WELL:  Here's part two.  If anyone missed part one and wants to see it,
e-mail me.  If anyone has any comments or criticisms, e-mail me.  The
disclaimer is in part one, but since it got cut off, here it is:

The Journey of Soun (PART 2)
by David A. Tatum

Disclaimer:  Ranma 1/2 obviously does not belong to me, but I do ask its
creator, Rumiko Takahashi, and anyone else who owns the copyright on it,
that they not sue me for what I feel is simple tribute to the fabulous
world they have created.  If you do decide to sue me, realize I'm a third
year college student who is a journalism major and a creative writing
minor- so I'm a broke kid with no real prospects for employment....

Please See Part 1 for Author's Notes
---------------------------------------------

Ranma laughed.  "So I'm not the only one who saw their fiancee naked before
being properly introduced to them!"

Soun looked at Ranma darkly, shutting him up fast.  "Akane is a lot like
her mother in many ways.  So are Nabiki and Kasumi, but in different ways. 
Keiko had Nabiki's financial skills, Kasumi's housekeeping and cooking
skills, and Akane's martial arts skills... and her personality as well. 
She didn't take kindly to my walking in on her..."

*	*	*	*	*

Soun came to being dabbed with a wet cloth by Dez as Genma was talking in
low apologetic tones to Keiko (now wearing a dark grey gi) and Mrs.
Takahashi.  To say Keiko looked angry would be putting it mildly- she
looked absolutely furious.  Mrs. Takahashi, on the other hand, was smiling
and barely seemed able to keep herself from bursting out with laughter. 
When Soun groaned and started to open his eyes, Dez briefly smiled.

"He's coming around, people," he said.  When Ranma's eyes were open all the
way, Dez helped him to stand up (slowly) before his face screwed up into a
smirk.  "Enjoy your nap?" he asked.

Soun groaned again.  "Wha... what hit me?"  His vision still hadn't
cleared, but he was able to direct his question to a number of fuzzy
human-like shapes.  One of those shapes, a dark grey one, advanced upon
him, but didn't seem to be able to reach him.

Keiko, being held back at the collar by her mother, quit trying to run at
him, and just began shouting "Pervert!  Peeping tom!  I should've killed
you, but my mother wouldn't let me!"

"I wouldn't let you, dear," Mrs. Takahashi explained, "Because I didn't
want you to kill your fiancee."

The cobwebs were clearing out of Soun's mind, but he wisely decided not to
say anything.  Keiko turned on her mother and shouted "FIANCEE?  I don't
like boys- I don't ever want to get married- why would I care if he's my
FIANCEE!"

Soun started.  "Wait a minute- I didn't want to get involved in this
either!  My father is forcing me into an engagement with you.  If I had a
choice, I certainly would break it off right now!"  Suddenly, he smirked. 
He knew just how to get back at her.  "Besides, I don't know what makes you
think I'm a pervert.  If its because I accidentally walked in on you in the
bathroom, don't worry- even if I was a pervert, I wouldn't even bother
trying to peep on a boring, unattractive, sexless..."  Soun paused,
searching for the 'appropriate' insult for a second. "TOMBOY like you-
there wouldn't be anything to bother looking at!"  Soun laughed and turned
around, failing to notice a very distinct ripping sound and a strangled cry
as a one armed man was violently shoved out of the way.

"BAKA!" Keiko cried.  (Author's note:  I don't like mixing Japanese in with
English- partially because I don't know any, but also because it violates
some basic standard writing conventions in my classes- which means if my
professors find out I do it, I get in trouble.  However, since 'baka',
though generally translated in most fanfics I have read to mean either
'Jerk' or 'Dummy,' doesn't seem to have a direct one-word english
translation, I guess I'll let it slip by now and then)  Pulling out her
Mallet of Chi once again, she smashed Soun into (and almost through) the
floor before her mother restrained her again, pulling her out of the room
before she could cause her poor fiancee any more damage.  Genma walked over
to the debris which was once his friend.

"Now that, he had coming..."

