CAN'T LET GO 
(A Ranma 1/2 fic by Cass and GSL)

Authors' Notes aka stuff we wanna say now or we might end up being sued 
or flamed:
We have written this story out of fun. In no way do we own the 
characters of this story, they belong to Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan 
Inc, Shonen Sunday Comics, and Viz Video.  This story is meant for 
entertainment, non-profit purposes.

This story deviates from the Ranma universe after Ukyou arrived in 
Nerima.  Some of the characters have been given mind-altering drugs by 
us and that's why they act out-of-character.  8-) This is generally a 
dark fic.

Comments, criticisms and MSTs are welcome. You can reach us at 
chiaty@singnet.com.sg
You can view this at http://web.singnet.com.sg/~chiaty/fanfics.htm

We also would like to thank our pre-readers, Justin Baugh,
King Chan, Jed Bidwell, Sam Vere, Arthur Edwards and Maurice Phillip.

[ ] = dream sequence
< > = character's thoughts
{ } = conversations in Chinese

LIME WARNING!

Part 4: Heart's Pain
-------------------------

(Joketsuzoku village, 6 years ago)
 
	"{Shan Pu! Wo ai ni!}" A ten-year-old Mousse declared. They were 
playmates since they were born. And each passing day made his love for 
her stronger. This love, however was not reciprocated. 

	He wasn't as blind as a bat then. In fact, he had perfect 
eyesight and could see the furthest distance in the village. His 
ability was not left to waste and he played an important role in the 
hunting expeditions. Every time, he would climb the highest tree and 
search for prey. And if danger loomed, he would whistle to alert the 
others. 

	His family was proud of him. He was the treasured kid in the 
village although the Elders belittled him because of his gender. He was 
given preferential treatment compared to his other male friends. This 
led to jealousy and his peers would pick on him whenever they could. But 
Shampoo would come to his rescue.

	Back then, Shampoo was already very cute. Her martial ability was the 
best in her generation and she was being groomed to be the future leader 
of the Amazons. He was the indispensable boy of the hunting missions. 
His participation had saved many lives and was the reason for the huge 
harvests. Being the most promising boy in his time, they were considered 
a perfect match.

	He didn't understand why Shampoo rejected his advances. Day after day, 
he would bring her flowers and he would declare his undying love for 
her. And it was during one of these times that tragedy set in.

	"{Accept my love, Shan Pu!}" With a bunch of roses in his right hand, 
Mousse rushed forward to hug Shampoo. 

	Shampoo was practicing by the river. Once alerted by Mousse's 
love proclamation, she sidestepped so that Mousse would miss her. "{Go 
away! I'm busy. Don't disturb me.}"

	Even then, Mousse was a very persistent child. He redoubled his efforts 
to glomp his purple hair goddess. This goddess was however, very 
annoyed. She forcefully detached him from her and booted him away.

	Unfortunately, he landed in the choppy waters. The river's 
current was too strong for the little Mousse. He tried to swim but the 
torrential waters was sweeping him away. 

	Shampoo stared in horror and began to scream for help. Several adults 
came running by, their faces paled as they realized what happened. The 
adults looked desperately around for branches or sticks that they could 
use to save the drowning boy. Shampoo shrieked when Mousse disappeared 
into the waters. 

	He finally reappeared further down the river. He was struggling 
frantically to keep his head above water. A man grabbed hold of a fallen 
branch, ran along the bank towards Mousse. Keeping a firm hold on one 
end of the branch, he swung it towards the boy. He missed the barely 
floating Mousse and tried again. And again. And again. 

	As the rest despaired, another villager came up to the man with a rope. 
Throwing the branch away, he repeated his attempts with the rope. But 
the young boy was always swept away before he could even touch the 
thing. Just as everyone started to lose hope, Mousse managed to grab a 
rock that stuck up above the surface of the water. However, the current 
was still tearing at his body, trying to sweep him away, and he was in 
danger of losing his grip.

	The man taking note of the new situation, made one last great 
effort to swing the rope towards the choking boy. At last, Mousse 
caught hold of it but lost his grip on the rock. But before he could be 
swept further away, the man pulled back the rope, hauling Mousse 
towards the bank. And Mousse was saved.

	He ran a high fever for the next couple of days. When Mousse 
finally recovered, he couldn't see clearly as before. The fever had 
damaged part of his brain.

	The loss of eyesight was a great blow to him. He was the butt of jokes 
when he mistook objects for people. His parents were no longer proud of 
him, instead they were ashamed of him. He was no longer needed for the 
hunting missions. Being the weaker sex and no longer useful for the 
hunting expeditions, he received no more preferential treatment, only 
dirt treatment. 

	A hero no more, he became a mere boy, a boy that was nearly blind. He 
hated his life. He hated everyone who laughed at him. He hated the 
heavens for blessing him with excellent eyesight and then taking it away 
from him. Most of all, he hated Shampoo, the girl he loved so dearly, 
being the reason of his downfall.

	The young boy stared at the blue skies above. On the plain, there was 
only him and the heavens. With a loud cry, pointing his hand at the sky, 
"{TO YOU, I PROMISE. I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE! I WILL HAVE SHAN PU! I 
DON'T CARE WHAT IT TAKES. I WILL FULFILL MY 
PROMISE EVEN IF IT KILLS ME.}" 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

(Nerima hospital, 4 a.m.)

	Cough. "{Help!}". It was a strangled cry, very soft in volume. Cough. 
"{Save...}" Mousse's face was a grimace. Beads of sweat appeared on his 
forehead. Cough. "{Me.}" His hands were raised to his neck, as if having 
difficulty in breathing. 

	"{Mu Tsu, wake up. You're safe now.}" Shampoo coaxed as she 
gently but firmly tried to disengage his hands from his neck for fear 
that he would strangle himself unwittingly. 

	Suddenly, he shot up from his bed. An acute pain in his abdomen area 
told him that he should lie down instead. Grunting and very slowly, he 
began to sink down upon his bed with Shampoo's help.

	With the greatest care, she lifted the sheets from the bed and set him 
beneath them. A very concerned Shampoo then took a piece of tissue paper 
and started to gently wipe his forehead. Satisfied, she turned to look 
him in the eyes and asked, "{are you thirsty?}" 

	He nodded. The aftermath of the dream still affected him. The 
horror of nearly being drowned still accompanied him till this very 
day. For many nights, his unconscious self would return to the dreadful 
day. His brain would simulate the drowning and he would relive the 
terrors over and over again. The screams that he tried but only 
succeeded in choking more water. The hopelessness he felt as he went 
down and then struggled to stay above the surface of the water. The 
coldness of the waters that chilled him to the bone.

	He shivered as he felt a touch on his arm. Turning, he saw a 
smiling Shampoo holding a glass of water. The smile sent a gush of 
warmth to his heart. She never smiled for him before. Despite himself, 
he found himself returning the smile to her. 

	Taking over the glass of water from Shampoo, he began to sip 
slowly. The brush of her hand sent a tingling feeling to his heart. 
This warmth feeling felt so good and it reminded him how it was to be 
in love. She was so gentle, why couldn't she treat him this way before?

