Last major revision: 10/08/98 Last modified: 02/10/99 As always, any C&C greatly appreciated! ^_^ --------------------------------- TIGER CLAW Part 3: HARBINGERS OF THE STORM --------------------------------- A Ranma 1/2 fanfic by Madamhydra@aol.com --------------- Disclaimer All rights and privileges to Ranma 1/2 belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Viz Communications, Inc., and associated parties. The characters of her series are used without her permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This work of fiction is not meant for sale or profit. All original characters are the creation of the author. All copyright privileges to these characters are reserved for the author. --------------- IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a continuation/ALTERNATE REALITY fanfic. While the story follows the manga (and video) continuity to just after Mount Phoenix (volume 38), the subsequent wedding ceremony (and the related bombing by Shampoo and Ukyo) does NOT occur. In this story, a different incident involving the planned wedding took place. Only a limited number of the main characters have actually SEEN the Neko-ken (the Tendos, Genma, Shampoo, Cologne, Gosunkugi or Sasuke, and Kuno), although others may have heard rumors about it. --------------- Text Conventions ( ) -> thoughts > < -> sound fx <" "> -> Chinese Curse forms are denoted by appropriate suffixes (-chan, -neko, -panda, etc.) except for Ryoga (P-chan) and Mousse (Muu-Muu). ********************************************************************** Part 3a: THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY ********************************************************************** After she left a bewildered Ranma alone in the bathroom, Nabiki leaned against the wall and took a few deep breaths. She felt as if she'd been tapdancing through a minefield -- a nerve-wracking exercise but wonderfully exhilarating all the same. She had won this round, at least. Admittedly, she HAD swore off playing games with Ranma's life, but she couldn't suppress a satisfied smirk. Even the terribly high stakes -- Ranma's mental and emotional well-being, Akane's happiness -- could do nothing to spoil the taste of victory for Nabiki. She shook herself. There was so much left to do. Retrieving Kuno's sword from the living room, she paused a moment or two to admire the exquisite craftsmanship that had gone into the weapon. A treasure, indeed. Against the background of the black lacquer scabbard, she could pick out a subtle, shimmering pattern of silvery lines that reminded her of lightning bolts. The design was echoed in the blade itself as Nabiki pulled it partially out of its sheath. The weapon was without a doubt the Kuno family's most prized possession. Nabiki had no intention of returning it -- not yet, at least. When the time came to settle matters with Kuno, she wanted every bit of leverage she could get. The sword would be an important bargaining chip, an ace in the hole. If Kuno wanted his precious little toy back, he was going to have to accept her terms. However, the situation would be entirely different if he died. Nabiki had no idea just how important the honor blade was to the elder Kuno or Kodachi. They could consider it a mere historical curio. Another thing to check on. Nabiki carefully hid the sword, then went to make a few phone calls. -------------------------------------- As she rested from her magical exertions, Yonoko kept track of the various conversations and confrontations going on within the Tendo household. There was nothing remotely magical about Yonoko's eavesdropping. She actually preferred to use technology under these circumstances. Skilled martial artists often developed a 'danger sense' or a sensitivity to magic. She didn't want to risk being prematurely detected by Ranma or the other martial artists around Nerima. Yonoko had simply arranged for one of the many repairmen who constantly tramped in and out of the Tendo dojo to tap into Nabiki Tendo's personal surveillance network. Yonoko shook her head ruefully. It was absolutely amazing. That girl had somehow managed to squirrel away a microphone into virtually every room in the house. Yonoko could easily think of many reasons why a person would want to spy on his or her own family. For example, Yonoko and her twin sister had loathed each other with a passion. Constant surveillance on her sibling had been absolutely necessary for survival. But there was nothing in the Tendo family's relationships that would seem to warrant such extreme measures. And Nabiki Tendo didn't seem to be the voyeuristic sort. It remained a mystery to Yonoko but that didn't stop her from happily taking advantage of Nabiki's meticulous work. As she idly skipped from one conversation to another, she abruptly sensed a familiar presence manifesting nearby. "That Nabiki has potential. And while not the beauty in the family, she's not without her own unique charm." The voice that spoke was dark, warm, and velvety. It also contained just a hint of a beguiling purr. Yonoko replied, "Yes, it's a pity that we couldn't utilize her more." "She hides it well, but she's very devoted to her family. She