------------------------------
THE CLAN - Chapter 21:
Pride and Power

a Ranma 1/2 fanstory
by Chris Jones
------------------------------

DISCLAIMER: Ranma and the other characters belonging to
Rumiko Takahashi are used without permission. The following
chapter contains some graphic violence. Reader discretion is
advised. Previous chapters and fanart are available at:

http://www.furinkan.net/fanfic/

* * *

    "Pressure is one-fifteen over eighty and holding."

    "We need to get you into surgery."

    "I'm not done yet! *HAFF*" Chioki coughed out. "Please,
Mister Saotome," she said around the blood. "How did you find out
about the monster?" The ER doctors and nurses still working to
affix a pressure bandage to her abdomen, Chioki weakly gestured at
Akoto, her camera-man. Grimacing, he focused his camera on Ranma,
and held the bloody microphone up to Ranma's face.
    
    Ranma gulped and began to speak. "It was a couple weeks ago
when my family noticed a pattern to the killings of the Tokyo
Slasher. My mom called the cops, but they wouldn't listen. Damn,
bloody damn useless. So, anyway, we went and talked to the girls
who were next on the list. That was the first time I saw the
raveners..."


* * *

    "Strangers have been here," Athia warned as they stepped
into the house.

    "And Akane is gone." Nodoka gingerly sampled the air. "I
can smell her fear and anger. Ukyou and Shampoo. There must have
been a fight. This could be--"

    "Nodoka-san," Soun interrupted, "you probably need to see
this."

    Nodoka nodded and followed Soun into the kitchen, where the
little black and white television was set up.

    "So then a little while after that," Ranma said on the
television, "there was another one at a construction site. I tore
it to pieces. I even *burned* it, but it came back later that
night. One of my martial arts senseis fought these same guys when
he was a kid. They *have* to kill themselves, or they won't die.
They're evil, pure evil."

    Nodoka blinked in shock as Ranma told the whole of Japan
about his fight.

    "The two of us, me and the old fart, we fought it at the
post office, and it nearly killed the both of us..."

* * *


    "Can you smell that?" Kasumi asked as she ran just ahead of
her sister. Toufuu and Ryouga were close behind.

    Nabiki shook her head. "No... wait. It's..."

    "Akane," Kasumi breathed. She skidded to a stop and turned
around, her nose in the air. "She's hurt, Nabiki!"

    "I smell Shampoo," Nabiki seconded. "And Ukyou. Oh, god.
They must have waited until she was all alone. Ryouga, Toufuu-
sensei!" she commanded. "You two look that way! We'll look this
way."

    The merest hint of a scowl crossed Kasumi's face. "I'm
pretty sure it's this way," she told her sister once the two men
nodded and ran off.

    Nabiki returned her sister's expression, but kept her mouth
shut.


* * *

    Several blocks away, Akane was indeed running across the
rooftops in a blind panic. Shampoo was just behind her, her sword
at the ready. Ukyou had apparently gotten lost at some point, but
not before she had clipped the top of Akane's left wing with one
of her spatulas. The cut, just above the joint, was deep and still
bleeding profusely, but Akane dared not stop lest Shampoo get on
top of her.

    The cut *hurt*, and tears of pain streamed from Akane's
eyes as she ran. Mentally, she berated herself for panicking so
easily when the two other girls attacked her. Now she was locked
into a chase she couldn't escape from. She fervently wished Ranma
was there to take the heat off her.

    Behind her, doing her damnedest to keep up, was Shampoo.
The Chinese girl was running well past her limit trying to keep up
with the demon-girl in front of her. Shampoo's system was flooded
with adrenaline, and she had to force herself to use every last
bit of battle discipline her grandmother had instilled into her.
The demon-girl could *not* be allowed to live!

    Akane came to the end of the row of houses and had to jump
down off the roof. A silvery glint caught her eye just in time.

    Ukyou was right below Akane, her giant battle spatula held
up at a killing angle. She was poised to cut Akane out of the air
with a single strike.

    At the last moment, not knowing what else to do, Akane
spread her wings. She caught air and tumbled over and over. She
landed back-first on the street well behind Ukyou. Sore and aching
from the impact, her wound screaming in pain, Akane struggled to
her feet.

