Anyways, I've finally decided to get off my butt and start writing 
again.  For whatever reason here are the first few parts of 
Inevitability.  C&C welcome.  Tell me what you think.  Standard 
disclaimers apply.

	 Hue hesitated, just for a moment before she handed 
the scroll over to her master.  She could see the greed 
and longing in the old woman's eyes and she had 
considered using it to her advantage.  The moment was 
fleeting, however, and Hue passed the scroll on.  She 
ran her hand through her thick green hair, mocking her 
thinning hair.  She grinned inwardly to herself.  
	 "It is a dangerous game you play, young one.", 
Hue's master murmured softly.
	 Hue blushed but said nothing.
 	The wizened hands that grasped the scroll, slowly 
unfurled it.  Hue waited patiently and studied her 
master.  Her master had not improved and her age seemed 
to be catching up to her rapidly.  When last Hue saw 
her she still had some vitality left and her hair was 
thicker.  The crone who stood before her was a shadow 
of her former self.    Still Hue knew that her master 
was amongst the most dangerous women alive and despite 
her growing disrespect for her, this knowledge kept her 
at bay.  There was more Hue could learn from her 
master.  There were secret techniques to be learned and 
knowledge to be gained.  In time Hue hoped that she 
would become a master.
 	"This scroll is everything I had hoped for", the 
crone's hands were shaking, Hue was unsure if it was 
excitement or old age, but decided on the latter.  
	"Where are the other two?"
	 "They are waiting outside."  Hue replied easily.
 	"Did they bring me the boy?"
	 Hue waited for a second before answering, she 
could see her master's impatience and delighted in 
aggravating her, "I believe Brianna found one.  He 
seems to be quite taken with her."
	 Her master cast her a wry grin before turning 
around and heading to the table to study the scroll 
more.  "Brianna always had a way with boys", she 
commented, "Then again to her all men are boys."
 	Hue merely shrugged, "He isn't much, quite young 
in fact, no more than fifteen.", Hue also delighted in 
putting her training partners down in front of her 
master.
	 "No doubt, you have others in mind, some who are 
more suited to the task, perhaps?", the crone seated 
herself at the table and stared at the scroll.  "But in 
any case, I think we have kept your sisters waiting 
long enough."
 	"Perhaps I have Master, after all it was I that 
found the scroll."  Hue wanted to reinforce that 
impression on her master.  She would be the old woman's 
heir at any cost.
	 "Yes, I remember, Hue", the crone answered 
absentmindedly.  Hue grinned as she turned to leave the 
room, as she need the door, her master's voice called 
her back, "However, I also remember that Minako was 
there to help you.  I trust you do not forget that 
either."
	 Glaring daggers and plotting the old woman's 
downfall Hue summoned her two partners in training, 
Brianna and Minako.  
	 Brianna was a pretty red head, with cold blue eyes 
and long hair tied tightly into a thick knotted braid.  
Hue had seen her knock a man out with that braid.  She 
moved with calm assurance and she wore revealing 
clothing.  She asserted herself with strong hips and 
her eyes left no doubt whom she felt was in control.  
Her favored weapon was a whip.  Hue often found herself 
at odds with Brianna.
 	Minako, on the other hand, was a difficult one to 
grasp.  She moved in such a way that eluded the eye to 
look ahead of where Minako was actually standing.  She 
often were a grayish clothing that seemed to blend in 
slightly with her surroundings.  Her hair was black and 
very long, while fighting her hair was often swirled 
about her giving her the image of being larger than she 
was. Her eyes were green and often downcast, but when 
her eyes focused, they appeared to look right past what 
she was looking at.  Everything about Minako was meant 
to throw people off.  In combat her movements were 
blurred and the majority of her attacks were feints.  
Minako kept to herself and shared her secrets with no 
one.  Hue was unperturbed by her apparent lack in being 
the Master's heir and considered her a rival 
nonetheless.
	 Between the two was a young boy, roughly fourteen 
years old.  He looked at Brianna with unrestrained 
adulation.  Hue grudgingly had to admit that Brianna 
knew her way around boys better then Hue did.  The boy 
seemed to be unaware of his surroundings as he was 
brought into the darkened room.  As the door shut 
behind him, he seemed to become aware of his 
surroundings and fear seized him for the first time.  
	"Where am I?" he asked in a small voice.
 	Brianna merely smiled coldly at him. "Hush boy."
 	Hue knelt before him and smiled wickedly, "You are 
about to be awarded a great honor." 
	 The boy looked skeptically at her.
	 Hue jumped as her master spoke, she had appeared 
beside her without her noticing, "Don't lie to the 
boy," her master chided, the crone snatched the boy's 
wrist and dragged him to her,  "I'm going to take 
something from you boy.  Maybe before your time but I 
will take it anyways."
 	Hue noticed that Brianna was grinning scornfully 
at her, apparently Brianna had noticed their master's 
approach and figured that she had scored a victory over 
her.  Hue turned her back on Brianna and address their 
master who was dragging the struggling boy across the 
room, "What shall we do know master?"
	 The old woman smirked, "Ask Brianna, she knows how 
to bring boys to us and I will need more boys now."
 	The boy looked hopefully at Brianna for help.  
Brianna merely shrugged and said, "It's only going to 
get worst for you from here on in."  Brianna turned on 
her heel and left the room.
 	Hue had no other choice but to follow, all the 
time glaring at Brianna's back.  Minako lingered for a 
second, but what interaction took place Hue had not the 
slightest clue.
	 Minako shut the door behind her as she approached 
where the other two were standing.  Hue often got a 
headache following Minako and decided to stop watching. 
  	"Well, Brianna?" Hue turned to Brianna, "What 
have YOU found for us?"  Hue had her ace in the hole 
and hoped that Brianna had come up empty handed in her 
search for boys. Though she would not admit it under 
torture, she was know aware that her master knew that 
it was Minako who had found the scroll, and she needed 
to regain her status as the crone's favorite.  
	 "Well, Hue,"  Brianna, though American, spoke 
flawless Japanese with only the slightest hint of an 
accent, "I found two boys,  very strong martial 
artists, in their right, but boys nonetheless."
 	Hue grimaced inwardly, "I, too, have found my 
intended victim," she admitted, "What about you 
Minako?" hoping to score a victory over someone.
 	Minako merely shrugged, "I have agreed to take one 
of Brianna's."
 	Minako's tacit acceptance of her failure did not 
give Hue the resounding victory she had hoped for.  
Word games however were for politics and her body 
itched for action.  "Are you sure you can take yours, 
if they are such strong martial artists?  And where are 
they?"
 	Brianna grinned, "They are in Nerima as I assume 
yours is as well,"  Brianna accepted Hues nod with a 
smirk, "As for us being able to take them, well, as I 
said earlier boys will be boys."  Brianna's grin and 
she turned and left the room with Minako following 
behind, left no little doubt in Hue's mind of the 
outcome of any fight between Brianna and any boy.  But 
now, Hue had her own mouse to catch.

