Okay, here's the final of CMD 21... if you spot any errors, please let me 
know quickly before I send it to RAAC.

CMD 22 pretty soon now...

Oh, in case you missed it Garden of EVA 1:5 was set on Thursday...


=======================================================================
Childhood of a Modern Dynasty
Chapter 21: For the Love of the Matriarch One Must Die, One Must Flee,
and One Must Live Happily Ever After

Ranma 1/2 characters/situations created and copyright by Rumiko
Takahashi/Shogakukan/Kitty/Fuji/Viz - Used without permission

Childhood of a Modern Dynasty series created, written, and
copyright 1998-1999 by Jim Lazar

An ongoing series set after the end of the Ranma 1/2 manga and anime.

<Speech text in angle brackets is thought by character.>
"Speech text in double quotes is spoken as Japanese unless other wise
identified as English."

E-mail comments and/or criticisms to: mailto:jimlazar@earthlink.net

Make sure to check out my Modern Dynasty website for
all released CMD stories, graphics files, and other information:
http://home.earthlink.net/~jimlazar/anime/md
=======================================================================
>From the personal journal of James Davidson:


October 1, 2057

     "How's the book coming, dear?" the hologram of my mother said
softly. After living in Japan for so long, hearing her English was an
abrupt change of pace for me. Her Brooklyn accent, subtle though it was,
brought back memories of my own attempts to rid myself of the accent
that I hated when I was growing up. I was only partially successful, but
at least people don't comment on my accent as often as they did when I
first started as a reporter in L.A.

     She was lying in her bed with the familiar air hose to her
nostrils. I tried to ignore it and the I.V. in her arm. I had hoped she
would be off the I.V. by now, so I made a note in my palmtop to talk to
her doctor about that later.

     I shrugged my shoulders and replied to her in English. "Okay, I
guess. Every time I turn around Akane throws a new twist into the story.
I sometimes wonder if she's telling me the whole truth."

     "Didn't you say she promised to tell you the whole truth when you
started the first book?"

     "She did, but she is so reluctant to explain some things before
she's ready."

     "Give it time, dear, she's had a hard life and from what you've
told me she likes to tell her stories her way."

     "Yeah, I know."

     "So, are you up to the Three Harbingers yet?"

     I frowned at the unusual question. Usually my mother didn't show
much interest in the details of my research and writing. She was always
supportive, but usually not worried about the details. "No, not yet.
Although she did mention when they thought the First appeared and
started collecting energy. Not that anyone took notice of it then, of
course. I just had a long interview with Nijiko Tendo, head of Tendo
Enterprises. It seems that there were more things going on in Nerima in
the summer of ninety-nine than I had thought. I'm really starting to get
impatient about how slowly the research is going."

     "Well, just be patient, dear. Unlike your old mom here, that Akane
seems to have limitless energy."

     "Don't talk like that, Mom. The doctors say you'll be with us for a
long time."

     "I know. I *DO* plan on sticking around to read your next book."

     "What about the one after that?"

     My mother frowned. "Huh?"

     "I've decided there's no way to handle the rest of her and her
family's history in one book. So I'll be doing 'Adulthood of a Modern
Dynasty' next."

     "My... my, who would have thought the kid who flunked out of
English Lit in High School would have become a great author. Makes a
mother proud."

     I blushed. "Awwww, Mom. I just got lucky enough to get to interview
Akane first hand."

     "And then went and married that nice Hanaki."

     I smiled. "Well, yeah... but I'd like to think we would have met
and fallen in love even if I didn't get the interviews with Akane."

     "Life is full of surprises, James, and being in that family you'd
better be ready for anything."

     "You know, Mom, things around here aren't quite as crazy as people
think they are."

     "If you say..." My mom trailed off as two high-resolution holograms
of the Reis appeared next to me.

     "Hey, James, want to go to the hot spring with us?" Reiko asked in
Japanese, smiling sweetly.

     "Yeah, it's great fun on a gloomy day like today when there's
nothing else to do." Reiji looked out at the overcast sky, although I
doubt he could actually see out my patio doors since he wasn't really in
the room.

     "Um, maybe... Reiji and Reiko, meet my mother," I introduced them
all in English.

     "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Davidson." Reiko and Reiji said in perfect
English and bowed. Sometimes it was freaky how they could speak so well
in unison like that. And in English no less.

     My mother greeted them as well, but in Japanese. "Nice to meet you
both."

     Reiko smiled and replied in kind. "Your Japanese is very good."

     "Thank you. I used to teach Japanese when I was younger."

     Reiji perked up. "Oh, is that why James knows the language so well?
Or thinks he does?"

     "Hey!"

     My mom nodded and then her hologram pixilated. "Yes, but he...
such... bad..." After a brief interruption it stabilized. "...and his
grammar is just.."

     "Mom!!"

     Reiji frowned. "Dang, have to fix her up with a new holo-system.
That looks like one of the low quality Hyperdyne systems." He looked
closely at the image of my mother. "A three-fifty, by the looks of the
data noise."

     Reiko nodded and reached over and typed on a keyboard off-hologram.
"There. That'll help a bit."

     I looked over at my mother's hologram and noticed it had cleared up
quite a bit. "Thanks, Reiko."

     "Not a problem. I just diverted her data stream to the Tendo
private network. Very low data loss and wicked fast. Have to get her a
new system to improve it any further."

     "Don't worry about that. This is fine," my mom said.

     "James, want to come after you're done talking to your mommy?"
Reiko asked, smiling.

     "Maybe. I'm hoping Hanaki will call soon."

     "She can call you at the hot spring just as well," Reiji insisted.

     "Fine... fine. I'll see you there later."

     "Goody!" Reiko smiled broadly before they both vanished.

     I turned back to my mom. "Sorry about that, Mom, I kept the
holo-waiting open in case Hanaki called."

     My mom brushed her gray hair back in same way she did when she used
to lecture me when I was growing up. With her thinning hair it didn't
look the same, but it did bring back memories. "No problem, dear. Just
don't get any ideas with that young girl."

     I shuddered at the insinuation. "Mom!! Reiko's only sixteen!"

     "Well, Hanaki's pretty young too."

     "Only nine years younger... wait a sec... Dad was six years younger
than you!"

     "I know... just want to make sure you don't get any ideas in the
hot spring." She winked.

     "Mom!!"

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     After I finished talking to my mother, I waited a bit to see if
Hanaki would call. It had only been a few days, but it felt like
forever. Of course, this was the first time we had been apart for any
extended time since we got married. I guess it's one of those things
that married people have to get used to.

     After several more pleading calls from the Reis to join them, I
strolled over to the hot spring, which was in the eastern wing of the
South Building that Hanaki and I lived in. It still sometimes surprised
me that the Tendos had their own hot spring, artificial of course, in
the Compound.

     I have visited it a few times, but still felt a little
uncomfortable there. Some of the Tendos were very casual about nudity,
so it was sometimes awkward to use it. I doubted it would be any
different this time.

     I slipped into the men's changing room and slipped my robe off. As
I always did when I visited, I kept a towel around my waist.
Fortunately, some of the other residents didn't bare all either, so I
wasn't alone in my modesty.

     I slid the door to the hot spring open just as a very naked Reiko
ran by and waved to me. "Hi ya, James."

     I tried not to blush, but probably wasn't successful. "Hi, Reiko."
I realized this was the first time I'd seen Reiko in person instead of
as a hologram. It figures she'd have to be naked at the time.

     I looked around the hot spring. It still amazed me that they could
build their own hot spring in the middle of Tokyo, let alone a hot
spring as fancy as this. The area enclosing the hot spring was a
circular atrium, which was open to the sky and had a covered porch
running along the walls of the rest of the South Building. On a day like
today, the difference between the overcast sky and the hot water really
was refreshing. The hot spring itself consisted of three separate pools
and were surrounded by a series of carefully placed rocks and boulders
laid out so you could get some quite time alone if you wanted, or just
spend time talking in the central open area. A single cool pool was
between the two larger hot pools.

     I kept my towel on as I slipped into the water. I said hello to
everyone there. In addition to the Reis, Imoki and her little sister,
Ukki, were there too. They were fighting about something Ukki did or
didn't do. A few other people I didn't recognize introduced themselves,
but didn't go into details about what part of the family they were from.
Akane's work, I imagined. She had actually sworn her family to silence
concerning certain things to keep me from getting too far ahead of her
story.

