won't let RYOGA be forgotten."

"Akane.  You've been awake the whole time."  Ran-chan jerked her
chin around, indicating their surroundings.  "Where are we, and
where are they taking us?"

"We're in a boat--a barge, I think.  On our way to the Imperial
Palace.  That Toppahatti guy did some boasting while they were
tying me up and tossing me in here.  He had men following us since
Japan, so if we tried to interfere he'd have plenty of warning."

"So THAT'S how they knew we were comin'.  Okay.  Here's the plan. 
It's not gonna do us a whole lot of good to bust out and start a
fight now; we need to get to the Palace and rescue Neko.  If we can
figure out some way to get loose, but make it LOOK like we're still
tied up, they won't expect it when we jump 'em at the wedding. 
They'll take us right in under the Prince's nose if they think
we're still helpless.  Y'know, kind of that Trojan Pony thing."

"Leave that to me."  Mousse shifted, grimacing slightly.  "I'm not
a master of illusion and misdirection for nothing... ah!"  He stood
up, rubbing his unbound wrists.  "That's better."

"Aiyah, Mousse!"  Shampoo smiled up at him.  "You very clever!  How
you do that?"

"Escape's one of my specialties, my darling Shampoo."  Mousse made
his way to Akane and Ran-chan, pulled a tiny vial out of one
sleeve.  "This is a diluted acid," he explained, removing the seal. 
"It won't hurt us, but it WILL weaken the ropes to the point where
they'll snap like twine whenever we're ready.  As for me, with a
little help I can make it look like I'm still tied up when really
I'm not.  Don't move..." he carefully put a few drops on everyone
else's ropes.  "Try not to put strain on the ropes if you can help
it.  They should hold up until we exert our full strength, but I
don't want them accidentally breaking before we're in position to
attack."

"Sounds great to me, Mousse."  Ran-chan chewed her lower lip
briefly.  "Just wish there were more of us and less of them, but
we'll have to make do--can't expect any help.  For right now, I
think we all oughta grab some sleep, so we'll be fresh when we get
there."

"That's a good idea.  I don't know about anyone else, but I'm
pretty tired and sore."  Akane yawned, curled up against Ran-chan's
side.  Presently Ran-chan heard her sobbing again, very quietly.
Wriggling around, she managed to rest her chin atop Akane's head. 
"It's okay, Akane," she whispered.  "Go ahead and cry.  It'll make
you feel better."

"It's just so UNFAIR.  Ryoga was so kind and sweet and supportive--
like the big brother I used to wish I could have.  He was one of my
best friends, and now he's-- he's--" Akane choked, shook her head.

"I know, Akane... I know.  I... um... that is.... I'm..." Ran-chan
closed her eyes, forced the words out.  "I'm gonna miss Ryoga too."

Wide brown eyes looked up at Ran-chan, startled; then Akane pressed
her face to the other girl's chest and cried twice as hard. 
Eventually she cried herself to sleep.

(Don't worry, Akane,) Ran-chan promised her silently.  (We're gonna
get that Prince, and we're gonna rescue Neko.  I'm NOT gonna lose
THIS time.)

Despite the soothing motion of the ship, sleep was a long time in
coming for the younger Saotome.

               *              *              *

Neko sat at the window of her tower prison and looked out over the
mountains.  Behind her, on the bed, lay a sari of watered white
silk embroidered with stylized tiger figures, along with a sheer
silk veil and tiny white velvet slippers.  

Below, in the courtyard, she could hear the murmur of people
arriving for the wedding.  The palace had been humming with
activity for the past few days, and with each new dawn her heart
had sunk a little lower.  Would anyone come?  Could they

(Ryoga)

find their way to the Prince's stronghold?  Or had they already
tried to rescue her, failed, and-- Neko shook her head, mewling
under her breath.  She couldn't, wouldn't think of that.  Ranma and
Akane and the others HAD to be on their way.

Behind her the door swung open.  "What is this?  you're not even
dressed yet!  For shame, my bride.  You make me think you're not
looking forward to today."

Neko sat up a little straighter, an imaginary iron bar going down
her back, and pretended not to notice Prince Rham.  The only sign
of her emotions was her tail, whipping angrily side to side as if
she were a jungle cat in a cage-- which, in a way, was perfectly
true.

Rham paused momentarily and admired her.  Granted, too much
independence wasn't good; a woman was supposed to be utterly
subservient to her husband; but he had to admit that quiet as she
was, Neko truly WAS a little tigress.  She'd hissed at the
maidservants he'd sent earlier to assist her into her wedding
garments, and when one of them had tried to touch her, she'd
actually ROARED.  The women had fled in tears, and Rham had found
himself forced to see what all the fuss was about.  And just when
Toppahatti was returning, too... he'd been enjoying the radio
report of the expedition, particularly how the problem of the
Hibiki boy had been dealt with.