would never knowingly do anything to really harm them." The sorceress glanced over to a corner of the room. Previously empty, it was now occupied by a dark, formless mass of shadow. All that could be clearly seen were two softly glowing smoke-blue 'eyes' and the occasional gleam of white, razor sharp fangs. "Lord Ebon." Yonoko gave the shadowy mass a respectful nod. The darkness seethed slightly. "No need to be so formal, my dear Yonoko." It paused to listen to the heated words between Akane and Ranma's mother. "So. I see that Nodoka is as stiff-necked and stubborn as ever. Considering her bloodlines, I should have expected no less. A sense of honor has its place but inflexibility will cost her dearly. By the way, a most excellent performance this morning." "Thank you, but I found it a rather nerve-wracking experience. If Saotome had failed...." "Oh, I was quite certain that Ranma would indeed be able to perform the greater Neko-ken. But to see it done with such flair... now THAT was an unexpected bonus." Ebon's voice sounded vastly amused. "To be frank, that battle aura scared the hell out of me. I simply didn't expect it to be so powerful. You TOLD me to dump the spells on Kuno and Hibiki as soon as the aura manifested but I didn't. That was really stupid of me." Yonoko flushed with embarrassment. "It's not that bad. You're just a competitive person. People like you are driven to measure their strength against formidable opponents. It's only natural to be curious how your own abilities stack up against something as powerful as the Neko-ken." She sighed wearily. "Well, I certainly paid for my curiosity." "Will you be able to handle your part tonight?" "Oh yes. It won't be too demanding, magically speaking, and the physical activity will be fairly easy. A little rest and I'll be fine." "Then everything should proceed according to plan. And Cologne?" "I've already made the arrangements as you suggested. It took some time to track the woman down. But she was easy to persuade." Yonoko grinned. "It's nice to have an unlimited budget to work with." The shadowy mass that was Ebon chuckled softly. Yonoko paused, then said, "All right. Now that we know that Saotome's capable of mastering the Neko-ken, what about his Jusenkyo curse? You said that his female form might be a problem." "Not a major problem, but the female form is significantly disadvantaged in reach and strength. That was very clear from his first formal duel with Mousse." "But she IS noticeably faster than Ranma's male form." Long white fangs flashed as Ebon grinned. "Not anymore. But that's not the main reason I dislike his current female form." Yonoko raised a curious eyebrow. Ebon serenely said, "I dislike the color red...." She raised her other eyebrow. "....and I loathe cuteness." Yonoko blinked, then laughed merrily. "I can imagine your reaction to seeing Azusa...." "...Shiratori?" Ebon made an audible snort of distaste. The conspirators sat in companionable silence for several minutes, then Yonoko said, "Forgive me for saying so, but isn't this a rather roundabout way to controlling Saotome? I know that his willpower and stubbornness would make him a very difficult subject, but surely a good, solid mind-control spell would still be much simpler." "You're quite correct, Yonoko -- if I wanted a puppet or a mindless flunky. But puppets and flunkies are notoriously dull and stupid. And they need so much constant supervision." Ebon sounded a bit miffed, then continued in a calmer voice. "Yonoko, I'm afraid your childhood training is showing. If something doesn't do what you want, your instinctive reaction is to brain-blast it into submission." Ebon sighed. "Now that approach may work in most situations, but not this time. The true Neko-ken and conventional methods of magical coercion do NOT mix. It's quick but painful suicide." Yonoko asked, "Then how do you expect to control him? Saotome's notoriously obstinate and willful...." "You mean he's mule-headed." "Well, yes. Unless you plan on using the Tendo girl as leverage...." "Akane?" The shadow swayed back and forth as if shaking its head. "There you go again, my dear. We don't want to send him off the deep end. No, we're going to keep this on an entirely business-like basis. An exchange of...favors. Nabiki would understand perfectly." "Really? And the purpose of all this intricate plotting, then?" Yonoko sounded just a tiny bit exasperated. "If you want to keep this business-like, why not just make Saotome an offer he can't refuse?" Ebon uttered a soft, rumbling chuckle. "Unfortunately, Ranma simply isn't good enough right now. He needs more training and more practice." Yonoko snorted. "Oh, so we get saddled with that job?" "Naturally. If you want something done right, it's best to handle it yourself. Or at least supervise. Now, I've got all the time in the world, but do YOU really want to spend the next few years waiting around for Ranma to acquire the necessary skills by sheer luck and chance?" She grimaced. "No, I don't." "In spite of his many faults, Genma Saotome did quite a good job of training Ranma in the martial arts. And the constant turmoil in the boy's life has only served to improve those skills. But