	 There was a storm brewing over Nerima that day.  
It had been a hot summer so far and the boiling clouds 
rushing over the horizon promised release.  In the 
distance the lightening flashed and shortly afterwards 
thunder shook the windows in town.  Cologne stood in 
front of the Nekohanten and watched the storm approach.  
 	Cologne was wily, smart, powerful and set in her 
eyes, but never once had she been called stupid.   She 
had been in Japan for just under a year and had been  
surprised by what she had discovered.  She had spent 
most of her life in the Amazon Village, she had 
struggled to first gain acceptance and then to become 
the leader of the village.  
	 Thunder rumbled ominously and another lighting 
flash lit the sky.  People ran into their houses and 
shut the windows, but Cologne was immersed in her 
reverie.
	 When she had found out about Shampoo's failures, 
first to bring kill the female Ranma and later to make 
him her husband, she had decided that it would be a 
simple matter to come to Japan and fetch the boy and 
take him with her to China.  However the boy had proved 
to be formidable, and though, Shampoo deluded herself 
into thinking that Ranma would love her if it wasn't 
for Akane, Cologne harbored no such thoughts.
 	Besides on this matter she had told a little white 
lie.  Two thousand years of Amazon history was not at 
stake, in fact the law had only been added roughly 
three hundred years ago.  Cologne could remember the 
incident as a youth, a powerful warrior had been 
defeated by an outside male, rather than face the shame 
of the defeat, the woman had proposed the law.  It had 
been readily accepted with some provisions, including 
the death to females.
	 At first Cologne had not accepted Ranma's love for 
Akane, there were rules and laws to be obeyed after 
all.  After time though she understood that Shampoo had 
little chance of separating the two.
 	A shaft of lightening flashed down and struck 
nearby, a brief five seconds later, the thunder rumbled 
loudly through the district.  Windows shook from the 
blast and in the distance someone screamed.
 	Despite this revelation, Cologne had decided to 
stay, there was always a chance that Ranma might fall 
in love with Shampoo.  More importantly, though, was 
that with all the fighting in the Nerima district and 
all of Ranma's fiancee's, Cologne had discovered in 
each of them strength and had come to grudgingly 
respect each of them.  Except for Kodachi whom she 
considered dangerously insane.  Both Ukyou and Akane 
displayed great potential as martial artists, as great 
as Shampoo's and with the proper training they each 
might rival Ryouga or even Ranma.
 	The lightning and thunder were nearly simultaneous 
now, the sky was dark and in the distance the horizon 
was blurred by the falling sheets of water.
	 Cologne had been alive for three hundred years.  
She had risen to become the most revered of the Elders, 
she was considered to be one of the most dangerous 
women in the world, her skill was unparalleled.  In all 
this time she had never admitted defeat, but she had 
also learned a valuable lesson:  one does not live 
three hundred years if one cannot learn to change.  
 	The storm burst overhead breaking the heat wave 
that had gripped Nerima for the past couple of weeks.