"Come, now," he coaxed, moving to the bed and holding up the sari. 
"You'll keep our guests waiting if you dawdle much longer, and some
of them have come SUCH a long way..." he paused for effect,then
added casually, "All the way from Japan, I'm told."  He sat down.

Neko's tail stilled, then resumed its lashing.

"Three young women and a boy.  One looked quite familiar--I met her
at your school.  Akane Tendo, I think her name was.  A very
charming girl."

This time Neko actually looked at him.  "Akane?" she said in a
small voice.

Rham nodded.  "And two Chinese, a girl and a boy, and a red-haired
girl.  Perhaps you'll introduce me when the ceremony's over. Ah,
but of course, if there ISN'T a wedding, why then they're
trespassers on holy ground... cause for being executed, in this
country."

Turning around, Neko stared at him with alarm.  "E-executed?"

"So you see," Rham continued as if he hadn't heard her, "it would
be very much better for your friends if they were guests attending
our wedding.  Then they would be honored visitors to my palace, and
no one would even THINK of harming them.  Wouldn't you agree?"

Trembling, the cat-girl said nothing.

"You WILL get dressed now, won't you?" Rham gently prodded.  "For
our wedding?"

Neko gave a tiny, tiny nod. As Prince Rham stood and started for
the door, she mustered her courage and reached out, touched his

arm.  "Please... what about-- was-- was there anyone else with
them?"

"Anyone else?..."  Rham pretended to think.  "Toppahatti DID
mention another young man with unusual taste in headgear-- a
bandanna of some sort.  I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this,
but he seems to've met with an accident of some sort.   Nepapal can
be very dangerous for those who don't know their way around."

"Accident," echoed Neko.

"I'm told they made every effort to save him, but it was over so
quickly..." Rham placed deceptively gentle hands on Neko's
shoulders.  "He didn't suffer long.  Please try to remember that."

Emerald eyes filled with tears; choking, Neko turned away, fell to
her knees beside the bed, began to weep.  

Satisfied, Rham reached out and tenderly stroked her hair.  "I'll
leave you alone for a little while now.  I know you need time to
recover.  Do try to remember, though, we have a wonderful day ahead
of us, and it would be a shame to ruin it for everyone.  You must
be brave, my dear."

Outside, Toppahatti's barge nestled up to a huge wooden dock.  The
four youngsters were 'escorted' off the boat, blinking in the
bright light.  Akane looked around curiously.  Apparently at some
point they'd left the ocean and sailed up a slender river barely
big enough to accommodate the ship.  Above them loomed a large hill
(or perhaps a very small mountain) whose top had been flattened
off.  From the dock Akane could just see the tops of gleaming
towers.  "So that's where he lives," she said quietly.

"Aw, that ain't nothin'.  --Whoa!" Ran-chan found herself being
unceremoniously hauled up by an enormous man in a loincloth and
short jacket, who roughly tossed her across massive shoulders, and
carried her along like a sack of grain up a winding path towards
the palace.  The other three prisoners were treated similarly.

"Hey!  You ain't gotta be so rough, y'know!"  Ran-chan scowled up
at her burly valet.  "Jeez, what's your last name?  Godzilla?"

The guard didn't answer.

"This is ridiculous.  I can walk perfectly well by MYSELF!  Put me
DOWN!"  Lashing out, Akane caught her guard a good kick on the arm. 
He grunted but didn't stop walking.

"They plenty tough," Shampoo remarked.

"So am I!" Akane answered.

Lowering her voice, Ran-chan hissed, "Mousse!  Where do you think
they're keeping Neko?"

The Chinese boy shook his head.  "She could be almost anywhere."

"Nuts.  That means we're gonna have to hang around for the
wedding."  

After a long climb to the palace, at last they were deposited--none
too carefully-- on the floor of a huge outdoor courtyard.  Behind
them, enormous wooden doors were swung shut and barred.  A number
of people clad in various festive robes were clustered at one end,
facing a balcony with a staircase at either end, the entire expanse
of which was festooned with flowers and banners.  An old man in
priest's robes was standing on the balcony, deep in conversation
with Prince Rham.

"Ah, very good, very good!"  Toppahatti bounced over to the
adventurers, rubbing his hands together.  "You are being arrived! 
The so beautiful tiger girl will be most pleased her friends are
deciding to be attending her wedding."

"Too bad we couldn't ALL be here," snapped Akane angrily.

"Indeed, yes."  Toppahatti nodded solemnly.  "It is being most
unfortunate the other young man cannot be with us."

"And whose fault is that?!"

Before Toppahatti could reply, a blare of trumpets sounded.  "The
ceremony is being beginning!" he said happily.  "Come, come, you
must be at the front to being having the very best view!"  With a
wave of his hand Toppahatti had the four brought a point just below
the balcony, in full sight of its occupants.  Prince Rham, noticing
them, smiled and waved. 