     It had been a few weeks since I've seen her around, I was delighted
to see Kasumi in one of the corners. "Grandma, nice to see you."

     Kasumi looked up and smiled. "Oh, James, I've never seen you here
before."

     "Well, I don't have much time with the book and all."

     "Don't let your work keep you from enjoying life, James."

     "I won't."

     "And don't get any ideas with all the naked girls running around
here, either."

     I blushed, but it probably wasn't visible with the hot water and
all. "I have only eyes for your granddaughter, you know that."

     Just then, Reiko ran by naked with a towel in her hand. Her
brother, who was also naked, was chasing her. "Give me back that towel,
Reiko!"

     I tried not to look, but it was hard not to.

     Kasumi chuckled at my awkwardness. "Yes, I do. So when do they get
back?"

     "I don't know. I was hoping today sometime, but Hanaki hasn't
called me."

     "Don't worry. They'll be okay."

     "Do you know why they went to China?"

     "Yes, but I can't tell you."

     I sighed.

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     I must have talked to Kasumi for an hour or so before she got up to
leave. As I watched her stand up and walk slowly towards the edge I
frowned at how frail she looked. "Do you need any help, Grandma?"

     "No... no... I'm fine. Just these old bones of mine showing their
age. Seems like I have to spend more and more time in the hot spring to
keep from falling apart these days." She reached the edge and stepped
into her walker, which was new. She had been just using a cane back at
the beginning of the month. She slipped a robe, which had been hanging
over the walker, over her naked body and shuffled off into the changing
room.

     "Hey, James!"

     I was shaken out of my concern for Kasumi by a voice. I looked over
to see Shashiki, Yukiko's daughter, slide in beside me. She was also
sans towel. "Hi, Shashiki. How's things?"

     "Pretty good. Don't worry about Kasumi, she's a tough old broad and
will be with us for a while."

     "Am I that transparent?"

     Shashiki nodded. "Yes, and so is your towel."

     I tried to casually cover my lap, but I could see a small smirk
form on Shashiki's face. "Well, she just looks so frail. And the walker
is new."

     "She is eighty years old, after all."

     "I know."

     "So how's that book coming?"

     "Pretty good. In fact, I've been meaning to talk to you again.
Akane's told me about your mother going back to China and her first
battle as the Matriarch, but I don't know what happened after Ranma went
and got engaged to her again."

     "Well, I can tell you now if you like, but we'll have to switch to
the cool pool. I'm about at my limit for the hot pool for now." Shashiki
stood up and offered me her hand.

     "Um, yeah, I guess I'm getting a bit hot myself." I stood up and
followed her to one of the cool pools. As I slipped in I realized my
towel had fallen off. "Oops..."

     "You young guys are so cute when you blush."

     "Yeah, well..."

     She must have sensed my discomfort because she reached over and
grabbed a towel from the edge of the cool pool. "Here... but you really
have to learn to relax a bit."

     I took the towel and sighed. After looking at it for a second I
figured I could do without it and tossed it on the edge of the pool.
"When in Rome."

     "There was that so hard?"

     "No."

     "Hanaki is a very lucky girl, by the way."

     I had to cover myself with my hands after that comment. "Are you
sure you're not related to Akane? You certainly tease like a Tendo."

     "I can neither confirm nor deny that possibility," Shashiki said
straight-faced.

     I didn't expect she would. "Well anyway, about your mother..." Then
I realized something. "Oh darn, I don't have my palmtop with me."

     "Hmmm, I think the Reis can help." She looked over to the hot pool
and called out. "Hey, Rei?"

     The perky teenagers bounded over and into the pool, causing a mild
tidal wave. "Yeah?" Reiko said casually after their flashy entrance.

     "Can you get a keyboard and setup a link to his palmtop for James
here?"

     "You interviewing in the hot spring now?" Reiji asked.

     I nodded. "Yeah, at least today I am. Kind of a spur of the moment
thing."

     Reiko perked up. "No sweat, James!" She bounded off again with her
brother.

     "Lots of energy in those two. It seems like ages since I've had
that much energy."

     "Yeah, to be that young and carefree again." Shashiki had a forlorn
look on her face. "But us old folk have to stick together, ehh, sonny
boy?"

     "I get the point."

     Reiko suddenly pounced on me, landing on my lap. Since we were both
naked it was a little embarrassing. "Here you go." Reiko handed me a
small waterproof keyboard.

     I took the keyboard and looked it over. "Thanks. And I can get to
my palmtop's data?"

     Reiko nodded. "Yup, it was so easy I could have had Reiji do it."

     "Hey!" Reiji shouted from the hot pool he had settled back into.

     Reiko stuck her tongue out at her brother. "It's all set to go.
Just hit the display button and it'll be like you had your palmtop in
your hand."

     "Thanks." I hit the display button and my familiar holo-display
popped up, complete with my holospace settings. I waited a few seconds,
before asking Reiko a question. "Um, are you going to stay on my lap?"

     Reiko blushed. "Nope, just wondered how long you'd last without
asking me to leave."

     "Very funny." I paused again before realizing I didn't actually ask
her to get off yet and so she was still sitting innocently on my lap.
Although with her, you never knew what she considered innocent since she
and her brother did seemed to like to break into high-security systems
for fun. "Okay, please get off."

     Reiko smiled broadly. "Okay. Hanaki is right, you are cute when you
blush." She got up off my lap and bounded away toward the hot pool.

     I blushed and reached for the towel, suddenly very aware of my
nakedness. "Ah, so that's what Reiko was trying to do... make me blush."

     Shashiki nodded. "She's a handful sometimes."

     "I can see that."


***********************************************************************
June 5-10, 1999 - Joketsuzoku, China


     "This is not funny!"

     Sanma stopped laughing, but it was still an effort for her to keep
from bursting out laughing at the sight of Ranma in his new outfit. "Oh,
I think it is, Ranma. But all kidding aside, it is a very lovely wedding
dress."

     "It is not a dress!!" Ranma insisted. The traditional Amazon male
wedding outfit he was wearing consisted of a fancy red robe and sash.
The sleeves were made of a translucent material. The robe itself had a
long flowing end that made it look like a dress. At least to Sanma, who
had taken every opportunity to point this out to Ranma.

     "If you say so, but wouldn't catch me in a dress like that."

     "You know perfectly well that you've worn dresses before!"

     "I only remember someone named Ranma wearing dresses."

     "Shut up!"

     "Anyway, it's your own fault for getting engaged to two women...
again!"

     Ranma's lip twitched. "It was our stupid father who engaged us
before!"

     "Well, you got yourself into these two and I've already done
everything I can do to help you as Eldest."

     "Some help! I have to wear this dre... dreaded robe until I marry
Yukiko or Nipplering."

     Sanma took great pleasure in reminding him of the alternative. "Or
die."

     Ranma fumed. "I don't know why we don't just leave this bitch
factory!"

     "Because then the whole Amazon tribe will hunt us down and kill us
in the most painful way possible. I don't like it either, but I hated
having one Amazon after me... the whole tribe? No thank you."

     "I guess..."

     "And it would be better not to speak like that around here, you
idiot... some of them do understand Japanese, you know."

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     Yukiko woke up a little later and stretched. She looked around for
Shinuma before realizing that he wasn't there. She had gotten so used to
sleeping with him--if only as a cat--that she had trouble sleeping
alone. Unfortunately, she had been sleeping alone since Ranma had used
her to try to get out of his engagement to Nipplering. <Stooopid Ranma.>
She had tried everything she could think of to get that engagement
nullified so she could marry Shinuma, but the Amazon's had some really
strict laws concerning engagements and marriages. <Stooopid laws.>

     After Ranma used his prior engagement to Shampoo in an attempt to
get out of his engagement to Nipplering, Yukiko had insisted that
Shinuma was already her fiance. Unfortunately, according to Amazon law
her engagement to Ranma was as valid as her engagement to Shinuma, so
she could not back out of the engagement to Ranma without losing honor.
Considering how seriously the Amazons took the concept of honor,
breaking the engagement to Ranma could lead to some nasty problems.
Namely, their deaths.

