He leapt off the balcony and up to the roof. Once there, he stopped and admired the view that always greeted him whenever he went up there to meditate or to think, he touched the shingles of the roof, feeling them as if feeling the memories that each tile silently witnessed. It was then that he heard a familiar whirring sound and swayed just in time to avoid getting wounded by a razor-sharp, metal-hard bandanna. Said bandanna ricocheted off the roof and back to its owner's hand. "I was right, it was you^� How dare you show your face again after the pain you've caused with your so called death." Ryouga snarled out every syllable his face unseeable to the mortal eyes yet to Ranma his face clearly bore a grimace, his fangs nearly as long as that of a vampire glistened in the moonlight. "I don't have time for this P-chan, so if you don't mind^�" Ranma's sentence went unfinished as the Lost boy charged, screaming in blind rage his battle umbrella in front of him like a lance int!
ending to turn his nemesis into shishkebob. Ranma frowned as he blocked the umbrella; his brow creased showing his displeasure, his muscles not even tensing from the effort of holding the umbrella at bay. He switched his hold and twisted, turning what once was a perfectly serviceable umbrella into scrap. He then turned towards Ryouga and said. "Back off, you don't know what you're getting into." The lost boy merely growled in response and charged him. "Not going to take me serious are you? Die Ranma!!!" he screamed as he rushed towards his rival intending to ram him straight into next week, only to fall into the koi pond a few moments later as the person he intended to hit seemingly vanished. He fell, hard, scattering the frightened and unfairly abused koi as he slammed into the water, triggering the transformation of the curse. "Not again^� not the pig^�.damn you Ranma^�." he thought as he felt his limbs shortening, his hair growing all over, changing everything that w!
as once human into porcine. He rose from the koi pond and shook himself dry. He then felt his body floating into the air, seeming of it's own volition. His eyes closed in fear as his ascent speeded up until a hand grabbing his bandanna halted it. He opened his eyes only to stare at Ranma's malevolent face. "I told you to back off, but you just won't listen would you P-chan? I was willing to just back off, if you'd only listen, I told you that you didn't know what you were dealing with." He said, bringing the pig closer to his mouth, each syllable sending shivers of fear into said piglet as he felt the sharpness of the vampire's fangs. "I didn't have the time for a snack, maybe pork teriyaki will do as an appetizer, what do you think?" he continued, gripping harder on the pig's quivering form, who shook his head to show his disagreement. Ranma smiled and simply tossed the frightened pig back into the pond. "You're probably right, you're too puny to even put a dent on my!
hunger." he laughed as he left the rooftop to join the shadows of the night. Ranma landed on top of Nerima's numerous rooftops and ghosted away, steadily moving farther from the Tendo dojo, his figure soon swallowed by the surrounding night. Unknown to him, all too human eyes tried to track and follow his movements. The stalker's movements was soon made known to the young lord of the night as he heard the thumping of the all too human heart, the labored breaths and the sound of sweat drops falling on the asphalt. He knew yet he paid little mind to the one following him for he was savoring the moment, trying to commit to memory every single detail of the town he was to leave behind. Tomorrow morning he would be traveling with his sire to Europe, never to return again. A trip made necessary to facilitate adjustment, reflection and the dulling of pain and memory.
Act 2a:Juliet's Sonata
Ryouga struggled to keep up, his breath came in ragged gasps, and his feet were sore from running, trying not to lose his quary. Once, when Ranma was human, this would have been so easy. Yet now, he was running full tilt, exceeding his limitations, yet he still had a hard time keeping up. Fatigue was starting to creep into his muscles. His legs, always used to travelling really large distances were now screaming for rest. Yet he knew deep inside that he could not give in, that he must not let his tiredness beat him. He must confront the monster that he is following, for himself and for Akane; he must ^� keep^� on. He fell hard on the unforgiving street, his weary body forcing him to accept what his mind and heart could not, he can't go any further. Tears began to fall from his eyes, tears of frustration, tears wrought from justice denied. Suddenly, the one he sought was beside him. Whisper-soft, Ryouga didn't even hear him drop down. He was so struck by Ranma's pres!