"I'm gonna bust those teeth of his straight into the next country,"
Ran-chan grumbled under her breath.

"Not if I beat you to it," Akane hissed back.

The trumpets blared again, to be followed by a flourish of flutes
and strings.  Rham took his place before the priest.  A procession
of girls strewing flower petals and dancing across the balcony
appeared, made their way across its length, then descended the
stairs and knelt, beginning to sing softly.  A small figure
appeared, walking slowly across towards Rhamalamarangdang.

Pausing, Neko looked out over the crowd, searching for--and finding
at last-- four familiar faces.  Seeing them, her heart fell.  She'd
been hoping against hope that Rham had been lying about them being
there, because if he had, then maybe he'd been lying about Ryoga as
well.  She fought back her tears, lifted her head, and moved with
as much dignity as she could to stand by the prince.  "I hate you,"
she breathed as she took her place.

"I'll change your mind soon enough," soothed Prince Rham, taking
her hand.

The singers fell silent as the priest stepped up, holding his hands
to the sky. "Most Worshipful and Mighty Kit-tii," he intoned, "look
upon us today and favor us."

"Kit-Tii be with us," the crowd murmured.

"Oh Great Tigress, Hunter in the Wild Wood, Terror in the Night,
grant your children your blessing."

The crowd repeated, "Kit-Tii be with us."

In the skies above the palace, a white speck hovered, letting the
winds carry it along slowly.  Far below a figure struggled its way
up the steep incline, heedless of the rocks and scrub brush.

Gritting his teeth, Ryoga hauled himself up the last few feet to
the top of the ridge and stood, panting.  Slowly he panned upward,
staring at the huge building in front of him.  "What the-- where in
the world am I?"

A sweep of wings above him, and something fell at his feet.  His
bandanna.  Wonderingly Ryoga picked it up, gazing at the crane,
which now circled the towers of the castle, then spiralled up and
up till he lost it in the high white clouds.  "It led me here," he
whispered.  "I followed it, and I found my way to where I wanted to
be..." He clenched one fist.  "The prayers of my lonely heart are
answered!  Neko!  I'm here, Neko!"  He ran forward, drawing his
umbrella.

As he neared the gates, he saw they were shut tight, probably
locked.  A grim smile curled his lips.  "Nice try," he said softly. 
"But I've got the key right here."  One index finger extended as he
skidded to a stop by the portcullis.  "BAKUSAI TENKETSU!"

Everyone inside jumped as the great doors shattered inward, chunks
of wood spraying everywhere.  Taking advantage of the distraction,
Ran-chan strained at her ropes.  They snapped easily.  "All RIGHT!"

"Yeah!"  Akane tossed her bonds aside.  "Now they're going to be
sorry!"  She looked in the direction of the gates, wondering what
was going on, and gasped as the settling dust revealed a familiar
figure.  "R-RYOGA?!"

Stalking in, Ryoga took in the whole scene at a glance.  Lowering
his umbrella in the direction of the balcony, he shouted, "HEY!
PRINCE ROOTY-TOOTY-FRESH AND FRUITY!"

"That's 'Rhamalamarangdang'," the prince corrected, moving to peer
at the unwelcome interruption.  His eyes narrowed and he whirled to
confront Toppahatti.  "I thought you said you'd thrown him into the
harbor with enough chains to sink an ox locked around him!" he
screamed.

A trembling Toppahatti immediately prostrated himself.  "O Esteemed
Prince, I did!  I did!"

Rham pointed.  "Then what is he doing here?!"

"Harbor, huh?"  Ran-chan whispered to Mousse.  "THAT explains it. 
Bet this is the first time dumb old Jusenkyo actually did somebody
some good!"

Hearing Ryoga's voice, Neko rushed to the rail.  "Ryoga!  Ryoga! 
I'm up here!"

Impatiently Rham yanked her back, pushed her at Toppahatti.  "See
if you can get something right today.  HOLD HER."

Stalking forward as the crowd parted and fled, Ryoga raised his
voice.  "Listen here, you poor excuse for a prince!  I don't
appreciate you having your lousy goons trying to drown me!  I'm
here to do two things!"

"And what would those be?" Rham demanded, leaning over the balcony
rail.

"First, to rescue Neko and my friends.  Second, to BEAT THE HELL
OUT OF YOU, PRINCE RING-A-ROUND-A-ROSY!"

"GUARDS!" bellowed Rham.  "Seize them all!"  He shook a fist at
Ryoga.  "And my name's RHAMALAMARANGDANG!"