	"{The doctors have already retrieved the bullet. Luckily, it did not 
hit anything important.}" Sitting down on a chair, she continued, "{you 
lost a lot of blood but with nutritious food and a lot of rest, you 
could be discharged by next week.}" 

	Her voice was soft and sensuous. It was like music to his ears. 
Mentally, he slapped himself. <Do you remember who blinded you?! She is 
a witch, trying to use her charms on you, to put you off-guard. Don't 
fall for it!> Putting on a worried mask, he began his act, "{Did he hurt 
you? Did you see a doctor? What did the doctor say?}"

	For the briefest moment, the beautiful eyes that she was so 
accustomed to were ones of hatred. She was momentarily surprised but 
dismissed it. Maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her, or maybe she 
was just too tired. Then, the old Mousse returned. She silenced him 
with a "{I'm fine.}" 

	"{Are you sure? You have taken quite a number of hits.}" 

	"{Yes, there's nothing that I can't handle,}" the Amazon in her 
speaking. "{But the doctors are keeping me here for a couple of days.}"

	He smiled at the irony of her statement. He imagined bruises all over 
her body. Broken bones that would take weeks to heal. The painthat she 
would experience in every movement she made. His smile grew wider.

	Then, he remembered the Plan. The smile disappeared, replaced by a 
frown. "{Did he ... you know...?}" 

	"{Mu Tsu! How can you think of such things?!}" Shame was the 
first thing that came into her mind. Anger was the only way that she 
knew how to deal with the embarrassing question.

	"{Well, did he?}" He asked, slightly more confident.

	"{No.}" She was worried at first. Who knew what the intruder had done 
while she was unconscious? But a confirmation from the doctor set her 
heart at ease.

	He released the breath that he was holding and started breathing 
normally. Relief stamped on his face.	

	She became aware that Mousse was not at his usual antics. There was no 
love proclamation, no flowers and no glomping. She also did not had the 
annoying feeling for him. But perhaps after the night's events, she 
would never be able to punt him to the sky. Afterall, he did take a 
bullet to help her. And he was the only one who would talk to her now. 
"{Why were you at the shop?}"

	"{I... I missed you. I wanted to just watch you from afar. But then I 
saw that you were in danger, so I rushed in.}" 

	He was staring lovingly at her now. She couldn't bring herself to meet 
those eyes. If she had, she would probably notice a flicker of disgust 
in those eyes. "{Where were you for these few days?}" 

	"{In the woods, I was practicing.}"

	"{Why didn't you come back?}" 

	He could hear the longing in her voice. She missed him. It 
gladdened him. The plan has worked. Desperately, he tried to keep a 
straight face and a lovelorn expression. "{You wanted me to stay far 
away from you.}" He could have won an Oscar for the performance.

	She looked at him with misty eyes. So touched was she that she hugged 
him. It was not the way that lovers hug but one that was for support. 
However that was enough for him, for now. And, they stayed that way for 
a long time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

	The morning was buzzing with news. Newspapers reports and 
television news programmes had reported an attempted rape attempt on a 
Chinese waitress. They had gone in length on the rumour about the 
waitress's involvement in an attempted murder case. 

	Street interviews were conducted and many said that the waitress 
deserved it. Reporters and television crew members had tried to 
interview the victim but to no avail. All they succeeded was a picture 
of the anguished look on her face.

	That picture haunted Nabiki. Not that she cared to admit it. But the 
guilty feeling after seeing Shampoo on television had intensified as the 
morning went by; she hated that feeling. 

	The feeling was not something new. She had plenty of experiences on it. 
It usually went away after some time. And she silently hoped that that 
'some time' would come sooner.

	<Damn Seiyu!> The thought ran through her mind for what felt like the 
millionth time that morning. She couldn't believe that he had ordered 
someone to rape that Amazon hussy. Her specific instruction was to make 
life difficult for her, not this. Contacting Seiyu seemed like a mammoth 
task. For the zillionth time that she tried, all she got was a busy 
tone. 

	She walked mechanically through the hospital wards. Seeing her comatose 
sister, she calculated, would relieve the guilt she had for Shampoo. 
Akane's condition had not improved and Ryouga was still painstakingly 
trying to make the 1000 paper cranes.  

	She stopped believing in fairy tales ever since her mother died. Such 
old wives' tale should not be believed either. If this was true, then 
there will be no deaths in this world. Her mother would not be taken 
away from her at such a young age. This paper crane thing was just a 
marketing gimmick thought out by the paper manufacturers.

	Her mask was broken as she thought of her mother. <What would 
mother think of me?> Her usually cold and neutral expression turned to a 
sad one.

	BUMP! Whilst turning into a corner, she had knocked onto someone. She 
was set a few paces back but the other person fell to the floor. 
Recognizing the purple hair immediately, she hardened herself and 
reverted back to ol' almighty Nabiki. "Look, what we have here. It's the 
damsel in distress," she scorned.

	"Greedy girl." Muttering under her breath, Shampoo sought to get up by 
using the walls for support. She had lied to Mousse when she said that 
she was fine. Truth was she couldn't even generate the strength to hit a 
fly. Although she hated to appear weak but her injuries did not allow 
her to appear otherwise. Slowly and painfully, she got up and met 
Nabiki's cold stare.

	"It's retribution. I'm so glad that such things do exist. Don't you?" A 
wry smile plastered on her face, Nabiki continued to taunt the woman who 
had poisoned her little sister. "Ah, but you're the evildoer. Still, 
paying for your crimes is just too little to ask, isn't it?" She fully 
enjoyed the angry scowl on Shampoo's face.

	"I no poison violent girl." It was an earnestly said but met with great 
skepticism.  

	"Oh, is that so? Hmm, where did I hear that before?" She put on a 
'thinking hard' expression to mock Shampoo. 

	"Is truth." It was firmly said and coupled with the expression on 
Shampoo's face, it wavered Nabiki, for a second. "Well, I think the 
truth is that you enjoyed the rendezvous with whoever that was. And when 
Mousse appeared, you had to keep up this story so that Ranma wouldn't 
know that you flirted with another guy."

	Her hand made a wide arc and the destination, Nabiki's face. To her 
surprise, Nabiki caught it. (Shampoo was injured and her movements were 
labourious, hence slow. And Nabiki didn't spend 17 years in a dojo and 
learned nothing.) Mustering her strength, Shampoo tore away from 
Nabiki's grip. Defeated, she tried to give a piece of her own mind. "No 
true. I nearly ... nearly ...," she couldn't bring herself to say the 
word. "Greedy girl, you worse than animal. I can shed blood but you no 
humiliate me. Man tried to... but Mousse saved me. This truth. Violent 
girl no poison by me. This truth also."

	"Don't you think this is a bit hard to swallow?" Nabiki 
countered, full of ridicule, although the mask she had was slowly 
slipping. The guilt was getting to her.

	She felt like she was fighting a losing battle. Nobody would 
believe her. Even the police had doubts to her story. Only Mousse 
believed her. Only if he was here with her now. She was so weary and 
ANGRY. "I swear on Amazon code and honour, everything I say is truth." 