*	*	*	*	*

Ranma smiled, remembering a time when his father had said that about him-
as we was losing consciousness because a different tomboy had smashed him
over the head with a table.  Soun rubbed the back of his head like it still
hurt.  "I was lying about her being a boring, unattractice, sexless tomboy.
 She was the most beautiful women ever..."  Soun signed, and the first tear
Ranma has seen since the talk had begun dripped down his cheek.  "After
Keiko calmed down, we were told that she was to come home with me and live
in my family dojo.  She smashed me again because she was mad, but once
again Mrs. Takahashi was able to restore peace.  So we went back to my
home.  An uneventful trip, really- partially because Mrs. Takahashi was
walking with us, holding a kitana at all times, trying to keep Keiko from
killing me.  She also threatened me a few times, when I made the mistake of
insulting Keiko, and thus kept things pretty much balanced.  She left
shortly after Keiko was settled into the dojo, and Dez tried to leave
shortly after that.  He, however..."

*	*	*	*	*

Dez rounded the street corner, and ran into someone he certainly didn't
want to meet.

"So, Toshi," Dez said, dropping into a fighting stance, "What brings you
here?"

Toshi smiled coldly, fingering a kitana he had been cleaning with an oily
rag.  "I wanted to visit my wife and your son, but I don't seem to know
where they are.  Think you could show me?"  The way he said it caused Dez
to tremble.

"Why are you harrassing me so?"  Dez cried.  "Why don't you just fight me
now, and get it over with?  I don't want you to do anything more to MY
wife, and I certainly don't want you messing with my kid."

Toshi's smile just iced up even more.  "Now I can't fight a one armed man-
it wouldn't be honorable.  I just was wondering if you could direct me to
visit my wife."

Dez snorted.  "Get a life!"  He bolted past, but Toshi started following
him.  Dez spun around with a kick, hoping Toshi would run right into it,
but just caught air as his pursuer jumped onto the rooftops.

"You can't get rid of me, Donovan!" Toshi shouted.  "I'll see you again
soon!"  Dez looked around, but saw no-one.  'If I go home,' he thought,
'he'll come after my family- and I can't guarranty myself that I can stop
him.  What do I do?'

*	*	*	*	*

Ranma raised an eyebrow, still not sure what Dez and Toshi had to do with
anything.  Soun noticed this, but went on.

"Dez came to live with my family- and so did Genma, when he found that his
father had passed away while he was taking me to Keiko.  Dez became friends
with all of us rather quickly- not that we weren't on that way before.  But
he also irritated me- he seemed to want Keiko and me together more than
anyone else- even than my father or Mrs. Takahashi."  Soun chuckled.  "He
said, when I asked him about it, that I needed a woman to look after me. 
And he was right- father wasn't really able to take care of himself and the
four of us on his own, and so Keiko started helping out around the house,
cooking and sewing, and I had to clean the walkways and do various other
odd chores which required little skill.  When funds ran low, she started
scrounging up money just like Nabiki does now.  In fact, the first battle I
had over her was against a fairly wealthy person who she had used in this
manner a year beforehand, a senior at college, majoring in education, who
took trips around the world, and seemed to always act differently when he
came back from these trips..."

*	*	*	*	*

It was the first day of their senior year, and an uneasy peace had settled
between Keiko and Soun.  She quit knocking him through the roof as often-
it cost too much in repairs- and he insulted her less often.  They were
still both adament about not wanting to get married, but they found that
they were at least willing to acknowledge the fact that it was almost
certainly going to happen, regardless of their feelings.  They even found
that they could stand walking to school together without getting into a
fight, and such was the case when a wierd young man wearing a tuxedo and
top hat holding an unusually shaped walking stick rolled in surrounded by a
fog.

"Good day, sir.  Would you kindly step away from the lady so that I may
have a brief conversation, my dear chap?"  The British accent was
unmistakable, but so was the voice.

"Kuno?"  Soun asked slowly.  Last he had seen the guy, he was wearing
Mexican sombrero's and had a hispanic accent.  He had also been about ready
to shave Soun's head, as Keiko had (unknown to Soun) involved the two of
them in a certain deal over some photographs which had set the both of them
at odds with each other towards the end of the last school year.  "What do
you want?"