"This is where we came INTO this chop-socky flick."  Hastily Ran-
chan scanned the room as the Prince's guardsmen started pouring in,
looking for ways out, ways in, things that could be used as
impromptu weapons or shields.   Along one side of the courtyard,
just under the balcony, banquet tables groaned under a variety of
food and drink.  "Hey--maybe--"  Ran-chan dashed that way.

"Ranma!" Akane cried.

"Back in a sec!"  Ran-chan ran along the length of the table,
skidded to a stop with a wide grin.  "Tea, anybody?"  She seized
one of the kettles of water set over the small wood stove and
dumped it over herself, slung it aside as his body reshaped itself. 
"Yeah!  Now there's gonna be some butt-kicking!"

"Most fascinating," Toppahatti murmured, leaning over to get a
better look as girl transformed to boy.  That gave Neko her chance. 
With a furious burst of wriggling, she twisted loose of him and
shoved a shoulder into Toppahatti's side.  That overbalanced him
just enough so that he toppled off the balcony, landing with a
large CRASH on top of the bridal dinner.  Curry and rice went
everywhere.

"Brace yourselves!" Ryoga shouted, and slammed his fist into the
stone at his feet.  "Bakusai Tenketsu Revised-- Breaking Point
Earthquake!"  From the point he'd struck a long crack raced at the
oncoming guards, throwing them off their feet as the ground heaved
and buckled upward beneath them.  Throwing himself off the tables,
Ranma rocketed into the midst of the guards, exploding in a whirl
of kicks and punches.

"Ranma, you dummy!  Leave some for us!"  Akane charged, head-
butting one guard out of her way, spin-kicking another, and driving
her elbow into a third's stomach.  Beside her, Shampoo was dancing
in a circle, bonbori lashing out and scoring hit after hit.  Above
them all, Mousse had thrown himself upwards in one of his
incredible soaring leaps and now cast down his chain whips, landing
and yanking his targets up to smash into one of the castle walls.

On the balcony, Prince Rham shook with rage.  "What do those idiots
think they're doing?!  Stop them, you fools, stop them!"  He turned
on his heel, grabbing Neko's wrist as he did.  "Best for us to
retreat from this debacle, dearest."

"Let me go!"  Neko dug her heels in.  "RYOGA!"

"NEKO!"  Ryoga took a half step forward, stopped to look back at
the Huggees closing around his companions.

"Go for it, man!" Ranma yelled.  "We'll handle these jerks!"

"Hai!"  Taking the stairs three at a time, Ryoga reached the
balcony and confronted Prince Rham.  "This is where you get yours--
and paybacks are hell!" he said, levelling a finger at Rham.  "Let
Neko go now!  RIGHT NOW!"

"After all the trouble I went to in getting her here? You MUST be
joking," Prince Rham said, retreating.  

"Do I look like I'm joking, you idiot?!"

At that point, desperate to get free of Rham's grasp, Neko did
something she'd never done to anyone before: opened her mouth,
bared a set of rather impressive little fangs, and sank them deep
into the Prince's arm.  With a shout of pain he let go, but even as
she scrambled away his other hand shot out and hauled her back by
her hair.  Hauling her around, he backhanded her savagely.
"Insolent little slut," he barked as she collapsed with a mewl. 
"When we're married, you'll learn to keep those to yourself, or
I'll have them yanked out of your head."  He tossed her limp body
casually into one corner.

In a kind of haze Ryoga heard his own voice raise in a shriek of
blind rage.  Looking up, Ranma gasped.  For a second, as Ryoga
pounced on the Prince, the other boy's battle aura seemed to've
taken on form and substance, the hazy, half-visible shape of a
white tiger.  Then he had his own problems to deal with as another
wave of men poured in.  "We gotta keep the cavalry out!" he called
to Mousse.

The Chinese boy nodded.  Tight-lipped, he vaulted from opponent to
opponent, using them as springboards, till he reached the inner
doors to the palace through which the guardsmen were entering.
"Chiitan-chuan--Hen's Egg Punch!" he cried, sending a barrage of
his egg bombs flying at the doors.  They exploded, bringing stone
and mortar and wood shards raining down to block the door. 
"That'll slow them down!"

Slamming her hand into one of the Huggees' chest, Akane skipped
back and drew a hand over her brow, wiping away sweat.  "Just in
time, too-- there's so many of them!"

"We still beat them," panted Shampoo, moving to put her back to
Akane's.  "Amazon woman never admit defeat."  She gave Akane a shy
little smile.  "Akane... Akane plenty fierce too.  You fight much
better now than when Shampoo first meet you."

"Shampoo!  That's-- that's really nice of you to say."

"Is true, too.  --Aiyah!"  Shampoo grabbed Akane and yanked her
aside as a mace descended, cracking the flagging where Akane's been
standing.  "But fighting not over yet!"

