Heart of fire, breath of flame.
part 5
The last straw...
[No real Dragon lore was used in this fic. I just made it up to fit what
I wanted. Mostly because I'm too lazy to do the research.]
"Jesus!" cried Cartson as he watched the flames erupt from the pipe and
heard the jaws snap shut beneath him. His eyes went wide and he pressed
himself against the wall and waited to move when the creature turned
around, but it never did. It simply slunk back into the darkness of the
pipe and vanished.
He had jumped onto the top of the pipe as the creature advanced on him.
The edge stuck about two feet out of the wall. He had realized that if he
stayed in front of it he would have died. In a split second he made his
decision and swung himself up over the pipe with a single smooth motion,
just as the flames erupted from its mouth. He gasped for breath and began
to hyperventilate as the shock of what had happened hit him. He looked
down and saw that his shoes were melting onto the top of the pipe. His
face and body had been badly singed by just the heat from the blast. He
jumped down to the side of the pipe and tried the ladder that went up to
the manhole gingerly. It hissed as he touched it and he pulled away
reflexively. "Shit, I gotta get the fuck out of here!" he said excitedly
as he glanced back at the pipe nervously. He knew that most of them
interconnected. "I can only hope I don't run into that again," he
muttered as he climbed into the pipe opposite the Dragon hole. "Christ, a
genuine Dragon," He'd rather deal with a man with the heart of one any
day.
The next morning Ryu stumbled into Nerima looking tired and worn. He
walked towards his home relentlessly. Those who saw him simply gave way
to the disgusting slime covered individual who staggered past and ignored
him.
At one point a police officer tried to stop him and he simply swatted
the man out of his way sending him into a garbage pile unconscious. He
was in no mood for delays. He just wanted to get home and take a hot
bath. That was when he met the first of his problems for the day. Ryoga
Hibiki, the lost boy of course didn't recognize him because of the filth
that covered him but stopped him to ask for directions.
"Where is the Tendo dojo?" he asked not noticing the condition of the
man in front of him as he was studying the photo in his hands carefully.
Ryu glanced at the photo in his hands and frowned. "You looking for
someone?" he asked him with a dark tone in his voice.
"Yea, You seen this guy before?" asked Ryoga with a serious gaze.
"Nope, never seen him before," answered Ryu as he walked around the lost
boy.
"Thanks anyway," muttered Ryoga. He looked at the photo and noticed the
golden eyes of the boy. "Wait a minute!" he cried and wheeled around.
"You're him!" he cried and started to run after him.
"Shit!" cried Ryu as he charged into the crowd. He jumped over several
fences and Ryoga followed obliviously. No mater where he went, he
couldn't lose the lost boy, even when Ryoga veered off it always put him
directly in his path.
Then a realization came to Ryu and he jumped onto a wooden post that was
jutting from the water in one of the larger drainage ditches. "Come and
get me," he cried
Ryoga stood on the fence and glared at him. "No fair!" he yelled.
"Before we get into a fight, you and I are going to talk about this,
agreed?" called Ryu from his perch.
Ryoga glared at him for a moment and sighed. "Fine."
The two of them sat in Ryu's apartment a few moments later, after Ryu
washed off. Ryoga simply glared at him and sat silently.
"Why are you chasing me?" asked Ryu as he sat down across from the boy.
"If you hurt Akane I'll..." said Ryoga as he stood and grabbed for Ryu's
shirt.
He backed away barely in time and hopped on top of the chair. "Look if
you won't tell me what this is about..."
"Enough talking, Your gonna give me that dragon heart right now!" yelled
the boy as he charged Ryu and grabbed his neck.
Ryu choked and hung helplessly in his grasp as he clutched at Ryoga's
arm desperately.
"I won't let you use it to hurt Akane or anyone else you evil bastard.
Give it to me so I can beat Ranma!" he yelled.
Ryu stopped struggling and kicked Ryoga in between his legs and bit his
arm hard. It was barely enough to get him to free his neck. "I thought
better of you Hibiki, I didn't think you'd stoop to robbery," said Ryu as
he gasped for breath.
Ryoga stood and lunged for him. "Shut up you! I've heard all about you!"