Keiko grabbed Soun's shoulder, pulling him down to whisper in his ear "I
can handle him.  Just don't be late for school."  She then walked up to
Koucho Kuno and began having a quiet conversation with him.  Soun shrugged,
unconsciously brushing at his shoulder where she had touched him, and
started to walk away to school.  The conversation between Keiko and Kuno
grew louder and louder, and eventually turned into a shouting match.

"Looks like you need a lesson in manners, young lady!  I think you're hair
needs a little trim!" Kuno shouted at Keiko.  He tapped a spot on his cane,
and the handle slid off of the rest of the stick, and he grabbed Keiko's
long hair.  As he was bringing the handle up to her hair, she saw a bookbag
smack his hand, and the scissors went flying.  Soun, who had removed the
school uniform jacket to make it easier to fight, jumped between Keiko and
Kuno, who had released her hair when he dropped the scissors.

"I've heard of a SWORD cane before," Soun said.  "But a scissors cane?"  He
sighed.  "Get out of here, Kuno." Soun kicked the scissors away.  "Leave
Keiko alone.  I can't let you do this to my fiancee."

Keiko gasped.  "S-Soun?"

Kuno pulled an oversized disposable razor out of the inside pocket of his
tuxedo and attacked Soun with it.  Soun sneered, ducking under one slash as
his side kick lashed out against Kuno's chest, sending him flying into the
ditch.  Soun then nonchalantly walked over, picked up his bookbag, and
turned and started back to school.  Keiko stood there, starring at him.

Soun looked over his shoulder and back to Keiko.  "Hurry up or we'll be
late again!" he said, and started running on to school.  Keiko followed
after a few seconds, wondering what had come over Soun.

*	*	*	*	*

"She asked me afterwards why I'd stopped him," Soun said, tearing up even
more.  "I told her a half-truth, saying that I had a score to settle with
the guy.  I didn't mention that I couldn't stand to see her harmed.  I also
became angry with her when she told me that the argument they were having
was over her having involved me in some scam- I didn't even know about it
until after the fight."  Ranma was unsure of what to do- for once, Soun's
tears didn't seem to be an over-reaction to something, and Ranma wasn't
sure how to comfort him.

'I wish Kasumi were here,' Ranma thought.  'She knows how to keep the poor
guy under control.'  But even as he pondered what Kasumi would do, he knew
that she would be suffering what Soun was now if she were here.  Any of the
Tendo sisters would, and Ranma didn't want any of them to suffer.  Even
Akane.  'Especially Akane,' a voice deep inside him spoke, but he never
heard it.

"And that wasn't the last one, either.  She scammed people, they came after
her, and I protected her.  I became more her bodyguard than her fiancee,
but we did grow a little closer.  We were still never willing to admit we
cared for each other- at least, never more than I had when one of us, while
trying to protect the other, said we couldn't let such a thing happen to
our fiancee."  Ranma winced at Soun's words, remembering the times as far
back as the Martial Arts Figure Skating match, that he had publicly
admitted such a thing.  "But I couldn't be everywhere to protect her.  One
day..."

(WARNING:  IT GETS DARKER FROM HERE ON IN)

*	*	*	*	*

"Son," Shiro Tendo called nervously.  Soun bounded up the stairs, and
followed his father's voice to the room at the end of the hall with the
swan nameplate on the door.  "I think you should see this."  He handed Soun
a letter.

"To any who care for the life of Keiko Takahashi, be warned.  I, Ryu
Kajiyama, have taken this girl for her crimes against me and my followers. 
If you wish her to live, you must pay for her- with either five billion
yen, or your lives.  Come to the address on the back within the next 48
hours, and my friends and I will meet you."  Soun shakily turned the letter
over and noted the address.

"He will pay!"  Soun cried.  Dez, leaving a room just down the hall, turned
and noticed the anger in Soun's face.

"Hey, what's wrong?  Who will pay, and for what?"  Soun gave Dez the
letter, and started down the stair.  Dez didn't even need a second before
saying "Let me go with you!"  Soun looked up at him, about to say no, when
Dez said "I recognize the handwriting.  Toshi's- though I think this Ryu
guy probably is really with him... Toshi would've either killed the both of
you in your sleep, or would've kidnapped her in front of you.  Also, the
letter mentions his 'followers.'  You'll need someone on your back- and
that had better be me."