The Kiss

	 "Bakusai Tenketsu", Ryouga cried as he descended 
from the sky, finger outstretched, his bamboo umbrella 
still resting on his backpack.  As he struck the ground 
there was a brief delay before it erupted.  
 	Ranma hopped backwards his arms becoming a blur as 
he blocked the rocks he couldn't dodge.  He knew from 
long experience that Ryouga used the explosion caused 
by his 'Breaking Point' technique to increase his 
stamina.  Ranma relied more on his speed to fight 
Ryouga then on his strength.
 	From the cloud of dust, at the center of the 
blast, came Ryouga's twirling bamboo umbrella, which 
Ranma dodged easily.  However, this attack was a ruse 
as Ryouga jumped out of the cloud and unleashed a hail 
of bandannas.  Ranma, though, had fought Ryouga enough 
time to realize this ruse and was prepared for it he 
did a two back flips and landed safely away from the 
flying bandannas. 
	 Ryouga was not finished with his attack and as he 
began his downward arc he snatched his returning 
umbrella from the air.  His foot outstretched he 
descended rapidly to the back flipping Ranma.
 	Akane had seen Ryouga and Ranma fight many times, 
but this time was different,  Ryouga looked angrier 
then usual.  "Ranma!" she cried as Ryouga almost 
succeeded with his kick. 
 	Ranma dodged nimbly out of the way and lashed out 
with her fists striking rapidly at the off balance Lost 
Boy.  "What did I do this time?" Ranma asked as he 
blocked a punch thrown by Ryouga.  Ryouga had put a lot 
of weight into this punch and the force of the 
deflected caused Ranma to lose his balance for a 
second.
 	Ryouga seized his opening and threw another punch, 
Ranma managed to block it but it grazed his cheek never 
the less.  "As if you didn't know."  The fight 
continued as Ryouga and Ranma exchanged blows, Ranma 
blocked most of Ryouga's punches and kicks and the few 
attacks he launched against Ryouga went unblocked, the 
Lost Boy relying on his superior stamina to absorb the 
blows and press the offensive.
	 "You may have made my life a living hell," Ryouga 
cried as he continued his assault, unleashing another 
flurry of kicks and umbrella attacks, "But I won't let 
you make Akane's one."
	 "Ryouga," Akane called from the sidelines, "Its 
okay!  Please don't fight anymore."  She hated to see 
these two fight and she never understood why Ryouga 
hated Ranma so much.  She was appreciative of Ryouga's 
protectiveness of her, but she also wanted others to 
realize she could take of herself.
 	"Akane, butt-out", Ranma called, "this is between 
me and Ryouga."  Akane could feel her blood starting to 
boil.
 	"Liar," Ryouga accused, as he absorbed a couple of 
shots from Ranma, "I saw you, I saw you kiss Ukyou. You 
no longer have the right to call Akane your fiancee."

