Ok, since a lot of ppl have been asking for it, i'll just post the copy that
was sent to me rather than continue to forward it to everyone that asks me
about it.

I in no way contributed to the writing of this fic, just reposting it for
the ppl that want it.

King "Casey" Chan
Lord Of All That Is Apathetic and Indecisive (I think)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Vampire Prince/ Princess Ranma                  By: Adrian Wong

     All major characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi(besides
one), and a part of the plot belongs to Narumi Kakinouchi
(Vampire Princess Miyu).  This is my first fanfic, in which I
tried adding a bit of almost everything into it.  The story
occurs after the last manga volume, in which most of the
unresolved relations will be resolved.    Enjoy :)

(Note:  This story was finished in a hurry and hasn't been
checked
for grammar, so please forgive any writing errors that might
have occurred.)

     It was midnight.  The starless sky was hovering over a
forest of metal and glass that we call a city.  Most of the
people in the city were either partying in some seedy nightclubs
or sleeping blissfully at night.  However, one boy in particular
was doing neither of the above.  Lying on top of the roof of the
Tendo household, a pigtailed boy was staring at the infinite
stretch of darkness in front of him.

     "Why am I feeling so blue?" Asked Ranma Saotome to no one in
particular.  The passed month has been a good one for him:
Happosai had been chased out of the Nerima district by a local
feminist group who can no longer tolerate his panty raids, Ryoga
had got lost again with Akari (the girl who loves pigs), the
Kunos were away on a trip to Europe, Mousse had started to become
less hostile to him ever since Shampoo began to accept his
affection and all that's left in the community are those on
friendly terms with him.  Most of all, Germa could no longer get
his son to do all the dirty work for him ever since Nodoka
reunited with them.  The spare time he earned from an absence of
challenges gave him a chance to reflect on his life, and he came
to a shocking realization all of a sudden.

     "For all my life everything that I do is because of other
people.  I was trained in martial arts because of my dad.  I was
engaged first to Ucchan and then Akane because of dad.  I was
fighting Kuno, Mousse, as well as Ryoga instead of just talking
some sense into them because of dad.  This is the first time in
my life that I'm finally free... and I don't even know what to do
with my life.  The only one who keep me going is Akane, but she's
always so reluctant to admit her feelings..."  He envisioned the
image of Akane (in the wedding dress she wore in vol 36), and
sighed.

     "So close... and yet so far away..."

     Then he saw the branches of the tree in the back yard
twitching towards him in some sinister ways that made them look
like tentacles of some unknown beast.  Somehow he could not
react, as a hollow voice says to him "Life is empty and
meaningless for you because you have been avoiding your true
nature.  Only when you can honestly face your true yearnings can
you be set free."

     "My...yearnings?" Ranma asked in his hypnotized state.  A
small shower  of rain descended from the sky, transforming him
into a her.  As the rain stopped, Ranma-chan's blood red hair
broke through the restraint of the pigtail, and was flowing in
the air of its own accord.  Her frail, shapely figure was
visually enhanced by the tree branches wrapped around it.

     "Yes... to drink human blood." Answered the hollow voice.
"You're destined to become the vampire leader of the Japanese
Shinma.  In accordance to your duty..."  Before it can finish, a
katana was stabbed into its branch, and a hideous wail tore
through the midnight air.  Saotome Nodoka pulled out her katana
and held it before her, poising to strike.  "I'll not let you
take my son away this easily!"

     "You can't stop me, you're mortal now!" More branches
appeared out of the dark, and Nodoka skilfully sliced them to
pieces.  Getting over the hypnotizing effect of the hollowing
voice and the amazement that his mother can fight so well, Ranma-
chan immediately set herself into motion and ki-blasted the tree
freak.  "MOUKOU TAKABISHA!!" Unfortunately, she failed to notice
a snake like branch that was sneaking up behind his mother. But
before the branch could connect with Nodoka's neck, a short-
haired girl leaped out of her bedroom window and broke it with an
open-palm strike.

     "Auntie Saotome, are you okay?" Akane Tendo asked with
concern.  Behind her Soun Tendo and Germa Saotome were rushing
out as well.  The tree freak let out a moan and vanished into the
dark, leaving the original, ordinary tree behind.

          *         *         *         *         *

     The Saotomes and the Tendos, after cleaning up the scattered
branches, held a war council at once.  "So what is that tree
freak and why was it attacking Ranma-kun?" Soun asked.
Nodoka's eyes was downcast, and Germa hesitantly answered for
her:"That is because Nodoka's family was originated from the
first Japanese vampire princess."

     "Nani?!" Everybody was shocked.

     "It was about twenty years ago, right after Tendo-kun and I
trapped Happosai in that mountain cave.  For a small period of
time we went our separate ways in our training, and that's when
I first met Nodoka."

***************************flashback****************************

     The scene showed a cherry-blossom forest.  A young and thin
(but bald even then) Germa was hunting a rabbit.  He was
extremely agile, and was about to nail it when something caught
his attention.  An elegant young girl wearing a lose, flowered
kimono was practicing with a katana.  Cherry-blossom leaves was
flowing down like tears, and the familiar looking girl was
expertly shattering them with her katana.  The girl turned to
Germa with a polite smile, and we saw that she was a young
Nodoka.

     Germa voiceover: It was love at first sight.

     The scene showed young Germa with heart shaped eyes
following a reluctant young Nodoka around, trying to woo her week
after week.  Finally, Nodoka gave in to his advances and allowed
Germa to kiss her, then she reciprocates by nuzzling up to
Germa's neck with her pale lips.  When she withdrew from Germa,
her lips had turned red.

     Germa voiceover: At that time I realized that Nodoka was a
vampire, but I still intended to be with her.

     Nodoka voiceover: That was when I fell for dear.

     Germa voiceover: I came to know that there is only one
vampire per generation in a vampire clan such as that of Nodoka's
family.  Her duty will be to keep all the shinmas (beings that
are both gods and demons) in the dark and prevent them from
harming this world.  She will age, as humans tend to, and pass on
her duty to her daughter when the time comes.  However, Nodoka
wanted to be just an ordinary human.  And so I had to battle with
the leader of the dark in order to earn her a human body.

     Scene showed young Germa fighting against a lot of twitching
branches (the tree freak).  Things looked bad for him as he was
losing.  Then Germa snapped his fingers in a sudden realization,
and yelled out  "Anything Goes Martial Arts Technique: Flame of
Destruction!!"  He lighted a match and burned up the dark leader.

     Germa voiceover: The 'tree freak' accepted defeat and turned
Nodoka into a human.  However, if Nodoka was ever to have a
DAUGHTER, the child will became an undying vampire that will have
to guard the Shinmas till the end of time.  And any attempt to
free her will be impossible.  After our marriage, we looked
through all kinds of medical publications that can guarantee any
couple to have a SON, and we did.

     Scene showed Germa and Nodoka smiling down at baby Ranma.
Then cut to Germa making the promise to Nodoka about making Ranma
a MAN'S MAN, then went on the training trip with his son that
separated the family for years.

*************************end flashback**************************

     Everybody in the room was stunned by that sudden revelation.

     "So that's why I had to commit seppuku if I fail to be a
man." Ranma noted.

     "So that's why Ranma had to commit seppuku if he fails to be
a man." Soun noted.

     "So that's why Ranma was brought up to be such a macho
jerk." Akane noted.

     "So that's why a woman like auntie fell for a man like Mr.
Saotome." Nabiki noted.

     "Oh, my.  That's such a romantic memory." Kasumi noted.

     "Apparently," Nodoka tried to bring everybody's attention
back to the matter at hand, "my son's curse qualifies him as a
'daughter' in the eyes of the dark leader (tree freak).  Had we
not interfered, Ranma will become the eternal vampire, forever
seperated from his human relations."

     "Humph! I don't care what that freak thinks, he's NOT turing
me into some vampire chick!" Ranma fumed.  "If that tree thing
ever try to show up in front of me again, I'll turn it into a
pile of sawdust with my Tenshin Amaguriken!"

     "Don't underestimate the dark leader, my boy.  With you
having potential vampire blood, he is able to affect your mind to
make you do what he wants.  Just remember, you have to be strong
in both body and soul in order to fight him.  Avoid seeing any
blood at any instant: it might provoke your vampire nature.
Also, at no time shall you be completely alone without anybody to
guard you against the leader from now on." Germa stated.

     "Jesus Christ, dad!  I'm a martial artist, I can take care
of
myse-"

     "Don't fight your father on this one, Ranma." Nodoka cut
Ranma off.  "I haven't waited all those years just to have my
baby taken away by the dark forces."

     "Ha-hai, mom" Ranma reluctantly agreed.

     "Okay, it's settled then.  You shall sleep with Akane
tonight so she can watch over you!" Germa commanded in a serious
pose ... which crumbled into a heap as both Ranma and Akane
malleted him.  The entire population of Nerima was awakened by a
very HOT lover's quarrel.

     "So that's what you are getting at!  No way am I gonna sleep
with that tomboy!"

     "Who are you calling a tomboy, you pervert!"

     "Macho-chick!"

     "Gal-boy!"

     A wall was pushed down.  "Ranma sleep with Shampoo!"  The
Chinese Amazon glomped onto Ranma.  A small thrown spatula threw
through the window and got Shampoo right on her purple bun.
"Hands off, Shampoo.  I saw him first!"  The masculinely dressed
Ukyou jumped in through the window and started fighting with the
Chinese girl, giant spatula against Chinese twin maces.  Akane
ran back into her room ... and came out charging the girls with
her kendo bokken yelling:"Stop damaging MY house, you bimbos!"
Bokken vs maces vs large and small spatulas leads to a complete
and total destruction of the living room.

     After Soun flooded the room with tears, drowning Akane and
transforming Shampoo to a cat, and Nodoka calmed Ukyou down, the
families decided that Akane and Ukyou will keep an eye on Ranma
at school, Shampoo will keep an eye on Ranma after school, and
GERMA will get to watch over Ranma at night, much to his
embarrassment.


     A week passed by without anything happening.  Everybody,
especially Ranma, is beginning to let his/her guard down.  Ranma
was fighting with Mousse again, against the warnings from his
parents about seeing blood.  Ukyou no longer insisted on
following Ranma into the men's room, and Akane and Shampoo are no
longer forcing Ranma to have lunch with them.  Little did they
realize that was only the calmness before the storm.

          *         *         *         *         *

     The Kunos were back from vacation.   As they reached the
door of the front gate, a tiny ninja-like figure leaped down from
the roof and landed right in front of them.  "Master and
mistress, Sasuke came bearing important news!!"

     It was right after school.  Ukyou had to rush back to her
'Ucchan's Okonomiyaki Shop' to start business.  She tried to have
Konatsu (the cross dressing ninja) ran the shop for her, but the
result had been disastrous.  This left Akane to wait for Shampoo
to pick up Ranma.
     "This is so stupid", Akane thought to herself,
"Ranma can just go home with me and plenty of people will look
over him.  Why does he have to go to Shampoo's place?"  She
shivered at the memory of how Ranma almost ate Shampoo's love
potioned ramen.  Luckily she was spying outside and malleted
Ranma before he had a chance.
     `"I wasn't spying because I'm jealous." Akane muttered to
himself.  "It's just that..."  Akane trailed off as she
remembered how Ranma professed his love at Mt. Phoenix when
everyone throught she was dead.  "I guess we do care for each
other, but why can't he ever get rid of those other women?"
     All of a sudden Akane sensed danger and looked up.  A girl
with a high ponytail braided to one side is coming down at her
with a bokken.

