I've made some substantial revisions to this chapter, although the early

bits and ending bits of it are fairly similar to earlier drafts.  And

there's a fair number of new scenes.









Before the Fall of the Silver Millennium:



	The Grand Masquerade was in full swing.  It was a 

yearly ball at the Crystal Court, in which everyone 

disguised themselves with glamour, and tried to find 

their loved one without identifying themselves, merely by 

knowing how they acted and their mannerisms.  It was 

intended to be a test of love, for it was said that true 

love was the best guide.  Usually, over two thirds of the 

people would find themselves with the wrong person when 

the evening ended and would get a good laugh.



	Ruby was fairly certain he wouldn't embarrass 

himself by ending up with one of the serving maids this 

year, like he had last year.  He knew Cassandra always 

brought her staff everywhere, which meant she'd have to 

be carrying some sort of pole.  Unfortunately, twelve 

different women had shown up with staves, bows, long 

ceremonial rods, and other possibilities, but he knew how 

she thought, so he was sure he'd picked the right woman.  



	She dressed as a simple shepherd, and she carried a 

shepherd's crooked staff.  It had to be her, he was sure.  

She'd made many past comments about having to herd people 

who didn't know where they were going.  So he'd latched 

onto her early, and they'd hit it off quite well.  It was 

hard to be sure, for he knew Cassandra delighted in 

making herself very hard to locate at these balls, but he 

had that feeling in his gut he got when he was with her.  

It had to be her.



	And also importantly, she seemed quite sure that he 

was the one she was looking for.  She'd stopped looking 

around fairly soon after they'd hooked up, and now they'd 

been dancing together off and on for at least two hours.  

The end of the ball was coming, and he had decided to 

give her a kiss at the very moment when the glamours 

would end and the masks would fall.



	Ruby himself was wearing a disguise which Diamond 

had told him was 'simply feeble', but which was the best 

he could manage...his disguises always seemed to not work 

out anyway.  It was just a tuxedo and a mask studded with 

gems, one of which was his own trademark, just as a hint.  

Not that he thought Cassandra would likely need one; she 

was quite good at this game.



	They danced an intricate dance, which sometimes drew 

them close together, sometimes sent them strutting around 

the great hall side by side, and sometimes pushed them 

out to where only an intertwined finger linked them.  He 

had tested things a bit, touching her in ways he always 

did with Cassandra...nothing to get himself hit, for he 

wasn't THAT sure, but little subtle things, and she'd 

responded just as he hoped, when he ran a finger along 

her cheek, or twined a lock of her long hair around a 

finger as they danced nearly chest to chest.



	He could feel the drums beating in his mind, feel 

his heart pounding in his chest as they spun out away 

from each other, then drew in close once more.  The clock 

chimed, and he swept her into an embrace and kissed her 

passionately.  



	He could hear the spells shatter, and tasted the 

sweetness of her lips.  The kiss was passionate and 

satisfying.  Until he realized she was several inches too 

short now that the glamour had vanished.  He opened his 

eyes, and stared into those of Eowyn.



	For a moment, the entire universe froze up



	And then the wave of laughter began.  It wasn't 

hostile laughter, merely the usual amusement at all the 

mismatches which had taken place.  Much of it wasn't even 

directed at them.  But Cassandra's was.  She was standing 

with Endymion, and Jadeite with Serenity.  They'd all 

misfired, but none of the others had ended up with 

someone they had a history of feuding with.



	"You...you tricked me!"  Eowyn shouted.



	"Hey, you're the one who stole Cassandra's usual 

motif!"



	"Carrying a big stick doesn't make me Sailor Pluto!"  

Eowyn waved her shepherd's crook about.



	"And how the hell did you mistake me for Jadeite?  

He hasn't got HALF my class!"



	"Hey!"  Jadeite cut in, frowning.  Before he could 

say anything else, Sapphire flew across the room and 

crashed into him, knocking him down.  He had apparently 

demonstrated for the fourth year in a row, his ability to 

find Diamond in disguise.  



	"Who were you anyway?" Ruby asked Cassandra, who was 

now leaning on Endymion and trying not to fall down from 

laughing.



	"I was the Elf Queen.  And I brought my staff...it's 

in my magic pocket."



	"Along with Ruby's brain, I think."  Eowyn snapped.



	"Hey!"



	They had to be separated before they could start a 

riot.  Later, Cassandra said to Ruby, "Don't feel bad 

about it; I couldn't find you either."



	"I just...she was just..."  He kicked a rock.  "She 

drives me crazy!"



	"So, was she a good kisser?" Cassandra teased.



	"How can you be so...so...just..."



	"Not jealous?" Cassandra said.



	"Yeah," he said.  "I'd have lost it if you and 

Endymion had smooched."



	"Oh, that sort of thing happens all the time.  It 

takes a long time to know someone well enough to do the 

right thing.  And I know destiny is on our side."



	Destiny got pretty easily sidetracked today, he 

thought guiltily to himself.  "You sure you ain't mad?"



	"Well, if you'd had sex, I'd kill you.  But 

sometimes, a kiss is just a kiss."  She kissed his cheek.  

"I have to go, Ruby."



	"Me too," he said.  "Lots of work tomorrow."



	"For me as well."  



	He smiled, then swept her into the same pose he'd 

held Eowyn in before, then kissed her fiercely.  "I won't 

make that mistake again."



	"Better not go to the ball next year, then," she 

said, her eyes twinkling.



	"Is that a prophecy?"



	"Of course, next year, you'll just wish it was Eowyn 

you kissed."



	His eyes widened.  "What...who..."



	And with that, she vanished, leaving him to pace and 

wonder all night long what she meant. 



	As it turned out, the next year was the first time 

that Sapphire screwed up trying to find Diamond...



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



       Children of Fire

       A Sailor Moon/Ranma Elseworld



       Chapter 13: Parents and Children



       By

       John Biles



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



	Usagi had fallen asleep again, which didn't surprise 

Rei too much, as Diana had always done that after making 

love.  She idly ran her fingers through Usagi's golden 

hair, and tried to figure out what to do next.  Why do I 

always have to be the responsible one, she thought.  

She's the Princess, not me, I'm just one of her warriors.



	Part of her regretted what they'd done--it would 

complicate everything, and she knew she shouldn't have 

done anything like this while her relationship with Ranma 

was still up in the air.  We should have gotten him, she 

thought.  It's not like we were going to die if we didn't 

make love right that minute.  I have to tell him, she 

thought.



	But the thought of telling him terrified her, 

because she didn't know how he would take it.  He might 

want to join them, or he might decide he'd been dumped 

and go running off with Ukyou or Setsuna.  Am I greedy to 

want both of them?, she asked herself.  If she and Usagi 

were together, then Ranma could make Setsuna happy.  

Setsuna had waited so long for him, and she knew Ranma 

had feelings for Setsuna.



	But on the other hand, Ranma kept rejecting those 

feelings; he was scared of turning into Ruby.  Rei could 

appreciate that; she'd been afraid of becoming Eowyn.  

She couldn't be sure about her own feelings for Usagi, 

although she'd decided it just wasn't worth fighting them 

any more.  I know I love Ranma, she thought.  Not Eowyn, 

not inherited feelings, but all me.  I just wish I knew 

if Ranma felt like that about me...sometimes he seems to, 

but sometimes he just...



	Sometimes he just seemed to be stringing them all 

along.  What kept her from believing that was that he 

hadn't had sex with any of them yet, which he certainly 

would have if that was all he was after.  Although she 

wasn't really sure what he was after.  Possibly, he 

wasn't either.



	This couldn't go on forever.  Something had to be 

done.  His ability to hold back was collapsing; she'd 

given in herself and she hadn't been under half the 

pressure that he was under.  



	I'll just go to him and tell him the truth, she 

decided.  If he dumps us, he dumps us.  If he says yes, 

then we'll be happy, and Setsuna and Ukyou will have to 

get over it.  There's nothing I can do to ensure their 

happiness, she thought.  

	

	The decision made her feel happier, like a weight 

had lifted.  Honesty is the best policy, she thought.



	Usagi stirred.  "Did I fall asleep?"



	"No, you fell asleep," Rei replied.  "I've decided 

we ought to tell Ranma about this."



	Usagi blinked.  "Why wouldn't we tell him?"



	"Some guys would take this pretty badly, you know," 

Rei said, feeling a little exasperated.  



	"But he told me he didn't mind if I went after you," 

Usagi said.  "Although we probably should have invited 

him.  I just...I was afraid it would start a fight, and 

you looked so cute when you were sleeping, and...  I 

screwed up, I guess from how you're looking at me."  She 

stared off at the lamp stand instead of Rei.  "I love 

you, Rei-chan, and I just couldn't think straight."



	"We may have blown it with him, you know," Rei said, 

trying to pound it in.  "I'll talk to him tonight.  And 

tell him."



	"We both should," Usagi said.  "But I'm sure he 

won't mind."



	Rei tried to both figure out how to tell Usagi she 

felt she ought to do this first herself, then tried to 

figure out why she felt she ought to do it herself.  

Because she was the one who was engaged to Ranma, she 

decided.  Because Usagi didn't owe him an explanation, 

given he knew what she'd wanted to do, but I feel like I 

do, she thought.  "I need...to talk to him by myself," 

she said softly.  "I kept denying I felt anything like 

this...you don't owe him an explanation.  I do."



	Usagi frowned.  "You...you don't want me to come 

with you to talk to him?"



	"I'm going to talk to him tonight," she said.  "When 

we're back home, in our bedroom, where his dad and my 

grandpa won't be spying.  I hope.  I just...Don't look at 

me like that."



	"Like what?"  Usagi blinked.



	"Like I slapped you or something," Rei said.  

"You're trying to..."  She took a deep breath.  "He 

already knows everything about how you feel, I just 

need...Please."



	Usagi frowned.  "But we both did this."



	Rei paused again, and tried to marshal her 

arguments, but they slipped through her fingers.  "Usagi, 

I..."



	The door opened and Shampoo walked in.  "Usagi, we 

need to...oh."



	Rei stared at her nervously.  "Uh, hi."



	"Shampoo come back later."  And then she was gone.



	"She won't tell anyone, will she?"  Rei asked.



	Usagi blinked, and then it sank in that Rei didn't 

want word of this getting around yet.  Rei-chan is right, 

better not to tell everyone until we settle things with 

Ranma, she thought.  "I'd better make sure she doesn't," 

Usagi said, streaking after Shampoo in both a literal and 

figurative sense.



	Rei sighed and headed for the shower.  This could 

get ugly, she thought.



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



	"Pop just told me we're going to go see my Mom 

starting tomorrow.  I'm probably gonna be gone a fair 

chunk of summer break, as a result," Ranma said to Usagi, 

Rei, Setsuna, and Ukyou.  "There's probably gonna be a 

lot of boring screaming and yelling and everyone trying 

to kill each other.  So don't nobody get no ideas about 

following me."



	"But I want to meet your mother!"  Usagi asserted.



	"Right now, she's more likely to kill us than want 

to meet you, or so I hear," Ranma said.  "So no crazy 

hiding in my luggage or nothing."



	Setsuna frowned.  "We're not crazy enough to try 

that, Ranma."



	Ukyou stopped poking at Ranma's luggage.  "I thought 

I saw a spider.  Really."



	"Anyway, we leave tomorrow.  Rei, you'd better ask 

the spirits to keep us alive, especially Pop."



	Rei nodded, looking a little nervous, although Ranma 

couldn't see why she would be.  "Okay."



	"Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know so that 

you don't all think I've died or run away or something 

when I'm gone tomorrow," he said, getting up.  "Hope 

everyone has a better summer than I probably will."



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



	Ryouga sat under a tree and sighed.  I blew it, he 

thought.  I wonder if I'm still in Japan, even.  The 

hilly terrain could be any of twelve countries he'd seen 

in his life.  



	There was a friendly bark, and he turned.  

"Shirokuro!"  he said.  She had a note tucked in the 

small box that hung from her collar.  He ran over to her, 

fed her a dog biscuit, petted her, and took the note.  It 

read, 'Finally convinced your grandmother to get out of 

bed.  We should be home soon.  Have Shirokuro take you 

home.  If all goes well and she FINALLY approves the 

marriage, we'll need you for obvious reasons.  Your 

loving mother, Hibiki Ryoko.'



	He stared at it.  Marriage?  Have I been gone so 

long they arranged a wife for me, and I didn't realize 

it? He pocketed the note.  "Let's go, Shirokuro," he 

said.  "I hope Mother hasn't changed too much since she 

left home five years ago to fetch Grandmother.  I'd be 

embarrassed if I didn't recognize her again, like last 

time."



	Shirokuro simply barked, lashed her tail around 

Ryouga's right hand, and began to lead him.



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



	"You could have just called, you know," Cologne said 

to Shampoo's image in the magical mirror.  



	"I didn't want to let them know I'd called you," 

Shampoo said in Greek.  "Usagi and Rei have slept 

together, and Usagi's parents have decided she shouldn't 

be an Amazon any longer; they found another cure."



	"I am glad they have finally regained their 

humanity," Cologne said.  "What about her and Ranma?  If 

this means she's given up on him..."



	In Greek, Shampoo replied, "He seems paralyzed by 

his struggles with his past self, unable to pick anyone.  

Usagi's better off without him."



	"If he's the Dragon of the East, then we'll all die 

if they aren't joined in union, Shampoo," Cologne 

snapped.  "And you don't have to speak to me in Greek."



	"The magic compact gets cranky if I don't," Shampoo 

replied in Greek.  "And it prevents anyone overhearing 

and understanding.  Some Japanese people speak Chinese, 

but virtually no one here speaks Greek.  I finally 

understand why we have preserved that language."



	"It's not the only reason," Cologne replied.  "You 

have to make sure they get married.  I know you dislike 

the boy, but you must do it."



	Shampoo frowned.  "I'm not having much luck with 

Mamoru either."  



	"Keep trying, child.  I'm sure he'll come to see 

your charms.  He looked quite handsome in the pictures."



	"I hope so, great-grandmother."



	"No man can resist an Amazon.  Just keep trying."



	"I will.  I will."



	"Now, this is what you must do next, Shampoo.  

Listen carefully..."



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



	Rei sat on her bed and tried to decide what to do.  

She'd decided Usagi was right, that they should both tell 

Ranma, but then Shampoo had dragged Usagi off for no 

apparent reason.  I have to tell him tonight, Rei 

thought.  The longer I wait, the more likely there is to 

be a disaster.



	Ranma-chan walked in, dressed in her usual night 

garb of a muscle shirt and boxers.  



	Rei felt a faint thrill from seeing her like that 

which made it hard to concentrate, and wondered if Ranma-

chan thought she was sexy in her red silk pajamas.  



	"Man, I am just worn out.  You'd think a vacation 

would make you less tired," Ranma-chan said, stretching.  

"And tomorrow, I start the long march out to the 

countryside."



	"Worried about what your mother might do?" Rei 

asked.



	"Naah, we'll work things out," Ranma-chan said, but 

her voice sounded a little forced in its lightness.  "I'm 

sure it'll all come out okay."



	Rei got up and came over, sitting down next to 

Ranma-chan on her futon.  "It'll be okay," she said, 

taking Ranma-chan's hand.  "Your mother will like you."



	"If she doesn't think my curse makes me some kind of 

freak, or Ruby doesn't pull some shit, or Dad doesn't do 

something stupid.  Which he will," Ranma-chan said, 

staring at her feet.  "This could turn into a complete 

disaster.  Probably she'll want to engage me to someone 

else, who will turn out to be a monster and..."  She 

shook her head.  "I'm not gonna do this.  I'm going to 

go, it's going to be okay, and if it isn't, I'll fix it.  

Ain't no point in worrying."  Her voice sounded a little 

more confident.  "Geez, I musta sounded pretty pathetic."



	"No, anyone would worry in your situation," Rei 

said.  "I don't think you're pathetic at all."  Not as 

pathetic as I am with my lack of self-control, she 

thought, then tried to shake off the thought.



	She turned and looked at Rei, staring at her fairly 

intensely, then softened and said, "Thanks.  I guess I'd 

better get some sleep.  Pop will probably try to get us 

out of here when the sun comes up."