Genma peered around the staircase up at Soun.  "I'm coming too.  You and I
fight for each other so often, I probably owe you one- or you owe me one,
in which case allowing me to be in on this'll make us even."  Soun
reluctantly nodded, and the three of them set off.  After several hours of
building hopping, they arrived at a condemned office building.

"Well," Dez cracked, "At least they don't seem to have too much of an
imagination, picking such a cliched hideout."

Genma chuckled a little, but Soun ignored him.  "Looks like a trap," Soun
said.  "Any ideas?"

Dez looked at the building curiously.  "I once heard an army buddy of mine
relate a story about a platoon leader who was so worried about running into
enemy traps that he led his platoon into the middle of one of our own
minefields.  As it turns out, there were no traps in the area other than
the minefield, and his decision decimated his platoon.  I'd just go in the
front door."  Soun and Genma looked at him a bit surprised as he walked
right into the building.  Then they ran in after him.

They wandered quite a ways through the building without encountering
anyone.  There was debris and rubble all over the floor, and several walls
had been knocked out.  It was very dark in some rooms, since without power
the lights wouldn't function.  It didn't look like a very safe place to
fight in.

"Hello, Donovan," Toshi said from one of those darkened rooms.  "I was not
expecting to see you here."  He emerged, dressed in a gi and mask like a
ninja, but the colors were red, not black.

"I WAS expecting to see you, Toshi," Dez said, dropping into his fighting
stance.  "Why have you done this?  Your quarrel is with me, not Soun or
Keiko.  Why do you involve them?"

Toshi smiled another of his trademark cold smiles.  "You are right.  I have
no quarrel with Mr. Tendo or Ms. Takahashi, only with you.  However, my
employer, Mr. Kajiyama, was embezzled of a lot of money by Ms. Takahashi,
and so he does."

"Well then," Dez said, "Why don't you let 'Mr. Tendo' and his friend here
pass, and you and I can settle OUR differences once and for all."

"Why, Donovan," Toshi said, pretending to be hurt, "You know I can't fight
a disabled man like yourself.  It wouldn't be honorable."

Dez looked at him with hate in his eyes.  "Only a coward would use 'honor'
as a shield.  And cowards deserve no honor.  Toshi, you are a coward.  You
use honor as a shield to keep yourself out of a fight with me, because
you're afraid of what will happen to you if it is heard that you lost to a
one armed man.  You deserve no honor."

Toshi's face went from cold hurt to cold hate in a flash.  "If that is the
way you feel, then so be it.  I wanted to let our sons finish this for us-
I have even convinced my chinese bride's family to take my son to her
village of Joketsuzoku for training once Happosai is finished with him. 
But you are so impatient you can't even wait and see your son die. 
Therefore, you shall die- now!"  Toshi threw a roundhouse aimed at Dez's
face- a tactical error, as Dez stepped back and pushed up on the leg with
his one arm.  The move sent Toshi to the ground, but he quickly rolled over
and jumped up, preparing to launch an all-out assault.  Soun started to
move in to help his friend.

"Genma, Soun!  Get out of here!  Rescue Keiko, fast!  I'll keep this guy
busy."  Genma grabbed Soun and dragged him along as Dez and Toshi began to
fight in earnest.  Dez caught Toshi's left arm as it was travelling to his
jaw, and brought his right leg to hit the arm on the elbow, causing a nasty
cracking sound.  The leg's follow through developed into a side kick at
Toshi's knee, cracking it.  Soun turned around and started running with
Genma, missing Toshi tossing Dez into one of the dark rooms with a
backhand.

The two of them didn't have to wait long to find action.  After rounding
the corner and going up one flight of stairs, they ran into Ryu Kajiyama
and a bound and gagged Keiko, standing ten feet from the stairwell.

"Ah, I see you have arrived.  Did you bring the money?" Ryu asked.

"I want Keiko back now," Soun said evenly, ignoring his question.

"Did you bring the money?"