Ryu jumped and ran leaving Ryoga to crush his furniture easily beneath
his weight. "You want the heart so much? Take it. I've had about all I
can stand of it." said Ryu angrily as he tore open his shirt and exposed
his chest to Ryoga. He walked up to the boy and placed the confused
navigationally challenged boy's hand over his heart and growled. "Go
ahead Ryoga. Take it out and eat it. It will give you the power you want
so badly. I hope it makes you happier than it has me."
"What?!" said Ryoga in complete shock.
"You want the dragon heart so badly? Take it out of my chest and eat it.
If you want it that is what you have to do," said Ryu almost screaming
now.
"But, I..." stammered the boy.
"You idiot. You can't even tell when your being used can you?" said Ryu
as he looked away from Ryoga in disgust. "I used to look up to you ya
know. I've heard stories about your strength and power. Now that I meet
you I realize I was a fool, you're just an overgrown baby who isn't smart
enough to think for himself," sneered Ryu as he saw on the remains of his
living room.
"Wh-What did you say?!" roared Ryoga as he lifted him up by his shirt.
"Am I wrong Ryoga? Look at yourself, look at how you're acting. You
think Akane would love you now?" said the helpless boy from his grasp.
"What, I...How did?" said Ryoga in horror as he put the boy down.
"I know a lot of things. I know your Akane's pet. I know you're in love
with her..." said Ryu coolly as he glared at Ryoga in disgust.
"You shut up you! What would you know about my feelings?!!" he cried
angrily as he threw him into a wall.
"I know enough, you don't deserve Akane. Attacking someone weaker than
yourself just because someone told you they might be dangerous. Why don't
you try thinking for yourself for once instead of destroying other
peoples lives with your interference," said Ryu weakly as he struggled to
his feet.
"How dare you!?" said Ryoga angrily as he charged again pinning Ryu to
the wall and crushing his chest with unbelievable force.
"How dare you attack me? I've done nothing to you or Akane before today.
I'm just trying to live another day and I don't need this from you," said
Ryu coldly. "Right now I could care less about you and your petty
problems. You could kill me easily if you wanted too, but I'm not afraid
of you Ryoga. You're a lot of bad things, but not a killer."
Ryoga growled angrily and lifted the boy up by his neck again. "I won't
allow you to talk to me that way!"
"Go ahead take the plunge. Prove your man enough to kill me and maybe
you'll be strong enough to do it to Ranma when you get the chance, or do
you even really want to any more? Did you ever want him dead? I wonder
about you sometimes," said Ryu as he gazed calmly into Ryoga's angry
face.
"You shut up you!" cried Ryoga as his grip loosened.
"Why? What are you gonna do kill me? Looks like your already trying.
You're pathetic, look at you. A man who spent almost a year of his life
living as the pet of a girl who never really loved him. A pathetic coward
who hid behind her affections, just to piss off Ranma. You have someone
waiting for you, why are you still here? Can it be that you still haven't
given up? You're still trying to be more than a pet for her? That's all
you ever were you know. A pet," Ryu's eyes went wild as he said this and
glared directly into the mouth of Ryoga's own anger.
The lost boy reacted as if he had been struck and staggered back with
Ryu still in his grip. He felt the despair rise in his heart and fill his
soul. "You what are you doing?" he said trying to control his emotions.
"I'll show you."
"Yes, release your anger, only your hatred can destroy Ranma. But how
can you? If you kill the only man she loves how will she ever love you?"
said Ryu with his insane smile growing wider.
Ryoga pushed through his emotions and formed a ball of Ki in his hands.
"Your trying to get me to kill you aren't you?" he stammered through the
cloud that covered his mind.
"I'm trying to get you to try," said Ryu with a frown as he produced his
own massive Ki ball. It was nearly twice the size of Ryoga's Shi shi
houkou dan.
"Why are you doing this?" said the lost boy with tears in his eyes as he
finally started to lose his control.
"Why are you?" answered Ryu calmly, his Ki blast faded away.
Ryoga turned away from the boy and blew the wall of the Home away taking
a good portion of the ceiling with it. A large section of the street was
destroyed. Fortunately no one was hurt. Cars and pedestrians were light
in the neighborhood at this time of day.
Ryu looked at Ryoga and smiled. "Well, now that we got that out of the
way...Tea?" he said as he pointed towards the kitchen.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" screamed Ryoga as he shoved the boy
to the ground.
Ryu stood and dusted himself off. "I should ask you the same thing boy.
Nothing I told you was a lie, and look at how you reacted. You could have
killed someone."