     <I still can't believe that I'm the leader of all these women. I
never wanted this kind of life,> she thought as she looked out the
window of the hut that she had been staying in. Various Amazons scurried
back and forth doing their daily chores and assorted tasks. <Sometimes,
I wonder if 'Shampoo' ever wanted this life either.>

     After she cleaned up and had breakfast, she strolled over to the
hut containing all the records and law books for the Amazon tribe. "Hi,
Sanma."

     Sanma looked up at Yukiko. "Hi, Yukiko. Ready to start our search
today?"

     Yukiko nodded. "Yes, but I wonder if searching through all these
scrolls and books will really help us out of our problems."

     Sanma shrugged. "I don't know, but I can't sit here and do nothin'.
If I can't bust some heads to get out of here, this is my only chance."

     They went into the hut and sighed in unison at the sight of the
large stacks of books and scrolls that they had yet to go through.

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     "Anything yet?" Yukiko said, adding another scroll to the large
pile of scrolls that she had already examined.

     Sanma looked up from the book she was examining. "Nope... I just
hope these Japanese translations are accurate since I can't read the
Mandarin part." She neglected to mention that she was having trouble
with the Japanese text as well. <Should have paid more attention in
school, I guess.>

     "The ones I've looked at seem to be, but reading Mandarin might not
help. Some of these are in the ancient Amazon language."

     Sanma looked up. "And you can read it?"

     "Apparently. I remember how to read and write, but still can't
remember most people, places, or things from my past."

     "Maybe you'll remember someday."

     Yukiko put down the scroll she was examining. "Actually, I hope I
don't."

     "Huh?"

     "Except for recent events, I was happy being just 'Yukiko'. I knew
what to expect when I woke up. Now... things are just so crazy."

     Sanma frowned. "Are they? Seems kind of normal to me. Things will
work out, you just can't give up hope and let events get to you." She
unconsciously repeated similar advice given to her from Ukyo weeks
earlier. Sanma wouldn't admit it, but she had actually started to enjoy
life in the Amazon village since it kept her mind off her other
troubles. And her ego didn't mind all the attention and respect she got
as Eldest. She still didn't want to spend her whole life here, of
course.

     "Well, that why we're trying to find a loophole in all these
scrolls and books."

     "You would think that there would be some way out for the two most
powerful leaders of the Amazons."

     Yukiko nodded. "Well, MOST Amazons would see these positions as
desirable." She sighed as she remembered all the paperwork and endless
debates with the Circle Elders she had to deal with. "Don't know why."

     "Well, at least you're only stuck for a year."

     "Yes, I'm sorry you can't resign after a year like I can."

     "Stupid laws."

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     "Well, that's all we could find so far."

     Ranma and Shinuma looked at each other and then back at Yukiko and
Sanma. Both of the men had red wedding outfits on.

     "But... I really don't want to kill Shinuma," Ranma said.

     Shinuma smiled awkwardly. "Yeah, I'm not to keen on that either."

     "Weren't you listening!" Sanma shouted and then calmed herself
down. "You don't have to actually kill each other, you just have to
fight and the winner gets to marry Yukiko. Since the first engagement
happened because you defeated Shampoo in combat, the only way to nullify
that engagement is for Shinuma to beat Ranma in combat. It then becomes
Yukiko's choice to accept the engagement to Shinuma or not."

     "I will!" Yukiko smiled lovingly at Shinuma, who returned the
smile.

     "Nothing personal, but there's no way for Shinuma to beat me."
Ranma tried not to sound conceited, but failed. "And I doubt the Amazons
would consider it honorable for me to throw the fight."

     "Well, that's where the other ancient Amazon tradition comes in."

     "What tradition?"

     "It hasn't been used for some time, but I think it's the best
chance Shinuma has to win against you in combat."

     One explanation later, Ranma jumped to his feet in anger. "No
way!!"

     "It's considered combat according to Amazon tradition. I don't know
why, but the scrolls clearly consider it combat. Apparently it was first
used after the Matriarch at the time was jilted by some guy from a
nearby village."

     "I... I could never do that to another guy..."

     Sanma smirked. "I doubt you could either. That's why this is the
perfect solution... it's right up Shinuma's alley."

     "It's still gross."

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     Several days later, the combat arena was ready and Shinuma and
Ranma prepared themselves for the coming contest. Shinuma was in a set
of light armor that would hopefully allow him to survive the coming
ordeal. He would have preferred a full suit of one-inch think armor, but
he had to be able to move if he had any chance of winning this contest.

 Ranma wore his normal red Chinese outfit. He was just grateful that he
didn't have to fight in the red wedding outfit.

     "Do your best, Ranma," Shinuma said, holding out a glove covered
hand.

     Ranma smirked and shook the offered hand with his hand, which also
had a glove on it. "I always do."

     Sanma came up and slapped Ranma on his back. "Just remember that if
it looks like you are not giving the contest your all, you will have to
honor your engagement to Nipplering even if you do lose to Shinuma."

     Ranma followed Sanma's gaze towards the large Amazon woman, who
smiled and blew a kiss at Ranma. "Don't worry, he won't know what hit
him."

     Sanma flinched. "Oh, I'm sure he'll know if you actually manage to
do it."

     Ranma flinched more. "Tell me about it."

     Yukiko strode up wearing her Matriarchal robe and sat down on the
raised dais setup for her. She smiled sweetly at Shinuma, who had taken
his starting place on her left side, and then she looked to her right.
She gave Ranma a look that made it clear she expected Ranma to lose or
she would be VERY unhappy with him.

     Ranma gulped. He had seen Shampoo look at Mousse like that many
times. It was usually followed by some painful event. He smiled and
nodded to her, trying to reassure her that things would go as planned.

     "Duck!" Powder suddenly shouted in Japanese.

     Yukiko, Shinuma, Ranma, and Sanma all dropped to their stomachs at
hearing the loud warning cry.

     "What's going on?" Yukiko yelled from her huddled position behind
her dais.

     Arrows were flying everywhere as Powder rushed to Yukiko's side.
"Why are you down there, Matriarch?"

     "You told us to duck."

     "No, there is a duck approaching. Could be a Buyierfei trap."
Powder pointed at a small white duck that was weaving and dodging the
arrows that were fired at it.

     Yukiko shook her head. "I doubt it."

     "Well, even if it isn't, it would make a good meal."

     "I guess..." Although she wasn't a vegetarian, the thought of
eating something freshly killed disturbed Yukiko. Maybe it was all the
time she spent treating animals... or spent as an animal for that
matter.

     Sanma rushed to Yukiko's side. "Yukiko, call off the Amazons!!"

     Yukiko looked confused. "Huh? Why?"

     "That's not a duck, it's Mousse!"

     Yukiko looked even more confused and became flustered. "Moose?
Don't see a Moose." She pointed at the flying duck. "Is duck, yes?"

     Sanma realized Yukiko didn't remember Mousse and that she had only
been told a bit about him and his curse. "No, Mousse is that guy who
transforms into a duck and I think that might be him!" Sanma pointed at
the duck, which was still deftly evading the arrows aimed at it. Most
birds would have left the area under these conditions, but this was one
very motivated duck.

     Yukiko suddenly remembered them telling her about the man who
turned into a duck. "Powder, stop the warriors! That duck is not to be
harmed!"

     "Why, Matriarch?"

     "It's a man with a Jusenkyo curse!"

     Powder nodded her understanding and called out a command in
Mandarin. All of the arrows stopped and the warriors relaxed. Which in
the case of the Amazons meant that they were only thinking about the
best way to the duck, instead of actually trying to kill it.

     The white duck relaxed, but was still wary. It circled the area, as
if looking for someone. It seemed to be very confused.

     "Mousse!!" Ranma called out.

     The duck noticed Ranma, swooped in, and landed in front of him. The
duck started quacking loudly and gesturing wildly as if asking a
question.

     "Long time no quack, pal."

     Sanma had run off after the arrows stopped. When she returned, she
carried a hot kettle and a robe. "Here you go, Mousse." She poured the
hot water over the duck and held out the robe to Mousse."

     Mousse slipped the robe on. "Thanks, Ranma."

     "I'm Sanma, actually. It's a long story..."

     Mousse nodded. "Yes... the splits. Nabiki mentioned that to me."

     Sanma and Ranma both flinched at hearing that. "You've been to
Nerima?" Sanma asked.

