Alright, this time I have double-checked it before
sending, and it doesn't have any cut& paste errors.
If something goes wrong, it's not that.
GAAAAHHHHH!!!!! It better work this time!!!

BTW, a CORRECT version is currently on my
archive, at http://members.tripod.com/~Valandar/fanfic.html


 - Valandar the Red of the Empty Tankard


Standard disclaimer type thingy: All characters 
portrayed below belong to their creator, the divine
Ms Takahashi-sama, and to those companies which
produce the manga, anime, and US subs/dubs. This is
just fanfiction, intended for enjoyment, so please
don't sue me, I have no money.


                      Overload
               A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction
                 By Valandar the Red


     "I gotta go faster, I gotta get faster, must be 
faster!"
     The sound of rolling thunder from the Tendou Dojo
was not thunder. A stranger to Nerima would be amazed
to find out that the sound was a seventeen year old
boy punching a steel-reenforced dummy. Each impact hit
before the shockwaves had finished rolling out from
the one before. He kept up the steady stream of rapid
fire strikes for ten, then fifteen minutes. Slowly,
the deep hum of the vibrating dummy rose in pitch,
until hit hit the right - or wrong - tone. The glass
over the picture of the Tendou family, hanging in the
corner, shattered. Distracted by that noise, he 
stopped. Seeing the splinters of glass, he sighed.
"Great. And I know Nabiki is gonna charge me for it.
Well, might as well go in to face the music."
     Stepping carefully around the broken glass, he
walked into the house."Hello, Ranma," said Kasumi,
"did you have a nice workout?"
     "Um, well, I sorta broke the glass on the picture
in the corner. Ya gotta broom?"
     Kasumi smiled. "Of course, Ranma. I'll go get it,
and the dustpan, too."
     Ranma took a deep breath, and let it out. He 
wandered over to one of the cushions in front of the
television, and plopped down. Reaching for the remote
control, he switched on the boob tube, and let its
inane chattering buzz in the back of his mind. Ryouga
had developed a new technique that used chi to slow
down an opponant, so they fought like they were trying
to force their way through tar. He had to speed up, to
overcome that effect, or their next match might be his
last. Why couldn't Akane see that the pig-boy was 
really trying to kill him? She always made it sound
like his fault.
     "Well, you've done it again, boy wonder," came 
the dry voice he had been expecting.
     He sighed. "Okay, how much do I owe you?" he 
asked.
     Nabiki broke out her abacus. "Well, do you want
to pay cash, or add the glass to you quite substantial
tab?" Ranma didn't respond. "Then I guess that means
that it's added to your tab. When are you going to get
around to paying it, anyway?" She glanced up from her
abacus to see his reaction, which should be pretty
good.
     She immediately realized that he hadn't answered
because he couldn't. He was currently passed out, head
lolling off the back of the cushion. "Oh, no, Ranma,
you're not getting out of it that easy." She walked
over to him, and shook him. He didn't wake. She 
grabbed a glass of water, and splashed him, an act
that had never failed. He still didn't wake. In fact,
she realized he was as limp as could be. She grew
nervous. She rubbed her hands for a second, then 
lowered two trembling fingers to the side of his 
throat. She was no Doctor Tofu, but she could tell his
pulse was very faint, and very, very slow.
     "Kasumi!"
     The eldest Tendou sister was entering the room at
that moment, with a broom and dustpan. "Yes, Nabiki?"
     "Quick, call...scratch that, have Akane call
Doctor Tofu immediately! Something's happened to 
Ranma!"