"-I- could have?! You bastard! How dare you toy with my feelings like
that?!!" cried Ryoga as he shoved Ryu into what was left of the wall.
"Ryoga, unless you could kill someone, even someone like me. Not even a
dragon's heart will help you defeat Ranma. If you had it that Shi shi
houkou dan would have destroyed half of Nerima. If Cologne got her hands
on it imagine what she could do to Ranma and Akane's lives. Sometimes
when you really love something you have to let it go," said Ryu as he
gazed at Ryoga with pity in his eyes. "She doesn't need your protection
from me, or Ranma."
Ryoga reared back for a punch and growled showing his fangs. He looked
at his hand and then Ryu, who was smiling darkly. "Oh god," he cried and
dropped him before running out into the street.
Ryu shook and fell to his knees. He felt his stomach turn as he steadied
himself and lay against the remains of his apartment. "So much for my
deposit," he muttered and laughed. He was now dirtier than he was when he
came in from the sewers. He was covered in blood and dust from the most
dangerous game of Russian roulette he had ever played. "It seems fate is
dead set on keeping me alive for something," he sighed as he lay back and
closed his eyes. "All right, I'll bite."
An hour later Ryu stood and looked around. He sighed heavily and stood
glancing at the broken furniture and plaster from the ceiling and walls.
"I've had enough," he said quietly and grabbed an English style umbrella
from the corner before stepping out into the street.
Akane walked down the street after Ukyo as they searched for Ranma.
Neither of them had been successful in their efforts and he had not been
seen all night. They were returning home to regroup and Akane frowned as
she saw him approach them. Ryu was walking towards her and Ukyo with an
umbrella slung over his shoulder and walking towards the west.
Ukyo looked at Akane when she stopped and frowned as she noticed her
glaring at the approaching man. "Akane what's up?" she said looking worn.
"Ryu," said Akane simply.
"Hello Akane, I was just on my way to say goodbye," said the boy as he
approached.
"Where is Ranma?" said Akane as she glared at him with hope filled eyes.
"He isn't at the dojo?" A look of genuine surprise crossed his face.
"What have you done with my Ran-chan?" screamed Ukyo as she woke fully
and slammed her spatula into Ryu's head sending him sliding across the
pavement on his face.
"Looks like you had quite a battle. Wanna tell us about it?" said Ukyo
coldly.
"It wasn't Ranma if that's what you mean, I had a run in with that
Hibiki kid and it didn't go well," he said as he stood and gingerly
touched the scraped skin on his face.
Ryu was dazed and staggered for a moment before regaining his balance.
"What the hell?" he muttered before he saw the battle spatula's flying
through the air and pin him to a large tree.
Ukyo placed the blade end of one of the weapons under his throat. "What
have you done with my Ran-chan?" she repeated.
"I haven't seen him," said Ryu groggily.
"He went looking for you, he thinks you killed Shampoo," said Akane
quietly.
"I did kill Shampoo," said Ryu looking at Akane. There was no emotion on
his face.
She was devastated. She fell to her knees and looked at him in shock.
"I-I thought you were my friend," she sobbed.
"You don't understand do you? I would never hurt you, Ukyo, or Ranma.
Shampoo is another matter," said Ryu sullenly.
"What do you mean another matter?" screamed Ukyo as she swung the blade
end of her battle spatula at his head. It sliced through the tree over
his head and he glared at her coolly.
"Go ahead and kill me if it will make you feel better. I'm tired of
running," said the boy.
Ukyo clutched the weapon and stared at him, before putting the blade
against his neck. She wavered for a moment and pulled back slightly
giving the boy a little room.
"Akane I'm sorry but, I...Shampoo would have killed me. I didn't have a
choice, it was a matter of life or death, she had me cornered," said Ryu
as he gazed directly at her.
"Why would Shampoo kill you?" said Ukyo as she punched Ryu in the gut.
So far he had made no move to escape.
"You don't have to hit me, I am talking," he grumbled earning another
blow to his stomach. Akane was either didn't care anymore or was too
shocked by his words to stop her.
He looked up at her and frowned, "Because of my heart. If someone were
to remove it and eat it they would gain all of my powers. Cologne will
not stop until I leave or she gets it. It would be a powerful asset for
both her and her tribe," said Ryu as he coughed and tried to regain his
breath.
"Is that ..." said Akane in confusion.
