Here is the third installment of '1/2 Stone'.  Previous chapters can be
requested via private email or going to the website at the end of this post.

Standard copyrite stuff...

Ranma is owned by Rumiko Takahashi (or whoever she sold the rights to) and
Gargoyles are owned by Walt Disney.  (Have to admit Walt's done pretty well
for himself, huh?  How many people do you know still own stuff after dying? :)

Standard C&C/MST requests...

C&C/MST are welcome, but a few points should be made:

I like to know the especially *good* points are as well as the places that
need improvement.  This gives me a few bonuses:

1. Motivation.  When I know people like my stories, I'm more inclined to
write.
2. Content.  When I know what people like as well as don't like, I can
include more of what they like and less of what they don't.
3. Ego boost.  It makes me feel good about myself :)

Also when commenting, please leave a line or two in between your comments
and my story.  It makes it easier for me to read your suggestions.

Special note for North Wynd:  Please do *not* post this to your web page.
This is my first draft of this chapter.

Now, on with the story...

Standard copyrite stuff:.

Ranma is owned by Rumiko Takahashi (or whoever she sold the rights to) and
Gargoyles are owned by Walt Disney.  (Have to admit Walt's done pretty well
for himself, huh?  How many people do you know still own stuff after dying? :)

C&C/MST are welcome, but a few points should be made:

I like to know the especially *good* points are as well as the places that
need improvement.  This gives me a few bonuses:

1. Motivation.  When I know people like my stories, I'm more inclined to
write.
2. Content.  When I know what people like as well as don't like, I can
include more of what they like and less of what they don't.
3. Ego boost.  It makes me feel good about myself :)

Also when commenting, please leave a line or two in between your comments
and my story.  It makes it easier for me to read your suggestions.

Now, on with the story...

Chapter 3: Curses!

     "Wait!  Where are you going?"
     "Home."
     "Well, where's home?"
     Patricia exited the building and climbed up to the roof.  Looking over
the city before her, a single tear fell down her cheek.
     "I don't know."
     "Do you know a guy named Ryoga?"
     Patricia started and looked behind her.  Ranma stood there, waiting for
a response.  Patricia blinked.  She looked down, noting that the building
was two stories tall.  She looked back at Ranma.
     "How did you - ?" she asked.
     "Training.  Here I'll show you."  Ranma stepped off the roof into
thin air.
     "No!" cried Patricia.  She jumped after him, trying to catch him
before his body became a bloody corpse on the sidewalk.  She knew almost
immediately that she would not be able to catch up with him in time to save
him.  She spread her wings and glided upward, averting her face so she
would not see him hit the ground.
     "Hey, you coming down or not?" Ranma called.
     Patricia gaped.  He fell two stories an lived?!  He had to be a
sorcerer.  She glided down and landed beside Ranma and Akane.
     "What spell did you cast to survive the landing?" asked Patricia.
     Ranma and Akane exchanged confused looks.  "Spell?  I didn't cast any
spell?  Have you been talking to Kuno?"
     "Er...no.  Who's Kuno?  A rival sorcerer?"
     "Nah, he's just a jerk and a pervert."
     "And you're any different?" chipped in Akane.
     Ranma gave her a withering glare.
     "Anyway, I have to go.  I left my boat underneath the bridge last
night," said Patricia.
     "We can help you," replied Akane.  "Can't we, Ranma?"  Ranma was
silent.  Akane elbowed him in the ribs.
     "Y - yeah, sure, we'd be glad to help."
     "Then afterwards, why don't you come over to our place?  I'm sure
Father would like to thank you for helping me."
     Not knowing what to say, Patricia nodded, climbed back up on the roof,
and glided towards the bridge.  Ranma and Akane leapt up onto the roof and
began jumping from rooftop to rooftop, following her across Nerima.
     "Why are you being so nice to her?" asked Ranma.
     "Because she helped me, and it was obvious she was trying to save you
when you stepped off the roof.  I think she's a decent person.  Why are
you so suspicious of her?"
     "I always get nervous when a new girl shows up.  Especially the weird
ones.  They end up wanting to either marry me or kill me."
     "She's not even of our species!"
     "Like that makes a difference."
     Akane had to admit that he was right.

