The  characters  of the Ranma �  universe  are  the
creation   and   possession  of  the  brilliant   Rumiko
Takahashi.  They  belong  to Rumiko  Takahashi  and  her
licensees   (Shogakukan   Inc.,   Kitty-Fuji   TV,   Viz
Communications   Inc.)  No  copyright  infringement   is
intended.   
     
I would like to thank my pre-readers, B. Na and Angel de la
Hoya. I would also like to thank the many other readers who
offered C&C.  Thank you. Your efforts have made this story
immeasurably better.  As always, any errors or omissions are
mine. 
     
On advice of some pre-readers I am providing the following
warning. This fanfiction contains scenes of extreme violence
and may be considered DARK.
                         
************************************************


          Cats have no tears

Chapter 4 of 7

     "What's SHE still doing here?" The venom in
Nabiki's voice could have etched steel.

     "Shan Pu is helping us with . . .with the
arrangements." Nodaka's voice was dull, her figure shrunken
and old looking. 

     "Helping us?" Nabiki felt a sick headache building
behind her eyes. "Helping herself you mean." She whirled
back around and jabbed Shan Pu in the chest. "Akane's not
even in the ground and you're already sneaking around like a
cat in heat."

     Shan Pu went bone white and swayed under the lash
of Nabiki's hate. Succor came from a surprising source as
Saotome Genma came up behind his wife and put his arms
around her.

     "I understand----"

     "Understand!" Rage blossomed. "What have you
EVER understood except your belly. You fat useless piece
of shit." Shaking with anger she advanced on Genma. "This
is all your fault. Akane would be alive if hadn't come here."

     Genma stood impassively as Nabiki flayed him with
her anger. When he spoke, it was with a quiet sadness,
astonishingly unlike his usual bombast.

     "I am fat. And useless. Old men like me should never
outlive their children. And Akane was my child. The
daughter we never had. She was far better to me than I
deserved."

      Silent tears cut tracks down his sunken cheeks as
Nodaka twisted in his grip to burry her head in his chest.
"I've spent most of my life regretting things; things I've
done, things I've left un-done. I understand failure because
I've failed at so much." 

     Genma took a ragged breath and captured Nabiki's
red tear swollen eyes with his own. "Just remember this----
Akane may not have had many years. But the years she had
were full. She met Princes  and Gods, fought demons and
creatures from myth." Genma's closed his eyes against a
spasm of pain. "Akane had nothing to regret in her life . .
.and our regret is that she has left us so soon."

     "Akane die doing what want." Shan Pu put in
diffidently. 

     Nabiki looked around, startled. She'd almost
forgotten about the Amazon. Now that she was reminded,
her face darkened with anger.  

     Shan Pu continued before Nabiki could interrupt.
     
     Nabiki no like Shan Pu. That OK.  Shan Pu want tell
something. Shan Pu know better die doing what want do,
what like do. Better die good, than live afraid, do nothing.

      Akane die like warrior. Shan Pu know this. Akane
never give up. Shan Pu use strongest technique to erase
memory. Akane fight----win. Akane fight phoenix, fight
ghost cat, fight demon doll. All time fight. Never give up.
This time fight sky. No win, but brave fight, good fight. This
warrior way to die."

     Nabiki's face twisted in anguish. With a muffled sob
she turned and ran for her room.

     Shan Pu looked sadly after Nabiki's departing form
then turned back toward Nodoka and Genma. "Shan Pu no
want make feel bad." She looked straight at Genma . "Shan
Pu want husband. Is good, woman fight for man. Need
strong woman keep family strong. Make strong children.
Woman win fight, deserve strong man. 

     Shan Pu not want win this way. Shan Pu want help
husband. But want help Akane family also. Akane strong
enemy. Strong enemy good, make Shan Pu strong." With
that pronouncement Shan Pu sketched a short bow and left
the room, heading for the doujou. There she found Ranma,
alone in the dark, staring at nothing.

     "Wo ai ni." Shan Pu said cheerfully, settling beside
Ranma's still figure. Ranma jerked once, then settled back
into stone silence. 

     "Shan Pu make too, too delicious dim sum with
mushroom. You like?" The stillness of the night was broken
only by Ranma's ragged breathing. Nothing deterred by
Ranma's cold stillness Shan Pu continued her artless prattle.

