============================
PART X
How to stop a Mousse from charging.
============================

Soun Tendo looked around his Dojo, weeping buckets. Nabiki wondered
vaguely why he always did that - the place always looked like a war
site after enraged Amazons passed through. "Daddy, there's no need to
cry. We're insured," she reminded him. *Although I intend to land
those Amazons with a hefty bill for this*
Soun carried on crying. "Our ancient, ancestral home! It's in ruins!
It'll never be the same again!" Nabiki sighed. "Ranma, Ryogas, wood's
in the backyard, nails and tools in the toolbox. Get repairing before
Daddy floods the place even more."
Akane arrived, leading R-C. "What on earth happened here?!!"
"Shampoo wanted her ramen back," Ranma joked. "Why's R-C still
blindfolded?"
"Dr Tofu's didn't have a cure, but he's looking for one," R-C
explained. "He'll phone here later. What's happened?" 
The boys explained while repairing the damage. They'd soon finished
both, and went back inside. R-C sighed. "When Shampoo turns up, I'll
have to face her. I can't let you take the rap."
"But you can't see," Ukyo reminded her.
R-C shrugged. "So? I could take her any day..."
*CRASH* 
Everybody jumped at the noise. Mousse stood by a hole in the wall.
"HIBIKI, PREPARE TO ... uh ... why are there three of you?"
"Hey! We just fixed that!" Ryoga moaned.
Mousse glared at him. "I said, why are there three of you?"
R-D cut in before Ryoga could reply. "He's really triplets."
"Quadruplets. You forgot R-C" Ranma reminded him.
Mousse shook his head. "Never mind." He fell into a fighting stance.
"RYOGA, PREPARE TO DIE ...*THUNK* ...ugh." 
Ryoga checked his umbrella to make sure it wasn't dented. "Mousse, do
you feel OK?"
"You just smacked him in the head with an umbrella. Of course he's not
OK," Ranma interjected.
Mousse clambered slowly to his feet. "The time for talk is over. But I
will say this once." He pointed an accusatory finger at Ryoga. "I will
NEVER accept your engagement to Shampoo!!!!"
R-C, R-A, Akane, Nabiki and Ukyo all spat their drinks across the
table. "WHAT?!!" they all screamed.
R-C picked her jaw off the floor. "I never heard this part of the
story!!"
Ryoga shook his head. "Neither did I!!"
"DIE!!"
The girls ran for cover. Well, most of them ran, leaving R-C sat in
the middle of the floor, not knowing what direction to turn. (Which
was nothing out of the ordinary.)
"WAITWAITWAIT!!!" Ryoga tried to avoid a mass volley of weaponry.
"What are you talking about?!!!"
"Shampoo is mine!!!"
A blade went flying past his head. "You can keep her!!" 
Mousse flared up. "You allowed yourself to be engaged to her and you
don't WANT her?!!! I'LL KILL YOU!!!"
Ryoga kicked him and Mousse suddenly found himself blind as his
glasses bounced to the floor. Squinting around, he saw a blurry
figure, that looked slightly Ryoga-ish. ""you shall not escape!!!" R-D
reached over and pulled R-C to safety as a potentially lethal blade
buried itself in the spot she'd been sitting. Ryoga whacked Mousse
over the head with his umbrella.
"YOU"
*WHAM*
"STUPID"
*WHAM*
"BLIND"
*WHAM*
"IDIOT!"
*WHAM*
"YOU"
*WHAM*
"ALMOST"
*WHAM*
"KILLED"
*WHAM*
"MY"
*WHAM*
"SISTER!!!"
*WHAM*WHAM*WHAM*WHAM*WHAM*WHAM*
"Errr ... Ryoga, don't take this the wrong way, but you may wanna work
on your communication skills before you start any kind of work," Ukyo
said nervously.
R-D sniggered. "What for? I think Mousse got the message _quite_
clearly."
R-C whipped her head from side to side. "What happened? What's going
on?"
Shampoo appeared at the caved in wall. "What happen to stupid Mousse?"
"I'm not going to marry you," Ryoga said quickly.
Cologne appeared at her great-granddaughter's side. "Did you do this
to Mousse, son-in-law?"
Ranma shook his head. "No I didn't, Ryoga did."
Cologne smirked. "That's who I was talking to."
Ryoga shook his head. "Oh no! No way! I am NOT going to marry
Shampoo!" He backed away. "Never! I'm not!" He looked over at Akane,
who'd entered the room when she'd realised the immediate danger of
decapitation was over. (Somewhere around the 'ill' in 'killed my
sister'.) "I'm not going to marry Shampoo!"
Shampoo grinned. "Oh well, that look like that over ..." She turned to
leave.
"Shampoo!" Cologne barked.
Shampoo groaned. "He no _want_ marry me ..."
"But Mousse does." Cologne pointed out. Shampoo immediately dropped
the bonbori she was holding, dashed across the room and hugged the
_very_ shell-shocked Ryoga hard. "Wo ai ni, Airen!!" Ryoga turned a
very dark shade of pink, then fainted.