     "Meet your doom, Tendo!" Kodachi Kuno yelled.  Akane grabbed
the bokken before it hit her head.  The two teenage professional
martial artists started playing tug of war with the bokken.  "So
what do you want from me, you psycho?" Akane asked.

     "Insolent tomboy!  So I see that you are spreading ugly
rumours about my Ranma darling being a vampire just to keep me
away from him.  I, the beautiful Black Rose of the rhythmic
gymnastic team of St. Hebereke, shall rescue him from your foul
plo-"  While she is babbling, Akane flings her into the air using
the bokken.  Kodachi did a flip and landed gracefully, then
leaped towards Akane with two spiked gymnastic pins.  Akane
leaped up and disarmed the Black Rose with her school bag.  Both
did a flip in mid air and they landed facing each other.


     "Come out now, girls!" A bunch of girls wearing St. Hebereke
gymnastic outfit carrying spiked gymnastic pins charged Akane,
and Kodachi took out her ribbon and joined in.  Akane swung her
school bag around and broke a tree in half, which fell over some
of the girls.  Kodachi saw her opening and attack with her
ribbon.

     "Hyaa!!" A blur of ... purple hair jumped into the fight,
disarming Kodachi with a thrown mace.  "Crazy girl stop right
now!  It my turn be with Ranma!"   Shampoo shouted in her
imperfect Japanese and joined in the battle.

     Back in the classroom, Ranma was begging a childlike Miss
Hiniko to give him a few more extra marks on his English test so
he cold pass.

     "C'mon Miss, I'll treat you to that neat ice-cream parlor
down the block if you'll just raise my marks a teeny little
bit..."  Ranma begged.

     Miss Hiniko was straining to control herself.  "Why, you
wicked boy!  Did you really think that a teacher like myself
would accept a bribe?!"

     "Did I mention that they have this extra chololate coating
on their weekly special?"

     "Well..."  Just when Miss Hiniko was about to gave in, Ranma
heard the fighting outside and went to the window.  There he saw
the dusty chaos created by his three fiancees and a bunch of
battered-looking gymnasts.

     "Eh... we'll talk later, Miss."  Ranma shouted to the chaos
below.  "All of you silly girls stop it!"  Ranma leaped out of
his third story classroom window towards the girls on the
playground, who were too busy fighting to notice him.  Just when
he was about to land, a kendo bokken was advancing on him from
below.  Ranma did a mid-air flip, dodged the thrusting weapon,
and turned to face his opponent.

     "Saotome!  I have thought that you were merely a cunning
sorcerer who enslaved Akane and the pigtailed girl with evil
sorceries, but obviously I have underestimated you, bloodsucker!"
Kuno points his bokken at Ranma. "I, Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue
Thunder of Furinkan High, shall now put your vampire blood to
sleep before you can prey on my women!"

     "Who are you calling 'your women'?!" Enraged, Ranma charged
Kuno with his famous Tenshin Amaguriken, shooting out hundreds of
blows within seconds.  Kuno counters with his multi-bokken
strike, but was clearly outclassed as he reduced to desperately
blocking Ranma's fists.  Pressing his advantage, Ranma is about
to deliver the final blow to Kuno's face when a hollow voice
echoed in his mind.

     "It would be a terrible waste to scar such handsomeness,
wouldn't you say?"  All of a sudden, Kuno's face, which Ranma
never paid much attention to, seemed to be irresistablily
attractive to him.  The dark curls shaved close at the sides, the
heavy brows reaching almost to the temples , the dark lashes
framing those viciously striking eyes, the sculptured nose, the
lips that suggested power and determination ... "What am I
thinking!?" Ranma was frozen by his own irrational (and
perverted) feelings and Kuno's bokken sliced him on his wrist.
Blood bloomed out of the open wound like a blossoming rose.

     "Blood! My... blood..." Ranma holds up his wrist, transfixed
by the seductive flow of redness.  Kuno holds up his bokken
triumphantly, yelling:"Now, to put your tainted blood to sleep!"
Ranma looked up at him with his now golden eyes, and Kuno
involuntarily dropped his bokken as his eyes met Ranma's.
"What... what is this?  I can't move..."  In those golden eyes,
he saw an infinity of emotions and yearning... so much like those
of his pigtailed girl.  Kuno leaned forward and Ranma, his
vampire blood being awakened, sealed his lips on Kuno's muscular
neck.

     Visions formed in front of Kuno's eyes.  He saw a crying
little Ranma being thrown into a pit of starving cats by Germa, a
slightly older Ranma being asked by another kid (little Ukyou)
about his mother and drew a blank, little Ranma being sold to
various people by Germa, who always stole him back.  Then Kuno
saw a teenage Ranma sparring with Germa on bamboo poles that are
sticking out from various pools (Jusenkyo).  Ranma was knocked
off the pole by a giant panda and fell into a pool.  Kuno nearly
had a heat attack as he saw Ranma transformed into his pigtailed
goddess in the water.  A sudden realization came to him that the
love of his life is his worst rival.  A small shower of rain
brought him back to reality, and he looked down at the familiar
sight of his pigtailed girl, whose fangs were still deep inside
him.  Her eyes are closed.

     "Ranma!" The shrill cry of a girl shocks them away from each
other.  Akane was trembling at the hideous sight in front of her.
Behind her, Shampoo had her fists covering her mouth and Kodachi
had passed out from the shock.  Ranma-chan's eye colour had
returned to normal and a look of pure terror crossed her face as
she realized what she had done.  She fainted.

          *         *         *         *         *

     Almost everybody (the Tendos, Saotomes, Ukyou, Shampoo,
Mousse, Cologne and the returned Ryoga with his girlfriend Akari)
was gathered at the Tendo household.  All were solemn with grief
as they look at the unconscious Ranma-kun.  His unusually pale
skin contrasting his dark lashes made him looked like he was
wearing makeup.  He was naked save for the red ribbons tying him
to his bed, which also served to cover his privates.  Nodoka
claimed that the spirit ribbon on his naked skin will secure
his soul.   Akane's head was down, tears were running down
her cheeks..

     "So now what are we going to do?" Asked Ryoga, careful not
to show too much concern.

     "For 49 days, the effect of Ranma's transformation can still
be reversed.  Ranma's vampire self is still weak, and after going
for 49 days without blood he will certainly lose his power and
die.  Then Ranma can return into human.  Through this period the
Dark leader and his minions will most certainly try again to take
Ranma away.  If we succeed in keeping him bounded by the spirit
ribbons thought this period of time, we can still save him.  We
must not make the same mistake like that of the last time, or
Ranma will change completely into a vampire, for ETERNITY."
Germa stated in a solemn voice.

     Akane and Shampoo looked ashamed to be reminded of the fact
that they let Kodachi distract them from their duties.  Ukyou
patted their shoulders to comfort them, surprising them both.

     "The time has come for us to stop fighting among ourselves.
If the dark leader succeeded in turning Ranchan into a vampire,
then none of us can have him."

     Akane and Shampoo both agreed to the idea.  It was decided
that everybody will take turns in guarding Ranma's room during
the day.  Ryoga and Mousse, the strongest remaining fighters,
will watch over Ranma through the night for the next 49 days.

     Akane looked back at the unconscious Ranma.  "Ranma."  She
thought to herself.  "For once it is I who must protect you.  No
way am I going to lose you!"
          *         *         *         *         *

     The Kuno Mansion was surrounded by a deathly silence.  The
sudden revelation that Ranma and the pigtailed girl are the same
person had seriously affected the Kuno siblings.  Kodachi had
fallen ill, the fact that her worst enemy is the same person that
she loved broke her heart. Could it be that Ranma had never loved
her before?  Kuno, on the other hand, reflected upon his earlier
vision of Ranma's life.  The annoying boy whose name alone used
to make him nauseous suddenly seemed so sad and fragile to him.
Most of all, Ranma used to be his 'ponytailed girl', the love of
his life.  Kuno can't help but have mixed feelings for him/her.
And when Ranma drained his blood, those magnificient golden eyes
were so alluring... even before it rained.  An image of the two
of them (Kuno and Ranma-chan) locked together in an embrace, with
a trail of blood floating aroung them as if they're under water
materialized in his mind.  "The Blue Thunder must be sicker than
he thought." He joked to himself.  Unconsciously, his fingers
caressed the mark on his neck.

          *         *         *         *         *

     48 days had passed by, and nothing significant had happened
except for a sense of danger which was frustrating everyone in
the house.  On the last night, however, danger presented itself
in the form of a heavily bruised, withered old pervert.

     "Whew!  I can't believe how violent those feminists can get
when you steal their underwear.  I surprised even myself that I
can make it back here in one piece.  No matter, I can always find
comfort in my beautiful Ranma-chan." Happosai tip-toed towards
Ranma's room.

     Inside Ranma's room, the boys are playing cards beside the
tied up Ranma.

     "You really surprised me by helping Ranma, Mousse.  I
thought that you hated him for seducing Shampoo."  Ryoga said,
picking a card from the Chinese boy.

     "In the past I was blinded by my jealousy.  Now looking back
on it Shampoo was the one who was chasing Ranma, not the other
way around."  Mousse picked a card from Ryoga.  "The guy really
wasn't as bad as he seemed.  It's just that he always caused pain
towards others without intending to."

     "Come to think of it, Ranma was the one who was always
helping me when I was in trouble.  But my anger towards him
always prevented me from seeing that in the past ..." Ryoga took
a look at the still form of Ranma.  "I can't help but feel sorry
for the guy seeing him break down like this." Ryoga signed.  "He
was was the tough... second toughest among us fighters."

     "Well, the trauma of sucking blood is too much for him.  No
matter how strong-willed he is, he's only human."  Mousse said
with sadness in his voice.

     "You losers!"  A tiny, withered, menacing figure
jumped into the room with two buckets, charging towards the
boys.

     Ranma's form remained still, but his mind is active and
frustrated.  All around him he saw  multiple half translusent
images of Kuno. Thoses images all managed  to show off Kuno's
sculptured chin and stong neck, haunting him, tempting him.   "My
mortal enemy..." He thought.  "My first catch..."  Had he been
able to, he would have licked his lips.

     Ryoga and Mousse are desperately dodging water as Happosia
fought with them.  "What do you think you're doing, pervert?!"
Ryoga took out his umbrella and blocked the water.

     "Who are you to call me perverted?  At least I care to turn
Ranma into his girl form before doing you know what with him!"
Scowled Happosai.  He threw the remains of the bucket on Ranma.
Instant (topless) Ranma-chan in ribbon bondage.

     Ryoga had a volcano of a nose bleed and passed out
immediately.  Mousse just looked stunned, and the perverted
ancient martial artist took the oppotunity to threw the second
bucket at him, instant duck.

     The mousse duck tried to attack Happosai, but was
clobbered in a second.  Happosai glomped on to Ranma-chan
happily.  "Now lets see you in your full glory, off with these
ribbons!"  He moved with amazing speed to untie Ranma-chan,
looked up at her face and encountered a pair of open eyes.

     A pair of open GOLDEN eyes.

     Ranma-chan moved towards Happosai with amazing speed and
before the master can react, a pair of fangs sank into his neck.
Driven by blind thirst, she drained Happosai's blood as
well as his life force in mere seconds.  Being a super-martial
artist, Happosi's life force contained hundreds of magical
powers, all of which were now running through Ranma-chan's body.
As Ranma-chan realized that she is naked, immediately an odd
outfit that looked to be a cross between a Chinese shirt and a
gymnastic leggings appeared out of thin air and covered her
nakedness.

