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Saffron�^�^�s defeat had left time for things to calm down before the
inevitable return to Nerima. The hope of a cure at Jusenkyo was lost to all
the cursed parties. On the other hand, love had been admitted and accepted.
Nabiki was making arrangements for their return, talking to Ranma by
phone in a
small town near the outskirts of the Biankala range.�^�^�... So you have a few
days to get to the boat. I thought you might want to make the most of your
time and get cured.�^�^�
�^�^�Weren�^�^�t you listening, Nabiki? Jusenkyo was destroyed!�^�^�
�^�^�I�^�^�m not thinking about Jusenkyo, Ranma. Go to the Musk.�^�^�
�^�^�The Musk?! Are you out of your mind!?�^�^� One hand held the phone glued
to his
ear while the other gesticulated wildly. As Nabiki outlined her idea, the
free arm settled and a smile grew on his face. �^�^�Genius, Nabiki, as always...
See you soon.�^�^�
The others were gathered around him, his father, Ryoga, Mousse, Shampoo,
and... Akane... They all looked expectantly at Ranma. �^�^�All right, here�^�^�s
what we�^�^�re gonna do...�^�^�
Getting into the fortress of the Musk was easier than anyone had
anticipated.
Little real attention was paid to women and so the three girls just walked
right in with the ones that had been working the small farms outside the
gates.
After that it was tricky. Ranma led the way, with occasional input from
Shampoo. During the trip, he never let go of Akane�^�^�s hand. Predictably, it
was kept in the throne room. Herb was by himself, apparently going over
matters of state.
There would never be a better time.
Herb looked up in surprise as the doors to his Throne room were knocked
off their hinges. The last thing he saw before the darkness took him was the
fling redhead, and her sandal covered foot.
Getting out was a bit of a challenge, but that was only because they
didn�^�^�t want to be seen.
The small group was gathered around their campfire, two days later. They
had
made good time getting away from the Musk and tomorrow morning they would
leave on the boat to Japan. A pot of water was suspended over the fire until
it steamed and bubbled a bit.
Ranma held the Chuisuiton in his hands. Amazing how something so ordinary
looking could cause so much trouble. You wouldn�^�^�t think to look at it that
it was
anything other than a ladle.
He looked around himself, at his friends and his family. �^�^�Let me go
first, if this
doesn�^�^�t work at least I�^�^�ll still be able to talk.�^�^� Ryoga looked like he
might object at first but then calmed down.
Ranma�^�^�s hand found Akane�^�^�s, his eyes found hers. Briefly, their lips
found each
others. �^�^�I love you,�^�^� he told her for the second time, his voice an intense
whisper.
Tears filled Akane�^�^�s eyes as he dipped the ladle and poured the contents
over his head. �^�^�OUCH!�^�^� came his strong voice. No change. Then he dipped
his own cup into the bucket of cold water, pouring it over his head. �^�^�Brr!�^�^�
came his strong voice. No change.
�^�^�It worked! HA!�^�^� Ranma cartwheeled around the campsite. He flipped
into the
air, landing near his love. �^�^�Akane, I...�^�^�
�^�^�Ahem!�^�^� came a voice that chilled his blood.
Turning, Ranma saw the Lord of the Musk, standing just inside the
firelight. They had all been so intent on the fire and the ladle that they
hadn�^�^�t noticed his approach.
�^�^�All I want is my property, Ranma. I have no wish to fight the man who
destroyed Saffron.�^�^� The warriors of the Musk became visible. Lots of them,
the small band noted. �^�^�But I will fight it I must.�^�^�
�^�^�Herb!�^�^� Ranma called excitedly. He was before the young man in an
instant.
�^�^�We came up with a cure for Jusenkyo! Hot water and the Chuisuiton!�^�^�
�^�^�A... cure?�^�^� He looked somewhere between impressed and amused. �^�^�Of
course. How foolish of me.�^�^� He looked past Ranma at his party. �^�^�If I
allow your... cure, will you return to me the Chuisuiton?�^�^�
�^�^�Sure, got no use for it after that. I was gonna mail it back to you
tomorrow
anyway.�^�^�
A hint of a smile passed over Herbs face. He quickly spoke up, �^�^�I can
always
count on you to try to do the right thing, can�^�^�t I, Ranma?�^�^�
Genma and Ryoga took advantage of the Chuisuiton�^�^�s power, but Shampoo and
Mousse declined. �^�^�Cat body is Shampoo punishment from village. No can take
away with honor.�^�^�
�^�^�I will not leave you to suffer alone, Shampoo!�^�^� Mousse cried with
tears in his
eyes as he hugged one of the Musk warriors.