with all that, Ranma is still an unsharpened blade. He's capable of doing damage but is nowhere close to his full potential. And what do you do with a dull sword?" Ebon give Yonoko a vicious little grin before answering its own question. "You hone its edge." "It's not going to be easy on him." Yonoko's voice was utterly dispassionate, devoid of any sympathy. The shadowy mass in the corner shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Or as humans often say, 'No pain, no gain.'" Her voice turned thoughtful. "I've always wondered. If a sword were alive, would it suffer as it was being sharpened -- as bits of itself are scraped and scoured away? Or would it feel pleasure at being prepared for its true purpose?" Ebon shrugged again. "His feelings are quite irrelevant. Ranma will be schooled to his full potential, even if I have to drag him kicking and screaming." The mass of darkness started to boil and seethe. It said, "Luck to you, my dear Yonoko." Ebon then vanished, leaving a weary sorceress alone with her thoughts. ********************************************************************** Part 3b: PICKING UP THE PIECES ********************************************************************** ....mine...mine...MINE.... Water sloshed as Ranma sat bolt upright in the tub and stared around in confusion. He must have dozed off after Nabiki left, but he had no idea what had jerked him awake. There was only the faintest recollection of some profoundly disturbing feeling. He took a few gulps of air. (Calm down. Kuno and Ryoga are only wounded. Nabiki said that I didn't hurt anyone else... unless I imagined it.... That's crazy! I couldn't have dreamed up that whole talk with Nabiki... could I?) The more he thought about it, the more dreamlike the conversation with Nabiki became. Finally, unable to stand the uncertainty, he quickly hauled himself out of the tub. Stepping into the changing room, he thankfully noticed his bloody clothes were gone. He pulled a spare outfit out of a hamper, got dressed, and stepped into the hallway. The Tendo house was eerily quiet. Ranma peeked through the open door to the living room. Empty. The kitchen was also unoccupied. (Where is everyone?) Ranma enjoyed solitude, probably because he got so little of it. But at the moment, he felt a strangely desperate need for company. Anybody. He would almost welcome Kodachi's presence right now. Perhaps it HAD been a dream. Maybe he had only imagined that difficult but unexpectedly candid talk with Nabiki. Ranma had a horrific vision of wandering through a deserted house only to come across a roomful of bloody corpses.... He shook his head hard. (Man, I've gotta get a grip on myself!) At that moment, Ranma heard a faint, metallic clatter. And someone was humming an old folk song. Ranma eagerly followed the sounds to the open front door. He took a deep breath, then peeked outside only to see Kasumi. She was quietly humming to herself as she mopped the encrusted blood off the stone walkway. The familiar, everyday sight of her cleaning away made a jarring contrast with the gore and chaotic destruction surrounding her. "Uh...." She looked up and gave him a kindly smile. "Ranma, you're looking so much better." Her voice was even softer than usual. Ranma nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, thanks. Um, where is everybody?" "Father's resting in his room." Ranma assumed that meant that Soun was hiding under his bedcovers, moaning and weeping. "Nabiki's talking to some friends." Translation? She was wheeling and dealing with business associates. "And Akane's taking a nap." Ranma's eyes widened in alarm. "She's... she's okay, isn't she?" "Oh yes. She's just a bit worn out by all the excitement." Kasumi cocked her head slightly. "How about you? Aren't you a little tired?" "No. I'm...fine." He looked around restlessly. Finally, he headed toward the street but Kasumi's soft voice made him pause. "Ranma, I called the hospital just now." He spun around and stared at her. She looked at him thoughtfully as he stood there, pale and tense, braced for the worst possible news. In a strangled voice, he whispered, "Are they...?" Kasumi blinked and said in mild surprise, "The receptionist told me that Ryoga and Kuno are alive and stable at the moment, but she also said that visitors were out of the question." "Didn't she say anything else?" Ranma was desperate for details. "No." She added a bit wistfully, "She won't let me talk to Dr. Tofu. She said he was terribly busy." He shivered slightly. Considering the doctor's usual reaction to Kasumi, it was no wonder that the receptionist had refused. He could just imagine the resulting chaos. Ranma hovered uncertainly at the gateway. He wanted to go to the hospital to check on the two idiots for himself. But something was holding him back. It took him a moment or two to realize what it was -- a overwhelming reluctance to stray too far from the dojo... and Akane. After his conversation with Nabiki, how could he possibly consider leaving Akane alone like that? "Are you going to the hospital, Ranma?" He closed his eyes briefly, then shook his head. "No. Not right now." Ranma walked back into the house and glanced