     "The ... the Anything Goes Dressing Technique ..."  The
almost unconscious Happosai spoke out in outrage.  "How dare you
stole MY powers?!"


     "Do not feel used, master.  I will give you what you've
always desired ..."  Ranma-chan spoke as if she's in a dream: "in
return for your warm blood ..."  A red glow flooded the room.

     "This ... this is ..."  Happosai babbled in amazement.

     In her coozy looking bedroom, Akane's eyes snaped open as an
inhuman cry came from Ranma's room.  She rushed to Ranma's room
and opened the door.

     She froze. Ranma was gone and all that's left on the bed are
several shredded ribbons and a tiny old man who's staring blankly
at the open window.

     "All these panties ..."  Happosai said with wonder, "All
mine ..."

     "My God ... he had accepted the gift of eternal dream!"
Nodoka appeared in the doorway.

     "What was that?" Akane asked.

     "The Japanese vampires do not take blood from humans by
force alone, which distinguished us from the evil stray shinmas.
When they want blood from humans, they always choose those who
are willing to give them blood by doing some kind of favour for
them. The gift of eternal dream is the most common one.  The
human will live out the rest of his life in his own fantasy
world, which can offer him more happiness than this world ever
could "

     "But...but that's so weird!" Akane gulped.  "Happosai will
become a LUNATIC according to our society!"

     "Yet he will be a great deal happier ... at least before his
life had run its course.  Then his soul will realize that he
missed out things that are REAL in this troubled world."

     Akane felt utterly confused.  She didn't know whether to
feel happy or sad for the old master, who was now blissfully
mumbling about his happiness.  Then a loud sob and a happy grunt
came from the other side of the room.

     "Sob! After all these futile attempts the master has finally
been rid of!"  Soun cried triumphantly while Germa panda danced
with a sign saying "Ding dong the old goat's out of commission!".
Akane absentmindedly clobbered both of them as the more important
issue came back to her mind.  "Ranma!  We've got to find him
before he tried to do something stupid due to his guilt!"

      "A new vampire is extremely sensitive to the feelings of
those whom they fed off... which is saying..." A spark came into
Nodoka's eyes.

     Akane had a similar reaction. "Of course! The Kuno Maison!

          *         *         *         *         *

     The Blue Thunder is meditating in his bedroom, trying to
sort out his internal conflicts.  In front of him are two candle
that served to illuminate the Akane poster, Ranma-chan's poster
was taken off already.  His rational side screamed at him to
choose Akane now that the pigtailed girl turned out to be Ranma.
However, images of his past with Ranma-chan (which was glamorized
to a great extent by Kuno) kept creeping up in his mind.  The
more Kuno resisted her, the more alluring she was to him.  The
fact that he/she is also a vampire only made her more seductive
in Kuno's mind.

     "My Helen of troy, the one whose skills surpassed even that
of the powerful Akane ..."  Kuno muttered to himself.

     "Oh how flattered I am."  said a weary male voice.

     "Saotome! How I..." Kuno whirled around and saw Ranma-kun.
Strangely he looked pale even under the yellowish candle light,
and his resemblance to his female form was extremely strong.
Kuno silently berated himself for not realizing this in the past.
"So what brings you here?"

     "I sensed you longing for me, so I came here to seek your
help."  Ranma lowered his head, the hair on his forehead
covering his eyes.  "You see, I have already became a vampire."

     "Then die, monster!"  Kuno pulled out his bokken and charged
Ranma.   He stopped as he realized that Ranma wasn't defending
himself.  "Why don't you fight back?!"

     "Can't you tell, you big poet spouting idiot?  I'm trying to
get you to kill me!!  I've drank from my master, and cast him
under a spell that gave him an eternal dream!  I'd rather die
than to live with this, and I might as well let you be the one to
do it since you've always hated me!" Tears dropped down from
Ranma's cheeks, sparkled under the candle light, and disappeared
into the darkness.  "Isn't this what you've always wanted?  Now
is your wish come true!" Ranma grabbed Kuno's bokken and aim it
at his heart, his golden eyes blazing.  "Do it!!"

     Kuno tightened his grip on his bokken, feeling the
temptation to kill the one who tormented him so in the past with
a girl's body.  The sound of a battle-cry echoed through the Kuno
Maison.

     "Kuno ... " Ranma opened his eyes and saw that the bokken
that was meant to impale him was stabbed into the wall right
beside his head.

     "I can't kill you ... I wish I could, but I can't."  Kuno's
brows twisted in frustration.

     Ranma's looked shocked. "But Kuno... I've fooled you for so
long... you're supposed to hate me!"

     Kuno picked out a bucket of water from nowhere and splashed
him.  "Just go, Saotome.  The Blue Thunder does not harm anyone
who cannot fight back."  The truth is, the existence of the pony-
tailed girl had given him the best times in his life.  Kuno canot
bring himself to hurt one who gave him such bliss and happiness.

     Ranma-chan was shocked.  She always thought that Kuno was a
pretentious jerk who only wanted her female form in the past
because of her body.  Could he actually be an honourable person?
"Kuno... "

     Then the twisting branches crept through the window,
encircling Ranma-chan and Kuno.  "O' guardian vampire!  Too long
have your been sleeping... now is your time to consummate your
role!"

     "In your dreams, freak!"  Ranma leaped up into mid-air and
tried to ki-blast the dark leader.  However, nothing happened.

     "Your vampire blood had been awakened!   Your senses are
mine to play with from now on!"  All of a sudden Ranma-chan felt
extremely weak, and dropped like a rock on the floor.  Several
branches leaped towards her, only to be intercepted by Kuno's
bokken.  Kuno leaped in front of Ranma.

     "Now you've got the Blue Thunder to deal with, hideous
plant from the pit of hell!  Multi-bokken strike!"  Kuno slashed
out 50 strikes within seconds, and the dark leader counters by
rapidly slashing out at him with hundreds of tentacles, disarming
Kuno.

     "A mere human like you is no match for my power!" The dark
leader crunched his neck with a thick branch, strangling him.

     A gymnastic hoop with a razor edge sliced through the
darkness and cut off the branch, freeing Kuno.  The dark leader
howled in outrage at Kodachi, who is carrying a ribbon in each
hand.  "Nobody hurt my brother-dear!"  She slashed out with her
ribbons.

     "Sister!  Don't do it!"  Kuno tried warning her.  Too late.
Kodachi's ribbons were tangled by the web like branches and she
was disarmed.  She was stunned as the branches close in on her,
but was rescued by a not so agile Ranma-chan.  Both collapsed to
the floor.

     "Pigtail... Ranma-sama! You do care for me!"

     "... so... weak.  Escape now, you two!" Ranma fell
unconscious as the branches advanced upon them again.  Not
willing to let go of Ranma-chan, Kodachi stayed where she was.
Then all of a sudden a hail of small spatulas moved passed them
and hit the branches, which wilted immediately.  Ukyou ran up
to them, followed by the rest of the Ranma gang (aside from
Mousse and Ryoga, who were unconsious).  "Ranma!"

     "Ranma! are you okay?" Akane knelt down to speak to Ranma,
ignoring the animated hostility in Kodachi's eyes.

     "Akane... " Ranma-chan looked up with increasing sleepiness.
"This is no place for an unskilled tomboy..."  Wham!  Her remark
earned her a mallet to the head.

     "Jerk!  At least have the decency to act grateful when I
came to save YOUR behind!" Akane fumed.

     The rest of the fighters confronted the dark leader.

     "Ranma is a SON!  You can't take him away from us!"  Germa
stated.

     "But he has a female side, both physically and mentally..."
The dark leader countered.  "According to our agreement, she
qualifies as the eternal guardian vampire.  With someone of
his/her abilities, all the stray shinmas could be captured once
more.  Do not fight me, mortals, this is for the benefit of your
kind.  If the guardian vampire doesn't consummate her role soon,
the stray shinmas will multiply and take over your world.
Besides, Ranma isn't content with being a human."

     The sleepy Ranma-chan broke out of her trance and looked
scared, while the others looked shocked.  "That's not true!"
Ranma-chan shouted.  The dark leader cast a red glow on Ranma-
chan, who simultaneously turned back to Ranma-kun.

     "Poor boy.  For all your life everything that you do is
because of you father.  You were trained in martial arts because
of him.  You were engaged first to Ukyou and then Akane because
of dad.  You were fighting Kuno, Mousse, as well as Ryoga instead
of just talking some sense into them because of him.  You have to
wear a mask of machismo all the time, which created the
unbreakable barrier between you and your true love."

     "I'm doing all these for my son's benefit, so he could be
prepared to protect the Tendo Dojo and inherit the Anything Goes
Martial Arts Technique!  I've guaranteed a GOOD future for him,
where he'll be the strongest martial artist in the world!"  Germa
shouted and leaped to the front of Ranma.  "Ranma, tell him again
that its not true, tell him that you want to spend your life as
the heir of the Tendo Dojo, tell him that your liked this life!"
He begged fanatically.

     But Ranma couldn't hear a word that his father was saying.
He was too shocked at the fact that the dark leader had spoken
the truth.  Seeing his indecision, the dark leader continued.
"Your father wanted you to be what he wanted instead of what you
wanted to be.  But know this: there is vampire blood in you even
before you had that curse.  Why do you think that you've always
had the courage to risk your life for humans against the evil
forces?  Your father had always taught you to put yourself before
other people's benefits, why do you think that you should act
differently?  That's because the nobility of your vampire blood
is guiding you to fight against evil!  You've always longed to be
awakened, to drink blood and recapture the stray shinmas.  Now
you're denying  your true nature in order to lead a life that
is forced upon you?"

     "A man must face his responsibilities..." Ranma replied
weakly.

     "And you shall.  You can be of more use to the world as a
shinma hunter than as a mere martial artist.  Besides, you don't
really have a choice.  Your vampire nature had been awakened and
there's nothing you can do to avoid drinking blood."

     "No!  There is someone here that I can't leave behind!"
Ranma immediately blushed after saying that.  The four girls
looked surprised to hear Ranma saying that.  Akane muttered
uncertainly.  "Ranma... could it be... that you love..."

     "He loves you."  The dark leader finished the sentence for
her.  "You're the only thing that gives him happiness in this
world. Had you not been part of his life, he would have been
awakened long ago.  So now I am asking you, do you love him?"

     "I... well... um... what the hell has that got to do with
you?!"  Akane looked embarrassed.

     "If you do love him, then give up your mortality and follow
the vampire guardian.  A person of your strength and
determination can be of great aid in capturing the shinmas.  If
not, then let him go to pursuit his own
destiny.  His vampire blood is burning red, he can't stay among
humans anymore."

     Ranma knew the truth of the statement.  Even thought he had
drank from Happosai earlier, the thirsty feeling is already
creeping back to his throat.  He couldn't help but stared at the
girls' pale necks.

     "Wait! Both of them have to stay and inherit the Dojo!"
Germa said.

     "Errr... Shampoo need ask great grandmother if vampire
qualifies man."   The Amazon is scared by Ranma's golden eyes,
and is trying to find an excuse to break their engagement.  No
matter how much she loved him before, the idea of marrying a
vampire is too scary even for a warrior like her.

     "Ranma-sama, I..."  Kodachi was nervously twisting a black
rose between her fingers, feeling like Shampoo did at that
moment.

