The Unbroken Circle: Chapter two



Okay! We�ve made it to chapter two.



Standard Takahashi disclaimer.



It�s an �altaverse� fic, and uses manga events with anime hair colors.

Kind of. Read chapter one first.



Key:



�� Speech

<> Thoughts

�{}� speech in Chinese



Ukyou stirred in her sleep, for a moment, she lay on the verge of

waking. A comforting mumble from her partner reassured her and she let

herself drift back into slumber.



***



Chame�s eyes drifted open, slowly. The light filtering in through the

windows indicated that it was late morning. She sighed, and embraced the

other woman sleeping near her more tightly. She cooed contentedly, and

let sleep overtake her again.



***



Ukyou yawned, and stretched. She sat up in bed, slowly taking in her

surroundings. Observaitions began to trickle into her sleep-slowed mind.

Someone�s arms were wrapped around her. She blinked, and lifted the

covers. A girl. A short redheaded girl. A short redheaded girl who was

not Ranma.



She shook her head, and climbed out of the bed. She dressed slowly,

memories of last night slowly drifting in. She heaved a sigh if relief,

and laughed to herself quietly, <I�m glad I can take waking up in bed

with a woman so well.>



Chame sat up, started to say something, then collapsed back to the bed.



Ukyou finished adjusting her clothing. She had lost her chest bindings

last night for bandages, <Then again... maybe I don�t need them

anymore.> She helped Chame to a sitting position, �You okay?�



She nodded slowly, �I think so. I feel awfully weak, though. What

happened?�



Ukyou pursed her lips, �We got Ranma from his- ah, the Tendo house last

night.� Chame nodded, �And we were on the way back here, when Ryouga

attacked.�



Chame shook her head, �I think I remember that, then there was some

noise, and an umbrella...�



Ukyou put her arm around Chame, �Yeah, Ryouga got you pretty good. We

were afraid we were going to lose you, but Dr. Tofu healed you.�



Chame sighed, �I ache. My entire body is resonating pain.� She put her

hands over her face and groaned, �I feel so weak.�



Ukyou opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a knock

at the door, �Just a minute.� She carefully pushed Chame back down onto

the bed, and pulled the sheets up to cover her.



When she opened the door, she was surprised to see Akane there. Akane

looked somewhat nervous, and at the same time, a little irritated,

�Akane? What�s going on?�



Akane glanced around, �Sorry, the door was unlocked downstairs, and I

wanted to ask you if you�d seen Ranma lately.�



Ukyou shook her head, trying to block the view into her room with her

body, �Actually, I haven�t seen Ranchan since yesterday.�



Akane looked worried, then examined Ukyou closely. Ukyou was wearing a

T-shirt and jeans. The shirt was somewhat tight on her, since she

normally had her chest bound. Ukyou reflected that she should have

chosen something that fit her more loosely. Akane blinked, and Ukyou

shivered. The air in her bedroom was much warmer than the air in the

hall.



Akane�s eyes widened, and she backed away, �Um, are you hiding anyone in

there?�



Ukyou paused, <Would letting her know Chame is here be a bad idea?>,

�Uh, no... I�m not hiding anyone.� She realized how lame the attempt was

as soon as she said it.



Akane narrowed her eyes, and shoved Ukyou backwards, barging into the

room. She stared at Chame, just now sitting up, and covering herself

with the blanket. Akane�s jaw dropped, and she looked at Ukyou. Ukyou

flushed, not quite knowing what to say.



The end result left Akane viewing a naked girl hiding mostly under a

sheet, and another girl wearing a _very_ daring outfit. The shirt she

wore concealed  nothing. The cold air had made its presence known to

Ukyou, and the shirt quickly revealed this fact. Both Ukyou and Chame

had slight flushes on their faces, and Chame was breathing hard.



Akane sputtered, �I thought, but, you, I-Ranma.� She blinked again,

shook her head, and walked to the door, �Um, never mind. I guess you

were probably too busy last night. If you see Ranma, let me know. I�m

kind of worried about him.�



Ukyou nodded, �I will.� She closed the door, joining Akane in the hall,

�Um, about that there, in the room-�



Akane put her hands up, �No! You don�t need to explain, I mean, I

understand everything. I should have seen it sooner, actually.�



The okonomiyaki chef blinked, �What do you mean?�



Akane swallowed, and backed away half a step, �I didn�t know. I thought

you liked Ranma, but it makes sense.�



Ukyou shook her head, �You aren�t making any sense at all.�



Akane grinned sheepishly, �I mean, you wear men's clothes, all the time,

so I should have guessed, but-�



Ukyou flushed bright red, as she understood what Akane was thinking,

�Wait, Akane, it�s not what it looks like, you see, I DO like Ranchan,

it�s just that, last night, Chame and I slept together-�



Akane cut her off, �No! I don�t need to know. It just makes sense now,

that you like Ranma as, uh, never mind. I have to go.� She fled down the

stairs, and a moment later, Ukyou heard the door close.



Chame staggered into the hall, wearing one of Ukyou�s robes and using

her staff for support. She winced, �What was that all about?�



Ukyou�s flush deepened, �Uh, Akane thought that the two of us slept

together.� Ukyou studied her feet intently.



Chame shrugged, �We did. So?�



Ukyou turned more crimson, �Uh, no, she thought that you and I, uh, you

know.�



Chame stared at Ukyou, blinking for a minute, then realization dawned on

her, �Oh! She thought that you and I-�



Ukyou nodded, �Right.�



Chame thought for a minute, �That�s good. Then she won�t think that

Ranma�s here.�



Ukyou growled, �What about my reputation! People will think I�m into

that kind of thing!�



The diminutive redhead considered, �Well, find Akane, and explain it to

her, then.� She sighed, �I�m sorry. I�m going to take a bath now, is

that okay?�



Ukyou nodded, �Yeah... I have to catch up with Akane. After I change.�



Chame shrugged, and made her way to the bathroom. It was a normal

bathtub, not a furo, but she wouldn�t complain. She smiled to herself,

she hadn�t slept that well in a long while, <A long relaxing soak would

be the perfect compliment to a good night of rest.>



***



Ryouga woke up. This is something he was used to. He looked around, and

didn�t recognize where he was. He was used to this as well. He sat up

slowly, and looked for his possessions. His things were all there.



He shook his head, noticing that a migraine was beginning to work its

way into his head. He sighed, and set about making something for

breakfast, <Where am I today?>. He sighed, taking in his surroundings.

It looked like an abandoned lot. If he was lucky, it was still Tokyo,

<Ukyou sent me to Okinawa, since she said that�s where Ranma and his

father were.> He clenched his fist, <Damn that coward!> As soon as he

felt anger, Ryouga felt his mind numb, against the pain of the migraine.



He let go of his anger, clutching his head, �Oooh...� He shook his head,

and opened up the first aid kit he carried with him. He had some

aspirin, but was running low. After a moment of hesitation, he took a

few of them, followed by a sip of water from the canteen. He eyed the

canteen angrily, he used to like water, but now... <Curse you Saotome!

If you-> He cut off that train of thought again, as the migraine

redoubled. He gasped for breath, his eyes tearing from pain.



He concentrated on things that made him happy. The anger caused him

pain, now. Too much pain. When it took him, it could carry him for days

before it let him return to himself. He snarled, <Damn Ranma! If it

weren�t for him-> He stopped himself before the pain started again,

<Think about nice things. Happy things. Akane.> He sighed, smiling, and

the pain receded.



He shook his head, <Akane. Maybe he should see her. With Ranma gone -

Abandoning her like that! The cur -> Ryouga grimaced, <Nice things.

Happy things.> He held himself, rocking back and forth, muttering the

litany out loud, until the pains faded. He cast around him; he needed to

find something that didn�t make him angry. His gaze fell across the

umbrella he always kept with him. He reached towards it, <Yeah. This

protects me from rain. It�s harmless, it can�t make me angry.> He pulled

his hand back, noticing that half of the umbrella was stained with

blood, and looked away, <Best not think about that now.>



He reflected on the start of the pains. How long ago was it now? <Almost

four weeks ago, longer if the rage took me recently.> He sighed again,

the old man had promised that it would let him defeat anyone. It would

fill him with righteous wrath, and strike down any who crossed him.

Ryouga shuddered again. He had fought Ranma. No, he had confronted

Ranma, and then attacked him.



<What happened then? He was in girl form, and he said that he didn�t

like Akane, and he wanted to talk things out.> Ryouga sighed, <But the

weapon took over again. And it wasn�t even really Ranma..> He sulked. He

had thrown the weapon away, but later that day, he found it in his belt

when he was looking for something else.



He had thrown it away again, this time under a passing train. It showed

up again. He tried a few more times, and finally had to give up. The

rage could overtake him even if he wasn�t using the weapon. He knew that

now. He cursed again, <Damn you Ranma, this is _your_ fault!> Then the

pain overtook him, and reduced him to a whimpering mass, and a mocking

voice laughed at him, �Maybe it�s not, this time. Maybe you can only

blame yourself.�



Ryouga screamed, the pain, the anger, it became too much to bear, and he

slipped again, letting the rage rule him.



***



�Akane! Wait!� Akane turned around, and was startled at the sight of

Ukyou rushing towards her. She was dressed in her okonomiyaki seller�s

outfit.



Ukyou caught up in a moment, and Akane regarded her cautiously, �Um,

yes?�



The okonomiyaki chef heaved a sigh, �Akane, what you saw wasn�t what you

think it was.�



Akane raised an eyebrow, �Um, okay. I won�t tell anyone.�



She sighed, �Akane, I�m serious. Let me see how I can explain this.�

Ukyou trailed off, desperate for a solution, <Okay, I can�t tell her the

truth, but, damn, I have to tell her _something_>



Akane waited patiently, �Yes?�



Ukyou wracked her mind, <What was the story that Chame told Akane? I

can�t afford to contradict that -*you found me last night, wandering

aimlessly, and suffering from exposure*> Ukyou blinked, �Um, last night

I ran into her, she was cold, because she had gotten wet and it was the

middle of the night. She�s a really small person, so she doesn�t

generate a lot of body heat. I took her in and we shared a bed because I

was afraid that she wouldn�t warm up fast enough, and I didn�t want her

to get sick.�



Akane looked downcast, �Oh. I�m sorry. She said something about that,

actually. That she didn�t really have a place to go, I mean. I shouldn�t

have jumped to conclusions.� She sighed deeply, �I guess I hoped somehow

that she, uh, was happy with you, instead of only surviving. From what

Nabiki�s told me, she�s been through a lot.�



Ukyou nodded, relieved, <At least that�s one rumor I won�t have to live

with.> �Yeah. Now what�s this about Ranchan?�



Akane looked pensive, �He disappeared last night. I heard from someone

at school that he ran off with Shampoo, and I went to the Nekkohanten to

ask Shampoo about that, but it looks like Shampoo, Mousse, and Cologne

are gone. There�s a bunch of boxes in the back, but no-one�s there, and

the signs were all taken down.�



Ukyou bit her lip, �Akane, I�m sorry. I don�t know what to tell you.�



The shorthaired girl stared at her hard, �You think he�s run off with

Shampoo, don�t you?�



Ukyou shook her head, �You think I would be this calm if that�s what I

thought? No, maybe he needed a little time to himself to think, or

something. Do you remember yesterday, at all?�



Akane frowned, �Not really, I remember up till lunch, and then

everything got a little hazy.� She rubbed her temples, �I woke up with

an awful headache, too. I shouldn�t have eaten that amazon�s cooking.�



Ukyou sighed, �Uh, maybe you should ask some of your classmates what

happened, then. I should be heading back, I want to make sure that Chame

isn�t sick, or anything.�



Akane nodded, �Okay. Is that why you�re missing school today?�



Ukyou nodded back, �Yeah. I�m not sure if I�ll be there on Monday,

either. Uh, anyway, I�ll see you around, okay?�



Akane smiled weakly, and wandered off. Ukyou sighed, and trudged back

home.



***



She warmed up the grill, and looked at the timepiece on the wall. It was

already eleven o�clock. She sighed, and started getting ready to open

her restaurant. After a few minutes, Chame came down the stairs. She

still looked a little unsteady, but she wasn�t using the staff anymore.

She smiled at Ukyou, and Ukyou returned it.



Chame held up an apron, �Need help with anything?�



Ukyou nodded, �Sure. But why don�t you have a seat, first? You should

probably try and take it easy; you lost a lot of blood.�



Chame�s expression darkened a bit, �I suppose I would have. I�m not sure

how I survived, actually.�



Ukyou shrugged, �Ask Dr. Tofu about it later.�



�Do you know where he is?�



�Yes, they should be upstairs in the other room.�



�Oh, okay. Let�s let them sleep for now.�



Ukyou smirked, �I thought you would be the last to wake, actually. Now

then, what would you like to eat?�



Chame examined a menu, �I don�t know, what would you suggest?�



�How about a few deluxe okonomiyaki?� Ranma�s voice called down. Ukyou

glanced up the stairs, Dr. Tofu and Ranma were trudging down the stairs,

and both looked a little pale, but they were grinning widely.