	"Ranma, I..."  Tell him, she thought.  Have to do it 

now, this is my best chance.



	"I hope you have fun during summer break," Ranma-

chan said, then suddenly realized Rei was still holding 

her hand.  She squeezed it.  "I suppose Usagi will be 

chasing you the whole time, since I'll be gone.  I 

sometimes wonder if maybe she's just teasing, though.  I 

mean, I can see how you can find two different people 

attractive at the same time, but I could never be so 

blatant about it like she is.  Not without getting hit, 

anyway."



	"Ranma, do you like two different people?" Rei 

asked. She'd feel better if he did, because it would mean 

she wasn't so bad for feeling like that.  



	"No.  No.  Yes."  She stared at the ground.  "But 

I'm not sure I can trust my feelings about one of them."



	"That would be Setsuna," Rei said.  She felt a sense 

of relief to some degree, but her nerves were still 

turned up to a high level of tension.



	Ranma-chan nodded.



	"And the other one is?" she asked hopefully, despite 

not being sure if she was worthy of it any more.



	Ranma-chan looked at her, then looked down at their 

hands, then up at Rei.  "Grandpa and Pop are listening at 

the door," she whispered to Rei.



	Rei frowned.  "You sure?" she whispered back. 



	Ranma-chan nodded, rose silently, then crept over to 

the door and opened it.  Grandpa and Genma failed to fall 

into the room because they weren't there.  A cockroach 

did dart into the room, only to get squished.



	"That had better not have been one of them," Rei 

said, giggling.



	Ranma-chan frowned.  "I could have sworn I..."  She 

ran over and checked the closet, but it was also devoid 

of lurking adults.  Finally, she came back to Rei and sat 

down after closing the room door.  "I guess I'm just 

paranoid."



	"And the other person is?" Rei asked, returning to 

the original topic.



	Ranma-chan froze up for a few seconds, then said, "I 

really got to pick someone soon.  I nearly had sex with 

several people during our vacation, and eventually, I'm 

gonna screw up and do it.  I mean, you're all rather 

sexy, and..."



	"Ranma," she said with a hint of steel, "Don't be 

evasive.  If you're not...if you're not in love with me, 

I can handle it."  She did her best to squelch the 

butterflies flapping wildly in her stomach, though stabs 

of alternating terror and hope kept striking her.



	She laughed faintly.  "This is ridiculous.  I was 

never this afraid to say how I felt about a woman when I 

was Ruby.  I had to chase Setsuna down, instead of being 

the hound everyone pursues.  You're right, Rei.  No 

running away.  Not this time.  You're the other one, 

Rei."  She turned and took Rei's hand.  "I have to get 

Ruby out of my head to know who I really love, but I can 

tell you that you and Setsuna are the two I like the 

most.  You're the two I think I could marry.  Eventually.  

When we're all a lot older and I'm not in high school any 

more."  She smiled at Rei.  "Does that make any sense?"



	Rei felt a surge of joy at this, followed by an eddy 

of guilt.  Why couldn't I have waited? she asked herself.  

We could have just told each other how we felt and 

settled it all the right way.  She squelched the 

thoughts; she had to tell him now.  Rei leaned over and 

kissed Ranma-chan on the cheek, trembling as she felt the 

temptation to try something more.  "I understand, Ranma.  

I sometimes don't know what is me or what is Eowyn.  But 

I..."  Tell him, she told herself.  Now.  "So you don't 

love Usagi or Ukyou?"  Her brain spun.  There had to be 

some way to reconcile her emotions, but if he didn't love 

Usagi...she couldn't...She didn't know what to do.



	"Not like the kind of love where you marry someone.  

I like 'em both a lot, but it's not the same as the way I 

feel about you or Setsuna.  They're great fun to be with, 

but I don't think it's _love_."  She shrugged.  "It's 

hard to say with words."



	"Then why do you keep kissing Ukyou and stuff?" Rei 

asked, trying to muster the willpower to make her own 

confession, but she'd never been good at admitting guilt, 

especially to something this important.



	"Sometimes I ain't thinking with my head.  She is a 

babe," Ranma-chan said.  "And I've kissed about all four 

of you by now.  I just do stupid stuff sometimes.  We all 

do.  Anyway, I've resolved that I ain't gonna kiss nobody 

until I get the old bastard out of my head.  Or do 

anything else.  'Cause it ain't fair to no-one."



	"Ranma, have you...you know...with any of us?"  

Rei's voice wavered.  Half of her hoped he had, so she 

wouldn't have to feel so guilty, and the other half hoped 

he hadn't, the same part of herself that wished she'd 

managed to wait.



	Ranma-chan's eyes widened.  "No!  I coulda, but I 

kept my cool and stuff.  Just barely at times.  Naah, if 

I had sex with someone, that would pretty much be it.  

And you don't think any of the others would keep it 

secret if I did sleep with them, do you?"  Her voice was 

wavering; clearly she was embarrassed.  "That's a 

kinda...I mean...no.  Haven't done it."



	Say it, Rei told herself.  "Ranma, I love you.  But 

I also...I also have strong feelings for Usagi.  They may 

just be from Eowyn, but..."



	Ranma-chan gulped, and tried to say something, then 

failed.  She had the luck of someone on the hot seat.  

Then she got a grip on herself, and spoke, obviously 

trying to calm herself by not replying directly.  

"Probably," Ranma-chan said.  "Since Eowyn and Princess 

Serenity were lovers.  I'm surprised she isn't chasing 

after Endymion; I always thought they did like each 

other."



	"But we acted on them."



	"You kissed her?  Fair enough, I've kissed all three 

of the others.  I ain't mad.  Although it does complicate 

matters."  Her voice had an affected casualness, but Rei 

could see Ranma-chan was bothered by this.



	"We had sex at the hotel."



	"..."



	The window flew open and Grandpa and Genma poured 

through it.  "YOU DID WHAT?" Genma shouted.



	"With that Amazon?  How could you betray your 

fiancee like that?"  Grandpa demanded.



	"You...you had sex with Usagi?" Ranma-chan asked in 

shock.  She stared at Rei as if to suggest Rei had also 

had sex with the entire population of T&A Academy.  



	Rei felt the need to shout something, but wasn't 

sure what to shout.  



	"See, I told you, boy!" Genma said to Ranma-chan.  

"You've let your fiancee be seduced!  And you call 

yourself a man?"



	"But she...I thought she...I never thought they...I 

mean, I trusted..."  Ranma-chan began to babble, not able 

to think fast enough.  



	"I can't believe you gave your virginity to the 

Amazon instead of your fiancee!" Grandpa shouted at Rei.



	"I can give my virginity to whoever I damn well 

please!" Rei shouted back.  There was a certain relief in 

being able to simply yell at someone instead of having to 

baste herself in her own guilt, although deep down, she 

knew she had no real cause for righteous indignation.



	"Boy, there's only one way to fix this," Genma said 

to Ranma-chan, staring her in the eyes.



	"What's that?"  Ranma-chan asked, still trying to 

recover his mental footing.



	"You have to get some hot water and have sex with 

her right now before she decides to never sleep with a 

man ever again," Genma said.  "And I'm throwing the 

Amazons out."



	Grandpa sighed.  "I will see if her parents can 

restrain her.  I don't want to throw them out into the 

world while they're still readjusting.  In fact...ahh.  I 

know what to do."  He snapped his fingers.  "Come with me 

for a moment, Genma."



	They stepped out into the hallway and began 

whispering while Ranma-chan and Rei looked nervously at 

each other.  Then they came back.  "We've decided that 

Rei will have to go to visit a priest I know and undergo 

special purification rites during her summer vacation," 

Grandpa said.  "You leave tomorrow.  Once you've purified 

yourself and Ranma has settled his family business, then 

we'll take measures to make sure neither of you strays 

again like that."



	"..."



	Ukyou poked her head in the door.  "I heard 

shouting.  What's going on?"



	"Rei betrayed her fiancee with the Amazon," Genma 

said curtly.  "Go back to bed."



	"She...you and Usagi, uh...had sex?" Ukyou asked 

Rei.



	Rei bellowed, "I did NOT BETRAY RANMA!  I didn't do 

anything wrong!"  It was an instinctual denial, rather 

than a heartfelt one.  "You're the crazy people who said 

we were enagaged!  Neither of us ever made a promise to 

each other!"



	Ranma-chan frowned.  "Oh, I can't do anything with 

anyone else or I'm in trouble, but you can?  What kinda 

crazy logic is that?"  She'd regained her footing, and 

like Rei, was letting old bad habits creep in.  



	"You told her you didn't mind!"



	"I wasn't thinking straight, okay?  I didn't think 

you'd actually go for it!"



	"It's not like you haven't done things with other 

people!"  They had scooted closer and were yelling at 

each other from a range of inches now.



	"I've KISSED other people!  Not had sex with them!  

I had chances with Ukyou AND Setsuna and even Naoko at 

the casino, and I managed to say no!  Because I was 

trying to wait until this was all settled!"  Ranma-chan's 

hands instinctively clinched, and she tamped down the 

knowledge that two of those three situations hadn't been 

evaded entirely by her own choice.  



	"You nearly had sex with SETSUNA?"  Ukyou shouted.  

"How could you?"



	"Who had sex with Setsuna?"  Usagi asked, poking her 

head in.  Shampoo and Usagi's parents were in the hallway 

as well, having been attracted by the shouting.  



	"I DID NOT HAVE SEX WITH SETSUNA!  AND I DIDN'T HAVE 

SEX WITH UKYOU AND HARUKA, EITHER, EVEN THOUGH I COULD 

HAVE!"  Ranma-chan shouted, then regretted opening her 

mouth.



	"And Haruka TOO?"  Usagi, Rei, and Genma all shouted 

in unison.



	"Let's all calm down," Grandpa said, smelling 

imminent apocalypse.



	"Shampoo thinks Ukyou and Haruka would make a good 

couple," Shampoo said.  "Go for it, Ukyou."



	"You were going to have sex with Ukyou and Haruka?  

And you say I betrayed YOU?"  Rei shouted, knowing she 

wasn't entirely justified in getting mad, but giving in 

to her own anger to hide from her own guilt.



	"If you want two girls, you could have just come to 

me and Rei-chan," Usagi said.  "Haruka doesn't even love 

you."



	"Haruka was just teasing!" Ukyou protested.  "And I 

don't like girls!"



	"I think this is enough shouting," Kenji said, 

trying to calm the waters.



	Rei began pounding on Ranma-chan, who blocked the 

flurry of blows.  "How could you?  How could you?"



	Ranma-chan simply parried the blows and tried to 

ignore the shouting, but finally, she had enough.  

"ENOUGH!!!!!"  She shouted and leaped to her feet.  "I 

didn't have sex with NOBODY!  I may have come close, but 

I didn't do it!  So stop hitting me when YOU'RE the one 

who had sex with someone else!"



	"But we want you to join us!" Usagi said.  "We both 

love you, so we thought the three of us could work things 

out."



	"He's mine!  You two have each other!" Ukyou 

asserted, grabbing Ranma-chan's arm.



	Usagi grabbed the other arm.  "True love cannot be 

denied!"



	"Ranma, you shouldn't be letting them grab you like 

that," Genma said, dragging her away from both of them.  

"Looks like I'm going to have to teach you about fidelity 

on this trip."



	"Hey, I ain't the one who ran off and fucked someone 

else!"  Ranma-chan shouted.  "Rei's the one who did 

that!"



	"I didn't..."  Rei stopped and took a deep breath.  

"Okay, I did!  And she was a lot better than YOU'LL EVER 

BE!"



	Ranma-chan's eyes widened, and her jaw dropped.  



	"Man, you've been slapped," Shingo-neko said.



	His mother picked him up.  "You shouldn't be here," 

she said, "And you should be in your human form."



	"Human form is boring!" he protested as she carried 

him off.



	"See what you've let Usagi do to her?" Genma said.



	"Fine, be a dyke for all I care!"  Ranma-chan said, 

spinning on one foot.  "I'm leaving NOW to go see Mom and 

straighten things out and then...I'll marry Setsuna!"



	"You can't marry Setsuna!" Ukyou shouted.  "What 

about me?"



	"You can marry Tsubasa!"  And then Ranma-chan was 

out the door, leaving everyone speechless.



	"He'll be back," Genma said.



	"Didn't look like it to me," Grandpa said.  "He's 

made up his mind."



	"He didn't take any clothing, and only I know where 

his mother is," Genma said.  "He'll be back."



	"EVERYONE GET THE HELL OUT OF MY ROOM!"  Rei 

shouted.



	Usagi began clearing everyone out, which wasn't 

easy.  Grandpa stopped in the doorway.  "Don't forget 

Rei, tomorrow you leave for purification."



	"Whatever," she said, starting to cry.  "Just get 

out and leave me alone."



	"Rei, I'm sorry about..." Usagi began to say.



	Sharply, Rei said, "You too!  I wouldn't be in this 

mess if I hadn't let you have your way with me!  You 

should have thought about the consequences, dammit!"



	"But Rei, I love you," Usagi said weakly.



	"I guess you really do hurt the ones you love," Rei 

snapped, then 

shoved her out of the room and shut the door in her face.  

She turned 

the lock, then fell to her knees and sobbed.  The fact 

that she could 

hear Usagi sobbing on the other side of the door made her 

cry more, 

but she left it locked all night long.



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



	Setsuna turned off the TV with a sigh and lay back 

on the floor, 

staring up at the ceiling in frustration.  Another night 

alone in an 

empty house.  Another night with her true love halfway 

across the 

city.



	Sometimes she wondered about that, if he was her 

true love.  Ruby 

had been, but Ranma... he was so indecisive.  Ruby, she 

remembered 

with a shiver, had known what he wanted and hadn't let 

anything or 

anyone stop him from taking it.



	Her hand touched her lips, remembering the time....



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



	Senshi Pluto stalked out of the reception into the 

Royal Gardens.  

She did not know why she came to these events, beyond 

some vague 

sense of duty.  The Queen did not require her presence, 

that was 

certain.  And she did not particularly enjoy being either 

ignored or 

bored to tears by the guests.



	She was so caught up in her thoughts she almost 

didn't see someone 

else join her in the garden.  Still, it was hard to sneak 

up on the 

Senshi of Time.  Despite that, she didn't know who this 

intruder was 

until he spoke.



	"Cassandra."



	"Ruby!  What are you doing here?  There's no 

delegation from Earth 

visiting...."



	He laughed, that strong, confident, almost arrogant 

laugh that made 

her weak in the knees--not that she would ever let him 

know that.



	"I came to see you," he said, taking her in his arms 

and beginning 

to dance to the faint music coming from the palace.  

"Dance with me?"



	Against her better judgment, she felt herself melt 

into his arms as 

they danced under the light of the full Earth.  Then the 

music 

stopped, their eyes met, and his head lowered to kiss her 

ruby red 

lips....



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



	Setsuna shook her head to clear it of the 

fantasy/memory.  She knew 

Ruby loved her... if only Ranma would show a bit--



	A sudden knocking at the door interrupted her 

thoughts.



	Who could be here this late? she wondered, pulling 

on a robe.  

Looking out the fish-eye, she got her answer.



	"Ranma?" she asked, holding the door open for the 

miserable martial 

artist.  If she didn't know better, she would have 

thought he had 

been crying.



	"Can... do you have a moment, Setsuna?  I really 

need ta talk."



	"Of course, Ranma... let me put on some tea, and--"



	"No, I can't... if I stay too long, they'll come 

looking for me," he said, his voice laced with 

bitterness.



	Setsuna knew she shouldn't, but he looked so 

miserable that she 

couldn't resist.  She took him in her arms and held him 

tight.



	At first he went stiff, so much she could almost 

imagine his pigtail standing on end, but slowly, he began 

to relax.  He looked up and their eyes met.



	Setsuna gasped at the raw pain she saw reflected in 

those eyes.  

Pain, betrayal, and longing.  She had seen that look 

before, the 

night that Diamond had died, the night before everything 

had fallen.  