"That's why I came to your dojo, without your help I won't survive the
year. There is something else as well, I have a c..." Ryu was cut off by
some very familiar laughter.
Ranma stalked the tunnels under Nerima angrily. He had long since lost
his way but no longer cared. Cologne had not yet shown up to see him yet
and he knew nothing of her plans. Ryu had yet to surface in Nerima so he
came down after him. He plodded on for what seemed like days beneath the
city, now he was tired and lost. He had a strange thought and looked up.
There were no man hole covers anywhere and the ground was dry and the
pipes clean, he had not had to crawl for a long time either. All this was
strange. All of the other passages were damp and slime covered, they were
littered with holes and debris from the water and trash from the city.
These tunnels were clean and dry, even a little warm. They twisted in
strange angles and seemed to go deeper and deeper down into the ground.
"What the hell?" he muttered as he plodded on, he didn't have much of a
choice now.
A short time later he reached a large cavern. He gasped and looked
around in awe. It was brightly lit with a few lamps and electric lights,
but that was not the most amazing part. Every where he looked was gold of
some kind. Gold nuggets littered the floor and assorted gems and jewelry
were piled in heaps all along the floor with coins, plates, and even a
few rolls of golden wall paper sat propped in a corner. Several pedestals
stood in random corners around the room with strange looking statues and
jewelry in display cases. Ranma reached out to see if he was imagining
the wealth he saw around him.
"Hey! What are you doing here? Don't touch that fool!" cried a gruff
voice.
Ranma spun around in a defensive stance.
Ryu ripped himself free of the trunk easily and turned to see Taro
standing angrily with his foot inside the trunk of the tree. He spun
around and punched at Ryu.
"You bastard! When I catch you again I -will- eat you!" cried Ryu as he
dove away and ran off in the direction of the Dojo.
Ukyo and Akane followed immediately.
"Come back here you jackass! I'm not through talking to you!" cried Ukyo
angrily as she retrieved her battle spatula from the ground before
following.
Nabiki Tendo sat and glared at the table at another set of embarrassing
photos. In the days since Ryu had arrived in Nerima she had tried
everything to get some sort of information from him. He had simply
avoided or ignored her since the initial encounter.
She had managed to get photos of him that made him appear to be a child
molester, a panty thief, and a homosexual. She had posted them on the
walls of the school in the hopes of getting some sort of reaction out of
him. Nothing she did worked, he hadn't noticed or cared about his sudden
drop in popularity at school; and most of the students respected him, if
only because of what he had done to Kuno. She followed him to his home
and still learned nothing. No matter what happened he simply ignored her.
She was getting angry and would soon resort to more, serious, methods if
she didn't get results. She smiled as she looked at the amount her friend
had given so generously for the lessons. The gold nugget was almost
ninety seven percent pure, she couldn't even lift it. It was worth close
to a half a million American at current market rates. The boy was loaded,
she began to form plans in her mind to crack through his shell. There was
always some way to get to anyone, and she would find it.
Cologne smiled as her prey moved towards her in the street. She knew he
would return here eventually; they always did. She jumped from her perch
in the tree and onto the wall that separated the Tendo dojo from the rest
of the world just as Ryu hopped over the fence followed by the Taro boy.
Ukyo and Akane followed a few moments later. Cologne frowned, the girls
could be a problem and get in the way. "I guess I'll just have to work
around them," she muttered to herself.
Ryu was about to jump onto the roof of the dojo when he stopped suddenly
and turned to face his pursuers. "No more running, if they want to die so
bad I'll just have to oblige them," he growled as he prepared himself.
Taro turned the corner and sneered as Ryu stood waiting. "I have you!"
At that point Cologne hopped over with a cold look on her face. "No boy,
I have him."
"Back off hag, he's mine!" snorted Taro as he advanced on Ryu carefully.
Ryu was slowly circling towards the center of the yard.
"Silence young one, He has injured my kin. Is your quarrel worse?" she
asked coolly.
Taro growled and glared at her. "Yes, but I don't feel like arguing
about it. You get first strike, that's all," he said reluctantly.
Cologne nodded and turned to see the girls move up behind him. "Leave,"
she said simply.
"Not till he Tells us where Ranma is," said Ukyo.
"He's under the city in the drainage system searching for him," said
Cologne as she pointed a gnarled finger at the boy, "He'll return in a
few days when he figures out he isn't hiding down there anymore."