"Just needed my second wind!"  Akane dove and rolled forward,
coming up inside the man's defenses and delivering an uppercut that
sent him flying.  "Hey, Shampoo, watch out!  Behind you!"

Instantly the Chinese girl kicked backward, felt her foot connect
with a satisfying CRUNCH.  "Much grateful, Akane!"

"It's okay.  We fight a lot better together than against each
other, huh?"

"Akane have point there.  Shampoo remember that."

Back on the balcony, Rham and Ryoga were struggling back and forth,
hands locked together, each striving for leverage.  Rham was
surprisingly strong-- almost a match for Ryoga-- as well as taller
and heavier, but so far neither had gotten an advantage over the
other.  

"Give up, boy," hissed Rham, shoving him back slightly.  "I might
let you live if you do."

Ryoga bared his fangs in reply, eyes blazing red, and pushed back. 
As he did, Rham went with the shove, rolled and flipped Ryoga into
the wall hard, finished the roll and bounced to his feet as Ryoga
stood.  "You had your chance.   Now feel the secret technique of
the Huggee cult-- the Serpent's Coil Arm Lock!"  He rushed Ryoga,
slammed into him, pinning him to the stones and wrapping his arms
around the smaller boy. 

Instantly Ryoga inhaled, locking his muscles, as Rham squeezed. 
The pressure was enormous, and Ryoga could feel his ribs creak
under the assault.  (I've got-- to get loose of him-- or he'll
squash me like a bug!)  He kicked out, trying to get a knee between
them so he could push back, but couldn't get any leverage.  Rham
chuckled and rammed his shoulder up under Ryoga's chin, feeling
Ryoga's heart hammering.  "You can't hold your breath forever," he
taunted, "and as soon as you let up your resistance, I'll tighten
more.  Like a python with its prey, I'll crush the life out of
you!"

The world began to flicker around the edges.  Ryoga strained
against the punishing grip, but couldn't budge it.  (Neko, no-- I
can't let her down-- but I can't get FREE--) His eyes flickered to
the side, looking out over the rail, locking on a figure in red--

('Like I said, we make a great team.  C'mon, what'd'ya say?')

The words leapt out before Ryoga had time to think about them:
"RANMA!  HELP M--*hck*"  He broke off as Rham cinched down, forcing
the breath out of him and cutting off the possibility of getting
any more.  His sides and back were white-hot sheets of pain as the
light faded, and he sensed something in his side give way as the
darkness closed in--

Abruptly the terrible force eased.  Gratefully Ryoga sucked air as
he collapsed to the floor.  Looking up, he saw Ranma standing
between him and Rham, fists cocked.  "Y'gotta beat us all to beat
any of us, Princey-wincey," he taunted.  

"That WON'T be a problem."  Rham brushed a hand over his mouth,
which was bleeding from where Ranma'd kicked him a second ago, and
lunged, grabbing at Ranma, who darted back out of his way.  "Hold
still, brat--"

"What, do I LOOK stupid or somethin'?"  Ducking, Ranma planted his
feet in Rham's chest, sending him flying backwards to crash through
the rail and fall to the floor with a THUD.  "Ha!  That'll--huh?"

With a laugh Prince Rham stood up, brushing himself off.  "Is that
the best you can do?" he smirked, leaping back up and facing Ranma
again.  "Pitiful!"

(Jeez, he's tough!)  Ranma shot a quick look at Ryoga.  (Well, if
it worked once...) "Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken, HAAAAAA!"  Rapidly
he slammed blows into the Prince's torso, the sheer impact driving
the bigger man back.  "Betcha felt that, didn't you?"

"I felt it..." Rham dragged himself up.  "But I doubt you can 
keep that up for much longer.  You're already tired from fighting
my men, and more are on the way.  All I have to do is wait you
out."

"Ranma..."  Ryoga, nursing his ribs, forced himself to stand.
(Cracked, maybe broken.  Damn.  Can't let him know he hurt me that
badly...) "Let ME handle this."

"WHAT!  Are you CRAZY, Ryoga?  The guy's half-killed you already!"

Impatient, Ryoga reached out and snagged Ranma's shirt front,
hauled him forward till they were face to face. "Oh yeah, and how
long do you think YOU'LL last if he gets his hands on you?"

"I can HANDLE this!"  Ranma pulled free, turned, yelped as he
frantically dodged a strike from Rham.  The Prince's fist left a
crater in the wall about head-high, and Ranma swallowed hard. 
"Jeez, he IS pretty strong, huh?"

"Strong enough to put both of you in your graves!"  Rham threw
another punch, and another, forcing Ranma backwards.  His foot
caught on a chunk of stone, knocked loose by Ryoga's earlier impact
with the wall, and he fell.  Rham grinned and swung, and Ranma
brought his arms up to block the blow--

Which never fell.