	"The problem is that you don't have honour."

	That was the last straw. Why should she continue to stand there and 
suffer the ridicules? No matter what she did or said, she couldn't get 
Nabiki to believe her. "If I want kill Akane, she dead long time ago." 
Holding Nabiki's eyes for what seemed like an eternity, she walked past 
the slowly disintegrating girl.

	Keeping her mask on until Shampoo was out of earshot, she visibly 
slumped. She had prided herself in her ability to read other people's 
mind. Shampoo's eyes showed no signs of guilt whereas she was becoming 
overwhelmed in it. She was in an emotional turmoil, being less confident 
of what she did. 

	Suddenly, she felt that she didn't want to see anybody, not even Akane, 
the sole purpose she was here and the reason that justified her actions. 
She was almost ashamed of herself. <No! I've got nothing to be ashamed 
of.> Violently rejecting the idea, she satisfied herself with a <I just 
need to be alone.>.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Tadaima!" Nabiki called out. Wearily, she headed towards the 
sanctuary of her room. She had spent the whole afternoon doing 
absolutely nothing, just sitting on a bench in the park and thinking. 
It was so unproductive.

	She dragged her feet across the living room, barely noticing her father 
playing shoji alone. As she was ascending the stairs, an apron clad 
Kasumi walked out of the kitchen. "Nabiki, I'll like to talk to you." As 
the person in question was too tired, she missed both the seriousness of 
Kasumi's voice and the lack of smile on Kasumi's face. "Later, 
oneechan," she said not bothering to look back.

	Kasumi's unsmiling face turned into a frown. For the whole day, she had 
wanted to speak to Nabiki. There were things to clarify, 
specifically, was Nabiki involved in the attempted rape case. Her 
thoughts were interrupted when Soun asked for more tea. 

	Back in her room, Nabiki fell heavily on her bed. Closing her 
eyes, she willed herself to relax. For a while, a heavy silence filled 
the air, only to be broken by the ring of a phone.

	Lazily, she reached out for the phone next to her bed, "Moshi 
moshi."

	"Ms. Tendo, it's me, Seiyu."

	Hearing his voice, she immediately sat up, "Seiyu-san, where were you? 
I've been trying to reach you the whole day." Her voice was a bit harsh.

	"Well, I heard the news today. I was shocked. If you were 
wondering, I did not order that. But I wasn't sure if any of our men 
had participated in the extra-curricular activity."

	"So?" Her anger at Seiyu dissipated. 

	"No. I've interrogated them and they denied their involvement."

	She sighed, relieved that she had nothing to do with the case. But, she 
still had some misgivings, "You believe them?" 

	"Yes. Do you think that it's just a random attack, her being 
plain unlucky?"

	"Hmm, I don't think so. Nobody in his right mind would go against the 
Amazon. Shampoo is highly skilled and seeing the extent of her injuries, 
I say the person is out for blood."

	"My sentiments. The newspaper reported that it was a robbery-cum-rape 
case. But the Nekohanten has been closed for a couple of days, there 
wasn't much money in the restaurant."

	"Exactly...," A knock on the door brought her away from the 
phone. 

	Kasumi stepped in, not bothering to wait for Nabiki's answer. 
"Nabiki, can we talk?" she asked. Her tone carried a note of seriousness 
to it, something Nabiki hadn't heard in her older sister's voice for 
some time.

	Speaking to the phone, she ended with a "we'll talk later." 
Putting down the receiver, she looked at Kasumi in anticipation. She 
was not used to this serious Kasumi. 

	Kasumi started, "Nabiki..." Now that she had her full attention, she 
seemed to hesitate. Sometimes, the truth could be a scary thing. "Did 
you hear about what happened to Shampoo?"

	Nabiki arched an eyebrow, fully aware of where this conversation was 
heading. However, she let her sister continue as she was curious as to 
how Kasumi was going to approach the subject.

	"It was the most unfortunate thing. Even though she is the prime 
suspect for poisoning Akane, I wouldn't want this to happen on her." 

	Deciding that prolonging the conversation was not to her advantage, 
Nabiki decided to end it swiftly. "I know what you're getting at.  I 
wasn't responsible for it."

	Kasumi relaxed relatively but the frown on her face had not 
disappeared. "I believe you because you are my sister. And I trust that 
you'll not stoop to such lows. But I was so worried. What if I was wrong 
and that you had really done it, I don't know what will happen."

	"Oneechan..."

	Kasumi walked forward and sat on the bed beside Nabiki. Gently, she 
took Nabiki hands in her own and stared beseechingly into her sister's 
eyes. "This revenge business that you are planning, is not right. 
Revenge is a two-edged sword. It hurts the enemy and it also hurts the 
person wielding the sword. I don't want you to come to any harm."

	"I won't." Nabiki was slightly embarrassed with Kasumi's display of 
affection. She tried to pull her hand back to her own sides but Kasumi 
would not allow it. She seemed to grip it even tighter and her voice 
rose slightly in volume, "This is wrong. A high school student does not 
go around planning how to destroy another person."

	Nabiki got up from the bed, breaking free from Kasumi's grip. She 
replied defensively, standing to reinforce her statement. "But she tried 
to poison Akane. The police couldn't do anything and I had no choice but 
to take things in my own hands." 

	"Nabiki..." Kasumi had a pained expression. What had her sister become? 
Before, Nabiki used to listen and obey her every word. Now, she suddenly 
felt that her sisters were all grown up. They didn't need her to give 
them any advice anymore. She was just the cook, the washer, the servant.

	Nabiki felt bad about the harsh tone of her voice. Kasumi had 
always been there for her, always giving and not expecting anything in 
return. She sat down again and gripped Kasumi's slightly shaking hands. 
"I don't know whether I'm doing the right thing but I'm doing what I 
think is right." 

	"But what if you thought wrongly? You're going to destroy another 
person's life. Can you live with that?" She had promised her mother that 
she would look after the family. She had thought that she had done a 
relatively good job. But Nabiki may be making the mistake of her 
lifetime and she couldn't do anything to stop it.

	Nabiki was just as stubborn as Akane. It was probably a Tendo 
family trait. Staring deep into Nabiki's eyes told her that she was not 
totally convinced. Kasumi sighed. If only the years had not passed and 
she could still coax Nabiki with a sweet. Left with only a memory of the 
yesteryears, she tried to replicate an act that used to work.

	Kasumi kissed Nabiki on the cheek. It wasn't that awkward when they 
were still young. Kissing was an expression of love and Kasumi used to 
kiss her little sisters to show that she loved them. But this practice 
was discontinued for a long time and Nabiki was visibly surprised. 

	"I remember that my little sister used to hug me after I kissed her." 
Shaken out of her reverie, Nabiki embraced Kasumi and the act warmed 
their hearts. "I know that you have your own thinking and all but I just 
really want you to know how I feel. I love you and I want the best for 
you. And I don't want my Nabiki-chan to do anything that she would 
regret." 

	Nabiki broke away from the hug and stared at Kasumi. She was 
smiling at her and Nabiki returned the smile tentatively. How nice it 
felt to be cared for. As Nabiki was engrossed in her own feelings, 
Kasumi stepped away from her. It disappointed her a little.