    Shampoo was already above her, her sword raised to strike.
Akane jerked her wings back and dodged out of the way, the blade
missing her left wing by millimeters. Akane lashed out with a
karate chop, desperately trying to drive Shampoo back. The Amazon
shrieked in pain and took a step away.

    Shampoo looked down in horror at her arm where Akane's blow
had landed. There were two long, shallow cuts just above her
elbow.  A quick glance at Akane confirmed the presence of
glinting, razor-sharp claws extending from her finger tips. She
swung again, but Akane managed to roll under the strike.

    Unashamedly trembling, Ukyou dodged Akane's wing as the
vampire swung around. Akane had become a monster out of her
nightmares, even worse than the raveners. There was no telling
what she had done to Ranma or the rest of her family. She saw the
girl strike Shampoo's arm with the edge of her hand in what would
have been a numbing chop in any other circumstances. In the dim
light cast by streetlights, Ukyou could clearly see the glistening
claws extend from Akane's hand and neatly slice Shampoo's arm.

    Ukyou jumped forward, pulling one of the stakes from her
bandoleer and driving it directly at Akane's torso. The vampire
lashed out blindly, somehow sensing the attack. Ukyou faltered and
shrieked as Akane's hand flew towards her face, terrified of those
hideous claws.

    Akane's hand clenched into a fist at the last moment and
struck Ukyou with a blow that sent her sprawling. She spun around,
her wings reaching out behind her, adding momentum and balance to
the barefoot kick that hit Shampoo's wrist and sent her sword
flying.

    Just as Ukyou was staggering to her feet, her right eye
already swelling shut from the force of Akane's blow, the sword
hit and stuck into the asphalt right in between her legs. She
yelled and scrambled back out of the way.

    Clutching her hand, Shampoo was grumbling in Chinese. Akane
simply took off running again, disappearing into the rapidly
thickening mist. Even though it appeared that her wrist had been
sprained, Shampoo drew out her bonbori and gave chase.

    Her face aching, Ukyou got up and staggered into the fog as
well, but lost track of the other two girls almost instantly.

    Less than a block away, Shampoo could see that Akane had
given up all pretense of defense and was desperately rattling door
knobs, trying to find a place to hide from the two girls who were
trying to kill her.

    Akane desperately needed some place to breathe, some place
to rest and gather her wits about her. She also needed to tend the
wound on her wing and figure out why her hands were suddenly so
sore. She wasn't sure how she had hurt Shampoo's arm so badly, but
she had a few suspicions.

    Still cursing in Chinese, Shampoo came out of the fog.
Hunched over in front of a door, her demons wings spread around
her, Akane froze at the sight of the berserker Amazon.

    "Demon-girl run all night, but Shampoo hunt and kill.
Demon-girl run to ends of earth, but Shampoo hunt and kill. Demon-
girl will die tonight by Shampoo own hand." Shampoo lunged in with
her bonbori and caught Akane a glancing blow to the head. Akane
turned and punched Shampoo in the gut. Numb from exhaustion but
high from the battle, Shampoo shrugged off the blow and chased
Akane as she ran.

    
* * *

    "Then there was the one at St. Hebereke," Ranma continued.
"It killed a friend of a friend. Since I had already found out the
best way to take the raveners out was to pin them, I put a tree
branch through it. It hurt one of my friends, the chef who runs
Ucchan's, and put another, her waitress, in the hospital."

* * *

    "Akane's upset," Kasumi whispered quietly as the fog
continued to thicken. "And all three of them are hurt in some way.
I think Ukyou's getting closer."

    Nabiki nodded, pouring her concentration into 'finding'
Ukyou. Once she finally caught scent of the girl and could
pinpoint her location with Kasumi's help, Nabiki turned on her
glamour heavy and thick, making the fog impenetrable for Ukyou.

    Ukyou skidded to a stop, unsure of which way she was going
any more. She was shaking, and trying not to cry in the emotional
release from the fight. After just a few seconds, two dark figures
came into view in the fog. Ukyou jerked back in shock, her spatula
coming to the forefront. After a second, her eyes finally managed
to resolve Kasumi and Nabiki in the dim light. She coughed and
laughed in relief. Tears began to stream down her face.

    "Kasumi! Nabiki. Oh, lord, it's horrible! Something awful's
happened to Akane."

