After a long hiatus due to real-life commitments getting in the
way of my fanficcing, this series resumes, and should now be back on its
one-per-week schedule. Enjoy!

	What's been changed: A lot of rewriting, especially in the first
half. Some of the funnier scenes have been cut, as they didn't seem to
go well with the tone of the overall chapter.


		      HEARTS AND MINDS PRELUDE SIX
		           SHAN PU: BIE LIAO

		       Ranma 1/2 manga fanfiction
			     by Gary Kleppe

	The characters of Ranma 1/2 are the creation of and rightful
property of Rumiko Takahashi. They are used here without permission.
This story may be freely redistributed, but it should not be altered
substantially or used for profit in any way.

	Visit http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe/comics#ham or E-mail
<kleppe@execpc.com> for previous parts. All feedback welcomed, public
response preferred.

                                 ______


	"Air China flight 6969 for Tokyo is currently circling overhead,
unable to land due to inclement weather. We expect to be able to board
in approximately one hour. Until then, we appreciate your patience."

	"What did he say?" An elderly woman perked up in her seat,
looking worriedly about the room. "The plane was shot down?"

	"No, ma'am." Shan Pu smiled calmingly. "Just late because of the
weather."

	"Oh, what a relief. I thought...." The woman trembled a bit.
"With this dreadful war going on... I might not be able to visit my
son."

	"Don't worry. From what I hear, the war is moving to the west.
And in any case, neither side is going to shoot down a civilian plane
carrying Japanese nationals." At least not on purpose. There was always
the chance of being targeted by mistake.

	"You're right, young lady." The woman seemed to calm down,
flashing a mostly toothless grin. "Are you going to Japan to see family?
A boyfriend, maybe?"

	"No, ma'am." Shan Pu knew that Tatewaki was attracted to her,
but still couldn't count him as a boyfriend. Whether she wanted to
pursue a future with him, she could not say. Perhaps she needed to know
him better. Perhaps she could no longer trust her own heart, after the
pain that loving Ranma had brought. "I'm travelling for... business
reasons."

	"I see." The woman nodded as she stared at Shan Pu. "Do you live
here in Beijing?"

	"No. I'm from... a village a long way west of here." Shan Pu
felt a little self-conscious in her old-style clothes. It would have
been easier to follow Elder Lan's suggestion to wear something
inconspicuous. But she was proud to be an Amazon, and she would hold on
to that as long as she could.

	She couldn't help feeling a twinge of resentment towards the old
woman. Her village, her people -- who had asked only to be left alone
for so many years -- were in terrible danger. Like so many others, the
woman seemed content to ignore what was happening as long as it didnt
affect her. As far as she was concerned, the Amazons didn't exist; and
soon, they might not.

	Shan Pu wondered what it would be like to meet up with Ranma and
Akane after so many years. She had exchanged a few letters with them,
but mail always came slow to the Amazons when it came at all. According
to what she knew, Ranma and Akane now had two children, Hikaru and
Ririko. Someone had said that Ririko wasn't really Akane's child, only
Ranma's; Shan Pu was curious as to whether there was any truth to that.


	Life in the old days was so much simpler. Shampoo wanted Ranma
to be her husband. Amazon law and Great-grandmother were on her side,
and she carried out whatever plan seemed like it would help her reach
her goal. It seemed like things would stay the same forever. Her life
was like the plane overhead, circling its destination, never able to
land.

	Until the day it ran out of fuel and came crashing down....

                                 ______


	Shampoo raced along the streets and walkways of Nerima. Mile
after mile of pavement sped by under her legs as she pushed forward. Air
burned in her lungs as she gasped for breath. Her legs throbbed with
pain. She ignored them and kept moving.

	Overhead, dull gray clouds blanketed the heavens, allowing only
an occasional glimpse of orange light through. The sky grew
progressively darker moment by moment.

	Great-grandmother was dying. The thought of losing a loved one
might have devastated a lesser individual. But Shampoo was an Amazon
warrior. Not just any Amazon warrior either, but the strongest of her
generation. No amount of adversity could overcome her.

	"Shampoo!" Mousse's voice called from just behind. Shampoo had
forgotten that he was running along with her until he spoke. "I know
what you must be going through. Tell me how you feel! Let it out, you'll
feel better!"