	"I believe that you'll do the right thing," Kasumi said before she left 
the room. And it seemed to echo in Nabiki's mind. <The right thing.> 
What was the right thing to do? Was it right to let Shampoo get away for 
what she did or was it right for her to drop all that she had planned? 
Left in the empty room, she felt very lonely and confused.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
(3 days has passed)

	<Another busy day, another day of huge profit> thought Ukyou 
happily as she counted the day's earnings.  (If this kept up, she could 
afford to expand the business.)  She turned to look at Ranma 
who was mopping the floor.  <And another day of seeing Ran-chan so 
depressed> she thought.  "Let's have some supper, Ran-chan.  We've 
certainly earned it," she said, trying to cheer her up.  

	The two sat facing each other, eating their banana splits in 
silence.  The only noises in the restaurant were sounds of metal spoons 
touching the plates.  <The silence is killing me!> thought Ukyou 
frustratedly, not one to enjoy a quiet dinner.  <If I wanted to eat in 
silence, I could have eaten alone!  Maybe I should switch on the radio.  
But what if the news talked about Shampoo again, then Ranma would be 
reminded of...  Yup.  Definitely bad idea.  I should just start a 
conversation.>  Ukyou fidgeted in her seat as she wondered what to say 
to her fianc�e.  

	But Ranma had already finished her banana split.  She stood up, placed 
her utensils in the kitchen sink and dumped hot water onto herself, 
triggering the transformation.  Without even a glance back at Ukyou, he 
muttered, "Goodnight" and started up the stairs.

	"Wait!  Do you want to go to Jusenkyo?" shouted Ukyou.

	Ranma stopped and looked at her, with an interested expression.

	"I know how much you want to get rid of your curse and that entails a 
trip to Jusenkyo.  Well, I've made enough money for a trip to China for 
both of us.  What do you think?"

	For a moment, Ranma's eyes lit up as he thought about saying 
goodbye to 'Ranko' once and for all.  But he couldn't bear the thought 
of leaving Nerima, leaving while Akane was still in hospital, comatose.  
"No.  I have commitments here.  I can't leave, not now."

	Ukyou's eyes darkened.  She knew exactly what those 'commitments' were 
- one Tendo Akane.  <Why can't he just forget her?>  Ukyou ran up the 
flight of stairs, stopping one step below the step Ranma was standing 
on.  Grabbing his hands, she pleaded, "Ran-chan, can't you see what this 
place is doing to you?  Everything around here reminds you of her, of 
the fight and of Shampoo.  And you're dying a little bit at a time 
inside because of that.  Can't we leave Nerima and all its troubles 
behind?"

	"NO!" yelled Ranma as he shook his head vehemently.  He couldn't leave, 
he would never leave.  Not when Akane was still in hospital, not before 
he had the chance to apologize, not before he had the opportunity to 
tell her how he really felt about her.

	"All I'm saying is for us to leave and obtain a cure.  It needn't be a 
long trip, just for a few days."  She paused to catch her breath.  
"Staying here won't do you any good.  Plus, it's not as if your presence 
can help Akane's condition."  Ukyou instantly regretted her words.  They 
were harsh and thoughtless but that was how she truly felt.  "You need 
to get away for awhile.  Or your guilt will consume you whole.  Look at 
you now.  You hardly train any more.  And you hardly smile.  All you do 
is mope around, wishing that things had never turned out the way they 
had.  Where is the Ran-chan I knew?  Take the trip as a training 
expedition, a search for your cure or a vacation, I don't care.  Just 
go.  I want my old Ran-chan back."  Ukyou's eyes shimmered as though she 
was about to cry.

	"I can't," murmured Ranma as he walked up the stairs and entered the 
bathroom.  He stared at his reflection in the small mirror on the wall.  
<The old me is gone - forever>.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------
(The next day.)

	She was released from the hospital today. After bidding farewell to 
Mousse who would be discharged in two more days, she came to where she 
was now. Perched on a roof top of an opposite building, she had a bird's 
eye view of Ucchan's. 

	Her target appeared again. Dressed in a skimpy waitress 
uniform, she rotated among the hungry customers to take and deliver 
orders. This was the woman that she had given the kiss of death to. And 
it was the exact person that she had gave her heart to.

	Ranma's dual sexuality did not make her love him any less. He was 
strong and handsome. That's all that mattered. Her heart was his from 
the beginning.

	She wasn't stupid. She knew that Ranma didn't love her and he was more 
inclined towards Akane. That didn't stop her. Why should it? She was a 
warrior and in war, it was a fight to the end. Besides according to the 
Amazon law, he was already her husband.

	Getting what was rightfully hers meant that she could use 
unscrupulous methods. So, she tried very hard. Drugs, mind-controlling 
techniques, getting rid of the other fianc�es was just part of the 
package. Practically offering herself to Ranma was a desperate attempt. 
She wasn't brought up that way. She was taught to lord over man. But if 
flaunting her assets would give her an edge, she would do it.

	The problem was that the harder she tried, the more she failed. If only 
she had learnt from her own experience with Mousse, then maybe it would 
be a different story. Love could not be forced, if you tried to do it, 
you would just push the person further away.

	Now, her future with Ranma looked bleak. The only emotion that he had 
for her was hatred. But her heart still longed for him despite the 
verbal abuse and physical attacks.

	In the week that she was hospitalized, she had missed him 
terribly. Mousse was always there for her but he just couldn't replace 
Ranma's place in her heart. Sometimes, she just wished that the person 
she had fallen for was Mousse.

	<Danger!> Her instincts announced but it was too late. A stone had hit 
her, throwing her off-balance. Having just recovered from her injuries, 
her motions were still slow and she landed poorly. Ouch! She had 
sprained her ankle. Wincing slightly, she turned to her attacker. 

	"What are you doing here?" The voice was cold and unfeeling. "Are you 
trying to hurt someone else again?!" It was more of an accusation than a 
question. 

	Hurt, she looked pleadingly towards him, actually her at the 
moment. How could she make Ranma believe her? All she managed out was 
"Ai-ren..."

	"Don't call me that!" Ranma-chan roared. She took a step closer to 
Shampoo, faces inches away. Directing all her anger through her eyes and 
in a voice that was low and menacing, "I know you will never give up. 
But I tell you now, you will never have a chance with me. From the 
start, I never loved you and to the end, all I have for you is hatred." 

	Her heart shuddered. The closeness to her loved one had not 
gladdened her as she used to be. This Ranma could and would kill her if 
she wanted. And she feared her.  "Ranma, listen me."

	Seeing that the 'civilized' approach did not work, Ranma's anger 
flared. She took a few steps away from her, detesting their physical 
closeness. "No! I'm sick and tired of what you are going to say. I don't 
want to hear your voice. I don't want to see your face. Go back to the 
Joketsuzoku hell where you come from!"

	Tears glimmered in the corner of her eyes. Suddenly, she became aware 
that all eyes were on her. The lunch crowd at Ucchan's was watching the 
confrontation with interest. Some of them she recognized as her regular 
customers, were giving her looks full of detest. In a far corner, she 
could see Ukyou who was smirking. 