He wriggled his nose as something tickled it lightly, not quite awake
yet. After a moment, the tickling started again, rather as if someone
was holding a feather under his nose. (That is one of the most ultra
irritating things in the universe, next to Alvin and the Chipmunks and
little siblings.) He reached and brushed his face, a slight frown
appearing on his face.
Shampoo sighed, and peeked across the room at her great-grandmother.
She'd given her a long lecture, telling her to make the best of a bad
situation. Ryoga didn't need to know he was second-best, as far as
they were concerned, so Shampoo needed to pretend she really did like
him or he'd never agree to go to China with them, Cologne had
explained. Shampoo didn't quite see why she had to play the loving
fianc�e while he was unconscious. Cologne was still staring at her
intently, so Shampoo immediately resumed playing with Ryoga's hair,
pretending she actually cared and feeling slightly guilty because she
didn't. Now if it was _Ranma_ who was laying with his head on her lap
.. a goofy grin appeared on her face and once again, long tendrils of
purple hair brushed against Ryoga's nose. Ryoga relented and opened
his eyes. "Where am I?"
"Nihao, Airen!" Shampoo said with forced cheeriness. "How you feel?"
Cologne picked up Mousse, slung him over her shoulder and jumped out
of the window. "Now, Shampoo, explain things carefully to your
husband. See you later!"
Shampoo waited until she'd gone, then shoved Ryoga away from her. "Get
up, Airen!"
Ryoga sat up. "We're not getting married and that's fin..." Looking
around the room, he finally realised everyone was staring at them in a
not staring at them kind of way. (Except for R-C, who was still
blindfolded.) "...al," he finished weakly.
R-A looked around. "Uh ... I think I left my iron on." He jumped to
his feet. Ranma stood up too. 
"Yeah, I think I left your iron on too." The room emptied quickly.
Shampoo looked sulky. "It either you ..."
"Wait a second," Ryoga interrupted. He walked swiftly over to the door
and flung it open. Ukyo, Ranma and R-D fell on a heap onto the floor,
along with three glasses. "We were just, you know, collecting the
dirty glasses for Kasumi," Ranma said quickly. 
Ryoga glared at him. "I'm not quite _that_ gullible, Saotome. Now get
lost!" He slammed the door and walked back over to Shampoo. "What were
you saying?"
Shampoo started again. "Great-grandmother say Shampoo marry either
you, or Mousse..."
"So you chose me?" Ryoga felt slightly flattered.
"Yes. Shampoo never want marry Mousse!" Shampoo decided she may as
well try and act convincing, so she grabbed hold of Ryoga's hands.
"Shampoo choose you!"
Ryoga blushed and pulled his hands away. "You don't really want to
marry me, do you."
*NO!* she thought. "Yes!" she exclaimed, grabbing his hands back.
"Shampoo like you for very long time," she insisted. *No Shampoo
don't* her mind whispered. She shook her head a little and smiled
brightly at Ryoga. "But Shampoo engaged to silly Ranma." *Shampoo
still want to be engaged to silly Ranma.*
Ryoga pulled his hands away again. "You tried to kill me this
morning," he pointed out. "You've tried to turn me into lunch, you've
bounced off my head, run into me numerous times with your bike, you
and Ranma set up a trap for me in the men's baths ..."
"Shampoo not know it you when she make you dinner and bounce on head,
bike is accident and why you think Shampoo ambush you in men's bath?"
she responded quickly.
"What about this morning?" Ryoga didn't believe a word of it.
Shampoo began to lose her patience. "Shampoo just annoyed last of love
potion get stolen. Shampoo upset man she loves have to steal from
her..."
Ryoga groaned. "Come on Shampoo, you don't want to marry me and I
don't want to marry you. Stop pretending you do. Just marry Mousse. At
least then, one of you will get what they want!"
Shampoo was annoyed now. *What Shampoo have to do to make him believe
me?!!* True, she didn't want to marry Ryoga, but she wanted to marry
Mousse even less. She couldn't understand it. She'd seen him fall for
Ranma's dumb disguises many times and all Ranma had to do was glomp
the guy. She'd already done that, and seemed to be no closer to
winning him over. *Maybe it because he cursed as girl now ...*
Ryoga stood up. "See ya."
"WAIT!" Shampoo glomped him from behind, but still got nothing more
than a blush from him. "Where you go?!!"
"I'm going to have something to eat. I haven't had breakfast yet ...
or lunch," he replied, opening the door. Ukyo, Ranma and R-D crashed
in a heap on the floor again. "What are you lot doing?!! Have you no
respect for privacy?!!!"
Shampoo decided it was time for drastic measures. She grabbed Ryoga,
spun him round to face her, flung her arms around his neck and kissed
him passionately. The three witnesses (who'd just picked themselves
up) fell over in shock. Ryoga fainted for a second time. Shampoo felt
strangely proud. After all, if she could kiss Ryoga without killing
either him or her, then she felt the same could be said about marrying
him.