"We don't even have that kind of money, you idiot!" Genma shouted.  "We
don't need it, either.  Now that we're here, you aren't going to stop us."

"Well, if you don't have the money," Ryu said, "then the only way I can get
my lasting revenge on Keiko Takahashi is to kill her beloved fiancee. 
Boys!"

A dozen people, each armed with a kitana, appeared from the hall in front
of them.  Soun didn't care about the number of them or the danger they
posed, however, but just charged in, determined to rescue his fiancee.  He
ducked under one slash, spun around, and back-kicked the bent elbow holding
the sword.  The effect was to straighten the man's arm out- which brought
the kitana towards Soun again, but backwards.  He caught the back of the
kitana between his fingers, and twisted upwards, disarming the man and
sending the kitana flying.  Soun grabbed the kitana out of the air and
parried the thrust of another kitana, straightening himself up in the
process.  He dived under a few other jukes and slashes, reaching Ryu and
Keiko.  Ryu backed up and drew his own sword, but all Soun wanted to do was
free Keiko, and so he brought his sword slashing across the ropes which
bound her, releasing her.  She untied her gag.

"Careful with that thing!"  She shouted at him angrily.  Soun looked at her
in amazement- 'Can she not see the danger we are all in?!'  Then she
reached over and hugged him quickly.  "Thanks!"  Soun blushed, but didn't
have time to think any more before rejoining the action.  Soon he and Keiko
were fighting back to back, and Genma just looked on in wonder.  'Damn!'
Genma thought.  'I never would've thought they could fight so well
together!'  Then he had to turn and face his own opponent- Ryu Kajiyama
himself.

The battle was over before too long, however.  The swordsmen didn't really
know how to fight- they were swinging wildly, and were hitting each other
as often as they were hitting themselves.  Soon, they had all either fled
or were knocked out, leaving Ryu alone against Genma, Soun, and Kieko.

"Damn Toshi!" Ryu shouted.  "If he had been here, I might have one!  But I
will not allow him to be responsible for my dishonor.  If so many run or
fall at your skills, than I do not stand a chance.  But you will not take
me!"  With that, Ryu fell on his sword.  Keiko turned pale.

"What did you do to him?!" Soun asked Keiko angrily.

"I... I don't know.  I wasn't even blackmailing him- I just loaned him some
money and asked for it back, with interest.  I..."  She started crying, and
Soun's anger fell.  He knew that, whatever she really might have done, she
had meant no harm by it.  He didn't know what to do about her crying,
though, but put a hand on her shoulder anyway.  She wrapped her arms around
him, looking for comfort.  He tried to return the favor, but only had one
arm free.  Genma looked at the two of them, liking what he saw, but when he
noticed how Soun was holding Keiko, a thought went into his head.

"We forgot about Dez!"  Then he turned and started running down the stairs,
Keiko and Soun following.  They rounded the corner just in time to see him
break Toshi's neck from behind (Author's note: The only realistic way a
one-armed man can break another man's neck unaided, according to my
'technical advisor').  A piece of building debris was sticking through him.
 Seeing Genma and Soun, he fell to his knees.  Soun and Genma rushed
towards him, Keiko following but keeping her distance.  She'd seen one man
die up close today, and it horrified her.  She didn't want to see another,
especially when he was a friend.  Dez smiled at Soun and Genma as they
approached.

"Come on, Dez, let's get you to a hospital!" Soun cried, tears starting to
form at the corners of his eyes.  Looking at that thick piece of rusted
steal imbedded in Dez, he knew that taking him to the hospital would do
nothing, but that didn't stop him from wanting to help.

Dez smiled up at him painfully.  "No good.  I won't make it."  He closed
his eyes and gasped in pain as the metal piece moved, and then looked back
up at the two.  "It'll have been worth it, though, if you two each promise
me something..."

"Anything," Genma said.

"Good," Dez winced.  "Genma, there's a... letter in my desk at the...
Tendo's for my wife.  Its got the right address on it and... and
everything.  Could you deliver it to my wife for me, and tell h... her what
happened?"

"Of course!" he said.

