Permanent 10: A battle of wits.

	Ranma snorted as she stood outside the window of the small shop
in the shopping district of Nerima. Akane stood nearby with her friends
and looked at some jewelry in the window of a nearby store. They talked
excitedly and giggled amongst themselves. Ranma merely stood in disbelief
and glared at the window of the much smaller and inconspicuous store. "I
don't believe it, the nerve." she whispered angrily.
	"What is it Ranma?" asked Akane noticing Ranma's agitated state.
	"I'll be right back." muttered the red head as she stormed into
the store.
	"Hello miss can I help you?" said the elderly man inside
pleasantly.
	"Yea," said Ranma as she surveyed her surroundings calmly. "You
can tell me what you think your doing selling that book." she snapped as
she indicated the black book sitting in the window.
	"Pardon? This is a magic shop my dear we cater..." started the
man smugly.
	"How about if I report this to the counsel?" said Ranma calmly.
	The man became white as a sheet. "You wouldn't." he said as his
voice seemed to give out on him. "You can't."
	"I can and I will, that book is one of the most evil things on
this planet and I want to know how you got it, now." said Ranma as she
leaned over the counter and looked the old man in the eyes.
	"A man sold it to me. He didn't want much for it and I could sell
it  to some deviant high school kids for a good price. They wouldn't know
how to use it anyway. So I figured..." stammered the man in hysterics.
	"I'm taking it off your hands. I want this store gone by tomorrow
and I never want to see you in business ever again. If I do I take this
straight up to the top." sneered Ranma as she walked over to the window
and lifted the book off the shelf.
	"Yes Ma�am." said the shop keeper as he backed away from her
gaze.

	A few moments later she walked out into the street with the book
under her arm and sighed. Akane was in a dress shop across the street and
smiled and waved at her as she noticed her. "Hey Ranma what do you have
there?" asked Akane cheerfully as she noticed a small bag in Ranma's
hands. The book was held tightly under her arm. She felt her skin crawl
as she held it tightly.
	"Its a Phoenix egg. I've always wanted one." said Ranma as she
shook the bag.
	"What? That�s silly." said Yuka as she placed a dress back on the
rack.
	"It a real one." said Ranma calmly as she walked off.
	"What?" said Sayuri dumbly as she turned from her own shopping.
"That's ridiculous."
	"If Ranma says its real then it is." said Akane as she frowned
and watched her friend walk off.
	"Do you think we should go after her?" asked Yuka.
	"Nah, she does this sort of thing all the time." said Akane as
she picked up an outfit that seemed to suit her.

	A few moments later Ranma entered the Tendo home and walked up to
her room. She threw the book down violently and fell to the floor
clutching herself in disgust. She crawled over to a large chest she had
in the corner. It had markings she had carefully painted on it when she
had arrived in Japan. It was very special and important to her. She knelt
before it and muttered something as her hands began to glow. The lock on
the box snapped open. She gasped as the dark power sealed inside it
overwhelmed her and she shielded her face against it. She picked up the
book she had 'acquired' and threw it into the box with assorted other
books before slamming it shut again. The seal returned and the evil
energy that had filled the room was sucked back into the box.  She turned
and looked at a small pile of books next to the chest and frowned. All of
them were Necrinomicon Exmortum. Gosunkugi appeared in the back of her
mind. "Worse? Is that possible?" he said.
	"Yes it is." she answered bitterly.

	Cologne stood outside the Dojo with a frown on her face. "So that
is why they sent this to you my dear. You've been saving them a great
deal of trouble. I thought it was a bit much to give you something like
this just for playing doctor." she said as she turned to walk away.