End Part X
Final song - Communication Breakdown

==========================
PART XI
Quit playing games with my heart.
==========================

"She WHAT?!!" R-C couldn't believe her ears. "I don't believe it!"
"Well she did." Ukyo folded her arms. "Just grabbed him and snogged
him, just like that." She stabbed her dinner viciously.
"What did he do?" R-C asked, poking at the table and trying to locate
her plate.
"Passed out immediately. What do you think he did?" Ukyo felt savage.
*If a guy kissed me like that, I'd make sure I stayed awake!*
"Where the heck is my dinner?" R-C frowned. 
Ranma swallowed her fish quickly. "No idea. Maybe the panda ate it."
He laughed nervously. "No, no, it was _necessary_! Akane wanted to
cook me some dessert ..."
"You STOLE _MY_ DINNER?!!! _MY_ _DINNER_?!!!!!!!!!!!" The knife and
fork crumpled like tin foil. "First you started by stealing my bread,
now it's my entire meal?!!" For R-C, it was the last straw. "RANMA,
PREPARE TO DIE!!!" she shouted, jumping in his general direction. 
Ranma dodged quickly. "Temper, temper!"
R-C snarled. "Shut up. The moment I'm cured, I'm gonna pound you!" 
R-A sighed. "You can have the rest of my dinner, R-C." He moved it out
of Ranma's reach. "I said R-C, not Ranma."
"I said I'm not going to marry you, and I'm still saying I'm not going
to marry you!" The voice floated through the door.
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"PLEASE!!!"
"NO!!!"
"I think Ryoga's awake again," Ranma said, casually leaning over and
sneaking a bit more of R-C's food. 
R-D bopped him on the head. "Leave it."
Ryoga stomped into the room, Shampoo clinging to the back of his
shirt. "You come marry Shampoo, Shampoo want you."
"No." He snatched a bread roll and glared at everyone. "What are you
all staring at?" He marched back out of the room.
There was a short pause. "I've never seen Shampoo act that way over
Ryoga before," Akane said eventually.
"I've never seen Ryoga resist female advances this much before," Ranma
responded. "Things change."
Shampoo was very annoyed. And hurt. Ryoga should've been putty in her
hands by now, but he was acting as if nothing had happened between
them. A little niggling doubt sprung up in the back of her mind.
*Maybe Shampoo ... not pretty at all. Only Mousse like Shampoo, and
Mousse blind anyway. Maybe Akane pretty really ... Ranma like her
better, Ryoga like her better, stupid bokken boy like her better.*
Shampoo started to cry. It was bad enough she'd already lost Ranma, to
Akane, most likely, but now she was losing Ryoga to Akane? It wasn't
fair!
Ryoga stopped. "Shampoo?" He turned around and looked at her, slightly
concerned. "Shampoo, what's the matter?" *She can't really be upset
because I don't want to marry her ... can she? She doesn't even like
me. Then again ...* He remembered the first time Shampoo had met the
male Ranma. *She _did_ fall for him pretty quick ...*
Shampoo sat down and buried her head in her arms. "Shampoo want you!
Shampoo want you to like her!!" She began to bawl.
Ryoga sat down next to her. "Um ..." *Oh, great start, Einstein!* "...
well, I ..." *And that was supposed to be better?!!* He gritted his
teeth. "Cheer up now, Shampoo ..." 
Shampoo hugged him again, leaning her head against his chest. She
didn't stop crying, though. "Shampoo lonely ..."
Ryoga blushed again and tried to think of something encouraging to
say. After a few minutes, he gave up trying to think of anything and
just let her cry into his shirt. He stoked her hair absently and
drifted into thought.
was hugging, Ranma whose arms she was in, Ranma who was stroking her
hair and whispering that everything was going to be all right ...