     "How are Akane and..."

     "They all seemed fine from what I saw." Mousse grabbed Ranma's
shoulders. "But where is Shampoo? Please... tell me!" He was shaking
Ranma's shoulders violently. "I must find her!"

     "Clam down, Mousse!" Sanma shouted. "She's right behind you."

     Mousse spun around and looked. "Where?!"

     "Put your glasses on, idiot!" Ranma snapped, a bit miffed at being
shaken like an unripe cantaloupe.

     Mouse lowered his glassed. "Where?"

     "She's on the dais, idiot!"

     Mousse spun around and glared at Ranma. "You think I'm a fool and
can't even recognize the robes of the Matriarch? Now tell me where my
sweet Shampoo is!"

     Ranma and Sanma exchanged worried glances. "Um... Mousse, Shampoo
is the Matriarch," Sanma said softly.

     Mouse looked back and then took a long hard look at Yukiko. "No...
it can't be... but... you are... Shampoo!!" Mousse leapt toward Yukiko.
Before he reached her, a half dozen Amazons pinned him to the ground.
"Sham... poooo!!"

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     A little later, Yukiko helped a bruised and battered Mousse to his
feet. "You okay, Mousse?"

     "Yes. Oh, Shampoo!!" Mouse pulled Yukiko into a tight hug, never
wanting to let go.

     Yukiko knew he must have thought she was dead like the others had,
so she let him get it out of his system. "It's okay. Let it out."

     "I've missed you so much, Shampoo."

     Yukiko looked a little embarrassed. "Err... that's nice. Um... can
you call me Yukiko?"

     Mousse looked confused. "Yukiko?"

     Yukiko nodded. "Yes, it's the name I've been using since I lost my
memory."

     "Oh."

     After they quickly filled Mousse in on the memory loss and how
Yukiko ended up as Matriarch, Mousse patted Yukiko's hand. "You've been
through so much."

     "Yes."

     "Sha... Yukiko, I'm so glad you're alive. Thinking I had lost you
forever devastated me." Mousse held tightly to Yukiko's hands and gazed
lovingly into her eyes.

     Yukiko was growing uncomfortable with Mousse's forwardness. "That's
sweet. Um... we have to get this contest out of the way and then we can
talk some more, okay?"

     "No... I'm not going to put this off any longer! Sha... Yukiko, I
love you. Please marry me!"

     Yukiko and Shinuma gasped in astonishment. Sanma and Ranma had sort
of been expecting this since Mousse showed up, so they were not
surprised.

     Sanma walked up to Mousse and put a hand on his shoulder. "Mousse,
I know you love Shampoo, but this isn't the same girl you knew. She
doesn't remember anything and..." She glanced at Shinuma, who nodded.
"She's engaged to Shinuma here."

     Yukiko nodded. "I love Shinuma. I'm sorry, Mousse, but I don't
remember you or any of my past life. I can't return your love."

     Mousse started to shake. "No! You're alive! This is my second
chance! I know you loved me before!! You kept a picture of me in this
locket!" Mousse thrust out the little heart-shaped locket that he had
been given from Shampoo's things after her wake.

     Yukiko took the locket from Mousse's shaking hand and looked
inside. She smiled slightly at the picture of the young Mousse in it.
After staring at it without any sign of recognition, she looked Mousse
in his eyes. "You were very cute... but I don't remember this. I'm
sorry. If I did love you, that's in my past. I'm sorry, but I can't
marry you."

     Mousse's heart shattered and he dropped to his knees. "No... no...
no..."

     "Isn't it enough to know she is alive and happy?" Sanma asked
softly.

     Mousse wiped the tears out of his eyes. "No!! It isn't! I love her
more than life itself... I should have kept looking... I should never
have given up hope... I should never have fallen in love with Na..." He
trailed off and slowly got to his feet.

     Ranma came up behind Mousse and patted him on his back. "Come on,
Mousse, I know it hurts giving up someone you love-" Both he and Sanma
exchanged an uneasy glance. "-but you'll just ruin any chance of
Yukiko's happiness if you try to bully your way into her heart. Love
that is forced is not love, but obsession."

     Sanma smirked at hearing that. "Stealing lines from Kang, now?"

     Ranma tried to deny it. "No! I... I've just been on the receiving
end of that obsession way too often."

     "That's why you're engaged to Yukiko too, I guess." Sanma couldn't
hide the smirk that came to her face.

     Mousse frowned more. "You're still engaged to her?

     Yukiko placed her hand on Mousse's hand and explained all about
recent events leading up to the contest. "I'm sorry, Mousse."

     "I love you, Yukiko."

     "I can't return that love. I don't know if 'Shampoo' loved you or
not, but I know I can't love you now. I'm not the same person."

     A thought struck Mousse. "No... you're the Matriarch now, aren't
you?"

     "Yes... unfortunately. I didn't want this job."

     Mousse suddenly stood up straight. "I, Mousse, of the Amazon tribe,
do hearby declare my claim to the Matriarch's hand in marriage!"

     Everyone around him gasped.

     Yukiko lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Mousse, I already said..."

     "It is my right as a Amazon by birth to claim the right to marry
you over an outsider-" Mousse looked at Shinuma. "-and an Amazon by
decree." He looked at Ranma."

     "Mousse, please..."

     Powder put her hand on Yukiko's arm. "I'm sorry, Matriarch, he is
correct. If the hand of the Matriarch is in contention by outsiders or
non-birth Amazons, it is legal for an Amazon by birth to claim the right
to marry her himself. It is to prevent the Matriarch from being
influenced by non-Amazons."

     "But I'm not being influenced!"

     "I'm sorry, but it's the law."

     "Stooopid law."

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     "Damn... if Mousse wins our plans are totally screwed," Sanma said,
looking out onto the combat ring. Mousse was now at the edge, preparing
for the battle. He seemed to be very eager to get started.

     Shinuma looked across the dais that Yukiko sat on. "Ranma, you have
to fight to win now... don't hold back at all."

     Ranma frowned. "Huh? Um... don't you want to marry her anymore?"

     "No, I do... but I don't think I can win against someone that
determined." Shinuma glanced at Mousse, who was sharpening a set of
throwing knives. "At least if you win, I know you won't insist on
marrying her and we could still find a way out. I'm sure that Mousse guy
would insist on marrying Yukiko."

     Ranma nodded, although sweet was a word he had never used to
describe Shampoo. Determined was usually the kindest word that came to
his mind. "Yes, he probably would. Okay, but I'll see if I can keep him
off your back long enough for you to do the deed before he has a
chance."

     "Well, I hope so... never really tried do this under these
conditions."

     Ranma flinched. "Err... you've done this before?"

     "Quite often, actually."

     Any further conversation was interrupted by Powder. "Matriarch,
it's time."

     Ranma and Shinuma left the dais and took their starting positions.

     Yukiko sighed, stood up, and called out to Mousse. "Are you sure
you want to do this Mousse? It won't make me love you."

     Mousse flipped the set of throwing knives he was holding and they
disappeared, probably under his robe somewhere. "I'll prove to you that
I am the better man, Shampoo!"

     Yukiko was about to argue some more, but Sanma put a hand on her
arm. "Yukiko, don't bother. Mousse is very stubborn about Shampoo."

     "Does he love her... me that much?"

     "Probably, but I think he's living in a fantasy. I never really saw
you show more than friendship to him."

     Yukiko nodded. She turned to the assembled crowd and, hating the
words she was required to use, she spoke first in Mandarin and then
repeated in Japanese. "For the love of the Matriarch, let the battle
commence at the sound of gong!"

     Mousse tensed and prepared to enter the ring. He was wearing a robe
and his glasses were secured using an excessive length of duct tape. He
was taking no chances in losing them during this contest.

     Ranma tensed and prepared to jump at Mousse in order to keep him
out of the ring.

     Shinuma fingered the set of knives strapped to his leg. He doubted
they would make too much difference. It would be a miracle if he
survived this contest, let alone won it. He considered fleeing from the
village many times, but every time he did an image of Yukiko would
appear in his head and he knew he could not be happy without her. <Time
to fight for her love. No... time to fight to keep her love. No... I
have her love and I just have to fight to be able to enjoy it. Well...>
Yukiko interrupted his rambling thoughts.

     "Begin!" Yukiko shouted and hit a gong with a large mallet that
Akane would be envious of.