     "Ranchan! I am willing to go with you!"  Ukyou rushed up to
Ranma.  "I don't care what you become, or what I become, I just
know that I love you!"

     "Ucchan, I..."  Ranma was overwhelmed by Ukyou's love, but
he knew that his heart belongs to another girl, and he didn't
know how to break this to Ukyou.  But then he remembered how
Ukyou had teamed up with Shampoo, throwing bombs everywhere to
stop him from marrying Akane.  He knew he had to be firm.

     Throughout all this Akane locked her eyes on Ranma.
She saw Ranma's expression as Ukyou gave him her acceptance, and
she wanted to rush in front of Ranma to say the same thing.  She
loves Ranma as much as Ukyou did, and she understood Ranma a lot
more than Ukyou.  Ukyou was getting nervous as she saw
Ranma's glance left her and focused on Akane.

     Nodoka walked up to Ranma with a calm expression.  "Ranma,
for all these years your father and I have tried to
do all that we could to help you avoid this fate."  Ranma looked
more guilty than ever.

     "However, it seems that your fate is sealed.  Whatever you
become, just remember that you'll always be my child."  Ranma
looked grateful while Germa looked shocked.

     "Nodoka!  Ranma has his responsibility to his fami-"  He
stopped as Nodoka gestured for him to keep still.  "What had
happened had happened, we might as well make the best of it."

     "Akane, if I am to... become less than human, will you be
willing to ..."  Fearing Akane's rejection, Ranma could not go
on.  Ukyou was dumbfounded.  "What... what are you talking about,
Ranchan?  Why would you turn to a girl who attacked you
physically and verbally when you can have someone who love you?!"

     "Ucchan."  Ranma turned back to her.  "Tsubasa is devoted to
you while all I did was to cause you pain in the past with this
multiple fiancee business.  Neither of us are completly 'male',
but he clearly shows you his love.  Don't you think he's better
for you?"

     Ukyou was confused.  Why talk about this all of a sudden?
"Ranma, you female self is nothing more than an enforced curse
while Tsubasa choses to dress up as a girl."  Ukyou chose her
words carefully.  "No matter how much Tsubasa tried to love me,
his attempts  are fuitile for at most he can only be a friend to
me..."  Then everything became crystal clear.

     Ukyou had always been nice to Ranma in the past, while Akane
constantly scolded him.  Akane had always been a tomboy due to
her quick temper, but people recognized her true sex because she
didn't deliberately dress as a boy.

     Unlike Ukyou.

     She could never completly kick the habbit of disguising as a
boy, even when she don't really need to hide her identity from
Ranma anymore.  Deep down inside she knew that she's dressing
this way to remind Ranma of the childhood they spend together,
when Ranma thought she was a boy.  She wants to make herself
special to Ranma, even though the idea seem illogical.

     Almost as illogial as Tsubasa's idea to impress her by
dressing up as a girl to match her masculine look.

     And so obsessive, like the time when she tried to kill Akane
with bombs...

     Is that all she is to Ranma?  Just an obsessive cross-
dresser who does not know when she is not wanted?  A female
version of Tsubasa?  Ukyou looked down and tears immediately
tears poured out of her eyes.  She was so sure that Ranma was
going to be hers, but he proved her wrong.  Ranma looked guilty
as Ukyou turned away to hide her tears.

     "No Ucchan.  You're not a 'Tsubasa' to me. You're my very
best friend, even better than Mousse and Ryoga.  It is just that
friends don't make lovers.  I shouldn't have let this dragged on
for so long, but I don't want to hurt anybody's feeling.  I'm
sorry."

     Ukyou wanted to act cool, to say that she has nothing to
forgive, but she can't find her strength and just continued to
sob.

     Akane looked at Ranma with watery eyes, touched that Ranma
had finally gathered up the courage to made his decision.  She is
filled with gratitude by the fact that Ranma is willing to risk
his friendship with his friend for her.  She didn't know how to
express her emotions, and just took the direct approach and
tilted her head to offer Ranma her neck.  A shower of cherry
blossoms leaves flew in through the window, adorning their
background with eerie beauty.   A small volt of jealousy shot
through Kodachi and Shampoo, but they couldn't help but admire
the Tendo girl's courage.  Driven by love and thirst, Ranma began
to move towards Akane's throat.

     "Waaaaaaah!!!  Don't leave daddy behind, my baby!"  The
hideous wail by Soun froze Ranma and made Akane jerked away.
"Daddy! I thought you wanted me to be with Ranma..."

     "Only if he is inheriting the Dojo!  Akane, your husband has
to be a martial artist who can run the Dojo properly!  Otherwise,
the anything goes martial arts clan will extinct, the Tendo name
will be forgotten in the world of martial arts!"  Soun wailed.
"My baby, you belong here.  Stay with us as humans and live out
your life in happiness!

     Akane looked at the man who had given all he had to ensure
his three daughters a happy childhood.  She couldn't refuse him.

     "Akane Tendo, could I be so bold as to ask you to stay with
me and inherit the Dojo?"  Kuno came up and held Akane's hand.
"I now know that it was selfish of be to take you for granted in
the past.  But I'm willing to change!  Consider the future we can
have together.  With my family fortune, I can built us Dojos in
all the major cities in Japan.  The Kuno and Tendo names can
shine through the world of martial arts..."  Kuno stopped as he
noticed that Akane was shaking her head.

     "Sorry, sempai.  My heart belongs to another."  She turned
back to Ranma with a desperate look.  "Ranma, I do want to be
yours.  But the dojo..."

     "It's all right, Akane."  Ranma forced down his thirst.  "It
was selfish of me to ask you to change your life because of me.
I mean, you're different from me.  You enjoyed your life as a
human, and your family really needs you.  I guess it wold be
better for everyone if we leave it like this... "  He shut his
eyes tight, hoping to hold back his tears.  He wanted so much to
stay with Akane, but his vampire nature had finally kept them
apart.  He realized he didn't have a choice and straightened up
to approached the dark leader.  "I'm ready."

     Soun and Germa tried to stop him, but were held back by an
invisible shield.  A red light fell upon him and immediately he
felt his senses extending.  He sensed the presence of the
unearthly shinmas that were dwelling in various places in the
city, and he felt the necessity to put them back into the dark.
And he also saw Kuno as he was the day he took his blood: he was
strikingly handsome to his vampire eyes.  Needless to say, Akane
is a goddess in his new vision.

     "Hold it, Saotome.  I'm coming with you."  Kuno's statement
shocked everybody in the room.  "I've always wanted to carry out
my duty as a samurai to fight the evil forces."

     "Is that the only reason that you're coming with me?"  Ranma
asked with a calmness that he didn't process before.

     "I've got nothing here to stay for."  Kuno looked sadly at
Akane.  "Not anymore."

     Ranma floated up in midair, did a flip, and looked down on
Kuno.  Trying to loosen up Kuno's mood, he made a slightly
mischievous expression on his face.  "Don't feel so blue, Blue
Thunder.  Your 'pigtailed girl' will keep you company."   Kuno
fumed with embarrassment.

     Ranma looked back at Akane, and his golden eyes were filled
with longing and regret.  "Goodbye, my tomboy fiancee.  The times
we spent together..."  He struggled to fight back his tears.
"...were the best times of my human life."   He put his
arm around Kuno's shoulder (his legs were off the ground so the
two of them appeared to be the same height) and in front of
everybody, buried his face against the muscular neck.  The two of
them and the dark leader faded into the darkness.

     Germa looked devastated, knowing that Ranma cannot take over
the Dojo.  Kodachi and Shampoo looked downcast.  Soun rushed to
his youngest daughter's side to praise her on how dutiful she is.
Akane just stared vacantly at the room, in which the cherry
blossoms faded into the darkness.

     "Forgive me, both of you."  She whispered.

               *         *         *         *         *

     After everyone left the Kuno Mansion, Sasuke was cleaning up
the mess while Kodachi stared out the window.  Both her love and
her brother had left her life in one single night.  There was
always her father, but she doubts if he'll be sane enough to run
the Kuno househood.  From now on, she'll have no one to turn to.

     "What will become of me?"  She wondered.  Without her crazed
obssession with Ranma to distract her, she slowly realized that
her skills in Martial Gymnastics is acknowledged only inside her
own school.  All the other highschools and universities
disregarded her as merely a ruthless cheater.  No formal
gymnastic schools are willing to accept her.  Her 'career' is
nonexistant outside the Nerima district, where people hadn't
witness her actual skills.
     This reality had almost crushed her, making her lose all
confidence in herself.  Then one day by sheer coincidence, she
saw Mikado training for a martial figure-skating contest by
himself on roller skates.  Kodachi was amused as she saw how
Mikado can skate along rooftops and on top of narrow fences.  She
had heard about his skills, which unlike her own, was widely
acknowledged.  Never missing the oppotunity to court a pretty
girl, Mikado skated over.

     "Say, aren't you the famous "Black Rose" of St. Hebereke?  I
saw a game of yours once, and I must say you're very good."

     "Good at cheating, you mean."  Kodachi snorted.   Due to
sheer loneliness, she told the complete stranger of her problem.

     "Well, I can't say that you won fair and square, but you
could probably beat almost anyone on Martial Gymnastic even
without cheating. What you should do is to kick the habit and
make sure that everyone knows about it, then gradually your
reputation can be repaired."  Mikado said.

     "Thanks, Mikado, for making me sound so hopeful."  Kodachi
gave a sincere smile, which differs greatly from her usual
psychotic grin.  Mikado was captivated.  "And people think she's
scary."  He thought.

     "So where is your partner?  Shouldn't she be training with
you?"  Kodachi tried to keep the conversation going.

     "Well, she..."  Just then the sounds of fighting turn their
attention to a particular rootop, where Asuza was desperately
dodging the punches and kicks from a short haired girl in a judo
outfit.  Eventally she was caught by a round-horse kick and
sailed through the sky.

     "Leave MY P-chan alone!"  Akane yelled after her and leaped
away carrying an unconscious black piglet.

     "The beautiful Akane seemed quite unstable lately."  Mikado
stated.  Kodachi just stared sadly after her.

     "She has gone through a lot ..."  Kodachi suprised even
herself by being so sypathatic to the Tendo girl.

              *         *         *         *         *

     Nekohanten has been closed for the day.

      Ever since Shampoo came back from that fateful night at the
Kuno Mansion, she had blocked out the outside world and covered
herself in misery.  She couldn't continue her waitressing in this
state, and Cologne and Mousse had took up most of the work...
until they found her attempting to swallow some poisonous Chinese
herb.  Ever since then they closed up the restaurant to take care
of Shampoo.  Mousse had tried to comfort her with a hug, which
earned him a Shampoo-induced flight across Tokyo.  Strangely, she
felt sorry about it and was now brooding over her troubles on the
roof.

     Then suddenly she get whacked at the back of her head by a
tiny old woman balancing on a staff.

     "Greatgrandmother..."  Shampoo muttered.

     "I've had it with your withdrawl, little one.  That was
absolutly unamazon-like of you.   A true Amazonian will confront
her problems like a woman instead of just making everybody around
her miserable by ignoring them.  So just tell me what happened
that night and get it over with."  Cologne said indignantly.

     "Ranma... when he turned into a vampire, Shampoo..." Shampoo
couldn't go on.

     "Stopped loving him?"  Her answer knived through the young
girl.  "The way you always went after him, even after you knew he
was half girl, I thought you wouldn't mind what he turned into."