	"We need hurry." Shampoo didn't think Mousse really cared how
she felt. He had certainly never cared before, when she had wanted him
to go away. He was trying to get her to open up to him so that she would
trust him, in hopes that that trust might lead to something more between
them. He was trying to be nice, but his niceness carried a hidden price,
one that she was not willing to pay.

	The path they followed led to a dead end at a wall. Without any
hesitation, Shampoo plowed into the barrier with a thunderous crash.
Bricks and mortar flew into the air like confetti as the Amazon ripped
through the wall as quickly as if it had been made of paper. 

	Ranma's voice sounded from behind. "You keeping up okay, Akane?"

	"Of...." Akane gasped for breath. "Of course I am." They were
married now. Ranma, who Amazon law and wisdom said rightfully belonged
with Shampoo, would now never be hers. He didn't love her. If there was
ever any doubt of that, the wedding less than an hour ago had erased it.
She had told him how important it was that he come with her. He refused
to believe her. When the others accused her of being there just to
disrupt the wedding, he stood with them.

	Yes, it was clear now. Ranma didn't love Shampoo. Didn't trust
Shampoo. Maybe... maybe didn't even like Shampoo.

	How good it was to have the strength of an Amazon warrior.

	After Ranma's failed first wedding, Shampoo had told
Great-grandmother that she had given up on Ranma. She believed that she
had -- until the second wedding. Seeing Ranma with Akane there, she knew
that she had been fooling herself. Deep down, she had been playing hard
to get, hoping that Ranma would miss her attentions and decide to leave
Akane for her. It didn't work. Maybe nothing would have worked. Maybe
marrying Ranma was an impossible task from the very beginning.

	She had wanted so badly to stop the second wedding. But an
Amazon's duty oughtweighed personal feelings. Great-grandmother had sent
her to find Ranma, to bring him to the Nekohanten so that they could
speak one last time. Letting the wedding take place was the only way to
get him to trust her enough to come willingly. She had to gamble that
she could get him there before it was too late.

	Why bringing Ranma was so important, Shampoo did not know. But
the reason didn't matter. She would carry out her task. If possible. As
she rounded the last corner and sighted the Nekohanten directly ahead,
she knew that Great-grandmother's time might already have run out.

	Three young men stood in front of the restaurant. They turned
their heads as Shampoo approached. "There she is," one of them said to
the others. "About time! They should've opened an hour ago!"

	Shampoo skidded to a stop, sucking in a lungful of air before
replying. "Restaurant closed. You go eat somewhere else, all right?"

	"Okay," the man said. "Will you be open tomorrow?"

	"May not be." Shampoo's head drooped as she reached into her
dress for her keys. "Restaurant may not be open again... ever."

                                 ______


	The Nekohanten's door swung closed, cutting off the noise from
the street. The usual clamor of conversation was absent, leaving an odd
silence to fill the air. Nothing was spoken as Ranma followed Shampoo up
the stairs.

	Ranma wondered for a moment whether he might be walking into a
trap. Cologne wanted to hitch him up with Shampoo, and she had done some
pretty nasty things to try to force him -- like giving him the full-body
cat's tongue, and teaching Ryoga the Breaking Point. Now Ranma was
married to Akane. That had been his choice, and he hadn't done anything
wrong, but he still felt like a grade school kid on his way to the
principal's office.

	Shampoo pulled open a door at the top of the steps. From within,
a television announcer's voice droned. "As you can see, the President of
the United States is shaking the hand of the new Chinese Premier.
Clearly this is a historic occasion, a promise of continued peace and
co-operation between two powerful nations."

	The four filed into the room. Inside, Cologne lay on a small
wicker mat. Behind her stood a thin man, bald except for a goatee. He
greeted Shampoo with an understated smile, and she moved over to stand
next to him.

	"This my father," Shampoo said. "Shan Peine."

	"Oh, yeah. I think we met before." Ranma shook the man's hand.
"What about your mom? I don't think I ever saw her. Is she back in your
village or something?" Both Shampoo and her father directed angry glares
at Ranma. He had obviously said the wrong thing. How was he supposed to
know?

	Cologne looked up. "Greetings, Shampoo, Akane." She spoke with
difficulty, as she pushed a button on the remote. The television screen
blanked. "Greetings, Ranma. I shall not call you son-in-law."