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

     The family was gathered outside the guest room,
Genma in human form for a change. Akane was slumped
next to the door, desparately trying to convince
herself that it wasn't anything serious. Nabiki and
Kasumi showed outward calm, but for their own, quite
different reasons, and their father was erupting into
bucketfuls of tears. Inside the room, Doctor Tofu was
speaking to Nodoka, over the still form of her 
comatose son.
     "To be totally honest, I have no idea what is
happening to him. His pulse is weak, and slow, but
steady. His breathing is also slow, and I cannot get 
any reflex reactions. Even his pupils do not react to
stimulus. I'm going to have to call in someone who
might know more about this than me - but some of the
members of this household might not appreciate her
presence."
     Nodoka nodded. "Whatever it takes to help my son.
I shall inform the others." Her back was as straight
as it had ever been, as if physical discipline could
ease the burden on her spirit. She breathed in, 
deeply, and exhaled as she left the room.
     After relaying the doctor's news, she shepherded
the family downstairs. Taking Kasumi with her, she 
went into the kitchen, ostensibly to prepare lunch
for them. However, she also brought Kasumi there so
her presence would not send Doctor Tofu into his usual
fits of mania.
     "I wonder who the good doctor would call that 
some of us wouldn't like?" mused Genma. "Do you have
any ideas, Tendou?"
     "WAAAAAHHHHHHHH! Now our schools will never be
joined! WAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" It was obvious that Soun had
not heard a word spoken to him since he was first told
about Ranma's state.
     "Er, um, yes, Tendou, well, have faith! This 
little coma can't keep my boy down for long! Ha ha ha
ha!" He slapped his friend on the back, only to be
rewarded with more tears.
     Akane sat next to Nabiki, her face showing the
worry she would not admit to herself. "I don't know,
Nabiki, this is Ranma. What could do this to him?"
     Nabiki, having regained her composure since 
earlier in the morning, eyed her critically. "It could
be repeated blows to the head."
     Akane looked at her sister in horror. "But... you
don't mean that I... well..."
     Nabiki sighed. "No, Akane, I wasn't serious. But
you do hit him a lot."
     Akane snorted. "I only do it when he deserves 
it."
     "Like when Shampoo latches on to him, or Ryouga
attacks him, or P-chan starts biting him on the 
ankle?"
     "You mean when he doesn't try to push her away,
or when he picks on Ryouga or P-chan?"
     "Whatever. See it how you want."
     There was a knock on the door. Nabiki stood, and
walked over to answer it. "Oh. So you're the expert
that Doctor Tofu called." She knew better than to let
the disgust she felt show on her face.
     "Yes, child, I am. I do not know why he called
me, unless it was on an instinct. If that is so, then
I commend him." Cologne bowed, ever so slightly. "May
I enter your home in this time of trial?"
     Nabiki hesitated for a second or two, then 
returned the bow, and let her in. "If you can help
him, then yes. Just remember - no calling him 
'son-in-law' in this house. Only 'Ranma'."
     "Very well, child." She walked into the main 
room, instead of hopping on her cane. She was greeted
with a couple of gasps, and at least one glare. "Where
is he?" she asked Akane.
     She didn't let her gaze waver for a second, all
the while hoping the hate she felt would strike the
amazon matriarch down. Choking down her pride for
Ranma's sake, she answered. "I'll take you to him. But
I'm not going to let you alone with him, not after
what you drove Shampoo to do at my wedding last 
month."
     Cologne returned her gaze, but without the 
rancor. "I understand. I just wish you would realize
that what she did was not something I condone. She is
being punished for her actions, I assure you."
     The youngest Tendou daughter merely turned on her
heel, and began stomping upstairs. Cologne glanced at
the two fathers, and the pails set up to catch Soun's
tears, then followed.
     Akane carefully opened the door to the room Ranma
shared with his father, and walked up to his futon.
"D-doctor Tofu? Cologne is here." 
     If the good doctor heard the venom with which 
Akane laced the name, he had the presence of mind to
pretend not to. "Good, bring her in."

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

     The Tendou family was once more gathered, this
time with Nodoka present. Doctor Tofu was still in
Ranma's room, and Cologne stood halfway up the stairs,
the better to get their attention. "Good people, I
have news that may be good, but may be terrible."
     Soun, whose tears had finally ended, asked, "I
don't understand, how could it be both good and bad?"
     She looked straight at him, though she addressed
the whole family. "When a fighter's physical speed
becomes greater than his mind can handle, he enters
a state of being that can be quite dangerous. He must
face those things that block his thoughts, concepts
he does not understand, and feelings he cannot 
reconcile. If he manages to overcome these obstacles,
he ends up greater than he was before."
     "What if he doesn't?" queried the youngest Tendou
daughter.
     The amazon matriarch closed her eyes for a 
second, then looked at the family as a whole. "The 
last fighter I knew of who reached this level was Jun
Fan - the man known in the movies as Bruce Lee. He 
could not overcome his obstacles."
     Nodoka stepped behind Akane, and gripped her
shoulder. "Then...?"
     "Yes. He will die. His mind will simply shut 
down, overloaded."
     Quiet descended over the house. Each one there
held thoughts close to their minds, not daring to be
the first to venture a doubt. That is, until Soun once
again erupted into tears.
     "Waahhh, not only will our families never be
joined, but the greatest martial artist of his 
generation will be cut down in his prime! Waaaahhh,
oh, the humanity! WAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
     Nodoka, still firmly holding onto the shoulder of
her son's fiancee, stepped around the human fire 
hydrant, and began to walk upstairs. With a respectful
bow to Cologne, one that was returned, she led the
young girl to Ranma's room.