Ukyou nodded, �Okay, 8 deluxe okonomiyaki! Some time, when you�re

feeling up to it, I�ll show you how to make these, okay Chame?�



The redhead smirked, �Sure.�



Dr. Tofu took a seat next to her, and put a hand on her head, �I�m

surprised you�re up this early. How do you feel?�



She smiled back at the doctor, �I�m okay, I guess. I�m surprised I�m

doing this well, all things considered.�



Ranma nodded, taking the other seat near Chame, �We were kind of worried

about you. I�ve never seen Ryouga like that before. I mean... I�ve seen

him mad, mad enough to want to seriously hurt me, but... He�s _said_

that he wanted to kill me bunches of times, but I�ve never seen him like

that.� He shook his head, staring at the grill in front of him.



Chame sighed, and brushed Dr. Tofu�s hand off her head, �Ranma, that�s

not the Ryouga you know. I don�t know what�s wrong with him, but until

we learn more, we should probably avoid him.�



Ranma said nothing, staring at the grill for a long moment. Finally, he

sighed, �You aren�t planning on a one month training trip, are you?�



Chame bit her lip, �No. I�m not. I suppose you have a lot of questions.

I guess I owe you explanations, at this point.�



Ranma frowned, thinking, �Yeah, there�s a couple of things. How did Dr.

Tofu know to come and save you? How do you know so much about, well,

everything? Why do I listen when you speak, and do what you say I

should? I hardly even know you, but I still trust you.�



The small redhead sighed, �It�s complicated. The short of it is that

blood calls blood. As far as how much I know, well I attribute that to

your memories. I can read minds to some extent. And as Ukyou discovered

earlier today, I can write in minds, too.� Ukyou stiffened, startled,

but continued monitoring the okonomiyaki she was tending.



Ranma scratched his head, �Okay, give me the long version.�



Chame sighed, �Three thousand years ago, a tribe lived where Jusenkyou

is now. They were called the Machin. The Joketsuzoku destroyed us. The

survivors dispersed, and that was the end of the tribe.



�However, we are very long lived. Myself and Sir- Ah, Dr. Tofu are both

over three thousand years old.�



Ranma snorted, �Okay, I actually believe you, but what does this have to

do with me?� Ukyou nodded silently to herself, flipping the okonomiyaki.

She remembered from the night before.



Chame put a hand on Ranma�s head, �You have Machin blood. I don�t know

how, or why, I�ve seen your father and he hasn�t a trace of it. Not many

of our people chose to have children after our village fell, and I would

have expected the blood to thin. However, genetic fluke, magic, or

whatever reason, you are a full blooded Machin.�



Ranma frowned, �So does this mean I�ll live for three thousand years?�



Chame paused, �You might. I�m not certain. We can control how we age to

some degree, it�s much easier to stop the process than reverse it, but

to some extent... yes.�



Ukyou�s eyes widened, �You can make yourself younger?�



Dr. Tofu shook his head, �In appearance. Though it�s not possible to

reverse one-self past puberty. I believe that certain hormones released

in that stage prevent it.�



Chame shrugged, �I didn�t study medicine that much. I�ll take Dr. Tofu�s

word for it.�



Ranma nodded slowly, �Okay. Why do I trust you?�



Chame shrugged, �Blood ties. You would know if I were lying to you.

Maybe even Dr. Tofu, I�m not certain. I�ll admit to being more of a

mystic than he is.�



Ranma regarded her evenly, �So does this mean I have powers? I can read

minds?�



Dr. Tofu shook his head, �Not necessarily. Having Machin blood means

you�re more likely to have magical affinity than someone who doesn�t.

You might be able to learn, and given how well you can control you ki,

I�d guess that you actually might have some competence. But magic is a

difficult thing to learn.�



Ranma frowned at the doctor, �But you healed Chame last night, wasn�t

that magic?�



The doctor shrugged, �Yes. I can do some things, but my only real

magical competence is warding and healing. I can do simple things in

other areas, and I can read minds somewhat. That�s how I knew the way

here last night. I can control emotions of people around me a little,

but that�s not something I need to do very often.�



Chame nodded, �I have a bit more power than Dr. Tofu in many areas,

though I think he�s some-what modest about his power. He�s a better

healer than I�ve ever met, and his wards are strong enough to give me

pause. I can influence emotions as well, though the practical

applications are limited. That�s why people trust me, and listen.�



Ukyou served up the first round of okonomiyaki, setting one aside for

later, �So you�re saying that you�re using magic to control us?�



The redhead bit her lip, �No, not quite. I�m afraid it�s a subconscious

thing. I don�t think I could make you do anything you didn�t want to do.

Ryouga certainly didn�t have any qualms about striking me.� She winced

at the memory.



Ranma paused, considering, �Okay. Can you stop making me trust you?�



Chame nodded, �Certainly.�



Ranma studied her intently for a moment. Then he shook his head, �I

still trust you.�



Chame shrugged, �Okay, then try this, reach deep into yourself, and ask

yourself if I�m lying.� After Ranma nodded, Chame pronounced, �I am not

making you trust me.�



Ranma�s eyes widened, �I believe you. It�s like there�s a soft voice

inside me that tells me-� he broke off, staring at Chame, �Do it again.�



She blinked, and her eyes unfocused for a moment, �Okay, it�s active.�



He frowned, �I don�t feel any different towards you, though.�



Chame smiled, �Maybe that means you trust me. Now eat.� Chame turned

towards her own meal and began eating.



Ranma inhaled his own, and another was tossed down to replace it. He

smiled at the okonomiyaki chef, �It�s good, Ucchan!�



She smiled at him, �Thanks, Ranchan. Anyone else want more?�



Chame nodded, �Please! I feel very hungry for some reason.�



Dr. Tofu shook his head, �You�ve lost a lot of blood, you need to

replace it. Try and drink some juice. Actually, try and drink a lot of

juice.� Chame nodded obediently, �Thank you for the breakfast, Ukyou.

I�d love to stay, but I have to get to work.�



Chame smirked, �Afraid that Kasumi might have called while you were

out?� Dr. Tofu paled, �Don�t worry about it. You should call her when

you get home, though. Remember, you have to try and protect the Tendos.�



He sighed, grinning, and tousled Chame�s hair, �Okay. Take care, okay?

I�d like to give you a checkup before you leave.�



Chame nodded, �Sure, I�ll drop in before I go.�



Ukyou frowned, �Dr. Tofu, would you like me to have some okonomiyaki

delivered to you later?�



He shook his head, �No, I�m hoping, er... no thanks.� He blushed, and

left the restaurant.



Ranma rolled his eyes, �That�s really cute and all, but I�m a bit

worried here.�



The atmosphere sobered up, and Chame nodded again, �Okay. What would you

like to talk about?�



Ranma chewed one end of a chopstick absently, �Well, what�s going on

with Ryouga?�



There was a pause before Chame replied, �I�m afraid I don�t know. Either

he is nothing more than a vessel for his rage, or he is being controlled

by something. Or a combination of the two. If he allows his rage to

control him, then there may only be slight influence on him, and the

bulk of his anger _is_ his alone.�



Ranma frowned, �I don�t know. I know he�s prone to let his anger control

him, but he�s never been that... calculating about it, I guess. Normally

he goes on a rampage to get me. I don�t know if I�ve ever seen him that

mad at anyone, even me.� He shook his head, �He says it�s over Akane,

and I suppose he thinks he loves her. I think he�s just fooling himself,

because he wants an excuse to fight me.�



Ukyou shrugged, �I don�t think anyone knows him as well as Ranma. If he

doesn�t know, then I doubt anyone does.� She sighed, and flipped the

next batch of okonomiyaki onto plates, setting some aside for herself.



Chame nodded slowly, �I saw the part about his affection for Akane. I

couldn�t say for certain if it was real or not. His mind was in too much

turmoil to be read, and he wasn�t about to stand still and let me try.

He has something else, too. I don�t know what it is, but it�s

dangerous.�



Ranma glanced at her between huge bites of his meal, �What does he have?

Do you think it�s what�s causing the trouble?�



Chame paused, and set her chopsticks down, �I�m not certain. It�s

possible, but he wasn�t using it when he attacked us last night, so I

don�t think so.�



Ranma shrugged, �Well, anyway, he�s out to kill me and he means it this

time. What do we do now?�



Chame sighed, �I don�t know. We need to make this place safe, though.

Ryouga could just walk in, or any of the other people we�re worried

about. That wouldn�t be good.�



Ukyou shrugged, �What can we do about that?�



Ranma nodded, �I could probably disguise as a girl. What about you two?�



Chame shook her head, �No. If you�re open to the idea, I could try and

teach you wards. We could set up a few that would last for the days that

we�re going to be here.�



Ranma frowned, �I guess. I�m more of a martial artist than a mystic, but

I guess it couldn�t hurt. You aren�t just going to teach me tricks, are

you?�



Chame smirked, �No, I�m planning on teaching you a lot of things. About

the Machin, magic, and martial arts.�



Ukyou snickered, �The three �m�s, eh?�



Ranma laughed as well, and Chame blushed for a moment before joining in.

After they had settled down, Chame grinned, �Well, that always makes me

feel better after being stabbed with an umbrella. Come, Ranma, let us

start teaching you the basics. Once we�re done, and things get busy, I�m

going to try and help Ukyou out.�



Ranma flashed Ukyou a grin, �See you later, Ucchan!� Ranma and Chame

retreated up the stairs, and Ukyou frowned to herself once they were

gone.



She sighed, and began to prepare for the lunch rush, <This isn�t quite

how I hoped it would be. I wanted to spend time with Ranma, and he�s

spending time with Chame instead.> She brightened suddenly, <But I _am_

getting to spend more time with him than I would otherwise.> She nodded

to herself and smiled, prepared to face the day with new vigor.



***



Chame sat in the middle of the spare room. She folded herself into a

meditative position, and gestured for Ranma to do the same.



He obliged, and they stared at each other for a bit. Ranma spoke first,

�Chame? What kind of problem do you have with certain noises?�



She considered for a moment before answering, �Well, its difficult to

explain. I�m more sensitive to certain noises than normal people are.

It�s the tone more than the volume. I don�t like shrill piercing

noises.�



Ranma frowned, �I�ll say. That looked pretty painful last night. How did

you survive three thousand years with that kind of problem?�



Chame stared at the ceiling speculatively, �It�s only a problem I�ve

started getting in the last twenty years or so. I suppose I should ask

Dr. Tofu.�



Ranma nodded, �That�s probably a good idea, otherwise you might get hit

with an umbrella again...�



Chame returned the nod, �You�re right. I�ll visit him before we go. In

the meantime, I want you to meditate.� Ranma closed his eyes, �Good. Now

concentrate on a single point of light. Imagine that this light is

surrounded by infinite blackness.�



Ranma concentrated.



�Okay, now. In the blackness, you can see all of your worries, your

hopes, your fears. Let them all sink into that point of light.�



After a few minutes, Ranma felt an odd sensation sweep over him, and he

nodded.



�Now there�s nothing in the darkness. It�s empty, and the point of light

is the center of everything. Let yourself sink into that point.�



Ranma nodded, feeling another odd sensation. It felt like he was

floating in a warm liquid of some kind, and he could feel ripples as

something moved near him. He resisted the temptation to open his eyes,

focusing on Chame�s words instead.



�In the light, in the very center, is a window. Look into that window,

and tell me what you see.�



Ranma looked. In his mind�s eye, he saw the light, and let himself drift

deeper into it. In the center, there was a round portal. The light

surrounded it, but didn�t blind him. He looked through it. He saw the

room he and Chame were in, �I see this room.�



�Very good. Now look around, and tell me what�s different. Tell me what

you see when you look at me.�



Ranma looked around the room. It was much the same in this view as the

last, except that the colors seemed... less vibrant. Everything seemed

muted. He glanced around. His pack wasn�t here, �Chame? I see the room,

but everything is dimmer, and some things are missing. Like my pack and

the futon.� He glanced around again, �I don�t see you.�



Chame�s voice reached him, �The room has a weak presence in the spirit

world. Only important things, or things with emotional value will show

up here. Your pack might show up in a few days, but this world is slow

to accept change. Now, look behind you. Don�t move,� She cautioned,

�Just let yourself see behind you.�



He nodded, and tried to let his sight drift in a circle around him.