upstairs, struggling with an impulse to run up to Akane's room. He brushed his fingers on the steps. Freshly cleaned. While he was sitting in the tub dozing, Kasumi had been hard at work cleaning up his mess. He went back outside to see her swabbing the stones with remarkable efficiency. As he watched, Kasumi wrung out her mop. The dirty, brown-tinted water oozed its way between her fingers and trickled back into the pail. A few stray drops stained the edge of Kasumi's skirt. "You missed lunch. Would you like something to eat, Ranma?" He fought down a surge of nausea and muttered, "No thanks. I'm... not hungry." "But you're always hungry unless Akane's cooking," Kasumi said with mild astonishment. He simply shook his head. "Oh, that'll work out fine. I hope to finish cleaning up before I have to start dinner." Kasumi resumed her humming and mopping. He found the sight of Kasumi placidly working on another patch of dried blood profoundly disturbing. It just didn't seem right. "Kasumi, you... you shouldn't be doing that." She didn't need to ask what he was talking about. The eldest Tendo daughter looked at him and said very gently, "It needs to be done. And who else will?" "...." Ranma had no answer to give her. Kasumi scrubbed at a particularly stubborn stain. "It's not supposed to rain for the next several days, so I thought it would best to clean up this mess right now. We can't just leave it here. What would the neighbors think?" A few minutes of silence passed. Then he said in a very subdued voice, "Do you need... some help?" Kasumi gave him a sunny smile. "Oh, thank you, Ranma." She looked around for a moment, then handed him an empty metal pail, a dust pan, and a brush. "There's broken glass all along the front of the house. Could you pick it up for me?" "Broken glass?" He looked behind him at the house. Every window that he could see had been shattered. (How the hell did that happen? No, I don't think I wanna know.) As he bent down and began to carefully scoop up the glass shards, he muttered, "Sorry about your room, Kasumi." "Hmm?" Ranma mutely pointed up at her bedroom. Her curtains trailed out of the broken windows and fluttered in the mild breeze. Kasumi blinked but seemed otherwise unfazed by the discovery. "Oh, don't worry. I'll just put up some blankets. I'm sure Nabiki can get someone out here in a day or two." Ranma and Kasumi settled down to a companionable silence as they began the work of cleaning up the entranceway to their home. ********************************************************************** Part 3c: UNFORGIVEN ********************************************************************** Ukyo slowly made her way back to her restaurant. Every so often, she would look behind her only to see Shampoo still following her. The Amazon girl made no attempt to attack or speak to her, but she continued to watch Ukyo's every move. (This HAS to be one of the worst days of my life. And with the way my life's been up to this point, that's saying quite a lot.) Ukyo's thoughts drifted back to another truly wretched day -- the day that she had allowed pure desperation to drive her into doing the unforgivable. -------------------------------------- [six months ago - right after the events at Mount Phoenix] After Ranma and the others returned from Mount Phoenix, Ukyo sensed that something significant had happened between Ranma and Akane. There was a growing closeness that badly unnerved her... then she found out about the plans for Ranma and Akane's secret wedding. She was frantic, angry, and desperate -- so desperate that she ended up breaking one of her own cardinal rules. Ukyo decided to use magic to 'persuade' Ranma to change his mind about Akane and the wedding. It was really for his own good. Akane was totally wrong for him. Couldn't he see that? She only wanted to save him from the emotional pain that would inevitably come from such a hopeless marriage. It wasn't as if she was trying to use magic to force him into loving her. She only wanted to make him back off from the wedding...and Akane. The bright green vial in the old antique shop's window display caught her eye and planted the idea in her head. After the fiasco with Kuno's phoenix egg, she was leery of having anything to do with that crazy old shopkeeper again. However, she couldn't stop herself from asking him about the potion. The shopkeeper -- with a little 'persuasion' from her battle spatula -- finally coughed up a complete set of instructions for the supposedly foolproof love potion. A drop of her own blood added to the potion would ensure that the person consuming the concoction would fall in love with no one else but herself. There would be none of that ridiculous "first person you see" junk. She got the potion ready but had plenty of second thoughts about actually using it... then Ranma and Akane walked into her restaurant. Watching them laugh and joke with each other instead of arguing as usual, Ukyo made an impulsive but fateful decision. A quick flick of the wrist and it was done. But even as she watched Ranma gobble down the dosed okonomiyaki, she realized that it had been an incredibly stupid thing to do. The potion didn't take effect immediately. Ukyo