"Have some of your own medicine!"  Seizing Prince Rham around the
waist, Ryoga arched up and over in a back bend, slamming his
opponent to the floor.  Gritting his teeth against the pain that
engendered, he rolled clear, stood back up.  In the palm of one
hand a pale globe of energy winked into being and grew rapidly
larger.

Ranma gaped, then nodded in understanding.  As Rham stood up, he
leapt in, raining kicks and blows on the monarch, knowing it would
only slow him down--but buying time for Ryoga.  Behind them both,
Ryoga concentrated, forcing all his pain and anger, all the fear
and doubt and worry and outrage he could muster into one glowing
star of energy, fueled and fanned by force of will.  

Out of the corner of one eye Ranma saw the ki globe brightening and
leapt aside, his own battle aura flaring up.  "HIRYU SHOTEN HA!" he
shouted, sending the burst of energy at Rham and surrounding him in
the tornado the Rising Dragon Punch always created.  At the same
second he heard Ryoga scream wordlessly as the Shi Shi Hokudan
strike all but tore itself free of him and arced into Prince Rham.

Prince Rham proceeded to leave a LOVELY outline of himself in the
wall of the courtyard as he blew through it and vanished somewhere
deeper inside his fortress.

"That'll... teach you... to take us on..."  Ryoga swayed and
would've crashed to the floor if Ranma hadn't caught him.  As it
was, he moaned in quiet pain as the motion wrenched his injured
side.

"Ryoga, you don't look so good.  You okay?"

"No... but thanks... for asking..." Giving up the struggle, Ryoga
let himself pass out.

"Aw, nuts," muttered Ranma.  Spying Neko in the corner, he slipped
an arm around her waist, made his way down the staircase.  At the
bottom he found Mousse sitting on a pile of defeated Huggee while
Akane bound up a cut on Shampoo's arm.  

"Ranma!"  Akane finished tying the strip of cloth and ran forward. 
"Oh, Ryoga!  Neko!  What's wrong?"

"Neko's just knocked out.  Ryoga... I think he's hurt."  Ranma let
Akane take Neko from him.  "He ain't gonna be in any shape to fight
for a while."

"We have to leave quickly," Mousse said.  "Listen-- hear that? 
They're already almost through the blocked door."

"You don't happen to have any kind of 'dark magic' that could get
us outta here, do you?"

"I'm a magician, not a miracle worker."

"Just askin'.  Okay, let's run for it.  I don't like it, but if we
stay here they'll wear us down.  Maybe we can find some cover--a
cave or somethin'-- and hide from them."  Carrying Ryoga as
carefully as he could, Ranma headed out the gate, followed by
Akane, Shampoo and Mousse.  Behind them the blare of horns
announced the pursuit was on.

The next few minutes were a mad scramble as they fled over the
plateau housing the Imperial Palace.  From below they could hear
the winding of horns as the guardsmen posted at the bottom of the
hill began making their way up the path from the river docks.  

The edge of the cliff was less level than the rest of the hilltop,
and scattered boulders here and there provided some cover.  Hastily
the six adventurers took shelter there, hoping it would take the
soldiers a few minutes to find them amongst the rough terrain.

"Now what?" panted Akane.

"Over the side," Ranma said.  "It's the only choice we got left. 
The ones comin' up the path will slow us down too much.  We'll get
caught from behind."

"That not going to be easy, Ranma!"  Shampoo pointed downwards. 
The decline behind them sloped off very steeply and appeared to
have been smoothed at some point, affording few if any handholds. 
"It not be very good climb, even if we have time to go slow."

Ranma cursed under his breath, looked from Neko to Ryoga, then
around the circle of faces.  A determined look came into his eyes. 
Moving over to Ryoga, he shook him gently.  "C'mon, Mr. P, snap out
of it.  Wake up."

Slowly Ryoga's eyes fluttered open.  "R..Ranma."

"Listen."  Ranma crouched down, lowered his voice. "We got out of
the palace, but there ain't no way down but one, and there's guards
coming up that way and after us.  We're cut off, man.  Trapped. 
You know what that means?"

Ryoga managed a nod.  "No prisoners," he said.

"Right.  We can't let 'em take us alive.  So when the last one of
us falls, use that Breaking Point of yours to bring this side of
the mountain, or whatever, sliding all the way down."  He pointed
into the valley far below.

Ryoga found a small boulder to prop himself against, held out his
arms.  "Give me Neko.  I'll watch over her until... until it's
over."

As Mousse deposited Neko in Ryoga's arms, she stirred slightly,
gave the tiniest protesting mew under her breath.  Ryoga cradled
her close (ignoring the pain in his ribs) and rested his cheek atop
her head.  "Don't be afraid, Neko," he whispered into one soft
cat's ear.  "I'm here.  Everything... everything's going to be all
right now."

