PART 5 The faint sounds of music and celebration were heard as Ranma Saotome along with his companions Ryouga Hibiki and Shampoo, made their way over a hill and caught sight of a meadow decorated with banners and pavilions. "There it is!" Ranma shouted as he quickened his pace. Shampoo looked curiously at the sight and then turned to her new fiancee. "Ai Ren find friend here?" Ryouga winced at Shampoo addressing him as her beloved husband. He had originally been furious at Ranma when he discovered he was promised to Shampoo while intoxicated. He had just gone through a very painful break up with Akari and the last thing he wanted to hear was words like "love" and "husband" Ranma had begged him to go along with it for now for the sake of the Princess and Hyrule, adding he would be well rewarded for his help. Ryouga didn't care that much about money but since losing Akari, he decided there were worse things than staying drunk and poor in a run down inn. Ranma had tried to point out that Shampoo was a really beautiful girl but that only reminded him of how beautiful Akari had been. "Ai Ren? Where you going?" Ryouga looked up and noticed he was walking away from Ranma and the festival. Ryouga quickly changed direction and broke into a run, pulling Shampoo along with him, in order to catch up to Ranma, cursing his sense of direction along the way. Shampoo frowned as she heard her husband-to-be speak many words she didn't recognize. "Ryouga? What does "shit" mean? "Huh?" Ryouga glanced at Shampoo, trying to pay attention to her and the direction he was traveling at the same time. "Oh....um....it means....well...." "Well?" Shampoo inquired. "It's another word for when you have to....um....go to the bathroom....number two....get the idea? Shampoo considered that for a moment and then her face seemed to brighten. "Oh! Ryouga mean *Warm leavings of a Cow!*" Ryouga nodded, deciding that was close enough. "Come on you guys! I can't wait here all day!" Ranma admonished as they finally caught up to him. Then they all entered the meadow. Shampoo was in awe, having spent most of her life on the road and among her small village, she had never seen so many people in one place before. Ranma and Ryouga had been to many festivals but none the less, grinned as they took it all in. It was the St. Hebereke Day Fair, renowned across Hyrule as the liveliest festival in the land. As the trio progressed further into the town, they were surrounded by tents, food stalls and pavilions. The crowds swirled around them, revealing occasional glimpses of sword-swallowers, jugglers, strolling musicians and merchants selling their wares. "DOLLAR EACH! DOLLAR EACH! DOLLAR EACH! ONE GENUINE IMITATION KEYRING IN THE SHAPE OF THE TRIFORCE, ONLY ONE DOLLAR EACH! FIRST HUNDRED CUSTOMERS GET A FREE COMPASS!" a merchant shouted loud enough for Ryouga to hear. "Hey! I'll take one! That's just what I need!" Ryouga exclaimed as he rushed through the crowd and quickly purchased a keyring. After throwing it away, he looked at his new compass. "This should make it harder for me to get lost, eh Ranma?" Ryouga said with a grin as he looked up. The grin quickly disappeared when he noticed Ranma and Shampoo were nowhere in sight and the crowd was still surrounding him. "Ranma?" * * * "But Ai Ren....!" "Don't worry about Ryouga. He gets lost a lot but he always manages to find me again somehow. We'll catch up with him later." Ranma assured a worried Shampoo as they ducked down a street where it was less crowded. Eventually they came to the heart of the fair. As they rejoined the stream of people traveling to and fro, they caught sight of an amphitheater overlooking a stage. Ranma lead Shampoo towards it until a large poster came into view. It read.... "COME SEE THE MAGNIFICENT MOUSSE!!!" "Master of Dark Magic!" "Monarch of Mystery!" "See him perform miracles without his eyes!" "Appearing Daily!" Ranma found it hard to keep from laughing as he saw the image of his friend, dressed in his usual white robes and a black bandanna wrapped around his eyes, next to the words of the poster. "Same old Mousse." Ranma thought fondly to himself as he entered the theater with Shampoo in tow. "Mousse use magic like Shampoo?" Shampoo asked Ranma as she took a seat next to him. Unlike the vast crowds and numerous vendors outside, Shampoo knew a theater when she saw one, had seen many dances and songs performed in a smaller one in her village. "Sort of." Ranma replied. "Mousse's magic is mostly skill and hard work but there is one trick he does that is very similar to your cat transformation." Shampoo frowned. "True magic IS hard work. Is easy to change into cat now but take Shampoo many years to master. Much focus needed." "I didn't mean to insult you. I just meant that Mousse's magic may be a little different than the one you're used to." Ranma clarified. Shampoo nodded in understanding as the amphitheater continued to fill up with fairgoers, eager to see Mousse. Ranma knew they wouldn't be disappointed. "Too bad Ryouga couldn't be here to see this...." * * * "Damn you, Ranma!" Ryouga shouted in frustration as he searched in vain for the amphitheater. He knew Shampoo and Ranma would be there by now and that unless he hurried up, he was going to miss Mousse's show. His compass was proving useless since he didn't know what direction the theater was in and he hadn't asked anyone for directions because he was too embarrassed. Finally, he decided to swallowed his pride and went over to a booth where clothes of all types were for sale. Strangely, dispite the crowd in the streets, the booth was completely deserted, as if people were deliberately avoiding it. Ryouga banged his hand on the counter, requesting attention. After a moment, a young girl appeared from behind the counter, looking the worse for wear. She looked at Ryouga for a moment and then exclaimed with surprise. "You....You can see me?" "Umm...yes?" Ryouga replied, a confused expression on his face. The girl's expression of surprise quickly turned into desperation. "Please buy some clothes from me! I beg you!" "Umm...Actually I was just wondering if you could tell me where to find the amphitheater. I'm supposed to meet some friends there and.... "It's about ten booths to the east. You can't miss it." The girl replied hurriedly. "Now can you please buy some of my wares? She gestured frantically at the clothes in front of her. "Well, I really can't stay too long....The show's about to begin and .... The girl suddenly grabbed his arm and gave him a pleading look as she whimpered. "PLEASE! I beg you! Buy some clothing! If I return to my master without any profits, I'll be punished!" "W....Why isn't anyone else buying clothes?" Ryouga asked the girl, wondering why she seemed so determined to make a sale. "They....They can't." The girl released Ryouga's arm and lowered her head. "You see, I was foolish and angered the ruler of this realm, Kunou Kodachi." Ryouga's eyes widened at the mention of the name. Ranma had filled him in on Kodachi's evil curse on Soun and Kasumi. It seemed she was now picking on this girl as well. "What happened?" Ryouga wondered aloud. "I was recently sold into slavery by my father in exchange for payment of his debts to an evil old man and his wife. I performed many tasks in their house until the wife convinced her husband to put me to work at the fair, I think she felt sorry for me." The girl took a deep breath and continued "She gave me some clothes to sell here at the fair but some of them had wildflowers on them and I didn't realize...." "Realize what?" Ryouga asked. Tears began to form in the girl's eyes as she replied. "Mistress Kodachi had expressly forbidden any flowers other than black roses, to be in her kingdom. When she came to the fair one day and saw my flowers, she screamed curses at me and then cast a spell that made me dead to this village. They pass by as if they don't even see me and ever since I haven't been able to sell a single piece of clothing. If my master finds out about this...." The girl trembled in fear. Ryouga couldn't believe it. To be so cruel over such a petty matter was truly evil. Ryouga didn't know Kodachi very well but that didn't stop him from forming an