	"Old gh--" Ranma cleared his throat noisily. "Cologne. You...
you're..."

	"I'm dying," she replied. Her hands and arms trembled as they
moved. Her gaze moved slowly and often seemed to lose focus. Where she
had merely worn the mask of age before, she was now truly elderly.

	"I-- I'm sorry," Akane said, her voice displaying genuine
sympathy along with unease.

	"No need to be sorry for me. I've lived a good life for more
than a hundred years. I've been on borrowed time for quite a while. Now
that time is up."

	"Is there..." Ranma tried to think of something useful to say.
"Is there anything, y'know, that we can do for you?"

	"As a matter of fact there is." A slight smile crossed Cologne's
lips, her voice suddenly firmer.

	"Uh... wait a minute here... you're not gonna ask..." Ranma eyed
Shampoo suspiciously.

	Akane glared defensively at the old woman. "Ma'am, Ranma and I
are married. Nothing you say will change that."

	Cologne's eyes remained fixed on Ranma. "Is that your final
decision?"

	"Um, I guess so." Ranma noticed Akane scowling at him. "I mean,
yeah! Of course it is!"

	Cologne extended a hand. "Then I offer my best wishes to you
both."

	"Um...." Ranma hesitated a moment, then reached out to gently
shake Cologne's hand, still wondering whether she had something up her
sleeve. "So... what *did* you want me to do?"

	"Have you ever wondered why I am here? Why the eldest and --
until now -- greatest warrior of the Amazons has been running a ramen
shop in Tokyo?"

	"Well, now that you mention it...."

	"There are many in this modern world who view our Amazon village
with hostility. To them we are a threat, an opportunity, or both.

	"Our warriors are strong, but none of us would be able to defend
against a full-scale assault with modern weaponry, myself included. We
could be wiped out to the last woman. On the other hand, with me here in
Japan, should anything happen to my home I would remain. It would not be
difficult for me to determine who was responsible and to take painful
revenge against them. With this known, our village has managed to remain
intact.

	"My passing threatens to change things. Sometime in the future,
our village will be in great danger. I do not know when, or because of
whom. I do know that when it happens Shampoo and her sisters will need
your help. Your fighting skills, as well as your leadership ability."

	Ranma couldn't believe what he'd heard. "Leadership ability?
ME?"

	"Though it has not been developed, the potential is within you.
Think about your ability to turn foes into allies. Take Mousse here, for
example. Like so many others, he was hostile to you when the two of you
first met. Nevertheless, he went with you into battle twice, against
Herb and later against Saffron.

	"I had originally hoped that you would marry Shampoo and lead
your friends into combat as her husband. It is now clear that that isn't
going to happen."

	Ranma and Akane glanced at each other, some odd unspoken
communication passing between them. They were married now; even Cologne
respected that. The old games that they used to play were over. But what
would take their place?

	Cologne looked Ranma directly in the eyes. "I want your promise
that when my great-granddaughter calls on you to fight for the Amazon
people, you will answer."

	There was no question in Ranma's mind what his response would
be. To use his skills to protect those in need... it was what he had
quite literally spent his entire life training for. "I'll do everything
I can."

	"So will I. You can count on both of us, Shampoo." Akane
extended a hand toward the young Amazon. Slowly, hesitantly, they shook
hands.

	Ranma tried to remember what that TV announcer had said. A
historic occasion, a promise of peace and co-operation. That was what he
was seeing. It was something that ought to be on TV.

                                 ______
 

	Hikaru Gosunkugi listened through his headphones to the voices
coming onto his tape recorder. Ranma, Akane, and Mousse were making
their goodbyes, about to leave Shampoo alone with her great-grandmother.

	Gosunkugi had snuck into the Nekohanten a few weeks ago and
bugged it. It was an enormous risk. If any of them had caught him....
Now, as he stood and listened in an alley two blocks from the
restaurant, he wondered whether it had been worth it.

	All he wanted to do was to help Akane; to be her protector and
save her from Saotome the heartbreaker. He expected to catch Ranma with
Shampoo there. For once he was going to play the hero, to show the woman
he admired how unfaithful the man she was marrying was.

	Now Ranma and Akane were married; Gosunkugi shuddered at the
thought of them... together. Then Ranma came to the Nekohanten, but not
to cheat on his new wife; rather, to help the Amazons. It was Ranma who
was going to be the hero, in a situation that was far beyond the ability
of a scrawny voodooist-wannabe to do anything about.