     At the sound of the gong, Mousse took off like a man possessed. He
would not let anything get in the way of his love for his sweet Shampoo.
As usual, he ignored the fact that his 'Shampoo' didn't want to marry
him and wasn't even the girl he had known as Shampoo any longer. He made
three running jumps and was about to land on his objective when Ranma's
foot impacted his chin, knocking him off target.

     Mousse crashed into the dirt, but quickly did a side flip to avoid
the follow up kicks from Ranma. "Ha! I didn't even feel that!"

     "Whatever..." Ranma put himself between Mousse and the target. "I'm
not letting you win, Mousse!"

     "Ranma Saotome... you have always been in the way of my love for my
dear Shampoo. No one will keep me from her this time!"

     Ranma took a series of swings and kicks at Mousse, which the tall
Amazon man deflected. "Give it a rest, Mousse! She's not Shampoo
anymore. She's changed... we all have."

     "You are only saying that because Akane dumped you for Ranko!"

     "She didn't!" Ranma insisted, but Mousse's statement did have
enough of an impact on Ranma's confidence that he missed seeing the
large training potty that smashed into his skull. Ranma went flying
across the combat ring and into Shinuma who had been sneaking up to the
target with a knife in hand.

     Mousse grinned like a man who had already won. "I won't let you two
get in my way!" He leapt into the air, extended two long curved blades
from his sleeves, and descended towards the target.

     Ranma shoved Shinuma out of the way and then cupped his hands in
front of him. Before Mousse reached him, he released a ball of chi
towards the airborne Mousse.

     Mousse tried to avoid it, but he collapsed to the ground from the
force of the blast. Still smoking, he shakily rose to his feet. "You
think that's going to stop me?"

     Ranma grinned lopsidedly. "Nope, but I don't actually want to kill
you."

     "Too bad... I do!" Mouse lunged at Ranma again with his arm blades.

     Ranma was too close to form another chi ball, so he concentrated on
evading the swings and tried to find an opening. He could tell that
Mousse was seriously trying to kill him and, without his losing an
appendage or two in the process, Ranma didn't see an opening in Mousse's
determined attack.

     It was at that point that he realized the reason behind Mousse's
desperation. <He's at the end of his rope. Something he had given up on
is suddenly available to him and he's not going to chance losing it ever
again.> On a certain level, Ranma could understand. He and Sanma had
given up Akane for her to be happy, but of course they had the hope that
they would still be able to marry her in the future. Mousse had dealt
with Shampoo's 'death' by coming to terms with the fact that she was
dead and was never coming back to him. And now that she was suddenly
alive, he couldn't accept the fact that she still could not be his.

     "Mousse! What about Nabiki?!" Ranma waited for a second, expecting
some response, but Mousse still continued his attack. "I know she loves
you!"

     Mousse finally reacted, but not in a way to help Ranma. Seeming to
come to terms with the fact that Shampoo doesn't and never did love him,
Mousse dropped his head. "She was just after the restaurant. She doesn't
love me..." He glanced up at Yukiko, who was looking away towards
Shinuma, who was trying to get a hold of the target. "Shampoo doesn't
love me either..." His head snapped over in Ranma's direction and his
eyes burned with pure hatred. "No one loves me!! Die, Ranma!!" He lashed
out with the blade like a man with nothing to lose.

     Ranma avoided the blows until the blade grazed across his right
leg. He winced at the pain that shot up his leg. Using his left leg, he
did a high back flip and landed on top of the target. "Oh... shit."

     Shinuma had just finished his last cut when his patient, for want
of a better word, ran away. Shinuma watched Ranma whisked away on top of
the very angry bull. Considering what Shinuma had just done to the bull,
Ranma was probably in for a wild ride. Not knowing what else to do,
Shinuma raised his blood covered arm and showed off the goal of the
contest. Namely, two bull testicles covered in blood.

     The spectators all roared and applauded the victor of the contest.
On her dais, Yukiko was jumping for joy as she saw the man she loved
holding the balls that would ensure her happiness.

     Shinuma smiled and blew a kiss to Yukiko. Suddenly, the tone of the
spectators changed from celebration to a shocked outrage. By instinct or
just plain luck, Shinuma saw a shadow and ducked just in time to avoid
the blade meant for his neck.

     Before Mousse could follow up his missed swing, the ball-less bull
ran back through the ring right between him and Shinuma.

     "How do you stop this crazy bull?!" Ranma screamed and held on for
dear life. He was backwards with his legs around the bull's neck and his
hand holding onto the tail. Since the bull's rear end was already sore,
this was not making the bull any happier.

     Shocked into inactivity by the sight of Ranma on the bull--although
technically it was now a steer--Mousse and Shinuma just watched it run
by in silence. After it passed, Mousse glared at Shinuma. "Now, give me
those balls!!"

     Shinuma started backing up slowly. "No, I've won the match..."

     It became obvious that Mousse wasn't going to be reasoned with when
he tried to slice Shinuma's head off again.

     Shinuma scrambled away, barely avoiding the blade. With Ranma stuck
on the steer he knew he didn't stand a chance against Mousse.

Mousse loomed over Shinuma and swung the blade at his opponent's neck.

     Suddenly, Yukiko jumped between him and Shinuma.

     "Don't kill him, Mousse! I love him!"

     Mousse stopped his swing an inch from Yukiko's throat and looked
into Yukiko's pleading eyes. Eyes that showed the love she felt. Love
for Shinuma. A look she had never given him before. "Oh, Shampoo... why
couldn't you ever love me?" He dropped to his knees and started to cry.
Before Yukiko could answer him, a couple dozen Amazon women tacked him.
"Sham...pooooo."

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     The next day, a bruised Mousse stood in front of Yukiko, Shinuma,
Ranma, and Sanma. The Circle Elders and other various Amazons were
milling around the small group.

     "I'm sorry, Sha... Yukiko." Mousse didn't look up.

     Yukiko sighed. "That's okay, Mousse. I wish I could tell you if
Shampoo loved you or not, but I just don't know."

     "She didn't... I realize that now."

     Everyone gasped in shock at the calm admission from Mousse, Ranma
and Sanma most of all.

     "Gee, thanks for figuring that out after cutting my leg and nearly
getting me killed by a very pissed off bull," Ranma commented dryly. He
absently fingered the bandage on his leg. He had other cuts and bruises
from his bull ride as well, but nothing he couldn't shake off in a few
days.

     "I'm sorry, Ranma, I was a fool in love."

     Ranma smirked and slapped Mousse on the back. "THAT I understand."

     Mousse finally got the nerve to look up and met Shinuma's eyes.
"Take good care of her. Or I'll do to you what you did to the bull."

     Shinuma gulped. "I... I will. I promise."

     Powder walked up to Yukiko. "Matriarch, it's time."

     Yukiko sighed. "Very well. I'm sorry we have to do this, Mousse."

     Mousse shook his head. "No, don't be. This is what I deserve." He
stood up straight. "And a part of me welcomes it."

     The assembled Amazons all faced him in a rough circle with him in
the center. Even Ranma and Sanma were in the circle, since they were all
Amazons. Only Shinuma was spared from participating in what was about to
happen.

     Powder spoke the ancient words. "Mousse, for the dishonor you
caused yourself in breaking the rules of the contest, you must die. Do
you have any last words?"

     "Only that I love Shampoo. Unfortunately, she is dead. If not in
body, then spirit."

     A tear ran down Yukiko's cheek.

     "Ready!" Powder commanded and held out a sword towards Mousse. The
other Amazons all followed suit. "Die in dishonor!"

     In one fluid movement the Amazons all drove their swords into the
ground and turned away from Mousse. Ranma, Sanma, and Yukiko followed
their lead, just a little out of sync with the other Amazons.

     "Hear not his words." Yukiko put her hands over her ears.

     "Look not at his visage." Sanma put her hands over her eyes.

     "Speak not his name." Powder put her hands over her mouth.

     And with that, Mousse strolled out of the hut and out of the Amazon
village that he had just been banished from. Just like they considered
Cologne dead when they banished her the year before, they now considered
Mousse dead for all intents and purposes.

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     Shortly after the banishment ceremony, Ranma and Sanma stood at the
gate to the village. "Are you sure about this, Sanma?"