instant dislike of her. "What's your name?" Ryouga inquired. "M....Makimura, Kaori." The girl replied timidly. "Kaori, Me and my friends plan to put an end to Kodachi's evil once and for all. Once she's been defeated, I'll find a way to have your curse lifted. I swear it!" The girl's eyes widened in fear. "F....Fight Kodachi? Truly, you must be mad! No one who had ventured to her covel has ever lived to tell the tale!" "Don't worry. We're not so easily beaten. With Ranma by my side and Shampoo...." "Ranma?! As in *Prince Ranma* of Hyrule!?!" The girl exclaimed in amazement. Ryouga winced. He hadn't meant to give Ranma's identity away and he knew Ranma wanted to keep a low profile. Then he remembered that no one else could hear her voice away and breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes. He, I, and another girl named Shampoo will be traveling to Kodachi's covel and then to Lord Kunou's realm to finally defeat them once and for all. In the meantime, here's some money to give to your master. (Ryouga handed her some coins.) I hope it's enough to satisfy your master's desires until we get the job done. Farewell." Ryouga said as he turned to leave. "Wait! What is your name, kind sir!" The girl called out to him. "Hibiki, Ryouga." Ryouga replied with a smile as he left, failing to notice the girl smiling behind him.... Just before she disappeared. * * * "Utterly ridiculous!" Kodachi cackled as she gazed into her cauldron, the vision of Ryouga leaving the clothing stand beginning to disappear. "Heroes....Always ready to aid a damsel in distress....even when the damsel is my slave!" Kodachi gazed over to her right where Kaori was standing with a blank look in her eyes. "You did very well, little hussy!" Kodachi spat at the girl. "Now that I know they are coming, I should bake a cake!" Kodachi proclaimed as she raised her arms and suddenly a birthday cake with thick black icing and little black roses appeared in front of her. "Now then, who should be the one to receive this little gesture of mine...." Kodachi gazed into the cauldron and another vision soon came before her. The vision of a girl not yet reunited with her comrades. It set the stage nicely for a most unexpected ambush.... "You there!" Kodachi raised a long twisted finger at Kaori, whom stood silent and unmoving. "You will deliver this cake to this girl...." Kodachi gestured at the vision. "Tell her it is a gift from her husband." With that, Kodachi gestured again at the cake and it suddenly changed from black into white. The roses on the cake turning a blood red color.... * * * Princess Ranko sighed inwardly as she lay on Kunou's bed, wearing a low cut gown that Kunou had picked out for her. She was securely tied down to prevent any further attempts to take her own life or escape. In addition, she was guarded 24 hours a day by three different knights rotating in 8 hour shifts. She was only released to go to the bathroom and even then under escort. Kunou wasn't taking any more chances. Although Kunou was still recovering from his injuries from the fall, she knew he was healing rapidly and that soon he would come to her again and she would be unable to stop him. That is if she continued to be helpless.... Of the three knights guarding her, Ranko noticed that one of them stared at her body whenever he thought she or anyone else wasn't looking at him. She figured he had gotten a good look at her when she had been naked and was now quite attracted to her physically. The other two didn't even give her a second glance. She was allowed to go to the bathroom three times a day, no more. Each time was with a different guard watching over her. This meant that her ropes were untied and she was lead over to the small but private washroom in Kunou's own bedroom where the guard would then wait for her to finish and come out. She had already tried to find a means of escape in the washroom but either Sasuke had foreseen that possibility and removed all possible items that could have been used as a weapon, or Kunou simply shaved in a different room. Now, with time rapidly running out and her other opinions exhausted, Ranko had no choice but to resort to a plan that she wished she could have avoided. * * * The guard instantly looked away as he noticed the princess looking his way, praying he hadn't been caught staring at her again. He couldn't help it. He had been without a woman for so long and when he had caught a glimpse of her naked flesh.... The guard force the image out of his mind. He couldn't afford to think things like that. If Overlord Kunou ever found out he had been staring at his bride-to-be...." "Excuse me?" The guard glanced towards the voice and noticed it was the princess that asked the question. He started to turn away again.... "Why are you torturing yourself?" Her voice was low, husky, or did it only seem that way? Drawing upon his military discipline, the guard stiffened his posture and met her gaze while replying in a even tone. "I don't know what you mean." The princess gave him a smile, a very sultry smile. "You know what I mean. Standing there hour after hour after hour...." She took in a long, deep breath, leaning back to push her expanding bosom outwards. The guard's eyes were fixed on the princess's chest for a moment before forcing himself to look away. "I don't know what you mean." He repeated in the same even tone. "Wanting to touch me....to kiss me....to make me your own...." Ranko continued in a very slow and deliberate manner. "Excuse me?" The guard replied, the slightest tremor evident in his voice. "Don't tell me a man as....strong and manly as you....aren't afraid to take advantage of a situation when it presents itself...." The princess replied in a voice that caused the guard's knees to grow weak. "I don't know what you...." The guard began. "You know EXACTLY what I mean." Ranko's voice elevated a notch. "My bathroom break is in fifteen minutes and you're not going to be relived for another three hours. I don't need to tell you what could happen in three hours time, do I?" The guard felt his mouth grow dry. He needed a drink, he needed to get his mind back on his duty.... "All you would have to do is untie me and then we could have plenty of time to get to know each other better before that other guard comes to spoil our fun. You want to have fun with me, don't you?" The guard desperately tried to block out her voice but it was becoming increasingly difficult, Ranko's suggestions were imprinting themselves in his mind, wild visions began appearing in his imagination..... "NO!" The guard yelped more than screamed and forced himself to stand at attention. "Kunou would have my head!" There was a short pause. Then he could hear the princess's voice again. He tried not to listen.... "No one would have to know. Not Kunou. Not the other guards. No one." She paused again. "I've always wanted to be with a real man. Kunou and Ranma are nothing compared to you. I want to wraps my arms around you.... "Stop...." The guard ordered. "To feel your sweaty muscular chest against my breasts...." "Stop!" The guard nearly shouted. The princess moaned softly. The guard was nearly at his wit's end by her teasing. Then she suddenly ceased as she asked, in a normal tone of voice. "Can I go to the bathroom now?" The guard blinked and tried to get his heartrate back to normal as he replied. "S....sure." The guard slowly walked over to Princess Ranko, his entire frame shivering slightly as he gently undid the ropes that held her down. Once that was done, she rose to her feet and walked provocatively toward the bathroom, her hips swaying as the guard followed from behind. Then she closed the door while he waited outside. Try as he might, the guard could not get the princess's voice out of his head. Her proposition flooded through his mind and he found himself staring out the window, wondering how much time he had left until the next shift.... Then Ranko emerged from the bathroom, smiling seductively at him as he lead her back to the bed. As they reached it, he drew in a sharp breath as the princess suddenly leaned back against him and raised her arms behind her and around his neck. "Don't fight it...." She whispered as she tilted her head