     In keeping with the general obliviousness of Nerima inhabitants,
Patricia's boat was unmolested.  They emptied the boat of her possessions,
then headed to the Tendo dojo.  Patricia took to the air, while Ranma and
Akane stayed on the ground.
     "Hi, we're home!" said Akane.  They left the bags of Patricia's
things at the door.
     Kasumi poked her head around the corner.  "Hello, Akane, how was Dr.
Tofu doing?"
     "Fine, I guess.  We didn't talk very long."
     "Then why were you away for so long time?" asked Nabiki from the dining
room.
     Akane and Ranma entered the dining room.  "Ahh...actually, that's what
we wanted to talk to Dad about."
     One of Nabiki's eyebrows rose.  "So, you've finally decided to dump
Ranma for Dr. Tofu?"  she asked teasingly.  "About time."
     "No!"
     Soun, who had been playing Shogi with Genma, ran to Akane and took her
hands in his, tears pouring from his eyes.  "Akane, please tell me that it's
not true!"
     Genma used the distraction to move a couple of pieces to his advantage.
     "It's not true, Dad.  Nabiki's trying to be funny."  She glared at her
older sister.
     "Then what *did* take you so long?" asked Nabiki.
     "Well...Dad, last night on the way home from our 'date," Akane voice
grated on the word 'date,'  "I was attacked by some creeps from out of town,
and I was helped by someone that I'd like you to meet.  Now I have to warn
you that she's kind of strange..."
     "Don't worry, Akane.  With Ranma here, we've gotten use to strangeness,"
said Nabiki.
     "Hey!  That's not fair!  It's not my fault!"
     Akane went outside and waved for Patricia to come down.  Patricia
glided down and landed in the yard, and waited for the humans' reactions.
     Nabiki's other eyebrow rose to join the first one, and Kasumi dropped a
vase that had been sitting on a shelf she was dusting, forcing Ranma to make
the quick save.  Soun's' and Genmas' jaws sagged.
     "Boy sis, you sure know how to pick 'em," commented Nabiki.
     Akane began introductions.  "Everyone, this is Patricia, a...uh...what
are you, anyway?"
     "I'm a gargoyle," responded Patricia quietly.
     "Okay, Patricia the gargoyle.  The one with the duster that just dropped
the vase is my eldest sister Kasumi, the girl at the table is Nabiki,
and the two at the Shogi board are Soun Tendo, my father, and Genma Saotomae."
     Patricia looked at her feet, "Um...hello."
     Soun licked his lips nervously and walked up to Patricia.  "Is what my
daughter says true?  Did you save her from a band of thugs?"
     "Well, sort of.  I helped.  Some other girl did too.  I didn't hear her
name."
     Soun fell to his knees and began bowing profusely, tears once again
running down his cheeks.  "Oh, thank you, thank you!  You don't know what
this means to me!  If there is anything I can do for you, I will be honored
to provide it!"
     Genma used the distraction to move a few more pieces to his advantage.
     "Dad, you're embarrassing me," said Akane under her breath.
     Patricia's stomach rumbled audibly.  "Umm...as a matter of fact, do you
have anything to eat.  I haven't eaten anything for two nights."
     "Oh, I'll be glad to whip you up something," said Akane.
     Knowing Akane's cooking prowess, a vision of Akane standing over a bowl
of some unidentifiable food item, wearing a dominatrix outfit and using a
whip to try to mix it, all the while screaming 'Why isn't this working!' ran
through the assembled humans.
     "No, Akane!" declared Soun.  "I want to hear every detail of what
happened to you last night.  Take as much time as you need, and don't leave
anything out."
     "You might want to tell it a couple of times just to make sure you
get it right," added Genma.
     [We've got to keep her out of the kitchen!] everyone thought
simultaneously, except Patricia and Akane.
     One explanation and a meal later...

     "And then we came over here," finished Akane.
     "Well Ranma," said Genma, "it seems you have discharged you duty as
Akane's fiancee most admirably.  You make your father proud."
     "Hey, I only went because you made me."
     "What?!" screeched Akane.  "Ranma, you jerk!"  Summoning a magical
Hammer of Jerkbashing +5 from hammerspace, she proceeded to pound Ranma into
the foundation of the house.
     "Is she always like this?" asked Patricia to Nabiki.
     Nabiki noted the +5 on the hammer.  "No, she's usually much worse.  She
can't be that mad, she's only using a +5 hammer.  If she was *really* angry,
she be using a +11 at least."
     "Oh."  She turned to Kasumi.  "Thank you very much, this was very good."
     "Oh, you're welcome.  It's the least we could do for someone who helped
save Akane from those awful men."
     "Well, it was the right thing to do."  She stood up.  "Thank you all
very much, but I have to go.  I have to find a place to stay before the
sun rises."
     "I wouldn't hear of it," declared Soun.  "You can stay here with us."
     "Daddy, we can't support another mouth," said Nabiki.  "With all the
property damage Ranma causes, we can barely pay our bills at it is."
     "You need money?  I think I can help."  Patricia began to rummage around
the bag she brought with her.  A few moments later, she withdrew five coins.
Giving four to Nabiki, she put one back in the bag.  "The Guardian brought
them back with him one time when he left our home.  He gave me some as a
souvenir.  Will they help at all?"
     Nabiki looked at the coins, blinked, and looked again.  The four coins
were Spanish doubloons, dated 1490, in mint condition.  Nabiki's eyes widened,
her face paled, and her hands began to shake.  She visibly gulped and nodded.
     "That's good.  Is there a place I can set my things?"
     "There's a guest room upstairs," said Kasumi.
     "I'm not going to need a bed or anything, just a place to put my
stuff."
     "Why don't we set her up in Ranma's and Genma's room," suggested Nabiki.
"They have lots of space."
     "An excellent idea, Nabiki," replied Soun, ignoring Ranma's and Genma's
protests.