     "Shampoo don't understand!  Shampoo always thought Ranma
strong and cute.  Shampoo always want Ranma so much... but when
confronted by Ranma's change... Shampoo chickened out.  Shampoo
coward."  Shampoo lowered her head in shame, letting her long
hair cover her face.  "Maybe... maybe Shampoo never loved Ranma,
maybe Shampoo just love idea of cute strong man."

     Cologne signed.  "I guess this means that we'll all have to
go back to China then.  But first, let me teach you some Japanese
techinques that I've picked up during our stay.  That way we can
explain to the villagers that our mission isn't completely
useless."

     Shampoo was surprised at how easy Cologne had taken this.
"Great-grandmother no upset at Shampoo for failing to woo strong
husband?"

     "A truely worthy Amazon depends on her own skills instead of
that of her husband.  Did you think that I did all those
underhanded tricks to Ranma just to get myself a strong great-
grandson in law?"

     "Then what great-grandmother do those tricks for?"  Shampoo
asked incredulously, and get bonked on the head again.  "Have I
been so hard on you that you have forgotten that I'm your great-
grandmother?  I was doing all these to make my great-
granddaughter happy!  Did you think that I would force you to
marry a man that you don't love?"  Cologne said.

     "But law about being defeated by man..."

     "That law,"  Cologne sighed.  "was a test of love for
outsider males who wish to court our girls.  If a man truely
loves an Amazonian, he would be willing to undergo the pain of
training to get good enough to defeat her.  Your chi has been
weakened by the confusion of your mind.  Pull yourself together
and we shall start training tomorrow, for only the best can lead
the Amazons."

     "Hiba-chan... Shampoo grateful."

     The old woman just gave a knowing smile and hopped back into
the restaurant.

             *         *         *         *         *



     Inside another restaurant, a young person is undergoing a
complete trasnsformation another person's room.

     "Now this is the final touch..."  the person said.
     A knock came from outside the restaurant.  "Ukyou-sama!
I've bought the noodle supply that you asked for..."

     "Come in, Konatsu."  The ninja obeyed and was stunned by a
girl in an open t-shirt (with a black tank top inside) and
wearing long jeans.  The everpresent chest bind was gone.  Her
natural heavy brows and dark lashes were balanced by a dark-
shaded lipstick.  She stilled looked determined, but there was
now a feminine glow on her.  A perfect picture of a huntress.

     "Ukyou-sama..."  Konatsu is stunned by her radiance.  "You
look gorgeous!"

     "Thanks, Konatsu, for making me feel confident in my true
self.  I've almost forgotten how it is like to be a woman...  I
borrowed your lipstick without asking, hope you don't mind."

     Konatsu could only shake his head.

     "I want you to invite a friend over, put on the closed sign
on your way out."

     Konatsu's face saddened a bit.  "It's Ranma, isn't it."

     To his suprised Ukyou smiled sadly.

     "No, it isn't, though I wish it is...  it is just Mr.
Saotome.  I have to settle some business with him regarding my
long lost dowary.  Bring Mrs. Saotome too, she will be honorable
enough to see that I get my dowery back."

     Konatsu brightened up like a bulb.  "Does this mean that you
and Ranma are ..."

     "There is no 'me and Ranma'."  Ukyou took a deep breath.
"There never was any 'me and Ranma', I should have accepted this
long ago.  He will always be my friend... nothing more.  With my
dowary back, my family's pride can finally be averaged."  She
managed to give Konatsu a brave smile.

     "I'll go at once!"  Konatsu happiness can be shown through
the way he used his lipstick attack on everyone that he skipped
passed on the way to his destination..

     "Weido."  Ukyou said.  But there was a tender smile on her
face.

             *         *         *         *         *

     A month later, on the rooftops of the Kuno Maison, four
figures were rapidly approaching each other in midair.  Martial
arts music can be heard in the background.

     "This is the end!"  Ukyou shouted as her giant spatula
cleaved one of Shampoo's maces in half.  Another figure with a
yellow gi was coming at Shampoo with a flying kick, while a
gymnast carrying clubs was charging at her.  Ukyou swings her
spatular again, but Shampoo leaped out of the way.  The spatula
hit Akane and Kodachi instead.

     "C'mon, girls.  The food is all ready now."  Kasumi yelled
ever so politely from the garden below them.  Behind her, there
is a large sign saying: "Farewell, our Amazonian Friends"  with
red and black roses decorating it.  Many people that are frequent
customers of Nekohanten were there also, many of them were from
Furinkan High.  Cologne was talking with some of the more elderly
customers.  Moose and Ryoga are mock-fighting with a facinated
Akari watching them, and Mikado tried to hit on Konatsu.  The
girls on the rooptop leaped down to the party below them.

     "Never knew...*pant* Amazonian farewell party can be so
straineous."  Ukyou was panting.

     "That was...*pant*... certainly...*pant*  amusing."  Kodachi
was fixing her ponytail.

     "Well...  *pant*  this is Shampoo's farewell *pant* wish..."
Akane wiped her brow with the back of her hand.


     Shampoo was also panting, but her eyes are somehow teary.
The girls sensed the shift of mood and stopped.

     "Shampoo *pant* so happy that not-nice girl, psycho girl and
tomboy girl gave Shampoo such warm farewell.  We may no best of
friends... but friends nonetheless.  Shampoo no forget you all."

     The other girls also seemed to have tears in their eyes.
Even though they used to be rivals, they have all helped each
other one time or another in the past.  The girls were a group
together, and it was hard to let Shampoo go.

     Then the martial arts music turned into a merrier song
chosen by Nabiki, and the girls all tried to losen up and tune
into the party.  Moose was proudly dancing with Shampoo, who for
once was willing.  Konatsu threw a smoke bomb and changed into a
tuxedo, asking an amused Ukyou to dance.  Kodachi looked
disgusted as Mikado fainted from the fact that he had just hit on
a guy.  Akari was dancing lovingly with Ryoga.  A gentle breeze
swept through the garden, and red and black petals from the sigh
showered upon the young couples. The older people were all
commenting on the magnificent sight.  Everybody was in high
spirits.

     Except for Akane, whose mind was far and away.  The rose
petals had brought back the memory of a cherry blossom shower, in
which two young lovers had proclaimed their love despite the
barrier between them.

            *         *         *         *         *

     Years later.

     Inside a dark room with lots of toys inside, a woman with
flowing brown hair was lovingly cleaning a cute rubber pig.  She
is quite beautiful, but her eyes were too vacant for a grown
woman.

     "Oh!  How kawaii is my darling little Jean Louis."  She said
in a girlish voice, which no longer matched her.  "Asuza shall
now put you with the rest of my darlings. Te-hee.  Aren't they
cute?  Some of them were from kawaii Mikado-chan... heartless
kawaii Mikado-chan..."  Her expression was still vacant, but her
tone was sad.  "Now Asuza Mommy has no one but you darlings..."

     "Asuza..."  A crystally voice broke through the eerie
silence.  Asuza turned around innocently, and saw a strange girl
standing in a ballet pose outside the window.  She had red hair,
unruly bangs and a pigtail braided to one side.  The Chinese
sweater and unisex gymnastic leggings flaunted her curves.
Behind
her floated a tall, masked man in samurai robes.

     "Come to me... lost one."  Her tender golden eyes flashed in
the darkness.  Asuza dropped her Jean Louis walked over as if in
a dream.  The redhead reached out her delicate finger and touched
Azuza on her forhead.

     And a huge western china doll shimmered out of Asuza's body
and lunged full speed at the redhead.  Asuza collasped to the
ground while the redhead just stood there with that same
expression.

     All of a sudden, the dark robbed figure produced a katana
and sliced it across the shinma's face before it could made
contact.  It leaped back in pain as the redhead gave a secretive
smile.

     "Who are you?!"  The doll (now with black liquid running
down its face) asked.

     "I'm Ranma." The redhead leaped into the room.  "Guardian of
the dark.  Shinma... Claudi, too long have you meddled in the
human world..."  A chi ball appeared in her hands.  "Now its time
to join your kawaii doll friends... in hell."

     The name Ranma was widespread in the Reign of the Japanese
Shinmas, and Claudi knew she'd get creamed.  But if she attacked
before the chi-blast, there might still be a chance... She rushed
forward.

     Ranma saw the coming attack, and had already did a vertical
leap to the celling.  In her place was a charging katana held by
the blue-robed man.  The doll rapidly responded with attacks of
its own.

     Which was why she failed to see the oncoming chi-blast from
above her.

     "Refined Mouko Takabisha: Shadow Fury!!"  Shouted Ranma.

     The shinma was sent screaming back to hell.

     "What will happen to that woman?" The blue-robed one asked.

     Ranma looked at Asuza melaucholicly.  "She's a goner.  She
had traded her soul with the shinma for all these kawaii things.
Now with the fall of the shinma, she can't last long."  Then they
heard her moaning on the floor.

     "Mikado-chan..."  She sobbed. "Why?  Why did you stop
getting kawaii darlings for Asuza?"

     Ranma stared at her sadly and shimmered back to his male
form.  "Might as let her leave this world in a happier state of
mind.  Asuza-chan!"

     Asuza looked up and her eyes widened.  Instead of Ranma, she
saw Mikado approaching her with a smiling face.

     "Mikado-chan!"  She scrambled over to 'Mikado-chan', who
scoped her up into his arms.  His eyes are tender, just as they
used to be before he left her.  Asuza wanted to say something,
but 'Mikado-chan' stopped her by givng her a kis on the neck.
Then he looked up and smiled.

     "And now, the magic is complete."  Ranma said.

     "Oh! Mikado-chan, your scarf is co kaiwaii... It's for me?
Oh! I wouldn't dare to dream of this moment..."

     "So I gather that you gave her the eternal dream, didn't
you, Saotome?"  The blue-robed one asked.

     "Yes.  It can make her remaining life much easier for her."

     "You do know that her parents will be hurt seeing her like
this, don't you?"

     "Kuno, you are naive.  Asuza's parents have long given up on
her already.  They left her this huge bank acount years ago and
moved out of the country.  They're the reason why she became so
whacko."  Ranma looked back at the blissful Asuza with a neutral
expression.  "There's no one here to feel sorry for her... not
any more.  I'm only trying to give her happines... in exchange
for her warm blood."

     Kuno took of his mask, revealing his melancholic expression.

     "What's the matter, Kuno?"  Ranma thought that Kuno should
have gottten used to depressing subects after spending all this
time by his side.

     "The Blue Thunder is reflecting on his long journey of demon
slaying."  Kuno dramatically replied.  No matter how sincere Kuno
tried to sound, he was still a touch too dramatic.  Ranma leaned
against the taller boy,memories of his vampire life flashed
before him.

***************************flashback****************************

     In the beginning of their journey.  Ranma was drawn to the
people that he called 'the lost ones'.  They are the fragile
humans who had lost the happiness in their lives.  He chose to
fed off these people, and grant them eternal dreams in return.
Kuno was unable to accept the concept of it, and frequently
berated Ranma for it.

     Scene showed Ranma-kun holding an unconcious girl in his
arm.  Kuno was facing him with his bokken pointed at Ranma.

     "Why? WHY?! I knew you needed blood, but to put someone into
illusion for life..."  Kuno was shaking with anger.  "That's LOW!
Even for a vampire!"

     Ranma's expression was mockingly innocent.  "But Kuno... it
is what she desired.  She told me that she would give me her
blood... in return for everlasting happiness."