Twenty years passed in Nerima. Akane and Ranma were married and lived
lives
full of danger and adventure. Ryoga settled down with Akari and was seen
less and less as the years passed by.
Once the marriage was settled, Cologne and the Amazons stopped their
chases and for many years remained a part the lives of the Nerima crew.
Eventually, they decided that their place was home, in China and they
departed.
Ukyo stayed the whole time. She held a bitterness in her that gradually
turned to hate. Ten years after Saffron and the unification of the Saotome
and Tendo clans, she attacked Akane. The battle lasted for nearly a day,
ending in a draw as neither woman could conclusively beat the other.
For Ukyo, it was the therapeutic. She settled her differences and
renewed her
friendship with Ranma and Akane.
Nabiki never married and eventually went to college, getting a business
degree.
She turned her attentions back towards her family after that, bringing new
moneymaking ideas to Nerima.
Kasumi eventually followed after Tofu, the two found each other and lived
on the
far side of Japan from the family. There frequent visits, along with their
son, Soun,
brought both joy and pain into Ranma and Akane�^�^�s lives.
Though they had tried, Ranma and Akane seemed doomed not to have
children.
Genma and Nodoka, Soun as well, had pressured them for a time, but eventually
they stopped when the disappointment and pain to the couple became too much.
Of course there was excitement enough to turn them away from brooding.
Together, they went on to fight old gods; new gods; old enemies, such as
Taro, Happosai- who seemed to have more energy and stamina the older he got
and all new enemies. Akane seemed a magnet for lost princes and lonely
warlords.
Twenty years passed.
The bedroom was hot. He was sweating under the thick blankets.
Breathing had become raspy. His lungs were thick and heavy. Still he had
that cocky smile on his pale face. �^�^�Don�^�^�t worry, Akane, I�^�^�ll be up and
about in no time. A little thing like pnu-�^�^� he cut himself off with a series
of lung scraping coughs that dislodged a small amount of phlegm. �^�^�This
won�^�^�t keep me down.�^�^� What little strength he had seemed to be leaking out
of him rapidly.
Akane was at his side as the last rattles of breath left his weakened
body. She sat there, by his side, crying for a time.
A short time later, the ambulance arrived. It seemed kind of ironic, to
Nabiki that
they sent an ambulance to pick up the body. The medical teams were there to
save lives, but here and now they were too late and they knew it. The men
solemnly followed Tofu up to the body.
She couldn�^�^�t make her mind wrap around the idea that it was Ranma. That
he
was.... Ranma always got out of everything. Since they were children,
nothing could touch him in a lasting way. Not even Jusenkyo.
Noone had thought anything of it at first, just a cough. It progressed
rapidly into
something worse. He was only sick a couple of days. Did people die from
pneumonia in just a couple of days?
He had been tired from the fight. He was then single-handedly able to
destroy the tidal wave from within, using the Hiryou Shouten Ha. He admitted
that he�^�^�d swallowed some water but seemed okay.
Akane was crying into Kasumi�^�^�s shoulder, still unable to speak after
watching her husband fade so rapidly. Soun had gone to get the Saotomes and
bring them here. Ukyo looked stricken. Her face was a blank mask.
Tofu and the EMT�^�^�s came back down the stairs. Tofu had a smile plastered
on his face that only his wife could have seen through. The EMT�^�^�s weren�^�^�t
smiling. �^�^�You do realize we could press charges. Misuse of the Emergency
Response System is a crime.�^�^�
�^�^�I do apologize again. We can�^�^�t begin to tell you how sorry the family
is,�^�^� Tofu
was saying. The couple and their son had been on their way back when they
heard about the attack by the �^�^�Son of a Hundred Spirits.�^�^� They had only
arrived a few minutes after Ranma�^�^�s passing. Getting into and out of Nerima
was difficult right now.
�^�^�Its only because he lives here that I�^�^�m willing to let this slide.�^�^�
�^�^�I understand, sir.�^�^� Tofu continued placating them even as he ushered
them out
the door.
As soon as he returned to the family, Akane asked, �^�^�Why didn�^�^�t they take
Ran-
why didn�^�^�t they take him?�^�^�
Tofu ran his hand over his mouth, as though massaging it for a moment.
�^�^�Come
with me, all of you.�^�^� He turned without another word and walked up the
stairs to the
master bedroom.
Lying on the bed, breathing softly, was a sixteen year old red headed
girl.
�^�^�Oh, my!�^�^�
Just something that kinda came to me as I was waking up this morning. Please
feel free to cut me down to size.