watched Ranma dash out of her restaurant with Akane, leaving the chef alone with her steadily growing guilt, fears, and regrets. She had jeopardized everything. What if Ranma found out about what she'd done? The last thing she wanted was to be treated like just another conniving, unwanted fiancee -- to be treated just like Kodachi or Shampoo. By the time she gathered up her courage to say something to Ranma, it was much too late. The love potion had worked flawlessly. And so had the half-dozen or more other potions, magical items, and/or spells that various other people had tried on Ranma. Ukyo had forgotten that this was Nerima, where impossible coincidences took place on a regular basis. Or, as she had read somewhere, "When it rained, it poured." Nerima being Nerima, it seemed that everyone had come up with pretty much the same solution for breaking up a Saotome-Tendo wedding -- throw magic at it. And with his usual luck, Ranma -- not Akane -- ended up taking the brunt of everyone's schemes. It might have been just another ridiculous fiasco, just another comedy of errors. But this time, the mess turned very serious and Dr. Tofu did not hesitate to let everyone know it. She wasn't really sure who else had been involved. Kodachi and Shampoo for sure. Probably Cologne, Mousse, Mr. Saotome, Kuno, Tsubasa, Gosunkugi, and Ryoga. Possibly some of the other boys and girls at school. And then there was Ukyo Kuonji, just as guilty as the rest of them. Ranma was whisked off into Dr. Tofu's care. No one really knew what happened afterward. Ranma reappeared a few days later. He seemed a little pale, a little disoriented, but otherwise in good health. At first, Ukyo's only thought was that of overwhelming relief. Ranma was fine. Any plans for a Saotome-Tendo wedding were put off indefinitely. Everything gradually settled back to normal in Nerima. Her guilty secret was intact and no one appeared to have any idea of her involvement. There seemed to be no good reason to say anything to anybody -- especially Ranma -- about the affair. -------------------------------------- [the present] She had thought that there had been no real harm done. She couldn't have been more wrong. Yes, everything was back to normal. She was still 'good, old trustworthy Uc-chan'. And it was all based on a lie. A simple lie of omission. But in the last two weeks or so, Ukyo had begun to wonder if Ranma DID know something. On rare occasions, she'd catch a fleeting glimpse of a wary, yet sad, sort of look on his face. And she would occasionally sense the faintest trace of hesitation before he ate her cooking. True, Ranma never said anything to her about the magic potion fiasco. It could just be her guilty conscience catching up with her. But she couldn't help but wonder.... The nagging uncertainty made her jumpy, anxious, and bad-tempered. Everyone noticed. Even Akane had asked her whether anything was wrong. (Maybe I should just take my lumps and tell Ranma the truth.) Ukyo ignored Shampoo as she unlocked the front door of her restaurant. She obtained what little satisfaction she could from slamming the door shut. If Shampoo tried to follow her in here, she'd teach that Amazon bimbo a good lesson or two. She took a few steps and nearly slipped on a largish envelope lying on the floor. In a thoroughly pissed off mood, she was ready to chuck the stupid thing into the trash. But as she picked up the package, she noticed a semi-familiar address. The envelope was from her great aunt. She hadn't seen the old woman for many years but Ukyo had fond memories of her. She didn't have many pleasant memories, especially after being abandoned by Genma, so she treasured whatever good memories she did have. The chef smiled to herself as she recalled her great aunt's gentle, soothing vagueness. It reminded Ukyo of Kasumi. The chef suddenly frowned as she realized her thoughts had again turned back to the Tendos. (What's wrong with me? Can't I go ten minutes without thinking about Ranma or that blasted family?) She shivered slightly. Is this how Kodachi became so crazy? Having her thoughts gradually become more and more fixated on Ranma? To be incapable of thinking of anything else? Ukyo quickly shook herself out the mood. No, she was nothing like Kodachi. She wasn't obsessed, only very determined and admittedly somewhat stubborn. As she walked through her restaurant, she briefly considered leaving Nerima forever. But even as she toyed with the idea, she knew it would never happen. Not as long as there was the slightest possibility, the faintest hope, that Ranma would FINALLY come to his senses and see that Akane was not the right girl for him. She knew that Ryoga had tried to leave Nerima, the Tendos, and Ranma Saotome behind more than once. However, he always came back sooner or later. Ukyo laughed bitterly. Besides, where would she go? Back home to Father? Back to a man who won't even look at her? She tucked the envelope under her arm and headed upstairs. She'd deal with it later. She had more important things to think about. -------------------------------------- Ukyo wandered into her bedroom. Her battle spatula rested on her futon, along with a scattering of dresses