     "She's just a child!  She doesn't know what she want!"

     "She's someone who had lost both her parents and her
functionability in a car accident."  Ranma said in a slightly
hard tone.  Then his face softened as he looked back at the girl.
 "She couldn't possible want anything else... could she?"  He
said it more to convince himself than Kuno.  "Besides... it is I
who shall suffer on her behalf..."  Ranma said to himself.

     Then cut to the aftermath of a vicious battle against a
powerful shinma.  The falling rain was violently assaulting an
injured Ranma-chan. was unconscious from her injuries.  Kuno, who
was also injured, hesistant cradled her in the voluminous sleeves
of his samurai robes and blocked the rain with his body.  He
realized that Ranma-chan was losing a lot of blood, and holds her
to his neck.  He hadn't let Ranma fed off him every since the day
they left the Kuno Mansion, and certainly not after he saw Ranma
givng out eternal dreams.  Kuno was shocked as he sensed the
remains of various types of depression that were clearly not
originated from Ranma.


     Suddenly Kuno understood.  Ranma didn't make the pain
disappear from those that he grant happiness.  Instead, he took
the pain upon himself

Ranma voiceover: "It is I who shall suffer on their behalf."

     Ranma-chan took blood from a teenage boy.  The boy was
softly muttering declarations of love that makes Kuno's pale in
comparison.

     The scene showed the two of them making a better and better
team as time passed by, putting various stray shinmas out of
commission.  Kuno seemed to be getting increasingly protective of
Ranma, as he protected Ranma from several types of feline
monster.

     Ranma-kun took blood from a teenage girl.  The girl was
laying contently in his arms.

     Finally, the scene showed them resting in their own
dimension(a place with lots of dried branches and a reddish
background).  Ranma-kun and Kuno were dozing off under a
large tree.  Several spheres with images of humans in it were
placed on the branches, one of them showed Happosia swimming in a
sea of panties and bras.

************************* end flashback *******************



     "I desire to return to Nerima, to see what had become of my
peers."  Kuno looked up to the violet sky.

     "You're thinking about Akane, aren't you?" Ranma sighed.  "I
thought you went on this shinma hunting mission just to avoid
seeing her."

     "I did.  I guess time have finally healed my wounds.
There's a part of me that still cared for her, even if she turned
out to love yo-"

     "What difference does it make?"  Ranma cut him off with
annoyance.  "Neither of us got her in the end."  His face
saddened.  "I hope Akane found someone who really cared for her."

     "I want to go back to Nerima to see how she is doing.  It is
not manly of us to just run away from her."

    "I don't know if I can bring myself to face her.  And the
others, I don't know how they'll take my role..."

     "They are people who have stood by you before no matter what
happened, have faith in them."

     "Oh, well.  Why not?  We might as well check out how the
gang are doing."  Then Ranma-kun leaned forward to Kuno.  "But
for now... I'm still thristy..."

          *         *         *         *         *

     It was the next day.  The shopping plaza of the Nerima
district stayed almost the same, except for an additional, classy
looking building that looked like a fitness centre.  Ranma and
Kuno looked at it with puzzling expressions.

     "That's weird.  I remember that Ucchan's supposed to be
here."  Ranma said.

     "Maybe she moved the store... wait!"  Kuno pointed to a
spatula shaped sign that said 'Martial Okonomiyaki Dojo and
Restaurant'

     An extremely handsome man with long hair and a slender frame
was cleaning the walls with amazing agility.  Several schools
girls passed by and looked at him with dreamy expression.  Ranma
licked his lips (for blood and not the scary reason), which
earned him an elbow from Kuno.  Ranma walked up to the man.
"Excuse me, do you know who runs this place?"

     "Why, Miss Kuonji does.  Are you here to inquire about the
lessons..."  The man said in a cheery voice, then his expression
turned into one of shock.  "Ranma!  Is that you?"

     "Eh... do I know you?" Ranma looked a bit taken back.

     "I'm Konatsu!  You helped me get away from my evil
stepmother, remember?"

     "Oh! You're that beautiful ninja who we all thought of as a
girl!  Since when did you dress as your own gender?"  Ranma asked
incredulously.

     "Since Ukyou-sama gave up on dressing like a boy after you
and Kuno were gone seven years ago.  By the way, you haven't
change a bit."

     "So where is she? I'm dying to see her again."  Ranma asked
eagerly.

     "Konatsu, thanks for cleaning my place, but you really
shouldn't have... "  The owner of the voice, an attractively
determined woman, stopped as she saw who was before her.

     "Uc... Ucchan?"  Ranma asked

     The world seemed to stop for them.

     After Konatsu left for work as the part-time family ninja
for a rich family,  they all went inside to the restaurant
section.  Ranma felt slightly guilty seeing Ukyou, but she was as
friendly as she ever was, if somewhat restrained.  It seemed that
time had healed her wounds.

     "I never would have guessed that it would be you and
Konatsu."  Ranma said.

     "It aren't."  Ukyou stated simply and took a sip from her
tea.  "He is just... a friend, and he knew it."

     "Did that vile Saotome hurt you that much that you refused
to open your heart to anyone else?"  Kuno asked.  Ranma glared at
him.

     "Oh, Kuno-san.  That couldn't be further away from the
truth."  Ukyou gently put down her tea cup.  "He just helped me
realize how it is futile and stupid to rely on other people for
my own happiness.  You know something, Ranma?  I had this...
revelation at that moment when you made up your mind to choose
Akane.  I realized that for all that time I was in love with you,
I had projected all my hopes and ideals onto you.  In my mind I
turned you into a person who felt love towards me.  Over the
years, I observed that same phenomonon with other couples that I
knew.  Seems to me that... in a relationship, one person always
projects an illusion for the other to perceive... until one day
the person shattered the illusion, breaking the other's heart."
Both immortal boys, even Ranma, were surprised by the depth and
maturity of Ukyou's view.

     A bunch of merry-looking tourists walked into the restaurant
area.  "Ukyou senshi, the tour guide brought us some foreign
customers again.  "  Three cute looking girls in waitress outfits
said in union.  "I'm coming, girls.  Heat up the grill and
prepare the ingredients."  The pretty girls sprint off to carry
out the order.

     Ukyou turned back to the boys, and spoke in a firm voice.
"I prefer the truth over illusion, painful as it maybe.  And
that's why I will not degrade myself to love anybody EVER again.
I shall find my own happiness...by myself." She tone softened as
she turned back to Ranma.  "Do not feel guilty, Ranma.  You did
what you had to do."

     With that she turned away and greeted the customers.

     "Here we are at the most famous Okonomiyaki restaurant in
Japan."  A handsome and confident looking tour guide with unruly
hair was introducing the place to the tourists.  "The owner, the
beautiful Miss Kuonji, is an expert of the Martial Okonomiyaki
Technique.  You haven't seen nothing yet till you see her
perform.  Ah!  There she is!"

     "Ryoga, you're flattering me again."   Ukyou flashed him a
playful smile.

     "Hey, Ryoga!"  Ranma called out to him.   Ryoga looked back
and leaped towards him. "Ranma... and Kuno!  Where have you two
been all these years? "

     "Recapturing stray shinmas, of course.  Hey!  Since when do
you have the sense of direction to be a tour guide?"

     "Why...you little..."  Ryoga looked pissed and appeared
years younger all of a sudden, then he quickly composed himself
and acted mature again.  "Doctor Tofu found a cure for my sense
of direction after looking thought Happy's ancient scripts.  The
cure is so effective that I ended up having 10 times the sense of
direction of a normal person."  He finished proudly.  "It is
Akari's idea that I should meet more people by being a tour
guide.  Besides, It also helps the business of Akari's Sumo Pig
Dojo by turning it into a tour point."

     "So I see passage of time can really change humans."  Kuno
noticed.  "In the past you would surely have attacked the cretin
for taunting you."

     "Hey!  I was a teenager by then: I am an adult now, I need
self control."  Ryoga said matter-of-factly.  "By the way, Kuno.
How come you haven't change a bit?  Have you become a vampire
also?"

     "Heavens forbid such a hideous thought!  Ranma simply linked
my brilliant aura to his life force.  As long as he is staying
young, I'll be staying young."  Kuno replied.  "Sometime I wish
that I can have the splendour of a more mature body though."

     In a blur of spatulating motion, Ukyou made 40 okonomiyakis
in a second,which the cute pupils of Ukyou served to the amazed
tourists.  Then all of a sudden all eyes(those of the males)
shifted from the skilful performance in front of them to a
more... curvy spectacle of a shapely young girl in her late-teens
entering the store.

     "Wow, talking about a mature body..."  Kuno muttered.  "Who
is that fair maiden?"

     "Well, you two should recognize her..."  Ryoga said.

     "Miss, you stole my customers' attention again."  Ukyou
whined half-heartedly.  "Can you please disappear and come back
when there are no male customers around?"

     "Now, Ukyou-chan.  Is this any way to treat your former
teacher?"  The young woman giggled.

     "Former teacher?"  Realization sparked in Ranma's eyes.
"Miss Hiniko!"

     "But she looked older that her child form and yet younger
than her adult form..."  Kuno said uncertainly.  "But of course!
It has been seven years already."

     Hearing her name, Miss Hiniko turned around and look
curiously at the boys.  "You two really reminded me of two
delinquent students of mine from years ago."

     "We are Kuno and Ranma Saotome, Miss."

     "Oh, my!  You two haven't changed a bit!  Why did both of
you quit school all those years ago?"  Hiniko demanded.

     "Well, Miss.  We were-"  Kuno said uneasily.  Ranma finished
the sentence for him.  "on a training mission to study a martial
arts technique that could help us master telekinitic power.  The
prolonging of our youth was a side effect."

     "Oh, I see."  Miss Hiniko looked disapprovingly at them.
"But still, a formal education should come before martial arts."

     "Anyway,"  Ranma tried to switch the subject.  "Are you
still teaching at Furinkin High?"

     "Actually, I've been the Principal of Furinkan ever since
Mr. Kuno retired a year ago."  Miss Hiniko said.

     "My father?  Retiring?  I thought he vowed to terrorize all
his students till the day he die."  Kuno said.

     "After you disappeared all those years ago, Mr. Kuno was
consumed with guilt.  He claimed that he had pushed you too far
in the past, and he made a new vow saying that he shall not made
the same mistake with his students.  Ever since then he has
calmed down a lot."  Miss Hiniko sighed.  "You really should go
back to see him, Kuno.  He had really repented this time.  Your
sister was trying her best to take care of him, but then she had
her career and family and cannot spent too much time with him..."


     "Father..."  Kuno said with guilt in his voice.  He felt
that he had somehow abandoned his father by going on that quest.
Then his mind shifted to Hiniko's last sentence.  "My sister...
her own family?!  Who'd marry her?"

     "A figure skating champion called Mikado married her two
years ago.  They got along very well from what I hear, but
Kodachi was relutant to have children for some reason or
another."

     "Nihao Ukyou!"  A beautiful Chinese woman with free flowing
Purple hair entered the store with a tall, handsome Chinese man.
"Shampoo come to Japan for Honeymoon and see old friends."  Ukyou
waved at them.  "Be right with you guys!"

     "Hey, Shampoo!"  Ranma waved.  "I knew you and Mousse will
eventually be together."

     "Ran...Ranma."  Shampoo was startled.  "You no hate Shampoo
for ditching you?"  She asked in a sheepish voice.