And now, as then, she felt the pull of those eyes.



	"Ranma?" she whispered, half disbelieving, as her 

face drew closer 

to his.



	He seemed to relax even further at her use of his 

name.  The pain 

and betrayal fell back--not gone, but reduced--leaving 

the longing 

foremost.



	His lips touched hers in a kiss, tentative at first, 

then stronger, 

more passionate.  She returned that, not knowing what 

brought this on 

but beyond caring.



	Somehow, they found the couch, their tongues dueling 

until they were both gasping for air.



	"Wow," Setsuna said, her brain a little frazzled by 

the sudden kiss.



	Ranma seemed to step back a little, though he didn't 

move from where he was holding her, except to place one 

hand behind his head.  "Um, sorry about that."



	"Wow," Setsuna said again, still not entirely 

running on all 

cylinders.



	"Setsuna, are you OK?" Ranma asked.



	"Wow--I mean, I'm fine, Ranma."  Her lips curved in 

a slow smile.  

"That was..."



	"'Wow.'  I got that," Ranma said with a chuckle.  

Soon she joined 

him.



	When they stopped, she turned to him, a little more 

serious.  "Not 

that I'm complaining, Ranma, but what brought this on?  I 

could tell 

that something happened tonight..."



	Ranma chuckles died away, as if someone had flipped 

a switch.  "It's Rei... and Usagi," he said at last.  

"They..."



	Comprehension dawned.  "Oh, Ranma.... I'm sorry."  

She struggled for something to say, while cursing.  That 

kiss was nothing more than a 

rebound.  He loved either the Princess or Mars and now 

they had 

rejected him, so he came running to her.  "You can't take 

it so 

hard... the Princess and Eowyn had a special tie that 

almost no one 

could come between...."



	"Usagi... she keeps saying that she wants us 

both.... but I don't 

think I can do that.  For my honor, I need to pick one 

person to 

love.  I had just told Rei that I loved her--"



	Setsuna felt like her hard was made of glass, and 

that glass was 

cracking.



	"--and you... I don't know how much of that is Ruby, 

but there's 

something between you and me--"



	Setsuna blinked.



	"--and I couldn't make myself decide.  I felt 

something for Rei, 

too.  Ukyou, she's my best friend, I don't think of her 

like that... 

and Usagi, she's nice and all, but I barely know her--"



	Setsuna blinked again.



	"--so how can I--um, Setsuna, are you alright?"



	"Huh?"



	"Are you alright?  You looked kinda--"



	Setsuna shook her head, another smile blossoming on 

her face.  "Oh, 

Ranma, I'm very, very 'alright.'  It's just, I was 

wanting to hear 

you say something like that for so long.... I love you, 

too."  She 

leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, not 

wanting to 

frighten him away.



	"I... I can't make a commitment right now, 

Setsuna... I wish... I 

gotta see my Mom first, make things right with her.... 

but when I get 

back, I wanna see if there is anything more between us.  

I really do. 

 I know it's not exactly what you wanted, but... can you 

wait?"



	Setsuna threw back her head and laughed.  "Ranma, 

I've waited 25,000 years for you... I think I can wait a 

little longer.  But, promise me,  you'll come back?"



	"I promise.  And I ain't like Pop.  I keep my 

promises."



	"I know."



	He twitched in her arms.  "I should get back.  If 

they come bursting in here--"



	"I'll know in time to warn you.  Just... hold me a 

little longer.  

Convince me this isn't a dream."



	His second kiss was far better than any dream she'd 

ever had.



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



	Ranma poked his head into Ukyou's tent.  "Hey, you 

awake yet?"



	Ukyou sat up and rubbed her eyes.  "Define awake."



	"You understanding what I'm saying?" he asked.



	"More or less."



	"Look, I gotta leave with Pop to go see Mom in a 

little bit, and I...gotta talk about some stuff with ya 

before I go.  If you're awake enough, anyway."  He 

sounded more nervous than usual.



	"Sure, sit down and talk," she said, trying to make 

some room in the tent for him.



	He came in and sat down.  "Pop and I are leaving to 

go see Mom in an hour or two.  So I wanted to say goodbye 

for a while."



	She frowned.  "I want to meet your mother."



	"We don't know if she's gonna kill us or what.  And 

she may just tell us to go away.  And since she thinks 

we're demons or some such crazy thing, it could get ugly.  

So it's just gonna be us," Ranma said.



	She sighed.  "I don't know what to do with myself 

for my vacation."



	"Shouldn't you go visit your dad or something?"



	"I guess.  He'll put me to work, though."



	"And then there's the other thing."  Ranma tried to 

steel himself to the task.  He didn't want to hurt her, 

but...  "I've been thinking about what I learned last 

night."



	She looked at him expectantly and hopefully.



	"I had to do a lot of thinking, and I came to the 

conclusion I've been dorking around too much on this 

whole...with all of you.  I still can't make up my mind 

entirely, but there's no point in me making you wait."  

Her face crashed as she guessed what he was going to say.  

"I've been doing a lot of dumb shit, getting your hopes 

up for no good reason.  You're really cute, and kinda 

sexy sometimes, but I'm not in love with you and I 

shouldn't be doing all the stuff I've done.  I'm kinda 

glad I'm going off in the wilderness with Pop, 'cause I 

need to get a grip on myself before I do anything really 

dumbass."



	Ukyou began to cry, and Ranma froze up, not sure 

what to do.  "Uh...you can hit me if it helps."



	The spatula came around, sending him flying through 

the top of the tent.  As he flew over the shrine, Ranma 

thought, well, that went better than expected.



***********



	Confront Usagi or not confront Usagi, Ranma asked 

himself as he picked himself up from the dust.  He'd just 

decided he wanted to avoid her for a while when she 

removed his ability to decide by coming around the 

corner.  She looked very nervous and hesitant, and the 

way she stumbled gave the impression she'd been pushed.



	"Umm, Ranma, we need to, umm...like...talk."



	"I have nothing to say," he said flatly, trying to 

avoid screaming at her.  "I can see how it goes."



	"Ranma...I thought...I mean...I like both of you!" 

Usagi blurted out, inching towards him.  "I'd have 

invited you to come, but it would have started a big riot 

and..."



	Only the knowledge that he'd pretty much told her 

seducing Rei was okay kept him from just screaming at her 

in frustration.  "Usagi, I can't date two people at the 

same time.  It just doesn't work."



	"You're dating all four of us at the same time!" she 

said, suddenly switching from teary to angry.



	"Hey, that's..."  He sighed.  "I ain't the one doing 

the chasing here, and you know it."



	"It works just fine in China," Usagi said.



	"We ain't in China, and we ain't going back.  And 

now I gotta go with Pop to get killed by Mom."  He turned 

to go, but she grabbed his shoulder.



	"Ranma, I'm sorry," she said.  "But can't we...I 

love you, Ranma."



	"I like you a lot, Usagi," he said, "But I don't 

love you."  He took a deep breath.  "You and Rei...you 

can be happy together.  It looks like I'm gonna be going 

with Setsuna, see if we can make things work."



	"You...you're dumping us?" Usagi asked weakly.



	"You dumped me for each other," he said flatly, 

folding his arms.  "I've been fighting off Setsuna just 

cause the old moron liked her, but I guess that ain't no 

good reason to hold back.  You two sure didn't."



	Usagi blushed.  "Ranma...I...I've never done that 

with someone I didn't love!  I...I'll do it with you 

right now if I have to, to prove that I..."



	"Sex don't prove nothing about love," Ranma said.  

"I coulda had a lot of sex by now, but I tried to wait so 

I wouldn't make a dumb ass choice about who to do it 

with.  Well, I still ain't had no sex, but I ain't made 

any more dumb ass mistakes."  He kicked a rock.  "I don't 

hate you forever or nothing, but I'm kinda really wanting 

to NOT see you for a while, if you know what I mean?  I 

mean, we gotta work together, and I hope we can be 

friends and all that stuff, 'cause you're neat to talk 

to, but you made your choice when you seduced Rei, and 

I'm trying to make mine."



	"I just...I was just lonely and she was..."  Usagi 

began to cry.



	"A martial artist has to have discipline," Ranma 

said sharply.  "Did they not teach you that in China?"



	Usagi now simply came unglued, lunged forward and 

cried on his shoulder.  He patted her back feebly, trying 

to figure out what to do.  He couldn't be too comforting, 

or she'd get the wrong idea, but he hated to make a girl 

cry.  "Look, I just can't date both of you, okay?  At 

least you have Rei."



	"Rei won't talk to me either," Usagi bawled.  "She 

just yells at me and runs away."



	"Oh, she does that to everyone," Ranma said weakly.  

"Once she calms down..."



	"She's going away tomorrow!"



	"Well, that gives you until tomorrow," he said.  

"And I gotta go now."



	"Ranma, do you hate me?"  She stared at him with 

huge tear-filled eyes.



	"No, but I just want to be ALONE for a while," he 

said.  "Before I start beating people up."  He pulled 

away from her.  "Uhh...I hope you have a good vacation."



	And then he walked away, feeling horrible, but not 

knowing what else he could do. 



***********



	"Boy, you should apologize to Rei," Genma told Ranma 

a little while later as they were about to leave.



	"I ain't got nothing to apologize for," Ranma said, 

crossing his arms.  "Let's go get killed by Mom and get 

this over with."



	"Never leave them angry," Genma said.  "You're going 

to have to marry her, and leaving her to stew for a month 

won't help."



	"I ain't marrying no one," Ranma said stubbornly.  

"Let's go."



	Rei emerged from the temple onto the porch and 

stared silently at Ranma, looking more morose than angry.  

Ranma stared back, wondering how much of what she'd said 

the previous night she meant, and how much of it had just 

been people yelling at each other.  Did she really love 

Usagi more than him?  She'd said she loved him, but 

then...  He shook his head.  Pop's right, I gotta say 

something, he thought.



	Then she turned and stormed inside as Shampoo came 

round the corner, looking angry.



	"On second thought, boy, let's just get out of 

here."



	They ran.



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



	Rei watched the countryside roll by as the train 

rolled along and wished she could go back in time and 

stop herself from being an idiot.  On the other hand, I'd 

probably just screw things up worse, she thought.  I 

shouldn't have slept with Usagi, or tried to tell Ranma 

about it anywhere within 50 miles of anyone else.  And 

all the yelling and glaring just...



	She sighed and tried to stop beating herself up.  

Maybe this is for the best, she thought.  It'll give us 

all time to cool down.  This shrine Grandpa's sending me 

to does sound kind of nice.  Hopefully the priest is less 

of a flake than Grandpa.  I just wish I knew what Grandpa 

had been talking about when he was babbling about some 

rivalry he has with the guy.  



	I just hope we don't have another crisis while I'm 

gone, that they won't need me when the next Rainbow 

Crystal shows up.  Not much chance of me stumbling on it 

way out in the countryside.  Assuming they're all around 

Tokyo, anyway.  What with all our recent recruits, 

though, they should be fine.



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



	"You must be Rei-san," the old man said to Rei when 

she got off the train.  His hair was turning grey, but 

he'd managed to keep all of it, and he wore dark-rimmed 

glasses and a priest's uniform.  



	"That's me," Rei said.  "You're Masaki-sama?"



	"Hai."  He took one of her suitcases.  "Ready for 

rigorous spiritual training?"



	"No," she said.  "I'd rather have a real vacation."



	"Good," he said.  "We can just goof off the whole 

time, then."



	"..."



	He laughed.  "I'm afraid I can't be that easy on 

you, but I promise it won't all be hard work.  Your 

grandfather was rather vague on the phone, though, about 

why he was sending you to me."



	"I pissed him off by not being a good little sheep 

who would marry whoever he wanted," she said, deciding to 

be pseudo-honest.  "I'd rather not talk about it."



	"Fair enough," he said.  "I understand you have some 

ability to see the future by gazing into fire."



	"The Sacred Fire likes me," she said.  "I've never 

done it with a different fire than that one."



	"Then we'll have to start with that."  They headed 

out into the parking lot, soon reaching an ugly van.  

"How long will you be staying?"



	"A month," she said.



	"Good, good, that will give us plenty of time," he 

said.  "And off we go."



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



	Ranma sat on top of a train running into the 

countryside, running over a meditation exercise in his 

mind...in theory.  In actuality, he was struggling to try 

to focus on it while his brain kept turning over what had 

happened with Rei before he left.  How could she say she 

loves me, but then confess she'd done something like 

that?  Why couldn't she wait?



	But then, he had to admit he'd come pretty close to 

doing the same thing with some of the others.  I've just 

screwed this all up, he thought.  Maybe I should just get 

together with Setsuna.  I mean...does it really matter 

whether Ruby liked her or not? he asked himself.  Maybe 

I've just been being a total idiot about all this.  



	Being with her just feels so good, he thought.  But 

then, being with Rei feels like that too.  Or it did.



	His brain went round and round, until finally he 

realized he couldn't remember what he was supposed to be 

meditating on.  "Hey, Pop..." he began.



	Genma snored in reply.



	Ranma sighed and gave up, watching the terrain go by 

for a while.  I gotta stop being so indecisive on this, 

he thought.  Even if it means I end up engaged.  I've let 

this drag on for way too long.  



	The rest of the day went into deep thought.



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



	The Masaki shrine was a simple wooden building with 

living quarters in the rear and a large open room in 

front--the shrine proper.  "I'll be staying with my son," 

Masaki-sama said.  "So you'll have the living quarters to 

yourself.  He lives nearby; I'll walk over each morning 

to begin your training."



	She nodded.  "I can make my own breakfast."



	"Good.  I'll be here at seven each morning, so 

you'll need to rise appropriately."



	She nodded again.  A little solitude at night will 

be nice, she thought.  "Okay."



	"Alright.  Let me show you everything, and then I'll 

let you settle in."



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



	Rei couldn't sleep.  She wasn't sure if it was 

sleeping on a futon instead of a bed, or if she had grown 

used to not sleeping by herself, or if it was just 

emotional turmoil.  I miss them, she thought.  I wish I'd 

said goodbye to Ranma.  I wish I'd managed to handle 

things differently.  I wish...I wish I could sleep.



	She went outside and stared up at the half-moon 

hanging over the forest.  It's like there's no one else 

in the entire world, she thought.  For a moment, she saw 

Ranma's face suspended in place of the moon, then 

laughed.  I wonder if he's looking up at the moon right 

now, she thought.



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



	Ranma dropped low and swept the feet of one of the 

nine-tailed humanoid fox-like beings that were trying to 

sweep over himself and his father.  It was hard for him 

to see their faces in the light of only half a moon, but 

he thought he caught a glimpse of terror on its face as 

it fell off the train.  "Tell me again how catching a 

ride on top of the train is gonna save us time and money, 

Pop," Ranma said.



	Genma caught another one by the arm and rolled 

backwards, tossing it over his head and down into the gap 

between train cars, where it managed to catch the edge of 

the roof and hang.  "How was I supposed to know these 

things would get the same idea?  Grandpa Hino and I blew 

up that evil Kitsune temple YEARS ago."



	"You!  You're the one!" one of the Kitsune shouted.  

"Kill the defiler of our sacred shrine!"



	Ranma parried a sword stroke from one of the 

Kitsune, then disarmed it with a kick.  "Next time, I 

plan the vacation."



	"Hey, it's not like the travel brochures mention 

demon foxes like to hop trains these days, you know!"  

Genma protested, dodging the sword blows from another 

one.  "I suggest we abandon ship."



	"Good idea."



	They leaped off and let the train carry the fox-men 

away.  "I guess we hoof it," Ranma said.  



	"Walking purifies the body and soul," Genma replied.



	"And makes the feet hurt."



	"Afraid of a little exercise?"



	"No!"



	"Then catch me, boy."  Genma took off running, and 

Ranma sprinted after him.



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



	Rei said, "So, what are these purification exercises 

anyway?  And why do you have so many carrots in the 

pantry?"



	Masaki-sama smiled.  "My son and grandson grow them.  

And for your first purification exercise, we're going to 

have to take a little hike to the waterfall."



	Rei munched on her carrot.  "So I can sit in it and 

meditate?"