and two pairs of torn pantyhose. Tossing the envelope aside, she quickly changed out of her fancy clothes and switched back to her usual masculine pants and shirt. She then flung herself down on the futon and stared up at the ceiling. No, leaving Nerima would never be a feasible option for her. She had put too much of herself into her pursuit of Ranma, first as an enemy and then as a fiance. To leave now was to admit that all her effort and sacrifice had been completely pointless. Would she give up now, just based on the words of a brainless Amazon bimbo and a hopelessly dense girl like Akane Tendo? She shuddered as she remembered the look in Ranma's eyes as he crouched on the ground, snarling. Inhuman. That's what it was. Utterly inhuman. No matter what Akane or Shampoo said, she refused to believe that... that creature running around on all fours and fawning all over Akane was just a fragment of Ranma's own mind. It was simply too alien, too different from the Ranma Ukyo knew. She wasn't sure WHAT it was. However, she was certain that Genma Saotome was definitely responsible for its existence. Her eyes narrowed. Hold it. What did anybody really KNOW about the Neko-ken? Genma was the only one who really had any idea how the whole mess got started. And Ukyo knew first-hand just what a worthless, lying bastard Genma Saotome was. Poor Ranma had been only a child at the time. Did he actually remember anything or was he merely repeating what Genma had told him over and over again? Ukyo rolled over onto her stomach and started drumming her fingers angrily on the floor. (What if it wasn't simply an incredibly stupid training exercise with cats? What if it was something much more...sinister? Genma might be a fool, a liar, and a coward but would he have been really THAT desperate...?) Before this afternoon, Ukyo would have sworn that the man actually cared about his son. But Genma's attempts to justify the terrible things he had done to Ranma now convinced her that Ranma's father was both stupid enough and ruthless enough to do ANYTHING if he thought it would make Ranma a better martial artist. Meddle with the occult? Possession? Why not? Ukyo could just picture the scenario... an ambitious father, a botched summoning of some netherworld entity, a helpless boy.... She growled softly to herself. (Genma... if I find any proof of this, you're a dead man!) No, there was no way she was going to back off and go away. Not after what she'd seen this morning. She couldn't understand it. How could Akane and the Tendos just stand by? How could they do nothing to cure Ranma when it was so blatantly clear that there was something terribly wrong with him? Ukyo felt a surge of renewed determination. She was NOT going to desert Ranma. Perhaps he was possessed. Perhaps he was just crazy. With a father like Genma, who wouldn't be? It didn't really matter. He needed her help, whether he knew it or not, and she was not about to let anyone stop her. Not the Tendos. Not that stupid Amazon. Not anyone. (If Akane can't -- or won't -- take care of Ranma, then she bloody well doesn't deserve him!) ********************************************************************** Part 3d: SKELETONS FROM A CHINESE CLOSET ********************************************************************** Once Ukyo disappeared inside her restaurant, Shampoo turned and slowly trudged back to the Neko-hanten. She was not looking forward to her upcoming talk with Cologne. How was she going to explain her sudden decision to give up on Ranma after eighteen months of trying nearly everything under the sun, moon, and stars to catch him? Cologne would demand answers as was her right as an Amazon Elder. And Shampoo had no answers to give. The only thing Shampoo knew for certain was that Ranma had chosen Akane. And she had an awful premonition that trying to separate the two now would only bring disaster. Not only on herself, but on the Amazon tribe as well. How she knew, she couldn't say. It was just gut instinct. She could just imagine her great grandmother's reaction to her decision. Cologne had made it quite clear that giving up and going home was NOT an option. And as for her failure to uphold her personal honor? Shampoo would be lucky if she ended up being banished from the village for a VERY long time. She could be formally outcast. At worst, she could die for her failure. Shampoo hoped it wouldn't go that far. There was no way to hide what had happened at the Tendo house that morning. That idiot Mousse was sure to have told Cologne everything. Shampoo bit her lip. But what about hiding her decision to give up on Ranma? Maybe she could simply... forget... to say anything about it and let Cologne assume that her intentions were unchanged. The Amazon girl shook her head slowly. The idea was tempting but it was only delaying the inevitable. It might not be today, but she would eventually need to make her stand and tell Cologne she was giving up. If she thought wasting a year and a half was bad, what would Cologne think about wasting two years, three years, or more? Shampoo's steps slowed even more as she approached the Neko-hanten. No, that was the coward's way out. She may have done many dishonest and even dishonorable things since arriving in Nerima, but she refused to become a coward. She would tell Cologne that she, Shampoo, was no longer interested in marrying Ranma. She would just have to deal with the consequences, whatever they might be. Shampoo hesitated outside the door, took a moment to gather her courage, then walked inside. The first thing she noticed was that the normally bustling restaurant was deserted. The second thing she noticed was her great grandmother's cold, stern expression. Cologne was very, very displeased. Shampoo felt chills run down her spine. <"Shampoo, we have a... 