ence that he failed to move. There was an aura of something around him that made Ranma inhuman. "I don't know what you want with me Bacon-breath but you're gonna stop followin' me startin' right now." he said, annoyance evident in his voice. The lost boy turned, looking the vampire in the eye, his hands shook with fury as his aura began to flare about him. "I'm going to make you pay Ranma, for hurting Akane, I'm gonna make sure you'll regret ever coming back. I'm gonna beat you so bad you'll never bother Akane ever again." he growled, each word filled with menace. Ranma smirked at this; he shook his head to show his unbelief. "Hurt her? That's a laugh and a half. The last time I saw her, Akane was anything but hurting. As for bothering her, you don't hafta worry 'bout that neither." he whispered as he turned away, each word softer than the last. He walked a few steps before speaking again. "I'm leaving this town, along with all the weirdness that's in it. I just vi!
sited the tomboy tonight to say goodbye." Ryouga was momentarily stunned, his rage soon returned to him, seeing that his rival wasn't taking him seriously. "Don't turn your back on me Ranma, you ain't off the hook yet, you're not leaving till I punish you for making Akane cry." he screamed, charging at the vampire. Ranma merely dodged and swerved throughout the whole attack, an arrogant smirk was still discernable on his face. He yawned, turned and kicked Ryouga into a nearby trash can. "I thought you're smarter than this Ryouga, you can't beat me, I'm no longer what I used to be. None of your crummy moves ain't gonna do nothin' to me." he said staring at his opponent who at that moment was getting up, murder in his eyes. "Do you say Ranma, you're a big talker for someone who can't even kick properly, I hardly felt that tap of yours." Ryouga yelled as he rushed towards Ranma like an out of control freight train. He was surprised when moments later he was sent back to t!
he same trashcan he fell into earlier. "Thanks Ryouga, you're a real pal. I'll remember this last match we had." came the almost whispered voice of the vampire as he walked away. Ryouga scrambled up and ran after him. "Damn you Saotome, we're not through yet, I still haven't punched your face in for what you did to Akane." He screamed, his battle umbrella held before him as he charged. He didn't see the pebble in his path tripping him and making him fall into a puddle that triggered his curse. Ranma turned, a wistful expression on his face, his eyes showed regret and sadness as he spoke. "Whatever Ryouga, do me a favor and look after the tomboy will ya? I can't trust no one else to watch over her." He took to the rooftops and disappeared as the first rays of the dawning sun began to appear in the horizon, a frustrated squeal breaking the silence of the night as he left.
Ranma slipped into the rented suite and noticed that all his clothes have been packed, his casket as well as that of his sire's was also ready to be transported. A pitcher of cold water was on the table and a white sundress was laid out on the bed. It seemed he or rather she was to travel first class rather than baggage class. He upended the pitcher and began mechanically changing his now her clothes. He didn't realize until his recent change how powerful Jusenkyo's magic actually was. Fully clothed, Ranma stepped out of the suite and headed towards the lobby, Felix was already there settling their bill. They left the hotel and headed for a rented limo that was waiting for them outside, ready to take them to Narita airport. As they walked towards the automobile, Ranma silently thanked the gods for the curse that she had acquired in Jusenkyou. Without it, she mused; he would never experience watching another sunrise or feeling the sun's rays on her skin something she re!
grets she could not share with her sire. A tear fell from her face as she mentally said goodbye to his life in Japan. Felix opened the door for her and she went in wiping the tear off her face. Her every movement was so ladylike that no one would mistake her for anything other than a refined heiress of a very rich family.
"Did my mother say which part of Europe we will be visiting?" she asked Felix, her French unaccented like before. They were now on the road to the airport, Felix was driving the limousine, the suitcases and Ranma's casket were sent ahead. Pandora's casket was inside the car trunk. "It appears there had been some slight change of plans young mistress, your 'mother' said we were going to America." The old manservant replied, his voice calm and monotonous, nothing to indicate the sorrow he felt for his young charge. Ranma nodded, digesting this information as she delicately drank her juice using a straw. "I wonder why the sudden change of plans." she said, switching unerringly to English as she brushed imaginary lint from her immaculately white dress. "The mistress mentioned something about visiting a friend of hers." he replied as he parked the vehicle at a spot reserved for them. A Lear jet was waiting in the runway, Ranma's various possessions were at that moment being!
loaded in. Felix motioned to the workmen and they assisted him in loading the casket bearing Pandora into the plane. Ranma shed a tear as they ascended into the sky.