     About an hour later, all of Patricia's things were unpacked.  Most of
them were piled up in one corner of the room.  The only thing that was by
itself was a small shrine.  It was a simple wooden box with a red velvet
table cloth.  On the table were two white candles, an incense cup, a small
sprig of mistletoe kept eternally fresh by magic, and a painting of an old
man with a beard wearing a white robe.
     Patricia put a small block of incense in the cup and whispered an short
incantation.  The candles and incense lit.  Patricia then knelt and looked
forlornly at the picture.
     [Oh Magus,] she thought to herself, [If you were only with me now...]
     "Hey, what's all this?"  Patricia fell over with a squawk of alarm.
She quickly stood and glared at Ranma.
     "Are you rude on purpose, or are you just tactless?" she asked.
     "Hey, what'd I do?"
     Patricia sniffed.  "Obviously tactless."  Patricia left the room.
"I'm going to explore this place you call 'Nerima.'  I'll be back just
before dawn."
     "I didn't mean to startle you," called Ranma.  He watched her leave,
and threw his hands up in disgust.  "Women."

     She flew through the night sky, marveling at the size an variation
of the humans living areas.  They had no protective outer wall, and all the
dwellings were no larger than large two-story huts.  How did they protect
their houses from invaders?
     After an hour of flying in larger and larger circles, she eventually
rested on the roof of one of the larger three-story buildings in the area.
She wondered if she would ever get use to seeing lights that made the night
as bright as day, or the strange metal wagons that carried people without
horses.
     A furtive movement caught her eye.  At the end of the street she
saw what appeared to be a child rummaging outside one of the houses.  She
was just about to dismiss it when she noticed that the child was taking
several objects that were hanging up outside a window. The diminutive figure
moved to a second house and did the same thing.  This time she saw what it
was that was taken.  [Women's under-clothes?]  She shook her head.
[Probably just some prank.  I guess I should give him a scare to set him
straight.]  She jumped off her perch and glided towards the thief.  Setting
herself, she dove, screaming a guttural battlecry.
     The thief looked up, gave a startled shout, and jumped straight up
twenty feet.  Patricia checked her descend and stared at the thief in
amazement.  She was so shocked by his maneuver, that she did not see the
small pipe flying towards her face.  She reeled when it hit, lost her
equilibrium, and crashed to the ground.
     She sat up almost immediately, massaging her forehead.  "Oww!  What
hit me?"
     "Well now what do we have here, hmmm?" said a wizened voice.  "Why
it's a gargoyle!  I haven't seen one of your kind in over a hundred years."
The figure refilled his pipe and took a long drag.  "Pesky critters you
gargoyles.  Always butting into other people's business."
     Patricia, by this time, had regained her feet.  "I don't know what
kind of child you are, but you'd better put those clothes back or I'll -"
     "Child!  A child am I?!  Do I look like a child to you?!"
     Patricia looked at the thief.  He was small, almost 2 1/2 to three
three feet tall, with stubby arms and legs.  With the mask covering his
face, it was hard to make an accurate assessment of his age.  "Well... yes."
     "Why thank, m'dear.  I knew that Oil of Olay was good at removing
wrinkles, but apparently it's outdone itself this time."
     "Look, I don't care if you're five or fifty.  Put the clothes back,
you thief!"
     "I am not a thief!" the thief cried indignantly.  "I'm just giving
these lovely bras and panties the love and attention they deserve!"
     "Okay, I warned you!"  With a roar she charged.  She swung a fist at
the little man, but he stepped aside, grabbed her arm, and threw her into a
fence.  It fell apart on impact, leaving her under a pile of lumber.
     "You think you can beat me?  Ha!  Nobody can beat Happosai, founder
of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts.  Nobody! Hahahahah - URK!"  A
fallen 2x4 hit him square between the eyes.
     Patricia walked over to the stunned martial artist.  "Then call me
Nobody."  She picked up the bag of clothes.  Instantly, Happosai was up.
     "Please, let me have the panties.  Pleeease!"  He looked up at her
with puppy dog eyes, pity emanating from every pore.
     Patricia recoiled in revulsion.  "Look, I don't know what's wrong
with you, but you are *not* getting these clothes!  I'm returning them to
their rightful owners."
     Happosai sat on the ground crying pitifully.  "Fine, ruin an old
man's dreams then!  I'll just <sniffle> sit here and die all alone with
<sniffle> no one left to comfort me."
     Feeling somewhat guilty, Patricia turned back towards the old man.
"Hey, it's not that bad.  You shouldn't be taking other peoples things in
the first place."
     "I'm sure <sniffle> I'll last a bit longer if..." he looked at her.
     "If...?" asked Patricia.
     "IF YOU LET ME SPEND SOME TIME IN THAT PRETTY BOSOM OF YOURS! HA-HA,
HOT STUFF!!"  He jumped up and glomped on to her chest.  "Ahhhh!  Who knew
that gargoyles had such ample assets," he said, his hands and face moving
around her flesh.
     Patricia was frozen in shock for about one second before she dropped
the bag and, with a scream of rage, tried to pry him off her chest.
     "Let go!  Let go!  Damn you, LET ME GO, YOU FREAK!!!"
     "No!  No!  No!  I don't wanna!  I don't wanna!"
     After a minute of twisting, turning, pushing and pulling, Patricia
finally managed to force Happosai off of her.  He tried to jump back up, but
she was ready this time and sent him into the stratosphere.  