'visitor'."> The young Amazon blinked in surprise. Of all things, she didn't expect to be greeted by that statement -- or warning, rather. She glanced to her left and stiffened angrily. <"Dan Xin,"> Shampoo snarled, her voice bristling with hostility. Dan Xin laughed nastily. <"Hello, Shampoo. And how is the husband hunt going?"> Dan Xin was a petite, black-haired Amazon woman with a well-developed figure. She looked remarkably cute except for the gleam in her eyes. It was a lean and hungry look -- a look that made Nabiki Tendo seem like the very soul of generosity. Shampoo's lips curled in contempt as she noticed Dan Xin's attire. Instead of traditional Amazon or Chinese clothes, Dan Xin was dressed in a snugly fitting scarlet leather outfit which bore her personal motif -- the heron. On her back she carried a familiar crane-hilted sword. The blade had once belonged to Mousse's mother. <"What are you doing here?"> Shampoo demanded. <"Oh, since I was in the area, I just decided to drop in on my sister Amazons...."> Cologne interrupted in an icy voice. <"YOU ARE NO SISTER OF OURS. You were cast out of the Amazon tribe for your outrageously dishonorable conduct -- for inciting treason, not to mention your involvement in theft, torture, and murder."> <"Mere rumors. You never found any actual proof of my guilt, did you? Besides, you and the Council of Elders couldn't afford to have me executed. Isn't that right, great grandmother?"> Dan Xin smirked at Cologne. The Elder stared stonily at the ex-Amazon but said nothing. Dan Xin continued in an airy voice. <"Well, being outcast has been no great loss to me. There's so much more to do in the outside world. So many more opportunities...."> Cologne narrowed her eyes ominously. <"So I hear. You've chosen to prostitute yourself by selling your sword to the highest bidder."> She sniffed contemptuously. <"And I've also heard that your person is available. For the right price."> Dan Xin flushed and snarled, <"Well, it's better than sitting around in that miserable village raising rice and chickens!"> She glanced around the Neko-hanten in contempt. <"Or running some cheap noodle shop."> The ex-Amazon gave Shampoo a sly look, then murmured in mock sympathy, <"I've heard that you've been having problems with your new successor, great grandmother. But what can you expect when you have to settle for second-best."> She burst into malicious laughter. Shampoo simmered at Dan Xin's jibe and the reminder that she had not been Cologne's first choice as successor. And Dan Xin's laughter reminded her all too much of Kodachi's insane cackling. <"Poor Shampoo. How does it feel to be a miserable failure all the way around, cousin dear? You failed to kill the outsider woman who defeated you so easily in front of the entire village. And then you managed to get beaten again, this time by a mere boy. Nearly two years later and you STILL haven't managed to marry him! That's truly pathetic. Please tell me that you've managed to seduce him, at least. Or have you managed to screw up that as well?"> Before Shampoo could explode in fury, Cologne gave her a hard, warning stare. The young Amazon clenched her teeth and struggled to stay calm. Finally, she forced herself to shrug nonchalantly and say, <"It's none of your business."> Cologne's expression did not change but inside, she uttered a small sigh of exasperation. (You're going to have to do much better than that, Shampoo, if you want to convince Dan Xin of anything.) The Elder turned to the ex-Amazon and said, <"Enough of your insults. Go. You have no business with us."> Dan Xin uttered a nasty little snicker but turned to leave. For an instant, Shampoo stood blocking the way to the front door. The two young Amazons glared at each other for a few seconds. Shampoo then stepped aside, leaving barely enough room for her cousin to pass. Perched on her stick, Cologne hopped over to the window and watched Dan Xin disappear down the street. She muttered to herself, <"She's going to be trouble for sure. What is that traitorous little bitch doing here in Nerima?"> <"Great grandmother, do you think she wants Ranma?"> Shampoo said in profoundly worried tones. <"I can't be sure, but I don't think so. Dan Xin only likes two things, wealth and power. Men actually rank quite low on her list of priorities. She's probably just trying to provoke you."> Shampoo desperately hoped that was true. Dan Xin was a superb martial artist and her skill was matched only by her viciousness and greed. Matters were complicated enough without Dan Xin's interference. When she noticed that Cologne getting ready to leave, she hastily said, <"Uh, great grandmother... I have something to tell you. About Ranma."