Ukyo poked him with her spatula. "Well he's breathing, so my diagnosis
is that he is merely sleeping." 
Ryoga yawned and opened his eyes. "Mmm?"
"Hey, Ucchan, maybe you should become a doctor," Ranma teased. "You
did a marvellous job of working out that Ryoga wasn't dead."
Ryoga shut his eyes again. "It's too early ..." he mumbled.
Ukyo whacked him with a clang. "You idiot!"
"Ow! What was that for?!!" he protested, propping himself onto his
elbows. Shampoo mumbled something in her sleep and tightened her grip
an his shirt. "Aah!" Ryoga yelled, scooting away. "What's _she_ doing
here?!"
Ranma laughed. "I think you hit him too hard, Ucchan." 
Ryoga blinked and the day's events came flooding back to him. "Oh. I
remember now. I must have drifted off after Shampoo cried herself to
sleep."
"You're lucky Mousse didn't find you two," Ukyo pointed out. "You
looked very cozy." She turned on her heel. "Coming back to the Dojo?"
Ryoga picked up Shampoo. "Yeah. Is there anything left to eat? I'm
starved..."

R-C grinned. "It's so gooood to be able to see again!"
Dr Tofu grinned back. "You lot are my most regular cases! Anybody else
here eat something weird?" he asked.
"Not since Akane last cooked," Ranma said cheerfully.
"RANMA, YOU JERK!!!"
"You might want to stick around though," R-D said.
Ryoga ignored the chaos around him and focused on his red bean bun as
if it were the most fascinating thing ever. *Why is it hurting so much
to hope?*
*Because you know there isn't any hope.*
*But she kissed me. Maybe she really does like me ...*
*Don't kid yourself. She just doesn't want to marry Mousse.*
*Hmm. But why not try for Ranma again?*
*Nabiki'll send that letter to her village and they'll force her to
marry Mousse.*
 *But why me?*
Short pause. Followed by another, slightly longer short pause. *I've
been searching your whole mind here and there is absolutely nothing
here to explain why Shampoo would like you, other than the fact you're
single and you can see. You might wanna ask the others,* he finally
thought.
*Nooo thanks, I think I'll pass.* 
"Staring at that bun isn't going to make it any bigger," Ukyo teased.
Ryoga stood up. "Be back soon."
"Where are you going?" Nabiki asked.
Ryoga grinned. "That'll cost you ..." He crept out of the room while
everyone else laughed at Nabiki. The only person who would be able to
explain what Shampoo saw in him was Shampoo. 

Shampoo opened her eyes sleepily and glanced around the room. 
"You awake?"
Shampoo turned around, startled. "Ryoga! You carry Shampoo here?" 
"Yes." Ryoga sat down next to her. "Shampoo, what do you like about
me?"
Shampoo was caught off guard. "Uh ..." *Nothing* her mind whispered.
She frowned. There had to be _something_ nice about him ... what was
it Cologne had said? "Um ... you strong?"
Ryoga snorted. "Is that all?!!" He stood up. "If that's all I've got
going for me, I don't understand why you love me."
*Oh, I see! He challenge Shampoo ... he not believe Shampoo serious.*
She looked at him for a moment. "You cute."
"Liar." Ryoga crossed his arms and scowled. "I've got hair like a mop
head, teeth like a vampire and a face only a mother could love." *Ha.
Try and make something nice out of that,* he thought smugly.

*Note - Every teenager on the face of the planet hates something about
themselves. Even those who are thin or beautiful genuinely believe
they have the face and waistline of a woolly mammoth. Of course, some
people really _do_ have the face and waistline of a woolly mammoth.
But they're usually the ones who believe they're Gods gift to the
world.