sideways, her lips an inch from his own. She was close enough for him to read her lips as she silently begged. "Make love to me...." The guard couldn't take it any more as he finally gave in to temptation and his lips found Ranko's. They kissed for a long moment before the guard placed his hands over his breasts. As he began to fondle them, the princess suddenly turned around to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck again. Their tongues moved in and out of each other's mouths as Ranko fell back onto the bed with the guard on top of her. She wrapped her long legs tightly around his waist while moving her hands up and down his back. He could feel his heart pounding furiously as he gave himself to pleasure. Then she grabbed the back of the guard's head and pressed his face down into her breasts. She gasped in pleasure as the guard ran his tongue along the sides of them, kissing madly. When he started to kiss between them, she suddenly increased the pressure on the back of his head tremendously. The guard figured she was getting carried away when he suddenly realized he couldn't breathe. He panicked and tried to get up only to have her grip tighten even further. He tried to bite, to scream for help, to cry out in rage at him being deceived when he found himself rapidly losing consciousness. * * * Princess Ranko finally released the grip on the guard's neck about a minute after he stopped flailing about. Her arms aching from the effort, she slowly pushed the guard off of her and rose to her feet. She then quickly and with much disgust, wiped off the guard's saliva from her blouse and breasts, pausing to spit out the remains of the guard's french kiss. "What did he eat for lunch anyway? Yuck!" Ranko complained as she spat on the floor again. Then she grabbed the guard's weapons and was about to leave when she glanced back at the unconscious guard. On one hand, she was tempted to just leave him there since he had obviously sworn loyalty to Kunou. On the other hand, she knew Kunou would behead, possibly even torture the guard for failing to keep her here. And she did feel a mite guilty about leading him on like that.... She walked back over to the bed, took out the knife she had stolen from the guard and plunged it into his chest, killing him instantly. It was a merciful death, compared to what Kunou would have done to him. Loose ends tied up, Ranko carefully listened at the door for guards and then opened the door to reveal an empty hallway. The next guard wasn't due to arrive for two hours yet, with any luck, she would be out of the castle and far away before anyone knew she was gone.... * * * Meanwhile, back at the now fully packed Amphitheater, Ranma awaits the presence of his friend on stage while Shampoo wonders where her Ai Ren had run off to. Then a man walks out on stage and announced in a loud voice. "Ladies and Gentlemen, it is now my pleasure to introduce our star attraction. He is the Master of Modern Mystery, The Magnificent Mousse! There is much applause and cheering as Mousse walks out, waving and bowing towards the crowd. The black bandanna covering his eyes didn't hinder his movements in the least as he made his way to the center of the stage and waited until the volume dies down before beginning to speak. "Much thanks for that warm greeting!" he began, a sly grin evident on his face. "As you've no doubt noticed by now, I am blind yet I am able to perform feats such as this!" Without warning, Mousse pulled a needle and a thread from his cloak and quickly threaded the needle through it's eye with no trouble whatsoever. The audience laughed and cheered as he did it again, turning around and threading it behind his back to the audience. "Some of you might be saying, *Big deal.* Well my friends, let's see if you think this is a big deal! Bring out the arrows! Mousse waited patiently while an assistant brought out a bow and a large bunch of arrows. "In case you haven't seen the show before, allow me to elaborate what I'm about to do here. My assistant will shoot arrows directly at me, some at my head, some at my heart, some at my stomach, and if my assistant has been hitting the old sake again, possibly even lower than that!" The crowd laughed while Mousse continued. "Some of these arrows have red feathers at the end while the rest have blue feathers. Not only...." Mousse paused dramatically. "Not only....will I intercept every single arrow before it can strike me. I will *break* any red feather arrows shot at me and *catch* any blue arrows shot at me! All without the use of my eyes! How will I know which color is which? That's why it's called magic folks! Are you ready? The crowd roared it's approval as the assistant took aim. Mousse took a moment to prepare himself and then waited with his hands behind his back. The assistant let fly with an arrow. It flew swiftly towards Mousse and the instant before it impaled him, Mousse caught the arrow between his fingers. It was blue. There was much applause and cheering. "I guess that means I caught the right arrow!" Mousse exclaimed as the audience laughed again. "But then again, catching only ONE arrow could be a 50/50 chance, right? So let's increase the odds and have THREE arrows shot at me at the same time and to make sure I'm not cheating, I'll let the audience choose the color for me!" As the assistants went out into the audience and found volunteers to choose the colors for the three arrows, Ranma leaned closer to Shampoo and whispered. "Mousse is just warming up you know.... "Really?" "Yep. I know for a fact that he can catch seven arrows at once. He's just building up suspense. "Mousse can only catch seven?" Shampoo asked. "I think so. I don't think he's fast enough for eight." The assistants returned to the stage with the audience's three color choices. "Okay then! Watch now as I single handedly.... "WAIT!" a loud voice rang out in the Amphitheater. "Huh?" Mousse was startled by the voice and turned towards the source. "Shampoo have challenge for Mousse!" "Shampoo, what the hell are you doing?! Sit down!" Ranma whispered, embarrassed that his friends performance was being interrupted. "A challenge?" Mousse repeated, dumbfounded by this interruption. "Shampoo challenge Mousse to catch NINE arrows at once. Then Shampoo believe Mousse true master!" Shampoo exclaimed loud enough for everyone to hear. "N....Nine?" Mousse repeated, a touch of uncertainly in his voice. "Um....Maybe seven would be enough! Who wants to see me catch seven arrows at once!" The crowd started to cheer but lapsed into silence as Shampoo taunting voice was heard again. "Mousse no master! Even children in amazon village catch seven arrows at once! Nine should be easy for MASTER." The last word held considerable contempt towards the blind magician. Mousse frowned. On one hand he was tempted to tell this rude girl where to get off for interrupting his show like this. On the other hand, his pride and honor had been challenged and while the crowd here would most likely forgive him for not rising to the challenge, it would still be a serious loss of face to him. "Very well. If I should meet this challenge of yours, what do I get in return?" Mousse demanded to know. "You get Shampoo's respect." Shampoo replied simply. "Respect, huh?" Mousse scoffed. "I think I already have the respect of these people here." A round of applause greeted his words. "But, if you truly think I am unworthy to have the title of master magician, then I accept your challenge!" The crowd cheered, even louder than before, while Shampoo resumed her seat. Ranma was mortified at Shampoo drawing attention to herself like that. "Why the hell did you do that? Are you crazy!?!" Ranma shouted at Shampoo. Shampoo didn't take her eyes off Mousse as she replied. "If Mousse true master then he do fine." "And if he dies? How is that going to help our mission or did you forget about that!" Ranma hissed at her. "Stop stupid talk Ranma! If Mousse no catch nine arrows, he no match for Kunou or Kodachi." Shampoo replied calmly as she watched Mousse prepare himself for the task ahead. * * * Mousse was sweating as he thought to himself. "What am I, nuts?! I can barely handle EIGHT arrows, much less, NINE! Not