     Sanma nodded. "Yes, you'd better go before you get engaged again."

     "They aren't going to chase me or anything?"

     "No, stupid, the contest nullified both engagements since
Nipplering can't claim the right to marry a breast fondler who lost in a
contest for the Matriarch's hand in marriage."

     "I didn't fondle her breast!! And I didn't really lose!"

     "Oh, then I can marry you!!" Nipplering came out of nowhere and
glomped onto Ranma.

     Ranma blushed and then grimaced under the tight embrace. <These
Amazon women must train long and hard to be able to get men in such
unbreakable glomps.> Once he managed to catch his breath, he spoke.
"Err... no... I lost. Lost big time. Very dishonorable loss."

     Nipplering let Ranma go. "Oh... then get lost!" She stormed away,
leaving a very sore Ranma behind on the ground.

     "Okay, I guess I'd better get out of here while I can. Are you sure
you're okay here alone?" Ranma got to his feet and brushed off his
clothes.

     Sanma smiled. "Of course, I'm the Eldest... all powerful and
revered by all Amazons."

     "Get out of the way!" A short fat Amazon said, pushing Sanma out of
the way when she walked through the village gate.

     Sanma frowned. "Err... she must not know that I'm the Eldest yet."

     The fat woman turned around. "Hey, Eldest, don't forget to close
the gate!"

     Sanma's eye twitched. "Anyway, it's only a matter of time before I
find a way out of this stupid job."

     "Okay, but if you need anything, let me know."

     Sanma nodded. "Give my love to Akane, and tell her I'll be back
soon."

     "Um... sure. Take care, Sanma."

     Sanma and Ranma stared at each other for several moments until
Ranma finally turned around and started to walk away.

     Sanma watched him walk away, an odd sense of sadness overcoming
her. "Hey, Big-brother?"

     Ranma turned back at Sanma. "Yeah?"

     Sanma wanted to say something that expressed the sadness she felt
inside at seeing him walk away. "Don't do anything stupid now." She
didn't quite manage to express her true feelings with that statement.

     Ranma smiled. "Yeah, you either, Little-sister."

     Sanma decided killing Ranma for that comment would ruin the mood,
so she let that one slide.

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     "Mousse?! What are you doing here?" Ranma looked down at the
huddled figure he had stumbled across as he walked down the steep
mountain pass.

     Mousse didn't look up. "I'm just going to sit here and waste away."

     "Why don't you come back to Nerima with me?"

     "There's nothing there for me."

     "Nabiki is there."

     "I've lost any chance I had with her. Plus I don't think she really
loves me."

     "I think she does... and people in love can be very forgiving."
Ranma thought about all of the things he had done that Akane had
forgiven him for and vise versa.

     Mousse shook his head. "She just wanted the restaurant. Looked like
it was doing pretty good business too."

     Ranma smirked. "Idiot. Did you happen ta' notice what she named
that restaurant?"

     "Mon Canard or something. I think it's French," Mousse muttered.

     "It's French for 'My Duck', idiot." Ranma didn't bother mentioning
that he had to be told this several times before he figured out what
Nabiki meant by the restaurant's name.

     Mousse finally looked up at Ranma. "Huh?"

     "It means she wanted you to come back to her, you idiot!"

     Mousse looked towards the east. Towards Japan. Towards Nerima.
Towards... "Nabiki..."

     "There's a stream over that way." Ranma pointed to a stream that
ran along the path.

     "Nabiki..."

     "As I said... there's a stream RIGHT THERE!"

     "Nabiki..."

     Ranma sighed. "Who'd a thunk playing cupid was so dammed hard."
Suddenly, he grabbed Mousse's arm and tossed him into the stream. "But
enjoyable." A pleased grin formed on his face.

     A duck leapt out and quacked angrily at Ranma.

     "Chill out, feather-butt. Now... Nerima is that way." Ranma pointed
towards the east.

     The duck looked to the east and then back at Ranma and quacked
twice.

     "You're welcome, jerk." Ranma watched the white duck flap his wings
and take to the air. After several moments, he started walking again and
then stopped suddenly when a thought hit him. "Damn, I could have used
the company for the trip home."

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     Yukiko looked down the cliff at Ranma and then back at the duck
flying into the eastern sky. "Goodbye, Mousse. Maybe it best for all of
us that you don't know what Shampoo really thought and felt about you."
She clutched a small bound book to her chest. Hand written on the book
was 'Shampoo's diary'.

     A single tear dripped down her cheek as she turned and walked back
towards the Amazon Village. Towards her people. Towards her fiance.
Towards her future. And away from her past.


***********************************************************************
>From the personal journal of James Davidson:


October 1, 2057

     "Wow. So did the diary say she loved Mousse or not?" I asked after
Shashiki finished her story. We had moved back to the hot pool a little
while ago while she related the story of how Ranma had escaped his two
engagements.

     Shashiki shrugged. "I don't really know. Even after Mom got her
memory back, she never told anyone that I know of. Maybe it was better
for everyone that she never mentioned it."

     "Possibly. So what about your mom and dad?"

     "Well, I guess I can tell you now... they got married in a Amazon
ceremony a short time after Mousse left."

     "With her being the Matriarch, it must have been a pretty lavish
affair."

     Shashiki nodded. "From the photos I've seen, yes it was. Mom and
Dad both looked great in their wedding dresses." She grinned and winked.
"Mom was always telling me about all the gorgeous red fabrics they used
and how perfect the wedding was."

     "Yeah, it always bugged me that she got such a perfect and
uninterrupted wedding."

     I looked over to find the source of that voice. "Akane?" I smiled
broadly, looked around, and spotted my wife. "Hanaki!" I was about to
get up and greet her when she landed in my lap and gave me a deep kiss.

     After the kiss ended, Hanaki remained in my lap and looked into my
eyes. "Sure, I go off for a few days and here you are with a bunch of
naked women."

     "Just conducting a interview."

     Hanaki frowned. "Is this the way you always interview women?"

     "Nope, this is a first for me."

     Hanaki smiled and slid in beside me. "Good."

     "Well, Reiko was sitting on your lap before, James," Shashiki
mentioned, with a sly grin on her face.

     "Well, only because someone keeps telling everyone how cute I look
when I blush!"

     Hanaki smiled. "Well, you do. Don't worry honey. Tendo women do
*NOT* try to steal other women's guys."

     "Well... not recently at least." Akane mentioned as she walked
over.

     I looked up at and then away from Akane when she dropped her towel
and slid into the hot pool with us.

     Shashiki cleared her throat. "Um... what about Kossori and..."

     Hanaki interrupted. "Fine... fine... Tendo women do not try to
steal guys from each other. Okay?"

     Shashiki and Akane smiled.

     Akane sunk into the hot water and sighed. "Ahhhhh, that feels so
good. My muscles are sore to the bone."

     "So how was your trip?"

     Akane grinned broadly. "Fantastic. It's been way to long since..."

     I frowned as I saw a large scar that ran down Akane's side. "Were
did that scar come from?"

     Akane looked down at her body. "Which one?" She started pointing
out scars left and right, much to my embarrassment.

     And then Shashiki got into the game and showed off her scars. Most
of them were barely noticeable, but several on each woman were very
apparent. When you considered how bad the original wounds must have been
to leave scars that modern plastic surgery couldn't repair, they were
very unpleasant to look at.

     Akane rejoiced when she came out ahead in the scar count over
Shashiki. "Plus at least two of those were from your mother."

     "Well, I was never as deserving of a good whack on the noggin' as
you were, Akane." Shashiki smiled devilishly at Akane.

     Hanaki frowned and folded her hands across her naked chest. "And I
only have three destroyed aircraft to boast about. I need some ugly
scars too."

     I smiled at my wife. I don't know if she did it on purpose, but
that settled the atmosphere down between the other two women. "No you
don't. I like you just the way you are." I leaned in and kissed my wife.

     "Gee, don't you hate it when they act like rabbits in heat?" Akane
asked Shashiki.

     I recognized an earlier comment I made about Akane and Sanma a few
days ago. "Fine, I get the point. I won't comment on you kissing your
wife if you don't when I kiss mine."

     "Who's a wife?" a deep voice said.

     I looked over and saw an older man that looked vaguely familiar.
Unlike everyone else around me, he was fully dressed, so I doubt he was
going to be jumping in the hot pool with us. "It was just a joke. Um...
who are you?"