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

     "Where am I?"
     "Inside yourself."
     "Why am I here?"
     "You know why you are here."
     "Who are you?"
     "I am you. The you as you percieve yourself."
     "And I am the you as others percieve you."
     "Why are you here?"
     "For you."
     "If you are me as I percieve me, and you are me
as others percieve me, then who am I?"
     "You are the real you. That is all that need be 
said."
     "I thought I was as I percieved myself."
     "No. You lie to yourself too much."
     "How can I lie to myself? I know the truth about
me."
     "No. You know deep within, but you refuse to
accept the truth. You put off facing what is true, and
you cannot do that anymore."
     "Why not?"
     "Because if you do, you will die."
     Images of a cute girl, with short, black hair,
shining eyes, a brilliant smile, and a Furinkan High
School uniform blazed into being in the darkness. It
was followed by a woman more than twice her age, with
slightly longer, wavy brown hair, in a traditional
kimono,and with a blanket-wrapped sword on her back.
Other images flashed back and forth, including a 
stocky, bald man whose image flashed back and forth 
with that of a panda. A girl with long, brown hair,
and a warm smile, wearing an apron appeared behind
the older woman. Another cute girl with long hair,
and a giant spatula strapped to her back, stood behind
the cute girl with short hair. In the back stood a 
young man, in a dirty yellow shirt, dark brown 
trousers, ans a tiger-striped bandanna, whose image 
shifted to that of a small, black piglet. Others 
flashed back and forth, images of those he cared about
as family, friends, rivals, and...otherwise.
     "What will happen to them if I die?"
     "Most will go on. Some will not know what to do.
And at least one will find death, as well."
     "Who?"
     "I don't know. I am basing this on your own
knowledge of them. It is likely that at least one will
prefer ending his or her own life, than to face life
without a fiance...or a friend...or a rival."
     The people faded, and Ranma saw himself. He 
looked down, and saw he was shifting back and forth,
between male and female. The first voice, his self-
image, was male, and slightly more muscular than he
was in real life. The second voice, how others saw
him, was female, and much taller than she was in real
life.
     Self-Image looked at him. "You have already
resolved the simpler obstacles before you became aware
of this state. Ryouga, Kasumi, your mother, even your
father. But there are three you must resolve, or you
will die."
     "Who?" he asked, though he already knew the 
answer.
     "Shampoo, Ukyou, and Akane."

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

     Doctor Tofu looked up as the door opened. "Akane.
There's been a change while Cologne was explaining 
things to you." He reached up, and rubbed his 
forehead. "His eyes started moving. He may be in a 
state of r.e.m. - the part of sleep that equates to
dreaming."
     "Is...is that a good sign?" Her eyes pleaded with
him to say that it was.
     He hardened himself; he had to, after all. 
"Actually, it means that he has reached the most 
crucial point. He is directly confronting his greatest
troubles. This could take a few minutes - or a few
hours. Time is funny, to the dreaming mind."
     "Can I stay with him?" she asked, keeping the
tears from her eyes.
     He paused only for a second. "Yes. I'll leave
you here, I understand K-k-k-Kasumi has lunch ready,
hee-hee!"
     As he bounced out the door, Nodoka's hand reached
up, and snatched his glasses off his face. The doctor
blinked for a few seconds, then glanced at Ranma's
mother. She nodded, and put his glasses in the sleeve
of her kimono. Confused, he continued downstairs.
     Akane looked at the older woman. "What was that
for, Auntie Nodoka?"
     "Call it a hunch. You stay here, I'll be back."
She backed out of the room, and closed the door.
     Kneeling next to the futon, and Ranma's 
unconscious form, Akane looked at him. He was in male 
form, because Kasumi had the foresight to protect his
dignity before the doctor arived. "Please, Ranma.
Please wake up. Wake up for me."