(interlude:  Yes I did just say that Ranma kissed 
Ukyou, but its not like you think, really, I'll explain 
it all later.  In my upcoming fanfic: Hope in the Dark.  
Check out the plot synopsis on my web page at 
http://www.erols.com/eda104/fanfic.htm, which will, now 
that I come to think about it, ruin the story, so I am 
changing that synopsis right this instant.)

	 As the accusation left Ryouga's lips, Akane felt 
her heart skip a beat and her blood turn cold. 
 	The accusation also seemed to catch Ranma off-
guard  and almost casually he caught Ryouga's next 
punch and pulled him close, "What did you say?"
	 "I said I saw you kiss Ukyou, earlier today," 
Ryouga glared defiance at his enemy and attacked with 
his umbrella.  Ranma dodged easily.
 	"I did what?"  Ranma looked very angry as he held 
grabbed Ryouga's other arm.  
 	Ryouga, a little less sure of himself, replied 
"Kissed Ukyou, today, outside her place."
	 "I did no -" 
	 Ranma's reply was cut short by a silent 
thunderclap that sent them both sprawling.  Dazed they 
looked up to see Akane glowing red, her battle aura 
reaching almost five feet over her head.  Very calmly, 
she asked Ranma, "You did what?"
 	Ryouga answered, "Kissed Ukyou in front of her 
place."
 	"Shut up, Ryouga!" Ranma yelled and uppercut 
Ryouga into the sky.  
 	"Akane, listen to me," Ranma began again, "I 
didn't -"
 	Akane was in her own world, she could feel her 
blood starting to boil.  In her head she pictured Ranma 
kissing Ukyou, not awkward but lovingly, a perfect 
kiss, the thought lasted in her head for an instant but 
it was long enough to make her see red.  It didn't 
matter if the image she thought was the truth, what was 
true was that Ranma had kissed Ukyou, his cute fiancee, 
at this final thought, she blotted out anything that 
Ranma was saying, she barely saw Ranma uppercut Ryouga 
away, and she never heard Ranma's plea.  "Ranma," she 
interrupted, reaching behind her  and hefting her 
favorite mallet, "YOU JERK!"
	 Her swing caught Ranma under the chin and sent him 
spiraling skyward.  "Ranma, you jerk, you jerk, you 
jerk."  She whispered to no one but herself.

	 Minako and Brianna watched the fight between Ranma 
and Ryouga with a detached air.  Both studied the moves 
of each and plotted counters to their attacks.  Brianna 
had followed Ranma and Ryouga long enough to know where 
their weaknesses lie, she knew of their curses and had 
suggested to Minako that she use Ryouga's to her 
advantage.
	 Brianna,  who had been following Ranma for most of 
the day knew that he had not kissed anyone all day, he 
had spent his whole day at school, except for lunch 
which he had spent quietly under a tree, doing his best 
to avoid everyone.  Brianna was not about to divulge 
her knowledge to Akane, whom she figured would probably 
do her best to hammer her into the ground.  Akane 
looked more likely to fight than listen.
 	Brianna, watched the fight to its end, with Akane 
proving Brianna's assumptions right.  She looked down 
at the park and felt some sorrow for the crying girl at 
the middle.  Duty beckoned and she gathered her 
belongings to continue her trailing of Ranma.
 	"Where did that mallet come from?", Minako 
inquired.
 	Without looking at Minako, because doing so always 
gave her a headache, she replied, "I haven't the 
slightest clue," she shrugged, "I've seen her do it
before though, and usually against her boyfriend 
there."
	 "Not much of a boyfriend, if he was seen kissing 
another girl," commented Minako as she made note of 
Ryouga's probable landing area, she stood up, her eyes 
focusing on Brianna. "They seem strong, are you sure we 
can take them."
 	"Of course we can," Brianna did her best to keep 
her eyes focused on Minako, whose outline was blurred.  
She could feel a headache coming on strong, so she 
averted her eyes, "Remember what I told you about pig 
boy, just make sure he doesn't punch you first or 
anything.  I'm sure you saw how strong he is."
 	Minako nodded before she started hopping across 
the rooftops in Ryouga's direction.  She cast a quick 
look behind her, green eyes once again focusing on 
Brianna, "Men, eh?" and then she was gone.
 	Brianna smiled in spite of herself, "Boys", she 
called after Minako, "Stupid, gullible boys."  she 
hopped off the roof and followed Akane as she made her 
way home.