only do I have to catch them, I have to judge which ones are red and which ones are blue! If I'm not real careful, I could die!" Mousse shook his head, he couldn't let himself think like that. After all it was only two more than he usually finished his act with. "Surely two more couldn't be that difficult, could it?" Mousse tried to calm himself as his assistants finished gathering the nine arrows that were picked by color from the audience. When the assistant called out that they were ready, Mousse faced the audience one last time. "In case I don't survive this, you'll know who to blame." He laughed nervously with the audience and gestured towards the source of his challenger. Then he turned around to face his assistants. The audience grew silent and Mousse could feel his heart pounding against his ribs as he awaited the arrows.... The assistants, with help from some of the more able audience members, fired nine arrows simultaneously at the blind magician, they raced towards their target, all aimed at different points in the body, many of them lethal.... Mousse's arms became blurs as he attacked the oncoming arrows. His reflexes taking over. Blue! Blue! Red! Blue! Red! Red! Blue! Re....! The audience was stunned into silence, Ranma's mouth was agape in shock while Shampoo turned away in disgust. Mousse was still alive. Four red feathered arrows lay broken at his feet, Four blue arrows rested between his fingers and in the palms of his hands.... The final blue arrow, it's sharp tip resting about a millimeter from Mousse's groin, was held between his knees. Sweat dripped from Mousse's forehead and he was still shaking when he heard the audience begin to clap, then cheer, then it was if the place had exploded as Mousse was given a standing ovation. Among the voices he suddenly heard a familiar cry. "WAY TO GO, MOUSSE!!!" Mousse knew that voice, it could only belong to one person, someone he hadn't seen in a month. "R....Ranma?" * * * It was almost an hour later and the moon had begun to rise in the sky when Mousse walked out of the Amphitheater. Ranma was beside him with Shampoo close behind. "That was incredible! I've never seen you move that fast before!" Ranma was still telling Mousse how impressed he was at catching all of the arrows. Mousse knew Ranma had been impressed but at the same time, he knew Ranma enough that he was trying to apologize for Shampoo, who got him into the mess in the first place. "Thanks, Ranma. I'm glad you liked the show. Next time you might want to give me a little warning before you bring HER along!" Mousse gestured behind him. "RANMA!" Ranma and Mousse looked up to see Ryouga standing in front of them, looking VERY annoyed. "Hey, Ryouga. Where were you? You just missed Mousse do the neatest trick...." "I was lost because you and...." Ryouga started to growl. "AI REN!!!" Shampoo exclaimed with joy as she crushed Ryouga with a bear hug. Ryouga gasped for air. "S....Shampoo, let go of me!" Shampoo did, giving Ryouga a chance to catch his breath. "I was lost...." Ryouga gasped. "Because you and Shampoo didn't wait for me while I was buying a new compass!" "Compass?" Ranma said in disbelief. "If you had a compass, what took you so long to find us?" "I was in the theater with you! I just couldn't find the door until the crowd was gone and everyone just looked at me funny when I asked for directions. By the way, that was a really neat trick you did with the arrows. I was tempted to yell out *twelve arrows!* after Shampoo's challenge, but I thought I'd give you a break." he grinned. "Thanks a bunch." Mousse replied sarcastically. "Nice to see you again, too." he added with a grin of his own. "Ditto and thanks for letting us staying at your house for the night." Ranma added. "We'll need a good night's sleep before we continue on our way to find Ukyou." Mousse smiled. "I wouldn't worry about that, Ranma. Ukyou doesn't live down by the mountains anymore." "Really?" Ranma voice was laced with concern. "You mean she's moved on?" "Not exactly...." (Fade to Black) PART 6 The sounds of metal clashing against stone shattered the silence of the stable as Akane Tendo slashed her sword against the tall pillar of stone. She had been doing so for over an hour, trying to work out the incredible surge of anger that threatened to overwhelm her senses with every strike of her blade. Sparks spat out from the point of contact as Akane continued the assault, sweat dripping down her face and her arms aching from the effort. Still she continued, refusing to give up, refusing to allow herself even a short rest period. Then she finally collapsed onto her knees, her tired body betraying her as she finally had to stop. Tears of anger, of a pain that couldn't be put into words, poisoned her very soul.... "Akane?" The voice was soft, gentle, it seemed to come from a million miles away. Akane looked up to see the priestess Nodoka standing over her, a smile on her face though Akane couldn't ever remember a time when Nodoka didn't smile. Akane had always considered Nodoka to be her mother, even though her biological mother had abandoned her as a baby on the doorstep of Hyrule Castle with a note pinned to her clothes, claiming she couldn't afford to take proper care of her. Nodoka had raised Akane as her own, taking special care in educating her, teaching her right from wrong and even taught her how to use a sword when she expressed her desire to become a royal guard. "Feel any better?" Nodoka inquired, without a trace of sarcasm or ill-will in her tone as she ran her fingers along the battered post. "No...." Akane whispered, her eyes still brimming with tears. "I won't feel better. Not until the princess is back with us, safe from evil like Kunou.....safe from...." Akane's voice trailed off. "You care a great deal about Ranko, don't you?" Nodoka said. "More than you'll ever know...." Akane thought to herself before answering. "Yes. I feel like I failed her when she needed me most." "Did you try your best?" Akane looked up at Nodoka, anger and disbelief in her eyes. "Of course I did! I tried to save her! I was desperate to save her! But I was too slow, I wasn't strong enough...." "Rubbish." Nodoka replied. "Ranko wouldn't have made you the captain of her guards if she wasn't confident of your abilities." "And where did that confidence get her?! She's been kidnapped, 10 of my guards were killed, there's no telling what that bastard Kunou is doing to her right now!" Akane almost screamed at Nodoka. "And you think pitying yourself will bring her back? That if you keep striking your sword against that stone it will change what has already happened?" Akane sighed, some of her anger beginning to fade as Nodoka's words broke through her stubbornness to stay angry at herself. "You cannot blame yourself for the loss of the princess. Your men fought bravely, kept you from being kidnapped as well and gave you time to prepare the castle against Kunou's next attack." Nodoka pointed out in a calm voice. "You cannot let your love for Ranko blind you to what must be done here. Akane spun around to stare at Nodoka in shock. "Y....You mean you k....know....?!" Nodoka's smile seemed to grow a little wider. "I've known for a long time now and while I can't say I entirely approve, I know Ranko cares for you deeply and that she wouldn't want you to torture yourself like you're doing now. You must climb out of this pit of dispair you've dug for yourself and prepare for the battle ahead. I didn't teach you how to swing a sword so you could bury your head in the sand." Akane wiped the tears from her eyes as she nodded. "I know....I know you're right....It just hurts so much, mom...." Nodoka's voice softened. "I know, my child....Let it out now, while we still have time...." Nodoka gently cradled Akane's head against her chest as Akane finally broke down completely and cried without shame. "Let it all out...." * * * The night air was cool as Ukyou Kuonji made her way around the back of her home, a piece of cloth wrapped around her to serve as a towel. She was carrying wooden buckets filled with cold water in each of her hands. Then Ukyou allowed the cloth to fall as she sat on a stone that served as a stool and poured one of the