One small hand came up and laced in the front of his shirt, and
Neko quieted, her breathing dropping into the rhythms of sleep. 
Ryoga's eyes squeezed shut as a tear tracked down his face.  (Sleep
well, Ne-chan... when you wake, we'll be together in Heaven.)

The four of them ranged in a rough semi-circle in front of Ryoga
and Neko.  Reaching out, Ranma clasped Akane's hand.  "Don't worry,
Akane," he said, forcing confidence into his voice.  "I got it
taken care of.  No sweat."

Akane looked at the oncoming Huggee, then back at her fiance,
forced a smile and nod.  "I know."  Turning, she stepped closer,
reached up with her free hand, touched Ranma's cheek.  "So... want
to try it without the tape?"

"Huh?  What'd'you mean?"

"Dummy."  Standing on tip-toe, Akane kissed Ranma gently.  His eyes
widened, then shut, and his hands reached out to rest lightly on
her hips.  Watching them, Shampoo sighed sadly, hung her head.  An
arm dropped around her shoulder and she looked up into Mousse's
face.  "Shampoo sorry she drag Mousse into this," she said, barely
loud enough to hear.

"I'm not."  Mousse cradled her to him.  "I'd never be, my darling
Shampoo.  Wo ai ni."

Shampoo looked up, eyes shimmering with tears, then buried her face
in his front.  "Stupid Mousse..." she sobbed.

The advancing Huggees flanked the adventurers, then parted to let
a battered Prince Rhamalamarangdang take a stance at their head. 
"You have one last chance," he said.  "If you will return my bride-
to-be and surrender the Hibiki boy, I will permit you all to live,
even return to your homes--upon the condition that you swear never
to visit Nepapal again so long as you live."

Ranma sneered. "Blow it out your ear, Prince Rubber Ducky."

"That's 'Rhamalamarangdang'," Rham said, his voice ominous. "And
I've changed my mind.  YOU are ALSO going to die for that insult."

"Oooh, did I hit a nerve?  I'm SO scared."  Putting his hands in
his pockets, Ranma struck a casual pose.  "Hey, don't get me wrong,
I think it's really great that you have to get a small army to take
out the six of us.  Can't handle it when somebody's BETTER than you
are, huh?"

Rham's eyes narrowed.  "Take them," he said tonelessly, and stepped
back.

As the Huggees closed in, a shadow moved over the ground between
them and their prey.  Simultaneously a faint whistling, growing
steadily louder, filled the air.  Ranma glanced up, saw a huge
object of some sort falling straight at them, and grabbed Akane,
leaping back with her.  "INCOMING!!" he yelled.

With an enormous CRASH the object hit the ground, shaking it and
leaving a large crater.  As the dust settled a giant form
resembling a living statue of the Buddha fixed his eyes on Prince
Rham's men.  "oooOOOOooo," he rumbled in a voice so deep it too
seemed to shake the earth.

"What the--" Akane started.

"That--" Shampoo added.

"Hey!  That's one of the Seven Lucky Gods Martial Artists!" yelled
Ranma.  "It's, uh, what's his name--"

"His name is Muu," a voice sounded from above, as two more figures
descended from the heavens.  "He is indeed one of the Shichi
Fukudoujin, the Seven Lucky Gods Martial Artists.  And before you
now stands also Kirin, their Master."  Kirin calmly thrust his
chopsticks into his bowl of rice and pickles and looked back over
his shoulder at Ranma.  "Kirin trusts you will not object if we
join you in combat, Ranma.  The odds seemed a trifle...
unbalanced."

"Kirin," Akane said, blinking back tears.  "Thank you..."

Prince Rham leveled a shaking finger.  "This is not your land,
Kirin," he said fiercely.  "And it isn't your fight, either."

"On the contrary.  Ranma, Akane, and their friends are Kirin's
friends.  Challenge them, and you challenge us as well.  And if you
are foolish enough to do so, we will kick your ass."  Kirin's brows
knit.  "Ebiten, did I use the correct language?"

The short figure of Ebiten moved around his leader, folded his
arms, and nodded emphatically.  "You're absolutely correct, Sire."

For a long moment Rham stared daggers at Ranma.  "I don't know how
you did this," he snarled softly, "but I promise you there'll be
another day."  He bowed from the waist stiffly.  "Take them, then,
Prince Kirin.  I want them all out of my country by nightfall."

Kirin inclined his head.  "A wise decision, Prince
Rhamalamarangdang."  

"Whew," Ranma said as the Huggees (and their enraged leader)
retreated.  "Man, Kirin, it's great to see you again!  You got
really good timing!"

"Ah, you must thank my beloved Lychee for that.  --Ebiten."

"Yes, Sire?"

"Instruct Daikokusei and Daihakusei to bring the ship down so our
guests may board in comfort."  Kirin looked around.  "Are any of
you hurt?"