	"No, you have to go over it in a barrel," Masaki-

sama replied, then took a large swallow of tea.  



	"..."



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



	Ranma trooped through the woods, half-listening to 

Genma ramble on, but mostly thinking about other things.  

I've got to talk to Rei, he thought.  Maybe this means we 

shouldn't be together, or it might just mean she lost 

control to Eowyn for a while.  Would I have done any 

better? he asked himself.



	Well, I kept control with Setsuna, but...but I just 

went running off to her without even thinking about it.  

He sighed.  I hate second guessing myself.  



	I've got to see Rei and settle things, he thought.  

If this means we're over, then we're over.  And if she 

just did it in a moment of stupidity...I don't know what 

I'll do, he thought.  



	He slugged a tree.  Why'd she have to do something 

so STUPID? he asked himself.  If she could have just kept 

control of herself a little longer...  How could she say 

she loves me when she did something like that?



	Then again, I felt like just jumping into Setsuna's 

bed to spite her when I was on my way over to Setsuna's 

place, he thought.  Which I calmed down enough not to, 

but...damn you, Ruby for messing up my head.  If it 

wasn't for you, I could have gotten together with Rei a 

long time ago and this would never have happened!  



	Ruby said nothing, which pissed Ranma off more, and 

he slugged another tree.  Say something, you bastard!



	"Ranma, we're not here to kill trees," Genma said.  

"Or did you learn the Tree-Fist somewhere?"



	He laughed at that.  "Just feeling aggravated."



	"You have a right to be aggravated by what Rei did," 

Genma said.  "But you've also got to make things up with 

her, since she'll be your wife one day."



	"Whatever."  Ranma kicked another tree.



	"We all make mistakes, Ranma.  But one mistake is 

not enough reason to give up on a person.  I'm sure Rei 

will get her head together during her training and 

apologize to you.  And when she does, you're going to 

accept it."



	Ranma nodded sullenly.  "I just can't believe she 

did that."



	"Well, you haven't been behaving any better than 

her.  Don't think I don't know about some of the things 

you've been up to.  You shouldn't encourage women like 

that when you're not interested."



	"Pop, you can't..."  Ranma cut himself off, 

realizing his father really did hold the moral high 

ground on this.  He'd never seen his father even flirt 

with another woman; the man had been very faithful to 

Nodoka.  "I don't like being mean to people."  He'd hated 

being cold to Usagi like he'd been in their last meeting.  



	"Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind, boy.  

Raising false hopes just means more pain later."  He 

shook his head.  "If you'd been paying more attention to 

Rei, she wouldn't have ended up doing what she did."



	Ranma winced because part of him agreed with his 

father.  He wanted to be mad at Rei, but he hadn't been 

much better, what with flirting with Ukyou and Haruka at 

the same time and everything else.  At least I managed to 

say no to Naoko outright, he thought.  "I can't just 

follow her around."



	"You have to let women know what you feel, even if 

talking about it is boring as hell," Genma said.  "They 

like that.  They need the reassurance.  If they don't get 

it, they go crazy."



	Ranma nodded.  Rei certainly had.



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



	Rei tried to focus her thoughts, but all she could 

think about was how wet she was getting.  It didn't help 

that Masaki-sama had gone off and left her there, saying 

she had to meditate until he came back.  He's probably 

off watching soaps like Grandpa does, she thought.  



	I guess Ranma would probably hate this even more 

than I do, what with his curse, she thought.  Usagi would 

either tough it out or...she'd just go swim in the 

waterfall pool.  Rei laughed at the thought, and nearly 

drowned herself.  No more laughing, she thought.



	Ranma...  What am I going to do about him, she asked 

herself.  I love him, but sometimes he makes me want to 

kill him.  I don't even know for sure if he...if he would 

still want me.  After what I did.  I shouldn't have done 

it, she thought.



	Could he forgive me?  Do I deserve to be forgiven?  

At least he knows I love him...but will he believe it?  

After everything I said?  Her brain went round and round 

in circles, and a sense of guilt settled in for a nice 

long stay.  I'd have dumped me in that situation, she 

thought.  If I was him.  How could I have been so stupid?  

Why couldn't I have waited?



	She wanted to blame Eowyn for it, but that was too 

easy.  Eowyn was part of her, not some invading spirit.  

It had felt so right to do that with Usagi, to reaffirm 

their old relationship.  I love her, she thought.  That's 

why I did it.  But I feel like I love Ranma too.  Would I 

have slept with him if he'd ever really come on to me?  

Can I really love two people?



	I have to do something...I have to apologize 

whenever I see him.  I should have gone to him before he 

left, she thought.  I could at least have said I was 

sorry.  He might...I wish I knew if he was still angry.



Rei shivered.  When is Masaki-sama coming back 

anyway?



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



	"Shouldn't you be tending to that student you 

mentioned?" Masaki-sama's niece-in-law asked as she 

passed through the living room on the way to the kitchen.  

She was the sister of his son-in-law, a red-haired woman 

whose athletic figure belied her middling age.



	Masaki-sama looked up from the TV.  "She has to 

meditate on water flowing over rock for another..."  He 

checked the TV Guide.  "Two hours."



	She frowned.  "She'll freeze."



	"If the Fire truly burns within her, she can take 

it."



	"And if it doesn't?" She asked, frowning deeper.



	"She'll get out of the water if it gets to be too 

much for her."



	"You sure of that?"



	He nodded.  "She seemed quite sensible to me."



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



	Ranma ran through a kata, mostly running on 

autopilot while he watched his father practice a kata, 

and he thought about his life.  Even after years of 

practice together, he was still always impressed by how 

nimble and quick his father was despite his bulk.  And he 

had learned a huge amount of martial arts; Ranma didn't 

even recognize this kata, and his father had been 

training him for years.  Ranma was pretty certain he was 

stronger than his father, and probably faster too, but 

the man still had more skill.



	He watched his father leap about, tree to tree, 

forgetting his problems for a while.



	But with time, that paled, and his thoughts turned 

again to his recent troubles.  He flowed into an attack 

kata, putting all his anger at Rei and frustration over 

what had happened into it, kicks and punches flowing from 

his heart to exorcise it.



	It soothed him, and by the time he finished, he felt 

much calmer, moving into one of his defensive katas and 

trying to think about his options.  I shouldn't have just 

run immediately to Setsuna without thinking about it, he 

thought.  I still...Part of me wants to kick Rei in the 

head, but part of me still wants...still loves her.  But 

then, I love Setsuna too.  Now if Rei and Setsuna... He 

shook his head.  I could wish for the trees to all start 

flying too while I'm at it, he thought.  



	Well, I promised Setsuna I'd give her a real chance 

instead of just ignoring how I feel 'cause of Ruby being 

a pain in my butt, he thought.  And I gotta keep my 

promises.  And this does sorta solve things fairly 

neatly.  Well, not for Ukyou.



	He frowned.  I shoulda told her a long time ago 

instead of doing all the dumb shit I did, he thought.  

Well, when I get back, I'll make it up to her.  Somehow.



	When he punched a tree instead of the air, he 

realized he'd been thinking so much, he'd completely lost 

track of what he was doing.  He stopped and sat down to 

try to meditate and get his mind clear.  



	After a few seconds of that, his father loomed over 

him, "Boy, what are you doing?"



	"Trying to clear my mind."



	Genma sat down next to him.  "Can't focus enough to 

do katas?"



	Ranma nodded and waited for the lecture.



	To his surprise, Genma simply nodded.  "Let me teach 

you an exercise I sometimes use."



	This took about fifteen minutes, and after another 

quarter hour of meditation, Ranma was able to return to 

his katas, feeling more focused.  He resumed his 

practice, and was so caught up in it, he didn't notice 

his father smiling at him.



	You'll be a great martial artist one day, Genma 

thought.  Once we settle this woman business and our 

family business so it can't distract you anyway.  

Assuming Nodoka doesn't kill us.



	He shook his head and dismissed the thought.  Going 

into a battle prepared to lose guarantees you will, he 

thought.



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



	Rei's stomach growled, and the sun had vanished from 

sight, although it was still bright enough for her to 

know it was daytime.  She stayed in the waterfall, though 

she was very chilled and soaked to the bone.  If I leave, 

he'll just send me back, she thought.  Wise old masters 

are like that.  



	Her stomach grumbled again, and she ignored it, 

trying to think about warm things.  She closed her eyes 

and imagined a candle flame, feeling its light and 

warmth, then imagined that flame spreading to limn her 

body with red fire.  Slowly, she started to feel warmer, 

and her tensed muscles began to relax.



	It was hard at first to keep up her concentration on 

the flame, but gradually it became easier.  

Unfortunately, this had the consequence that she started 

to once again become incredibly bored.  Her stomach 

growled again, and she sighed.  Where is Masaki-sama, 

anyway?



	"Still here?  Good," Masaki-sama said.  "Are you 

done meditating on the wearing away of stone?"



	"On what?"



	He frowned.  "So you forgot what you were supposed 

to be meditating on?"



	"Freezing cold water does that to me."  She frowned 

back at him, smothering a feeling of guilt over having 

forgotten it.



	"We'll do this again tomorrow."



	"AGAIN?"



	"Until you get it right."



	"Easy for you to say!  I'll catch pneumonia or 

something."  



	He shrugged.  "The ways of wisdom are not paved with 

soft flowers."



	"What?"



	"Come on; the carrot soup will be done by the time 

we return."



	She was glad to get out of the water, and not glad 

to have more carrots for dinner.



***********



	Rei sat and stared into the bonfire.  "It's not a 

sacred fire," she said.  "I don't think this will work."



	<I'm as sacred as you are!> the fire protested.  <So 

don't mouth off at me.>



	She jumped.  "Did you hear that?"  I guess my old 

abilities must be kicking in, she thought.  Maybe I can 

do this.



	<I said it, you idiot.  Of course I did.>



	"The question is whether you can hear it talking," 

Masaki-sama said, extracting a plastic bag from inside 

his kimono, which he began to tear open.  "Talk to it."  

He wandered to the edge of the clearing and started 

looking for something on the ground.



	"Uh, hi," Rei said, not sure how to address this 

spirit.



	<I am the great and powerful...um...hello.>  For a 

moment, she could see a face in the flames.  It looked 

confused.



	"Are you a fire kami?"



	<No, I'm a water kami.  YES, OF COURSE I AM!  ARE 

YOU BLIND?>  The fire waved towards her and she jumped 

back.



	"I didn't mean any disrespect.  I just...I didn't 

think I could do this with just any fire."



	<Hey, I'm not just ANY fire, you know.>  The fire 

pouted.



	She sighed.  "My apologies, most powerful fire-sama.  

May I gaze into your depths for wisdom?"



	Masaki-sama continued his search.



	<Certainly, young one.>  The fire seemed quite 

pleased with itself.  <Open your eyes to my wisdom.>



	She gazed into the fire, and slowly, images began to 

form.  Ranma-chan, dressed in a blue sundress, ran 

laughing through a field of flowers.  Setsuna sat on a 

throne dressed in the regalia of the Imperial family of 

Japan.  Usagi sat on a bench, eating ice cream.  Ukyou 

practiced sword forms on the top of a speeding train, 

which then went into a tunnel, sending her flying.  

Kodachi kissed Michiru.  Gosunkugi sat in the waterfall 

and melted.  Masaki-san fought a duel with Major Diamond 

through the wreckage of a house Rei had never seen.  

Elvis began to sing 'Love Me Tender'.  And the smell of 

marshmallow filled her nostrils.



	She glanced over and saw Masaki-san roasting 

marshmallows on a stick over the fire.  "You want one?" 

he asked.



	"These images don't make much sense," she said, 

trying to concentrate.



	<I'm new at this,> the fire said.  <Give me time.>  

The images flickered, and now Rei found herself watching 

Kodoma no Omocha.  <Wow, I didn't know I could do that.>



	"I need to know the future, not watch cheesy TV!  I 

need to know what to do about Ranma and Usagi!"  Rei 

blurted out, then regretted it.



	"And who are they?" Masaki-sama asked, handing Rei a 

toasted marshmallow.



	She ate it, then said, "Grandpa engaged me to Ranma 

Saotome, the son of an old friend of his.  And Usagi is 

this crazy amazon who wants to marry him and me."



	"Both of you at once?"



	She stared at the fire.  "It's a big mess."



	He nodded.  "And he prefers her to you?"



	"We don't know for sure who he prefers.  I mean..."  

She shook her head again.  "It's a big mess."



	He nodded.  "So he won't chose between you two?"



	"Not who he prefers of me and Usagi.  He told me he 

likes me better, but...He won't choose between me and 

Setsuna."



	"Wait, is her name Usagi or Setsuna?"



	She shook her head.  "No, Setsuna is...There's four 

women, and he can't make up his mind between two of us, 

and he won't make it clear, and I...  I did something 

stupid."



	Masaki-sama nodded again and put more marshmallows 

on another stick, then started toasting them.  "It's hard 

for a boy his age to commit himself.  But he won't even 

tell the two he doesn't like?"



	"It's...do you believe in reincarnation?"



	"Yes."



	"His past life is giving him trouble," Rei said.  

"It's one reason he can't tell who he likes.  He likes 

me, but his past life loved Setsuna.  Do you know 

anything about getting past lives to shut up?"



	"There's the shrine of the weeping kami, but it's 

too dangerous.  The weeping kami has a 

somewhat...overenthusiastic method of helping people 

forget things."



	"Overenthusiastic?"



	"The weeping kami tries to help people forget their 

sorrows.  At times, this means forgetting everything 

connected to one's sorrows, right down to their very 

identity.  Not a method I'd recommend.  Probably he could 

learn to control it by studying meditative techniques, 

though."  He pulled another marshmallow off his roasting 

stick and ate it.  "Your grandfather could probably help 

him.  I'm surprised he hasn't."



	"He's been too embarrassed to tell him," Rei said.  

"Lots of people would think he was crazy."



	"I see much crazier people on a daily basis," 

Masaki-sama said.  "So you're trying to figure out how to 

get him to make a decision between you and Setsuna?"



	"More or less," Rei said. "There's some other 

complications."



	"So what's he like?"



	"Brave.  A loud mouth at times.  Handsome.  Kinda 

indecisive.  Falls apart if you come on to him too 

strong.  He's not good at school, but he's quick witted 

and good to have with you in a crisis.  A great martial 

artist.  Rude.  Insensitive.  But only sometimes."  She 

got some marshmallows and started toasting them.  "I 

don't want to have to marry him right away like Grandpa 

wants, but I do care about him a lot."



	He nodded and ate a few more marshmallows.  Many 

died in fire before Masaki-san broke the silence.  "You 

said this Usagi wants to marry both you and Ranma?"



	"She has this crazy Amazon law, and she's in love 

with both of us.  It's all a big mess."  I can't tell him 

we had sex, she thought.  He'll freak.



	"But you don't love her," Masaki-san replied.



	Rei stared at him, trying to figure out what the 

right thing to say was.  Something about him made her 

say, "My past self did, and I think I...I do.  Ranma's 

not the only one with past self problems."



	"Well, that gives us something else to work on, 

then," Masaki-san said.  "I can teach you the exercises 

to help you deal with it, and you can teach him."



	Her eyes widened.  "Really?"  He doesn't seem phased 

at all by my admission I was in love with a girl, she 

realized, and was surprised by it.



	"Really.  Some of it may be a little difficult, 

depending on how strongly awake your past self is, but it 

should help."



	"I'd be very grateful!"



	"We'll start with that tomorrow, then."  



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



	"We're going where first, Pop?"  Ranma asked as they 

tramped along through the hills.  Time, namely days of 

walking, had somewhat lightened his mood; it was easy to 

forget his troubles while surrounded by the beauty of 

nature.  



	"The shrine of O-Kuni-Nushi.  The oracle there is 

the one who told me I had to leave like I did," Genma 

said.  "So I'm going to go see if he has a better idea 

why your mother has gotten crazy ideas in her head than I 

have."



	Ranma nodded, although his own suspicion was that 

his father had probably misunderstood the oracle's 

instructions or run off before hearing the whole thing.  