	Ranma had turned her back on her. Staring at it, Shampoo couldn't help 
but feel helpless and hopeless. In a voice that was so soft that only 
Ranma could hear, she tried the last time, "I can't go back without 
you."

	Ranma swirled and faced Shampoo again. "Then. Go. And. Die." She spat 
out every word, paying special attention to the diction of the words, 
signifying how serious she was.

	At that moment, Shampoo did die. Her heart died as her last hope was 
totally squashed. Emotionally, she was naught. Her only desire was to 
run, to run away from the place where the-Amazon-chasing-after-Ranma 
died. Her legs although hurting from the sprained ankle obeyed, carrying 
her away from the unflinching Ranma. What was left was a trail of tears 
and many painful memories.
	
--------------------------------------------------------------------

	Night has fallen. There was no moon tonight, no stars, nothing. The sky 
was pitch black. And it mirrored her feelings.

	Wandering along the streets, she refused to return to the 
Nekohanten. What's the point of going back when only four walls and 
more loneliness greeted you? Ignoring the stares that she had been 
receiving, she continued walking and limping until she could hardly do 
so. Her ankle had swollen considerably. The pain was intense but it 
didn't matter. 

	She had stopped crying a long time ago. She was done with it. 
There were no more tears, only emptiness. Just like a walking corpse, 
she could feel nothing, no sorrows, no injustice, no pain.

	Sitting on the grass in a park, she stared straight ahead. Not looking 
at anything in particular, just zoning into space. She didn't know how 
long she had stayed that way nor did she care.

	Thoughts of death entered her mind again. There was no point in living. 
She had no reason to stay alive. The decision was made easily. With a 
goal in mind, she smiled finally.

	She remembered hearing a story. It was about a man who travelled miles 
to return to his hometown to die. The reasoning was that he was born 
there, and spent most of his life there too. It was the place where he 
has most connections to. A place where most of his memories lie. The 
only place where his heart could truly find peace. There was really no 
place like home. 

	Joketsuzoku seemed so far away to her, so forbidden. She did the next 
best thing; she returned to the Nekohanten. 

	She changed into her best outfit, going as far as putting on 
make-up. She decided that if she wanted to die, she would go in the 
prettiest state.

	Taking out a piece of paper and a pen, she wanted to write down her 
last words. But for a while, nothing came to her mind. And she left it 
as that. 

	Moving away from the dressing table, she proceeded to her bed. Sitting 
down, she took out a knife, examining it. It had a sharp edge, meaning a 
swift cut which would result in little pain. Hovering the knife over her 
left wrist, she was about to cut herself when she heard a yell.

	"{STOP!}" It was Mousse's voice. He had run away from the 
hospital after receiving news of the spectacle in Ucchan's. The doctors 
had said that Shampoo was suffering from pangs of depression. And there 
was a high possibility that she might seek the easy way out, which he 
wasn't going to let it happen.

	He searched everywhere for her, starting from the Nekohanten to her 
usual haunts, back to the Nekohanten then to every corner in 
Nerima. It was his third time back to the cat caf� that he finally 
found her.

	"{Mu Tsu,}" she muttered softly. Realizing that he was here to stop 
her, she tried to end it quickly. But before the sharp object 
could touch her skin, it was sent flying away.

 	Mousse grabbed her shoulders and swung her to face him.
Holding her at arm's length and literally shouting at her face, "{I 
saved your life from the rapist. Your life belongs to me now. You want 
to die, ask for permission.}"

	His outburst did nothing to waver her need for eternal rest. It only 
served to bring out her tears. "{Mu Tsu, let me die. I have 
nothing to live for.}"

	"{No! I will not allow it,}" he howled. He was burning with 
desire to end it right here, but that would be fulfilling her wish. 
<You cannot die so easily. You need to be tortured. By my hands.>  
Looking away from her, he sought to stay calm. Taking a moment, the 
logical part of his brain went on an overdrive. 

	When he faced her again, his demeanour was restored, "{I love 
you. You are my everything. In my whole life, I've followed you 
everywhere you went. If you want to kill yourself, kill me first.}"

	She continued sobbing. His tenderness returned as he tried to 
dissuade her, "I know you are very depressed now. But suicide is not a 
solution. You'll just bring pain to the people who cares for you.}"

	"{There's no one. Even if there is, I don't care if they are sad or 
not. I am so unhappy. Death is my only consolation,}" the tear-
shrieked Shampoo continued. 

	<She's really serious.> He panicked, his tormentor should not go 
unpunished. "{Shan Pu, I for one, would be very sad, no, devastated. 
Please, let me help you. I will make you happy again. I will make it a 
goal in my life to bring you happiness. I'll shelter you from all your 
sorrows and woes. Let me take care of you?}" He repeated the lines 
convincingly, not meaning any word he said, except for the devastated 
part. He would be devastated to let her go just like that.  

	Racking his brains, he sought for the answer to this whole mess. Only 
one thing came to his mind. It was a desperate act. If it didn't work, 
all his hard work would go to waste. It was true that he could still 
have his pleasure to give her a slow and painful death but he would 
prefer to attain her heart first. 

	However, desperate times called for desperate measures.  "{Don't leave 
me.}" He said as he put on his lovelorn expression. Then, he proceeded 
to press his lips firmly against hers, savouring her taste. His hands 
went around her, bringing her closer to him until there was no distance 
between them. 

	She struggled. Her hands pushed at his chest. But he did not 
budge. Instead, he responded by crushing her with his hug and deepening 
the kiss. 

	The kiss was not all unenjoyable. She could feel the 
desperateness of his attempt, the emotion in the kiss. It felt good to 
be loved and desired when everyone else condemned you. In a time when 
she was most alone, he was there for her. It would be a lie to say that 
she was not touched by his affection. 

	After the rape attempt, he showed himself to be a true man, 
risking his life to save her dignity. Her heart softened especially 
when he had taken a bullet shot. She began to look at him at a totally 
new angle, without any prejudice. During the stay in hospital, she found 
that she enjoyed his company and somehow, her feelings for him grew. 

	Although the feelings were not as intense as to Ranma, they were there 
nevertheless but hidden by denial and stubbornness. This kiss brought 
out those feelings and she realized that she could love him. As the kiss 
progressed, she became absorbed in it too. Maybe she was finally touched 
by Mousse's love, maybe she desperately needed someone, maybe she felt 
that it was less painful to love someone who loves you more, or maybe it 
was a mixture of three for finally, she relented, kissing him back.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
(Monday morning, in Akane's hospital room)

	"Good morning, Ryouga.  I've brought you some breakfast," said Kasumi 
cheerfully as she placed his food on the table.  

	Then she leaned down and kissed Akane's cheek, murmuring, "It's a 
beautiful day, little sister, please wake up."  She stared hopefully at 
the coma patient, wishing that a miracle would happen, the same wish she 
had made everyday for a whole month now.  When she straightened up 
moments later, her cheerful mask was back on.