     "Now...now..."  Ranma laughed.  "You and Moose will always
be my friends.  So I gather that you two had gone back to China,
euh?"

     "Yes.  Shampoo left Japan after you were gone.  There Moose
easily beat Shampoo in combat after going all out against
Shampoo, made Shampoo realize he strong warrior.  Even great-
grandmother impressed.  She retired and give leadership to
Shampoo and Moose.   Shampoo now leader of Amazons, leading
village with Airen."

     Moose stepped forward.  "I know that I wasn't very
honourable towards you during my younger days, but I want you to
know that I've always consider you as a friend."  Ranma's eyes
widen... for Moose was talking to a bewildered Hiniko.

     While all the tourists are munching off their okonomiyakis,
the martial artists were all busily catching up.  Ranma was
touched to find out that none of them viewed with as some kind of
freak.  Seven years ago, he saw these bunch(except Ukyou, who was
like a brother) as merely regular trouble sources.  Now he
finally realized how lucky he was to have such good friends in
this lonely world.  The only thing that troubled him and Kuno was
that all of them seemed reluctant to talk about the Tendos, and
they all urged him to go to the Tendo Dojo to find out the answer
himself.  Eventually, he and Kuno split up to see their
respective families.

          *         *         *         *         *

     As sunset casted its red glow on the Tendo Dojo, an old man
with grey hair was looking melancholy at the sky.  A young woman
with a long ribbon on her medium length hair was laying out the
dinner for the dinning room.  Then a mysterious figure suddenly
leaped over the fence towards the old man, who seemed too worn
out to notice its presence.  The woman, however, reacted quickly.

     "What are you doing?!"  She pulled the extremely long ribbon
off her hair and whipped at the figure, it dodged expertly.
She immediately recognized who it is.  "Ranma Saotome?"

     "Hey, I'm only trying to ask him where Mr. Tendo is... do
I know you?" Ranma asked uncertainly.

     "I'm Kurumi, adopted daughter of Happosai!"  She exclaimed.
"Me and my sister had a match with you and Akane years ago, remember?"
     "Wow, you've grown up a lot.  So anyway, where are the Tendos?"

     "Mr. Tendo over there is the only Tendo in this house."

     "What?  He is Mr. Tendo?"  Ranma looked at the worn out old
man.  "He can't be this old... But anyway, eh... can I see..."
He brought himself together.  "Can I see Akane?"

     "She's gone."  said a tall, good-looking woman in a martial
arts outfit.  She's obviously an older Natsume.

     "Gone?"  Ranma froze.

     As Kurumi tended to Mr. Soun in the dinning room, Natsume
started explaining things to the devastated looking Ranma at the
dojo.

*************************** flashback****************************

Natsume voiceover: It was seven years ago, me and my sister have
just finished another training trip and we decided to stop by the
Dojo to visit the Tendos.

     Scene showed a very depressed Akane trying her best to
welcome them .  While they were all dinning in the living room, a
sudden spark of realization sparked Akane's eyes.

     "Say, the two of you are actually Happosai's students.
Right?"  Akane asked.

     Everybody looked confused, and Kurumi replied.  "For all
these years we thought of him as our father, but you're right."

     A spark of hope came into Akane's eyes, but she suppressed
it and continued eating.

Natsume voiceover: And that night while me and sister were
sleeping, a hideous wail from Akane's bedroom woke us up.  We
went to the room and quietly opened the door, and was shocked at
what's happening inside.

     Scene showed Akane and Soun actually duking it out in the
room.  Akane was all dressed and was carrying a backpack.  "You
can't do this, daughter!"  Soun charged at Akane.

     "I need to go where my heart lies, daddy."  Akane leaped
over Soun's attack.  "With  Natsume and Kurumi here, you don't
need me anymore!"

     With that, Akane broke through the window and leaped away
from rooftop to rooftop.  Mr. Tendo gave chase after her.

Natsume voiceover:  We called up Kasumi and Nabiki and waited the
whole night for Mr. Tendo to come back. The next day...

     Scene showed that everybody had fallen asleep around the
dinning table.  When they woke up, a ragged looking Mr. Tendo was
looking at them with a solemn expression.

     "Oh, Mr. Tendo!  Did you find Akane?"  Kurimi asked.

     Mr. Tendo didn't reply.  Instead, he motioned Natsume over
and handed several pieces of paper to her.  Then he retreated up
the stairs.

     "Well, what is it?" Nabiki asked.

     Natsume turned the papers over, one was a legal document
that gave her the right to the Dojo, the other two are documents
regarding the adoption of Natsume and Kurimi 'Tendo'.  Everyone
was shocked.

Natsume voiceover:  We tried to ask him about the reason of
Akane's runaway, but Mr. Tendo won't say a word.  After Kasumi
got married and Nabiki moved out, Mr. Tendo became more and more
withdrawn, and we sisters took over the work of the dojo.

********************** end flashback****************************


     Ranma's steps were heavy as he left the Tendo Dojo.  Why
does Akane always have to suffer because of him?  He thought that
she would have gotten over him by now...  Instead, she had ran
away looking for him seven years ago.  What kind of difficulties
and loneliness will she face on her own?  He knew that life is
not perfect, but must it always be so hard on the two of them?
Without knowing, he carried himself to the Saotome residence.  He
walked up to knock on the door.

     "Come in."  The door slided open before he could knock it.
A graceful looking woman with wearing a traditional Kimino opened
the door to greet him.  It was Nodoka, who had tears in her eyes.
She stepped out to embrace him.

     "Mother..."  Ranma closed his eyes and returned the gesture.

     Nodoka led her son into the dimly litted living room.

     "Please try to come back more often, my son.  It can make
your Mother's short life much happier."  Nodoka said.

     "If only I can turn out the way you wanted... I failed you,
mother."  Ranma's words are weighted by sadness.

     "Stop blaming youself, son.  Such is fate."

     "Then I wish fate would have it that Akane have never met
me, for then she could have lived out her life in simplistic
happiness.  But now..."  Ranma struggled to continue.  "She has
to waste her youth wander around looking for me.  Why is it that
I'm always bringing unhappiness to those that I love?"

     "Akane chooses her destiny.  It is not anybody's fault that
she has to suffer so.  But despite her suffering, she'll still be
happy. For unlike most people, she has a dream to chase."

     "No matter what, I have to find her.  I can't let her keep
on wandering aimlessly in this lonely world."  Ranma said with
golden determination flashing in his eyes.  Then he noticed
something.  "By the way, where is Pop?"

     Silence filled the room, and Ranma felt uncomfortable. Then
his mother broke the silence.  "Remember what we said to you and
the Tendos about our past years ago?"

     "Ye...yes?"

     "With all that romance and excitement, it must seem like a
fairy tale to all those who heard it."  Nodoka said dryly.

     Ranma felt uneasy, sensing where the conversation was
leading to.   "It wasn't?"

     "It was, but only during the beginning, when I was drawn to
his devotion and he my beauty.   We were the world to each
other."  Nodoka said with a neutral expression.  "Only after our
marriage did we realize how hollow our relationship was.  Your
father had wanted a china doll to show off.  Then he realized
that same doll was also a housewife that can press him about his
failures, his deceits and his incompetence at earning a steady
income.  Eventually, he turned away from her.  Surely you must
have sensed your father's reluctance to be with me even after I
pronounced you to be manly?"

     "But when I was around, you were so oblivious of his
mistakes... and you two always seemed to care so much about each
other..."  Nodoka's expression was still neutral.

     "You two are my parents, you love each other... you have to
love each other to have a son!  How could you two lie to me like
this?!"  Ranma was close to screaming.

     "You are familiar with the eternal dream, aren't you?"

     "Yes! So?"

     Nodoka continued on.  "The vampire gives the subject the
illusion that he desires, and in doing so, bear the pain upon
herself."

     Ranma turned silent.
     "I am now a human, but I still create illusions for those
that I cared for.  You know, my son?  I was planning to deceive
you through your short life, giving you non-existence
wholesomeness regarding your family.  It was hard... especially
when your father was too selfish to co-operate with me."
Nodoka's words burned with silent rage.  "I gave you to his
training, in hopes that you can turn out to be a happy and
capable man.  I was sacrificing my happiness for your benefit,
and I assumed that he will do the same for you."

     "Instead, he took advantage of the situation and used you as
a dollar tree!   I didn't want to berate your father in front of
you, but I refused to cover for this...thing who dare to engage
my son to feed his insatisfiable appetite!!"  Nodoka said with
hatred in every word.  Ranma gasped.  "You...knew?"

     "I found out after Miss Kunoji asked the two of us to return
her dowry.  Could you imagine how humiliated I was?  I know he
doesn't care about me, but to think he could do this to his
son... and that girl!  I had thought she was a hateful person,
especially when she teamed up with Shampoo to bomb up your
wedding.  Only after the truth unfolded did I realize why she did
what she did, and that it was all your father's fault..."

     "I didn't think dad can be blamed..."

     "But of course he can be blamed!  He single-handedly
destroyed the lives the Kunojis by running away with Ukyou's
dowry, which happened to be all that they had.  Ukyou was forced
to make a living on her own at age six since her family can no
longer afford her.  She didn't tell you this because she didn't
want to make you feel guilty for your father's crime!"

     Ranma could hardly defend his father on this issue.  Then a
suddenly fear enveloped him.  "Mom!  You didn't make him commit
seppuku, did you?"

     "I would, but we didn't have enough money to pay back Ukyou.
Also, a simple yati would not be enough to repay a lifetime of
misery and lost opportunities.  So I sold him to the zoo
instead.  The money was enough for Ukyou to build a Dojo/Restaurant,
which was the least that we can pay her back."

     "So how is father now?"  Ranma asked sheepishly.

     "Do not worry about him, my son.  The zoo will treat an
endangered species like him well enough."  Nodoka said.  "I know
you'll probably see me differently from now on.  But as a vampire,
you need to face the truth."

     Unsure of what to say, Ranma remained quiet.

          *         *         *         *         *

     "Kuno... Kuno..." Ranma called out to the night, knowing
that their spiritual link would allow Kuno to heard him and come
back.  After the shock from his mother, he needed the support of
his companion to comfort him.  He sat on a rooftop and looked
wearily over the town in front of him.

     It was then that he saw a sight that was strange even to a
vampire like him.   A twister of... cherry blossom leaves
suddenly appeared at the general direction of the Nerima park.
He sensed something unearthly and splint off towards the park.

          *         *         *         *         *

     At the middle of the whirlwind, a long-haired teenage girl
wearing a loose pink kimino was standing (floating) with crossed
legs and outstretched arms.   She had a cold expression on her
familiar looking pretty face.  "No longer can your kind feed on
the energy of young couples."  She directed the sentence to a
group of handsome, winged youths carrying bows and arrows.  They
were all flying cautiously surrounding her, waiting to attack.
The girl, however, didn't show any fear.  "Return to the dark at
once or I, guardian of the dark, will have to do it the hard
way."

     Ranma, who was perched on top of a nearby tree-branch, was
geniunely surprised.  "The guardian of the dark... so there is
another vampire princess?"

     The gang of winged youths all leaped forward and attacked
the girl... or so they tried.  The girl danced among them with
her skillful but straightforward attacks.  Her kicks and punches,
mostly kempo related, showed off her incredible strength.  One of
the winged creature shot an arrow that made a small cut on the
side of her face.