buckets over her head. She felt a chill go through her entire frame as the water ran down her shivering naked body. Then she quickly reached behind her and retrieved some soap that her husband had been fortunate enough to get at the fair and gently applied it over her body until she was covered with a layer of lather. Then she grabbed the other bucket and rinsed off the soap, trembling from the icy water as it washed over her body again. Cleansing complete, Ukyou wrapped the cloth around her and quickly walked back into the house to retrieve a large black pot from over the fireplace. After checking to make sure it was the right temperature, She made her way with it back outside and overturned the pot into a stone bath. Steam rose from the bath as the hot water from the pot filled it up. Then, Ukyou put the empty pot down, removed her cloth once more, and gently eased herself into the bath. Ukyou sighed in contentment as the waters eased the tension in her muscles, relaxing them and her body ceased shivering. As she continued to soak in the tub, her mind began to wander.... "Things sure have changed in the last month." Ukyou remarked to herself. "Kunou declares war on Hyrule, Ranma's engaged to marry the princess and now I'm married to Mousse." Ukyou smiled to herself as she remembered the day Mousse finally confessed his love for her while she had been visiting. It had been sudden and full of tenderness. It had also caught her completely by surprise. She had ran from the house that night, it had been too much to deal with at the time. The memory of her breakup with Ranma had still been tugging at her heart. Mousse had searched for her for hours, finally finding her in the woods by following the sound of her crying. Mousse then begged her forgiveness, sobbing that he never meant to hurt her. She had felt tremendous guilt and assured him that it had caught her by surprise and that she needed time to think about it. Three days later, they were happily married. It was a small ceremony and the priest was their only witness. Since then, Ukyou had moved from her old place near the mountains into Mousse's house. Although she loved the Mountains and she had spent her whole life among them, there were too many painful memories of her childhood with Ranma there. She felt she needed to make a clean break from her old relationship. Besides, Mousse's house was much larger and in better condition than her old one and the bath was especially nice... Looking back on the past month, Ukyou had no regrets about her new marriage. She had known Mousse for a long time, knew him as a friend and now as a lover and supportive husband. After Ranma left, Ukyou had vowed never to love again, completely throwing her energy into her restaurant and the preparation of okonomiyaki. She had always been independent and she tried to convince herself that she didn't need love to have a good life. But the loneliness never left her, it intensified almost to the breaking point. Ukyou had continued to wish that Ranma would come back to her, that he would forget about the princess and Hyrule.... Now her loneliness was gone, chased away like a dark cloud by Mousse. For the first time in a long while, Ukyou was truly happy with her life and with herself. "Ucchan, I'm home!" Ukyou blinked and glanced towards the voice, then at the night sky. "How long was I daydreaming?" She wondered to herself as she quickly got out of the tub and grabbed her towel. She started drying herself off when a idea struck her. Smiling playfully, Ukyou allowed the towel to fall to the ground and then walked back into the house, planning to give her husband a nice surprise when he reached out to embrace her.... Only to be surprised herself when she saw Ryouga, Ranma and Shampoo standing around her husband. Ryouga took one look at her and while being with Akari had somewhat gotten him used to seeing a naked girl, blood still poured from his nose as he quickly averted his eyes. Shampoo, what the hell was *she* doing here, immediately went to his aid, crying out "Ai ren!" for some reason. Ranma just blushed a vivid crimson, looking apologetic and very embarrassed. "What's wrong?" A confused Mousse asked, unable to see his wife's lack of modesty. "R....Ranchan!" Ukyou's entire body turned pink from embarrassment as she frantically ran back outside to put her clothes on. Meanwhile, Ranma was trying to stop Mousse from following her as Shampoo continued to tend to Ryouga's bloody nose. A few moments later, Ukyou emerged with her clothes on and an expression of anger. Ranma was less than thrilled to notice she also had her spatula with her. "Uh....Hi Ucchan." Ranma cautiously greeted his ex-fiancee. "You could have warned me, Mousse!" Ukyou ignored Ranma completely as she turned her attention to Mousse. "Warn you about what? What happened?" Mousse asked. "They saw me...." Ukyou began. "Never mind!" Ranma quickly cut her off to prevent further embarrassment. "Sorry for barging in here like this, Ucchan. Your husband invited us here to spend the night." Ranma put a little more emphasis on the word *husband* that was really necessary. "Still, you could have given a little warning...." Ukyou grumbled. "Hey, you walked in on us!" Ranma countered. "What's the big deal about walking in on someone?" Mousse almost shouted in frustration as Ranma and Ukyou continued to argue while Ryouga went outside to find some water to wash his face, Shampoo guiding him along.... * * * There were days Sasuke *really* hated his job. He was the last descendant of a long line of ninjas that had pledged their lives to serve the Kunou family. Throughout the Kunou family line, there had been the wise and there had been the foolish. The past two generations, Kouchou and his son, Tatewaki, definitely fit into the latter category, squandering their money on inconsequential vices and basically serving no real purpose in society. But that was before Tatewaki went on a journey to China to seek out rare clothes and jewelry for his previous wife, Nabiki. Now Tatewaki Kunou had returned almost a completely different man and, over the six months, had used his wealth to raise a powerful army to conquer Hyrule. Sasuke didn't know what could have possibly happened to his master to change him like this but one way or another, Sasuke was going to find out, after Kunou finished conquering Hyrule of course. Unfortunately, now it seemed he might not live to see that day. He had decided to visit the princess after hearing rumors that one of the guards was leering at her. He was not going to put up with that sort of nonsense if he had anything to say about it. And when he discovered what had happened, he was duty bound to report the escape to his master, even if it meant his death. * * * "SHE WHAT!?!?!?" Gosunkugi instantly retreated from Kunou's fearsome presence while Sasuke stood his ground and tried his best not to soil himself as he repeated. "T....The guard that was supposed to watch over the princess has been m....murdered and the p....princess is n....nowhere to be found. Kunou's eyes glowed red as his scream of pure rage echoed throughout his castle. Then he grabbed Sasuke by the skin of his chest and whispered four words that chilled Sasuke's very essence. "FIND HER OR DIE." "Y...Y....Y...Yes, m....master!" Sasuke whimpered as Kunou tossed him towards the door, his head cracking hard against the frame as the sound slammed behind him from the force of Kunou's throw. "Stupidity, thy name is Sasuke!" Kunou muttered to himself as he tried to sit up. He grimaced as he felt his ribs shift painfully and he reluctantly lay back down, seething over his inability to function as a man should. "Curse this weak pathetic body! In my day, a man could walk away from a fall ten time more steep than I one I suffered!" Kunou growled and tried to calm down. "No....It is a weak man who blames his tools. Once this body heals and Hyrule is conquered, I will reclaim what is rightfully mine.... Kunou looked up at the ceiling and allowed himself a small smile. In a small sense, he was elated that the princess had managed to escape from her prison. It would make his conquest of her all the more satisfying.... "Though she is little, she