	"Do you need me to string any more paper cranes, Ryouga?" she 
asked sweetly.

	Ryouga was just about to reply when a middle-aged nurse came in.  The 
nurse smiled at the two and drew the curtains surrounding Akane's bed, 
effectively shielding her and Akane from sight.  Every morning, she came 
in to check on Akane's condition, clean her with a damp towel and change 
her hospital gown.  Then it was off to do the same for the other 
comatose patients in the same ward.  So it was a shock for Ryouga and 
Kasumi when the nurse suddenly dashed out, leaving her equipment behind 
and calling for the doctor.  The two teenagers leapt up from their 
seats, suddenly very afraid for Akane.  Soon, a doctor and several 
nurses came in and closed the curtains, once again shutting Ryouga and 
Kasumi out.  All Ryouga and Kasumi could do were to wait and pray.  

	Half an hour later, the doctor emerged, with a smile.  "Good 
news.  Miss Tendo has awakened."  The rest of his speech was muffled by 
Ryouga's joyful shouts.  Kasumi sat down on a chair and cried tears of 
relief.  Finally, her sister was going to be alright.  

	The doctor sighed, this always happened when a patient woke up or died.  
He had seen it so many times that he could predict who would cry and who 
would be like a crazed animal, yelling and jumping up and down.  "Please 
calm down," he begged the two.  "Although Miss Tendo has awakened, we 
need to run some tests to see if she has not been affected by her long 
period in a comatose state.  She does not seem to be suffering from 
amnesia but her muscles are likely to be stiff.  That can be treated 
with physiotherapy.  But we will not know for certain until more tests 
are done.  That will take quite some time so I advise the both of you 
return home and come back tomorrow."

	Kasumi nodded, still crying.  She couldn't wait to tell her 
father and sister the good news.  Ryouga asked if they could see her 
now but the request was gently denied.  He was a little disappointed 
but so long as Akane was going to be okay, he would not mind waiting 
another day to see her.  As the two headed out of the hospital, Ryouga 
happily commented, "The paper crane idea is really effective.  We've 
only made over 980 cranes when Akane woke up."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

	It was noon when Kasumi left the house.  She wanted to wait for Nabiki 
to come home so that she could tell her the news.  However, she 
remembered someone who needed that bit of news more than anyone else.  

	"Wow!" exclaimed Kasumi as Ucchan's came into view.  A long queue had 
gathered outside the restaurant and inside was even more packed.  People 
squeezing together in tables meant for only four diners each, others 
were standing up and eating their meals near the bar.  <The other 
restaurants nearby are crowded but not like this.>  She spotted Ranma, 
in a waitress uniform, busy taking down orders and serving dishes.  
<Don't Ranma and Ukyou have to attend school?> wondered Kasumi.  

	She squeezed past the queue, politely informing the angry crowd that 
she wasn't there to eat and entered the restaurant.  She waved at Ranma 
to get her attention.  When Ranma walked over, Kasumi immediately told 
her about Akane waking up, carefully editing out the fact that Ryouga 
had been there at the time.  "Why don't you visit her?  The doctor said 
that we could see her tomorrow.  She is in Ward 65 Room 12. I'm sure 
she'll be happy to see you."  That was all Ukyou could overhear for a 
customer had started talking to her.

	For the rest of the day, Ranma seemed more preoccupied than 
usual.  Ukyou thought that Ranma would be overjoyed at the news but he 
seemed even more troubled.  <Men.  Could never understand them,> she 
thought as she flipped a shrimp okonomiyaki.  When the restaurant 
closed for the night, Ranma finished his chores and immediately went to 
his room, not once talking to Ukyou.  

	Ranma sat on his tiny bed, knowing he wouldn't be able to catch forty 
winks tonight.  When Kasumi told him that Akane was awake, it was as if 
a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.  He was so relieved 
that he felt an impulse to hug dear, sweet Kasumi.  She was finally 
awake!  Even now, he felt like celebrating.  He would go down to visit 
her, first thing tomorrow.  And tell her how much he missed her, how 
much he loved her.  But what if Akane didn't forgive him?  What if she 
actually liked Ryouga more and that was why she pushed Ryouga out of the 
way during the fight?  Could he handle the knowledge or would he fly 
into a rage born out of jealousy  and hurt an innocent again?  He shook 
his head, trying to cast those thoughts away.  Hadn't he spend the day 
worrying about this and more?  Must he waste his night away too?  Ranma 
sighed as he changed into his pajamas.  He knew there was a reason why 
he didn't spend much time pondering before - it gave him a headache.  
Still, a thought came unbidden to his mind.  <How can I face Akane 
again, after what I have done?   I caused her to end up in hospital.>  
Ranma laid back onto the bed and brooded the night away.

	When morning came, Ukyou came down the stairs and found Ranma 
sitting on a bar stool, drinking green tea.  All the chairs and tables 
were wiped and ready for the day's customers.  She smiled at him, relief 
clearly showing on her face.  She too had lost sleep, thinking that 
Ranma would leave her again.  That he would pack up his bags and move 
back to the Tendos' to be with Akane. <Maybe Kami-sama is smiling down 
on me for once>, thought Ukyou as she hummed a happy tune.
	
-------------------------------------------------------------------

	Akane slowly opened her eyes.  Her whole body felt stiff and 
weak.  She tried to shift her body to a more comfortable position but 
couldn't.  Then she remembered what her doctor had said yesterday.  
<Was I really asleep for four weeks?>  All of a sudden, she noticed 
something and her eyes grew wide.  Paper cranes!  Strings of colourful 
paper cranes of all sizes hanging down from the ceiling, swaying gently.  
<They're beautiful> she thought, entranced by the sight.

	"Hey everyone, she's awake!" shouted a voice.

	Suddenly her vision was filled with the happy faces of her 
father, Kasumi, Nabiki and Ryouga.  She tried to say hello but a hoarse 
whisper came out.  After a sip of water, she managed to talk for awhile 
before falling asleep once more.  

	Soun started crying hysterically, saying, "My little Akane!  
Someone help!  Don't let her go into a coma again."  

	Kasumi hugged him and tried to calm him down.  "Don't worry, 
father.  She's just asleep."

	"Well, I've got things to attend to.  Bye," uttered Nabiki.  She had 
almost made it to the door when a tear fell.  She wiped it away 
before anyone noticed.  She didn't like to waste time crying and 
getting her eyes all puffy.  She had better things to do.

	What about Ryouga, you might ask?  Well, he was in a daze after Akane 
said hello to him.  He didn't even notice she had fallen asleep.  In his 
mind, they were riding on top of a huge crane.  It deposited them in 
front of a cave.  There he learnt martial arts from the wise old crane 
while Akane picked flowers and herbs, looking especially cute. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------
	After the lunch crowd madness had died down, Ranma shouted, 
"We've run out of tea.  I'll go buy some" and left in a hurry.  