     The girl's expression got even colder.  "I've been scarred
me... which is very unfortunate for all of you... Ultimate
Techinque!!"  She pointed her finger to the sky, and the cherry
blossoms materialized into... a mallet?!  Ranma was so surprised
that he nearly fell out of the tree.  "Could it be... could it
be...HER?!"

     The girl grabbed the mallet and proceeded to pound the
shinmas with vicious blows.  The winged creatures screamed with
such agony that made even Ranma flinched.  The girl kept on
smashing in all directions, until the screams faded to whimpers
and then to completely silence.  What was left of them was
nothing more that a flattened masses.

    The girl stopped as if waking up from a dream.  Then the
coldness left her face, as her tears washed it away.   "Bakas! If
only you didn't push me so far... "  She talked to the bloody
mess in a sad voice.  She felt the blood dripping from her face
and tried to wipe it away, but then she felt a gentle touch on
the wound.  She leaped away and dropped to a defensive stance.

     "Who the... Ranma!!"  The girl leaped back towards Ranma and
gave him a bear hug.

     "Ack!!  Akane, you're crushing me!"  Ranma yelped.
     Akane wasn't willing to let go.  "I've looked everywhere for
you... I even went to the spirit world thought the help of
Gosungki ... but no matter how hard I tried ... I could never
find you.  Instead I found the dark leader, and he promised to
bring me to do after I helped him with the shinmas.  Time...
stopped for me so that I can complete the task... and I had gone
through hell to learn enough magic to defeat the shinmas... "
Akane sobbed on his shoulder, releasing seven years of misery.
Then all of a sudden she let go, a look of fright in her eyes.
Ranma used this oppatunity to regain his breath and looked
quizcaly at Akane.  "What's the matter, Akane?"

     "Do you... still love me?"  Akane asked in a frightened
voice.  Even more frightened was Ranma, whose face turned even
whiter.  "What are you...I... I like you..."

     "I too have became immortal, Ranma.  As we embraced, I can
sense your hesitation..." Akane dropped to her knees.

     "What are you taking about, you tomboy!  I will always love
you!"  Ranma was fighting to keep his voice from wavering.

     Akane continued on as if he hadn't spoke.  "Because... you
though I was cruel, thought I have changed from that innocent
girl seven years ago into..."  She hugged herself tight.  "A
cruel executioness."

     Ranma did have those thoughts, but he cannot let Akane hurt
herself like this.  "I've done way worse than this, Akane.  We
are the guardians of the dark... such is our duty."

     "But you always prefer sending stray shinmas back to the
dark... instead of killing them like I do.  I know I have
changed, Ranma.  Seven years of vicious battles, with no
shoulder for me to cry on... no one to lick my wounds... no one
to listen to my story..."  Ranma shivered at her misery.  At
least he had Kuno for all these years.

     "These unkind years have twisted my soul, even though I
still look the same.  I had turned into an unfeeling tool for the
dark leader, who promised to lead me to you after my 1313th
catch.  It became harder and harder for me to hold in my
misery... and when my anger reaches a certain height, I will...
get bloody...."  Akane's eyes are flashing with frustration and
sadness.  Tears flowing out of her eyes.  "I have became a
monster, Ranma.  Nobody can love me anymore."

     "I can love you."  Ranma said softly.

     "You don't have to settle for a murderer out of honor to
our past..."

     Ranma squatted down beside her, turned her face, and looked
her in the eye.  "If you are a cruel murdering machine, then you
wouldn't have said what you just said before."  Akane was
surprised at the wisdom in his golden eyes.  "You have maintained
your humanity, which is more than I could have done had I been in
your shoes.  I know you have changed, and so have I.  But I shall
NOT lose you to your guilt after longing for you for seven years.
I do not care if it will work out or not... I'm willing to try."

     "Ranma..."  Akane buries her face against his chest.
Cherry-blossoms showered down from the tress in the park.

     "It is indeed the noble Akane..."  Kuno appeared out of
nowhere, making Akane and Ranma jumped away from each other.
"Saotome must be blessed by the gods to be able to be reunited
with you."

     The couple blushed.  "So how's your family reunion?"  Ranma
asked.

     "Upon hearing that I remembered the sad news that I came
forth bearing.  My father needs to be cared for in his old age,
and Kodachi have a career to pursue.  She shall not bear the
burden alone.   I have to end my quest and resumed to be the heir
of the Kuno family."  Kuno said, sadness flowing in his eyes.

     Ranma buried his face for possibly the last time in the
familiar curve of Kuno's neck.  "I release you, Blue
Thunder.  My first catch... my servant... my friend." A red mist
came out of Kuno's body and entered Ranma's.  Kuno suddenly
looked more mature, as if he had aged somehow.

     Kuno stood back and bowed formally to Ranma.  "Farewell,
Saotome. I shall miss our adventures.  Take good care of Akane."
He looked towards Akane.  "Farewell, breath-taking beauty of the
night.  May the gods be kind to my undeserving soul, and grant me
a rose such as yourself."  He walked off into the night.  Ranma
looked at Kuno's retreating figure, not realizing how wistful he
looked.  Akane was a bit surprised at first, but then she realized
how close Kuno had become to Ranma.

     "Well, Akane.  Let's go back to Tendo Dojo.  Your father
is devastated without you, and we need him to perform the
ceremony."

     "Ceremony... you mean..."  Akane's eyes brightened up.

     "Yes, the wedding!  The gang are all back in Nerima now, and
I can hardly wait.  I should have proposed to you long ago...then
we would never have been separated after my change... I'm sorry,
I've wasted so much of our lives."  Ranma said.

     "Baka!  Why dwell on the past mistake when we now have an
infinite future together ahead of us?"  Akane bonked Ranma
lightly on the head.  Ranma teased her. "Hmm... seems that you're
still very much the same on SOME aspects..."  Akane blushed.
"But then again, I wouldn't mind to have some reminders of our
sweet past."  Ranma smiled and fastened his fangs on Akane's
neck.  He was no longer feeling depressed, for now his life can
be forever enchanted by this fierce and amazing immortal.

     "C'mon!  I'll race you to the Dojo for old times' sake!"
Ranma ran, feeling years younger all of a sudden.  Akane ran
after him, feeling once again like a teenager.  "You jerk!  How
dare you get a head start?!"  The lovers ran further and further
away, until they disappeared inside the sea of drifting flower
petals that colors up the dark night.


                                The End

(below are some abandoned bits and pieces from this fanfic, feel
free to ignore them.)

     Seven years later.

     It was a humid night after a few showers here and there.
The bright light emitted by the skyscrapers of metro Tokyo casted
a violet glow over the city.  The people on the streets were all
two preoccupied with their personal longings to appreciate the
flawed beauty of the sky.  As a result, none of them noticed the
spectacle of a mysterious green-roped figure that was jumping
from building to building.  The figure turned around abruptly,
and shouted in a fearsome voice.  "Who dares follow me?"

     Another figure in a blue samurai outfit appeared out of the
violet mist and shot towards him with a katana.  The white figure
leaped up and the two figures started exchanging blows in midair.
Eventually, both fighters broke off the fight and landed on top
of opposing electric poles.  Neither of them relaxed his guard.

     "Come on, 'Blue Thunder'!  You can do better than that!"  A
crystal like voice spoke in a playful tone.  Both figures looked
up and saw a red-headed girl in a Chinese style male gymnastic
outfit sitting on the edge of a building.  She had a smirk on her
face.

     "Silence, Ranma!"  Kuno spat.  "I'm just conserving my
strength."

     "Who the hell are you two?"  The white robed figure
demanded.

     "I'm Ranma." She flipped off the building and stood cross-
legged in midair.  "Guardian of the dark.  The guy fighting you
was my loyal sidekick."

     "Sidekick?!  I'm the great and mighty Tatewaki Kuno, the
shining star of Kendo, the club captain of-"

     "Ranma... aren't you supposed to be the vampire prince?  You
surely look female..."  the shinma muttered in confusion.

     "Oh.  I forgot to change back after the rain.  Kuno!"  She
shifted to a HE as Kuno took out a thermos and splashed.  "Now,
it is time for you to go home.  Shinma... what's his name again?"

     "Greedia."  Kuno replied.  "He is known to corrupted people
with greed for his own amusement."

     "Very amusing indeed."  Ranma mused.  "I wonder if Nabiki
was one of its victim?  Well, guess I'll never found out.  MOUKOU
TAKABISHA!"  Energy shot out of His palm and hit Greedia.
Kuno sliced out a hole to the dark world in a graceful swing of
his spirit katana.  The shinma wailed all the way back to its
home as the hole sucked him in.

Scene showed clips at the beginning of their long journey:
Ranma ki-blasting a three eyed monster, Kuno getting beat up by
Ranma-chan for asking a seductive demoness to date him, Ranma-kun
and Kuno fighting each other instead of their reptile-like
opponent, who looked on with confusion, Ranma-kun feeding off
various girls, all of whom looked besmittened, Ranma-chan feeding
off various guys, all of whom tried to get a cheap feel from
her(without success), Kuno looked on with disgust... etc.
     Nodoka was happy to see her son again, while Germa
seemed to have trouble accepting the boy in front of him as his
son.  Ranma's vampire trait had made him less muscular and more
slender than his old self.  Also, his skin had become so white
that his lashes became all the more darker.    "Great.  Now he's
even less manly than he was before."  Germa muttered.  Ranma
looked slightly tense.   Nodoka bonked Germa on the head with the
handle of her katana.  "Now dear,  we've been thought this
before.  Vampires are creatures of YIN (night related,
feminine).  It's only natural for him to look this way."  All in
all, the reunion went smoothly.  Ranma promised his parents that
he will try to visit more often, knowing that the lives of humans
are limited.  Nodoka told him to find Akane against all odds,
since he was partly responsible for her disappearing.

file://While
he was waiting, he noticed a long haired girl wearing a judo
outfit was walking by.  Her aura was strangely alluring: more
divine than human but less so than a shinma.  Ranma felt his
throat going dry, and decided to strike up a deal with her.  He
leaped in front of her.

     "Hello, mortal."  He gave the girl a charming smile.  "I you
ever so desires, I can do you a favour, in return for your
warm blo... "

     The girl looked at him with a shocked expression.  Beautiful
long hair flaming a familiar face, a face that used to be framed
by SHORT hair.  "Ranma?!"
     It's her! But it couldn't be... she still look sixteen...
she should look more mature by now...and her life force...

     "Akane!!  What happened to you?!"  Ranma asked.  Akane
leaped towards him and hugged him tightly, as if fearing that he
will disappear at any moment.  Ranma was slightly surprised:
Akane seldom expressed her feeling openly before.  Her grip was
so tight that had he been human he would have suffocated.


     "Looks more like I found you... but what happened to you?
Why haven't you..."

     "Aged?  I think it was because of a weird experience seven
years ago at the beginning of my travel..." Akane muttered.  "A
bunch of identical looking ugly looking girls offered me some
sushi bar.    After I ate it they suddenly took out butcher
knives and tried to kill me.  I beaten them up and took off.
Ever since that day whenever I got a wound it always healed up
instantly.  It was a curse and a blessing at the same time.  I
can't stay in any place for over two years, and I don't know if I
should went home to face dad again.  But it also gave me an
advantage."

     "Which is?"  Ranma asked, even though he already knew the
answer.  He earned the familiar feel of a mallet on his head.

     "Do you need a girl to spell it out?"  Akane pouts slightly.
"It means that I can search for you forever and yet stay young,
baka!"

     "My poor little tomboy..."  Ranma held Akane against him.




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