	Gosunkugi removed his headphones. He stashed his small receiver
unit and tape recorder behind a garbage can, with the tape still
running. For now, Cologne was dying. He had only met her a couple of
times while eating at her restaurant. Nevertheless he felt he ought to
say goodbye. It was all he could do. Maybe he would listen to the tape
when he returned. Maybe not.

                                ______


	"Shampoo... while we are alone, there are some things you must
be told."

	The young Amazon leaned forward in her chair, adjusting
Cologne's pillow. "Great Grandmother, you need rest." Voices rumbled
from below, becoming louder with each second. Obviously, the rest of the
wedding party had arrived.

	"I am well past the point where rest will do me any good."
Cologne smiled sardonically. "Please listen. This is important. There is
a special cask of water in the bottom shelf of the basement cabinet. It
is something that can be of no benefit to any other than myself, but it
could cause great harm in the wrong hands. You must make sure that this
is not allowed to happen. Pour it into the ocean."

	"I understand, Great-grandmother. I go do now." Shampoo began to
rise from her chair.

	"Not yet. There is much more that I must tell you while I still
have time."

	Shampoo nodded obediently and sat back down.

	"Ranma and his friends are skilled, but even they might not be
enough to tip the scales in our favor. There is a secret weapon,
concealed by me in the village. The responsibility is now yours. You
must use it when and if you judge it necessary. Listen closely...."

                                 ______


	"Weird."

	"What's weird, Ranma?" Akane asked. They were sitting downstairs
waiting, while Mousse busied himself with cleaning the restaurant. The
other Tendos and Saotomes had arrived on the crosstown bus, and were now
upstairs.

	"The whole death thing. Y'know, just between you and me, there
were times when I didn't like Cologne all that much. But now that she's
dying, it's like I can't think that way about her anymore. Does dying
make you a better person?"

	"I guess I know what you mean. She and I weren't exactly the
best of friends either. Maybe we should all try to be nicer to each
other while we're alive."

	"Yeah, I suppose. Sometimes it's not easy, though." Ranma smiled
inwardly. He and Akane agreed on something -- saw something the same
way. Though it surely wasn't going to happen like that all the time, it
felt good. If he were the next to die, he hoped that Akane would
remember him this way, not as the jerk who kept calling her an uncute
tomboy.

	He could hear Kasumi's voice from the room above. Kasumi, now
there was one person who seemed to somehow see good in everyone. She
could probably even find good things to say at Happosai's funeral -- and
mean them. *Oh my, he founded the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts
and developed all of its techniques. Imagine how much work and
dedication that must have taken. And he did such a wonderful job
training Father and Mr. Saotome! If not for Master Happosai, neither
Ranma nor Akane would have anything close to the level of skill that
they do. In fact....*

	Ranma cut himself off in mid-thought, shuddering a bit. That had
been a little too easy.

                                 ______


	"May I come in?" Kaede poked her head through the door.

	"Please do," Cologne said. "I am glad you could come when I
asked you to."

	Kaede smiled. "Haven't I always?"

	Shampoo looked curiously at the Priestess. "You know
Great-grandmother?"

	"We met long ago," Kaede replied. "It was just after World War
Two, if I remember correctly. China was fighting a civil war. The
Nationalists were losing, and growing more and more desperate.

	"They had heard stories of the Amazon village, and some of the
strange treasures contained within. They weren't inclined to believe,
but as I say they were desperate. If taking control of a small primitive
village out in the middle of nowhere might help them win, they weren't
going to hesitate to do it.

	"I came to your great-grandmother's village along with some
friends of mine. With the aid of the Amazon warriors, we defeated the
invading troops and convinced both sides that leaving the Amazons alone
would be a good idea. That was when I was just learning the art. I was
young, foolish, and impudent."

	"Things have changed since then," Cologne said.

	"Yes." Kaede grinned. "Now I'm old, foolish, and impudent."

	"You did cause your share of... trouble. But your dedication to
your art was your saving grace. That and your willingness to use it to
help our people. I know of no one, then or now, that I'd rather have
around in a crisis."

	Shampoo's eyes pleaded with the priestess. "You help our village
now?"