Dez nodded painfully, and then marshalled the last of his strength  "Soun,
what I want you to do will be much harder for you.  I know you love Keiko-
I can see it in your eyes.  I also know that...."  Dez's face contorted in
pain, but he went on.  "That you are too proud to admit it, either of you. 
So I won't ask that you tell each other how you feel... all I ask is that
you know, in your heart, that you feel it when you marry her.  If you
promise me that, then I can die in peace..."

"I... promise."  Soun whispered.  Dez nodded and smiled.  

"Sor... ry... I... can't... make... it... to... the... wed..." And then he
was gone.

*	*	*	*	*

'So that was why Dez was so important,' Ranma thought.  'I wonder, though,
what happened to his kid?'

"Keiko and I were married a few months later.  An odd thing about the
ritual, though, was that at no point did we have to vow we loved each
other.  Apparently, that was one of Genma's ideas- he thought that we
wouldn't be able to do that.  We went through ten years of marraige, had
three kids, and still never admitted- out loud- that we loved each other. 
We couldn't admit that our parents were right to fix us up, even after they
had died."  Finally, the tears were flowing at full force down Soun's
cheek.  They started to drift down Ranma's as well, but he wasn't aware of
it.  "On our tenth anniversary, I went out, bought some roses and
chocolates, and went home to tell her, out loud, that I loved her.  When I
got home, she was dead.  No known cause, just that her heart had
stopped..."  He pulled a tattered dark grey piece of cloth out and fingered
it.  It looked a lot like the collar of a dark grey gi.  "I never told her
how much I loved her.  Don't let your pride force you to go through what I
went through, Ranma."

"But... Mr. Tendo... Soun... my problem with telling her I love her is not
my pride- at least it isn't right now.  My problem is, if I tell her I love
her, I lose all of my friends, and I don't know if I really do love her
enough to lose all of that...."

Soun looked at him darkly.  "Then think about it, Ranma.  Genma and I
aren't going to be pressuring you to marry for a little while, so don't
worry about that.  But figure out how you feel- and tell her.  Don't let
your father's and my stupidity get in the way..."

Ranma nodded.  "Yes, Mr. Tendo.  I won't."  Then he thought about
something.  "By the way, if an arranged marraige was such a problem for
you, then why did you put me in one?"

Soun shrugged.  "I didn't.  Keiko did- I have no idea why.  Now, I care
little for the security of our style- I could care less.  But, in her
memory, I will see you two married.  I just hope that I can keep my senses
long enough to let you two see your love for each other first..."

Soun unlocked the door, and said to Ranma "Go.  I want to tell my wife I
love her, and hope that she hears me, wherever she is."

Ranma left the dojo and slowly went to his room.  Looking to make sure
no-one was watching, he pried up a loose board, and removed something
wrapped in one of his old shirts, with knife-like cuts across the chest
area.   He hopped onto the roof- it was now very late at night, and there
was no moon, just the stars and the lights of the city.  He unwrapped the
silk shirt to reveal a crystal box, and opened the box.  He pulled out the
contents, and started holding it much as Soun had held the Gi fragment.

As Ranma stroked what had been Akane's hair before Ryouga had cut it off,
he thought to himself "I'll tell you how I feel, Akane.  Just let me figure
it out myself, first."

---------------------------------------------
Author's concluding notes:  Well, there it is.  My first released fanfic,
complete.  It was a one draft, unedited (no spellcheck even!), and somewhat
rushed piece (I said I wanted this to be short- and it was, compared to
some of the things I've seen, and compared to what I'm working on).  For
those of you interested, the sons of 'Dez' and 'Toshi' will appear in the
big one I'm working on.  That, however, probably won't be done for a while
(read: Months).  In the meantime, I'll write another small fanfic,
hopefully related to the big guy, when I get stuck.

I'm sorry about the dark turn, but I think it isn't nearly as dark as some
I've read.  Ah, well, I said I can't maintain humor for too long (but don't
worry- I can't maintain darkness for too long either...)

PLEASE send C&C- like I said, I'm a creative writing minor.  I want to know
what I'm doing wrong.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
                 dtatum@capaccess.org
                     desaix@sysnet.net
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/7872