Shampoo blinked. "Shampoo like your hair!" she protested. "Shampoo
like to run fingers through it." *That sort of true, anyway.* "Neko
Shampoo have teeth like you." *That true too ...* "Shampoo want be
mother one day, so love face." *Ha! Take that, too too stubborn boy!*
Ryoga thought for a moment. *O-kay then ...* "What about my
personality?" *If you can find something nice hidden in with
'emotional screwup' and 'gullible idiot' I'll consider marrying you.*
Shampoo thought for a while. "Errr ..." *This hard ...*
Ryoga waited a little while longer, his spirits falling. *I knew there
was nothing nice about me.* He opened the door. "I trust you can find
your own way to the Cat Caf�?" he said quietly.
"Wait, don't go!" Shampoo exclaimed, jumping to her feet and grabbing
his arm. With more force than he intended, he pulled himself out of
her grip and walked away. Undeterred, Shampoo ran in front of him,
blocking his path. "Wait!" Ryoga tried to side-step her and she pushed
him backwards. 
Ryoga grabbed her wrists. "Stop it, Shampoo." Shampoo looked up at him
to yell at him to let go. She almost winced at the pain reflected in
his eyes. "Don't play any more games with me." He pushed past her and
went outside. It hurt too much to hope any more.

End Part XI
Final song - When Will I Be Loved

==============
PART XII
The Nightwalkers.
==============

Shampoo glared at the wall, wondering what was going wrong. She
should've had Ryoga on a leash by now. But she was the one being
strung along.
Cologne looked at her. "Shampoo, you were gone quite a while. How did
things go with son-in-law?" Mousse angrily tightened his grip on the
glass he was holding. It shattered and ground into dust
*Stupid Ryoga and stupid Cologne and the stupid Amazon laws!* he
thought to himself, trying not eavesdrop too obviously.
Shampoo continued glaring at the wall. *Shampoo could've said something! Not matter if true or not! Could've said Ryoga
generous, or helpful ...*
"Shampoo, are you listening to me?"
*Or honourable, or honest, or ...*
"Shampoo?"
*Or he cute when he all nervous, and when he disorientated ...*
"SHAMPOO!!!"
Shampoo looked at Cologne in surprise. "Yes, great-grandmother?"
"How did things go with son-in-law?"
Shampoo opened her mouth to say things had gone horribly, she'd done
everything wrong, Ryoga hated her and he was never going to marry her
and she'd rather die a childless spinster rather than marry Mousse.
"Things went fine."
Mousse grumbled to himself and shattered another glass.
Cologne looked surprised. "What, really?"
"Yes. Shampoo go back tomorrow. Alone." *Well, Shampoo _will_ go back
tomorrow. Try talk to Ryoga again.*
Cologne grinned. "So what did you two do?"
Shampoo shrugged. She may as well embellish the good stuff. "We took
little walk together, *Liar. Ryoga ran off and Shampoo chase after
him* took little nap together, *Liar. Shampoo cry herself to sleep
alone and Ryoga nice enough to carry Shampoo back.* and Shampoo give
Ryoga goodbye kiss." *Liar. That before...*
*CRASH*
Cologne sighed. "Mr Part-time, you'd better sweep up all those
glasses."
"Yes Sir," Mousse growled. *You evil, dried up old prune.* He stomped
loudly into the kitchen and decided to stay there as long as possible.
He didn't want to hear any more. *That bastard! He doesn't even like
her!* Mousse narrowed his eyes. That night, he'd pay a little 'visit'
to Ryoga ...

Shampoo lay on her bed, looking at the stars and wondering what on
earth had possessed her to lie to her great-grandmother. If she'd told
the truth, Cologne might have been able to help her ...
She rolled over with a sigh. *Maybe it best Shampoo do this alone.*
After all, she reflected, when had her great-grandmother's plans even
gone smoothly? Never. Even with the strongest magic and the most
watertight plans, something always went wrong. No, she'd win Ryoga's
trust and love on her own, even if it was the last thing she ever did.
*Trust and ... love?* She ran that sentence through her mind again. It
was still the same the second time round. *Shampoo not care if Ryoga
love her, just want Ryoga believe her,* she thought in surprise. *He
love gorilla girl.* But then ... surely he'd have to fall in love with
Shampoo before he would leave Japan - and Akane - behind him. *Unless
someone else get gorilla girl first...*
She stiffened at the sound of a creak, and turned slowly. A tall
silhouette crept past her doorway. Shampoo blinked. *Mousse?*

The Tendo Dojo was silent. There were no crashes, thuds, bangs or
death threats. That was mainly because one, it was three thirty in the
morning and two, the four Ryoga's had decided to stay at Ucchans. For
two reasons. One, because they all liked her (as a friend!), and two,
Ryoga had finally agreed to be a waitress and it would be easier on
them to stay there. Mousse realised this after a short while, and
headed away in the direction of the okonomiyaki restaurant. Shampoo
followed him silently from the shadows, already guessing his
destination and purpose.