	Ukyou ran to the door, wanting to tell Ranma that there were two tins 
of tea leaves in the storeroom, when she noticed the direction he was 
heading.  Not towards the supermarket but the hospital.  She gazed in 
his direction for a long time after he had disappeared from her line of 
sight.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

	He stood outside Room 12, his hand grasping the doorknob.  He 
wanted to rush inside and make sure that Akane was truly alright.  To 
find out if her injuries were healed.  He wanted to tell Akane how 
guilty he felt for injuring her.  To ask for her forgiveness.  He 
wanted to confess to how much he missed her.  He wanted to...  In his 
mind's eyes, he could see Akane lying on the bed, with small tubes 
inserted to her veins.  Her head wrapped in bandages.  He saw himself, 
begging Akane to wake up.  Shaking her body violently.   His tears 
flowing down and dripping onto Akane's hand.  But there was no 
response.  None at all.

	Ranma released the doorknob, and slipped his hand into his 
trouser pocket.  Still facing the closed door, he whispered, "Kasumi 
thinks that you will forgive me."  The scene in which his ki blasts hit 
Akane and she fell to the ground, her blood flowing to the ground, 
replayed in his head, like a stupid commercial that kept on repeating.  
"But that is not the problem.  The problem is I can't forgive myself. I 
am too ashamed to see you..."  

	He blinked away tears and balled his hands into fists.  "I'm 
going on a training trip for awhile, to try and find peace."  He 
paused.  The urge to rush in and assure himself that Akane was alright, 
had increased.  "I'm not saying goodbye, Akane.  More like, see you 
later.  I'll come back, I promise."  A pause as he thought about what to 
say next.  But he couldn't think of any.  "See you later, Akane," 
uttered Ranma as he tucked both hands into his pockets and walked away.  
He grabbed a cup of cold water from the dispenser and splashed the water 
on his face, triggering his transformation.  Only then, did he let 
himself cry.

	Inside the room, Akane woke up from a dream, in tears.  She 
couldn't remember what it was about, just that she had lost something 
very precious.  And that melancholic feeling continued throughout the 
rest of the day.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

	Back at Ucchan's, the front door was shut, causing many hungry patrons 
to seek food elsewhere.  Sitting in the back booth, Ukyou stuffed 
herself with vanilla ice-cream, wondering if she should be magnanimous 
and visit Akane.  The sound of a key turning the lock made her look up.  
It was Ranma in her girl form, looking like she had just cried.  

	"You came back!" she shouted happily.  <Maybe he came back to 
pack his bags and move back to the Tendo's,> a voice inside her 
whispered.  Ukyou firmly told that voice to quit yapping.

	"I've thought it over.  I want to go to Jusenkyo.  After that, I'm 
going to be training.  I've neglected martial arts for too long."  He 
smiled but that smile didn't reach his eyes.  

	"Sure!  We'll leave after I made the necessary arrangements."  She 
beamed at him but he didn't notice.  A frown creased her forehead as she 
focused on the task at hand.  

-------------------------------------------------------------------

	Happy. That was how she felt ever since Akane woke up. Even a 
million yen couldn't give her what she had now. To see Akane awaken 
from the dreaded coma, to hear her voice again was like a miracle.

	Perhaps Kami-sama had taken pity on the family. Or perhaps he had been 
moved by Ryouga's sincerity. He had given Akane back to them and Nabiki 
was sincerely thankful.

	The near loss of Akane had made her treasure her little sister more. 
She didn't show it outrightly like Kasumi or Soun. They were practically 
crushing Akane's bones from the hugs and flooding the hospital room.

	She was more subtle. Visiting Akane whenever she could was her 
expression of love. They were never that close and it showed during the 
visits. Talking was like a major chore, as both didn't know what to say. 
Akane would have known the home and school events from Kasumi and her 
friends respectively. But apart from these, Nabiki was really at a loss 
of what to say. 

	However, she couldn't stay away for long. She had a ludicrous 
feeling that once she turned around, Akane would be gone again. Despite 
the embarrassing silence, she was contented to just keep her within her 
sight. And she knew that Akane felt the same too.

	"Oneechan, you are here again." Akane said as she sat up on the 
hospital bed.

	"Yeah, I was around the area." Relieving the basket of fruits on the 
nearby table, Nabiki proceeded to sit on a chair by the bed.

	"You're always around the area." Giggled Akane.

	"Why? Do you hate my visits?" Nabiki said, taking an angry 
stance.

	Akane shook her head profusely. And the sisters laughed to their 
childish behaviour. "So, where is Ryouga? I expect him to be here," 
Nabiki started.

	"Kasumi took him to the canteen downstairs. Guess he was still hungry 
after eating lunch." 

	"Wow, looks like he has a big appetite like Ranma." The statement 
earned her a frown on Akane's face. And she berated herself for it. Yet, 
she couldn't help noticing how much Akane was missing Ranma. "Thinking 
of him?"

	"Why would I want to think about Ranma?" Her defensive tone grew softer 
as she continued. It was said with sadness and regrets. "He isn't my 
fianc�e anymore."

	"I never mentioned Ranma."

	"Oneechan!"

	Nabiki laughed at her blushing and slightly angry sister. As the 
laughter subsided, silence welcomed them. Akane seemed thoughtful. 
Probably thinking of her ex-fianc�e, Nabiki thought. 

	Personally, she had taken Ranma to be her brother-in-law. It was so 
obvious that the two were in love with each other. But the new turn of 
events might just destroy their relationship. And Ryouga had been so 
concerned and nice to Akane. Making the countless paper cranes was no 
mean feat, and the normally cold and heartless Nabiki was touched by his 
devotion to Akane.

	"Ahem."

	Nabiki and Akane turned to the owner of the voice. In the doorway stood 
a man, it was Seiyu. "Gomen nasai," Turning to Nabiki, "Ms. Tendo, I've 
made some important discoveries. You should hear this."

	"Okay." Nabiki replied and turned back to her sister. "I'll visit you 
later."  With a smile and a pat on her shoulder, she left the room.  

	It was a park next to the hospital that they decided to have this 
conversation. There were not many people here, hence privacy.

	"We found something. My contact from the immigration department was 
initially surprised at the ease which the Amazons got their permits to 
stay in Japan. He worked on that and now he had gathered incriminating 
evidence that Cologne had bribed officers. If we present this to the 
police, Shampoo and Mousse would be asked to leave the country."

	Seeing no response from Nabiki, he continued, "So what do you 
think about it? Once I have your word, we could sent them packing in no 
time." Again, his client was silent. She wasn't looking at him but was 
staring right ahead. He followed her gaze and saw a nice looking woman.

	<Kasumi. Was she following me?> Anger rose at the thought. 

	"Ms. Tendo?" He was slightly bewildered. She looked agitated, not the 
way he imagined her to be. The reason for his employment was to send the 
Amazons home and now that they had a chance, why was his 
client hesitating?

	"Gomen. I...," she caught the displeased look that Kasumi had 
directed to her. <Do the right thing.> That was the most thought 
provoking sentence that she had heard. What was right? Struggling with 
her feelings, time elapsed.

	He was waiting patiently. That didn't relieve her confusion. She felt 
two pairs of eyes on her, expecting something from her. Her 
turmoil intensified.