is fierce...." Kunou's smile vanished as he grimaced. "Perhaps I made an error by not administering the love potion to the princess right away. While she is fierce, she is also troublesome, moreso than I had originally thought.... Then again, Akane Tendo had been skillful enough to avoid capture in the first place and unlike the delicate Ranko, she was a true warrior, one he could both admire and mold into his own image. "Of course!" Kunou suddenly exclaimed as he sat up again, ignoring the pain. "It is the very essence of love whose unpredictable emotions leads the will to desperate undertakings! Ranko must have been desperate to escape and find Akane Tendo because she loves her. Then once I administer the love potion on both of them, they will also love me and together....together...." Strengthened by the twisted logic of a madman, Kunou burst into fits of maniacal laughter as he continued to fantasize about his future wives.... * * * After a long period of time, everyone had finally settled down and were finally starting to catch up on old times. They were all sitting around the house, each one taking turns telling old stories of their past adventures. "And remember the time we were trapped in that room with no doors and we were fresh out of bombs? We had just about given up hope...." Ranma was in the process of telling one of these stories now while his comrades listened and laughed. "....Then good old Ryouga smashes through one of the walls while lost and ends up saving us all!" Mousse finished with a laugh. "Yeah, that was shortly after I found the power bracelet and became strong enough to move rocks. I rushed off to find you guys, smashing through every wall in my path until I found you." Ryouga fondly recalled as Shampoo brought him a full mug of sake. Ryouga thanked her while Ranma smirked at the fact that Ryouga was finally starting to warm up to Shampoo, dispite his vow that he would never love again after Akari. "So what have you been doing for the past month, Ukyou?" Ryouga asked as he took a sip of the sake. "When did you and Mousse get hitched?" Ukyou had trouble looking into Ranma's eyes as she replied. "We just realized one day how much we cared for each other. The wedding was small and brief. We wanted it that way." "Well, actually I wanted to tell Ranma...." Mousse began. "But we didn't want to bother you when we heard about the crisis with Kunou!" Ukyou finished for him a little too quickly. "Anyway, it's nice to see you again, Ryouga....Ranchan...." Ukyou glared at Shampoo for a moment. "Shampoo...." Ranma noticed this and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Um....I can explain...." Shampoo beat him to it. "Shampoo marry Ryouga!" was her explanation. "Ryouga? But I thought you and Ak...." She stopped when she caught the look in Ryouga's eyes. "Oh. I'm sorry Ryouga. "What spatula-girl talking about? Who Akari?" Everyone looked uncomfortable for a moment before Ryouga spoke up. "She was someone....I thought she loved me but she didn't. I was stupid not to notice the way she looked at other men...." "She didn't deserve someone as loyal as you." Ukyou assured the crestfallen Ryouga. "Thanks." Ryouga gave her a small smile which she returned. Meanwhile, Shampoo continued to stare at Mousse for some reason. Ranma noticed this and inquired about it. "Shampoo just wonder when silly Mousse take off blindfold?" There was another stunned silence, this time followed by laughter. Everyone broke up while Shampoo sat there confused. Finally Mousse stopped laughing long enough to answer her question. "You mean you didn't know? I'm blind, Shampoo!" Shampoo blinked. "Mousse use blindfold for more than magic act?" "I've been blind since I was born Shampoo. I rely on my other senses, sound, touch, smell, taste and my instincts to get around. When I had those arrows shot at me, I caught them by hearing the sound of the arrows when they were released, thus telling me where they were going to be. Then I waited until I could feel the air pressure of the arrow come close enough so I could intercept them safely. Of course I hadn't planned on NINE arrows...." Mousse sarcastically noted. "Then....Mousse know no magic at all?" Shampoo's voice had more than a bit of contempt in it. Mousse smiled. "I wouldn't go that far...." And with that Mousse raised his arms above his head and his face became a mask of concentration. Soon a blue aura began to form around him, brightening the interior of the house while everyone else watched. Then Mousse's entire body morphed into a ball of energy for a moment before reforming into a full sized duck. Ranma sighed. He wished he could have warned Mousse before he did that but it was too late now as Mousse once again morphed back into a human. "How's that for magic?" Mousse gloated until he sensed the presence of ki-energy coming from Shampoo. "Shampoo?" While Mousse was unable to see what was happening, Shampoo was quickly morphing from a human into a fearsome cheetah. In an instant, Ukyou had flown out of her chair and was now hiding behind Mousse, cowering with fear. "C....C....CAT! IT'S A BIG CAT!!!!" Ukyou screamed hysterically while cowering behind Mousse. Ranma instantly got to his feet. "Okay Shampoo! You've proved your point! Now change back before Ucchan has a heart attack." The cheetah seemed to smile for a moment and then took another step towards Ukyou. "Shampoo...." Ranma warned her. The cheetah halted her advance and then quickly changed back into the beautiful form of Shampoo. Ukyou immediately stopped trembling and looked confused. "W....What happened?" Ukyou asked with a confused look on her face. "Shampoo changed into a cheetah and you went ballistic." "Oh no...." Ukyou covered her face with her hands. "I didn't....you know?" "No, I stopped it before it went too far." Ranma answered her. "Why spatula girl afraid of cats?" Shampoo asked. "She was trained by her grandfather for a secret technique called the cat fist. It makes her temporarily invincible but it also makes her deathly afraid of cats." "It's all Happosai's fault! If he weren't already dead, I'd kill him!" Ukyou spat as she resumed her seat. "Anybody else here hungry?" Ranma suddenly asked as his growling stomach made him acutely aware that he hadn't eaten anything all day. "Well, as a matter of fact, some girl visited me today and gave me a white cake. She said it was from you Mousse but you know I'm allergic to vanilla so she must have been mistaken. Anybody else want a slice?" "I would!" Ranma immediately chimed in. "I don't know. This sounds suspicious." Mousse frowned as Ukyou went into the back to get the cake. "Why would someone send Ucchan a cake from me?" "Who cares? I'm starving!" Ranma's hunger overwhelming his common sense, as usual. "Here it is....Dig in!" Ukyou announced as she placed the cake on the table. Everyone started to reach for a piece when Mousse raised his hands in a gesture of warning. "Just a second! There's something strange about all of this...." Ukyou handed Mousse a slice of cake and he smelled it. Then he carefully took a small bite and tasted for any traces of poison. "Hmm...seems to be okay but...." That was enough for Ranma who quickly grabbed a piece and shoved it into his mouth. "Oh man, this is delicious!" he exclaimed. Ranma's enthusiasm was all everyone else needed as they quickly joined in.... * * * Kodachi cackled with glee over her cauldron as she watched her cake being devoured by the would-be heroes. The fun was about to begin.... * * * As Ranma finished his third piece of the cake, he found himself thinking about the sudden marriage of Mousse and Ukyou. He had been surprised to say the least when Mousse had told him. But now he found himself growing more resentful of the fact that neither of them had invited him to the wedding. Besides that, Ranma felt a certain anger towards Mousse for being with Ukyou now. Had Mousse always been interested in Ukyou even when she was engaged to him? What if he hadn't left Ukyou? Had Mousse been planning to take her away from him all along? The thought of Ukyou and Mousse plotting behind his back caused Ranma to angrily shove some more cake into his mouth.... Ryouga grimaced slightly as he finished