Surprisingly, it did. He glanced down at himself, and was only a little

surprised to notice that he couldn�t see his body. Chame sat behind him,

looking the same in this world as in reality, �I see you now. You look

the same, though.�



�Not quite,� Ranma observed that this Chame did not appear to speak when

he heard the voice, �There is one difference. Look very closely.�



He nodded, and examined more closely. All of the details he could

remember were the same. She seemed brighter, compared to the room. Ranma

frowned, <that�s not it, is it?> He studied her again, �I think I see

it. You have an aura around you. It�s very dim, and small.�



�Actually, it�s not. Focus again. You�re new at seeing auras. Imagine

that you are able to focus your gaze closer, and see auras wider than

they appear.�



Ranma nodded, and focused. After a moment, Chame�s aura unfolded, and

seemed to swell enough to fill the room, like butterfly wings. Ranma

gasped, �Wow! That�s impressive!�



�Don�t get distracted, what colors do you see?�



He looked, �I see an intense blue swirling around from your face, but

it�s mixed with indigo and violet as well. I see a strong yellow and

red, and a weak orange and green. It looks like there are holes in your

aura where I can see right through it.�



�Very good! Okay, can you open your eyes?�



He blinked, �My eyes are open.�



�Back in reality, I mean.�



Ranma tried opening his eyes, and noticed with a twinge of panic that he

couldn�t, �I can�t!�



�Don�t worry,� Chame�s voice was soothing, and her aura suffused yellow

and blue, �Reach back, deep into yourself, and twitch your hand.�



Ranma did so, and opened his eyes. He glanced around, <This is reality,

right? Everything looks the same, more vibrant, more real>, he peered at

Chame, �Did I do it?�



She nodded, �Yes. You�ve done quite well, for your first time.�



Ranma grinned, and let himself relax from the meditative position, �So,

what does that do?�



Chame shrugged, �It�s a start. Next time, it won�t be so difficult for

you, and eventually you will get to the point where you can see auras

without having to close your eyes. You will be able to see from both

your real eyes and your spirit�s eyes simultaneously. Still, I think

that�s enough for one day. Do you have any questions?�



Ranma nodded, �Do I ever. What are the holes in your aura, and what do

the colors mean?�



�Well, the colors you see are going to be different for you when you

look, than when I will. I�d guess that your view is tinged by whatever

philosophy you follow. The colors correspond to Chakras, so the colors

would each have different meanings. The holes are there because I�m weak

right now. In a few days, when I�m back up to normal, they should be

gone.�



Ranma considered this, �Chakras, eh? But what do the colors mean?�



Chame frowned, �Don�t think of it as colors, think of it as emotions.

When you look at a color, it will have two aspects in your paradigm.

Either it will be light, or dark. The positive of an emotion, or the

negative. Practice what I taught you, and when you look at an aura, try

and feel the colors. Then you�ll know.�



Ranma bobbed his head again, �Okay, what next?�



Chame smirked, �I�m going to ward this place, for now, why don�t you

help Ukyou?�



He paused for a moment, �Oh, right. Um, you probably heard something

about this earlier, but I have a kind of... problem.�



Chame looked at Ranma patiently, �Yes?�



Ranma frowned, �Um, when I get hit with cold water, I change. Hot water

reverses it, but it might be useful as a disguise.�



Chame nodded, �I�m familiar with Jusenkyou. Aside from that, I read your

thoughts a while ago. It�s something you think about a lot.�



Ranma blinked, �Oh yeah. You�ll have to teach me that trick someday.�



�After you master the one I gave you. No go and waitress for Ukyou while

I�m working on the wards. And don�t worry, I�m polite enough to not

eavesdrop on your mind.�



Ranma raised an eyebrow, and took a change of clothes to the bathroom. A

few splashes of water later and she was ready to help Ukyou out. She was

wearing a pair of loose fitting pants and shirt, patterned with bells

and ribbons. Ranma cinched up an apron as she descended the stairs.



Ukyou giggled, �Cute outfit, Ranchan. Where�d you get it?�



Ranma rolled her eyes, �Working at the Nekkohanten. Still not busy?�



Ukyou shook her head, �The lunch rush is over. I�m glad for the help,

but aren�t you worried about someone recognizing you?�



She shrugged, �I can�t just sit around all day.�



Ukyou smiled, then studied the okonomiyaki grill for a moment, �Say,

Ranchan?�



She leaned across the counter, right now the restaurant was empty except

for the two of them, �Yeah, Ucchan?�



�So, ah, what did Chame teach you?�



She smirked, �Well, I guess she taught me to see auras.�



Ukyou raised an eyebrow, �What does my aura look like?�



Ranma frowned, �Let me see, this might take a moment.� She concentrated,

going through the same exercise that Chame had walked her through. In

almost no time, she was able to see Ukyou�s aura. It wasn�t as vibrant,

or as huge as Chame�s, but he noticed that it held an odd beauty of its

own, �Well, Ucchan, I can see a lot of orange, and some hints of other

colors, but your aura is mostly green.�



Ranma was aware of Ukyou�s voice, but it felt distant, �What does green

mean?�



Ranma paused, �Let me try and find out.� She tried to remember Chame�s

advice on the subject, <Feel. Huh.> Ranma reached out with her mind�s

eye, and tried to touch the swirling green aura around Ukyou. She felt

like she touched it for a moment, then it faded away, slipping from her

grasp.



She paused, and tried again. This time, she was able to reach it. She

paused for a moment again, <Now what?> After a moment, she tried to

sense the green. Nothing happened. She tried to read it, and studied it

more closely. Nothing happened. She paused, considering, �I think I�ve

got it, hold on a moment.�



Ranma grasped the color tightly in her mind�s eye, and let it flow

through her.



Ukyou gasped, as Ranma�s eyes shot open, and she fell backwards off her

stool. She leapt over the counter, �Ranchan? Are you okay?�



She blinked up at Ukyou for a second, tears forming, �Yeah, Ucchan, I

think so.� Ukyou helped Ranma up, and Ranma grabbed onto Ukyou tightly,

�Ucchan, I�m sorry. I�m so sorry. I never knew. I mean, I knew, but I

never realized, I�m sorry.�



Ukyou patted Ranma on the head consolingly, �Don�t worry about it

Ranchan, don�t let it bother you. Now... what was it?�



Ranma sniffled, then dried her eyes and backed away a little, �Ucchan, I

have to see Akane.�



Ukyou frowned, <No! Why?!>, and struggled not to yell, �Are you sure

that�s a good idea, Ranchan?�



Ranma shook her head, �No. It�s not. She doesn�t have to see me, but I

have to see her.�



Ukyou put out a hand to stop Ranma, but she was already gone,

�Ranchan...�



Chame descended the stairs, �What�s going on?�



Ukyou glanced back at Chame, �Ranchan said he needed to see Akane.�



Chame frowned, �Why? What brought this about?�



The okonomiyaki chef sighed, �I asked him to show me what he learned,

and he said that my aura was green. I asked him what that meant, and he

said that he didn�t know. He said he was going to try to find out, and

then he was quiet for a few minutes. Then he fell off of his stool, and

ran out to find Akane. What happened?� Ukyou looked at Chame pleadingly.



Chame put a finger across her lips, �I think I have an idea. Wait here,

I�ll bring him back.� Ukyou nodded in relief, and Chame bounded up the

stairs. She bounded out the door after retrieving her staff, and waved

to Ukyou in passing.



***



Chame decided to take a rooftop route to search for Ranma. She was

wearing her black pants, and another silk shirt with embroidered

dragons. The one she wore last night was a little torn. And

bloodstained. These clothes let her move around more easily than a

skirt. She shook her head, <Ranma, Ranma... Where are you?>



She headed towards the Tendo Dojo, trying to keep her eyes peeled for

any sign of Ranma, or Ryouga, or any of the other innumerable people

that might wish them harm.



She found Ranma first. Ranma was still in girl form, cowering at the

feet of... <Kuno?>



Chame gritted her teeth and leapt down from her perch, to land between

the two. Ranma was whimpering, and muttering something she couldn�t

understand.



Kuno faced Chame, and his expression changed from lecherously pleased,

to noble and concerned, �Ah! �Tis none other than the fair maiden who

wishes to pledge her heart to me-�



Chame cut him off, �Tatewaki, I already told you that I�m honor bound to

kill you. Now you�ve gotten my sister mixed up in your schemes. Shall we

fight?�



Kuno laughed haughtily, Ranma continued to whimper, holding her knees in

her hands and rocking back and forth slowly, �Very well! I shall fight

with thee. If thou should win, I shall allow thee to date with me.�



Chame rolled her eyes, �I don�t want a date with a corpse. This is a

blood feud, Kuno. My honor will not be satisfied until the street runs

red with your blood.�



Kuno backed away a trifle, �I sense much anger within thee, but I know

that my love can-�



Chame had had enough. She caught Kuno in the stomach with her staff,

picked him up, and hurled him across the street. He slammed into the

side of a building, leaving an indentation. Chame grumbled, and helped

Ranma stand up, �C�mon, sis, we got witnesses.�



Ranma nodded, and let herself be carried by Chame. Chame stopped a few

rooftops away from the scene, and sat Ranma down, �So. You want to talk

about it?�



Ranma shook her head violently. Chame stared into her eyes, and the

taller redhead nodded reluctantly.



Chame patted her on the head consolingly, �It�s okay. Tell me about it.�



Ranma drew in a ragged breath, �I tried to feel his aura, like you said.

I always thought he was kind of crazy, and I still think he is. The

funny thing is, I always thought that as messed up as he was, he

believed that he cared about me. When I looked into him, and I saw his

mindless pursuit of me, and the fact that he... He has no real emotions.

He only acts like it, to appear normal. What he thinks is normal.�



Chame winced, �That�s not an easy thing to take into yourself. Luckily,

it will fade soon.�



Ranma nodded, �I never realized, and when I had that, I read it and it

became _part_ of me, I had a struggle, I couldn�t tell what feelings

were mine, and what I was doing to try and be normal.� She shook her

head, shuddering, �To be him.�



Chame rocked back onto her heels for a moment, crouching near where

Ranma sat, �Well, I don�t know. I think he still has feelings, he�s just

hidden them from himself. He needs someone who actually cares about him

to love him and unlock those feelings. Unfortunately, I don�t think we

have the time to help him, and to be honest, I�m not sure I have the

inclination.�



Ranma laughed, �You�re right, though. But I don�t think I would either.�



Chame smiled, �Okay, now what�s this about seeing Akane?�



Ranma�s expression straightened out, �I want to read her aura.�



Chame nodded slowly, �Okay. I think I understand. I don�t approve, but I

can�t really stop you. Just don�t let her see you. I�ll stick with you-

oof.� Chame sat down on the roof hard, blinking, �Um, can we go see Dr.

Tofu?�



Ranma blinked, �Okay, right now?�



Chame winced, �Please.�



***



Ranma wasted no time, and swept Chame into her arms. Within minutes,

they had reached the doctor�s, and he examined Chame.



Dr. Tofu sighed, �Okay, you can put your shirt back on.� Chame did so,

silently. The doctor shook his head, and gave her a stern glance,

�Chame, I told you to take it easy. You need to rest.�



Chame looked a little guilty, �I�m sorry. I will. There�s something else

I wanted to ask you about, too.�



Dr. Tofu waited, attentively, �Yes?�



�Well, I�ve got this reaction to loud noises...�



Dr. Tofu considered, after Chame told him the story, �Well, I�m not

certain, but I will research it. Come back in a few days, and I�ll tell

you what I found out.�



Chame opened her mouth to say something, but Ranma charged into the

room, a panicked look in her eyes, �I gotta hide!� Before anyone could

say anything, she dove behind a curtain. Chame and Dr. Tofu exchanged a

glance, and then there was a knock at the door.



Dr. Tofu shrugged, �Come in.�



Chame wasn�t surprised at who came in. It was Akane. She looked irate

and confused, �Excuse me Dr. Tofu, I - Chame?�



Chame nodded, �Yes, I�m seeing the doctor, since I think I caught a cold

from last night.�



Dr. Tofu grinned, �Yeah, I think you�ll be okay if you get some rest.

You should try not to move around too much.�



Akane shook her head, <Why is that girl around everywhere?> �I�m sorry

for interrupting, Dr. Tofu, I just thought you might know something.�



Dr. Tofu looked confused, �About what?�



Akane sighed, �Ranma�s gone. His stuff is missing, and the Nekkohanten

is deserted. The rumors at school are that Shampoo said she got Ranma to

go back to China with her.� Akane�s eyes began to tear up a little, �I

can�t find anything about him anywhere. I checked Ucchan�s, but Ukyou

said that she hadn�t seen him either.�



The doctor was quiet for a moment, �Do you think he left with Shampoo?�



Akane sighed again, �Maybe, I mean, he might have, for,� She glanced at

Chame, �That, uh, thing he was always looking for.�



Tofu nodded, �I suppose. But does that really sound like the Ranma you

know?�



Akane paused, thinking, �Yes. That�s the kind of thing he would do if he

thought that it would get him a cure.� She sighed again, �I�m sorry. I�m

going to go home. Kasumi invited you over for dinner tonight, if you

were interested.�



The doctor kept the glow on his face minimal, until Akane had turned

away to leave, �Sure, Akane! I�ll see you later.�



Chame sighed, and opened the curtain once it was safe. Ranma was

standing there. Her face bore an expression that conveyed both hurt and

anger. Chame smiled weakly, �Want to talk about it?�



Ranma sighed, �No. Yes.� She sighed again heavily, and let the anger

drain from her face, �I think so.�



Chame smiled encouragingly at Ranma.