     Akane was awakened to the sound of someone tapping on the outside of
her window.  Taking a barbell, she crept towards the window and quickly
opened the curtains.  Outside was Patricia, tapping on Akane's window,
holding a large sack.
     "Could you let me in?" asked Patricia plaintively.  Akane opened the
window and Patricia climbed in.
     "We're going to have to get you a key.  What's that you're carrying?"
     "Some freak was stealing women's clothes.  I stopped him, but as you
can see..." 
     Akane growled.  "Happosai, that pervert!  Doesn't he ever give up?"
     "You know him?"
     "Let's just say the entire community has been trying to deal with the
little freak."
     "Thanks for letting me in, Akane.  You go to bed, you need your sleep."
     "I'm not - <yawn> - tired."  Patricia gave Akane a wry smirk.  "Okay,
okay."  Akane climbed back into bed.  "You have a good night."
     "You too."
     Patricia went downstairs and began reading her spell book.  She knew
that if she ever faced the little thief called Happosai again, she would
need aid.  She remained there until Kasumi came down just before dawn.
Patricia turned at the sound of her entrance.
     "You're up early," remarked Patricia.
     Kasumi smiled.  "I have a house to run."
     "...Okay."  Patricia, not liking chores, had a hard time imagining
anyone *liking* menial labor.  She stood, stretched, and yawned loudly.
"Almost time for me to sleep."  She made her way out of the dining room and
towards the front door.
     "But, you'll miss breakfast," protested Kasumi.
     Patricia laughed.  "My kind don't have breakfast.  Or, at least, not
when you humans do.  Just have a big dinner waiting for me at sunup."
     Patricia climbed the arch over the main gate and posed on top of the
arch.  Her wings were half spread, her lips pulled back in a snarl with
her fangs showing.
     The sun rose.
     With a cracking sound, Patricia's skin metamorphisized into stone,
leaving a statue sitting atop the main gate to the Tendo dojo.  Kasumi gazed
up with wonder at the strange occurrence before her.
     "Oh my."

     Leader walked slowly through his gang's HQ.  Sitting with a groan of
pain, he motioned for one of his flunkies to approach.
     "What is it?" he asked.
     "Boss, we found Ikari and Youka dead at the Tunnel."
     Leader snarled.  "Dammit!  It was Fuji again wasn't it?"
     "Looks like it.  Their tags were everywhere.  Fuji's asked for a
meeting."
     "Meeting!  Ha!  He just want's a formal surrender."
     "Some of our people have already gone over to Fuji's gang.  We don't
have the people for this war anymore."
     Leader roared in anger, slamming his fists on the arms of his chair.
All this did was aggravate his injuries, and he groaned in pain as he felt
several ribs grate against each other.
     "We've lost, everything.  There's nothing left to do but surrender.
Damn those bitches and that monster!  We lost our best people in that fight!
Call Fuji and set up the meeting."  The flunky nodded and began to walk away.
     "That isn't necessary, human," echoed a voice from all around them.
Through a beam of sunlight came a tendril of bright white light.  It swirled
around slowly and gathered into an amorphous oval.  "If you wish, I may be
able to help you."
     Leader staggered to his feet.  Trying not to look afraid, he confronted
the presence.  "Who and what the hell are you?"
     "Someone who can help."  The oval flared, blinding both Leader and his
flunky.  When the light dimmed, Apollo was there, floating above the ground,
surrounded in a nimbus of light.
     Flunky fell to his knees, babbling about Kami-sama and other such
nonsense.  Leader continued to glare at Apollo.  "Help how?"
     "Our goals are similar."
     "How?"
     "What do you want?"
     "I want to beat Fuji's gang and take his territory.  I want to strip
that monster's skin off her body.  I want to have my way with the
black haired bitch that did this to me before turning her over to my people.
I want the red head to become my personal 'slave'.  How's that?"
     Apollo calmly looked at his fingernails, examining them for any flaw.
"Not bad," he said in a depreciating tone.  "A bit unimaginative, but not
bad to start.  I can help you with all the above, except the gargoyle...the
'monster' you were talking about."
     "Why not her?"
     "I want her for myself."
     Leader's expression became sly.  "What'd she do to you?"
     "It is none of your business, human!  If you wish to stay alive, I
suggest you not ask again.  So, do we have a bargain?"
     "Where's the catch?"
     Apollo smiled.  "Ah!  Perhaps you are not as stupid as I previously
believed.  There are conditions."
     "Which are?"
     "One, you do what I say when I say.  You can run your little 'gang',
but when I call, you come running, no questions asked.  I cannot directly
interfere in your affairs, so if you get in hot water, don't expect me to
bail you out.  I am not a...'get out of jail free' card.  Finally, you will
do *nothing* against the three females.  I have a plan and I cannot afford
it to be ruined by hasty, reckless action."
     "What's in it for us?"
     "Assemble those who suffered at the hands of our enemies.  I will give
you all the strength of five humans, excellent healing abilities, increased
speed, and the ability to fly."
     It sounded good.  Almost too good.  There was the catch about following
this person, but what did he have to loose?  His gang was doomed if he did
not agree.
     "All right.  I'll get my people."
     "No need."  Apollo raised his hand, and several flashes of light later,
all the members who had fought Akane, Patricia, and Ranma were lying on the
floor, dazed.  The lone girl stumbled up to Leader.
     "What the hell's going on!?  Who is this guy and how did we get here?"
     Leader ignored her and turned to the group.  "You all know how we lost
that fight two nights ago, right?"  They nodded.  "Well this guy's going to
help us get revenge.  We'll also be able to kick Fuji's ass and rip him and
his gang apart.  Sound good?"
     They all nodded again.  They felt the pain of their wounds, and yearned
for vengeance.
     Apollo smiled deviously.  He floated up above the humans.  Ten spheres
of light appeared and began to circle him, energy crackling between them
and Apollo.  His aura began to brighten, until the humans could not longer
look at him directly.  Apollo began to chant.