his piece of cake. He had never been that fond of vanilla. He shook his head when Shampoo offered another slice to him. He supposed that he should be happy that he had another chance to find a loving and supportive wife like Shampoo but he couldn't help feeling resentful at Ranma for forcing him into it. Ranma had also him to get closer to Akari and that turned out to be a disaster. Who did Ranma think he was to butt into his life.... Mousse had only taken a few bites from his piece of cake, suspicious about where it came from. Mousse still wished that he could have invited Ranma to the wedding but Ukyou made it clear that having Ranma there would be too painful for her and he had respected her wishes. Out of the blue, Mousse felt a twinge of jealousy over his wife still being so emotionally attached to Ranma, but he quickly dismissed it as he knew deep down that Ukyou loved him and that's all that mattered. Shampoo offered another piece of cake to her Ai Ren but he declined so she decided to eat the piece herself. It had a strange taste but it wasn't bad. As she quickly consumed it, she noticed how downtrodden her husband-to-be looked. Shampoo frowned. Why did Ranma and her grandmother arrange to marry someone like Ryouga. She still had feelings for Ranma, the man who had defeated her in combat for the first time. Ryouga hadn't even fought with her yet. Memories flooded her mind, Ranma refusing to marry her because he was engaged to Ukyou, Ranma running away from her in China and causing her to return home in defeat....Shampoo nearly choked as she shoveled cake into her mouth. Ukyou poured herself a cup of sake as she watched her friends enjoy the cake meant for her. She still felt some anger at Mousse for bringing Ranma here after all the pain she had gone through but she also knew that Ranma was a friend and that he wouldn't have come here unless it was important. Ukyou took a long sip from her cup and when she lowered it, she gasped in surprise as the combined battle auras of Shampoo, Ranma and Ryouga were flaring up. "Uh....guys?" Ukyou prodded nervously. "So what ever happened to our old place by the mountains?" Ranma suddenly asked in a quiet voice. "Oh....I decided to move here after Mousse and I got married." Ukyou replied. "It's a lot bigger and...." "Why didn't Mousse move to your house? You and I lived there happily when we were engaged and I know you love the mountains." Ranma asked in a strange voice. Ukyou shifted uncomfortably. "Well....I just....I thought a change of location would...." "Why are you so concerned about where we live?" Mousse asked, confusingly. "Oh, I don't know...." Ranma began in a hostile tone. "Maybe I just wanted to know why Ucchan would suddenly throw everything away she held dear and live with someone like YOU. "Ranchan!" Ukyou was shocked. "Someone like me?" Mousse repeated, anger in his tone. "And just what do you mean by that, Ranma?" "I mean it seems to me...." Ranma's voice was growing louder. "That you're not letting Ucchan live the way she wants to." "Ranchan, I'm perfectly happy living with Mousse! I still visit the mountains now and then, I just don't live there." Ukyou replied, anger evident in her own voice now. "Besides, we're not engaged anymore, so what do you care?" "Don't mind Ranma. He can't handle his own love life so he has to butt into others." Ryouga suddenly spoke up. Ranma whirled on him. "What's that supposed to mean?!?" "You were the one that encouraged me to find a wife. So when I did, she broke my heart! Then I get drunk and next thing I know, you've engaged me to someone else!" Ryouga coldly replied. "If Ryouga no want Shampoo, Shampoo fine with that!" Shampoo screeched as she rose to her feet, her battle aura growing brighter. "Hey, It's not my fault you picked the loosest woman in Hyrule for your wife!" Ranma retorted. "Or the fact that you're too stupid to see the truth when it's right in front of you. Ryouga's eyes blazed with fury as he stood up. "Would you care to repeat that, Ranma?" "Come on guys, cut it out!" Ukyou held up her hands in a gesture of peace. "We're all tired and...." "Shut up, Ucchan! This doesn't concern you!" Ranma snapped. "Don't tell my wife to shut up! You're the one making an ass out of yourself!" Mousse shouted as he stood. "Geez, Mousse, You're just as stupid as Ryouga! Ucchan's just using you because she needs a man! You're nothing but a replacement for me and THAT'S why she married you!" Ukyou's brandished her spatula and struck Ranma hard over the head with it. "How DARE you say something like that!" she screamed, tears running down her face. "How dare you make my wife cry!" a metal claw emerged from Mousse's sleeve. "Apologize or I'll make you sorry!" "Try it, duck boy." Ranma replied coldly, assuming a fighting stance. "If you're fighting Mousse, then you're fighting me too!" Ryouga roared as he matched Ranma's stance only to be thrown forward as Shampoo smashed a mace against the back of his head. "Ranma want Shampoo to marry Ryouga? Ryouga beat Shampoo in combat first!" Shampoo raised her mace to strike him again only to have the top of it sliced off by one of Ryouga's bandannas. The mace fell on Shampoo's head, sending her crashing to the floor, unconscious. "That'll teach ya...." Ryouga proclaimed, even as a small part of him felt regret for what he had just done. But soon anger took control of his emotions again and he found himself launching himself at Ranma and Mousse, his mind filled with hate and blind fury. "Stop! Please stop!" Ukyou cried out as Ranma fought both Ryouga and Mousse, wrecking much of the house in the process until they were outside. Ukyou was about to follow them when she looked down at the remains of the white cake and a revelation hit her like a ton of bricks. "Wait a minute....this all started after...." Ukyou ran to her room and opened a wooden chest where she kept her things. She quickly rummaged through it until she found a small vial filled with a clear liquid. She ran back out to where the cake was and, after opening the vial, gently sprinkled a few drops onto one of the pieces. There was an immediate effect. The piece of cake turned as black as charcoal and a horrible stench emerged from it. Ukyou quickly backed away, trying to keep from gagging and quickly ran out of the house. "It WAS the cake! Mousse was right to be suspicious!" Ukyou realized as she raced to find her friends. The vial had contained a special potion that triggered magical spells. They should have realized that the cake was a trap from the beginning. She knew Mousse had only taken a few bites of the cake and was primarily mad because of Ranma's insult towards her. If she could reason with him before things got too out of hand, he might be able to find an antidote. If she didn't find them in time.... Ukyou refused to finish that thought as she continued to search for her friends, soon disappearing into the woods.... * * * It was nearly pitch black now as Princess Ranko made her way through the forest, trying not to make too much noise and give herself away. She wished she could have taken the time to gather more supplies but she couldn't risk being caught again. She had to get as far away from Kunou's castle as possible before they discovered the dead guard and went to search for her. Now, as the lack of suitable light made it nearly impossible to navigate, she knew she should make camp. But she had to be careful that no one else would see the flames and discover her hiding place.... She plunged on ahead for a long time, looking for a suitable spot, when she ran face first into a thick hedge. Unwilling to attempt to backtrack since she couldn't see anything anyway, she pushed herself through it and on the other side, much to her surprise, was a quaint little house, completely hidden by the hedge surrounding it. Candlelight shone through the windows of the house, indicating someone was home. She decided to find out if anyone was home and quietly knocked on the door. "Hello? Is anyone there?" Ranko gently called out. There was a long pause and Ranko was about to knock again when the door opened to reveal a girl with short brown hair and tattered robes. She looked to be close to Ranko's