"Ryoga is," Mousse said, gesturing to the rocks where Ryoga and
Neko lay hidden.  

"Ebiten, have a litter brought to carry our fallen confederate in
comfort."

"Lychee?" Shampoo asked curiously.

"Nihao, Ranma!  Nihao, Akane, Shampoo, Mousse!"   Lychee appeared
at the rail of the sky-ship and waved as it nestled into the
hillside.  "Lychee so happy see her friends again!"

"Lychee expressed a wish to visit you all in Japan," Kirin
explained as they were escorted on board.  "Upon arriving, your
father explained that you had left for Nepapal to rescue someone--
the name is unfamiliar to Kirin--"

"Ohhhhhh!" Lychee clasped her hands in wonder as Neko was brought
on board, still in Ryoga's arms.  "Is pretty tiger-kitty girl!"

"That Neko kitty-girl friend Shampoo," Shampoo said proudly.  "Is
wonderful girl!"

"Prince Rham kidnapped her to make her marry him," Akane added.

Kirin nodded.  "Kirin knows of Prince Rham," he said, voice more
than a little disapproving.  "Nepapal and Nekonron lie close to one
another, separated by the mountains--" he pointed to the east. 
"And often rumors of his pride and shameful conduct reached Kirin's
ears.  But it was not Kirin's place to tell Prince Rham how to
conduct the ruling of Nepapal, nor to advise him as to how a Prince
should comport his private life."  He laced an arm over Ranma's
shoulders.  "But come.  Food has been prepared.  You can tell Kirin
and the Lucky Gods your adventures over dinner."

                    *              *              *

"Ah!"  Neko sat bolt upright, looking around wildly.  "Where--" 

"Don't be afraid."  A figure moved toward her out of the shadows,
resolved itself into the form of a woman, white hair caught up in
an elaborate fall, and bowed.  "I am Monlon, of the Seven Lucky
Gods Martial Artists, follower and servant of Prince Kirin of
Nekonron.  You're safe on board our Sire's ship, returning to
Japan."  She smiled faintly.  

Neko's ears cocked forward as she shook her head, confused.  "But--
Ranma?  Ryoga?"

"Ranma and the others are dining with Prince Kirin.  As for
Ryoga..." she stepped aside, revealed another, more familiar
figure, who raised a hand and waved tentatively from another bed. 
"Uh, hi, Neko..."

"Ryoga..." Shaking, she stood, reached out to him.

With an effort of will, Ryoga shoved his aches and pains aside,
stood and moved over to stand in front of Neko.  "It's all right,"
he soothed.  "Prince Rham is going to leave you alone from now on,
if he knows what's good for him."

Neko peered up at him, concerned.  "You're so pale..."

"Well, I-- that is-- never mind me right now.  There's something
very important I have to ask you..." Swallowing, Ryoga summoned all
his courage as Monlon, still smiling quietly to herself, crept out
of the room to give them privacy.  "Shampoo told me something, and
I have to know if it's true.  Neko, even though... even though I'm
cursed... do you truly... can you truly... love me?"

Wide green eyes blinked up at him, taken off-guard; then softened.
"Oh, Ryoga... I've thought you were the most wonderful boy in the
world ever since I first met you.  Of COURSE I-- I--"  A blush
spread across Neko's cheeks.  "But-- you liked Akane-- so I
thought--"

"Akane's special to me, it's true.  She always will be.  But,
Neko... I've realized that my heart truly belongs to someone else. 
It belongs to YOU, Neko.  If you'll have it... have me.  Will you
have me, Ne-chan?" He reached out and took her hand.  "I promise,
I swear I'll spend the rest of my life making you happy--"

"Just stay with me," Neko whispered.  "YOU make me happy. And I DO
love you, Ryoga."  Her eyes shut and she tilted her face up to his;
it took Ryoga a minute to realize she was waiting to be kissed.  He
stared at her, wide-eyed, on the verge of panic.  (NOW what do I
do??) he screamed silently.

(Kiss her, you dolt,) another portion of his mind answered.  (Like
this.)  Before he knew what he was doing, Ryoga found his arms
around Neko and his lips on hers...

And not a nosebleed in sight.


                    *              *              *

Back in Japan, a wizened figure looked up and watched with mild
interest as the strange ship sailed through the moonlit sky towards
Tokyo.  "Now that's something you don't see every day."

Dismissing it, the figure dug around in a small knapsack. 
Wrinkled hands carefully unfolded a tattered letter.  The figure
studied it, nodded once, and refolded it, then peered up at a sign
by the road that read:

                         TOKYO      25 miles

"Should be there tomorrow."  The figure laughed dryly.  "Then
you'll be in for a surprise, Ryoga Hibiki...."



                         ===================
                         * TO BE CONTINUED *
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