If all good things come to an end, then I pray what 
we have between us isn't a good thing.
--Sarah Leahy, All Good Things

	Hue hesitated, just for a moment before she handed 
the scroll over to her master.  She could see the greed 
and longing in the old woman's eyes and she had 
considered using it to her advantage.  The moment was 
fleeting, however, and Hue passed the scroll on.  She 
ran her hand through her thick green hair, mocking her 
thinning hair.  She grinned inwardly to herself.  
	"It is a dangerous game you play, young one.", 
Hue's master murmured softly.
	Hue blushed but said nothing.
	The wizened hands that grasped the scroll, slowly 
unfurled it.  Hue waited patiently and studied her 
master.  Her master had not improved and her age seemed 
to be catching up to her rapidly.  When last Hue saw 
her she still had some vitality left and her hair was 
thicker.  The crone who stood before her was a shadow 
of her former self.    Still Hue knew that her master 
was amongst the most dangerous women alive and despite 
her growing disrespect for her, this knowledge kept her 
at bay.  There was more Hue could learn from her 
master.  There were secret techniques to be learned and 
knowledge to be gained.  In time Hue hoped that she 
would become a master.
	"This scroll is everything I had hoped for", the 
crone's hands were shaking, Hue was unsure if it was 
excitement or old age, but decided on the latter.  
"Where are the other two?"
	"They are waiting outside."  Hue replied easily.
	"Did they bring me the boy?"
	Hue waited for a second before answering, she 
could see her master's impatience and delighted in 
aggravating her, "I believe Brianna found one.  He 
seems to be quite taken with her."
	Her master cast her a wry grin before turning 
around and heading to the table to study the scroll 
more.  "Brianna always had a way with boys", she 
commented, "Then again to her all men are boys."
	Hue merely shrugged, "He isn't much, quite young 
in fact, no more than fifteen.", Hue also delighted in 
putting her training partners down in front of her 
master.
	"No doubt, you have others in mind, some who are 
more suited to the task, perhaps?", the crone seated 
herself at the table and stared at the scroll.  "But in 
any case, I think we have kept your sisters waiting 
long enough."
	"Perhaps I have Master, after all it was I that 
found the scroll."  Hue wanted to reinforce that 
impression on her master.  She would be the old woman's 
heir at any cost.
	"Yes, I remember, Hue", the crone answered 
absentmindedly.  Hue grinned as she turned to leave the 
room, as she need the door, her master's voice called 
her back, "However, I also remember that Minako was 
there to help you.  I trust you do not forget that 
either."
	Glaring daggers and plotting the old woman's 
downfall Hue summoned her two partners in training, 
Brianna and Minako.  
	Brianna was a pretty red head, with cold blue eyes 
and long hair tied tightly into a thick knotted braid.  
Hue had seen her knock a man out with that braid.  She 
moved with calm assurance and she wore revealing 
clothing.  She asserted herself with strong hips and 
her eyes left no doubt whom she felt was in control.  
Her favored weapon was a whip.  Hue often found herself 
at odds with Brianna.
	Minako, on the other hand, was a difficult one to 
grasp.  She moved in such a way that eluded the eye to 
look ahead of where Minako was actually standing.  She 
often were a grayish clothing that seemed to blend in 
slightly with her surroundings.  Her hair was black and 
very long, while fighting her hair was often swirled 
about her giving her the image of being larger than she 
was. Her eyes were green and often downcast, but when 
her eyes focused, they appeared to look right past what 
she was looking at.  Everything about Minako was meant 
to throw people off.  In combat her movements were 
blurred and the majority of her attacks were feints.  
Minako kept to herself and shared her secrets with no 
one.  Hue was unperturbed by her apparent lack in being 
the Master's heir and considered her a rival 
nonetheless.