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

     An image of a purple-haired girl appeared between 
the three Ranmas. She was in a Chinese dress, holding
her bonbori in a ready stance. "Shampoo," said the
true Ranma.
     "How do you feel about her," asked the other two
Ranmas in unison.
     "I'm angry! She attacked my wedding, and could
have hurt my mother!"
     "That is how you feel about her actions. It is 
not how you feel about her," said Self-Image.
     "Do you love her?" asked Other's-Image
     "No! She's always glomping me, or trying to give
me passion spice, or attacking Akane, or..."
     "Do you love her?" asked Self-Image.
     "No...she only follows me around because I 
knocked her out. And that was an accident!"
     "But you fought to keep her attentions when she
wore the reversal jewel."
     "That was - that was because I thought...I 
thought she hated me."
     "If you don't love her, then why do you care what
she thinks of you?"
     "Because...maybe I do kinda like her."
     "Is this why you're so angry with her over the
wedding?" asked Other's-Image.
     "Well, yeah. And, I know Mother wouldn't have
gotten hurt. Those bombs were just firecrackers. But
she didn't even ask me! She didn't find out if I
wanted to get married before she took it on herself
to 'rescue' me!"
     "If you like her, do you love her?"
     "Ummm...in a way. But not...that way."
     "Then, like a friend?"
     "Well - yes."
     The figure of Shampoo turned to face True Ranma,
and smiled. She bowed slightly, and giggled, then
faded. She was replaced with another female form. This
one had long, brown hair, a cute face, and a large
spatula on her back. She was smiling, and holding out
a plate with an okonomiyaki.
     "Ucchan."
     "How do you feel about her?" they asked, once 
more in unison.
     "She's my best friend," he answered quickly.
     "Even though she also helped destroy your 
wedding?"
     "Yeah. Her flour bombs just make a big cloud of
flour, like smoke, and those exploding okonomiyaki 
weren't even as powerful as Shampoo's firecrackers."
     "Do you love her?"
     "Yeah, she's my best friend!"
     "Is it any deeper?"
     "No!"
     "Even though she loves you with all she is?" 
asked Other's Image.
     "Y...yes. I never asked Ucchan to fall in love
with me. I never wanted to be engaged to her."
     "Would it be so bad, if you married her?" asked
Self-Image.
     He thought for a moment, picturing life as her
husband. He saw a comfortable home, and a loving wife,
and children. But something was missing.
     "Yes, it would," he finally answered.
     "Why?"
     "No passion. And I'd lose my best friend to get a
wife."
     "Do you love her?"
     "Yes, as a friend."
     "The same way you love Shampoo?"
     "Umm...no. Stronger," he whispered.
     "As more than a friend?"
     "..."
     "As more than a friend?"
     "yes"
     "As a lover?"
     "No."
     "Then how?"
     "..."
     "How?"
     "Like a sister. The same way I love Nabiki and
Kasumi, but for different reasons."
     The form of Ukyou disappeared, after tossing the
okonomiyaki to Ranma. It said, in sauce, "I like 
Ranchan!", making him feel slightly guilty he didn't 
feel as strongly as she did. She was replaced by the 
short-haired girl he first saw, minutes ago. She was
wearing her gi, and in the same stance she had taken
in their first sparring match, so many months ago.
     "Akane," he breathed.