�She does care about me. A little. But she�s got so much anger, and so

little trust. It hurts, but maybe it�s my fault. I probably never helped

matters.�



Dr. Tofu was quiet for another long moment, �No, Ranma. She�s always

been that way. After the loss of her mother, she was afraid to love

anyone, since she loved her mother, and... She�s afraid if she lets

anyone into her heart, she�ll lose them too. And you lead a dangerous

life. There are a lot of factors to consider. In the end, it�s no-one�s

fault.�



She frowned, staring at her feet, �Didn�t you once tell me that she was

really a sweet girl?�



Dr. Tofu winced, �True. And when she was younger, she was. I was hoping

that if someone showed her love that she would change back. But the

point is you can�t blame yourself. If anything, give it time. Maybe

things will still work out. I�ll be spending more time with her family

now, and maybe we can break her out of her shell.�



Ranma sighed, �You�re right. We just need some time.�



Dr. Tofu shrugged, �Okay. Can you help Chame get back to Ukyou�s?�



Ranma looked up at Chame, �Sure, can I use the spare room for some time

to think?�



Chame nodded, �I�m done with it.�



She smiled at Chame thankfully, �Okay then, let�s go.�



Dr. Tofu waved to them, and they walked back to Ucchan�s in silence.



***



Ukyou smiled when she saw Ranma and Chame return, �Ranchan! Chame! Are

you guys okay?�



Chame nodded, �Just a little weak. I�m going to help out, since it will

be dinner soon. Ranma will hide in the spare room, so no-one will

recognize him while more people who might be able to do so are around.�



Ranma nodded, �Yeah. I need a little time to think about things.�



Ukyou waited until she was up the stairs before she pounced, �So, what

happened?�



Chame frowned pensively, as she tied on an apron, �I really think it

would be better for Ranma to tell you on his own.�



Ukyou grimaced, �Okay, okay.�



The bell over the door rang, as a customer entered. Ukyou sighed, and

prepared to lose herself in her work for a few hours.



Chame smiled softly to herself, as she waited tables, <Patience, child.

Patience.>



***



Ranma sat in his room, considering, and letting the turmoil of emotions

wash through him. He glanced around, <Heh. My room. I�m living with

Ucchan now.> He frowned, <Why does it have to be this way? I could

really like Akane, but...> He lapsed into a sigh, <This was much easier

before I learned that trick.> His mind began to wander to other things,

<I wonder what I should do. Maybe I should talk to my mother...>



He considered the idea. His mother only knew him as Ranko, but soon he

would be leaving, <I might not get a chance to see her again, not for a

long while. Even if it�s only as Ranko, I�d like to see her before we

go.> He paused, <Chame�s going to need to stay for a while, since Dr.

Tofu is researching her hearing problem. I think I have enough time.> He

nodded to himself, <I�m leaving anyway, so I should tell her the truth.

I�d better bring Ukyou with me, though.> He pondered, wondering if his

mother would really make him commit seppuku.



He sighed, and stretched out on his bedroll, <Probably not. She might

make dad, though. Heh, like he doesn�t deserve it.> He rolled to one

side thinking back on what he had discovered earlier, <I guess that�s

something I�ll never be able to do.> He shifted uncomfortably, <But

then, would it have worked?>



After thinking about it for a while, he sighed again, <No. It wouldn�t

have, would it? Best look to the future.> He let himself drift off to

sleep, still thinking about the future.



***



Ukyou stretched, the shift was over, �Thanks Chame, you were a huge

help. Maybe I should consider hiring someone part-time...� She shook her

head, �But I guess I�m leaving, so it doesn�t matter, does it?�



Chame smiled, �Maybe not here. You can always start again, somewhere

else.�



Ukyou nodded, �You�re right. Do you think now is a good time to talk to

Ranchan?�



Chame frowned, thoughtful, and her eyes went blank for a moment, �No,

he�s dreaming right now.�



Ukyou raised an eyebrow, �What�s he dreaming about?�



The redhead colored a little, �I�m not going to say.�



The okonomiyaki chef giggled, �Was it about me?�



Chame rolled her eyes, �Ask him in the morning. Are you going to go to

school tomorrow?�



Ukyou shook her head, �No, school is out tomorrow.�



Chame nodded, �Okay then. I had hoped we could be ready to move by now,

but Dr. Tofu is right, I need to rest.�



Ukyou regarded her, �That didn�t look very restful.�



Chame looked innocent, �Compared to carrying people while leaping across

buildings?�



Ukyou laughed, �Okay, you have a point there. Let�s go to bed.�



The redhead grinned, �I�ll stick to my bedroll, thanks.�



Ukyou smirked, �Who was the one who didn�t mind waking up with another

woman?�



Chame shrugged, �I�ve been around for a while.�



Ukyou�s eyes widened, �Uh, you mean you, uh, you like girls?�



Chame�s smiled lessened, �No, that�s not it. I�m actually not much into

either, right now. I guess I just don�t think I have time for it.� She

sighed, �When I was younger, about two thousand years ago, I ended up in

a similar situation. It�s... nice to sleep with another woman. I liked

it because there was no threat of sexuality, just two people, content to

share their presence and warmth.� She trailed off, looking a little sad.



Ukyou looked at the ceiling, thinking, �Yeah, I guess you were right.

When I slept with you, I felt... comforted. I didn�t feel threatened,

and I don�t think I�ve rested that well in a long time.� Ukyou shook her

head, and looked at Chame again, �But, does that mean you�re frightened

of, ah, intimacy?�



Chame�s look of sadness deepened, �Well, I don�t know. I just haven�t

found the right guy yet. When I was younger, I thought that it might be

Dr. Tofu, but now, I know that�s not right. He�s not the one for me.�



Ukyou began to smile, slowly, �Have you ever been married in your life?

Had children?�



Chame rolled her eyes again, �I slept in the same bed as a man once, and

I�m betting he wasn�t the best example of a gentleman, but nothing

happened. That�s about the closest I�ve ever come.�



Ukyou frowned, �Haven�t you even ever kissed someone?�



Chame scratched the back of her head, �I was planning on it, once. But

something happened, and it kind of ruined the mood.�



�What was it?�



�An army of angry women tore my sister apart, and she bled to death in

my arms.�



Ukyou blanched, �Oh. I�m sorry. I didn�t know.�



Chame shook her head, �No, it�s not your fault, and it was a _very_ long

time ago. We should go to bed.�



Ukyou nodded, and followed her up the stairs. She ran back down a moment

later, making sure the door was locked.



***



Ranma woke early the next day. He blinked at his surroundings. <Another

unfamiliar ceiling.>, he thought to himself.



He sighed, and sat up, stretching. After grabbing a change of clothes,

(another red Chinese shirt), he headed for the shower. He reflected on

the last few days while he washed, <Magic. I knew Cologne and the old

letch knew some stuff, but I never thought I would be learning.> He

sighed, shut off the water, and climbed onto the roof.



No one was up this early, and Ucchan�s had a flat roof, so he didn�t

have to worry about being seen. He tossed his shirt to one side, keeping

his plain tank top, and began a series of kata. The exercises helped

keep him in shape, and sharpened his focus. They also allowed him time

to think, something he had been doing a lot of lately.



He focused on his ki, trying to take in the entire world around him. He

was used to having heightened senses as a martial artist, but the new

sensations, seeing and feeling auras, was foreign to him, <I wonder if I

really need to learn magic. I�m good enough a martial artist without

seeing auras.> He pondered this for a moment, until a nagging voice in

the back of his head informed him that maybe there was more to this than

just martial arts.



He froze, mid motion, <More to life than martial arts?> Of course there

was; he knew that. He read manga, watched TV, and did other things aside

from martial arts. He sat down, and thought about it, <I do lots of

things besides martial arts.> The nagging voice asked him what, and he

didn�t have an answer.



Troubled, he began the kata again. What skills did he have, outside of

martial arts? <School is embarrassing, I�ve never paid much attention

before, even though I probably should have. What else is there? I can

cook.> He smiled, <Maybe it�s not much, and I might not be great, but

I�m a decent cook.> He nodded to himself, reassured.



The nagging voice rose again, and asked �what else�?



He sighed, sagging to the ground. Despondently, he shook his head, and

went back inside. Ukyou was already awake, and humming something to

herself in the kitchen. Ranma treaded down the stairs softly. Chame

wasn�t anywhere he could see.



He tapped Ukyou on the shoulder gently, and she jumped, startled,

�Ranchan!� She spun around, to face him, and her expression changed from

amused to worried, �Ranchan? What�s wrong?�



Ranma looked at the grill for a long moment, �Ukyou, can you teach me

how to make okonomiyaki?�



<Not Ucchan. Ukyou.> Her spatula dropped to the floor as she stared in

shock. Ranma picked it up, and handed it to her hopefully. She nodded

slowly, �Y-yes, Ranchan, I can teach you.�



He smiled as the faint tinge of fear left his face, �Thanks, Ucchan.�



***



Ukyou paused, admiring Ranma�s technique as he whipped up another

okonomiyaki for someone in the lunch crowd. He made mistakes, but he was

a fast learner. Ukyou decided to let him make the food while she waited

tables for a change. He seemed to relish the challenge, and he flung the

okonomiyaki with unerring accuracy to wherever Ukyou was standing. She

smiled, it was good to see him smiling, and events of the last few days

had left him brooding too often.



She caught the flung okonomiyaki on a stack of plates she was carrying,

and served it to the customers. His cooking may not have been as good as

hers, but his method of serving was spectacular. Not only that, he had

taken to showing off while cooking. She watched as he flipped a pair of

small pitchers. He caught them, and the batter from the two pitchers

collided in midair, and made a neat, almost perfectly circular splat on

the grill.



After flipping the okonomiyaki, he grinned, and tossed a bowl of shrimp

in the air. He sliced them in midair, and removed the tails before they

landed. He did the same with other ingredients



The customers cheered him on, and he continued, juggling, cooking, and

having fun. After the last of the lunch rush was finally waving goodbye,

Ukyou turned to him, �Well, Ranchan? Did you have enjoy yourself?�



He grinned widely, �Yeah. I don�t think I�m as good as you, but that was

fun.�



Ukyou giggled, shaking her head, �You certainly showed off pretty well.

But don�t worry, I�ve spent all my life making these.�



He smiled back, �I�m just glad I can learn things aside from martial

arts.�



Ukyou sobered at this, �Is that what this is about?�



He nodded, �Yeah, I was afraid that martial arts are the one and only

thing I could do well.�



She frowned, �Huh. I never really thought about it. You could probably

do anything you wanted too pretty well, though. You�re a fast learner.

Maybe you could take up music.�



Ranma gave her a funny look, �You think?�



Ukyou shrugged, �Maybe.�



Chame wandered down the stairs at that point, �Morning. Sorry I slept in

so late. Anything happen?�



Ukyou shook her head, �Not really, do you want anything to eat?�



Chame nodded eagerly, �Please. A pair of those deluxes would be

perfect.�



Ukyou set to work, �Just a minute, then.� Chame went into the small

kitchen in the back, and poured herself something to drink. She came

back, and took a seat at the counter.



Ranma watched Ukyou�s work intently, mumbling to himself, and mimicking

some of the movements. Ukyou and Chame glanced at Ranma, and then again

at each other. Chame shook her head, �So, Ranma. What are your plans for

the day?�



Ranma looked up sharply, snapped out of his reverie, �Huh? I was

thinking about something from earlier.�



Chame shrugged, �What?�



Ranma paused, �I don�t know. Do you think I would have any musical

ability?�



The elder Machin blinked at this, �Actually, I have no idea. You might.

I�ve learned a lot in my life, but music was something I didn�t ever

study. Perhaps I should have.� She frowned, musing over this until Ukyou

served her the okonomiyaki.



Ranma glanced at Ukyou, �I think it might be something worth looking

into.� He pondered, then nodded, mumbling to himself, �I need some

money.�



Chame glanced at him, �Ah, why?�



He stiffened, �Um, nothing. I have to go.�



Chame looked at him, setting down her chopsticks, �Are you sure you

should go alone?�



He frowned for a moment, �Sorry, I really think I should.�



Ukyou frowned, �Ranchan, I�d rather you didn�t. You need to be careful.�



He bit his lip, �Okay. Chame, will you come with me?�



She nodded, �Certainly. Where are you planning on going?�



He stared at her for a moment, <Please read my mind, please read my

mind, please read my mind!> �Oh, you know. Just need some air.�



Chame blinked at him, �Right, I guess we should go, then.� <What�s going

on with him?> She shook her head, �Let�s go, then.�



The two left Ucchan�s, and waved at her. Ukyou frowned, thinking,

<What�s he up to?>.



***



The area Ranma and Chame walked through had a smattering of people

wandering around, darting from shop to shop. This street was narrow, and

seldom saw vehicular traffic. Ranma glanced into store windows

occasionally, but neither he nor Chame moved to enter any of them.



Ranma walked in silence for a while, then finally spoke, �Chame, what�s

going on?�



She sighed, �About what? There are a lot of things going on right now.�



He shrugged, thinking to himself, �I don�t know. After you showed me how

to see auras, I got this nagging voice in the back of my head.�



She glanced at him sharply, �That�s not good.�



Ranma laughed in spite of himself, �No, it�s not saying I should kill

people or anything like that. But it got me to thinking; what else can I

do besides martial arts? What other skills do I have?�



Chame nodded slowly, �Well. Magic ever called the creative mind.�



He gave her a sidelong glance, �That doesn�t tell me much.�



She sighed, mollified, �Right. Well, I�m not sure exactly how to say

this, but people who use magic find themselves with different urges.