Pop had never been too good at following instructions.  



	Towards evening, they reached the shrine, a small 

wooden building nestling on a very large ledge on the 

steepest side of a hill.  There was no good way up to it, 

however.  "Now we climb," Genma said.



	"There ain't no easier way?"



	"It shows one's spiritual dedication," Genma said.



	Several hours of spiritual dedication later, Ranma 

was up at the top of the cliff, while Genma was still 

struggling to make it the last hundred feet or so.  

"Throw me a rope, boy," he said.



	"What rope?"



	"Didn't you bring any rope?"



	"I didn't expect to be climbing any cliffs."



	A tall, muscular man clad in saffron robes emerged 

from the front door of the shrine.  "Ahh, one comes 

seeking the guidance of the oracle."



	"Yeah, me and Pop."  



	"Come in, and I can see about answering your 

questions while he finishes his climb."



	"Hey!"  Genma shouted, but they both ignored him and 

went inside.



	Right as they entered the main room, Ranma said, 

"Actually, do you have any rope?"  



	There was a great crack in the floor, he noticed, 

with a large bamboo chair placed over it.  



	"I have a rope ladder.  Would you like me to lower 

it to him?"



	"Hmm.  Actually, I wanna ask some questions before 

he gets here," Ranma said. 



	The monk nodded and sat in the chair.  He flicked a 

switch and a ceiling fan started up.  "Ask away."



	"Don't we have to go through some sort of mystic 

mumbo jumbo first?"



	"Not unless it entertains you," the monk said.



	"Right.  How many questions do I get?"



	"One free question.  After that, you have to pay one 

book for the first question, two for the second, four for 

the third, and so on."



	"Uh, I ain't got any books,"  Ranma said.  "Not with 

me, anyway."



	"We take IOUs."



	Can't ask too many questions, Ranma thought.  "Okay, 

for the free question--how can I cure my curse?"



	"There are several ways.  You could sell your soul 

to a demon.  You could get a life mage to teach you how 

to control your curse. Or you could meditate for decades, 

transcend your self, and it would become irrelevant. You 

could use the Silver Crystal to cure it completely, but 

this might kill either you or the person using it."  The 

oracle spoke with his eyes shut, breathing in the fumes 

which came up from the crack.  "That's assuming you want 

to be male all the time."



	"Yes."



	"Next question."



	"Which will cost me a book, right?"



	"Yes.  Next question will be two books."



	"Hey, I was just..."



	"Asking me a question.  Your two book question?"



	Gotta be more careful, Ranma thought.  Or I'm gonna 

end up having to steal the National Library to pay him.  

"How can I get Ruby out of my head?"



	"Define 'out of your head'."



	"Not talking to me, not influencing my behavior AT 

all.  Make it where I'm completely free of Ruby's 

influence."



	"You could sell your soul to a demon.  You could go 

to the Shrine of the Weeping Kami and petition her.  Or 

you could use the Silver Crystal, but it would probably 

kill you.  Next question is four books."



	"Oh wait, how much do these books have to be worth?"



	"Any hardback will do.  Next question is eight 

books."



	"HEY!  That was just a question about the rules."  

Ranma frowned at the oracle.  "Are you gonna keep doing 

this every time I ask a question?"



	"Yes.  Next question is sixteen books."



	Ranma sat down to think hard.  "Gimme a second to 

think."



	The oracle nodded.  "As you like."



	Gotta find out where that shrine is, Ranma thought.  

Should I ask for a life mage's home address?  Yeah, good 

idea, he thought.  But how am I gonna afford the cost? 

"Uh, can I pay on the installment plan?"



	"Yes.  Next question is thirty-two books."



	"Ain't there some way to..."  He caught himself in 

time.  Don't jump on the landmine, Ranma, he thought.



	Venus and Zoicite were life mages, Ruby said.



	Ranma started.  He hadn't even heard Ruby for 

several days.  Uh, you been listening in? he asked Ruby.



	This is the doubling game.  I suggest you stop now 

before you bankrupt yourself, Ruby replied.



	So you think Venus could do it?  Now that I think 

about it, the sacred fire said I needed an 'air mage', 

which is probably Usagi, Ranma thought at Ruby.  



	If you want to use the crystal and risk death, yes, 

Ruby replied.  But much as I dislike that curse also, I 

don't think it's worth anyone dying to get rid of.  Much 

better to see if Venus can teach you to control it.



	I'd better ask about the temple of the weeping kami 

and call it quits, then, Ranma thought.



	You have the money for thirty two books? Ruby asked.



	Ranma frowned intensely.  No.



	Better call it quits, then, Ruby replied.



	"Okay, that's enough," Ranma said.



	Groggily, the oracle got out of his chair.  "Man, 

that always gives me a hideous migraine."



	Genma stumbled in.  "FINALLY.  Now...hey, you're not 

the oracle!"



	"I most certainly am!"



	"Last time I came here, the oracle was a short, 

chubby man wearing a Buddha mask!"



	"Father retired ten years ago after an incident he 

would never tell me about, although I got the 

impression...well, it's family business."  The monk 

stared at the ground.



	"Ten years ago."  Genma frowned deeply.  "I need to 

talk to him.  Very, very much."



	"Help me tidy up, and I'll take you to see him," the 

monk said.



	"Thank you,"  Genma said.



	"We can discuss payment plans on the way there," the 

monk said to Ranma.



	I wonder if manga counts as books, Ranma asked 

himself.



	Not unless they're hardbacked, Ruby replied.



	Ugh, Ranma thought.



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



	The monk, whose name was Keisuke, led them into the 

simple home of his father, which was decorated and laid 

out in a very traditional style.  His father was having a 

beef bowl and reading a scroll as they came in.  "Take 

off your shoes," he said without looking up.



	"I go barefoot all the time now," his son said 

irritatedly.



	Genma looked carefully at the old man.  "You're not 

the Master in disguise, are you?"



	"I'm the master of this house," the father said, 

looking up at Genma.  "But I've never been your teacher, 

I don't think."



	"I came here about ten years ago, to ask what to do 

about my master escaping from the cave I trapped him in 

and..." Genma began.



	"Do I look like an elephant?" the old man snapped, 

standing up.  "If I had a grain of rice for every person 

who came to me with that problem, I..."



	"You do, dear," said the old woman clad in a blue 

and yellow flowered kimono who now emerged from the 

kitchen.  "We have enough rice to eat it every day for 

centuries, since that's what you always charged for your 

services."



	"If I had a plate of wasabi...," the old man began.



	The old woman put a plate of it down on the table by 

him.  "Here you go, dear."



	"If I...forget it.  I take it the advice I gave you 

went south?"



	"Actually, I went west," Genma said.



	"Actually, I think Pop's worried someone 

impersonated you and gave him bad advice," Ranma cut in.



	"Or gave Nodoka bad advice," Genma said.  



	"Nodoka?  Never met anyone with that name in my 

entire life," the oracle said.  



	Genma frowned intensely.  "Are you sure?"



	"What does she look like?" the old man asked, 

sitting back down with his wasabi.



	Genma gave him a detailed description.



	"Well, I may have forgotten.  I've probably 

forgotten.  But that doesn't ring a bell."  The old man 

shrugged and picked up his chopsticks.  "Junior, go give 

them an oracle."



	"Don't call me JUNIOR!"



	"And it would help if you remembered to make it 

actually oracular and mysterious instead of being so 

explicit and clear."  



	The monk clenched his fists.  "They get mad and 

won't pay if I do that!"



	"It would help if you charged them in rice instead 

of books!"



	"But people will pay more for a quality service!"



	Ranma and Genma stepped back, watching them bicker.  

"We ain't like that, are we, Pop?"  Ranma asked.



	"I hope not."



	"They'll be going at this for hours," the old lady 

said.  "Come with me, and I'll do a tarot reading for 

you."



	"Buddhists do tarot these days?" Ranma asked in 

surprise.



	"I'm no priestess," she replied.  "But I play a lot 

of solitaire."



	They went out on the porch, and she extracted a deck 

of cards from inside her kimono.  "These are vague and 

fuzzy, I have to warn you."



	"Oh, do you know where the temple of the weeping 

kami is?" Ranma asked.



	"I take it you want to forget something?" the old 

lady replied.



	"That's one way of looking at it," Ranma replied, 

sitting down crosslegged.



	Genma simply got down on his knees, as did the old 

lady, who began shuffling her cards.  "You'd best not 

forget who your true fiancee is," Genma said to Ranma.



	"Naah, it's for some other stuff," he replied.  



	"You must enter the Forest of Sorrows and search it.  

If you prove yourself worthy, you will find the temple."  

The old woman gave the deck to Genma to cut, which he 

did.  She then began dealing out cards.



	"Where is the Forest of Sorrows?"



	"Not a clue," the old woman said.



	Ranma facefaulted.



	"Now, what is it that you wish to know?"



	"Why is my wife mad at me?" Genma asked.



	"This card symbolizes the querant," she said, laying 

down The Fool.



	"That's about right," Ranma said.



	Genma just frowned.



	"The next card symbolizes your problem."  The second 

card was Justice reversed.



	Genma nodded thoughtfully.



	"The source of your problem," the woman continued, 

turning over The Devil.



	"The Master," Genma grumbled.  "But how?"



	"And the fourth card is the solution."  For a 

second, she held the card without flipping it over, then 

dramatically slammed it down.  The Lovers.  "Love will 

find a way," she pronounced.



	"So, I should rush in, sweep her into my arms, kiss 

her, and all will be forgiven?"  Genma asked.



	"Yes," the old woman said.



	"No woman can resist my charms, especially not my 

wife," Genma said.  "I should have thought of this to 

begin with.  Thank you."



	She put a hand out, and Genma shook it.  "Let's go 

boy."



	"But, you need to..."  the old woman began.



	"I think she wants to be paid," Ranma said.



	"I'm broke," Genma announced.  "But if you ever need 

a martial artist, you can send to the Hikawa Fire Shrine, 

and I will come."



	The elder oracle went flying out the window, which 

shattered.  He got up and shook his fist.  "Hah!  If you 

had what it takes, you would have predicted my blow and 

avoided it, not used it to throw me out the window!"  He 

leaped back in.



	"Any good at replacing window panes?" the old woman 

asked.



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



	Rei fell down again.  "I still don't see how 

meditating upside down on a pile of carrots is going to 

help me find my spiritual center," she said to Maskai-

sama.



	"Laughter is an important part of a healthy life," 

he replied, smiling.



	"So is good eating!"  She threw a carrot into his 

mouth.



	He blinked, then pulled it out.  "Good aim," he 

said, then looked thoughtful.  "Ever done sword 

fighting?"



	"Not really.  I've trained some in unarmed combat, 

though."



	He nodded.  "Then you should learn some armed forms 

as well.  Come with me."



	He went and got a bamboo sword for her from the 

temple, then lead her through the forest to a clearing 

with many small poles stuck in the ground across much of 

it.  They put the swords to one side after he said, "Show 

me what you've learned in unarmed, first."



	She nodded, then bowed to him, backed up, and 

charged, sliding low and knocking him off his feet, then 

springing up for a waist-level kick.  Unfortunately, he 

was still on the ground, and simply grabbed her other 

foot and rolled, tossing her.  She landed lithely and 

moved in for a more cautious attack.



	She found, to her frustration, that she couldn't hit 

him.  He never struck back, just dodged her attacks, 

maneuvering between and across the short poles, which 

hampered her movements.  As her anger mounted, she heard 

Eowyn speaking to her.  You ought to limn yourself with 

fire if you're going to fight hand to hand, she said.



	I don't know how, and even if I did, I can't do it 

without transforming, Rei said.



	I can do it, Eowyn said.  And you'll learn to use 

your strongest powers even in your normal form with time.  

Do you want me to?



	What do you want in return?  Rei asked.



	Despite your fight with her, I'm so glad you finally 

saw the light about Diana, I won't ask for anything to 

teach you this.  Just promise you'll make up with her 

when you see her, Eowyn said.



	I will, Rei replied.  I wanted to do that anyway.



	Masaki-sama paused.  "Rei?"



	"Just trying to remember a trick," Rei said.  She 

imagined fire within herself, her whole body ablaze, the 

fire spreading out around her.  The air around her began 

to glow, and she saw Masaki-sama's eyes widen for a 

moment.



	"Interesting," he said.  "Your grandfather has 

trained you well, I see."



	She nodded.



	"Well, come and get me."



	She charged into the fray, unleashing more punches.  

This time, he got clipped by her aura, as near misses 

became hits by the aura.  Masaki-sama made no sound, but 

visibly winced several times.  Rei felt a surge of 

confidence at that.  



	Then he sped up.  She pushed herself harder, but he 

was moving so fast she could hardly believe it.  Her legs 

were starting to turn to stone, they felt like.  

Exhaustion washed over her, and she collapsed, her fire 

guttering out.



	"That's the problem with aura tricks.  They drain 

you quickly, so if you don't beat your foe fast, you may 

end up unable to fight at all."



	"How can you be so fast?"



	"Years of practice at not being hit," he replied, 

helping her up.  "We'd better let you rest; sword 

training can wait."



	She wobbled, struggling to stay on her feet.  "I 

won't be doing that any time soon."



	You shouldn't have been drained that quickly, Eowyn 

said.  You must have done it wrong.  Or perhaps you just 

need more training to build your energy reserves.



	Whatever.  I just want to sleep, she thought, then 

stumbled again.  "Let's go," she said.

	

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



	The next morning, Rei was roused by knocking on the 

shrine door.  She got up and went out, and saw a middle-

aged couple in hiking clothing, carrying a litter on 

which an old woman lay, wrapped in several sheets.  The 

man of the couple, who was dark haired and muscular, 

asked, "Can you tell us the way to Juuban ward?"



	"Ummm...in Tokyo, you mean?" Rei asked weakly.



	The old woman mumbled something Rei couldn't quite 

hear.  The middle-aged woman, who had dark black hair 

with a purple sheen to it and vivid eyes the color of a 

garnet, said, "Your grandmother says to...sorry, you're 

not one of our relatives.  My mother-in-law says, 'yes, 

in Tokyo'."



	"Umm, you do know you're in the wrong prefecture, 

right?"



	"Hah!  I told you this wasn't part of Tokyo," the 

man said.  "But noooo, you wouldn't listen."



	The old woman mumbled again, and he shut up, but 

still grumbled very quietly.



	"Can you tell us how to get to Tokyo, then?"



	Rei spent about five minutes giving them directions, 

then repeated them again for the old lady.  Finally, the 

family took off...heading straight off into the woods the 

wrong way.



	They must be related to Ryouga, she thought.  



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



	The car came careening wildly around the bend, and 

Ranma and Genma had to jump up into the trees lining the 

road to avoid being crushed.  Ranma was fairly certain he 

saw several flashes of light inside it, and a booming 

noise that probably wasn't the muffler.  He decided it 

wasn't his problem and ignored it, leaping back down onto 

the road.



	His father landed near him.  "We're almost there, 

boy.  Assuming she's still living with her brother, 

anyway."



	"Didn't you check?"



	"No way to check without giving the game away," 

Genma said.  "Only about three more miles to go."



	A really loud explosion went off back the way they 

had come.  Genma glanced, then said, "Not our problem."



	"Right."



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



	Ranma looked out across the large clearing.  "Pretty 

nice place," he said.  The house was two stories tall, 

right next to a large pond, surrounded by fields where 

crops were growing.  "I thought you said Mom's brother 

was an architect."



	"Maybe it's a hobby," Genma said.  "Hopefully 

instead of reading shojo manga, he now grows stuff."



	"So why are we hiding up in these trees?"



	"Keeping an eye out for your mother.  I don't see 

her anywhere."



	"She's gone shopping," an tall, thin man said at the 

base of the tree.  He was dressed as a priest, and looked 

to be in his sixties, with thin gold-rimmed glasses.  

"Fortunately, she's in a good mood, so she'll probably be 

merciful and kill you swiftly, Genma."



	"Hah!  I'll just sweep her into my arms and all will 

be forgiven!  The retired oracle's wife told me that!"  