"Why can't you fools just leave me alone damn it!?" cried Ryu angrily.
"You think I enjoy killing your kind?"
"Feh, you'll not kill the both of us," said Cologne. "I'll take back the
heart you've stolen boy. It should not be in the hands of someone so
reckless as you."
"Bitch, it's my heart you're talking about here! I've grown rather fond
of being alive, if not living anymore. You'll have to take it," said Ryu
angrily as his battle aura flared. Ukyo and Akane shrank back from the
pure heat of it.
Taro's eyes went wide as he stepped to the side. "No don't let him!"
"What?" said Cologne in shock.
"Don't you know old woman? He hasn't stolen anything!" screamed Taro as
he dove for Ryu, it was already too late.
Ranma turned to see the large American who had attacked Ryu standing
across the room from him. "Don't touch that fool! That's dragon's gold!"
he whispered hoarsely.
"What?" said Ranma dumbly.
"Fool, what kind of hunter are you? Don't you know that you should never
touch dragon's gold!? They can smell you on it in an instant and they
don't like people who touch their things. He'll hunt you to the ends of
the earth if you lay a hand on it."
"Hunter?" said Ranma dumbly.
"You're down here after the young Ryu kid aren't you?" said the man
nervously.
"Yes," replied Ranma angrily, but his anger was not directed at the man.
"My name is Cartson," said the man extending his hand.
Ranma glanced at it and frowned. "Ranma," he stated simply.
"Sorry, I forgot where I was for a minute," said the man as he pulled
his hand back quickly, he seemed both afraid and excited at the same
time.
"Where the hell are we?" asked Ranma.
"Were in a Dragon's maze. I never thought I'd see one of these much less
be stupid enough to get lost in one," muttered the man.
"What?" said Ranma as he sweated a little.
"Jeez, don't you know anything kid? Huntin' a dragon heart without
knowledge of at least -some- lore is crazy. Those old tales 'll save your
ass more often than you think," said Cartson with a small laugh as he pat
Ranma on the back and led him to a corner where they were away from the
entrance.
"What the hell are you talking about? I'm here because Ryu killed my
friend," said Ranma with a frown as he looked the man up and down. He
recognized who he was now.
"Oh, I see. That makes things a little simpler. Well, how should I put
this?" the man sad down on one of the plain rocks in the cavern. "Asian
Dragons build complex underground mazes to guard their treasure. They
collect gold instinctively and use it for nesting. The mazes are easy to
get into but near impossible to get out of, It makes sure the chicks
don't get out and works like a security system and food trap. European
dragons are dumb and powerful animals so they usually just pick a cave or
something, but Asian Dragons plan their homes carefully. You probably
didn't even notice the walls moving and shifting behind you as you came
in did you?"
Ranma went pale. "No," he said partially for an answer and partially
because he realized that the man was right.
"Well, that's how it works. There'll be switches that open the doors
back to the surface, they'll be hard to get too, but I think we can do it
if there are two of us," said Cartson calmly, he scratched the stubble on
his face in a thoughtful gesture. He had calmed considerably and seemed
to be in control of the situation now.
"What do you mean, as in a real dragon?" said Ranma dumbly.
"Yea, nearly fried my ass earlier, that was a close call. I only hope we
can get out before he gets back," said the man gruffly.
Ranma's mind went back to the eight-headed serpent of Ryugenzawa. He
shivered involuntarily. Cartson walked over to the entrance way and
started into the tunnels with Ranma following carefully
"This one is very cleverly built so it's probably a China dragon,
they're a little sharper than the Japanese variety. That's what the
legends say anyway," Cartson inspected the walls carefully. "He used
pipes instead of just digging so it wouldn't be spotted easily, very
clever."
"What legends? What difference does that make?" asked Ranma skeptically.
"Well, Chinese dragons are much smarter and larger that most. They are
also the most powerful. Fortunately they all but wiped each other out
about a thousand years before humans appeared on earth. The few remaining
dragons became real pests until they were destroyed by Sorcerers and
adventurers, became literal gods, or simply killed each other. They were
supposed to have died out about two thousand years ago. That was when the
last great Dragon Sheng Long vanished," said the man as they entered the
caverns. "It's said he was so powerful he achieved godhood before he
disappeared, no one knows how or why either."
"And I think you've been reading too many comic books. If they died
before people came, did how did the legends start?" snorted Ranma.