	Between the two was a young boy, roughly fourteen 
years old.  He looked at Brianna with unrestrained 
adulation.  Hue grudgingly had to admit that Brianna 
knew her way around boys better then Hue did.  The boy 
seemed to be unaware of his surroundings as he was 
brought into the darkened room.  As the door shut 
behind him, he seemed to become aware of his 
surroundings and fear seized him for the first time.  
"Where am I?" he asked in a small voice.
	Brianna merely smiled coldly at him. "Hush boy."
	Hue knelt before him and smiled wickedly, "You are 
about to be awarded a great honor." 
	The boy looked skeptically at her.
	Hue jumped as her master spoke, she had appeared 
beside her without her noticing, "Don't lie to the 
boy," her master chided, the crone snatched the boy's 
wrist and dragged him to her,  "I'm going to take 
something from you boy.  Maybe before your time but I 
will take it anyways."
	Hue noticed that Brianna was grinning scornfully 
at her, apparently Brianna had noticed their master's 
approach and figured that she had scored a victory over 
her.  Hue turned her back on Brianna and address their 
master who was dragging the struggling boy across the 
room, "What shall we do know master?"
	The old woman smirked, "Ask Brianna, she knows how 
to bring boys to us and I will need more boys now."
	The boy looked hopefully at Brianna for help.  
Brianna merely shrugged and said, "It's only going to 
get worst for you from here on in."  Brianna turned on 
her heel and left the room.
	Hue had no other choice but to follow, all the 
time glaring at Brianna's back.  Minako lingered for a 
second, but what interaction took place Hue had not the 
slightest clue.
	Minako shut the door behind her as she approached 
where the other two were standing.  Hue often got a 
headache following Minako and decided to stop watching. 
	 "Well, Brianna?" Hue turned to Brianna, "What 
have YOU found for us?"  Hue had her ace in the hole 
and hoped that Brianna had come up empty handed in her 
search for boys. Though she would not admit it under 
torture, she was know aware that her master knew that 
it was Minako who had found the scroll, and she needed 
to regain her status as the crone's favorite.  
	"Well, Hue,"  Brianna, though American, spoke 
flawless Japanese with only the slightest hint of an 
accent, "I found two boys,  very strong martial 
artists, in their right, but boys nonetheless."
	Hue grimaced inwardly, "I, too, have found my 
intended victim," she admitted, "What about you 
Minako?" hoping to score a victory over someone.
	Minako merely shrugged, "I have agreed to take one 
of Brianna's."
	Minako's tacit acceptance of her failure did not 
give Hue the resounding victory she had hoped for.  
Word games however were for politics and her body 
itched for action.  "Are you sure you can take yours, 
if they are such strong martial artists?  And where are 
they?"
	Brianna grinned, "They are in Nerima as I assume 
yours is as well,"  Brianna accepted Hues nod with a 
smirk, "As for us being able to take them, well, as I 
said earlier boys will be boys."  Brianna's grin and 
she turned and left the room with Minako following 
behind, left no little doubt in Hue's mind of the 
outcome of any fight between Brianna and any boy.  But 
now, Hue had her own mouse to catch.
	
	There was a storm brewing over Nerima that day.  
It had been a hot summer so far and the boiling clouds 
rushing over the horizon promised release.  In the 
distance the lightening flashed and shortly afterwards 
thunder shook the windows in town.  Cologne stood in 
front of the Nekohanten and watched the storm approach.  
	Cologne was wily, smart, powerful and set in her 
eyes, but never once had she been called stupid.   She 
had been in Japan for just under a year and had been  
surprised by what she had discovered.  She had spent 
most of her life in the Amazon Village, she had 
struggled to first gain acceptance and then to become 
the leader of the village.  