     "Man, I dance with you and you almost kissed me, and still you
don't recognize me? Some horrible reporter you must have been."

     Recognition dawned and I gasped in surprise. "Sanma?"


***********************************************************************
June 14-15, 1999 - Joketsuzoku, China; Jusenkyo, China


     "Got it!!"

     Yukiko looked over to the pile of books and scrolls that Sanma
shouted from behind. "What?"

     Sanma crawled out of the little cave she had made while searching
for a way out of her position as Eldest. "I think I've found my ticket
out of here. Sorry, but I don't think it'll help you."

     "Why?"

     "Because unlike the laws about the Matriarch being vague about the
gender requirements, there is a law that states clearly that the Eldest
*MUST* be a woman." Sanma's joy was clearly apparent on her face.

     "But you are a woman."

     "Nope, I am a man! I was born a man and Amazon law makes a
distinction between a man and a man cursed in Jusenkyo to be a woman."

     Yukiko frowned. "Really?"

     "Yup." Sanma put the book she had found the information in front of
Yukiko and pointed to the section in question. "There. I guess since
they are so close to Jusenkyo they have to take it's effects into
account when they make laws."

     Yukiko scanned the page some more. "Nothing about cats... darn."

     "Sorry, Yukiko, but you only have a year to serve, it'll be okay."

     "I guess I can last a year here. As long as Shinuma is with me."

     Sanma grinned and hugged Yukiko tightly. "I am out of here!!"

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     "No. I'm sorry, but you have to stay."

     Sanma's jaw dropped and she stared at Powder for quite some time
before muttering a string of curses. When they had approached Powder
with the news, Sanma had been so sure it was her way out. She should
have known better.

     Yukiko looked at Powder. "Why? The law says that the Eldest has to
be a woman and then goes on to exclude men born as men who have obtained
Jusenkyo Spring of Drowned Girl, Woman, Prostitute, Female Impersonator,
or Female Wombat curses."

     "I'm sorry, but Sanma's curse is no longer in effect. She is a
woman full time and Amazon law considers her a woman."

     "No way! I am a man!! A man is Eldest and that ain't allowed by
Amazon law!!"

     "I'm sorry."

     Sanma glared at Powder. "I am sick and tired of you being so sorry
about everything!! If you were really sorry you'd let me resign and get
the hell out of here!!"

     Yukiko tried to calm Sanma down. "Sanma, please don't get angry."

     "Angry?! You call this angry?!" Sanma stormed out of the hut. "I'll
show you angry!"

     "Powder... your Matriarch commands you to find some way out for
him."

     "I'm sorry, but..."

     Yukiko sighed and shook her head sadly.

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     "Dammit!! This damn curse has screwed my life up for the last
time!" Sanma yelled to no one in particular. She stared across the
valley that once held the cursed springs of Jusenkyo. At that moment, it
was just a rocky plain strewn with upturned rocks, broken bamboo shoots,
and empty holes where the strings used to be.

     Suddenly, a large chi ball formed between Sanma's hands. "It won't
bring back my male body, but..." With a crazed look on her face, she
sent the chi ball flying down towards the valley floor. It impacted and
blasted a large crater into the ground.

     Sanma smiled at the destruction she had caused. She continued to
form chi balls and sent them crashing into the valley below. She only
stopped when she grew tired. She collapsed to her knees and started
breathing heavily.

     After several minutes, she wiped the sweat from her forehead and
stood up again. "Well, that didn't solve anything." As she walked away,
she smiled broadly. "But it did feel good. What else can I blow up?"

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     The cliffside collapsed and covered Sanma with dust. She spat out
some dust and then looked around at the mess. "Okay, that one might have
been going a bit too far."

     She started walking away from the large pile of rubble, which used
to be the cliff that the Jusenkyo executive hut had rested on top of.
Now the hut lay in pieces beneath the rubble.

     As she walked away, she bashed her foot against something.
"Damn..." She lit another chi ball and looked own to see a large metal
canister about the size of a beer barrel. "Hmmm... must have been in the
hut."

     She absently tapped it with her other foot and noticed the top was
partially open. She reached down, pried the top off, and pulled a scroll
out. A few small packets fell out as she did so. She absently looked at
a few of the packets, but couldn't read the Chinese writing on them. She
pocketed a handful of them so she could ask Yukiko about them later.

     Then she picked up the scroll and unrolled it. She was amazed to
find it was written in Japanese as well as Chinese. But she was more
astonished to find that it was a map to all the Jusenkyo springs. "Yes!
Now I can..." She trailed off as she realized that the springs were all
dry now. The map that showed which springs were which, including the
Spring of Drowned Man, was now useless.

     Sanma dropped to the ground. "Yeah, that figures. I finally find
the map AFTER the springs are dry and gone."

     Several explosions followed.

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     The faint disc of a new moon could be seen over the valley
containing the ruins of Jusenkyo, which had a few more ruins than it did
that morning. Darkness shrouded a figure crouched by a shallow
depression in the ground. Occasionally, it would poke a stick into the
ground and mutter some expletive concerning a fat, balding, old man, or
an old hag, or an old pervert, or a tribe of muscle-bound women.

     The figure looked up into the dark night sky, sighed, and stood up.
It then cried out in pain when it bashed its head on a rock outcropping.
"Shit! I can't believe the crap my life has become. I don't care any
more... I'm leaving! I helped save these bitches' sorry asses, so they
can just cut all the crap with these ridiculous laws and let me leave.
If they try to stop me they won't know what hit them."

     All was quiet as the figured felt its way through the darkness
until another pained cry was heard. A ball of glowing chi appeared soon
after, illuminating Sanma's face. As she rubbed her sore shin, she
looked up at the new moon and sighed. "Well, one last thing to do before
I leave this hell hole."

     She turned around and gathered a huge ball of chi between her
hands. "Moko Takabisha!!" She released the ball towards the depression
she was crouched over earlier. It impacted the depression formerly known
as the Spring of Drowned Man and sent dirt and debris flying in all
directions. "Take that, Jusenkyo!!"

     As she walked away with another chi ball in hand to light her way,
she heard a sound. A bubbling, gurgling, swirling sound. She turned
around to see the depression start to fill with water.

     "What the..."

     Hope flooding into her previously hopeless life. Not only could she
be a man again, but she could also be free of her position as Eldest
without being chased to the ends of the Earth for the rest of her life.

     "Hot damn!" She took a running jump into the pool. She splashed
around and giggled like a schoolgirl. After giggling for almost a half
minute, she finally realized that she was still giggling like a
schoolGIRL. She looked down, pulled open her shirt and swore a blue
streak when she saw her breasts were still there. "I hate these things!"

     Seeing her miracle cure and salvation from the Amazons both go up
in a pool of murky water, Sanma did what she normally would do... burned
with rage and started firing off chi blasts at the surrounding walls of
the valley. At least those that she hadn't already blasted.

     She kept firing for several minutes until steam started rising from
the water's surface and her anger over the recent events eased somewhat.
"I just can't get... a... break." Sanma trailed off at the sound of her
voice. It wasn't a sound she had heard from her own throat for months.
"What the hell?" She spoke again. The same deep masculine voice came out
of her mouth. She was almost afraid to look, but she eventually worked
up the courage to do so.

     She looked down to see something she had not seen for months.
Namely, the absence of breasts. HE jumped to HIS feet and explored his
body in the darkness, just to make sure everything was there that was
supposed to be. It was.

     "I'm cured! Or at least, half cured... but beggars can't be
choosers!"

     *HE* ran off into the darkness, laughing and celebrating the whole
way. His laughter stopped when he slammed his head into another rock
outcropping and fell onto his ass. "Damn..."

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     Yukiko rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and stumbled into the
Circle's hut, with Shinuma right behind her. "What is it, Sanma?"

     "I'm resigning from my position as Eldest."

     "You know you... can't..." Yukiko trailed off as she finally saw
the male Sanma. "Oh, Ranma. When did you get back?"

     Sanma grinned broadly. "I'm Sanma. And I'm a man again!!"

     Yukiko squinted. "Huh?"

     Powder walked up from behind Sanma. "Matriarch, the Circle has...
examined... the evidence. He is a man for sure."