"Tell that to your friend Ryu. He's no Goku I'll tell you that. He's got
him a genuine Chinese dragon heart. Not like the European versions we
usually hunt for. The only way that is even possible is if Sheng Long
stayed hidden for all these years, got real friendly with him and lent it
to him. The heart don't last long after the dragon dies, and I don't
think a little pansy like him could kill one of those monsters. Besides,
If that's true then he'll be real protective of it, cause if Ryu gets
killed he'll die too. So I'll have to kill him first, and even the best
hunter can't kill a dragon in his own lair. We need to get out of these
tunnels and back topside or we are fucked my friend," said Cartson
somberly.
Ranma frowned and followed reluctantly as they passed deeper into the
tunnels. "What's the big deal about this heart anyway?" snorted Ranma
casually.
"You don't know?" said Cartson with a mildly surprised glance.
"Nope," said Ranma as he leaned against the wall. They had come to a
dead end and Cartson had started muttering to himself as he searched for
the switch that would open the door.
"Whoa!" said Ranma as the wall he was leaning on slid in a little. The
wall in front of them lifted noiselessly.
"Hey! Good job kid," said Cartson as he trudged onward. "Hope the
batteries don't die," he muttered as he adjusted the beam on his
flashlight a little.
"You still haven't told me what the big deal is," said Ranma with barely
disguised interest.
"Well, if you catch a dragon and kill it, or someone with the heart of
one. It doesn't matter which, anyway, if you cut out their heart and eat
it just as they die, you gain the powers of the original dragon," said
Cartson as he inspected the ceiling carefully. Ranma stopped several feet
away and looked on uninterested.
"So?" he muttered as the man pushed a switch and ducked the spear that
flew out of the wall nearby.
"Watch out for fake switches," he muttered as he continued on unfazed.
"Where was I? Oh yea, Anyone can learn to throw a chi blast so that isn't
really all that great. Besides most of the blast would be too large ta'
do any good in a real fight anyway. European hearts are what started that
old fire-breathing act you see in the circus nowadays. The real beauty of
the of a dragon heart is the extra benefits you get," Cartson got a
greedy gleam in his eye.
"Which is?" pressed Ranma, it was almost as if Cartson didn't want to
tell him everything for some reason.
"Extra toughness, super strength, enhanced speed and senses. Still not
the best part, the best part is the immortality. A man with a dragon
heart is like...like... Lets put it like this, if your heart were a
battery, having a dragon heart would be like putting a nuclear power
plant in your chest instead. If you take care of it, it'll keep you going
forever."
"Boy he sure is long winded..." muttered Ranma to himself as they passed
a few more doors. Ranma was beginning to get the idea and had spotted a
few of the switches and traps himself. The traps were nothing special,
more to waste time than anything else. Ranma walked for about two hours
with Cartson before something he said hit him hard. "Cut out his heart
and eat it," he turned and stared at the man.
"Wait a minute. What do you mean cut out his heart and eat it?!" said
Ranma in disbelief.
"I mean just that," said Cartson simply.
"But he's a man, you can't do that!" gasped Ranma.
"Like hell I can't, when I get that heart I'll live forever. It's worth
a one bad meal and a little personal discomfort. I'll regret it when I'm
a thousand kid," snorted the man indifferently.
"If someone like you doesn't kill you and eat your heart first,"
retorted Ranma.
"Look kid, if you don't like it then mind your own business. I'm sure
you'll feel all happy about it when you're on your death bed and I'm
still in my twenties," said Cartson as he shoved another switch.
"That is, if you live that long," said a voice from behind the two of
them. It was deep and rough sounding, and it also sounded amused.
Ranma and Cartson, turned and looked behind them too see a large
serpentine head with a golden mane surrounding it behind them. With its
horns it took up almost the whole tunnel.
"Shit," said Cartson quietly.
"Boo," said the creature.
The two men started screaming.
TBC...
Double Cliffhanger. Yes, Score, all right!
What has Ryu got up his sleeve? Will he really kill Cologne and Taro?
What about the girls? I guarantee you'll be surprised...if you haven't
figured it out yet.
Ryoga will make another appearance, as will Mousse and Shampoo. We'll
find out where they have been during all of this.
And then there is Ranma and Cartson. They have met the Dragon on his own
turf, now what? Cartson has already made it clear they don't have much of
a chance against it in its lair.
C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com