Subject: [Fwd: [Fanfic] (Draft) Darkness and Light Part 4b]
From: Krista Perry
Date: 7/19/1997, 10:56 PM
To: fanfic@fanfic.com
Reply-to:
kapster@lgcy.com


ForwardedMessage.eml
Subject: [Fanfic] (Draft) Darkness and Light Part 4b
From: "C. Wong" <711788@ican.net>
Date: 7/19/1997, 2:31 PM
To: kapster@lgcy.com



     Still wandering aimlessly, Ranma was getting increasingly
bitter and tired as he realized that he had no where to go.  Pop
was so right in saying that he couldn't make it on his own.
     
     He obviously couldn't return to the Tendo Dojo, now that he
had already cut all ties with them.  Then there's always the
Nekohanten, but then Shampoo would probably try to corner him
into marrying her had he dared to stay there. 

     As for Ucchan's. . . No, he couldn't possibily impose at her
place.  He simply wasn't worthy. . . and the Ryoga incident
didn't help either. . .  Funny how a man should have been through
all these instead of a woman.

     Perhaps that was the reason that fate had given him that
particular curse.  Looking at all thoses cases around him, it
wasn't hard to conclude that all of the Jusenkyo curses were 
strangely fitting for the cursed ones.  Ryoga, for one, was as
clueless as a piglet.  Shampoo emitted a sensuous but playful
feline feel even in her human form.  Mousse, with his water bird
combat styles and occasional simpleness, did somehow resemble a
duck.  And his father . . . what other being can hide it's sharp
claws and deadly fangs behind a seemingly harmless appearance
like a fuzzy panda?    

     Walking into what appeared to be a park dejectedly, he took
off his backpack and rested on a bench.  He was a bit startled as
he noticed for the first time that he was right outside the side 
of the new cathedral.  Looking into the opened side door, he
could feel himself being drawn by what he could see of its
interior: an infinite darkness, contrasted by the beautiful light
shining from the various coloured glass windows.

     But Ranma didn't feel like going into the strange and
unfamiliar zone that he knew nothing about other than that it was
a place for marriages to be consumated.

     Marriages . . . engagements . . . liasions . . .

     Throwing back his head and closing his eyes, Ranma replayed
his entire life over his head. Through the memories, he could
recognized only two things that constituted his existence . . . 

     . . . to be used. . . and to use.

     So what's the point of going on?

     There were but two roads ahead of a hopeless case like him
right now.  He could either end his miserable existance with a
whimper, or he would exact his remaining revenge with a loud
bang.
     
     His one.  Single.  Greatest.  REVENGE.  

     Opening his eyes and reaching into his backpack, he took out
the box with the black Japenese robes.

###########################FLASHBACK############################# 


     It was the night of a minor Japenese festival.

     A certain Japanese market place was alive with motion.  Most
of the stores had set up tents for fish snatching, mock target
shooting, and various other games.   Many parents had took their
kids for a night out at this joylious festival.  Everyone was
having a good time.

     Well, almost everyone.

     Amist the happy crowd was a boy who was wandering around the
market place.  As he stroded forward, several bystanders who
REALLY looked at him all moved out of his way hastily.

     The boy stopped as he caught sight of something.  It was a
run-down  antique' shop, the kind with dim-lights and lots of
items that looked like antiques but are not really old enough to
be antiques.  There were all kinds of old traditional clothings,
all of which were used and discarded by somebody of some older
generations.  His glassy eyes was glued to the black, Japenese
robes hanging at a corner of the store.  Slowly, he walked into
the store.  

     The store owner frowned as he saw the boy entered.  How old
could he be?  Thirteen?  Fourteen?  Certainly not somesome old
enough to be interested in anything from his place.  He was about
to hush the kid out of the store when the kid's face became
visible in the dark.

     And the store owner stepped back.
    
     Now mind you, the boy wasn't hideously deformed, at least
not physically.  Rather, he was quite good-looking, with his dark
brows, large eyes and delicate chin.  

     It was his expression.

     Has anyone ever seen a Japanese marionette?  You know, the
type with lifelike features craved onto a piece of lifeless wood? 
The store owner had two or three of those dolls in his own shop,
and would always cover them up at night simply because he didn't
want to see them in the dark. Their lifeless eyes are always wide
and still, seemingly looking past whatever they are looking at.

     Just as the boy's were.

     The boy picked up the smallest of those robes, which was
still a bit too large for him.  His lips curled into a smile,
even though his eyes stayed the same.  "Say, have you got a
smaller size?"

     The store owner would have laughed, had the kid not been so.
. . creepy.  Instead, he simply replied.  "Eh. . . you see, these
robes were meant to be collected and treated as antiques,
besides, I do not think a little boy could. . ."