	"Young lady, I'm sixty-nine years old, and I don't have your
Amazon constitution. I can't fight the way I did back then. But there is
something else that can be done."

	"What?"

	"As I said, I am getting... not quite so young. The time has
come for my knowledge to be passed on to another."

	"Indeed?" Cologne raised an eyebrow curiously. "Have you a
candidate in mind?"

	"Yes," Kaede said matter-of-factly. "One who is quite near at
the moment."

	"One of those in the room below? I don't believe any of them has
any knowledge of Shinto sorcery."

	"Knowledge can be taught. It is the person that matters. The
spirit, you might say."

	"DIscussion of this can wait." Cologne sat up in her bed. "I
need to explain why I asked you here. Shampoo, please excuse us. I need
to speak privately with the priestess."

	"Great-grandmother...."

	"I will still be here when you return. Please, Shampoo."
Cologne's tone was not commanding as it often was, merely imploring.
"What I am about to do here may be dangerous."

	"Yes, Great-grandmother." With head hung low Shampoo exited,
closing the door behind her as she descended the stairs.

                                 ______


	"Shampoo! Is it true?"

	"What true?" Shampoo brushed past Mousse, disinterestedly.

	"That the Priestess is looking for an apprentice. I heard her
talking from down here." Mousse took Shampoo's hand in his. "Just think
of it! The two of us can study under Kaede. Together!"

	Shampoo shot a glare at Mousse telling him to move his hand or
lose it. "She say she have someone in mind for student. Not say who. And
what this about you and me together?" She opened the basement door, not
looking at him.

	"I- I thought that with Ranma married, and... we could go back
to China. I mean, if that's what you want...."

	"Mousse... you think that we now be married with
Great-grandmother soon gone? That all you care about?"

	"Well, no, but I... er....

	"You just not get it. Not Great-grandmother who not let us be
married."

	"Then who..."

	"It me. I not love you, Mousse. I not want marry you. Years and
years I try tell you, why you no listen? Your ears bad as your eyes?"

	"I... I'm sorry." Mousse fell into a silent sulk as Shampoo
descended the stairs.

	She felt sorry for Mousse, but being harsh with him seemed like
the only way to get her message through. She didn't love him. She hadn't
lied when she'd said that. But deep in her heart, though she didn't want
to admit it, she did like him. Hopefully he would get over her and find
someone else.

                                 ______


	"What you're planning is difficult," Kaede said.

	"I know," Cologne replied. "But between the two of us, we have
the resources to pull it off."

	"It is possible to know the future. But knowledge is a danger in
itself. What is known cannot be changed. If you foresee great disaster,
then great disaster will occur no matter what you do to prevent it."

	"My friend, I am at the end of my time. There will be nothing I
can do to change things in any case." Cologne smiled grimly. "But I will
not rest with my curiosity unfulfilled. I must know how things will turn
out."

	Kaede could tell that it was useless to argue. "Very well. Let
us begin."

                                 ______


	Shampoo reached the bottom shelf of the basement cabinet. It was
empty. Somehow, someday, this would spell disaster.

	A mark lie in the dust, barely visible. Someone had been here --
from the look of it, probably just recently.

	Shampoo froze, feeling as if in the grip of a cold, clammy hand.
She didn't want to go back upstairs. Not if it meant having
Great-grandmother know that she was a failure -- at this task, on top of
everything else. How could she let that be the last thing
Great-grandmother knew before passing away?

	She dismissed the ridiculous feeling. If it really was
Great-grandmother's final moments, then Shampoo wanted to spend them
with her. Afterwards, she would find out who took Great-grandmother's
water and get it back from them. But not now.

                                 ______


	Cologne gazed into empty space through closed eyes. Her spirit
now stretched ahead into the future.

	Kaede sat beside the Amazon elder. Her essence gripped
Cologne's, anchoring it, preventing it from losing itself in the folds
of existence. She dared not look directly at what Cologne was seeing.
For her to see the future would make her unable to change it, and that
for her would be like dying herself.

	That had always been Kaede's weakness, as well as her strength.
She loved being alive. She loved the material world, with all of its
pleasures, sensations, and experiences. Others who practiced the way of
the Kami were content to stay quietly in their temples while they
explored the spiritual planes of existence. Not so Kaede.

	Cologne's brow tightened as her mouth opened. "No... not
Shampoo. No...."