    "Yes," Nabiki sneered. "She was attacked at home by people
she *thought* were her friends."

    Ukyou blinked her unswollen eye, not understanding Nabiki's
words or meaning.

    "Ukyou," Kasumi said, doing her best to keep the worry and
concern out of her voice, "where are Akane and Shampoo now?"

    "K-kasumi?! You don't understand! Akane's got bat-wings
growing out of her back and she's got fangs and claws! She's a
bloody damn vampire!"

    "You don't say," Nabiki said dryly. "The fact completely
escaped me. Where is Akane, Ukyou?" she demanded in a harsh tone.

    "N-n-nabiki?" Ukyou suddenly found herself on the wrong
side of danger again. Trembling and backing away from the two
girls, Ukyou began to clutch once more for her wooden stakes.
Suddenly, she felt the panic and adrenaline drain away. Her vision
went a little unfocused and a sleepy feeling settled just behind
her eyes. Nabiki stepped up and placed one hand on the okonomiyaki
chef's face.

    "Whhhheeeerreee iiiissss Aaaaakkkkaannn--"

    "Nabiki!" Kasumi scolded, glaring firmly at her sister.

    Ukyou started and jumped away from the startled Nabiki, the
strange lethargy trailing off just as suddenly as it started. She
realized that she had almost dropped her spatula. Anxiously, she
brought it back to bear. This time she held it defensively against
the girls.

    Nabiki stared up at her sister in surprise and shock.

    "Ukyou-chan is our friend, even if she did make a mistake,"
Kasumi chastised her sister. "There's no reason to be mean to
her." She turned back to Ukyou, and bobbed her head slightly.
"Please... Please forgive us, Ukyou. Akane's been having a very
rough time for the last several days, and she's very unsure of
herself right now. I'm very afraid that she and Shampoo may have
already hurt each other."

    Ukyou began to shake. Her grip tightened around the heft of
her spatula until her knuckles turned white. "A hard time?" she
gasped out, her throat all but parched. "A HARD TIME?!!"

    Kasumi nodded.

    "A hard time being a VAMPIRE?!?!"

    Nabiki began to grimace in distaste at the situation. She
didn't feel in control like she was supposed to be.

    Kasumi walked up to Ukyou and gently pried the spatula from
her grip. The girl was frozen and trembling, but Kasumi was
apparently not using any of the techniques that Nabiki knew for
mind control.

    "Ukyou-chan, I know you and Akane would be close friends if
you didn't have such a strong rivalry," Kasumi stated quietly. She
pulled Ukyou into a warm, comforting embrace. "Akane has been on
an emotional rollercoaster for the last few days, and I personally
don't know if she can take it. Ranma's very angry at her right
now, you know."
    
    Ukyou nodded her head, suddenly remembering Ranma's harsh
words from just a few days ago. He'd said that Akane was a...

    The chef gulped. Ranma knew.

    "Akane is so frightened and scared right now, Ukyou-chan.
If we don't stop Shampoo before it's too late, Akane will probably
hurt her badly," she said in a quiet, reasonable voice. "Do you
understand?"
    
    Ukyou nodded anxiously.

    "Yes, Akane's a vampire," Kasumi admitted, "She chose to
become one voluntarily, just like Nabiki and I did."

    Every vein and artery in Ukyou's body ran cold. She
couldn't help but look up and note that yes, Kasumi's canines were
visibly longer and that her eyes were glowing slightly in the dark
fog around them.

    "We all want to protect our family against the raveners,
Ukyou, and this was the best way we knew to do it. I think that
Akane would very much like to have you on her side rather than
against her. I know I would."
    
    Ukyou began to shake, conflict running through her body
like electricity.

    "It all boils down to one question, Ukyou-chan. Do you
trust us not to hurt you?"

    Ukyou whimpered in terror and dread.

    "Ukyou-chan?" Kasumi prompted in quiet, reassuring voice.
She held the chef's head against her gest and began to gently
stroke the girl's hair to calm her. After a few seconds, she spoke
again. "Can you trust me, Ukyou-chan?"

    "Yes?" Ukyou replied, a questioning, fearing tone evident
in her voice.

    Kasumi smiled and released the girl from her caring
embrace. She reached down and handed the battle spatula back to
the frightened chef. "Let's go find Akane before it's too late,
then!"