     The boy turned to him with a deathly smile, which was
downright gruelsome under the dim light.  "I'll take it anyway. 
How much?"

     The store owner was about to overcome his fear and hush the
weird kid out of the store when the boy took out a thick bundle
of cash.

     The deal was done immediately.   The boy hugged the black
robes to himself with a mesmerized expression, the first real
expression that the store owner could see on the young face. 
Somehow, the kid was not a bit disgusted by the fact that the
body that used to be in the outfit was now probably either a
hundred. . . or dead.  He slowly walked out of the store,
whispering to himself all the while.

     "Someday, someday when I'm big enough to wear this, the odds
shall turn. . . and Pop shall pay for dragging me away from the
vacant lot."

#################################################################

     Holding the black robes to his shoulders, Ranma realized
that he was indeed big enough to wear it now.  Smiling to
himself, he savored the thought of repaying a man with so much
traditional honour in his words in the most traditional outfit of
all.  

     A wave of sleepiness washed over him as the previous,
sleepless night took its toll on him.  He lied down on the bench,
crutching the robe tight to himself.  His face was to the
cathedral's side door, as his slowly closing eyes struggled
against sleep to take in the spectacular colour of what he could
see of the coloured glass windows that looked so bright in the
darkness.  They looked so much like bright-coloured drawings . .
. but of whom?

     That note that he had left to Ryoga, was it really a
farewell note?  Or was it a cry for help?  As his eyes closed
completely and sleep took over, he didn't remember, and didn't
care, anymore.

*         *         *         *         *         *         *

     In the late afternoon in Nekohanten, every local customer
was greeted by an unusual sight that rendered them speechless.

     Shampoo, Ukyou, Akane and Kodachi, all of them sitting
around the same table, without engaging in any visible form of
combat.  Konatsu was the only non-female at the table, and was
for once devote of exaggerating ribbons and lipstick at his boss'
suggestion.  Today was a special day off that Ukyou had granted
him, being that he had handled business so surprisingly well by
himself yesterday.  Right now, he had came along to help in
something that Ukyou told him was important.  

     Nearby, Mousse was waiting on tables while Cologne was
cooking behind the counter.  A worn out looking Akane had just
finished her story, and was tiredly peeved in seeing the look of
intense joy on Kodachi's face.  
     
     "Hohohohohoh!   This is heavenly!  My beloved had finally
got the good sense to dump the abusive tomboy!  Surely he would
come to the Black Rose by now."  Kodachi began throwing black
rose petals around from her seat, her smile brilliant but
detached in her attempt to drown out other less pleasant
possibilities.

     "Shampoo find that hard to believe."  The Chinese girl
muttered as Mousse patiently swiped the petals off the floor with
a broom.  But deep down inside, she was just as excited as
Kodachi was.

     "Guys!  The most important thing here is not who is going to
get Ran-chan."  Having an entire morning to reorganize her once
contrasting thoughts, Ukyou could now saw the problem from a more
objective point of view.  "The way I see it is that he had
probably rejected all of us-"

     "Aiya!"  Shampoo cut her off.  "Shampoo cooked for Airen,
fought over Airen, LOVE Airen more than all others!!  No way
Airen no want Shampoo! "

     "I love you much more than he ever had!"  Mousse said to her
with desperation.  Shampoo turned her head away in distain. 
"Mousse's love no matter to Shampoo.  Shampoo only want Ranma."

     "I don't like this any better than you, sugar.  But we've
all heard how often he had voiced against this entire engagement
mess.  Besides . . ."

     Ukyou told them about what Ranma had said again, and the
excitement on Shampoo's and Kodachi's face visibily dimmed.

     Shampoo shook her head and looked at Ukyou defiantly. 
"Shampoo no believe Ranma no love her until hear it with her own
ears."
      
     Ukyou sighed.  "Suit yourself.  But anyway, the problem is
that he now has absolutely NO ONE to turn to.  He had probably
close to no money, and I doubt if he could make money with his
martial arts as I do with my okonomiyakis.  We've got to find him
and help in whatever way that we could."

     Konatsu looked concerned.  Even though she didn't show it
now, his boss had been shaken and distaught yesterday as she came
back to the restaurant.  "Ukyou-sama . . . are you sure you can
do it?" 

     Ukyou turned to the face that is now handsome instead of
pretty without makeup, and said something that only he could
understand.   "If you can do it . . . I can."  She smiled
meaningfully at Konatsu as he blushed.