	Thunder rumbled ominously and another lighting 
flash lit the sky.  People ran into their houses and 
shut the windows, but Cologne was immersed in her 
reverie.
	When she had found out about Shampoo's failures, 
first to bring kill the female Ranma and later to make 
him her husband, she had decided that it would be a 
simple matter to come to Japan and fetch the boy and 
take him with her to China.  However the boy had proved 
to be formidable, and though, Shampoo deluded herself 
into thinking that Ranma would love her if it wasn't 
for Akane, Cologne harbored no such thoughts.
	Besides on this matter she had told a little white 
lie.  Two thousand years of Amazon history was not at 
stake, in fact the law had only been added roughly 
three hundred years ago.  Cologne could remember the 
incident as a youth, a powerful warrior had been 
defeated by an outside male, rather than face the shame 
of the defeat, the woman had proposed the law.  It had 
been readily accepted with some provisions, including 
the death to females.
	At first Cologne had not accepted Ranma's love for 
Akane, there were rules and laws to be obeyed after 
all.  After time though she understood that Shampoo had 
little chance of separating the two.
	A shaft of lightening flashed down and struck 
nearby, a brief five seconds later, the thunder rumbled 
loudly through the district.  Windows shook from the 
blast and in the distance someone screamed.
	Despite this revelation, Cologne had decided to 
stay, there was always a chance that Ranma might fall 
in love with Shampoo.  More importantly, though, was 
that with all the fighting in the Nerima district and 
all of Ranma's fiancee's, Cologne had discovered in 
each of them strength and had come to grudgingly 
respect each of them.  Except for Kodachi whom she 
considered dangerously insane.  Both Ukyou and Akane 
displayed great potential as martial artists, as great 
as Shampoo's and with the proper training they each 
might rival Ryouga or even Ranma.
	The lightning and thunder were nearly simultaneous 
now, the sky was dark and in the distance the horizon 
was blurred by the falling sheets of water.
	Cologne had been alive for three hundred years.  
She had risen to become the most revered of the Elders, 
she was considered to be one of the most dangerous 
women in the world, her skill was unparalleled.  In all 
this time she had never admitted defeat, but she had 
also learned a valuable lesson:  one does not live 
three hundred years if one cannot learn to change.  
	The storm burst overhead breaking the heat wave 
that had gripped Nerima for the past couple of weeks.

The Kiss

	"Bakusai Tenketsu", Ryouga cried as he descended 
from the sky, finger outstretched, his bamboo umbrella 
still resting on his backpack.  As he struck the ground 
there was a brief delay before it erupted.  
	Ranma hopped backwards his arms becoming a blur as 
he blocked the rocks he couldn't dodge.  He knew from 
long experience that Ryouga used the explosion caused 
by his 'Breaking Point' technique to increase his 
stamina.  Ranma relied more on his speed to fight 
Ryouga then on his strength.
	From the cloud of dust, at the center of the 
blast, came Ryouga's twirling bamboo umbrella, which 
Ranma dodged easily.  However, this attack was a ruse 
as Ryouga jumped out of the cloud and unleashed a hail 
of bandannas.  Ranma, though, had fought Ryouga enough 
time to realize this ruse and was prepared for it he 
did a two back flips and landed safely away from the 
flying bandannas. 
	Ryouga was not finished with his attack and as he 
began his downward arc he snatched his returning 
umbrella from the air.  His foot outstretched he 
descended rapidly to the back flipping Ranma.
	Akane had seen Ryouga and Ranma fight many times, 
but this time was different,  Ryouga looked angrier 
then usual.  "Ranma!" she cried as Ryouga almost 
succeeded with his kick. 
	Ranma dodged nimbly out of the way and lashed out 
with her fists striking rapidly at the off balance Lost 
Boy.  "What did I do this time?" Ranma asked as he 
blocked a punch thrown by Ryouga.  Ryouga had put a lot 
of weight into this punch and the force of the 
deflected caused Ranma to lose his balance for a 
second.
	Ryouga seized his opening and threw another punch, 
Ranma managed to block it but it grazed his cheek never 
the less.  "As if you didn't know."  The fight 
continued as Ryouga and Ranma exchanged blows, Ranma 
blocked most of Ryouga's punches and kicks and the few 
attacks he launched against Ryouga went unblocked, the 
Lost Boy relying on his superior stamina to absorb the 
blows and press the offensive.
	"You may have made my life a living hell," Ryouga 
cried as he continued his assault, unleashing another 
flurry of kicks and umbrella attacks, "But I won't let 
you make Akane's one."
	"Ryouga," Akane called from the sidelines, "Its 
okay!  Please don't fight anymore."  She hated to see 
these two fight and she never understood why Ryouga 
hated Ranma so much.  She was appreciative of Ryouga's 
protectiveness of her, but she also wanted others to 
realize she could take of herself.
	"Akane, butt-out", Ranma called, "this is between 
me and Ryouga."  Akane could feel her blood starting to 
boil.
	"Liar," Ryouga accused, as he absorbed a couple of 
shots from Ranma, "I saw you, I saw you kiss Ukyou. You 
no longer have the right to call Akane your fiancee."