Mortal creatures, wounded deep,
Enter now a statue's sleep.
Awaken strong, the fight renewed,
Death to all in our blood feud!

     The spheres flew out and struck the ten gang members.  Surrounded in
light, their forms began to change.  Wings ripped through their clothes.
Shoes were destroyed as their feet grew.  Muscle and bone shifted and
reformed under Apollo's influence.  When the spell had run its course,
the ten humans had been changed to gargoyles.  They looked at each other
with a mixture of horror and rage.  Leader turned to Apollo.
     "What have you done to-" A cracking sound filled the air, and the
humans-now-gargoyles turned to stone.
     Apollo smiled grimly.  "See you tonight."  He floated back into the
sunbeam and vanished.

     Ryoga Hibiki staggered under the weight of the large bear statue he
carried.  He walked a few more steps then collapsed in exhaustion.
     "Can't go on..." he wheezed.  "Oh Akane, why can't I ever find you?
Every time I look for you, I get lost.  I'm forever cursed to wander the
Earth, eternally in search of that which I most desire."  He closed his
trying to lighten his bleak mood by enjoying the last rays of the setting
sun.  "You, Akane, are that.  I will win your heart and take you from Ranma
even if I die in the process!  Now, if I can only find you..."
     "Oh, hello Ryoga.  How are you doing?"
     Ryoga turned and saw Kasumi standing beside him in the entrance to a
gate.
     "Kasumi, what are you doing in Hokkaido?"
     Kasumi looked confused.  "But this isn't Hokkaido.  This is Nerima.
You're at our house."
     Ryoga took a better look at his surroundings and, sure enough, he was
standing at the entrance to the Tendo dojo.  "Y - you didn't hear me...I mean
how long were you there...you didn't hear anything, did you?" he asked
apprehensively.
     "About Akane?  No, of course not."  Kasumi smiled her little empty
headed smile.
     "Uhhh...yeah.  Is she home?"
     "Of course.  I'll get her."  Kasumi went inside the house.
     While he was waiting, Ryoga examined his surroundings, trying to commit
them to memory so he would not get lost so easily again.  He noticed the
stone form of Patricia on top of the arch of the gate and grimace.
     "Weird statue.  Kinda ugly looking," he muttered to himself.
     "Ryoga!  It's so good to see you again!"  Akane walked out to Ryoga and
gave him a dazzling smile.
     Ryoga felt his blood pressure rise a notch and began to laugh nervously.
"Akane!  Funny to...meet you here...of all places..."
     "Well aren't you going to come in?"  She grabbed hold of Ryoga's arm
and began to drag him towards the house.
     Ryoga's blood pressure shot up a second notch.  "W - well, if you
insist..."
     "Hey Ryoga, this yours?" asked Ranma.
     Ryoga turned and saw Ranma standing beside the large bear statue.
"If you must know," he said stiffly, "it's a present for Akane."
     "Kinda big, isn't it?  How long have you been carrying it?"
     "Uh...I don't know.  What day is it?"  Ranma told him.  "Oh, about
three weeks, I suppose."
     "You've been carrying this thing for three weeks?!  I'm impressed,
Ryoga."
     Ryoga stared at his most hated enemy/best friend.  He turned to Akane.
"Did I hear right?  Did he just complement me?"  Akane nodded, a little
surprised herself.
     "Yeah, I never would have thought you stupid enough to do something like
this, but you surprised me."
     Ryoga's surprise quickly turned to hate.  "I haven't been her for five
minutes, and you're already insulting me?  After all you've done, you still
haven't learned?!  Well, maybe I have to beat the lesson into you!  Ranma
Saotomae, PREPARE TO DIE!!"  Ryoga launched himself at Ranma.
     "C'mon Ryoga, I was just kidding!"
     "Kid this!  Bakusai Tenketsu!"  His finger touched the bear statue,
which exploded into fragments.  Ranma leaped clear of the explosion, leaving
Ryoga in its epicenter.  Ryoga looked at the statue in disbelief.  Turning
to Ranma, his battle aura glowing a dull purple, his face a mask of rage.
"Ranma, look what you made me do!  I will may you pay for this with your
life!"  He attacked, and the battle ensued.
     Ranma leapt away and Ryoga followed.  The combat went the length and
breadth of the Tendo compound.  Ranma narrowly dodged several bandannas and
barely avoided another breaking point attack.  For the first time in awhile,
Ranma began to sweat.  Either Ryoga was getting better or Ranma was getting
slower.
     Ranma ducked Ryoga's umbrella, then back flipped up to the top of the
arch at the main gate.  Unfortunately, he misjudged the distance slightly,
tripped, and fell against Patricia's stone form.  Ryoga was after him in a
flash.
     "I've got you now, Ranma!"  Ryoga concentrated, and the breaking point
for the ugly statue appeared in his mind's eye.  "Bakusai Ten - huh?"  One
moment, the breaking point for the stone statue in his sights, and the next,
it was gone.
     With a roar, Patricia awoke from her stone hibernation.  Ryoga screamed
in terror as he slammed into her with full force with the sound of flesh
and bone colliding.  Ryoga and Patricia tumbled off the arch and landed
on the ground below.  Ryoga recovered first, clamored to his feet,
and jumped back and away.  Patricia staggered to her feet and leaned against
the outer wall.  She shook her head, trying to clear the starts from her
vision.
     "Wha - what the hell are you?" demanded Ryoga.
     Patricia righted herself and began striding purposefully towards her
attacker.  "I," she growled, her eyes casting an evil looking red glow over
her features, "am someone you will very much regret meeting."
     Just as combat was about to be joined, Akane interposed herself between
them.  "Stop it, both of you!" she cried.  "Ryoga, Patricia is a friend of
ours!  Patricia, Ryoga didn't mean to attack you, it was an accident!"
     The two fighters glared at each other.  Patricia snorted, and entered
the house.
     Ryoga watched her leave, then asked Akane, "What *is* she?"