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

     Kasumi had retreated to the kitchen, her haven
from the troubles that infected the household. It was
her way of keeping the calm facade she had become
famous for throughout Nerima. Inside, she was troubled
about Ranma. On the one hand, she knew how Akane truly
felt about him, and was worried about how she would
take it if...but she refused to finish the thought. On
the other hand, she had come to care a lot about 
Ranma, as well. He had become the younger brother she
never had, and she even referred to him in her diary
as 'Ototochan', or 'dear little brother'. She didn't
know how she, herself, would react, if...
     Footsteps behind her alerted her to the fact that 
someone had invaded her sanctum. Turning, she saw the
familiar form of Doctor Tofu. Something looked 
different about him, at first, then she realized what
it was. "Doctor, where are your glasses?"
     For his part, Doctor Tofu was barely able to 
keep control of himself. Since all he could see of
Kasumi was a fuzzy outline, he could tell himself that
it really wasn't Kasumi. "Oh...i-it was Mrs. Saotome's
idea. I, um, really don't know why, he he he." He 
smiled, a silly little grin that hid his absolute
terror. Terror about how he felt, terror that it 
wasn't returned.
     Kasumi looked at him, seeing his eyes for the 
first time. They were beautiful to her, and, for once,
he wasn't running around Nerima with Betty-chan on his
back. "Um...have you thought about contacts? I like
your eyes."
     Doctor Tofu's eyes crossed, then uncrossed. She
liked his eyes! No, he had to get ahold of himself. He
had to be strong for her, in case something happened
to Ranma. "Er, well, since you want me to..."
     She smiled. He was so sweet. And so handsome. And
so intelligent...and he wasn't acting that silly
anymore. She liked that.
     "About Ranma..." they began at the same time.
     "Er, isn't that such a cliche," said the doctor.
"Starting the same sentence at the same time. He, he,
he." He started scratching the back of his neck, and
looked at the fuzzy shape he kept telling himself
wasn't really Kasumi.
     "Yes. It happens when two people are thinking the
same thing...and have a strong connection between 
them."
     "Uh... K-Kasumi, um, when Ranma recovers, do you
want t-t-to...togoouttoeatsomewhere?" He was now 
twisting his hands together, and rocking his weight
back and forth, from one foot to another.
     "Hm? Oh. Yes. I'd like that...Tofu-chan."
     If he had still been wearing his glasses, they 
would have melted. As it was, he simply fainted at
her adding -chan to his name. His last conscious
thought was that he could now die a happy man.

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

     "How do you feel about her?"
     "She's an uncute tomboy!" he shouted, 
reflexively. He then immediately braced himself for
the malleting he knew was to follow. It never came.
     "But you stare at her when she isn't looking.'
     "..."
     "You admit to yourself she's cute when she 
smiles."
     "..."
     "Don't you," pressed Other's-Image.
     "Yes. But she's still a tomboy!"
     "Do you love her?" asked Self-Image.
     "..."
     "What are your feelings about her?"
     "I dunno. Sometimes, I think she's a violent
maniac that gets everythin' wrong on purpose. Like,
when Shampoo grabs me, she mallets me, sayin' I was
grabbin' Shampoo. But, other times, like when she
smiles at me...I just feel more of a rush than in the
middle of a good fight. I have trouble breathin', an
can't think o' anything to say." He shrugged. "I just
don't know."

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

     Akane had not left Ranma's side for the past 
hour. In that time, Ukyou had stopped by. Nabiki was
ready to turn her away, but Nodoka stopped her. When
she was briefed on what had happened, she raced 
upstairs, and into Ranma'a room.
     "Akane I heard!" Her first instinct, which she
didn't even realize until she was doing it, was to hug
Akane. Despite their rivalry over Ranma, they were
still friends. The Tendou girl was stiff at first, 
then clutched at the okonomiyaki chef with a ferocity
that surprised them both.
     "Oh, Ukyou, I'm so scared. He's not fighting
anybody right now, he's fighting himself! I don't even
know if he's going to...going to..." She began to cry
onto the other girl's shoulder. 
     "It'll be okay, Aka-chan. This is Ranma, nothing
can keep him down for long." She let Akane cry some more, 
but was stunned by the girl's response.
     "Not even his own feelings? His feelings about
all of us?"
     It was that moment that Ranma's breathing 
stopped.