    Ukyou nodded numbly and followed after Kasumi.

    Nabiki blinked once, not sure she believed what she had
just seen.

* * *

    "The best thing people can do to stay away from them,"
Ranma said into the microphone, "is to travel in groups. Don't be
afraid to call for help. Don't go anywhere alone. That's how they
killed my English teacher. The bastards got her in a dark alley!"


* * *

    Akuji bashed in the dormitory room door with little
ceremony. Still clutching at the gaping wound in his side with one
claw, his other claw crushed the sleeping girl's throat and neck
before she could even scream. She died in her bed with a quiet
gurgle, blood pouring from her nose and mouth as her eyes rolled
up in her head.

    He broke out the window over the bed and threw the warm
corpse out onto the asphalt a story below. He leapt out after it
as the building alarms started to go off. He landed badly,
smearing dripping black goo all over the pavement, but managed to
get back on his feet. He threw the girl's body over his shoulder
and staggered off to a nearby alley.

    He staggered once, trying to find the critical point.
Unceremoniously, he dropped the girl's body next to a dumpster and
drew a hasty eight-pointed star around her. As it unnaturally
caught fire, he slashed her belly open with one claw, allowing
blood, gore, and entrails to spew forth.

    The power released by the girl's body was almost visible to
him as it flew screaming up into the night. A little of it coursed
through his wrecked body as it left the girl's body, helping to
knit the massive gash in his side.

    Akuji left the mutilated body and staggered off as the wail
of the sirens began to grow closer.

    Things were beginning to fall apart. His schedule was
endangered. The plan, the sacrosanct *plan*, was all beginning to
come unhinged thanks to that Saotome child and those damnable
vampires.

    It was *quite* a risk taking another virgin sacrifice so
soon after the one earlier in the evening. It would endanger the
power and narrow the gate if he could actually manage to open it.
He needed the power to keep going, however.

    He stumbled into another alley and pulled the shadow in
around him, effectively hiding himself from the police and others
as they investigated the disemboweled body nearby.

    Akuji took the respite to plan and think. It would take
careful spacing, and no more interference from his attackers, but
he could shorten the length of time between the sacrifices. It
would mean limiting what could actually come through the gate,
but, if he found the right host...

* * *

    "So far they've only killed virgin girls," Ranma said for
the benefit of the entire country. "I think that's how they summon
more of 'em. I dunno if they can get the same thing from virgin
guys."

* * *

    Akane found herself cornered against a glass door. She
could run to either side, but Shampoo was right in front of her
and smiling a wicked smile that promised all sorts of painful
entertainment. The girl had discarded one bonbori, cradling her
rapidly swelling hand against her chest, but the other was raised
to eye-level. Shampoo was ready to strike or throw, depending on
Akane's next move.

    Akane gulped and took the opportunity to take deep breaths.
The bleeding had stopped in her wing, but Akane now had to deal
with the pain coming from the set of claws extending from the
fingertips of both her hands. She saw the cuts on Shampoo's arm,
and was afraid to use them again.

    The vampire decided to wait until Shampoo was closest and
about to strike before making her move. In the darkness, Akane
could 'see' Shampoo's fear and rage coming off her in sheets of
dark electric blue and purple.

    Shampoo smiled again. "Now, Great-grandmother!"

    Akane looked up and realized where she was. Despite her own
fear and berserker rage, Shampoo had taken advantage of Akane's
panic and herded her to the Nekohanten.

    The glass door opened behind Akane, spilling her into the
front of the restaurant.

    In the gloom inside the darkened restaurant, Cologne stood
by just in front of the door. Akane could hear an angry quacking
in the background and was assailed by a wild array of sights and
scents as her vampiric senses tried to assimilate the room.

    Shampoo rushed in and slammed the door behind her.

    "It's worse than I thought possible," Cologne admitted,
recoiling in revulsion from the sight of Akane's wings and her
bloody hands.

    "Hey, it's not like I asked for this!" Akane snapped in her
anger and fear. She was thankful that, at the very least, her
claws had retracted.

    "Shampoo kill you now!" the Amazon declared, lifting a
bucket from a stack of them against one wall.

