Enter favorite disclaimer and stand back....
	This is written in first person, and while obviously not one of my
best, I think it does get across what it's supposed to.
	It sets the stage for another fic I may or may not post sometime
soon.  Take special note of the characters I have grouped together.
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Son of Fortune; teaser
Myrriden
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	They were kind enough to show up at the funeral, I guess.  I
really can't repay Ranma for all that he's done for me.  Persuading Nabiki
to be my lawyer, setting up the shrine, helping me when I needed it.
	Ranma and Akane stood there, by the tomb, holding little Kaneda's
hands.  Kaneda obviously couldn't understand, however mature he was for
his two years.  The kid only had eyes for Yukiko, Tarou and Ukyou's
daughter.
	Tarou seemed strangely moody.  Ukyo held onto his arm only to keep
him from turning around and leaving, despite the friends he and I have
become. Perhaps it reminded him of his long-lost mother, who he had
recieved word of only three weeks ago.  She'd died months after his birth. 
Ukyo held Yukio to her chest, still wearing that chef uniform of hers.
	The rest of the family surrounded us, watching the bonfire
quietly.  Only Kasumi made a sound, that of sobs.  Akari and Kasumi became
good friends after the marriage...
	In her arms, Akane held baby Ranko, just born a few weeks before
my own son.  Ranko was fiery little sport.  I remember the day Ranma came
to the farm to tell me about her...
	After he told me his news, I told him mine.  He was shocked.
	I showed him the blessing I had been given before her death.  
	He sat down, shocked.  "Ryouga, how...why?"
	"Akari told me the doctor said she wouldn't be able to birth
naturally.  They told her to adopt."  I couldn't hide my tears.  "It
happened all so suddenly.  I mean, everything was fine.  The doctors were
impressed with her recovery...they called me this morning."
	"I'm...sorry, Ryouga."

	The funeral was short and simple.  I couldn't afford otherwise.
Without Akari's know-how of how to run the farm, I wouldn't be able to
keep it.  I sold it to some of her family members with the insurance that
I'd be able to keep some of the pigs and raise them as pets.  The legal
battle was a little intense, I was lucky Nabiki was practically holding my
hand through the whole affair.  I got most of what I wanted.  A good sum
to get me through college, and keep me until I got a job on which I could
raise the shrimp.
	Ranma offered me to live with him, and I accepted, not really
having a choice.  With Douko, my son, I had something to ground me down to
the real world...something more important than any one person could
beleive.

	I stared at the shrine, ignoring the tears, just letting my heart
go out to the woman who had died for me.  It was almost more than my heart
could bear, and it brought back memories of a days in the forest, where I
would declare my love to Akane-san to all the birds and animals.  How I
wish I could replace 'Akane' with Akari.  
	Can you truly _learn_ to love a person?  Of course you can.  I
learned to love a person until the feelings I had for her outmatched the
feelings of love I'd ever felt before.
	"Akari," I whispered, hoping her spirit ears could hear me,
"Please forgive me for my inability to choose you for so
long.  I could have spent so much more time with you.  Maybe then, you
would have lived.
	'I'll raise our boy well, Akari.  He'll learn to love you, and
I'll raise him so that the Hibiki family curse doesn't affect him quite as
much, my love.
	Now I laughed, thinking back to what I had done in the past
year, 'If I managed to get Akane and Ranma together with a fluke love
spell, then I can raise my son without the inherent know-how to do it.
And besides,"  I looked over at Ranma, who was standing in the doorway, "I
have friends to help me, Akari-chan.  I'll do my best..."
	I guess those words helped me more than I can know.

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-/\/\-out
	The Lost World of Ryouga
	http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/6757