	Mousse stood and glared into a mirror. He looked at his hands and
frowned as they shook uncontrollably. At his feet Shampoo purred and
rubbed his leg happily. He had just fed her. "Oh Shampoo, if only you had
been so affectionate with me when you were still human." he whispered.
"Still, I cannot face that monster again yet. I must find a way do defeat
her." he muttered as he collapsed on the small mat he had been sleeping
in. He held his head in his hands and just sat. Shampoo worked her way on
to his lap and simply sat with a satisfied purr. "You aren't really
Shampoo any more are you? Your just a cat now. Even if I were to find a
way to bring you back you would never be my beloved again." he said sadly
as he stroked her fur affectionately.
	"That is correct. It is best if she remains as she is." said a
voice from behind Mousse. He showed no signs of being surprised.
	"It wouldn't matter, I know even if her mind didn't leave her she
would have to remain as she is to retain her honor. I am glad she did
lose it and could find happiness." replied Mousse as he turned to face
Cologne.
	"Why did you take her?" asked the Amazon elder.
	"I didn't want to. She followed me, I don't think she truly
became a cat until we arrived here." said Mousse sadly.
	"I see." said Cologne simply.
	"I wanted to have our revenge together and give her at least that
comfort. But now I must have it alone." he said as he lay down and looked
at the sky.
	"Let it go Mousse, you know you have no place in this." sighed
Cologne.
	"I cannot." Replied the boy simply.
	"Then you must be punished." she replied simply.
	"There is nothing you can do to me that can be worse than losing
my Shampoo." he said simply.
	"I know boy but the punishment is fitting of someone of your
loyalty." she said with a cold smile. "You will be her guardian forever,
you must care for her always. You may never marry another. Constantly you
will be reminded of her condition, when she dies you will perish with
her, and finally you will never have your revenge on Ranma Saotome. She
is your superior, your better." said the old woman.
	Mousse felt a chill run down his spine as her words drove a knife
into his heart. "You mean?" he stammered.
	"Yes, the others are already preparing their assault." she said
with a smile.
	"No you can't deny me this! I won't allow it!" cried Mousse as he
threw a volley of weapons at the old woman. She dodged easily and poked
his neck with her staff. Mousse felt his body grow cold as he collapsed.
He fell into a puddle that had formed at his feet. �Bah, I am no longer a
man, I could not even control myself. I don�t deserve Shampoo.� he
thought as he passed out.

	Tatewaki Kuno stood at the edge of the bath and stepped inside.
He sighed as he felt the warmth surround him. His wings ruffled
instinctively as he bathed and sent strange but not uncomfortable
sensations down his spine. His day had not been unpleasant. He had lost
his daily duel with the young Ranma again. It seemed to be getting easier
for her to defeat him and he had to work something out. He had endured
the stares of others on the streets and smiled at the memory. It seemed
that others were afraid of him or simply in awe. He wore gloves to hide
his clawed hand, but the wings were a different problem. It was the
summer and the heat made it difficult to hide them in public. It was a
problem he would deal with however since the added bonus of flight made
the stares well founded and worthwhile. He felt liberated when he took
the skies, it was amazing and he had never felt so free.
	His sister seemed strangely absent for the past few days and had
commented several times on the foolishness of wearing such fake looking
decoration. He saw no reason to enlighten her. He stood from the water
after a while wrapped a towel around his waist. His wings ruffled again
and he sat down and preened them carefully. It was another strange habit
he had acquired. "I suppose it is instinct." he thought to himself. He
finished and walked out into the hallway and towards his room after half
dressing himself in a pair of loose pants. He glanced in a mirror vainly
and smiled as he noticed his now golden eyes. "I do look devilishly
handsome don't I?" he asked the reflection. With that he simply walked
into his room.
	Kodachi Kuno stared from her door way in disbelief as her brother
walked by without his shirt on. She gasped as he passed her in the
hallway. "Those foolish wings my brother has been wearing...are real?"
she thought. "This cannot be left unattended."

	Ranma Saotome sat up in her bed. She stood and glared out the
open window in her room. �I didn�t open that.� she muttered as she turned
and looked at her father who was snoring loudly on the ground beside her.
�Who ever you are come out.� she called quietly. Two figures seemed to
melt out of the shadows. Both held spears at their sides and one of them
obviously did not know how to use it properly. Ranma recognized their
dress immediately. �Amazons.� she whispered in silent horror.
	�We greet you Ranma.� said the one on her left. �I am Ko li and
this is Talcum.� The other girl smiled darkly. Ranma frowned. 
	�We�ll go out to the dojo and settle this, this is not my home
and I don�t wish to disturb them.� said Ranma as she lept out the window.
The two girls followed.
TbC...

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