     "Ukyou-sama. . ."  Admiration could be seen in the boy's
eyes, as usual.  Konatsu's eyes became slightly teary as he
remembered about a fateful incident.  He was crossdressing then,
and everybody had throught that he was a lesbian attracted to
her.  But when his ugly stepmother began dragging him back into
slavery, Ukyou had interfered, announcing that she was willing to
take "her" under Ucchan's roof despite "her" womanly preferences
to the shock of Ranma and Akane.   Konatsu could love her
unconditionally because he owe her for his freedom.

     But whatever did Ukyou owe to Ranma?  

     Meanwhile, Kodachi's state of mind could be shown in the
sudden appearance of the twirling fury that was her ribbon. 
<Insolent cook!  How dare she even think that Ranma-sama is
running away from the Black Rose also?   Even if what she said
was true, Ranma-sama probably didn't mean what he said about me. 
He was . . . confused.  Yeah, that's what he was. . .  Arg!  What
does it matter?  Right now is the golden oppotunity that I have
been waiting for: the moment that Ranma-sama needed my love and
hospitality the most.  Surely he'd be so grateful to me that he'd
reveal his yearings for me!  And If he didn't. . . it would only
be natural for me to give him a little potion of my own to
overcome his shyness, wouldn't it?  Hehehehe. . . .>
"HehehehehahahahahahaHOHOHOHOHOOHOOHOHOHOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" 
Absorbed in her dream world, the Black Rose began laughing with
abandonment as the other teenagers cautiously edged away. 
Shampoo looked around at the now empty restarant with her jaw
dropped.

     "Why authority no institutionalize her?"  The Chinese girl
hissed.

     "In your language: she rich."  Ukyou whispered back.  

     "I can't wait here anymore."  Akane stood up.  Just hours
from what had happened in the morning, and already she looked
barely a step above a hospital patient.  The short hair that was
always neatly combed was now in disarray, and the smooth cheeks
that were always flushed with the youthful pinkness had paled
into dead white.  Large eyes that were always twinkling with
glistering light had dimmed, with a hint of dark shadows
underneath them.  However, the determination was still in her,
struggling against depression.

    "Ukyou's right, Ranma could be in trouble.  With no money and
no one to turn to, his martial arts skills will only be a source
of trouble for him.  Besides, engagement or not, I can't just let
it end like this . . ."  The girl gritted her teeth.  ". . . not
like this. . ."     

     Just then, Ryoga suddenly stroded certainly, if somewhat
raggedly into the Nekohanten, surprising everybody.  A row of
bandage was covering the lower side of his neck.  "Thank the kami
that you guys are all here!" 

     "Ryoga-kun. . . you looked so. . . unconfused.  Did you
actually find your way here?"  Akane asked in awe.  

     "Thank the kami, yes."  Ryoga said, breathing heavily. 
"It's easier to find your way looking out than in. . . but that's
not important anymore!  Ranma is about to do something
drastically stupid, and shall he succeed, it would gain him
nothing and ruin him instead.  We've got to find him right now!"

     Everybody tensed up.  If even Ryoga was so concerned, then
the situation must be even more serious then they had though. 
Even Kodachi calmed down.   (Of course, none of them really know
about the past between Ranma and Ryoga by then.)  Ukyou
stepped forward and asked.  "What is he trying to do, Ryoga?" 

     Ryoga looked around the restaurant in alarm.  Seeing that no
outsiders are there, he took out the note left to him by Ranma. 
"Just read this."



     It's over.  I can't keep on tolerating things the way they
are anymore.  I have already been pushed too far into a one-way
street: never able to turn back.  Such a life is nothing but a
gradual decay.  However, I'm still a warrior.  When I go down, I
will surely go down with a bang. . . and together with he who had
forced me into what I've become today.  If you still have <<
several words wiped out with liquid paper >>, then bury this deep
inside your head.  After all, I'm quite sure that you WON'T have
the sense of direction to interfere much anyway.  It was nice
knowing you . . . even though I had hoped that it had been under
more honorable circumstances.
                                   
                                                  Ranma   


 
     "He. . . wouldn't."  Akane paled.

     "Oh, Ranma-sama. . ."  Kodachi held a fist against her mouth
as she trembled, surprising even herself.

     Shampoo looked close to be in tears.  "Airen. . ."

     "But why?!"  Ukyou asked. . . puzzled and enraged at the
same time.  "What would have prompt him to write a suicide note
like this?"  

     "I'm not entirely sure."  Ryoga said, slightly
uncomfortabily.  "But in the meantime, we must find him and stop
him at once!

     Everybody agreed immediately, but Mousse looked slightly
hesistant.

     "Mousse."  Cologne leapt forward to land in front of him. 
"You're going too."