Different desires. It changes how you think. Once you cross that

threshold, you can�t go back.�



Ranma frowned, �I don�t know. I like being a martial artist. I�ve

devoted my entire life to it, I don�t want to just throw that away.�



She paused, considering, �You don�t have to.�



He looked up at her, �Well, what should I do?�



Chame shrugged, �There are a lot of things you can do. First off, spend

some time finding something you enjoy. Something aside from martial

arts. Creative energy is an important tap for your magical powers. The

two blur together sometimes.�



He nodded, �I always thought that magic would have to do with potions

and scrolls, and learning old languages and stuff.�



She shook her head, �Some kinds of magic can, but the simple things only

require a flexible mind and a bit of aptitude.�



�Well, what should I do?�



Chame paused for a moment, �In the end, that�s something only you can

decide, but I�ll give you some advice. Why don�t you take a little time

for yourself? Think about this, spend some time with Ukyou, and enjoy

the arts. Find out what you like.�



Ranma looked thoughtful for a moment, �What do you do?�



Chame looked blank for a moment, �Well, a lot of things. I�ve

experimented a little. I like to cook, I think that�s something anyone

can learn to enjoy.� Ranma nodded, smiling, �I used to make pottery, but

you can�t always carry the things you need to make that work around with

you. Normally I just ignore it, but when the urge gets too strong to

bear now, I paint.�



Ranma cocked his head to one side, �Really?�



Chame nodded, �I won�t fool you, I�m not very good at it. But it�s still

something to enjoy.�



Ranma looked at his feet, �Huh. Painting.�



Chame shook her head, �Anyway. What was that about money?�



Ranma started, shaken out of his reverie, �Oh, uh, I was thinking about

going somewhere later tonight.�



Shrugging, she replied, �I suppose. You do need to explore yourself a

bit more. Here, follow me.�



Ranma followed as Chame led him through a series of unfamiliar streets,

coming to a pawnshop. She glanced at the sign for a moment, then nodded

to herself, �Good enough.�



He touched her shoulder before she entered, �Wait, what makes you say

that?�



She glanced back at him, and pointed to the wooden sign, �See those

three scratches underneath the lower right hand corner?� He nodded,

studying them, �The middle line is longer than the other three, and the

top and bottom are the same length. That means that the owner is fair.

You see that one up there?� She pointed, and Ranma nodded again, �That

one means that he�s also likely to purchase stolen goods. It would help

if I knew someone to use as a reference, but I�m sure we can reach some

agreement.�



Ranma stared at the sign for a moment, wondering what else he had seen

bore hidden messages like this, and then followed Chame into the shop.



***



The interior of the shop was dank, and the air seemed stale. A thin

layer of dust covered a number of the display cases, and the proprietor

eyed them warily.



He was a tall man, dark and brooding. He wore dark clothing, and seemed

to blend into the surroundings. Ranma noted, a bit worriedly, that the

store was deserted except for the three of them.



Chame approached the counter, and studied him for a moment. He spoke

after studying her in return, �Yes? Can I help you?�



Ranma started, expecting the man�s speech to be more callous. Chame

nodded, and placed a silver coin on the counter.



He stared at it for a moment, then held it up to a small light. He shook

his head, and placed a jewelers lens over one eye. After a moment of

hemming and hawing, he looked up at Chame, �What can you tell me about

this piece?�



She shrugged, �Authentic Roman. Solid silver, in good condition.�



He nodded, �I�d like to test it. It _looks_ authentic, but there�s

almost no tarnishing. It�s either been stored very well, or isn�t real

silver.�



Chame nodded back, and the man retreated for a moment into the back

room. Ranma put a hand on Chame�s shoulder, �You don�t have to give that

up for this; that thing must be priceless.�



She brushed the hand off and rolled her eyes, �Ranma, I�ve been

collecting things like this all my life. I�ve got a great big chest of

them at home, and a few more scattered in safe deposit boxes all over.

This just happened to be one of the few I was carrying with me. I spent

most of my local currency a few days ago.�



He backed off, and the man emerged from the back room with what looked

like a small chemistry set. He scraped a small amount of metal from the

coin in what he judged to be an inconspicuous spot, and dropped it into

a beaker. He heated it, wrote some notes down, and mumbled to himself.



After a few moments, he nodded, �Well, it�s over 98% pure. Just barely,

but it is. What are you asking?�



He and Chame haggled for a while. Ranma watched from the sidelines, not

wanting to interfere, <Damn. She�s good at this. I wonder if she could

out-bargain Nabiki.> Chame and the broker spent about ten minutes

arguing. He said that it was probably stolen. Chame said that it

probably wasn�t, and if the police came, he couldn�t buy it. He pointed

out that it could be sold somewhere else for a lot more than he had.

Chame observed that he could meet her price, and still make a profit.

Finally, they came to an agreement, a price Ranma found obscene, and he

paid her in cash.



Chame stuffed the majority of the bills into a pouch, handed a thick

stack to Ranma, and smiled cheerfully to the broker. He smiled back,

locking the coin in a drawer.



Ranma followed Chame as she left the shop, looking at the stack of cash

in his hands dumbfounded for a moment, �Uh, Chame?� He didn�t know

whether or not to be more amazed that the man had the money to give her,

or that he met the price at all.



She glanced back at him, leading him back to Ucchan�s, �Yeah? Oh, Ranma,

you might want to put that away for now.�



He nodded, putting the wad of bills away in a pocket, �Right. That�s a

hell of a lot of money.�



She nodded in return, �I know.�



He shook his head, �I mean, if you�ve got more coins like that, couldn�t

you just...�



�Just what?�



He gestured, trying to convey what he couldn�t put into words, �I don�t

know, I mean, you could do a lot with that.�



She shrugged indifferently, �One or twice, I have. You can only spend so

long in opulence before it gets boring.�



He frowned, �I suppose. You said you had more at home? You mean

Ucchan�s, right?�



She shook her head smiling, �No, I have a home. It�s where I keep most

of my things.�



Ranma considered this, �Oh. I�d like to see that at some point.�



Her smile widened, �I would like you to go there as well. Right now,

it�s the safest place I can think of that we could go to.�



He shrugged, �I don�t feel like I�m in danger.�



Chame was quiet for a moment, �But you are. We both are.�



He didn�t reply, and the two walked back the rest of the way in silence.



***



Ryouga tried to open his eyes, but he couldn�t. <Where am I?> He

couldn�t tell.



He drifted, in silence and darkness for a moment, until reality returned

to him. His eyes still wouldn�t open, but his ears worked, and he could

feel his body. He could hear speaking, many people, far but near at the

same time. All of them were speaking softly, in undertones he couldn�t

make out.



He tried to feel his surroundings. He felt something cold and smooth

underneath him. Like he was lying on glass, or polished wood.



Ryouga struggled for a moment, <What�s going on?> Finally, after an

eternity, he twitched a hand. <No, not a hand, it�s...> realization

swept over him, and he tried to pay attention to his body again, <I�m

P-chan.> Familiar with his body once more, he opened his eyes. The rage

was gone, for now.



He froze for a moment, trying to hold in a scream as his eyes opened.

They opened, but roughly, like he tore something to do it. His scream

emerged, as everything he said in this form, in a squeal. Not a healthy

pig squeal, but a broken, rattling sound. His eyes showed him nothing.

Everything he could see was blurred, though he could dimly make out one

of the blurred shapes moving towards him.



The voices in the background became more clear, �Damn it Hanagata, I

don�t love you! I�m not carrying your child! This child belongs to-�



Ryouga blinked, he was too weak to move, though he wasn�t sure why. His

vision cleared a little more with every blink, and he heard another

voice, �I don�t care, Cherry! I love you anyway!� He cast around, trying

to resolve anything beyond a blur, and then something moved towards him.

A human hand.



The voice in the background cut off with a sudden click, and he felt a

gentle touch. Someone spoke, soothingly, shushing him from sounds he

didn�t even know he was making, �There... come now, take it easy little

one. You�re lucky to have survived this far, rest, and you�ll be okay.�



Another hand came down, and the two scooped him up gently, bringing him

close to a face, <Akane? No, it�s not. Who are you?> A somewhat

plain-faced, but still attractive girl. She held him against her bosom,

and rocked him gently. He fell into a fitful sleep surrounded by an

antiseptic smell, and the soft feeling of cloth. As he began to drift

away, soft singing filled his ears.



***



Ukyou was preparing for the dinner rush when Ranma returned. Chame said

nothing about the time they were gone, and got ready to help Ukyou.



Ranma considered for a moment and then nodded his head, reassuring

himself. He sat at the counter, �Ucchan?�



She smiled, nervously, �Yes, Ranchan?� Every day now, she was afraid

something would happen. Something that would take him away, or make him

tell her that he didn�t love her. That nagging fear in her always told

her that Ranma might not like her in that way. She shoved it aside, and

smiled at Ranma.



He paused, watching Ukyou before he said anything, <Akane was cute when

she smiled, but so is Ukyou. And Ukyou smiles so much more easily.> He

swallowed, and looked at the floor, <Think about that later.> �Um,

Ucchan, since we�re going to be leaving soon anyway, I was wondering

if...� He mumbled something under his breath.



Ukyou blinked, �What? I couldn�t hear that, Ranchan.�



Chame made herself scarce, shuffling clean dishes around in the kitchen

noisily. Ranma cleared his throat and stared at the counter intently,

�Ucchan, would you like to go out with me tonight.�



Ukyou froze, and dropped her spatula again. Ranma stepped around the

counter, and retrieved it for her, �Ucchan?� She nodded happily, and

seized him in a hug before he could say anything. He managed to toss the

spatula on the grill before she crushed him to her even more tightly,

and made a choking noise, �Ucchan! Can�t - breathe!�



She released him, and smiled up at him, �Ranchan! I�d love to go out

with you.� She flipped the sign to �closed�, and took down the banner in

the front of her store.



Ranma smiled in spite of himself, <It�s not so bad, then.> �Great, I

have an idea of where we should go, will you be ready in an hour?�



She nodded eagerly, and he went up the stairs, to the room that he was

staying in, <No. I was right earlier. For now, �my room�.>



He heard a giggle from Ukyou, and then chattering from her at Chame.

Chame made a few non-committal noises before Ranma closed the door, and

couldn�t hear anymore.



He lay back on the futon, reflecting, <It�s not so bad at all.>



***



Chame nodded, and said something vaguely reassuring to Ukyou, as the

young girl babbled at her about her upcoming date. She didn�t say

anything; Ranma was obviously in turmoil, and needed this to calm down.

But she didn�t approve, either. The two going out alone made her

nervous. She�d rather have them stay here, where she could watch them.

Ranma because he was important to her, and Ukyou because she was

important to Ranma.



She hesitated a moment before admitting to herself that Ukyou was

important to her as well. She nodded at something Ukyou asked, and

excused herself up the stairs. The door to Ranma�s room was closed, and

she hesitated again before knocking.



Ranma answered, almost as if he had been expecting her, �Come in.� She

entered, and looked at him. He was staring at the ceiling, seemingly

unfocused, �Hey Chame. What�s up?�



She shrugged, �Just worried, is all.�



He frowned, �You want to come instead of Ukyou?�



She shook her head, �No, I don�t want to get in the way of that. I�m

just worried about you.�



He smirked, �I can take care of myself, you know.�



Chame sighed, �Yes. That�s true, isn�t it. Have you been practicing?�



Ranma stared at her blankly for a moment, then nodded, �Yeah. I can see

auras pretty easily, now.�



She smiled, �Good. I�ll teach you something else tomorrow. I think we

should be able to leave, soon.�



He let his head fall back to the futon, �I wonder what Ucchan�s planning

on doing with this place once we leave.�



Chame didn�t say anything for a while, �I was thinking she would come

with us.�



Ranma nodded, �I gathered as much. You sure you want her with us?�



She rolled her eyes, �Do you really think you don�t? Ranma, we have no

idea how long it�s going to be before we can come back, don�t you want a

friend with you?�



He stared at the ceiling, unmoving for a while. When he spoke, his voice

was thick, �Yeah, I�d like that. And she wouldn�t be safe here alone,

would she?� He sighed, and changed the subject, �What happened to the

old ghoul? I heard that she and Shampoo ran back to China, claiming that

they already got me.�



Chame smirked, �That�s my fault. I figured anyone chasing you would

think twice in the face of having to brave the Joketsuzoku.�



Ranma nodded, �I thought as much. When are you planning on leaving?�



Chame fidgeted, �I think the day after tomorrow.�



Ranma sighed, seeming disappointed, �Okay. I was thinking of seeing my

mother before then. Would that be okay?�



Chame shrugged, �I don�t see why not. Do you mind if Ukyou and I

accompany you?�



Ranma hesitated before answering, �No, I suppose not. My mother doesn�t

know who I am. She�s only seen my cursed form, so she thinks that I�m a

cousin of the Tendos.�



Chame nodded slowly, �I didn�t know that.�



Ranma raised an eyebrow, �I thought that you read my mind?�



Chame shook her head, �No, I respect things that you keep locked away in

the corner of your mind. I didn�t know that Ryouga turned into a pig

until I guessed from the things you remembered saying to him.�



Ranma sighed, �There�s more to this, though.�



Chame raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.