     Back at the gang's HQ, the humans-now-gargoyles were just waking from
their stone sleep.  They looked around at each other, confused.  It was
daytime a moment ago, and now it was night?  What was going on?
     "Ah, my allies, it is good to see you whole and healthy again," said
Apollo.  "Now, as to my plans-"
     "Your plans?!" roared Leader, his eyes flashing brightly.  "Who gives
a fuck about your plans?  What about us?  What have you done to us!?"
     Apollo was unruffled by Leader's reaction.  "Exactly as I promised you.
You each have the power of at least five humans, if not more.  That should
enable you to complete your goals regarding this 'Fuji' and his tribe.
Then, you can help me in mine."
     "But what about us?  When are you going to change us back?"
     "When our revenge is complete.  Of course, you may not want to change
back when we're finished."
     "What?!  We don't plan to stay monsters forever!"  The others muttered
in agreement.
     Apollo began to get angry.  Who were these puny humans to challenge
his wisdom.  "Whyever not?  Do you know the power I've given you?  You
haven't even begun to test your abilities and you already complain like
children!  How does that quaint human saying go?  'Don't knock it 'till you
try it,' I believe.  If you are so ready to scorn my aid, I can readily
take it back and leave you in the state you were before I came."
     Leader gulped.  Licking his lips nervously, he shook his head.
     "Good.  Then I suggest you be silent and listen.  There are many
differences between gargoyles and humans, and there will come a time when
you will be required to act like true gargoyles.  So listen carefully,
because when I am done, I must leave for a short time..."

     "Put the piece here," said Nabiki.
     Patricia looked down at the Go board, puzzled.  "Why?"
     Nabiki stifled a sigh of frustration.  "The purpose of Go is to control
as much of the board as possible.  If you put the piece here, you'll trap
this black piece, and still protect your area."
     Ranma, Akane, and Ryoga sat back in the dining room watching TV.  Every
once and awhile, Ranma glanced at Patricia and Nabiki.
     "Nabiki's being really nice to Pat isn't she?" whispered Ranma to Akane.
     "Yeah, I know.  She's been teach her to play Go for over an hour now,
and she hasn't charged her for any of it."
     "Do you suppose it's because of those coins Pat gave Nabiki?"
     "Probably.  You know how Nabiki is when money's involved."
     When the show was over, Akane stood and stretched.  "I'm going to bed."
     Ranma looked surprised.  "Already?  It's Saturday.  We don't have any
school tomorrow."
     Ryoga also stood.  "I'm have to go now, Akane.  I'll be back in a
couple of days."
     "You're not leaving already, are you?  Why don't you stay here?"
     "That's kind of you Akane, but I have a place to stay."  Ryoga walked
out of the room, heading for the bathroom.  At first, Ranma thought Ryoga
had gotten lost again, until he heard the sound of running water.  Ranma
leapt to his feet and ran to the bathroom just in time to see P-Chan leave.
     "Oh, no you don't!"  He threw a shoe at the surprised pig, stunning
him.  Ranma lifted a foot to squash the tiny pig, but was hit by Akane's
magical Hammer of Jerkbashing +7.
     "Ranma, don't you *dare* pick on P-Chan!"  She pick up P-Chan and
hugged him tightly, holding him to a place better left unmentioned.  P-Chan
began to shake and he soon fainted dead away.  "P-Chan?  P-Chan, what's
wrong?"
     Suddenly, an explosion rocked the house.  Ranma and Akane ran to the
dining room and saw Patricia covering Nabiki with her body, protecting her
from bits of plaster and wood that had fallen from the ceiling.  Just
outside was a man dressed an a Grecian style robe, surrounded by an aura
of light.  An arrogant sneer was plastered to his features, and he looked
down at Patricia with obvious contempt.
     "Well, gargoyle, it didn't take you long to find some gullible humans
to help you, did it?"
     Patricia snarled at the Child of Oberon.  "Leave them alone, Apollo.
Whatever you think is between us does not concern them."  She stood,
interposing herself between Apollo and Nabiki.
     "On the contrary, beast, all who aid you are my concern.  I am
determined to destroy all you hold dear, then I will destroy you.  Starting
with her."  He pointed a finger, and a pencil thin beam of light shot out
missing Patricia by a handsbreath.  It bounced off a mirror on the opposite
wall, and struck Nabiki in the back.  Nabiki twitched as the beam hit her.
She blinked in surprise, then fell to the floor, unconscious, her shirt
smoking where the beam had struck.
     "Nabiki!" cried Akane, rushing to her side.
     Patricia stared at Nabiki, then turned back to Apollo her eyes red
with rage.  She pointed at the Child, her hand glowing a bright blue.