     The boy snapped on impulse.  "I don't have to listen to your
orders-"

     "Indeed you don't."  The old woman cut him off.  "But what
would Shampoo think of you if you won't help your friend in his
time of need?"

     "But he's an obstacle in my quest to gain Shampoo's heart-"

     "An obstacle that had helped you numerous times before in
various battles, don't ever forget that."

     Mousse relented.  "Alright, I'll go."  After all, he didn't
hate Ranma THAT much.

*         *         *         *         *         *         *

     *Will you . . . stick by my side no matter what will
happen?*  The boy asked, slightly uncertain.

     The reply was sincere.  *I promise.*    

     With that, a storm of fluttering pink blew over, and the air
was filled with the sweet scent of roses . . .

     Roses?

     Ranma's eyes slowly opened, and saw a sea of blinding red in
front of her.  Bits and pieces of red were fluttering in the air,
blushing across Ranma's face.  

     "You have awaken, my precious pigtailed girl."  A gentle
voice reached her ear.  Ranma-chan shot up from the embrace that
she was in, and saw Kuno looking lovingly at her.  She looked
around, and saw that the two of them were in the Kuno Mansion's
rose garden.  There was a gentle breeze, in which rose petals
danced by like scarlet butterfies.

     "How did I get here?"  She asked. <How did I transform for
that matter?>

     "Alas, my delicate beauty. Thou art sleeping alone on a park
bench by the side of the Godly cathedral, and a horrid lawn
sprinkler was rudely spraying its contents onto thy flawless
complexion.  I, Kuno Tatewaki, being the gentleman that I am,
took thy unprotected self under my care as I passed by."   

     "Oh."  Ranma-chan looked around.  "So where is my backpack?"

     Kuno didn't answer her.  Instead, he leaned forward.
"Pigtailed girl, what's the need of traveling, when the Blue
Thunder now stands before thy beautatious eyes in all his
magnificence?"

     Ranma-chan frowned.  Genma's plan to use her in conning
money out of Kuno flashed through her mind.  She really wasn't in
the mood for Kuno's broken and incoherent poetry right now.  Her
voice hardened.  "Just give the damn thing back to me so I can
go, Kuno."

     "Alas!  How could thy voice sting so coldly against one who
loves thee as much as I?"  Kuno asked, seemingly hurt.

     Ranma-chan looked closely at him.  The breeze got even
stronger, and red flower petals showered down upon them in a
storm.  The type of flower petals in this garden was different,
but the result was almost the same: a beautiful, short-lived
illusion.  This was reminding her too much about the time in the
sakura park.

     "I shall love thee till the end of this hollow world. . ." 
Kuno said.  He probably meant it too at that moment.

     To Ranma-chan, however, that was the breaking point.  She
flew up her head and laughed bitterly, startling Kuno.

     "Pigtailed girl, what . . ."

     Ranma-chan wiped at the tears around her eyes as she brought
her voice under control.  "Love . . . haha . . . you can actually
. . . haha . . . just stand there and expect me to believe that .
. . haha . . ."

     "But I do love thee, pigtailed girl!  Oh behalf of my
honor-"

     Ranma-chan snapped, convienently taking out her frustrations
on him.  "Don't talk about honor! You haven't learned any!  All
that your perverted mind have ever wanted from me was my body!!"

     "My goddess!  Know you not that my love for thy spirit is
stronger that that for your flesh?"  Kuno exclaimed, and he
belived it too.

     The redhead looked at him with contempt, which puzzled him. 
"You mean that you will still love me for being me no matter how
my looks will change?"

     "Alas, thou art insecured indeed. . .  Thy unworldly beauty
was nothing more than the outward manifestation of the randiance
of thy soul.  For as long as-"

     "You don't know what you are saying!"  Ranma-chan shouted,
cutting him off effectively as she began walking away.  Kuno ran
after her.

     "My love!  Do not turn away from me!"

     Ranma-chan stiffly continued on.  "Just shut-"  Without
paying attention to where she was going, she crashed into Sassuke
. . . who was currently carrying a kettle of hot tea.

     "Look out, pigtailed . . ."  Kuno trailed off as the change
took place directly in front of him.  The feminine, curvy figure 
vanished, replaced by a lean and tight-muscled built that
stretched the no longer baggy Chinese clothes.  The dramatic red
hair turned black, framing a still delicate but definitely more
masculine face.  The long legs became even longer, adding quite a
bit of height to the now unmistakerbly MALE body.  

     Kuno would scream, had he found the strength to do so.  He
had lost so much of his wits that he couldn't even decorate his
speech with poetry.  "Saotome... it's you?!"  

     Ranma-kun simply stared back at him wordlessly.