Ukyo and R-C slept soundly in one room, R-D, R-C and Ryoga in another.
Mousse carefully entered the room, then realised what the main problem
would be. He looked from one version of Ryoga to another, wondering
who was who. *Ah well, if I'm going to get rid of one Ryoga, why not
just make it three?* He crept over to the nearest. 
He sensed Shampoo, rather than saw her, and jumped to one side to
avoid the cold water she threw at him. It hit R-A square in the face.
"HEY" he shouted.
R-D and Ryoga were awake at once. R-D hit the light switch,
temporarily blinding them all. Mousse lifted up a large blade and
swung it at the nearest Ryoga, who was, in fact, the real Ryoga.
"No, Mousse!!!" The next bucket of water was bang on target. Shampoo
picked Mousse up by the neck and shook him. "Bad Mousse! Shampoo no
let you hurt Ryoga!" She looked at Ryoga in concern. "Ryoga ... not
hurt?"
Ryoga was still trying to puzzle out what had happened. "I-I don't
think so ..."
Ukyo and R-C raced into the room just in time to see Shampoo drop
Mousse on the floor and glomp Ryoga. "Shampoo so happy!!!" she
squealed.
Ukyo picked up her spatula and whacked Ryoga over the head with it.
"What the hell is going on here?!! Some people are trying to get to
sleep!" she fumed. *And how dare he smuggle Shampoo up here?!! After
all I've done for him too!!*
Shampoo picked up Mousse. "I go now. Night, night, Airen." She
disappeared out of the window.
Ukyo stood poised. "You've got five seconds to explain yourself."
"What?! What did I do now?" Ryoga protested. The spatula flew through
the air. "Ah, waitwaitwait!" he wailed, covering his head with his
hands. 
The spatula stopped. "Go on then."
"M-Mousse came to kill me and Shampoo ... uh ... saved us," he
babbled. 
"That's right." R-A nodded. "She soaked me too," he added mournfully.
Ukyo hefted her spatula back onto her shoulder. "OK," She relented.
"But in future, please tell your fianc�e to kindly keep her nightly
visits down to a bare minimum?" She paused for a second. "Make that a
fully clothed minimum actually. Or you can go live with _her_ in _her_
little crummy caf� and do what you want."
Ryoga blushed and stuck his tongue out at her. R-D wasn't so quiet.
"Jeez, what's your problem?!! Anyone would think you were jealous, the
fuss you're making!"
Ukyo snarled. The spatula swung.

"No hot liquids, you got that?" Ryoga-chan repeated. "If I get turned
back into a guy, dressed like this, I'll kill myself."
"We've been over this like, twenty times!" Ukyo exclaimed. "You don't
carry any hot stuff unless everyone else is occupied. Then, if you do
trip and become a guy, it's your own stupid fault."
R-D adjusted his uniform. "I have a question. When this place is
crowded, we won't be able to find our way around. I mean, we can
barely find our way out now. So what do we do?"
Ukyo growled. *The infamous Hibiki sense of direction strikes again.*
She hadn't actually thought about it until now. "You do your best or
get spatulated."
R-A and R-C laughed nervously. "Good answer."
The customers began to arrive and the staff got busy.

"Ranma, you have some mail," Kasumi called.
"Thanks Kasumi!" Ranma grabbed the letter and hopped back into his
room to read it. He frowned. He read it again. The words stayed in
exactly the same places as before. He went to find Akane, who read it
to make sure Ranma hadn't suddenly forgotten how to read.
"We need to talk to Ukyo about this," Akane decided.
Ranma agreed.

End Part XII
Final Song - Jumping At Shadows
Member 30 of SSoAGMA, Deadly Everyday Object Weaponary Technique, Dragon Warrior Style
Mousse no miku; Generally dangerous English otaku
Member of the Chan club; Wos; Head Castrator of the Hotnit Feminisation Project; SOotCiP; Supporter of cliched pairs;
Keeper of the Moneybags for the Hotnit Fan Club; CotMHW - Launderer of the Robes of Death; SLAP;
4th Gen. EOE; Image Consultant For "That Guy"; #WASHU#;AKPReSS, Gen. Div.
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