Water, element of life,
Attack this one and end my strife.

     When nothing seemed to happen, Apollo laughed.  "It seems that your
lack of skill has once again manifested itself, gargoyle."  His hand
glowed brightly.  "Who shall -"  Apollo was cut off as a large tentacle
of water from the pond rose up and slapped him across the yard.  He
crashed into the outer wall, creating an Apollo shaped impact crater.
He extracted himself and looked at the impact crater.  "How odd."  He
quickly jumped up and away as the tentacle crashed down where he stood
moments ago.  "Well, you certainly are becoming annoying."  He pointed,
and a thick lance of light shot out and hit the tentacle.  It began to
boil and froth, and after a moment, it exploded in a shower of heated water.
     While Apollo was dealing with the water elemental, Patricia, Akane, and
Ranma were checking Nabiki's condition.
     "She's still breathing," Patricia said.
     "Akane, you get her out of here.  We'll deal with this creep," declared
Ranma.
     Akane sniffled, anger rising from her eyes. "B - but -"
     "No buts!" said Patricia.  "You have to keep her safe!"  Akane bit back
an angry retort and nodded.  She picked up Nabiki and carried her away.
Ranma and Patricia turned just as the water elemental was destroyed.
     "He's gonna pay for what he did," growled Ranma.  Patricia's eyes bugged
out as Ranma cupped his hands, summoning a bright blue ball of energy.
"Moko Takabisha!"  Ranma's ki lashed out.
     Apollo was admiring his handiwork concerning the water elemental when
Ranma's blast hit him.  There was a flash as it hit his protections, and
he was knocked back several feet.  Apollo grimaced in irritation and
shot another beam of energy at Ranma, who leapt up and on to the roof.
Apollo pursed his lips in surprise.
     "Very good, human.  You just might have some fairy blood in you.
It's too bad you've decided to ally yourself with her ilk."
     "You ain't seen nothing yet."  Ranma jumped up.
     And up.
     And up.
     Apollo realized too late that Ranma was going to hit him.  Apollo was
knocked from the sky, and barely managed to land on his feet on top of the
outer wall of the Tendo compound.  Shaking his head, he glared up at the
descending human.  He sent a torrent of light beams, each of which Ranma
barely avoided.  Apollo stepped out of the way of another ki attack, and
this time sent beams at Ranma from three different directions.
     Ranma managed to dodge the first two, but was hit by the third.  His
clothes burst into flames.  Patricia, who had almost completed a long and
complex incantation, swore and barked a short phrase in Latin.  Ramna's
trajectory changed, and he fell into the pond.  A cloud of steam rose from
the pond, and both Apollo and Patricia stopped and waited to see Ranma's
condition.
     From the billowing steam came an almost completely naked female Ranma.
"You," she growled unevenly, "are dead meat!"
     Patricia's jaw nearly hit the floor on seeing Ranma.  Apollo's
expression was the same, but a moment later, he began to laugh.  They started
as restrained chuckles, but soon make their way to full fledged laughter.
     "What's so damn funny?!" roared Ranma.
     "H - have you...<snicker> been to a place called <snort> Jusenkyo?"
asked Apollo.
     Ranma blinked.  "Yeah.  What do you know about it?"
     "Oh, this is too rich.  It seems that Fei Lian's prank is still around.
Quite a long lasting spell to."
     A high pitched battlecry drew the attention of all three fighters.
Akane, having seen to the safety of Nabiki, joined the fray.  She attempted
to jump kick the Child of Oberon, but bounced off of Apollo's protections.
     Apollo caught Akane in a web of power and drew her to him.  "Foolish
mortal.  Do you really think that your simple attacks can harm me?"
     "Will this work?" asked Patricia.  "Fulmenos venitae!"  A bolt of
lightning knocked Apollo across the street.  Patricia and Ranma ran over
to Akane, who had been freed when Apollo had been hit.  "We need something
iron!  That's his weakness!"
     "I'll get some of our cast iron pans from the kitchen!" said Akane.
     Apollo floated back to his former position on the wall.  His clothes
were a little singed, and his hair disheveled.  "You begin to annoy me,
beast."  He snapped his fingers, and Patricia was surrounded by a globe of
sunlight, turning her to stone.  "Well, that takes care of her for awhile.
Now to deal with you, mortal."  He shot an energy bolt which Ranma avoided.
Again and again, Ranma evaded Apollo's shots.
     Akane came out and was about to throw Ranma a pan, but quickly
recognized what he was doing.
     Ranma moved closer and closer to Apollo in an ever tightening spiral.
Apollo was beginning to get frustrated.  "Curse you mortal, stand still!"
Another shot dodged.  "You cannot evade me forever!" he roared.
     Ranma stopped about ten feet away from Apollo, and smiled.  "I don't
have to.  HIRYO SHOTEN HA!!"  Ranma made a punching motion at Apollo.
     Apollo felt his strength drain away.  "What are you -"
     An enormous vortex formed, with Apollo at it's center.  He cried out
in terror as he was swept away by the violent winds created by the
tornado.  The light surrounding Patricia vanished, and Patricia broke free
of her enforced hibernation.  After a few moments the tornado subsided, and
Apollo fell to the earth with mighty crash.  He unsteadily got up on all
fours.
     Ranma groaned.  "I don't know if I can do that again."
     Patricia took one of the iron pans from Akane.  "You won't have to."
With a roar, she charged the fallen Child, hitting him on the head.  He flew
back and hit the wall and slumped down, apparently unconscious.
     "Well, we did it," said Patricia.
     "What does he have against you, anyway?" asked Akane.
     "It's a long story."
     Apollo opened one eye and saw his three foes in front of him, talking.
none of them were paying any attention to him.  With his little remaining
strength, he flew up into the air and looked down upon them.  He could feel
his blood trickling down his temple and his skin burning from the touch of
the accursed iron.  The three jumped back, readying themselves for a fight.
     "It seems you have allied yourself with some powerful humans, gargoyle.
Surely the fate of the gods are with you tonight.  This, however was merely
a test of your defenses.  Do not think I will be defeated so easily when
next we meet.  My powers are weakened by the night.  Next time you will not
be so lucky."  He summoned a small globe of light to his hand.  "Here is
my parting shot, monster.  I hope you like it."