	This was her chance to get back at Shampoo. An opportunity not to be 
passed. The final step to her revenge. But somehow she found herself 
resisting the idea. Possibly it was the way Kasumi was staring at her 
now or, possibly she wasn't that certain of the guiltiness on Shampoo's 
part. "No."

	"Huh?"

	It was a huge relief after she made the decision. For weeks, her heart 
had not felt this calm and peace. This, she took it as a sign that it 
was the correct decision. "Gomen, Seiyu-san. Close the 
operation. I'll pay you the full amount." 

	"Are you sure?"

	"Hai." She had not failed Kasumi and she did not intend to start. Akane 
was on her way to recovery. Whether or not did Shampoo commit the 
atrocious crime did not matter anymore. She had suffered a lot based on 
the previous encounter. And Nabiki had a part in it.

	"Okay," he was slightly disappointed. He would like to see the whole 
thing through. It was a form of closure. Still, he respected her 
decision. "I hope that we'll meet again." He brought his hand forward in 
a handshake position, which Nabiki responded promptly. 

	"Thanks a lot, Seiyu-san." He gave a smile to her and left. 

	Nabiki walked towards her elder sister, a smile on her face. 
"Were you following me?" She asked playfully. 

	"No, I was on my way home after visiting Akane and I saw you with that 
nice gentleman. So I waited, thinking that you would want a 
company home." Kasumi lied. Well, she couldn't say that she was worried 
that Nabiki would sink deeper into the revenge business. It was one of 
the rare moments but she seemed to be doing a good job at it. 

	Nabiki was suspicious but let it pass. This was her beloved 
sister afterall. In the good mood that she was in, she may even forgive 
any debts. "Then, let's go."

	Kasumi was dragged along with Nabiki. Out of the blue, Nabiki 
blurted out a sentence. "I've dropped everything." Kasumi smiled 
knowingly. It was not her everything-is-alright smile but one that 
originated deep in her heart. Letting go was not easy but Nabiki had 
succeeded. Her sister was truly grown up now. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------

	[A fifteen-year-old Ukyou was sleeping. She sprawled on her 
single bed, a smile on her lips. Dreaming of dreams that was not too 
far from the reality. A sigh broke the silence of the night. Then, a 
moan and a whisper, "I love you too, Ami-chan." 

	The door to her room cracked open. It made a small creaking sound but 
the occupant was too absorbed in dreamland. A man tiptoed his way to her 
bed. 

	She was having a dream about her lover. The dream was what hot-blooded 
teenagers guided by their hormones would have. They were making out. 

	In the midst of shifting and turning on her bed, her blanket has long 
been kicked to the ground. Her T-shirt no longer clothed her 
properly and a generous amount of her flesh was shown. Wearing a pair 
of shorts, the breath-taking sight of her smooth long legs was also not 
concealed. 

	Seeing the young girl's compromising position did not leave him 
unaffected. He was a man, a man intent on satisfying his hormones. He 
was breathing heavily now and his heart sped up involuntarily. Taking a 
step closer to the sleeping beauty, he attempted more than just kissing 
her. Unlike the prince of the fairy tale, he had no intention of waking 
her up until he was done.

	Suddenly she felt very cold, unaware that she was being 
undressed. But her sunshine was right in front of her. Still in her 
dream, the lovers necked.

	Her skin felt cold to the touch and it stimulated him even more. 
Watching in fascination, he marvelled at his work. He had seen her naked 
before but that was a long time ago. The whores he had been with were 
nothing compared to the shapely body in front of him. Flushed with 
excitement, he began.

	Ukyou was still far away, in a place that only consisted of the two 
young lovers. Whilst enjoying the necking, she felt a tingling sensation 
on her breast. For a while, she thought nothing of it. It was just her 
body reacting to Ami's ministrations. But later, the moisture on her 
breast told her something was wrong. 

	Slowly coming out of her slumber, she finally registered a heavy weight 
on top of her. And it dawned on her that the person was doing 
unspeakable things to her. Screaming, she tried to push the person off.

	Thrown out of his bliss, he was truly pissed. Grabbing her hands, he 
forced and kept them above her head. The close proximity allowed her to 
finally see the person. "Father, please let me go." She pleaded and 
struggled, moving her legs, arms and body to shove him away. His right 
hand moved away, leaving his left hand alone in imprisoning her hands. 
He made a wide swing and with the greatest force, slapped her. "BITCH!"

	Ignoring the burning sting on her cheek and the tears that flowed 
uncontrollably, she continued her efforts against him. "Stop! Please 
stop. I promise to be a good girl. I make lots and lots of money. I give 
you all my money. Stop, please."

	Her pleading fell to death ears. But her squirming excited him even 
more. Now that he had seen her body and felt it beneath him, there was 
no turning back for him. Nothing mattered anymore. He didn't care if the 
girl was his own flesh and blood. He didn't care if what he was doing 
was unlawful or immoral. He needed to get inside her. 

	He loosened his belt with his free hand and proceeded to use it to tie 
both her hands together to the bedpost. It was done in a jiffy. She 
begged him again. "Father, I'm your daughter. Please. I remember when I 
was young, you used to protect me and take care of me. This is not you. 
You would never harm me. Let me go and we'll treat nothing has 
happened."

	"Shut up!" He shouted, he was beyond reasoning, that was what a couple 
of booze would do. He ran his hands around her body, exploring it, 
lingering at some parts. He could hardly contain himself. Hastily, he 
stripped himself.  

	Looking into her fear-filled eyes, he attempted to sooth her 
nerves, "Why give yourself to the other ungrateful males? You know, 
they're going to use you and throw you away once they have their fun. 
Since you got something good, you should share it with your father."

	"NO! Father, Don't..." That earned her more slaps but she was 
nowhere near freeing herself. Her arms were tied and no matter how hard 
she tried, she could not break out of it. She also did not have any 
leverage against him. She panicked when he repositioned himself at her 
entrance. 

	"Don't worry, you'd enjoy it." 

	It was the voice of a man whom she once loved but grew to hate. A 
simple sentence it was and it doomed her to hell. What happened next 
was a stain that she could never rub away, a nail to the coffin that 
sealed her happiness forever away from her. 

	She was dirty now.]

	Ukyou twisted and turned, instinctively pulling the blanket closer and 
moaned softly.  She felt a hand on her shoulder and she recoiled back 
instinctively, trying to get away from her father's grasp.  But now two 
hands were on her shoulders, shaking her.  Blinking as she awoke, she 
found an air stewardess peering at her concernedly.  

	"Are you okay?" asked the stewardess.

	Ukyou wrapped the blanket even tighter around her body as she was still 
shaken up by the nightmare.  She nodded and replied, "Yeah.  It's just a 
nightmare.  Sorry to bother you."  She managed a smile and wiped off her 
tears with the back of her hand.

	"Well, we have an hour before arriving in China.  Would you like a 
drink to calm your nerves?" 

	"Okay.  Iced water, please."  She smiled at all the other curious 
passengers and they went back to what they were doing before.  Sipping 
her drink, Ukyou turned to look at Ranma, who was sound asleep in the 
next seat.  <Just like Ranma to be oblivious to my pain.>



End of Part 4


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