age. "Yes?" "Um....My name is Ra....Ran, and I'm looking for a place to spend the night. I was wondering if...." The girl looked at Ranko with pity, as if she had just volunteered to place her head in a mouth of a lion. "You couldn't have come to a worse place for that if you'd tried. Trust me, you'd be better off camping in the woods...." The girl started to close the door when Ranko pleaded. "Please! I'm in danger! I know it's a lot to ask but if Kunou's men find me...." "K....Kunou?" The girl repeated, her eyes wide with shock. "Yes, he's trying to force me to marry him and...." "Wait a minute! You're the princess, Ranko, aren't you?" the girl proclaimed. Ranko hesitated. "Y...yes. I'm sorry I lied to you but I didn't think you would believe...." "I heard rumors that you were kidnapped from Hyrule castle and brought here but I never thought I would actually meet you in person." the girl exclaimed with awe. "Yes, I managed to escape and I've been running through the woods since early afternoon." Ranko replied. "How did you ever get past the guards?" the girl asked, clearly impressed." "I....uh....outsmarted them." Ranko fumbled. "Anyway, can I please stay here until morning?" The girl hesitated. "I don't know....My master is out stealing at the moment but he'll return eventually and if he sees you here...." "Your master doesn't like houseguests?" Ranko guessed. "No, just the opposite. He's a lech who will certainly try to take advantage of you. He's old but very skilled." Ranko snorted. "Heh, let him try. I may not be a warrior like Akane but I can hold my own." Suddenly the girl's eyes went cold. "I have never heard of that name nor care to ever hear it again." She said in a flat monotone. "Huh?" Ranko stared at the girl. "What did you say?" The girl gave her a curious look. "Say what?" "You just said...." Ranko shook her head, thinking she was just tired. "Never mind. Can I stay here then?" The girl smiled. "Okay, but if the master comes home, you're on your own." She stepped back to allow Ranko to enter the house and closed the door behind her. Ranko smiled back. "Thank you. I didn't catch your name." The girl looked down at the floor. "I....I don't have one. My master found me in the woods with amnesia about six months ago. I have no idea of who I am or where I came from. My master just calls me things like *m'dear*, *baby* or *cutey honey* to name a few." Ranko frowned. "Your master sounds like a real jerk if you don't mind me saying so." The girl smiled faintly. "You have no idea. But he takes care of me....as long as I take care of him. I cook for him, clean for him and I....I...." The girl faltered as she shuddered inwardly. Ranko looked horrified. "You....you don't mean...." The girl slowly nodded. "I give him....sponge baths." Ranko facefaulted. She quickly recovered though. "He sounds more like a dirty old man than a real pervert." "Oh, he's both. He fondles me once in a while and steals my undergarments before I had a chance to wash them but other than that, he usually goes out every night and leaves me alone. It's better than being under the *protection* of a pimp. Ranko grimaced. "Your master sounds a lot like my fiancee's old mentor. He was a lecher and a thief too. But he's been dead for a long time. Maybe your master is his half-brother or something." "Wouldn't surprise me." The girl smiled. Anyway, the spare bedroom is down the hall and to the right. If you want to freshen up later, there's a stream out back with fresh water. "Thanks again. I really appreciate this." Ranko said as she bowed. "It's no trouble at all. I'm honored the princess of Hyrule is staying here, your highness." The girl bowed to Ranko deeply in respect. Ranko winced a bit. "Please, just call me Ranko. I hate being called your highness. It makes me feel like a pompous fool like Kunou." The girl laughed. "Alright, Ranko it is then!" Ranko smiled again as she her gaze wandered the interior of the house before falling upon a sword hanging on the wall nearby. "Is that yours?" Ranko asked as she pointed towards it. "Oh that? No, that sword was here when the master first won this house from the Gambling King. You can take it if you want, I never was much for swordfighting and the master uses marital arts to defend himself with so I don't think he'll care." "I'll promise to pay you back it's full worth when I'm finished with it." Ranko promised as she took it down from the wall and pulled it free of it's protective sheath. She gave a few practice stabs and swings, testing it's weight and balance. The blade was dull from it's lack of use but that could be easily fixed. All in all, it would serve her needs. "Thank you once again." Ranko bowed as she gently tied the belt of the sheath around her waist and positioned the sword on her right side. Ranko felt a little better knowing she could now defend herself much better than she had unarmed, thanks to all her sword training.... Ranko smiled as happy memories of her training sessions with Akane flooded her mind. At first, Ranko had been more interested in spending some time alone with Akane, which the training exercises gave her an excuse to do but after Akane assured her that sword-training would make her stronger and less dependent on personal guards, Ranko had trained hard for months to learn everything she could. While Akane could still whip her in a real swordfight, she was now skilled enough to defend herself than she only took personal guards when absolutely necessary. Of course, not all of their time was spend practicing swordplay. Ranko's smiled deepened as she recalled a very intense and passionate night after Ranko had finally held her own against Akane's blade for the first time and they decided to celebrate. She and Akane had made love in that stable on more than one occasion, both of them expressing their love for each other through pleasure and understanding, growing closer as both lovers and friends...." But that brought back painful memories of her last night with Akane before Sasuke had kidnapped her. She had felt so helpless without her sword and was denied her chance to finally test out her skills and help Akane out. But she had failed.... "Ranko?" Ranko looked up, her train of thought interrupted. "I'm sorry! I was just thinking...." Ranko tried to apologize. "That's okay. I do that a lot too." The girl stretched out and yawned. "I think I'll go to bed now. See you in the morning." The girl waved as she retired to her room. Ranko took a seat nearby the window, opened it and stared up at the evening sky, her thoughts filled with concern for the one she cared for most. "Akane....I hope you're okay. I hope you're not blaming yourself for what happened to me. I hope to be back with you again soon...." Ranko paused for a moment and then a tear gently fell down her cheek as she whispered into the air.... "Wherever you are, Akane....I love you." Ranko sat there a few moments longer before closing the window again and gently blowing the candles out. (Fade to Black) TO BE CONTINUED..... And so ends another chapter in this saga. When I first started writing this, I had no idea it would grow to be as popular as it is. (I still receive at least one e-mail a week, inquiring about when the next part is coming out) and I wanted to make sure I did a descent job on this part before releasing it. As I finished this part, I realized the relationship between Akane and Ranko is much stronger than the relationship between Ranko and Ranma. Since most people who send me feedback like this pairing, I may leave Ranko and Ranma's relationship a little vague. Again, I might not, I'll have to see what happens. Although this was supposed to originally be a Zelda/Ranma crossover, I'm afraid I only know so much about Zelda and will try to fit in some references throughout the story. In the mainstream of things, this story is Ranma set in the medieval times. Hope nobody is too disappointed.... I hope you enjoyed this part. C&C and feedback, as always, is welcome. I can't say for certain when Part 7 will be finished, as I tend to have the bad habit of leaving a fic for months and then writing an entire 30-40 page chapter over the weekend. ^_^ Sincerely, Megane 6.7 Next Part: Happosai lives!