Waters of my brother's land,
This gift I give with hatred's hand.
With this curse I end this fight,
A woman's touch shall she delight.

     The moment Apollo began to chant, Patricia began to chant Latin in
return.
     "Per meum usum dira te volutare rectus!"  Patricia's hands glowed
briefly, then faded.  She looked at her hands in shock, surprised that
the spell did not work.  The ball struck her and she was outlined in
an aura of multicolored lights, which quickly faded.
     Apollo chuckled.  "I will see thee anon, gargoyle."  In a flash of
light, he was gone.  Thunder of an impending storm rumbled though the sky.
     "We won!" crowed Ranma.
     "Uh...Ranma?" said Akane.  "Maybe you should put some clothes on now."

     Dr. Tofu checked over Nabiki's injuries, while Patricia and Akane
watched.  "The wound itself isn't very deep, and no vital organs were hit.
I'd suggest resting the rest of the night, and taking it easy for the next
couple of days."
     "Sure, Dr. Tofu," replied Nabiki weakly.  She settled back into her
bed with a groan of pain.  The three left, Patricia giving a muttered
apology.
     "Are you sure she'll be okay doctor?" asked Akane anxiously.
     "She'll be feeling as good as new in a few days."
     "Oh, doctor are you sure?" asked Kasumi, who appeared at the foot of
the stairs.
     Dr. Tofu's glasses fogged over.  "Kasumi!  Funny meeting you here...of
all places..."  He began to eat his doctor's bag, ripping pieces of leather
and chewing them.
     Kasumi gave a nervous titter.  "Oh, Dr. Tofu, you don't have to be so
silly for my sake."
     "Silly?" asked Dr. Tofu around a piece of leather.  "I'm not being
silly, am I?"
     "Well, you *are* eating your bag..."
     Akane rolled her eyes and went to the dining room where Genma was
trying to comfort a mortally distraught Soun who was alternatively raging
against his daughter's attacker and weeping hysterically.
     "There, there Tendo.  The good doctor said that Nabiki will be find
in a couple of days."
     "I'm sorry to bring such trouble to your house, sir," said Patricia
quietly.  "I'll gather my things and be gone from here before dawn.  I don't
want to put you or your family at risk."
     "No," said Soun.  "If this 'Apollo' is attacking you, he'll return
here eventually.  And I want to make him pay for attacking my little girl!"
     "Yeah!  No one hurts on of my sisters and gets away with it!" added
Akane.
     "But - but..."  Patricia looked at the determined faces around her.
She sighed in resignation.  "You are all very kind.  I will stay here, but
for now, I want to go on patrol of this district.  I have a lot to think
about."
     "But you've got a lot of explaining to do," protested Soun.
     "I know, but I want to think about some things first.  I'll tell you
everything first thing tomorrow night."

     Patricia flew through the cool night air, enjoying the feeling of the
moisture laden air on her wings.  What was she going to tell them?  The
truth?  Would they accept her after learning what she had done?  She
shook her head in confusion.  So many questions to answer.
     She looked up at the dark clouds above her.  They were so close, she
could almost touch them.  There was another rumble of thunder, and
Patricia decided to turn back before the storm entered full swing.
     The first raindrops fell in earnest.  Patricia felt her body shudder
at their impact.  The drops intensified into rain, and suddenly pain
suffused her entire body.  She could feel her skin compacting and splitting,
her bones and muscles shrinking and warping in some strange new form.  She
roared out in agony as her body shapeshifted.
     When the pain stopped she looked down at herself and gasped in horror.
     She was a human female.
     With a shriek of terror, Patricia began to fall towards the earth.

End of Chapter 3



Adam Brown

My fics can be found at

http://members.tripod.com/~Sharron_Apple/