	What was she seeing, Kaede wondered? But she could not know, not
yet. She maintained her spiritual grip on Cologne's consciousness.

	The sadness in the Amazon's voice turned to desperation.
"Hurry... you must not fail...." Then she breathed an audible sigh of
relief. One way or another, it was over.

	Cologne's eyes opened as her mind returned to her body. Her
expression was difficult to read; relief mixed with regret, perhaps.
"Shampoo..."

	"I'll send her up to you." Kaede moved toward the door.
"Goodbye, honored elder. May you be at peace."

	Kaede descended the steps. Her mind burned with curiosity over
what the future would bring; but she could not know. It was a play that
she still had a role in. It was time to begin that role, if a certain
person were agreeable.

                                 ______


	Kaede paused on the stairs to listen.

	"Ranma, how do you fit that head of yours through the door? You
don't know that she meant you."

	"Ryoga, you big jerk! Who else would she wanna teach? You? You
wouldn't even be able to find her house!"

	"So who says it's either of us? Akari's worked with Kaede
already! Why couldn't it be her? Or Akane?"

	"Yeah, Ranma! Why *couldn't* it be her or me?"

	"Uh..."

	Kaede looked at Shampoo and nodded her head in the direction of
the stairs, indicating for the young Amazon to go up.

	"A-actually, it could... could be... any of us."

	"Oh yeah? Like you? You been tryin' that voodoo junk for years,
and ain't never got it to work."

	"Please! Let's all calm down! As he said, it could be anyone!"

	"Not quite anyone, kiddo. This is Shinto. You were raised by
Chinese Amazons. Different set of gods. Personally, I'm afraid I'll have
to decline. There are easier ways to make money."

	Kaede decided that enough was enough. She cleared her throat
noisily.

                                 ______


	Cologne lay in her bed, as her great-granddaughter held her
hand. "Shampoo... you face great hardship ahead. I hope you will not
lose spirit. I hope... I hope you can forgive this foolish old woman for
the mistakes she made."

	"Great-grandmother, I...." Shampoo forced the words out. "I the
one who should sorry."

	The elder Amazon said nothing. She simply smiled -- a smile that
told Shampoo that what she was worried about didn't matter. It told her
that Great-grandmother knew everything she had done, everything she had
failed at, and it was all right.

	Shampoo couldn't understand what it was she was feeling. Death
was something she had no experience with. She remembered reading books
in which the main character died at the end. She could always go back to
chapter one, and everyone would be all right again. Now her life was a
novel whose pages kept turning ahead, and there was nothing she could do
to stop it.

	Great hardships. Whatever they were, whatever else the future
would bring, Shampoo would have to deal with it. Alone.
Great-grandmother, who had wisely guided her through everything for her
whole life, would be gone. Who could she turn to for the answers she
would need?

	"Great-grandmother..." Shampoo held Cologne's hand and looked
pleadingly at her. "Please tell me what to do!"

	Cologne's only response was silence, and the blank stare of
motionless eyes.

                                 ______


	Silence. Everyone stared at Kaede, waiting for her to speak.

	"Well?" Ranma said.

	Kaede stood unperturbed, trying her best to look innocent. "Well
what?"

	"Well, who's it gonna be? Pick one of us already!"

	"I already have," Kaede said. The occupants of the room looked
around at each other. The Priestess chuckled inwardly at the tension she
was creating among the group. Rarely did she get the chance anymore to
have this kind of fun.

	Ranma seemed ready to explode. "Who is it, then?!"

	Kaede pointed at one of the people in the room. "You."

	Everyone turned to look at the designated person, whose eyes
widened in surprise.

	"Oh my!"




	CHAPTER NOTES: I'm still not completely happy with this chapter,
but I'm at the point where I need to hear some feedback on it.

	Some people have asked why I'm using different spellings for
Shampers' name. Basically, I'm trying to get away from the old
"toiletries" spellings. For continuity's sake these are still used in
the flashback scenes, but in the future scenes I use the pinyin Chinese
forms, Shan Pu and Mu Si. I'm not sure what the correct one for Cologne
is, but as you've seen here it won't matter.

	As usual, I'd like to hear anything anyone has to say on this
chapter, or this series in general.


	NEXT: Mousse finds someone else.


Gary Kleppe
http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe/comics