Genma struck what he hoped was a romantic pose.  This 

made it hard to stay in the tree, however, and he toppled 

over, nearly falling on the priest, who lithely stepped 

to one side and avoided a crushing.



	"I see your reflexes are as good as ever," Genma 

said, sitting up.



	"I hope yours are as good as they used to be, if you 

want to live.  If you want to leave, I won't tell her you 

came."  The sun glinted off his glasses, making his eyes 

unreadable.



	Genma frowned.  "I won't run away."



	"As you like," he said, then looked up at Ranma.  

"You must be Ranma."



	Ranma jumped down.  "You Mom's brother?"



	He shook his head.  "I'm her brother's father-in-

law.  I run a shrine near here.  Nobuyuki married my 

daughter, Achika.  My name is Masaki Katsuhito.  It's 

been so long since you've seen me last, I'm not surprised 

you've forgotten me.  Your cousin and his lady friends 

are gone for the weekend, unfortunately."



	"So, like, why is Mom so mad at us?  I mean, I've 

gotten the impression it's more than just Dad dumping 

her."



	"I didn't DUMP her!" Genma said, rapping Ranma's 

head.  "I did what the oracle of O-Kuni-Nushi advised me 

to do."



	"The oracle told her that you'd sold your soul to a 

demon and that Ranma is actually a demon in human flesh 

now.  Or some such thing.  But I can see that's not the 

case."  Katsuhito shrugged.  "It is wisest not to put too 

much trust in oracles, but she's...stubborn."



	"The oracle told me he'd never met her."



	Katsuhito frowned.  "Come with me and tell me 

everything.  Perhaps we can find our way closer to the 

truth and avoid a horrible death for you that I would 

have to clean up."



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



	Nodoka woke up and stretched.  It'll be nice to have 

the house to myself for a few days, she thought.  The hot 

springs would have been nice, but I need a vacation from 

the usual anarchy around here.  My nephew really needs to 

make up his mind before those girls all kill each other.  



	Hmm, perhaps a swim would be good, she thought.  And 

for once it won't be interrupted by spaceships falling in 

the pond or people firing energy bolts.



	She changed into her bathing suit, a red and yellow 

striped one piece, grabbed two towels, and walked out of 

the house to the dock, then dived into the pond and began 

to leisurely swim.  All her nervous tension gradually 

flowed out of her.  



	There was a splash near the dock.  Turning her head, 

she saw a red haired girl in a green one-piece that 

didn't fit her well, rising up out of the water.  A 

flabby panda sat on the dock, watching both of them.  The 

girl said, "Hi, I hope I'm not bothering you!"



	"No, not really."  I wonder if Katsuhito is trying 

to recruit shrine maidens again, Nodoka thought.  "You're 

not another alien, are you?"



	The girl blinked.  "Alien?"



	"Nothing.  Nothing."  She shook her head, laughed, 

and relaxed.



	"Your uncle...uh, uncle-in-law, said it was okay if 

I swam here," the girl said, swimming closer to Nodoka.  

"That's my pet panda."



	"I'm Saotome Nodoka.  Nice to meet you.  Are you 

here to train with Katsuhito as well?"  



	"Something like that," the girl said.  "My name 

is...Mei'ou Ranko."



	They began doing the backstroke in parallel.  

"There's another girl training at the temple as well," 

Nodoka said.  "I think Uncle said her name was Hino Rei.  

If she's who I think she is, I knew her grandfather.  Do 

you know her?"



	Ranko faltered and nearly sank, then recovered, 

giving the panda a sharp glare.  "I...uh...yeah."



	"Sounds like you two have some sort of problem?"



	Ranko laughed nervously.  "Uh...yeah."  The laughter 

soon stopped and she looked quite glum.



	Nodoka stopped swimming and simply floated.  "What 

sort of problem?"  She paused.  "I shouldn't pry."



	"Romantic problems.  She did some stupid shit 

and...I probably shouldn't talk about it.  She'd kill 

me."  Ranko sighed.  "I hope your love life is better 

than mine."



	"My last few dates just never quite panned out," 

Nodoka said. "My last serious relationship ended six 

months ago when he chose engineering over me.  But that 

lasted almost a year.  Don't worry, you're still young, 

so don't worry about ending up an 'old maid' like some 

girls do."



	The panda began making choking noises, and she 

looked up at him.  "Do we need to help him?"



	"He probably ate a bad grub," Ranko said, staring at 

him intently.  The noises ceased.



	They swam a while longer, and then Katsuhito came 

out to the dock.  "Oh, I thought you were taking a nap, 

Nodoka," he said.



	"I did," she said.



	"Can I ask a favor of you?" he asked.



	"Sure."



	"Ranko here wants to go see the shrine of O-Kuni-

Nushi.  Can you take her there tomorrow?"



	Nodoka frowned.  "I haven't been there since...you 

know.  It's too depressing."



	"I know, but I have to take Rei out for some special 

training tomorrow on the sacred day.  But if you can't do 

it, I guess I can get Tenchi to do it when he comes 

back."



	Nodoka thought a moment, and decided it would be 

healthier for the girl if Tenchi's insane friends didn't 

see him being sent off into the wilderness with her.  

"Okay, I'll do it," she said.  "I suppose after ten 

years, it shouldn't be so bad."



	"Did something bad happen to you there?" Ranko 

asked.



	Nodoka simply nodded.  "We'll have to leave early in 

the morning.  It's a long walk."



	"Okay," Ranko said nervously.  



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



	"The Forest of Sorrows?"  Katsuhito said during 

dinner.  "I wouldn't advise going there.  It's very 

dangerous, and sometimes you stumble into the Shrine of 

the Weeping Kami and end up forgetting something or even 

everything."



	"The Shrine makes you forget?"  Ranko asked, pausing 

from shoveling teriyaki chicken into her mouth.



	"The Weeping Kami created the Shrine to help people 

forget painful memories.  If you drink from the fountain, 

you forget all your sorrows.  If you just bathe in it, 

you can purge yourself selectively.  Or so the legends 

say," Katsuhito said.  "But the legends also usually show 

some disaster that happens afterwards because the person 

forgot something important as a result.  So what do you 

want to forget?"



	Ranko glanced over at Nodoka, then at the panda, 

then at her food.  "Umm...I can't really talk about it."



	"I thought about going there years ago," Nodoka 

said, "But I decided I'd rather not simply forget it all.  

Although I did melt down the sword he left with me and 

made barbeque tongs out of it.  They're quite nice."  She 

had changed out of the bathing suit into a green blouse 

and long skirt.  



	The panda began to choke on his food.



	Nodoka looked over at him.  "See, I told you to feed 

him bamboo, not stir-fried vegetables and chicken."



	Katsuhito rapped him on the back and the choking 

stopped.  "I tried to give him bamboo earlier and he just 

attacked me with it."



	"He's a strange panda," Nodoka pronounced.



	"Yes, he is," Ranko said.



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



	They got up early the next day.  It would be a two 

day trip on foot.  Nodoka spent the day talking with 

Ranko, who seemed nervous all the time, but would deny it 

when asked why.  Talking about martial arts, in which she 

was quite versed, relaxed her, though.  Nodoka wasn't up 

to talking about martial arts all day long, though, so 

they spent a fair amount of time walking in silence.



	She didn't mind; she had come to enjoy hiking about 

the mountains, often by herself, over the last ten years.  

Having company for meals made it more pleasant.  Ranko 

had prepared their hiking food; she was quite good at it.



	After dinner, they set up camp for the night, having 

walked enough for one day.  When conversation lagged, 

Nodoka said, "Interested in a little sparring?  Or do 

your feet hurt too much?"



	Ranko looked very nervous.  "Um...sure."



	They moved to one side of the clearing while Mr. 

Panda watched them.  She got into a fighting stance and 

bowed, while Ranko got into one she found familiar.  The 

Saotome Anything Goes stance.  Nodoka blinked, then 

charged forward, bamboo sword sweeping low at Ranko's 

knees.  Ranko flipped back out of the way.



	A dozen strokes later, she still hadn't hit Ranko, 

although she kept speeding up herself.  The girl's quick, 

Nodoka thought, but why is she going purely defensive?  

She paused, and stopped attacking, watching Ranko shift 

back and forth between her legs as she waited for 

Nodoka's next attack.  



	Then Nodoka exploded in a burst of furious speed, 

charging in, sword held high and to the right, shouting 

out something incoherent she'd just made up.  Ranko 

jumped left...right into the kick Nodoka aimed with her 

left leg instead of bringing down a sword blow.  That 

disoriented Ranko for the crucial second she needed to 

then bring down the sword on her, followed by another 

kick and a leap back away from her.



	Ranko stared at her in shock, and she grinned.  "I 

haven't forgotten I have legs," she said.



	Now Ranko smiled.  "I had started to get that idea."



	"Well, you've shown your good at defense, but how's 

your offense?"



	"I, uh...wouldn't feel comfortable 

attacking...someone older than me."



	"I can take it," Nodoka said.  "I won't feel 

humiliated if I can't stop you."



	Ranko glanced over at the panda, who nodded to her.  

She blinked, then said, "Right.  You asked for it."



	And then she was on Nodoka like a swarm of bees, a 

flurry of kicks and punches.  Nodoka parried them all, 

then managed to swat Ranko in the gut, tossing her back.  

"You were holding back," Nodoka said.



	Ranko got up.  "So were you."



	She laughed.  "Try again."



	Sword met fist, blurring at high speed, blocking 

every blow, every kick or punch.  Ranko began to sweat, 

and so did Nodoka, who had to give ground in order to 

maintain her defensive posture.  Then she let a kick get 

through, in order to grab Ranko's feet with her left 

hand, and rolled backwards, tossing Ranko into a tree.  

Ranko hit the tree feet first and bounced back into 

action.



	Only to be sent flying by another sword blow.  Now 

Ranko was seriously on the defensive, being pushed back, 

barely able to parry the blows.  The wooden sword seemed 

to almost glow, and then it definitely did so.  Even 

parried blows hurt.  



	Ranko let Nodoka smack her hard in the side, but 

managed to then catch the end of the sword and wrench it 

away from Nodoka by simultaneously kicking her.  Nodoka 

fell back and the sword flew away.  She assumed her 

fighting stance again.



	"I yield," Nodoka said.  "I'm fairly good unarmed, 

but not even close to you."



	"I've never seen anyone that good with a sword," 

Ranko said, helping her up.  "And that trick you did at 

the end..."



	"Uncle taught it to me.  He can do it a lot better 

than I can.  And I've been training with him for ten 

years.  So what style do you practice?"



	"Mei'ou Anything Goes," Ranko replied.  "Father told 

me he adapted it from what his old master taught him."



	"His old master wouldn't happen to be a perverted 

little under-wear stealing freak, would he?"  Nodoka 

asked, wiping the sweat from her face.



	"I've never met the man," Ranko said.



	The Panda began scratching slowly in the dirt, until 

finally he managed to etch the hiragana for 'yes' in the 

dirt.



	Nodoka stared in awe.  "You taught him to read and 

write and understand spoken Japanese?"



	"He's rather smart for a fat, lazy bear," Ranko 

replied.



	Mr. Panda smacked her with a backpack.



	"Amazing," Nodoka said.  "My ex-husband and his best 

friend were taught by a freak named Happousai, whose 

style was rather like yours, except more aerial."



	"Could be.  He never talks about the man."



	"I'm not surprised.  He was a warped, underwear-

stealing freak.  Genma had to spend three years with 

Hino-san purifying himself after studying with Happousai.  

But I guess the taint went too deep to be purified 

completely," she said, staring up at the stars.  "So he 

went bad after we'd been married for six years."  



	She sighed and looked at Ranko.  "It was horrible, 

to learn my own husband had become a demon cultist.  And 

turned my own son into a demon's vessel."  She shuddered.  

"Learning that from the oracle destroyed my life.  Just 

thinking about going to see the oracle again makes me 

nervous.  I keep thinking he'll tell me something else 

that will destroy my life again."



	Ranko stared in shock.  "He told you that?  Did he 

have any proof?"



	"The oracle of O-Kuni-Nushi is never wrong," Nodoka 

said sternly.  "What the gods have to tell us is often 

unwelcome, but they do not lie."



	"But are you sure you understood what they meant?" 

Ranko asked earnestly.  "I mean...how could your husband 

hide being a demon cultist so effectively?"



	"Genma was always cunning; too cunning for his own 

good, usually."  She sighed.  "But I went to three 

different oracles, and they all confirmed each other."



	Ranko frowned deeply, saying nothing but gazing up 

at the stars.  "Well, I hope the oracle doesn't tell me 

anything like that tomorrow."



	"So what do you want to ask it about?"



	"I have some relationship problems that I can't 

solve," Ranko replied.



	"Want to talk about it?"



	She sighed and shook her head emphatically.  "I 

spent the whole trip wallowing in it, all the way here.  

I've been mad and sad and bad and just about everything 

else, and I just don't want to think about it for a 

while.  If I'd run into Rei...I dunno what I would have 

done."



	Nodoka nodded.  "I won't push you.  But if you feel 

like you want to talk about it, I'm willing to listen."



	"Thanks," Ranko replied.  



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



	Nodoka stared at the front door of the temple of O-

Kuni-Nushi, trying to muster the strength of willpower to 

go in.  It looked like it hadn't changed at all, except 

for a new paint job.  Ranko looked back at her from the 

doorway.  "Is something wrong?"



	"No," she said, coming in.  



	She didn't see the oracle she remembered anywhere; 

there was a young man in saffron robes busily sweeping 

up.  The oracle she had known had been very, very short, 

and a lot older.  "Is the oracle in?"



	"I'm the oracle," the man said.  "Can I help you?"



	"Did you use to be shorter and older?"



	"You're probably thinking of my father.  He's 

retired," the oracle said.  



	"Oh, right.  I guess it was ten years ago."  She 

shook her head, feeling a little silly.  "I brought a 

sack of rice to pay with."



	The oracle nodded.  "Well, I had been charging in 

books, but after...consultation with Father, I decided to 

change the policy back.  Let me consult the book of 

oracles to see what you're currently up to, price wise."



	Ranko looked vaguely disgruntled for no apparent 

reason.



	He pulled out a huge book bound in blue leather.  

"When was your last visit?"



	"About ten years ago," she said.



	He frowned.  "It wasn't during the month of April, 

was it?"



	"Yes.  April ten years ago, that is."



	"Ahh, we don't have any records for April due to 

a..." He looked embarrassed.  "A demon-possessed madman 

took Father's place for a month.  Do you remember the 

oracle telling you to bring him all your panties to be 

exorcised?"



	Nodoka and Mr. Panda's eyes widened.  "GROWF!" he 

said, and started looking everywhere frantically.  



	Nodoka said, "A demon-possessed madman...named 

Happousai?"



	"Yes, that was his name.  He stuffed Father down in 

the crack and took his place using some sort of magical 

mask he'd bought at a shop.  The Medusa Mask or some such 

thing.  He was able to pass himself off as the oracle and 

caused incredible amounts of havoc before my uncles 

managed to drive him off and rescue father.  He went 

around impersonating some other oracles of the area, 

too."



	Nodoka's fists clenched.  "And you didn't tell 

anyone who had come to consult with the oracle during 

that time?"



	The young oracle backed up, knowing what usually 

comes next.  "If you want to beat up anyone, beat up my 

father!  He's the one who made that decision!  I was only 

ten!  And besides, Happousai didn't keep accurate 

records, anyway!"



	"Show me the book!  I have to know if it was him!"



	They went to the backroom and dug out the volume for 

that year, then Nodoka pored through it, finally coming 

to April.  The handwriting clearly changed, and many of 

the entries made no sense at all.  One, however, was 

quite clear.  She pored over it, then threw the book at 

the wall.  "Damnation, he always called me that...it WAS 

him!"  



	"I'm sorry," he said.  "Anyway, how about if I give 

you the traditional three free questions as an apology?"



	She stared at him.  "That's a start.  Then I'm going 

to go pound your father flat."



	"Be my guest.  Want help?"



	"Let's do the questions," she said.



	They went back out, and the oracle sat down on his 

oracular chair.  "Ask away."