    Akane's eyes widened in horror, wondering what could
possibly be in the bucket. She skittered away from the two on her
back, and knocked her head and injured wing into a table.

    Shampoo threw the contents of the bucket over Akane, who
screamed in anticipation.

    Then she stopped screaming, trying to figure out what was
wrong with what was apparently distilled water. A drop rolled down
her face and into her open mouth.

    "It's... water?" Akane asked?

    A look of horror crossed Shampoo's face. She reached into
the recesses of her dress and pulled out a hammer and a wooden
stake.

    Akane's eyes widened in horror. After seeing Shampoo's
stake, she heard the familiar footsteps of her sisters, but not
before she could smell and 'see' the familiar tang of okonomiyaki.

    "Holy water no work, Great-Grandmother! Shampoo do old-
fashioned way!" Shampoo lunged with the stake.

    The door exploded in, shattered by Ukyou's kick. The girl
leapt, her spatula traveling in an overhead arc straight for
Akane.

    Akane screamed and tried to roll out of the way, but she
was pinned in by the tables and chairs around her. She closed her
eyes and clenched her teeth.

    The blow never came. Neither of them. Akane warily opened
one eye to see Ukyou's battle spatula hovering just inches in
front of her face. Ukyou had cut Shampoo's stake out of the air
just before the girl managed to drive it into Akane's heart.

    "U-U-kyou?" Akane stammered.

    "Sorry, Sugar. I dunno what's goin' on, but nobody's going
to hurt anybody if I have anything to say about it."

    Akane began to breathe again. She felt tears start to run
down her face and saw the water from the buckets Ukyou had spilled
when she burst in start to puddle on the restaurant's tiled floor.

    "So, you're planning to defy the law of the Amazons, girl?"
Cologne demanded.

    "I planned to anyway," Ukyou muttered, turning her battle
spatula against Shampoo and Cologne. "Amazon law says Ranchan has
to marry Shampoo, right? Heh..."

    "I think it would be a good idea if everyone calmed down
and we talked about this over a nice cup of tea," Kasumi said as
she faded into view just behind the Amazons. "Don't you think,
Cologne-san?"

    Cologne whirled around just in time to see Nabiki fade in
as well. Her old eyes wide, the withered matriarch dug in her
dress and produced an intricately carved wooden crucifix. She held
it aloft and aimed it at Kasumi.

    "Oh, thank you, Cologne!" Kasumi cooed, gently taking the
cross. She reached into the front of her own dress and pulled out
the tiny golden crucifix she wore to compare the two. "This is so
beautiful," she said quietly, running her finger along the
exquisite wood carving. "Mother always said that we place too much
importance in symbols, but I believe that this helps us to
remember an important sacrifice. Don't you think?"

    Cologne coughed anxiously and backed away from the young
woman. This wasn't what she had expected! It certainly wasn't what
the lore led her to beleive.

    Nabiki couldn't help but smirk. Shampoo was stammering in
shock. Ukyou shook her head slightly as she helped Akane to her
feet, confusion and fear still plain on her face. Nabiki saw a
pile of peeled garlic cloves on a table nearby the entrance. She
smirked wickedly and picked up a handful.

    "Nabiki," Kasumi said in a cautioning tone.

    The younger girl smiled and stuffed the cloves into her
mouth.
    
    "Nabiki, you really shouldn't--"

    Nabiki crunched down, smiling meanly at the Amazons.

    "Oh my," Kasumi said in a disappointed tone.

    Nabiki's eyes went wide. She immediately spit the garlic
out and began screaming. "Water!!!!" She dove behind Kasumi, stuck
her head into a bucket of holy water and began to drink.

    "You'll have to excuse my sister," Kasumi coughed politely.
"We have a very sensitive sense of smell and taste, and I'm afraid
Nabiki didn't know how powerful whole garlic really is."

    Tired, exhausted and hurt, Ukyou couldn't help but chuckle.
"That makes sense. Vampires can't stand garlic because it's too
strong. Hah!"

    "But I like ga-- AAAHH!" Nabiki stuck her head back in the
bucket of holy water and continued to drink.

    Cradling her cut wing, Akane nodded. "She might as well
have put pepper spray on her tongue."

