Okay, here is part 4!  I've attached a file to this, but don't worry!  It's
 only a little computer generated picture to go along with the story.  :)  I
 drew it using a little paint program that I think comes with windows 95, and
 I'm just sending it out to be a nice accompaniment with this part of the fic.
 I hope you like them both!  On with the fic!

Look Out Ryouga!  The Love Pill Strikes Again!  Chapter 4

	The young woman tapped her fingers nervously on the restaurant table.
 Cologne had retreated to the cellars of the building to search for her so-
 called �cure�.  Occasionally, sounds of rummaging eminated from the door
 through which the crone had disappeared.  Ukyou turned her attention to her
 companion.  He was creating some intricate origami flower from a paper napkin.
 The spatula girl sighed.  *He really is sweet,* she thought, as he placed the
 blossom in front of her.  *Ranma�s never like this around me.  Could it be
 that he doesn�t love me?*  Ukyou gripped the table edge and purged the thought
 from her mind.  *No!  He�s my fiancee!* she cried inwardly.
	The girl looked across the room at her alleged future husband.  He had a bowl
 of ramen and was frantically running about the restaurant trying to avoid
 Shampoo�s hands as she chased him.  *He runs from her because he doesn�t love
 her,* she pointed out silently.  A small voice responded from the recesses of
 her mind.  *He shies away from your advances, as well,* it told her.  *No!*
 She pushed the thoughts away.  Cologne was returning, and this problem was
 more immediate.  The old woman carried a cloth-covered parcel tied securely
 with twine.  She set it in the middle of the table and carefully unwrapped it.
 Ukyou watched on as the cloth was pulled away to reveal a small, simple box.
 It was glossy black in color and had no markings except for four gold runes
 carved into each corner of the lid.
	"This box holds the key to your cure," the Amazon said dramatically,  "but
 beware! for it can also bring its own curses."  Ukyou didn�t care.  She reach
 for the box hastily and yanked off the lid.  Her eyes widened as she peered
 inside, and a small gasp escaped her lips.  She looked at Cologne.
	"It�s empty," she stated flatly.
	"Of course it�s empty!" the wrinkled one cackled.  "It�s the box itself
 that�s magical!  Ages ago we Amazons built human-size boxes with which we used
 to punish criminals.  We put the perpetrators inside of them and the boxes
 went to work.  When we discovered that only a part of the body need touch the
 inside of the box to get the same effect, they became much smaller to save
 space."
	"Hey, wait a minute," Ryouga interrupted.  "I have to go through some sort of
 torture or punishment?  That�s not fair!  I didn�t do anything wrong."
 Cologne gave him a cross look and continued.
	"It is only a punishment for those who are weak.  The people who can overcome
 their shortcomings leave the box infinitely more wise and strong."
	"What exactly happens when you touch the inside of the box?" Ukyou asked.
	"Cologne looked at her, eyes lidded, smiling slightly.  "One who touches the
 inside of the box goes into a trance-like state and enters a dream world
 existing solely in the person�s mind.  There he must fight three self-made
 monsters embodying his Confusion, Anger, and False Beliefs.  If Ryouga can
 defeat these beasts, and in essence, his own weaknesses, then he will see with
 true clarity the fact that he really doesn�t love you and the curse will be
 lifted."
	The spatula girl nodded.  It sounded like a round-about way to cure Ryouga,
 but what else was there?  She glanced worriedly at him.  He would have to
 combat monsters of his own creation, personifying his Confusion and Anger?
 Ryouga was the most confused and angry person she had ever met!  Could he
 defeat them?  The unanswered questions dissipated as Cologne began to speak
 again.
	"Ryouga," she addressed the bandanna boy, "you must be totally prepared, both
 physically and mentally for this challenge.  Take one week to train and
 meditate.  Then return to me for the box.  Good luck."  With that, the
 wrinkled Amazon led them out of the restaurant and went over to where Shampoo
 was once again hugging a stiff and uncomfortable Ranma.

	That evening, Ukyou was wiping her griddle clean of crumbs when Ryouga came
 down the stairs.  She heard him mutter something like "Finally" as he sat at
 one of the tables.  The lost boy turned to look at her.
	"Hey, Ukyou," he began, "can we talk for a sec?"  He was looking at her in
 that annoyingly caring way that she was kind of, sort of, almost getting used
 to.
	"Sure, Ryouga-honey," she replied, stopping short after realizing what she
 had just called him.  She left the counter and settled in next to him at the
 table.  "What�s wrong?"
	Ryouga looked at the pony-tailed girl beside him.  *She is so cute, so
 beautiful�* her thought.  She shifted her giant spatula in an effort to get
 more comfortable.  *So graceful,* he continued, *so capable, so�  No!  I�ve
 got to stay on track.  Don�t get lost now, brain!*  "Ukyou," he began again,
 "I�ve been thinking about this box-curing thing."  The girl nodded knowingly.
 Apparently she had been doing the same thing.
	"Well, the thing is�  I don�t want to go through with it!  I mean, I love you
 Ukyou!  I know it�s just an illusion from the love-pill curse, but I still
 feel it.  I�ve never been so happy as I�ve been here, with a place to actually
 call home and someone I care about around me.  If I beat these monsters, then
 it will all end.  I don�t want it to end, Ukyou."  
	The okonomiyaki chef inhaled deeply and then let out a long, shuddering
 breath.  Ryouga�s words had wrenched her heart; she knew what it was to have
 someone you loved seemingly abandon you.  But she couldn�t let him live a lie.
	"Ryouga," she whispered, reaching for his hand in an effort to comfort him.
 "You�ve gotta understand:  it�s not real.  You�  You�ve shown me a lot more
 kindness than I�ve seen in a long time, and I really appreciate it.  But I
 don�t want you to believe something that isn�t true for your entire life!  You
 can still stay here afterwards.  I want you to!  Please, Ryouga, you must do
 this."  As each word came out of her mouth, Ukyou realized they were true.
 She cared for Ryouga, and didn�t want to see him hurt.  The pony-tailed girl
 looked intently at her companion�s face.  He seemed to be struggling with
 himself.  Finally, the poor boy�s shoulders drooped and he turned to meet her
 gaze.
	"All right, Ukyou," he said quietly.  "I�ll do it.  For you."  With that,
 Ryouga got up and left the room quickly, not caring where he ended up.  Ukyou
 sadly watched him go, then cast her eyes downward.  On the table was a
 figurine, which had not been there a moment ago.  It was of a little black
 piglet wearing a large bow, much like the one she had drawn in sauce weeks
 ago.  The bow was yellow and had small black hearts on it.  Ukyou picked it up
 carefully and rubbed the pig�s forehead with her thumb.  Sighing heavily, she
 hugged the tiny painted carving to her chest and rose from the chair.  *I need
 some sleep,* she thought.

END PART 4

Author�s notes:  Well, this is my first attempt at writing a scene that is
 �bittersweet�.  Did it come off correctly?  C+C welcome.  Some people have
 noticed some inconsistencies with the earlier chapters, and so I�m going to
 change them.  One person said that Konatsu is already better than Ukyou, and
 another said that if Konatsu is around, so is Akari.  I did not take her into
 account when I wrote this, so I believe I�m going to make this story cut off
 from the canon timeline before Konatsu and Akari show up.  I�ll start working
 on the revisions.  Anyway, thanks for reading!  Chapter 5 out soon.  ::Erin
 starts to worry about when she runs out of already written material and
 actually has to finish the story�.::