�My father signed a contract with me, and gave it to my mother. It

basically says that if she�s not pleased with me, and if my father fails

to make me a �man among men�, that he and I shall commit seppuku. If my

mother is disappointed in me...� Ranma swallowed, his mouth suddenly

dry.



Chame looked into his eyes for a long minute, and then sighed, �I don�t

think that�s going to be a problem, Ranma. You told me you�d been

training since you were a child. I don�t think that any mother would

consign her son to death like that. Especially in the face of the fact

that this is the first time she�s seen you in _how_ long? I doubt that

she would have your father do so either, but he might deserve it more.�

She shuddered, �The things in that man�s mind, even through a haze of

drunkenness-� she cut herself off, �Never mind about that for now.

Tomorrow, I�ll teach you how to extend your aura to calm people around

you, and we�ll go talk to your mother. For now, I�ll just use the

technique on you. Try and have a nice time tonight, and please try and

stay out of trouble.�



Ranma nodded, and Chame extended her hand towards him, palm out. She

mouthed something at him, and he felt waves of calmness sweep over him,

leaving him so relaxed that he couldn�t move.



She left the room then, but he didn�t notice. He just stared at the

ceiling, enjoying the sensation of calmness, and thinking about his

mother.



After a length of time he assumed to be an hour, there was another

gentle knock at the door. He sat up, and stretched, enjoying the last of

the all-too-brief calmness as it faded, �Come in.�



Ukyou opened the door, and peeked in on Ranma, �Ranchan? Are you ready?�



He stood, nodding, �Yeah, let me grab another shirt.� He turned his back

to Ukyou, and put on a fresh shirt. He turned to face Ukyou, �Let�s g-

oh wow.�



Ukyou blushed, and looked at her feet. She had let her hair down, and it

cascaded down her shoulders in soft waves. The dress she was wearing was

a soft yellow, almost a creamy white color. The sleeves ended just above

her elbows, and the hem ended just under her knees. Matching gloves

accompanied the dress covering her wrists and flowed almost to her

elbows. The effect was that there was a small invisible bracelet on each

arm, around her elbows. In addition, for the first time since Ranma had

known her, Ukyou wore earrings.



Ranma stared at her for a few minutes before he realized what he was

doing. He looked at his feet, �Uh, maybe I should get something nicer

than this...�



Ukyou grabbed his wrist, �No, I think you�ll do just fine. And as much

of a cold water magnet as you are...�



Ranma�s face cracked into a wide grin, �Okay, Ucchan, let�s go.�



Chame sat in a corner of the restaurant, flipping though a small stack

of books and mumbling to herself. She looked up when the two came down

the stairs, and raised an eyebrow. Ukyou was still blushing, and Ranma

looked slightly dazed. She shook her head and turned her attention back

to the books, �You two have fun. Be careful.�



Ranma and Ukyou spoke in unison, �Of course we will!�



***



After the two left Ucchan�s, and Chame poring over her texts, Ranma

hailed a taxi. They rode in silence for a while, Ranma trying not to

stare at his friend, and Ukyou trying not to blush.



Finally, she spoke, �So, ah, where should we go?�



Ranma smiled, regaining a little of his lost composure, �Uh, I�ve

planned a few things out. It�s some things I wanted to do after Chame

suggested learning about myself, and the arts.�



Ukyou nodded, �What do you have planned?�



Ranma furrowed his brown in thought for a moment, �Well, first off, I

thought it would be nice to go to a symphony. I remember Nabiki was

saying I should take Akane there sometime.�



Ukyou frowned at the mention of Akane, and turned away, looking out the

window as they moved along. Ranma mumbled something, realizing he�d made

a blunder.



After a moment, he cleared his throat, �Anyway, after that, I thought we

could go see a play, or something, they have a lot of stuff like that in

this district. Then maybe dinner.� He glanced at Ukyou, and flushed a

little, �At a nice restaurant in the area.� <Not fast food, like I was

planning.>



Ukyou nodded, not turning her head. Ranma hesitated for a moment, but

the window turned into a mirror for a brief instant as the cab drove out

of one streetlight, and into another other. He saw the tears forming in

the corners of her eyes, <Damn it. Why did I have to go bring that up? I

know she wants... but wait, what about what _I_ want?>



He sighed, staring forward and brooding, <She says she loves me, and I

am honor bound to marry her.> He grimaced, <And Akane, and whoever else

my father bargained me off to. But what about _my_ feelings?>



Ranma stared at the back of the seat in front of him for a moment, as if

he expected it to give him an answer. After a moment, he decided, <Who

am I kidding? I like Ucchan. I like her a lot. And I know she likes me.

If I had to choose between her and Akane right now-> He paused, stricken

by the thought, <I do have to decide, don�t I? I want to have made a

choice before I face my mother.>



Ukyou stared out the window, trying to hold back the tears, <I shouldn�t

have read that much into it. Ranma likes me as a friend. Chame said that

was what he needed more than anything. A friend. I�m pressuring him too

much. If he loves me, he�ll love me on his own, not because I want him

too.> She sighed, feeling almost physical relief at the admission.



They turned to each other, and spoke at the same time, �Ranchan-

Ucchan-�



Ranma flushed, and looked away, �Ah, you first.�



Ukyou hardened her resolve, knowing she had to say it, �Ranma, I�m

sorry. I shouldn�t have tried to make this a date; I should have more

respect for your feelings. I didn�t know you meant this to just be a

thing between friends.� <And that�s what I�m going to be>, she

reflected, relieved to know that she wasn�t very bitter. <A friend.>



Ranma frowned, and stared at his hands for a long time. The cab driver

pulled to a stop, having reached the destination. Ranma paid him

absently, and walked with Ukyou along the side of the street. He sighed,

letting all of his pent-up frustration out with the breath. <And to

think, just a little while ago, I was perfectly calm>, he noted,

ruefully.



They were quiet for a while, lost in their thoughts, and Ranma finally

stopped, turning to Ukyou, �Ucchan, why don�t we go to a cafe and get

something to drink? I�d like to talk a little before we go anywhere.�



She nodded, �Sure, Ranchan.�



The two found a small coffee shop on the corner of the block, and sat in

a booth, staring at the table in front of them. Occasionally, their eyes

would flicker up towards each other, and then away in embarrassment when

they met.



Ranma cleared his throat nervously, and looked into Ukyou�s eyes,

�Ucchan, I�ve had a lot of time to think about this. I mean, a lot of

time.�



Ukyou nodded, not quite knowing what he was talking about.



Ranma leaned against the seat, and slung one arm along the top of the

seat back, �I have to admit, I was pretty irresponsible. But Pop is the

one who made two engagements.� He concentrated on making himself meet

Ukyou�s gaze, �I should have resolved this a long time ago. Pop wants me

to join the two schools, Tendo and Saotome.� He sighed again, �And he

already accepted your dowry. I�ve got two obligations here. Both of them

my father made.�



Ukyou managed a weak smile, <Just a friend. It�s better than not being

with him at all. I�d rather see him happy with someone else than no-one

at all.> She tried to force herself to believe it; she knew that she

would accept it as a fact, eventually.



Ranma ran a hand through his hair, �I�ve got one obligation of my own.

My own irresponsibility. So I�ve got three fianc�es.� He stared at his

hand, and raised three fingers, �Well, Shampoo was my fault. According

to her laws, she has to-� He let out a small laugh, �Actually, according

to her laws, we�re already married. That�s my responsibility. But I

don�t want it, and I don�t like Shampoo much. Maybe as a friend, because

she�s a good fighter, and will stand up for what she believes in,

but...� He shook his head, �That doesn�t really matter. I spoke with

Chame about that, and she said that Machin blood supercedes Amazon law.

I don�t know how, but in the long run, even though they still want me to

marry Shampoo, I�m free of that obligation.�



Ukyou smiled, a real one this time, �That�s good! One less problem to

worry about.�



He frowned, mouthing the word �problem�. He shook his head again, as if

to clear a thought from it, and raised his eyes to meet Ukyou�s again,

�That still leaves me with two obligations.� He said the word with

venom, bitterness seeping into it. He growled, �It�s Pop�s fault,

though.� He sighed, �Not that he matters really. I looked at Akane�s

aura, and I looked at yours. You two were really the only contenders.�



Ukyou continued to smile, despite the growing, gnawing pain in her

chest, <Please Ranchan, I know what you�re going to say, stop dragging

this out, and let us start being friends instead of fianc�es.> �Ranchan,

it�s okay. You can tell me.�



He frowned, �When I looked at Akane while she was thinking about me, and

I read her aura-� he paused to wave away a waitress, �I could feel that

she loved me.�



Ukyou�s smile faltered, and she screamed internally, <Ranchan! Get to

your point, don�t make this hurt any more than you have to!>



He stared at the table in front of him, lost in his thoughts, �But

behind that, I could see anger. So much anger.� He drew in a deep

breath, and expelled it slowly, eyes closed, �She didn�t trust me much,

either. I think, largely, that it was my own fault. I didn�t help

matters, and we got along poorly anyway. Our parents always forced us

together, every attempt at a date was ruined...� He trailed off, looking

miserable, �But sometimes, even though it was rare, she would smile. She

was so cute when she smiled, but her smiles were for _me_ less and less.

I used to steal glances at her, hoping to see her smile, but it almost

never happened. Especially lately.�



Ukyou patted Ranma�s hand reassuringly, feeling the gnawing intensify.

When she spoke, her voice was thick with emotion, �It�s okay Ranma. I

understand. I�ll always be your friend.�



Ranma smiled, looking into her eyes, �Ukyou, I think that�s what the

problem was with Akane. She wouldn�t be my friend. We tried, but one

thing would lead to another, and it just wouldn�t work out.�



Ukyou tried a laugh, <Ukyou again. Not Ucchan.> �You were always pretty

stubborn.�



He nodded, �I guess so. I should send her a letter, telling her that

it�s not going to work, and saying I�m sorry.�



Ukyou blinked, confused, �What?�



Ranma shrugged, �Of course, Mr. Tendo�s going to try and get me to marry

one of his other daughters, but Kasumi seems to like Dr. Tofu. I�m not

going to interfere with that. And there�s no way I�m going to marry

Nabiki.� He laughed, �That would never work. No, I�m afraid that the

union between the schools isn�t going to happen.�



Ukyou nodded, �I understand. If you can�t fulfill two obligations, then

you shouldn�t fill just one of them, right?�



Ranma smiled again, �Yeah, pretty much that�s it. I�d like to help you

out, of course... My father did lose your dowry, and I think I owe you

that. But I�m going to end the formal engagements.�



She nodded again, dully, surprised at how relieved she was that her

rival didn�t get Ranma either. Inwardly, she cursed herself for thinking

of Ranma as a prize, �Ranma, that yattai... It was very valuable, but

your friendship means more to me than that. I forgive that debt, if

you�ll just be my friend.�



Ranma cocked his head at her, and for a moment, his eyes seemed to glaze

over. Then he snapped back, shaking his head, �Ukyou, we�re not engaged

any more, but I�d like us to be more than friends. I�d like to try, at

least.�



Ukyou blinked again, and managed an intelligent, �Huh?�



He smiled, �Ukyou, I think I l-like you.� He blushed, and stared at the

table, �I�m going to be spending more time with you now anyway, but the

few days I�ve spent with you I�ve come to enjoy your presence more than

Akane�s.� He shook his head, �The time I spent with you over the

gambling king fiasco wasn�t time spent with you. It was time spent

training. I...� he paused, �I like spending time with you.� He said it

slowly, as if tasting the words for the first time. He smiled, seeming

to have enjoyed them, �And even though it wasn�t my plan originally, I

would, uh...� He smirked, and flourished a menu while leaping up onto

his seat, �Kounji Ukyou! I would date with thee!�



Ukyou�s face turned deep red, and she laughed in spite of herself, �Yes,

Ranchan! I would like that. I would like that very much.�



He hopped off his seat, and stood near Ukyou. She took the arm he

offered, and the two turned to leave the cafe, only to bump into a

semi-circle of waitresses and customers, surrounding them. They both

blushed deeply, as the small crowd broke into applause. Ukyou bowed to

the crowd, and Ranma followed suit. Then, they fled, laughing, giggling,

and blushing like mad.



***



After running from the cafe, they made their way to the symphony. It had

already started, but they were allowed in during an intermission. Ukyou

smiled dazedly, as she clung to his arm, and they were directed towards

seats near the back of the theater.



They sat, watching and listening to the orchestra. Ukyou paused, and

realized that this was the first time that she had been to such a thing.

She glanced at Ranma, who was staring raptly at the musicians. She

smiled, and put her hand on his.



Ranma�s hand jerked after she touched it, and she pulled her hand away

to look at him. He was mumbling softly, and his hands were jerking as

though he was mimicking something. Ukyou grinned, and said nothing. She

let herself relax as she watched, and listened.