               "You take Shan Pu on date, yes?" She seemed not
to notice the low growling sound emanating from the dark.
"Now pervert-girl gone, you come back---"

     She sensed rather than saw the attack that rushed out
of the gloom of the doujou. Rolling aside from the blow that
would have crushed her chest she came to her feet facing her
opponent. "Aireen, I thought you no hit girl. You no hit
Akane."        

     The howling beast that slammed into her bore no
resemblance to the young boy who had engaged in play-
fights with her for months. This was no play Ranma was
out for blood. And, had he used the slightest bit of skill he
would have annihilated Shan Pu in the first instant. But there
was no shred of his years of training and skill, only rage. And
so Shan Pu survived . . .one instant, and another, and
another. Until Ranma allowed an opening---Shan Pu
slammed a strike into the nerve junction just under his left
arm, paralyzing the limb.

      Wrapping herself around his good arm she hung on
while Ranma tried to beat her to death by body-slamming the
two of them against the doujou floor.  Even Ranma's rage
fueled strength had its limits. With stunning suddenness he
collapsed sobbing against Shan Pu.

     "Is good cry. Let out poison, make feel better." She
held Ranma against her, gently stroking his sweat soaked
hair.

     "I never . . .never told her." His voice was wracked
with huge choking sobs. "I never told . . .never . . ."

     "She know," Shan Pu soothed, continuing to stroke
his hair as she gently rocked him back and forth. "She know
you love her. All people know." Shan Pu gave a low laugh.
"All people know. So silly silly Ranma--- Akane know, just
not say with words." She broke off, as light flooded the
doujou. Blinking to clear her eyes she saw the room filled
with people.

     "What's going on here? Ranma? Shan Pu?" Genma
looked at the wreckage that had once been a doujou.

     "Ranma feeling sad. Shan Pu help feel better." Shan
Pu said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to be
tangled in the wreckage, covered in bruises and blood,
holding a sobbing boy in her arms.

     "What are you doing?" Nabiki stormed forward and
grabbed Shan Pu by the hair. "I want you OUT of here you
little---"

     Shan Pu's eyes teared but she made no move against
Nabiki. "Shan Pu leave  soon 

     "You'll leave NOW!" Nabiki's angry shout was
followed by a backhanded slap. A slap which stopped inches
from Shan Pu's face. 

     "Nabiki, it's all right."

     Nabiki stared at her hand, caught in Ranmas fist, in
disbelief; which quickly turned to rage. "Why you worthless
little shit. How dare you shack up with this Chinese wh---

     "That's enough, Oneechan."

     "Kasumi Oneesama!" Nabiki spun at the sound.
"Don't you see what he's doing. He's dishonoring Akane's
memory. He's . . ."

     Shan Pu was shocked to see grey hairs on Kasumi's
head; to see how her hands trembled. But Kasumi's voice
was firm as she spoke to her sister.

     "Nabiki, Shan Pu is a guest under our roof. Please do
not fight."

     "But . . ." Nabiki started angrily.

     "No get angry. Shan Pu go now. No want make
fight." She started to her feet, but was held in place by
Ranma.

     "Nabiki," Nodoka put a hand on Nabiki's shoulder.
"Shan Pu is only trying to help. Please try to understand . . ."

     "Understand! I understand all right. My sister is dead
and this Chinese bitch is alive. I understand her fianc�,"
Nabiki spat the word." is rolling around in the dirt with his
Chinese whore."

     "I going now." Shan Pu gently pried Ranma lose and
handed him to his mother. "Nabiki angry. Would rather Shan
Pu dead and Akane alive. Nabiki love Akane very much. All
family love Akane. Want alive. Shan Pu no can bring Akane
back." Shan Pu looked sadly at the group facing her. "San
Pu miss Akane too."

     Nabiki snorted in disbelief.

      Shan Pu grinned a little at that and continued. "Is
true. Akane good enemy. Make Shan Pu strong.  Have friend
is good. Have good enemy better. Battle make strong. No
fight, get fat, lazy . . .die. Akane make Shan Pu stay strong.
Akane strong, honorable. Help Shan Pu fight ghost cat. Shan
Pu can trust. Akane quick tempered, violent. Also . . .friend.
Shan Pu miss very much." 

     The group parted silently as Shan Pu walked out of
the doujou. At the gate she turned back to face them. "No
good for Ranma stay alone in dark. Dark enter soul, make
sad. Stay in light, remember happy time with Akane." The
gate closed behind her with finality, leaving the family to
stare after her in silence. Until the gate banged open
suddenly and Shan Pu popped back inside. 