    "This isn't over," Cologne hissed. Paradoxically, Shampoo
seemed to be hiding behind the withered crone. "The Amazons will
hunt you to the end of the earth now that we know who you are.
This abomination will *not* pass unpun--"

    "Abomination?" Kasumi cut her off. "I don't understand what
you're talking about, Cologne-san."

    "You won't get away with this," Cologne said in a
threatening tone. Her eyes were dialated and her body was shaking
with old, old fear.

    "Cologne-san," Kasumi said in calm, peaceful voice. "I
think you tried to hurt Akane this evening. I think you put Ukyou-
chan and Shampoo-chan up to some very hurtful tasks. I don't think
that's very nice." Kasumi raised her gaze and stared Shampoo in
the face. "I have become a vampire because it allows me to protect
my family in a way I never have before. I'm very sad that you
think you needed to force our hands like this."

    Shampoo looked away from Kasumi, her eyes filled with shame
and fear. She began to suck on her injured wrist.

    Kasumi turned back to Cologne, who was staring with
righteous defiance at the girl.

    "You said you're going to hunt us down. Why do you want to
hurt us?" Kasumi asked.

    Cologne stared back wordlessly, calm intent replacing her
expression of surprise and fear.

    "Is it 'Amazon Law'?" Kasumi asked, clutching the wooden
crucifix. "Is it the same thing that made you think that holy
water and the image of Christ would hurt us? Do you believe that
I'm a bad person? That really hurts my feelings, Cologne-san. I
really thought better of you."

    Cologne's expression remained resolute.

    Kasumi sighed and put a finger to her chin. "I don't know
what to do about this. We're fighting so hard against the
raveners, and now we're going to have to fight against you and
Shampoo-chan. I don't want it to be this way. What do we have to
do to reassure you?"

    "Die," Cologne muttered, a hint of uncertainty entering her
voice. "There is no other way. So long as you and your kind live,
the Amazon thirst for vampire blood will not be quenched."

    "I'm afraid that's not an option, Cologne-san," Kasumi
said, a tone of steel in her voice. "If you insist on trying to
hurt my beloved family, I will stop you. I will not let you hurt
them."

    "What will you do, girl?" Cologne snapped, all the old
fears and childhood terrors reentering her voice. "Will you
threaten me? Will you steal my blood? Will you kidnap screaming
Amazon children and disappear into the night?"

    Kasumi smiled. "I will stop you from hurting my family,"
she said confidently. "Akane, Nabiki, I think we should go home
before another fight starts. You're welcome to come with us if you
want to, Ukyou."

    "Shampoo. Kill Akane," Cologne commanded quietly, yet
firmly.

    "But... Great-Grandmother..."

    "Do it, Child."

    "But..." The stake was already in Shampoo's hands. Unsure
of herself, Shampoo stepped forward and aimed the stake at Akane's
heart. No one around moved a muscle.

    Akane sighed and stood her ground, her injured wing
trailing out behind her.

    "Do it, Shampoo. Kill her!" Cologne urged.

    Shampoo raised the stake.

    "Don't hurt my sister, Shampoo," Kasumi said. "Put the
stake down."

    The violet haired girl gulped, exhaustion finally setting
in. All the killing rage from earlier was gone, leaving her
feeling quite empty. "Shampoo... don't know...."
    
    "Kill her," Cologne commanded one last time.

    "Put the stake down, Shampoo." Kasumi said again.

    Shampoo raised her arm to strike.

    "PPPPUUUUTTTT TTTTHHHHEEEE SSSSTTTTAAAAKKKKEEEE
DDDDOOOOWWWWNNNN, SSSSHHHHAAAAMMMMPPPPOOOO!!!!" Kasumi demanded in
a voice that *would not* be denied.

    Finally up from the bucket of holy water, Nabiki hissed in
shock, feeling the raw power of Kasumi's will echo around the
room.

    Kasumi's commanding voice hit Shampoo like physical blow.
The stake clattered from her hands to a table nearby. Shampoo
collapsed to the floor and began to cry like a baby.
    
    "I'm very sorry I had to do that, Shampoo," Kasumi offered,
genuine sadness in her voice. "We should go now, sisters. Ukyou,
would you please help us with Akane?"

    The frightened chef nodded, having already caught Akane as
she slumped back down from her defensive position.