<The music is beautiful>, Ranma mused, <I don�t think I�ve ever properly

enjoyed something like this before.> He frowned, thinking of Chame�s

words, not even realizing that he spoke them, ��Magic ever called the

creative mind.��



Ukyou started, and glanced at Ranma. He just smiled, and placed a hand

on Ukyou�s. She felt her heart�s pace quickening, <He touched me on his

own!> She just smiled, letting her world dissolve into a happy blur.



***



She regained her senses in a restaurant, Ranma was talking animatedly,

gesturing, and speaking about the performance, �...and the precision

that they moved to make that music, all in unison, it was awe

inspiring!� He sighed contentedly, his food mostly untouched, and looked

at Ukyou.



She smiled at him, a real smile that touched her eyes and made her face

light up, �I�m glad you enjoyed that, Ranma. Do you think you might want

to do it again some time?�



He nodded eagerly, �Oh yeah, especially since...� He trailed off,

frowning, and glanced around him nervously.



Ukyou glanced around as well, a nervous tension becoming an irritating

itch between her shoulder-blades. Ranma hissed, and dove underneath the

table. Ukyou blinked, and tried to look casual as she slipped her water

glass underneath the tablecloth.



A hand took the glass, gave Ukyou�s hand a reassuring squeeze, and then

there was a muffled splashing noise. The glass was pressed into her

hand, and she placed it on the table, slipping her napkin underneath. A

moment later, it too was taken, and Ranma popped back up into her seat,

trying to look casual. She was a little damp, but the napkin had taken

care of the majority of the moisture.



She smiled at Ukyou, and handed her own napkin back to the brown haired

girl. A waiter came along at that moment, and glanced at her

questioningly, �Ah, Madame? Where is sir?�



Ranma looked up at him, �My brother had to go, so I�m filling in for

him.�



The waiter frowned, �I see...�



She shrugged, trying to act casual, �Yeah. We need to get back to him,

right?�



Ukyou nodded, �You�re right. Can we have the bill?�



The waiter nodded, and left to retrieve it. Ukyou looked at Ranma, and

whispered intently, �What�s going on?�



Ranma shrugged again, and whispered back, �I�m not sure, but I have a

bad feeling about it. The sooner we can get out of here, the better.�



After an awkward moment of silence, the waiter returned with a bill.

Ranma put down enough bills to cover the meal and a generous tip, and

moved to leave. The waiter placed a restraining hand on her, �Perhaps

you would like to have your dishes packed to take home, yes?�



Ranma shook her head, �Ah, no thanks, we�re in a rush.�



The waiter clamped down on her shoulder hard, �Are you sure Madame isn�t

inclined to stay longer?� Ranma paused for a moment, on someone else,

the man might have a firm grip; to her, it negligible.



She paused for that instant, and traded a knowing glance with Ukyou.

Ukyou leapt up, and back-flipped out of her seat. Ranma grabbed the

waiter by the wrist and flipped him over, bringing him down onto the

table with enough force to break one of its legs, and send everything on

the table crashing into a pile. The waiter moaned weakly, but didn�t

move.



Ukyou grabbed some forks from a nearby table, and brandished them

menacingly, while Ranma darted behind her. She glanced around

calculatingly. They were on the third floor. She glanced at Ranma, who

gave her a nod, and kicked a chair at the window. The chair passed

through the window, and the glass hung in place for only a moment,

before shattering and raining shards on the floor.



The pair had already leapt through the window before the chair struck

the ground. As they leapt, Ranma was aware of a pair of burly men in

dark suits dashing in the restaurant.



Ranma cursed, and bounded off the street to her normal rooftop course,

Ukyou a few steps behind.



After about a mile, they came to a halt, and glanced around. Ranma

heaved a sigh of relief, �Okay. That didn�t work out too well. Do you

know those guys?�



Ukyou shook her head, �No, not- Oh.�



Ranma glanced at her sharply, �You think you know what it is?�



Ukyou nodded slowly, �A possibility, but I think we should go back home,

first.�



Ranma nodded in agreement, �Okay. What are you going to do with the

forks?�



Ukyou glanced at the forks she held in surprise, �I forgot about those.�

She sighed, �Well, why don�t we keep them? It�s an interesting

souvenir.�



Ranma laughed, �Okay, Ucchan. Some day you�re going to have to tell me

how you did all that in a dress. Let�s go.�



They were half-way back, before Ukyou noticed, <He called me Ucchan

again.> She felt a warm glow suffuse her, <And I don�t think he meant it

the way he used to.>



***



Chame was still shuffling through the stack of books when the pair

returned to Ucchan�s. She grunted without looking up when the couple

greeted her.



Ranma glanced around her, making sure the curtains were closed, �Chame?�



She didn�t look up, �Yeah?�



�We were attacked while we were out.�



The shorter redhead looked up intently, �What happened?�



Ranma related the story while Ukyou prepared some hot water for her.

Chame nodded thoughtfully, �I think I have a suspicion as to whose fault

that is.�



Ukyou poured the hot water over Ranma. She waited for the change to

finish before he spoke again, �Okay, then, who is it?�



Ukyou sighed, �Well, I think it was some foreign... businessmen. They

had a kind of a deal, and someone had promised that you were going to

do, uh, something for them.�



Ranma shook his head slowly, �Okay, I guess so. But who would set up

something like-� He blinked, his eyes filling with anger, �Nabiki. Damn

it. I never thought that she would go this far.� Ranma swore, and began

pacing furiously.



Chame interrupted his brooding, �Nabiki did arrange a deal like that.

But she tried to call it off, to cancel it.�



He looked up, speculatively, �Really?�



She nodded, �They aren�t the kind to back off easily, either. If I were

you, I would be more worried about the Tendos. They would go after

Nabiki, you know.�



Ranma blanched, �Akane...� He frowned, and halted his pacing to

consider, �Should we go to the Tendo home and check up on them?�



Ukyou sighed, her face falling, <Akane again.> She said nothing, trying

to savor the lingering pleasant feelings from before.



Ranma shook himself out of his reverie, �No, that would be a bad idea,

wouldn�t it?� Chame nodded at him, �Okay, why doesn�t Ucchan call them,

then? She can say she�s worried about me since I�ve been missing for a

few days.�



Chame shrugged, �Sounds good to me.�



Ukyou sighed, and picked up the phone, �Sure, Ranma.�



He blinked at her, <Ranma? Doesn�t she mean->, his eyes widened, as he

realized that his slip had hurt her. He sighed again, and turned away,

<Why did I do that? How can I make this up to her?>



Ukyou dialed the number from memory, �Hello? Yes, this is Ukyou. I was

calling to ask about Ranma.� Her voice cracked, and Ranma winced, �I

see. Nothing? Okay. Anything out of the ordinary happening lately?

Uh-huh. Right. If I see him, I�ll tell him. Thanks.� She sighed, and set

the phone back onto the receiver, �They seem to be just fine. Apparently

Dr. Tofu scared off some ruffians earlier yesterday. Looked like

foreigners in fancy suits.�



Ranma nodded, �Good. I�m glad that�s something I don�t have to worry

about yet.�



Ukyou stared at Ranma for a moment, �So, do you want to know how Akane�s

doing?�



He considered for a moment, then sighed, �No. As long as she�s okay.

Right now, I�d rather not think about her more than I have to. I�m not

engaged to her anymore, not that I�ve told her yet...�



Chame tugged at one of her braids, �How did that happen?�



Ranma yawned, feeling the day catch up to him, �Well, I can�t honor two

claims at the same time, so I�ve decided to void them both.�



She blinked, then nodded, �Okay.�



Ukyou began to walk up the stairs, not wanting to hear anymore for the

night.  Ranma paused, then caught up with her in front of her room,

�Ucchan?�



She turned around, feeling weary, �Yes Ranma?�



He frowned, �Ucchan, I need you to understand, I don�t think I can marry

her, but I think we could be friends, and I did live with them for

almost year. I didn�t mean to hurt you. If you were there, I would be

just as worried for you, if not more.�



Ukyou smiled, �I know how hard it is for you to talk about these things,

Ranma, and... Thank you.�



Ranma smiled, steeling his resolve, �Okay. Um, there�s one other thing,

though.�



She paused, bedroom door halfway opened, and turned to face him, �Yes?�



He swallowed nervously, �Ucchan, did you enjoy yourself tonight?�



Ukyou considered it, staring at her hands, �Yes, Ranchan, I did.� She

smiled up at him, �I really did enjoy our date.�



Ranma gulped again, �Ah, there�s still the other thing...�



Ukyou sighed internally, <What now, Ranma? We had a nice evening, I just

want to remember the good parts, I don�t want you to tell me that you

don�t think things will work out, or that we should just be friends.>

�Yes, Ranchan?�



He stared at his feet, face coloring, <He�s going to decide he doesn�t

want me after all. After tonight, just friends.> She closed her eyes,

trying to hold back the tears, and waited for what would come next.



Ranma looked up at Ukyou nervously, about to say something, and then,

abruptly made his decision.



Ukyou waited for the words that would come from Ranma�s lips, the words

of rejection that she had feared for so long. Even after everything that

had happened tonight, the fear was back, and she believed that it was

right, this time. Her chest hurt, from the pain that she knew so well.

It had never been this strong before.



She sighed softly, almost a whimper, and then felt it. Warm breath

against her face, and then soft pressure touching her lips, gentle and

light as a feather�s touch. She opened her eyes wide. Ranma was kissing

her, <He�s _kissing_ me! He�s _kissing_ me! What do I do? What do I

do!?!?>



Almost by reflex, she put her arms around him, and he did the same to

her. The kiss deepened, and Ukyou tightened her grip on Ranma. She let

her eyes drift closed again, enjoying the sensation of him holding her

to him. <He�s holding _me_, this time.> The touch of his lips against

hers, the feel of his hands against her back, and hers against his, the

closeness of his arms around her.



The kiss seemed like it wouldn�t end, until he finally broke free of it,

staring at her with wide-eyed amazement. She grinned at him, <Wow. Okay,

stupid Ucchan, don�t doubt Ranma.>, �Thank you Ranchan.� She went into

her room, and turned to face him, �Thank you. I�ll see you tomorrow.� He

nodded, and turned to walk down the hall.



Ukyou let the door shut, and sank to her bed, staring at the ceiling

with wide a dazed expression. Her breath was still coming quickly, and

she could only wonder what it would be like once they were better at it.

She sighed softly to herself, and couldn�t help but jump when there was

a tap at the door, �Uh, yes?�



Chame�s voice said something in a low tone that couldn�t be made out.

Ukyou shook her head, �Come in.�



The redhead entered, shutting the door behind her, and trudging to her

pallet on the floor with heavy-lidded eyes. Ukyou turned towards her,

�Chame?�



She yawned, �Yes, Ukyou?�



�I just had my first real kiss with Ranma.�



Chame blinked some of the tiredness out of her eyes, �Really? What�s it

like?�



Ukyou sighed wistfully, �It was... it was something else. It was

amazing. It was like being swept off my feet. It was - wow. It was more

than I ever imagined.� She sighed dreamily, and Chame yawned again.



�You want to take off the dress before you go to sleep? It might get

wrinkled.� Chame stretched, and lay down on her bedding, �I would like

to hear more about this, though.�



Ukyou giggled, and Chame rolled to face the wall while she changed, �It

was, I don�t know, I guess I just can�t describe it.�



Chame laughed softly, �Were there fireworks?�



Ukyou took a deep breath, slipping into her pajamas, �Yes, oh yes, there

were fireworks. I wonder what it was like for him?�



The two were silent for a moment, contemplating, and then they heard

loud cursing from the hall. They exchanged a glance, and Ukyou turned

out the lights. After the lights were out, she cracked the door open a

bit.



Ranma was muttering something on his way to the bathroom, fumbling about

in the dark. After a few minutes, there was a splashing noise, and a

decidedly feminine voice complained, �That didn�t help at _all_!!�



Ukyou covered her mouth with one hand while she closed the door. Even

Chame giggled after hearing that, commenting wryly to the other girl,

�I�d guess he enjoyed it too.� The two broke out in laughter after that,

and then let themselves drift off to sleep.



***



Ranma lay staring at the ceiling, lost in thought, <I did it. I can�t

believe it.> She smiled, thinking of the kiss, and sighed softly,

�Ucchan...�



She rolled to one side, contemplating, <I think that felt right. I�ve

never kissed Akane, not really, but I haven�t felt like that near Akane

in a long time.> She paused, considering, <What would things be like if

Akane hadn�t been so violent? What if I hadn�t been so rude to her?>



Ranma sighed, and slumped to her back against the mat she lay on, <Why

am I doing this? Akane hurt me, and I hurt her. It wouldn�t have been a

healthy relationship. If anything, we should be friends, not fianc�es.

And I�m leaving soon.> She sighed, curling into a small ball underneath

her covers. She wouldn�t admit it, but secretly, she enjoyed being able

to change, sometimes.