     Sanma glanced back at Powder. "Yeah, but did you have to examine it
that closely?"

     Powder blushed and nodded, not trusting her voice.

     Yukiko finally noticed Sanma's hair. "Your hair..."

     Sanma smiled and fingered her rusty-red hair, which was a cross
between her normal red hair and black hair. "Yup... somehow the Spring
of Drowned Man become activated and, poof, I'm a man again." He
neglected to mention all the destruction he had caused at Jusenkyo in
order to cause that reactivation.

     Yukiko gasped. "Then the Spring of Drowned Girl?"

     Sanma shook his head sadly. "Sorry, it didn't look like any of the
others refilled. I have a map, so you can look."

     Yukiko wasn't sure she cared. Until finding out the others
considered it a curse, she had just accepted turning into a cat as a
fact of life. "Well, I'm happy for you."

     "Thank you. Um... the Circle just needs your agreement to get me
off the hook."

     "I understand." Yukiko turned towards Powder. "Powder?"

     Powder nodded. "Matriarch, by the unanimous decision of the Circle,
we declare that Sanma Saotome is unfit to serve at the Eldest of the
Amazons by reason of masculinity and having two testicles and a penis."

     Yukiko couldn't help chuckling. "And you examined the evidence, did
you?"

     Sanma blushed.

     Powder nodded. "Yes, Matriarch, very carefully. Would you like to
examine it?" She made to pull Sanma's pants down, seemingly eager to do
so.

     Yukiko chuckled. "No, that won't be necessary."

     "Then do you accept our decision?"

     Yukiko nodded, looked around for her golden staff, and picked it
up. "I do accept it." She tapped the staff twice against the ground to
make the decision official.

     "Alright! I'm free of this hellhole!!" Sanma yelled and jumped for
joy. Then he noticed the others in the room were casting angry looks at
him. "Err... well, it's a nice place and all... just not my cup of tea."

     That seemed to keep him from being attacked. For now.

                    -C-           -M-           -D-

     The next day at the main gate to the village, Yukiko saw Sanma off.
She felt a little sad to see another of the few people she knew leave
again, but understood Sanma's reasons. "Have a safe trip."

     Sanma smiled. "I will. Um... are you sure it's okay for me to leave
you here?"

     "Yes, I'll be okay. Powder is settling into her new job as Eldest
nicely and I have Shinuma. With him at my side, I don't mind being here
for a year."

     "Well, um.. bye. I'm glad you found someone to be happy with."

     Yukiko smiled and squeezed Shinuma around the waist. "Yes, I have.
Take care, Sanma." She stepped forward and gave Sanma a kiss on his
cheek.

     "You too, Yukiko. Take care of her, Shinuma."

     Shinuma nodded. "I will."

     Sanma turned and walked away from the village, hopping that it
would be the last time HE ever saw it.

     Yukiko and Shinuma watched him walk away. "Yukiko sad to see him
go."

     "We'll see them all again in a year. And then we can get married."

     "Do we have to wait that long?"

     Shinuma looked Yukiko in her eyes. "Well... my parents..."

     Yukiko smiled. "Despite how they live, the Amazons have a lot of
jewels and gold. As Matriarch, I could arrange to have your parents,
Ami, and anyone else you want flown here."

     "Well, in the last message I got from them they did ask when we
were going to get married. I guess it's about time we stop sneaking away
from the village to that hot spring and got hitched for real."

     Yukiko smiled. "Wo ai ni!" She leapt up into Shinuma's arms and
gave him a deep kiss. After the kiss ended, she frowned. "But I like the
hot spring."

     Shinuma smiled. "Me too. Don't worry, we'll still go whenever we
can."


***********************************************************************
>From the personal journal of James Davidson:


October 1, 2057

     I stared at Sanma in amazement. "I never knew you got the curse
back."

     Sanma grinned broadly. She... HE sat on a chair by the hot pool
where he had just explained how he had gotten out of his job as Eldest.

     Akane smiled. "James, we don't actually consider it a curse
anymore. More of a blessing that has enriched our lives."

     "If you say so. But I'm amazed I never saw you as a man before."
The curious part of myself suddenly took over and wanted to see what a
cursed... blessed person looked like as they transformed. So I picked up
a nearby bucket filled with cold water and tossed its contents towards
Sanma.

     "Hey!!!!" Sanma did a quick jump and side-flip to avoid the water.
"Whatcha do that for?"

     "I was curious to see what the transformation looked like."

     Akane pulled the bucket out of my hand. "James, it's not really
polite to cause a blessed person to change forms."

     "I'm sorry..."

     "Yeah. Besides, I don't change back and forth between a woman and
man like I used to."

     "How so?"

     "That's why we went back to China. Every so often, when the new
moon is directly over Jusenkyo, the Spring of Drowned Sanma fills up
again."

     "Spring of Drowned Sanma?"

     Sanma smirked. "Yeah, remember how I just told you I blasted the
Spring of Drowned Man to reactivate it?" I nodded. "I sort of had some
packets of instant Spring of Drowned Man powder in my pocket."

     "So it's not permanent?"

     "No... it took me a while to figure out how it worked, but I did.
The spring works once and only once when the new moon rises directly
over Jusenkyo. It also only works for me, hence the Spring of Drowned
Sanma name. I jump into the spring and become a man. Hot water doesn't
affect me at all anymore, but after the change stabilizes--which is
usually after a few days or so--if I am splashed with cold water then I
transform into... Well, eventually I become a woman full time again."

     "I'm sorry I tried to splash you then. I didn't know." I frowned as
I remembered the last part of Sanma's statement. "Eventually?"

     Sanma looked awkwardly at the ground, as if embarrassed. "I sort of
had a few other instant spring powders in my pocket as well."

     "So what else do you turn into?"

     Sanma frowned and looked away. "I'd rather not talk about it."

     Akane smiled. "When he gets splashed--and he always gets splashed
with cold water eventually--we'll show you, James."

     I looked nervously around the hot spring. "Um... should you be in
here then? With all the water around here and all..."

     "Probably not, but I've gotten very good at avoiding cold water
over the years. Beside I wanted to show off my male body to everyone."
He started striking he-man posses.

     Thank god he was fully clothed.

     Akane chuckled and probably wished that he was naked. "He does this
every time he gets to be a man again. You should have seen him showing
off earlier to Yohachi now that he's fully equipped again."

     Then I realized something and spoke before thinking. "Ah!! That's
why you're so sore today, Akane!"

     Remarkably, Akane blushed. "Well, sort of..."

     "Banzai!!"

     I looked over just in time to see the Reis jump into the cold pool,
sending a large splash of water toward Sanma. "Watch out!"

     My cry was too late.

     Sanma had already jumped straight up and now was perched on one of
the overhanging porch roofs. "See, I told you I've gotten good at this."


[End - Chapter 21]

Coming soon: Chapter 22: Too Many Piggies in Nerima
=======================================================================
The real author's (Jim Lazar) notes/ramblings:


Sorry, but you'll have to wait a bit to find out what Sanma's other
cursed/blessed forms are. Nabiki is taking bets if anyone is interested.


I'd like to thank my pre-readers David Johnston, Oscar Wilsson, Jonathan
Ng, Michael A. Chase, EBJ, and Thomas C. Kinnen for helping me find and
fix problems with this story. FFML members Christopher J. Olsen and Pat
Olsen were also helpful in fine tuning this story. Thank you all. Of
course in the end, any mistakes and botched characters are my fault.


Revision 0.0 - Rough draft (June 1, 1999)
Revision 0.3 - Pre-reader draft (August 11, 1999)
Revision 0.4 - FFML draft (August 23, 1999)
Revision 1.0 - Final version (September 9, 1999)

-=-
Jim Lazar

E-Mail - mailto:jimlazar@earthlink.net
FanFiction - http://home.earthlink.net/~jimlazar/anime
-=-
     Kasumi found her father cradling her mother in his arms. He
had run out of tears to shed long ago, but the expression on his face
told the story.
     After several minutes of silence, Soun asked with a scratchy
voice, "Kasumi dear. Will you please say goodbye to your mother?"
     "Of course, Father," Kasumi said. She stood up, took one of her
mother's hands in hers, and said a soft, "Goodbye, Mother. I'll keep
my promise."
-=-
Excerpt from: Ranma-ototo: Please Save My Family