    Kasumi turned sadly to Cologne, who was shaking in rage.
"I'm very sorry we couldn't be friends, Cologne-san."

    Cologne didn't answer. Kasumi led her sisters and Ukyou out
of the Nekohanten and out into the night.

    "Are we still going to try to help Ranma?" Nabiki asked as
they walked along the street.

    "I'm not sure we should right now," Kasumi said. "We were
busy for a long time and we really don't know what's going on. We
should meet back up with Toufuu and Aunty Nodoka before we do
anything else," the girl said. Nabiki couldn't help but nod,
unsure how the commanding tone had worked its way into Kasumi's
voice. "It's important to let everyone know what's happened so
that we can all work together," Kasumi continued.

    Ukyou let Akane lean against her as they walked back to the
dojo.

    "I'm sorry I hit you," Akane said tiredly, noting the
chef's swollen eye.

    "I'm sorry I hurt your... uh..."

    "It's a wing, Ukyou," Akane said. "I really didn't ask for
them, you know."

    "You really do have abysmal luck, Akane," Ukyou noted.
"So... you did this to fight the monsters?"

    "No," Akane admitted. "It was a mistake. I did it because I
was afraid I would be hurt. I'm... I'm really paying for that now.
Ranma... I've hurt Ranma so badly. He hates me now..."

    Akane began to quietly weep into Ukyou's chest.

    Ukyou gulped, not sure of how to react. She sighed and
gently embraced the weeping vampire. "Sshh... sugar. It'll be
okay."

* * *

    "And then there was the one tonight. He's the leader, I
think," Ranma mused. "He's the only one of them intelligent enough
to talk. It took a lot out--"

    "Miss Tanaka!" A concerned doctor cut him off. "We *have*
to take you into surgery now before you lose too much blood!" the
doctor declared.

    Chioki nodded weakly and gestured once to her cameraman.
Akoto nodded and shook Ranma's hand after he turned the camera
off.

    "Can you beat these things?" he asked as the hospital staff
rolled Chioki away.

    Ranma's expression hardened. He clenched his hand, ignoring
the fresh bandages on his arm. "Ranma Saotome don't lose. Not
before, not now, not ever. I'll get these creeps, even if it takes
everything I've got!"


* * *

    "Are you ready, Katsunishiki?"

    The sumo pig grunted, making a nodding gesture with his
immense head.

    "Sleep tight, dear one," his mistress cooed, kissing him on
the jowl. "We have a long trip tomorrow! We'll be going to Tokyo
to visit Ryouga-sama. Maybe he'll want to go on another date. Do
you think he will?"

    "*Grrrrnnnn*."

    "I hope he will. It's been so long since I've seen him. I'm
certain that we'll have a wonderful time in Nerima!"

    Akari Unryuu turned off the small television playing in her
room as she came back in from the stables. She thought she had
heard a familiar voice on it.

    "Oh well!" Akari changed into her bedclothes and lay down
on her bed. She dreamed happy dreams of the city and all the fun
things she would do.

* * *

To be Continued...

* * *

Whew...

Next time: Akari, Katsunishiki, Raveners, and the Mysterious
Namless Girl!


A few notes:

First of all, I'd like to thank the guys who spent time
pre(proof)reading my story: Richard, Nicholas, Allyn, MWhaleK,
Vincent, David, Steven, and MojoBaka. Let's be frank here. If not
for the talented eyes that see this story before the rest of the
world does, we'd have Kasumi walking around the house in outdoor
shoes and Nabiki giving to charity.

Well, it was Ranma's turn last chapter, so this chapter was a
chance for the Tendous (except Nabiki) to shine. Nabiki's still
sulking.

Acutally...

The events in this chapter were some of the anchoring ideas that
formed my original concept of 'THE CLAN'. Of course a story grows
and changes as you write it, but The fight between Akane and
Shampoo, as well as the confrontation between The Tendous and
the Amazons have been a constant since before Ch. 1 was finished.
It really meant a lot to me to finish this chapter and marks the
beginning of the final conflict for 'THE CLAN'.

I estimate there will be 5-8 more chapters.

I'd like to thank all of you who have read this far!

Until next time....

C.

* * *

C. Jones - guilty@furinkan.net
http://www.furinkan.net

Watashi ha ultra-relakusu!