	"Where is Happousai?"



	The oracle's eyes glazed over.  "Traveling to meet 

his destiny.  He will soon come to you."



	"Hey, you didn't give vague answers the last time I 

was here!  We need to know where he IS!"  Ranko said.



	Nodoka blinked.  I thought she'd never been here 

before.  "The oracle usually gives vague answers, so we 

don't become overly dependent on the gods for answers."



	"Really?"  Ranko frowned.



	"Second question.  Did my husband really become a 

demon worshipper and turn my son into a demon?"



	"No."



	"So much for vague and fuzzy," Ranko said.



	Nodoka's eyes widened.  "So why did three other 

oracles confirm the answers?"



	"The wisdom of the gods is imparted to few, but many 

pretend to that wisdom in order to make money from the 

illusion of heaven.  The one who loves panties spread his 

wealth to win them to his cause."



	Nodoka slumped and stared at the floor.  "He bribed 

them.  How much for my next question?"



	"For the question you just asked, one quarter sack 

of rice.  The actual next question will be half a bag."



	Nodoka sighed.  "I forgot about that.  Well, I can 

only afford one question."  She thought for a few 

minutes.  "Well, now that I've properly made a fool of 

myself, where are my..."



	"No, wait," Ranko said.  "Save it for something more 

important.  I know where your husband and your son are."



	Nodoka's eyes widened.  "You do?"



	"Yes, she does.  Next question."  The oracle said.



	"Hey, I wasn't asking you!"



	"Had to try."



	"Did Uncle set this up with you?" Nodoka asked 

Ranko.



	"Yes, he did."  the oracle said.  "That will be..."



	"I didn't ask you that either!"  Nodoka said.



	"Can you hurry up and ask me your last question?  

The sacred fumes are giving me a headache."



	"More or less," Ranko said.  



	"How soon should we expect Happousai to show up?"  

Nodoka asked.



	"Sooner than you like."  The oracle got off the 

chair and wobbled.  "Would anyone like some tea?"



	"Yes, please," Ranko said.



	"Yes," Nodoka said, handing over most of the rice as 

payment for her non-free questions.  "So where are my 

husband and child?" she asked.  "I don't...I don't know 

if I'm ready to face them, but...do they even know I 

divorced Genma?"



	"They know, but they really didn't understand why," 

Ranko said. 



	"Do you think...they'll understand why?"



	"Mr. Saotome's pretty reverent to oracles and the 

like," Ranko said.  "And he took your son away because 

this very oracle told him to."



	She slapped her forehead. "I got so mad at 

Happousai, I didn't even think to ask why Genma never 

came back if he wasn't a demon cultist."



	"The oracle told him he had to leave for your own 

good, or something like that," Ranko said.  She glanced 

over at Mr. Panda, who came over and put a paw on 

Nodoka's shoulder.



	"I think he's trying to comfort me," Nodoka said, 

smiling a little at the panda before she lapsed back into 

being somber.

 

	"Here's your tea," the oracle said, bringing 

everyone some hot tea."



	"So, are you ready to see your husband, or do you 

want to wait a while?"  Ranko asked.



	She thought for a moment.  "As soon as possible.  

Waiting would only make it harder."



	Ranko tossed her glass of tea on the panda, who 

transformed into Nodoka's ex-husband, Genma.  Nodoka 

stared in shock, then quietly fainted.



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



	Nodoka stared at the floor.  "I don't know what to 

say."



	"Neither do I," Ranma said, staring out the door.



	"It was an understandable mistake," Genma said.  

"I'd have made the same mistake in your position."  This 

was said with the unspoken coda 'but I didn't make that 

mistake, which makes me superior'.  He was doing the 'be 

noble because you were a fool and I wasn't' thing.  



	This was far worse for Nodoka than being yelled at.  

"I can't believe you can forgive me so easily," she said.



	"If you'd actually tried to kill me, it would be a 

lot harder," he said.  "But you're my...well, you were my 

wife."  Now he fell silent staring at Nodoka.  "Now, if 

Ranma had fallen for that, I'd be obliged to pound him 

flat, but it was an understandable mistake."  Which 

Nodoka would likely never be allowed to forget.



	"I've never made a mistake like that," Ranma 

snapped, then sighed.  

"As compared to Mr. 'Leave his wife without an 

explanation'."



	"I was only doing what the oracle told me to do!" 

Genma protested.



	"Assuming that wasn't Happousai too."



	"..."  Genma began to deflate.  



	"Didn't think of that, did you, Pop?  Fits rather 

neatly together," Ranma said.  He got up.  "I'll go ask 

the oracle to consult his book."  He vanished into the 

back of the shrine.



	Nodoka said, "About our..."



	"Making the family honor blade into barbeque tongs 

puts me in a rather difficult position," Genma said.  I 

think I'm technically supposed to kill you, he thought.  

Or maybe kill myself.  Neither of those appealed to him.  

"What about the shrine?"



	"Uncle hid it somewhere so I couldn't smash it, I 

think," Nodoka replied.  "I'm very, very sorry."  Her 

hands shook with frustration.  I want to kill Happousai 

for what he's done, she thought. 



	"I'm not sure what the customary response to that 

is," Genma said, "But I don't think either of us will 

like it.  Nor am I sure where I can get a new one.  Or if 

I should.  It would seem you have abandoned traditional 

ways."



	"I was never so traditional as you, Genma," Nodoka 

said.  "And I could not go back to being that way.  And 

yet...our divorce was needless.  A mistake the shame of 

which I don't know if I could ever overcome.  I don't 

know how I feel about...about anything now.  But I want 

to help you raise our son for whatever little time we 

have left before he is old enough to strike out on his 

own.  I don't know how you feel about me, but..."



	"I understand," he said.  "I spent three years 

atoning for my shame with Hino-san after my training with 

Happousai, to make myself worthy of you.  I'm sure he 

would be happy to have you come and stay with him, and 

work to overcome your shame.  And I wish to make amends 

for leaving you.  We...we don't have to make any sort of 

permanent decision immediately."  His voice wavered, and 

he said, "I have missed you."



	She winced.  "I am sorry.  There were nights when I 

missed you greatly as well, and cursed the gods for my 

fate of us being separated by...what I believed the 

case."



	Ranma returned and whacked Genma in the head.  

"Guess who listened to Happousai!"



	"..."



	"When I get my hands on that bastard, I'll...I'll 

kick him to the moon!"



	"I'll help you," Nodoka said.



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



	Happousai sneezed and fell off the log he was 

sitting on.  "Hmm, I need to change my tobacco mix," he 

said, dumping the contents of his pipe into the fire.  

"Now where did I put the good stuff..."



	Two young hands reached out of the darkness and 

handed him a sealed jar.  "You left it in the goodie bag, 

Grandfather," she said.



	"I did?"  He blinked, then shrugged.  "Thank you, 

granddaughter.  How's the sorting going?"



	"Pretty well," she said.  "I wish big sister would 

get back with some food, though.  I'm starving."



	"Well, so am I, but it won't make the food come 

faster if you complain," he said, then came over and did 

a dive into the middle of the pile of panties.  The 

sorting scheme immediately went blort.  "Ahh, my silky 

darlings!"  He began swimming about.



	"Grandfather, I just finally got them sorted by 

brand!"



	"I care nothing for brands; I live for the feel of 

polished cotton!"  Then he suddenly stood up and looked 

extremely serious.  "Also, I never manage to hold on to 

these long enough to know them by name."  He sighed.  

"And now we're going to have to run again."



	"Why, grandfather?" the young dark-haired girl, who 

looked unlikely to be much more than eight years old, 

asked.



	"Because I can hear your older siblings running 

towards us, followed by a mob."  He sighed.  "I taught 

them too well to steal food; they were supposed to BUY it 

this time, but I guess old habits die hard.  Gather the 

goodies; it's time for us to flee," Happousai said.



	"Must we always run forever?" the young girl asked.



	"Running is my life," Happousai said.  "And I cannot 

rest until I find my renegade ex-student and stop him his 

evil rampage."  A spotlight seemed to shine down upon 

him, and for a moment, he looked noble.  "I'm sure 

locking me in a cave and leaving me to die was not the 

last of his crimes."



	"Don't worry, Grandfather," the child said.  "We'll 

stop him.  You've trained us well."  She shook her fist 

at the sky in a rather unimpressive manner, not aided by 

her squeaky voice.  "Saotome's reign of terror will end!"



	Happousai smiled.  I finally understand why some 

people bother to have children, he thought.  



	"Grandfather, RUN FOR IT!" the eldest of his 

granddaughters shouted.  "They're after us."



	Happousai and his family fled into the night as 

usual.



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



	Rei reached for another carrot to skin it for 

cooking.  <AAAAAHHH, NO!  NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!> it screamed 

as she began to peel it.  She tossed it aside and sighed.  

Sometimes I hate this, she thought.  



	She put it down and began to meditate, running 

through the exercises Masaki-sama had taught her.  Once 

her mind was full of the image of being a field of 

flowers, she went back to peeling.  If the carrot spirits 

were trying to harass her still, she managed to ignore 

them.



	I am so sick of carrots, she thought.  



	Rei, Eowyn said.  I need to talk to you.



	Rei tried to ignore her, but trying to block out 

both her and the screaming carrots was more than she 

could manage.  What do you want? she asked.  I don't 

suppose you know a way to shut up the carrots, do you?



	Exorcise them, Eowyn said.  It'll put the spirits to 

sleep.  Always bless your food before you cook it.



	Thanks, Rei said.  So what did you want to ask me 

about?



	What do you intend to do about Ranma? Eowyn asked.



	I don't know, she replied.  I can't think of a legal 

solution, even assuming Ranma...would go for both of us.  

After all, he did tell me that he likes Setsuna more than 

Usagi.  And I...I couldn't wait, and I hurt him, and now 

he may hate me.  She felt a lump in her stomach, a 

mixture of hunger and guilt and fear.



	The legal part is a conundrum, Eowyn said.  Since 

Diana is not legally a princess in this time.  And I 

agree with you about not wanting to live in the Amazon 

village.  We could all go back to the Moon.



	It's a lifeless hunk of rock now, Rei replied.  We 

wouldn't last long with no air.



	No...no life at all? Eowyn asked in shock.  But it 

was so green and vibrant and...



	Grey and dusty and airless.  The Dark Kingdom 

devastated it completely, Rei said.  She concentrated on 

the image of the full moon, trying to show it to Eowyn.



	There was silence, and a mental gasp, followed by a 

sensation of quiet rage from Eowyn.  There WILL be a 

reckoning for that, Eowyn asserted.  



For a little while, Eowyn was silent, apparently 

lost in her horror and anger, but then she continued.  As 

for Ranma, if you persist in desire for him, you will 

have to face him.  I would rather you let Cassandra have 

him, though.  I can't understand what she sees in him, 

but she does love him, and she's waited twenty five 

thousand years for him.  Don't be greedy.



	Rei winced at that.  Maybe I am being greedy, she 

thought.  After all, it would make things simpler.  

Assuming Usagi isn't so mad at me for yelling at 

her...maybe I should call her.  Well, if I had a phone, I 

could call her.



	Your bond is deep and strong, the Oath of Bronze 

ties your souls.  You can get over this, Eowyn said.  

Well, there's my advice.  Oh, your pot is boiling over.



	"Ack!"  Rei jumped to take care of the pot, and the 

joys and not-joys of cooking soon distracted her from her 

love life.



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



	"Let ME drive!" Tourmaline said to Amethyst as 

Amethyst almost drove their van into a tree.  "I'm the 

one who has to pay for this thing."



	"I know what I'm doing!" Amethyst replied.  "And I'm 

the only one of us with a valid driver's license."



	"I still say we should have teleported here," 

Feldspar replied, folding her arms under her breasts and 

sounding just a tiny bit petulant.



	"Too dangerous," Diamond said.  "I think the old 

man's got wards.  He somehow knew about us coming last 

time."



	"I just wish we could take more of our experienced 

youma this far away from Tokyo," Tourmaline said.  "But 

only those of us born on Earth can go far from the gate 

until Mother opens it all the way, which means we're 

stuck with novices."



	"I'm not a novice!" Sandstone protested.  She looked 

rather like a living statue.



	"Compared to Gold or Iron or Pyroxite, you are," 

Tourmaline replied.  "Fortunately, we'll only have 

Guardian Saturn to deal with, probably.  And maybe his 

father.  And whatever defenders the priest Daddy fought 

before has."



	"A green-haired demon and a boy with an energy 

sword," Diamond said.



	The van swerved again.  "Sorry!"  Amethyst said.  

"The Saotome boy is mine."



	"Tourmaline should be the one to secure her 

fiancee," Diamond replied.



	"I do NOT want to marry him!" Tourmaline replied.



	"Even Beryl agrees with us," Diamond replied.  "It's 

fate."



	I've never liked fate, Tourmaline thought.



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



	Ranma-chan watched her mother and father stand on 

their hands in the waterfall for a while, then turned to 

Masaki-sama.  "Are you sure that's the honorable way to 

atone for everything?"



	"Yes, of course it is," Katsuhito said, then turned 

away so no one could see him try to restrain laughter.  

"Come with me, they'll be here for a very long time, no 

point in us hanging around."



	They walked away in silence for a while, then 

Katsuhito said, "So your father engaged you to Hino Rei?"



	Ranma-chan frowned and stared at the ground.  "Yeah, 

he did," she said curtly, then changed the subject.  "Can 

we go get me some hot water?"  She listened to her shoes 

squish as she walked along the stream.  "That water is 

COLD."



	"Sure, follow me and I'll get you some hot water," 

Katsuhito said.  "So what do you think of her?"



	Ranma-chan tried to decide how honest to be.  "Don't 

want to talk about it.  Don't wanna marry nobody right 

now.  She did some stuff to kind of piss me off, and I 

just don't wanna think about it right now.  I'm sure Pop 

and Grandpa sent her here just to get the two of alone, 

but I just...Did they?"



	"They did not consult me, although I soon figured 

out you'd be coming once I'd talked to Rei.  Although I 

am wondering why it took you so long to get here."



	"Oh, we did some traveling around first to get in 

some training so we'd be ready if we had to fight for our 

lives or something," Ranma-chan said, sighing.  "Well, at 

least that went better than I ever imagined."



	"Your parents deserved better than they got out of 

life," Katsuhito said.  "So where have you been the last 

ten years?  Done anything interesting?"



	Ranma-chan spent the next half-hour telling many 

stories as they headed to the temple.  Wait a second, she 

thought.  Mom told me REI was here at the shrine!  Then 

the smell of cooked carrots and onions hit her, and her 

mouth watered.  "Fooood."  Hunger warred with nervousness 

about seeing Rei and hunger won.



	Katsuhito laughed.  "It does smell good.  A pity 

your father will miss it."



	"I feel heartbroken," Ranma-chan said, laughing.  



	Rei came out to where they were.  "Masaki-sama, 

dinner...RANMA?"  Her stomach churned, and she felt 

herself shake with nervousness at the sight of him.



	"I...uh...hi, Rei," Ranma-chan said feebly.  "We 

just...uh...came for some hot water for me."  She put her 

hand behind her head and laughed nervously.



	"I'll just take some food to your parents, Ranma, 

and let you two talk."  Katsuhito was gone with three 

bowls of carrot and onion soup before they could reply.



	For a minute, the two just stared at each other, and 

then Rei went and got them each a bowl of soup and sat 

down on the steps with Ranma-chan.  "How's your summer 

been?" she asked, staring into her soup.



	"Turns out Pop's old Master broke him and Mom up by 

impersonating and bribing oracles, so now they're atoning 

for everything by standing in a waterfall," Ranma-chan 

said, then settled down to slurping soup.  I'll go get 

some hot water once I'm done eating, she thought.  



	"I think that waterfall is Masaki-sama's answer to 

everything," she said.  "Couldn't they just apologize?"



	"Mom had the family honor blade turned into barbeque 

tongs," Ranma-chan replied.



	Rei spent a while boggling and eating.  Finally, she 

said, "I've been here training with Masaki-sama.  He 

taught me some exercises that help me deal with the 

spirits, so I haven't had as much trouble with Eowyn or 

grass or rocks or everything."



