Here's another one.  As I've said before, if you end up reading the story
once it's out, reading Love&War would be a good idea.  While you're
waiting, why not have a look see?  ^_-

As usual, Ranma and all associate characters are property of Rumiko
Takahashi.  This is a work by a fan for fans.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

	Ranma stared at her, for the thousandth time in his life, he
stared at Fate in the face.  His eyes were locked with hers, unmoving and
without flinching.  He stared darkly into her deep green eyes, boring into
her very soul, it seemed.  A strand of her fiery red hair swept across her
face, as a gust of wind blew across her face outside the dojo.
	"You've come a long way, Ranma," she said simply.
	"I know I have," he replied.
	"You aren't the same whelp I met before you had to fight for your
life, so long ago," she said with a slight smile.  
	Ranma remained stoic.
	"I'm not fighting for my life anymore."
	Fate frowned.
	"But you are, Ranma.  That's why I'm here.  You tried calling me
before.  I heard you through that crazy sacrifice you made."
	"But you didn't come.  Why're you here now?"
	"Because it's time I set things straight."
	Ranma snorted derisively.
	"Whaddaya mean by that?  Everything's goin' fine now.  I'm gonna
go out and find that freak, the one that calls himself Pride, or somethin'
and give him his money's worth."
	Fate frowned deeply.
	"That's where you're wrong, Ranma.  Pride will beat you like he's
beaten so many others.  Of the seven, Pride is the most powerful, but it
is the sum of the seven that makes men fall."
	"That's where -you're- wrong," Ranma spat.  "You didn't come when
I finally stooped to askin' for help.  I listened to eeryone an' asked for
it, but you never came!"
	"Ranma, I shouldn't have-"
	"Shouldn't have what?  Come to help?  You said that we'd live here
without freaks like those guys comin' to hurt us!  Now I'm powerful enough
to take care of them and I did it myself.  No help from nobody," Ranma
hissed.  He thrust a thumb at his chest.
	"I took care of Wrath.  I took care of Sloth.  I took care of
Envy and Avarice.  I even took care of that guy that looked like the dojo
destroyer.  I took care of all of them, each and every one."
	"And how did you accomplish that?" Fate asked softly.
	"Easily," Ranma said with a sneer.  "They challenged me and I took
care of 'em, just like I take care of anyone who comes ta challenge me."
	"Then you've already lost, Ranma."
	"That's what you think," Fate replied evenly.  "I can't let you go
to fight him like this, Ranma.  Too much is at stake.  IF you go to fight
Pride now, you'll lose.  I can see it in my mind's eye."
	"Well, yer mind's eye is blind.  You didn't see Ken bein' damned
to hell and you didn't see Ukyou bein' hurt for six long months.  You
didn't see any of that and the other crap we've had to live through,
didja?"
	"I saw all of it-"
	"Then why didn't ya do anythin' to help!"
	Fate frowned.
	"It wouldn't have helped if I'd said or done anything, Ranma.  It
isn't my place to tinker with anyone's fate, only to ensure it follows the
path they've set for themselves."
	"Then why're you gonna mess with my fate?"
	"Your fate, Ranma?  Your fate?" Fate asked with a condescending
laugh.  "You truly have fallen from the level I left you at.  YOu've
unlearned everything I thaught you, Ranma.  What happened to the warrior I
left here?  What happened to the Ranma who fought with his mind and
spirit?"
	"He's still here. I'm just a lot stronger now."
	Fate sighed and shook her head.
	"No, Ranma.  you're the weakest warrior I've ever seen.  Ken
learned that lesson early in his career.  You will learn it far too late.
That's why I'm here."
	"To teach me a lesson?" Ranma asked with a sneer.
	"Yes, Ranma.  I'm here to teach you a lesson.  It's a lesson
Akane's begged you to learn.  It's a lesson your mother and father have
begged you to learn.  It's the light of reason that everyone that cares
for you has begged you to see."
	"An' just how do you think I'm gonna learn it?"
	Fate silently crossed herself and looked evenly at Ranma.  It was
a cold stare that froze the blood that coursed through his veins.
	"I challenge you, Ranma Saotome, to a duel.  To an duel of honor.
A duel to the death, because the until the moment you stare at your own
mortality and realize your own destiny is to die, you will remain
ignorant.  Only the unwashed have ever dared to tread the ground you walk
now, Ranma Saotome.  Prepare to die."
	Ranma moved into a fighting stance and grinned.  He never was able
to pay back Fate for the pain he felt during his first "lesson" from her.
The grin was the only expression he carried throughout the fight.  It only
lasted the blink of an eye, and for the first time in the existance of the
universe, one man knew the full meaning of "a cruel twist of Fate."
	

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Ethan Tsai
1 N. College Street
Northfield, MN 55057

TSAIE@Gridley.ACNS.Carleton.edu
http://public.carleton.edu/~tsaie/ethan.html

Quote of the day:
"You do not lead by hitting people over the head-that's assault, not
leadership." 
     --Dwight D. Eisenhower