     "Shan Pu almost forget. Shan Pu come back
tomorrow. Husband sitting in dark feeling sad Shan Pu
kick butt all over doujou. Bui Bui." Shan Pu waggled her
fingers at the stunned group and bounded over the wall.

      "Kick my butt?" Ranma shrugged lose from his
mother. "Kick MY butt? HEY you get back here Shan Pu.
SHAN PU!!!"

     Shan Pu grinned a little at the outrage in Ranma's
voice. She could already feel the bruises from tomorrow's
sparring session, on top of the bruises she already had. But it
was worth it. Anything was better than that sad, despairing
figure she'd found sitting in the dark.

************************************************
*

     She was being followed. Carefully, casually Shan Pu
scanned her surroundings. She was almost exactly halfway
between the Nekohanten and the Tendou's. Just ahead, was
a perfect spot for an ambush.

      Casually rubbing the small of her back Shan Pu
loosened the safety strap on the small-sword she had
concealed under her tunic. Briefly she wished for her war-
hammers; left at home as being inappropriate for a mourning
visit.  She could feel the unknown presence, paralleling her;
just out of sight in the shadows. He was good very good.
Even deliberately looking Shan Pu could not pin down the
precise location of her stalker. 

     Ten steps to the deepest shadow. Shan Pu focused
her chi for one explosive burst. 

     Five steps. Her left hand went back and grasped the
hilt of her sword. 

     Two steps. With the barest whisper of steel on
leather the heavy blade snaked free of it's nest. Blade
extended at high guard Shan Pu lunged forward and to the
left, whirling quickly to put a wall at her back.

     "Amazon no afraid of . . ."

     "Rrrrrrrroooowwww."

     " . . .cat???" Shan Pu stared slack jawed at the small
filthy animal standing defiantly before her in the alley.  Heart
pounding from adrenalin shock Shan Pu slumped to the dirty
alley floor. 

     "Oh . . .bad kitty." Shan Pu started laughing. "Bad,
BAD kitty. You scare Shan Pu so much she almost have
accident." Reaching into her pocket Shan Pu pulled out a
rice ball left over from her supper. Unwrapping the treat she
broke off a piece and threw it to the surprised cat. 

     Growling the little cat rocked from side to side on it's
fore-paws as if undecided.

     "Huh, you one angry cat." Grinning Shan Pu ate a
piece of the rice ball and threw another fragment to the cat.
"Shan Pu used to be cat. Law say Shan Pu punish with
cursed pool. Great grandmother no can break law or The
People suffer. So Shan Pu make cat. Scary at first. Small, no
fight good. But Shan Pu miss hearing things, seeing things.
Cat world very different small thing look big, hidden thing
look clear."

      Sighing Shan Pu looked at her small companion,
now greedily eating the fragments of rice ball. "Shan Pu miss
being cat. Great grand mother say Shan Pu no stay cat. Say
cat killing Shan Pu." Shan Pu threw the rest of the rice ball at
the cat. 

     "Shan Puuuuuu! Where are you Shan Puuuuuu?!"

     The small cat backed into the shadows with a snarling
hiss.

     "Ayyyy. Stupid Mu Tsu." She glanced into the
shadows that had swallowed the small cat. "You smart smart
kitty. Shan Pu hide too, if could." 

     Grinning nastily she made an experimental swipe
through the air with her sword. "Great grand mother say
Shan Pu no can hurt Mu Tsu bad. Say Mu Tsu family very
strong with central government. Say The People NEED Mu
Tsu family. 

     Some time Mu Tsu nice, like friend from child time.
Some time Mu Tsu . . ." Shan Pu fumbled for words to
describe her feelings. "Some time Mu Tsu not so nice. . .
make Shan Pu feel funny. Not . . .not afraid. Shan Pu
warrior! No afraid anything. Mu Tsu just make feel . . .
funny." 

     Yellow eyes gleamed faintly in the dim light. 

     "Cat lucky. No worry politics. Boy cat make feel
funny, girl cat rip face off." Another swipe made the sword
hum through the night air. "Shan Pu no can hurt bad. But,
maybe great grand mother believe Shan Pu make mistake . . .
think Mu Tsu attacker. Must remember use blunt side." 

     Grinning into the shadows Shan Pu shifted her grip
on her sword and bounded off toward the sound of the
calling voice. Moments later a black cat oozed from the
shadows, snatched the remains of the rice-ball and vanished. 

     
     
.