	"I learned I ain't never going to an oracle ever 

again," Ranma-chan said, glancing over at Rei, catching 

her glancing at him.  They turned their heads away from 

each other.



	"I found out about something that might be able to 

get rid of Ruby, but I can't decide if it's worth the 

risk," Ranma-chan said.  "I'm inclined to take my 

chances, but everyone keeps saying it's a bad idea."



	"What is it?"



	"There's this fountain where you can forget stuff.  

So I wanna just forget Ruby.  But sometimes it screws up.  

Still, the Oracle did say it could get Ruby to go away 

completely.  I dunno, what do you think?"



	"Well, I think maybe I ought to teach you the 

exercises Masaki-sama taught me, then if those don't 

work, you could try the shrine.  Because the exercises 

don't always work, but there's no real risk of a 

disaster, either," she said.  "Is the fountain 

permanent?"



	"So far as I know.  And the Oracle did recommend it.  

On the other hand, he also said selling my soul to a 

demon would do it, so I dunno how good his advice is."



	They ate in silence for a long time, and then stared 

at each other, not sure what to say.  Finally, Rei said 

very faintly, "I'm sorry."



	"Why?" Ranma-chan asked.



	Rei blinked.  "Because...oh, you mean why I did it.  

I let myself be tempted.  I should have gotten her to 

stay with someone else, but part of me hoped something 

would happen.  I don't know if that was me, or Eowyn in 

me, but...I screwed up.  And I know I can't make any 

better, but I'm sorry."  She stared at her empty soup 

bowl.  "I should have known better."



	"I coulda had a lot of sex in the hotel, but I 

didn't," Ranma-chan said with just a little sharpness.



	"I know.  Ranma...is the end for us?  I mean...not 

that we've been formally dating or anything, but...if 

this means we'll never date or be married or anything, 

please just tell me," she said, leaning towards Ranma-

chan, then drawing back, afraid to get closer and fearing 

to be pushed away.  "That's been the worst part all this 

time for me...knowing I've screwed up, but not how much.  

If I've blown it forever, just tell me."



	"I don't know," Ranma-chan said.  "I really...like 

you, Rei, but I can't marry you and Usagi at the same 

time.  And it seems like you like her more than you do 

me.  I mean...you never tried to do that with me."  Tell 

her about Setsuna, she told herself.  Before you do 

anything stupid like make that sort of promise to her.  

With Rei right in front of her, it was too easy to let 

memories of other girls slide away.



	"She came on to me!  I wouldn't have started 

anything with her!"



	"But you'd finish it," Ranma-chan said flatly.  



	"And which one of us almost slept with Ukyou and 

Haruka at the same time?" Rei fired back.  "If Setsuna 

tried to get you into bed as seriously as Usagi did with 

me, would you have done any better?"



	"The key word is ALMOST!  I didn't!  I had a lot of 

chances to have sex and I didn't take them!"



	"But none of them were with people you really 

loved," Rei said.  "If Setsuna had seriously come on to 

you, could you have said no?"



	"Hey, I could have had her any time I wanted, but I 

was able to wait, 'cause I knew it was a bad idea!"  

Ranma-chan shouted, then tried to calm herself.  "Yeah, 

I've been doing a lot of dumb shit with everyone and 

dragging this out way too long 'cause I didn't trust my 

own instincts, but I never went all the way with any of 

you, 'cause I knew better."  She turned and stared out at 

the forest.  Now or never, she told herself.  "I've 

decided that I ought to try seeing if I really do like 

Setsuna, or if it really just is Ruby warping my brain."



	"So this is the end," Rei said faintly.



	"Part of me still...still loves you, Rei, but I 

can't date two women, and it looks to me like you made 

your choice between me and Usagi."  Ranma-chan stared 

into her soup, which failed to produce an oracle to guide 

her.  "This ain't easy for me."



	Rei slumped.  "What about Grandpa and your father?  

They're not going to be very happy with either of us."



	"I don't know," Ranma-chan said.  "They may not ever 

give up.  But I made a promise to Setsuna, and I keep my 

promises."  She couldn't stand to see Rei looking so sad, 

and her brain kept trying to find some sort of way to 

wiggle out of this.  "Rei...you...you do love Usagi, 

don't you?"



	"Yes, I do," she said, turning to face him.  

"Although I sort of left without talking to her about all 

this, so I don't know what she's thinking about me right 

now."  She shook her head and sighed.  "If I've driven 

her away..."



	"Oh, you know Usagi," Ranma-chan said, trying to 

cheer her up.  "She doesn't get mad very easily.  I'm 

sure she'll forgive you.  I dunno if she'll forgive ME, 

but..."



	"What did you do to her?" Rei asked.



	"Dumped her."



	Before Rei could reply, the explosions began, 

echoing off the mountainsides and through the forest.  

"What the hell is that?" Ranma-chan asked.



	"I don't know, but it's coming from the direction of 

the waterfall," Rei said.



	"That's where Mom and Dad are!" Ranma-chan said.  

"Oh shit!"



	They took off running, even though they feared they 

would be too late.



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



	A little while earlier, Katsuhito had arrived at the 

waterfall just in time to come up behind a small squadron 

of strangely dressed woman and one man.  They looked 

vaguely familiar, but he wasn't sure where he'd seen most 

of them before.  However, they reeked of dark energies, 

whoever they were.  He did recognize the armor wearing 

man who had shown up a while back and caused some 

trouble, a man called Diamond.  And one of the women 

carried herself with the manner of a martial artist.  



	The group was confronting Genma-Panda and Nodoka, 

who were out of the waterfall, but still standing in the 

pool at its base.  The lone male, who was wearing a 

translucent suit of Samurai armor was talking to Genma.  

"You have become a very strange woman, Nodoka.  What are 

you doing in a waterfall with a panda, anyway?"



	"Who are you?" Nodoka asked.  



	A woman dressed in a fairly revealing green dress 

was pointing a cylindrical black crystal at Genma-Panda.  

"Just hold still."



	Nodoka didn't plan to stand still.  She kicked a 

gout of water up into the armored man's face, then 

grabbed his still-sheathed sword while he was shielding 

his face.  She moved into a fighting stance. "I don't 

know who you are, but you aren't going to just carry off 

Genma."



	He backed up, concentrated, and created a second 

sword, then charged at her.  "That isn't Genma, that's a 

panda," he said.



	He looks familiar, she thought, then brought the 

crystal blade around to block his overhand strike.  They 

began to duel back and forth in silence.



Katsuhito was glad that he was carrying a bokken, as 

he'd been planning to do some weapons training with Rei 

later in the day, and began circling to try to position 

himself for a strong opening attack.



	Unfortunately, this left Genma-panda to fight four 

people by himself. Genma-Panda got into a fighting stance 

and roared at his opponents.



	"He's in a martial arts stance," the shortest one 

said.  



	"Weird.  Must be trained," the one who looked like a 

statue said.



	The panda turned and ran past them, leaping onto the 

armored man from behind and sending him sprawling.  That 

got him hit by multiple energy bolts.  It also got the 

armored man hit, and they both lay  stunned in the water.



	The green-clad woman lifted the crystal high, and a 

dark beam began to play down from it onto Genma-Panda, 

who writhed and cried out.  Circles of alternating 

darkness and light erupted from his chest.



	Nodoka charged, but the shortest of their foes 

gestured, and winds howled from her hands, spinning round 

Nodoka and tying her to a tree.  



	Katsuhito took this as his cue to attack.  He leaped 

across the clearing, striking at the green-clad woman's 

hands to knock the crystal way.  The crystal went flying, 

but the purple-haired girl spun and kicked him in the 

gut, knocking him away before he could grab it.  Her 

onslaught was ferocious, and it drove him back for 

several minutes, while he tried to analyze her style and 

find an opening.  It was a familiar looking style, and he 

began to suspect she must be someone he knew, but in 

disguise.  But who?



	While he was busy with her, the green-clad woman 

returned to whatever she had been doing to Genma-Panda.  

He roared a final time, and then a blue crystal flew out 

of his body into her hands.  Dark energies coruscated 

across the panda's body, transforming him into a huge, 

demonic looking monster panda, with a mouth big enough to 

swallow a man's head whole.



	He immediately stood up, looked around, then rushed 

off, howling "FOOD!!!!"



	The green-clad woman sighed.  "I should have thought 

of that.  Sandstone, can you please go chase that fool 

down?"



	"Yes, ma'am!" Sandstone said, then ran off after 

Gluttony.



	Katsuhito began pressing his counter-attack when 

this happened, now driving the purple-haired woman back.  

While the green-haired woman helped the armored man out 

of the water, the shortest of the women gestured at him, 

and he felt chains made of solid air wrap around himself.  

He managed to break them by drawing on the holy power of 

the shrine's sacred tree, to which he was linked, but 

this took just long enough for the purple-haired woman to 

kick him in the head three times and wrench his bokken 

away from him.  



He recognized the move as one Kasumi Tendo had used 

several times when sparring with him and Nodoka in the 

past.  But that couldn't be Kasumi, he thought.  She 

looked rather different.  But she moved like Kasumi, and 

used the same style.  And Soun Tendo had three 

daughters...



The thought chilled him.  Perhaps it wasn't Genma 

who had gotten involved with demons.  But why hadn't he 

taken Kasumi if he'd gone willingly all those years ago?



	Well, it doesn't matter now who exactly they are, he 

thought.  Just that I don't think I can fight them all 

alone.  He flipped back away from the purple-haired 

woman, then grabbed a handy stick, and faked an overhead 

assault on her.  While she wasted precious moments 

parrying it, he let go of it and ran for Nodoka.  Another 

stick served as enough of a focus to let him break the 

winds holding Nodoka to a tree.



	Several energy blasts racked his body, but he 

clenched his teeth through the agony, shielding himself 

and Nodoka as best he could, then picked her up and 

simply ran off into the woods, carrying her like a sack 

of potatoes.  I'm sorry, Genma, he thought, but at least 

this way we can try to rescue you later, instead of all 

of us being captured.



	He circled round, then began heading for the shrine.



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



	Saturn and Mars sped through the woods, wishing the 

distance to the waterfall was less uphill and not so far 

as it was.  Saturn also wished Mars could run faster; 

she'd thought about carrying Mars, but that would have 

slowed him down, making it pointless.  



	Then bursts of water and lightning erupted at them 

from behind two trees.  Each of them dodged, skidding to 

a halt, after which winds came howling down on them, 

tying both of them to trees.  "Damnation!" Saturn 

shouted.

	

	Feldspar, Amethyst, and Tourmaline erupted from out 

of cover.  Saturn struggled to break his bonds while Mars 

tried to wiggle one of her evil wards into her hands.  

Amethyst grabbed Saturn's legs, although she took a nasty 

kick in the shin, and it was clearly a desperate 

struggle.  Feldspar slapped an onyx collar around 

Saturn's neck and she went limp.



	Meanwhile, Tourmaline held a finger an inch from 

Mars' left eye.  "Don't even mumble a syllable, or I'll 

blow your head open," she said.



	"Maybe we should take her too," Feldspar said.



	While they discussed this, Mars listened to the wind 

mumble to itself; it was a spirit.  Maybe I can influence 

it without my wards, she thought.  



	Yes, you can, Eowyn said.  Just do a simple 

banishment...no, wait, you'll have to speak, and then 

Tourmaline will blast us; we might not survive it at such 

short range.  Oh wait...just teleport out of the bonds!



	Can I do that silently? she asked.



	It'll be more exhausting, but just think the command 

phrase, Eoywn replied.



	SAILOR TELEPORT, she thought, and reappeared halfway 

across the clearing; her aim hadn't been half as good as 

she hoped.



	"What the..." Tourmaline said, then got blasted with 

a Fire Soul attack.  "Get him...her out of here!  Now!"



	"But sis..."



	"Do it!"



	They teleported away with Saturn, and for a moment, 

all Mars could do was stare.



	This got her blasted off her feet by Tourmaline's 

lightning.  "What are you looking so mopey about?" 

Tourmaline asked.  "After all, you've been screwing 

someone else on the side, so do you really care what 

happens to him?"



	This registered just enough for Mars to get mad, 

although later she'd wonder how Tourmaline could have 

known this.  "Give him BACK!"  Mars shouted, then 

unleashed a Fire Soul at Tourmaline, who dodged.



	"No."  



	They traded blasts for a while, with Mars growing 

ever more frenetic.  More and more trees were bursting 

into flames as she blasted wildly at Tourmaline.  After a 

while, Tourmaline seemed to give up on attacking, and 

just kept running with Mars chasing after her.  Behind 

her, the blaze spread through wood rendered perfect for 

burning by a hot, dry summer.  



	"Stop running!  Give me back RANMA!!!!!!!!"  Mars 

shouted, working up to a nearly frothing fury.



	"I couldn't, if I wanted to," Tourmaline said, 

finally reaching the river she'd been looking for.  She 

started to run up it.  



	As she'd planned, Mars followed her into the stream.  

"You know where they took him!  Tell me!  Damn you!  FIRE 

SOUL!"  Another gout of flame flew at Tourmaline, who 

narrowly dodged it by throwing herself down onto her 

hands and knees in the water.



	"LIGHTNING STORM!" she shouted, and discharged it 

through the water, a great roiling wave of electricity 

which washed over Sailor Mars, flinging Mars out of the 

water and crashing into a tree, which toppled from the 

impact.  Tourmaline winced at that and stood.  "And 

that's that," she said.



	Mars rose to her feet, surrounded by an aura of 

flame.  Her lips moved, and Tourmaline couldn't hear what 

she said, but a second transformation washed over her.  

"This is your last chance.  Tell me or die."



	"You forgot the third choice," Tourmaline said.



	"What?"



	"Bye!"  She teleported away, not sure what had just 

happened, and not willing to risk finding out.



	Super Sailor Mars howled to the heavens, and 

exploded like a phoenix, knocking down the forest around 

her, then collapsing in on herself and reverting to Rei 

Hino.  She whispered, "Ranma," then collapsed and passed 

out.



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



	Tourmaline staggered to the van.  "Well, that wasn't 

fun."



	Amethyst caught her as she stumbled.  "You don't 

look so good."



	"I gave her my best shot, and it wasn't enough."  

She sighed.  "But we got what we came for."



	"I'm sure Beryl will agree you did your best," 

Amethyst said.



	That's what I'm counting on, Tourmaline thought.



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



	Rei woke up in the shrine with Nodoka and Katsuhito, 

both looking exhausted, kneeling near her.  "Did you get 

Ranma back?" she asked weakly, as she tried to sit up.



	"No," Katsuhito said.  "Did those women take him?"



	"Yes," she said.



	"They got Genma too," Nodoka said, then started to 

cry.  "This time the demons really do have them, and I 

couldn't save them.  My son.  They took my son!" She 

crumpled; it was clear she'd been holding herself 

together on the hope Rei would know where Ranma was.



	"Rei, what is going on?" Katsuhito asked.



	She sniffed the air.  "I smell smoke."



	"We had a massive forest fire; you would probably 

have burned to death if you hadn't been in the center of 

a firebreak."  His voice was calm, but she could hear the 

accusation.



	"I burned down the forest?" she asked in shock.



	"If you made the fire, yes.  We stopped it before it 

spread too far, but we've lost a lot of forest.  Rei, 

what is going on?"



	"This is going to take a long time to explain," she 

said.



	"None of us can do anything until we know what's 

really going on," he replied.



	"Okay, it all started thousands of years ago, on the 

moon..."







John Walter Biles :  MA-History, ABD, Ph.D Candidate at U. Kansas         

ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu       

rhea@tass.org              http://www.tass.org/~rhea/falcon.html

rhea@maison-otaku.net      http://www.maison-otaku.net/~rhea/



"The connection is so abstract, that we have people whose job 

it is to make sure the paperwork doesn't get totally disconnected 

from the world.  Theoretically, I handle millions of dollars a day, 

but it is less real than this e-mail. I have never seen our product. 

I have never seen the sales people.  I have never seen a customer."

--Robert Lane describes his work as an accountant.







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