(interlude:  Yes I did just say that Ranma kissed 
Ukyou, but its not like you think, really, I'll explain 
it all later.  In my upcoming fanfic: Hope in the Dark.  
Check out the plot synopsis on my web page at 
http://www.erols.com/eda104/fanfic.htm, which will, now 
that I come to think about it, ruin the story, so I am 
changing that synopsis right this instant.)

	As the accusation left Ryouga's lips, Akane felt 
her heart skip a beat and her blood turned cold. 
	The accusation also seemed to catch Ranma off-
guard  and almost casually he caught Ryouga's next 
punch and pulled him close, "What did you say?"
	"I said I saw you kiss Ukyou, earlier today," 
Ryouga glared defiance at his enemy and attacked with 
his umbrella.  Ranma dodged easily.
	"I did what?"  Ranma looked very angry as he held 
grabbed Ryouga's other arm.  
	Ryouga, a little less sure of himself, replied 
"Kissed Ukyou, today, outside her place."
	"I did no -" 
	Ranma's reply was cut short by a silent 
thunderclap that sent them both sprawling.  Dazed they 
looked up to see Akane glowing red, her battle aura 
reaching almost five feet over her head.  Very calmly, 
she asked Ranma, "You did what?"
	Ryouga answered, "Kissed Ukyou in front of her 
place."
	"Shut up, Ryouga!" Ranma yelled and uppercut 
Ryouga into the sky.  
	"Akane, listen to me," Ranma began again, "I 
didn't -"
	Akane was in her own world, she could feel her 
blood starting to boil.  In her head she pictured Ranma 
kissing Ukyou, not awkward but lovingly, a perfect 
kiss, the thought lasted in her head for an instant but 
it was long enough to make her see red.  It didn't 
matter if the image she thought was the truth, what was 
true was that Ranma had kissed Ukyou, his cute fiancee, 
at this finally thought, she blotted out anything that 
Ranma was saying, she barely saw Ranma uppercut Ryouga 
away, and she never heard Ranma's plea.  "Ranma," she 
interrupted, reaching behind her  and hefting her 
favorite mallet, "YOU JERK!"
	Her swing caught Ranma under the chin and sent him 
spiraling skyward.  "Ranma, you jerk, you jerk, you 
jerk."  She whispered to no one but herself.

	Minako and Brianna watched the fight between Ranma 
and Ryouga with a detached air.  Both studied the moves 
of each and plotted counters to their attacks.  Brianna 
had followed Ranma and Ryouga long enough to know where 
their weaknesses lie, she knew of their curses and had 
suggested to Minako that she use Ryouga's to her 
advantage.
	Brianna,  who had been following Ranma for most of 
the day knew that he had not kissed anyone all day, he 
had spent his whole day at school, except for lunch 
which he had spent quietly under a tree, doing his best 
to avoid everyone.  Brianna was not about to divulge 
her knowledge to Akane, whom she figured would probably 
do her best to hammer her into the ground.  Akane 
looked more likely to fight than the listen.
	Brianna, watched the fight to its end, with Akane 
proving Brianna's assumptions right.  She looked down 
at the park and felt some sorrow for the crying girl at 
the middle.  Duty beckoned and she gathered her 
belongings continue her trailing of Ranma.
	"Where did that mallet come from?", Minako 
inquired.
	Without looking at Minako, because doing so always 
gave her a headache, she replied, "I haven't the 
slightest clue," she shrugged, "I've seen her to do 
before though, and usually against her boyfriend 
there."
	"Not much of a boyfriend, if he was seen kissing 
another girl," commented Minako as she made note of 
Ryouga's probable landing area, she stood up, her eyes 
focusing on Brianna. "They seem strong, are you sure we 
can take them."
	"Of course we can," Brianna did her best to keep 
her eyes focused on Minako, whose outline was blurred.  
She could feel a headache coming on strong, so she 
averted her eyes, "Remember what I told you about pig 
boy, just make sure he doesn't punch you first or 
anything.  I'm sure you saw how strong he is."
	Minako nodded before she started hopping across 
the rooftops in Ryouga's direction.  She cast a quick 
look behind her, green eyes once again focusing on 
Brianna, "Men, eh?" and then she was gone.
	Brianna smiled in spite of herself, "Boys", she 
called after Minako, "Stupid, gullible boys."  she 
hopped off the roof and followed Akane as she made her 
way home.