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

     "If you cannot determine your feelings about her,
you will die," said Self-Image.
     "If you die, what will that do to her?"
     "I...don't know. Sometimes, I think she hates me.
She's always hittin' me, and yelling at me, and 
calling me a jerk and a pervert. But, I know that she
tries so hard when she cooks, because she wants to do
somethin' for me. An' why would she get so angry
about Ukyou an' Shampoo, unless she was jealous?"
     "Do you think she loves you?"
     "..."
     "Do you think she likes you?"
     "I think she likes me...an', maybe, could love
me. If things were different, that is."
     "What things?"
     "The curse, for one. And we're too young, too."
     "When has she ever shown that the curse matters
to her anymore?"
     "She did, at first...but, now, I dunno. She 
treats me the same no matter what body I'm in."
     "Do you really think the curse is in the way, for
her, then?"
     "...no."
     "What about you?"
     "Huh?"
     "Is the curse in the way for you?"
     "Umm...yeah."
     "Why?"
     "She deserves a real man, not a half-man, half-
woman. An' I don't even know if my cursed form can age
at all. If we were married, in forty years, she'd be
a middle-aged woan on the arm of a teenage girl. An'
I don't like the idea of our children not knowin' if
I'm their mother or their father."
     "You've thought about children with Akane?"
     "..."
     "Does that mean you've imagined what it would be
like to be married to her?"
     "...yes."
     "And?"
     "I kinda thought about it both with the curse,
an' without it."
     "And?"
     "...I like both ideas."
     "Do you like Akane?"
     "...yes."
     "Do you love Akane?"
     "I don't know. I don't know what that kind of 
love is."
     "Do you love her the same as you love Shampoo?"
     "No. S-stronger."
     "Do you love her the same as you love Ukyou?"
     "No. D-different."
     "Not like a sister?"
     "Um...no. More like a p-part of me."
     "Then like a lover? Or a wife?"
     "I don't know. Is it like they're a part of you,
and you can't imagine what it's like without them?"
     "What do you think?"
     "I think...maybe...I do love her like that." True
Ranma grinned mischeviously. "But I ain't gonna admit
it to her at first - she's too much fun to tease.
Besides, it'd seem kinda funny if I woke up 
proclaiming everlasting love for her, like Kuno."
     Other's Image and Self Image looked at each 
other. Nodding, they walked into each other, fusing 
into one image, similar to the form True Ranma had on
that plane. "Sleep, Ranma. You will awaken." And the
images faded, and Ranma slept.

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

     "Doctor Tofu! He's not breathing!" screamed 
Akane. "Help him!" Ukyou had run downstairs to get
the doctor, and practically carried him back up. "Do
something!"
     The doctor looked at the fuzzy shape he assumed
was Akane, since it had her voice. "I'll start mouth-
to-mouth, but I can't guarantee anything. Ranma has to
do this on his own." He walked over, and knelt down
next to the stricken martial artist. With one hand, he
closed Ranma's nose, and began to bend over.
     "Gee, Doc, eben do by birst kiss wad a guy, by
decod wud doedn't hab to..." came the nasal reaction.
     "Ranma!" Two girls at once shouted his name, then
promptly dove on top of him to hug him for all they
were worth. On his left, Ukyou was dragging him to a
sitting position so they could hug him better, while
his right arm was wrapped around a sobbing Akane. 
     Two minutes later, Doctor Tofu came walking back
downstairs to the expectant family. When he reached
the bottom, he just looked back up at the landing.
First, Ukyou appeared, beaming like a thousand watt
bulb. Shortly after her, was Akane, her eyes red and
puffy from crying, but with one of her priceless 
smiles. Then...Ranma stepped out. Everyone cheered,
except Cologne, Nabiki, and Soun. Cologne merely 
smiled, and nodded, Nabiki struggled to maintain her
composure and not let her joy show, and Soun just
erupted into incoherant tears of joy.
     Akane paused for a brief second at the top of
the stairs, after meeting Nodoka's eyes. Ranma, for
once paying more attention to the fact that they were
so happy he was alive, didn't notice this. He bumped
into her, and they both tumbled down the stairs,
collecting Ukyou in their tangled mess of arms and
legs.
     "Hey, why'd ya stop like thke a p-part of me."
     "Then like a lover? Or a wife?"
     "I don't know. Is it like they're a part of you,
and you can't imagine what it's like without them?"
     "What do you think?"
     "I think...maybe...I do love her like that." True
Ranma grinned mischeviously. "But I ain't gonna admit
it to her at first - she's too much fun to tease.
Besides, it'd seem kinda funny if I woke up 
proclaiming everlasting love for her, like Kuno."
     Other's Image and Self Image looked at each 
other. Nodding, they walked into each other, fusing 
into one image, similar to the form True Ranma had on
that plane. "Sleep, Ranma. You will awaken." And the
images faded, and Ranma slept.

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

 
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