She didn�t have her feelings towards love and relationships change when

her body did, but a lot of the hormones involved with a standard teenage

romance disappeared when it did happen. She smiled to herself, <Maybe a

cold shower does help with some things.>



<No,> she reflected, <I still care about both of them. But Ucchan�s the

one for me. And she accepts my curse better anyway.> She stared at the

ceiling again for a while, <Is this what love is?> Then sleep overcame

her.



That night, she dreamt of her mother. For the first time in a long time,

she dreamt of home.



***



Ukyou stretched, yawning, and sat up in her bed. She rubbed the sleep

out of her eyes, and turned to Chame, who was mumbling something softly.



It took Ukyou a moment to realize that Chame was still asleep. She

frowned, the smaller girl was making whimpering noises, and her eyes

were wet. She paused, and knelt next to her to shake her gently.



Chame�s eyes snapped open, and she stared at Ukyou for a moment, trying

to hide her emotions. She spoke slowly, trying to cover for any

thickness in her voice, �Good morning.�



Ukyou frowned, �Chame? Are you okay?�



Chame sat up, and sighed, resting her face in her hands, �I�m sorry

Ukyou. I had a bad dream about my father. That�s all.� She heaved a

sigh, and rubbed at her face, �What did you dream about?�



Ukyou was going to ask Chame about her father, but her question took

Ukyou back to the kiss, and she sighed, a dreamy smile on her face, �I

dreamt that Ranma and I kissed.�



Chame smiled, �Well, I have good news for you, then.�



Ukyou glanced at Chame, �Yes?�



 �It wasn�t a dream.� She left the room as Ukyou�s eyes widened, and her

mouth flew to her cheek. She stared at nothing, in disbelief for a

moment, then fell back onto her bed, grinning.



***



Chame entered the shower, and carefully latched the door. She filled the

bathtub halfway with warm water, then sat down, switching the shower on.

She reflected briefly on the western design of the facilities, then

sighed, letting the warmth wash over her, <Father, why do I have to do

this?> She asked, not knowing if he would hear her thoughts.



His thoughts touched her mind, gently, as though he was afraid of

hurting her, <I know this is a terrible thing, daughter, and I am sorry.

But we must abide, or the circle will remain unbroken.>



Chame stiffened, she had not even known her father was near her. She

kept her thoughts quiet for a moment, <Will we hurt them, Father? I

don�t wish to cause them pain.>



Her father�s thoughts touched against her, and she felt his sorrow, <We

will hurt them daughter. We will hurt them very much, but it is the only

way I know of. And when it is over, they will be stronger.>



Chame wept, glad for the sound the shower made to hide it from anyone

else nearby, <I don�t think I can do this, Father. I don�t want to hurt

them. What _is_ the circle, anyway?>



She wept alone for a time, and wondered if her father had abandoned her.

When she felt his mind again, his thoughts felt weary, as though the

burdens of countless centuries bore down on him, <You will see what the

circle is... when you see it. Daughter, if you do not wish to do this,

than you will not have to.>



She nodded, knowing he couldn�t see it, <It has to be done, Father. It

has to be done.>



Chame felt the grief of her fathers thoughts, <We can let them be happy,

if you wish. We will get another chance.>



The water pounded on her for a shorter time, before she responded,

<There is another way.>



His response was almost instant, and she felt hope, and relief from his

mind, <Have you truly found another way, Daughter?>



She faltered for a moment, nervous, <I think so, Father. It will cause

them pain, but not as much. It will allow them to be happy in the end,

and it will let us win your fight.>



Her father�s thoughts radiated approval, <Our fight, Daughter. Very

well, then, what is your plan?>



***



Ranma stared at the counter intently. Ukyou was wearing a robe and

making some okonomiyaki. She stared without seeing, until the

okonomiyaki were flipped onto her plate.



Ukyou shook her head, �Yen for your thoughts, Ranchan?�



She sighed, �Uh, I was kind of hoping to be able to take a shower before

you got up, so I could...�



�Could what?� Ukyou teased, hefting a steaming kettle of water.



Ranma glanced at the kettle, �Ah, nothing.�



Ukyou shrugged, and set the kettle out of his reach, �Okay, why don�t we

try again. Hot water for your thoughts?�



Ranma smirked, abashed, �Okay, I was going to apologize for kissing

you.�



Ukyou giggled, and swept around the counter to Ranma, kettle in hand,

�Is that all? I�d rather you didn�t apologize. I enjoyed it.�



Ranma grinned at Ukyou, �You know, I always wondered what it would be

like to kiss a girl.� He frowned, �I think that was my first real kiss.

I mean, there have been other instances, but I don�t think any of them

count. That was the first time no potions or scrolls or herbs... or

anything else like that were involved.�



Ukyou nodded, a strange look in her eyes, �That was my first kiss, too,

Ranchan.�



The redhead stared at her feet, �I�m sorry, Ukyou. I should have asked.�



Ukyou tilted Ranma�s chin up with a hand, �You�ll make it up to me.�

Ranma opened her mouth to ask how, but was nearly knocked off her seat

in surprise as Ukyou kissed her firmly. She stiffened, and then melted

into the other girl�s grip.



Ukyou kissed her intently, taking full advantage of Ranma�s open mouth,

and explored Ranma�s teeth with her tongue. Ranma took only a second to

respond in kind, and the two lost themselves in the kiss.



For once, Ranma didn�t think about the curse, just the pleasure of being

with someone. Someone who accepted him... er... her, no-matter what.



Ukyou didn�t think about kissing another girl, that might have bothered

her. She was kissing _Ranma_, and that was what mattered. It didn�t

matter to her what shape his body was.



After a gentle cough from the stairs, the two broke the kiss, and looked

at Chame guiltily. She just stared for a moment before laughing. Ranma

stood up and blushed furiously, retrieving the dropped water kettle.

Ukyou just looked stunned. Chame fell to the floor, laughing and gasping

for breath. Ranma�s flush deepened, and Ukyou began to blush as well.



Finally, Chame calmed down, still giggling occasionally, �I�m sorry, the

expressions on your faces were perfect! It was like you thought a parent

had caught you!�



Ukyou smiled slowly, �Oh yeah. I�m just used to crazy things

interrupting-� There was a loud knock at the door. Ukyou blanched, and

Ranma dashed up the stairs, past Chame. Ukyou grimaced, and pulled aside

the curtain to peek out.



She was puzzled, and turned to Chame, �It�s Kuno.�



Chame looked surprised, but shrugged, �We can handle him, let him in.�



Ukyou unlocked the door, and Kuno brushed him aside as he charged in,

�Saotome! Where are you? Face me with honor, or are you a man?� He cast

about furiously, bristling with rage.



Chame rolled her eyes, �Kuno, why do you think he�d be here?�



Kuno instantly regained his composure, �Ah, �tis the younger of my

pigtailed goddesses! Perhaps if you and your sister would-�



The small redhead looked irate, �Stow it, Kuno. These are braids, not

pigtails. And what makes you think I�m younger? I�m just not as tall.

Now, why do you think Ranma is here?�



Kuno looked evasive for a moment, �A... friend... of mine saw him enter

this building yesterday. He left, but the pigtailed goddess returned

later. I know that Saotome, the foul sorcerer, does not stray far from

her, so I came to challenge him, and free the both of you.� He posed,

nobly, not noticing the red battle aura that began to surround her.



She spoke in a level, yet icy tone, �Kuno. Let us go outside.�



Kuno�s face lit up, and he offered an arm to Chame. She shoved him out

the door, where he landed in the street. He turned to look at her, her

aura intensifying, �Perhaps now is not a good time, fair maiden, shall I

instead-�



Chame growled at him, a low angry noise, and he froze. Her voice was

choked with anger, �Kuno. Never say that again. Never. Ever. Say that

about my friend again.�



Kuno looked confused, �Say what?�



Chame growled again, growing more furious, �You _know_ what I�m talking

about.�



He grimaced, �What spell has the foul sorcerer-�



Chame shuddered, and for a moment, seemed to fall limp, held in the air

by her aura. It began glowing more brightly, and she straightened up,

eyes blazing. She held out her hand, and the staff she had discarded

when Ranma carried her to Dr. Tofu came from... somewhere... and into

her grasp.



Kuno had only enough time to be stunned, before she set into him.



He raised his bokken to defend himself, but she batted it aside as if it

were of no consequence. And to her, it wasn�t. The pressure from the

swing knocked him back, sending the bokken skittering across the street

as she swung again, reversing the previous swing and coming in low.

There was a crunching noise as the ark of her swing cracked the bone in

one of his legs, and then the weapon was reversing again, cracking ribs,

dislocating a shoulder, and knocking him to the ground.



Chame�s eyes didn�t change, and she swung the weapon down in a lethal

ark towards Kuno�s throat. Kuno closed his eyes, waiting. Waiting.

Waiting. Nothing happened. He opened his eyes slowly.



Ranma was on one knee between the two of them, back to Kuno, and holding

Kuno�s bokken in both hands to deflect the blow that never reached Kuno.

Chame just stared, first in anger, then in shock, then in horror. She

dropped her weapon, and her energy seemed to disappear, the battle aura

fading. Her hands covered her face, and she slumped to the ground.



Ranma stood slowly, eyeing Kuno, �You okay?�



He blinked, and spoke, voice unsteady from pain, �I think, Saotome, that

I underestimated her.�



Ranma nodded, and handed him the bokken. Kuno used it for some leverage,

to help him stand up, �When I get home, I suppose it�s going to be time

to cast away this charade.� He grimaced, using his weapon as a crutch,

�But rest assured, Saotome, I will defeat you. I will free the fiery

haired sisters you claim. Just,� he winced, �Not today.�



Ranma sighed deeply, �Moron. Don�t try and walk home on a broken leg,

Dr. Tofu�s clinic is closer.� He turned his back to Kuno, and faced

Chame. She was curled into a ball, weeping profusely. He picked her up

gently, and Ukyou gathered her staff. The few people on the street

stared at them, �Hey, Ucchan. What took so long?�



She frowned, as they entered her restaurant, �Had to dress.�



Ranma nodded, and sat Chame on a stool, �Okay. Chame, are you alright?�



The sobbing ebbed, and she sniffled, �I�m sorry. I shouldn�t have lost

control like that.�



Ranma shrugged, �What did he do to make you so mad? Did he try and kiss

you or something?�



She shook her head, �No, he said something offensive about my friend.�



Ukyou blinked. <Does Chame think she is another of Ranma�s fianc�es? No,

she already told me that she wouldn�t try and get him. She must just

care about him a lot.> She put an arm around the smaller girl

consolingly, �Don�t worry Chame. I doubt we�ll see him again for a long

while.�



She nodded, �I�m sorry. Ranma, I said I was going to teach you a new

trick today, right?� She breathed in unevenly, �Looks like you have a

good target to try and calm, now.�



***



The two retreated to what was now Ranma�s room, and Chame taught him the

exercise, �Now, you remember how to feel someone else�s aura?�



Ranma nodded, he remembered. �Yeah, I do.�



She smiled, �Okay, good. Have you been practicing seeing auras? Good.

What I want you to do, is look at my aura. Now, instead of feeling, and

taking a strand into yourself, try and fill my aura with calmness.�



He nodded, and concentrated for a moment, �Not that hard,� she

cautioned, �You need to be more careful than that. You would calm

someone, but more than you expected, and it would wear off too soon.�



After a while, she nodded at him, �Very good. I�m pleased at how quickly

you learned.�



He smiled for a moment, then his smiled faded a little, �We�re leaving

soon. Can we still see my mother today?� Chame nodded, �Okay. I have one

other question, though.�



Chame raised an eyebrow, already looking much calmer after the morning�s

ordeal, �What is it?�



Ranma smirked, �Are you going to teach Ukyou magic?�



She paused, �I don�t know. I could, I suppose. Is she interested?�



Ranma frowned, �Good question. But if she�s going to be traveling with

us, shouldn�t she be learning things too?�



After a long time with no answer, Chame agreed. �Very well. I will ask

her if she�s interested, then. Now let�s get ready to visit your

mother.�



Ranma nodded, grinning excitedly, <Today I�ll get to see my mother. As a

son, not a friend�s distant relative.>



------------

Rev 1



Okay, looks like a good stopping point for chapter 2. I think I might

want to flesh out a few details in this chapter later, but this is the

rough draft. I think I covered any continuity errors, though as always,

I like to have my errors pointed out.



------------

Rev 2



Removed one or two scenes that gave away more than I intended. General

polishing, spelling errors etc. This is a tentative final draft.



------------

Rev 3



Adjusted a few details that foreshadowed details I didn�t want revealed

yet. Various grammar errors resolved... thanks to Wally for pointing out

the good doctor�s redundant speech.



------------

Rev 4



Adjusted grammar, a few points were further polished. Two scenes re-done

to shift attention away from Chame and onto the regular cast... story is

now considered FFML worthy... still need C&C.



--

Forgive my spelling,

my U.S. education,

is the thing to blame.









-- 

                 .---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List---.

                 | Administrators - ffml-admins@fanfic.com |

                 | Unsubscribing - ffml-request@fanfic.com |

                 |     Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject    |

                 `---http://www.fanfic.com/FFML-FAQ.txt ---'