> Cologne muttered distractedly, <"Girl, you look exhausted. Let me guess. Things did not go well this morning."> <"You... could say that."> <"Well, I don't have time to deal with it right now. Tell me when I get back. I need to find out what that wretched girl's up to."> <"But great grandmother, this is very important! Ranma...!"> Cologne snapped, <"Shampoo, I have more important things to worry about than your latest screwup with son-in-law! I've been sensing strange powers at work since last night. Now Dan Xin shows up. It can't be a coincidence. Wherever that little monster goes, murder and mayhem follow. I need to learn more."> <"But...."> <"I doubt that your cousin's interested in Ranma, but if she is, it would be best if I find out as soon as possible. I'll deal with Dan Xin. You're to stay out of this and take care of the restaurant."> The Amazon Elder hopped out of the Neko-hanten, leaving a worried and frustrated Shampoo far behind. "Ooooh!" After struggling to get up enough courage to tell Cologne about Ranma, it was infuriating to find out that the old woman was too busy to listen to her. ---------------------- As Cologne made her way across the rooftops of Nerima, she reflected on old history and past mistakes.... Dan Xin had been her chosen successor and protegee... her favorite great granddaughter... the child of Cologne's most beloved granddaughter. It had been her own love and affection -- not to mention pride in Dan Xin's abilities -- that blinded her to Dan Xin's true nature. Cologne grimly admitted her own fault. She must bear much of the blame for what happened nearly eight years ago. The girl was cunning and deceptive, but there had been definite signs of her personality flaws. Cologne had simply chosen to ignore their seriousness. After all, an Amazon must be ruthless and merciless against her opponents. Unfortunately, to Dan Xin, everyone was her opponent... and her prey. By the end of that terrible winter, over fifteen members of the tribe had died, including Dan Xin's own mother. Although she had not personally dealt the killing blows in most cases, Dan Xin had been either directly or indirectly responsible for each death. Everyone in the village knew it. Unfortunately, there had been plenty of circumstantial evidence but no real proof. And so it had come down to a trial-by-combat -- Dan Xin against the Council's chosen champion. But Cologne had done her work too well. After a ferocious duel, Mousse's mother had died a particularly brutal death at Dan Xin's hands. Since Dan Xin was technically 'innocent' by virtue of her undisputed victory, the most the Council of Elders could do was to declare Dan Xin banished and forever outcast from the tribe. Ever since her banishment, Dan Xin had wisely stayed out of the Amazons' way. That made her reappearance in Nerima all the more puzzling. She must have a compelling reason to dare cross paths with an Elder... especially Cologne. But what was the creature up to? The situation was fraught with possibilities, both good and bad. Even though Dan Xin was now considered an outsider, even outsiders received a limited degree of immunity if they won a trial-by-combat. Cologne and the other Amazons wronged by Dan Xin could not take vengeance against her for her past crimes. But for crimes newly committed... that was an entirely different matter. And so, high above the streets of Nerima, Cologne continued to cautiously trail her quarry, watching and waiting. In a way, Cologne hoped that Dan Xin would try to ensnare Ranma in whatever schemes she might have. Willful interference with an officially sanctioned betrothal -- such as the one between Shampoo and Ranma -- qualified as a crime in Amazon law. Normally such a crime would not merit death. But in this case, Cologne was confident that the Council of Elders would gladly stretch a few legal points if it meant disposing of Dan Xin permanently. And if Dan Xin tried to injure Ranma? Even better for Cologne. Ranma was practically a member of the tribe already -- even if the ungrateful whelp didn't accept that fact. Cologne peeked around a chimney stack. Dan Xin was talking into a cellular phone but the angle was wrong for reading her lips. As the Amazon Elder prepared to move to a more advantageous position, she sensed a presence watching her. She careful scanned her surrounding but could not locate the observer. (What a fool I am! There's no reason that Dan Xin would be alone here in Nerima. I must be more careful.) ---------------------- Shampoo spent the next hour or so going over every detail of the morning's events. When Cologne returned, she needed to be ready with believable answers. And she had none. All Shampoo had a sickening premonition that if someone tried to interfere with Ranma or tried to separate him from Akane, something terrible would happen. It had been that certainty -- that feeling -- that prompted Shampoo to keep Ukyo from seeing Ranma. There was no telling what that stupid spatula girl would have done. Shampoo was still struggling to sort things out when she heard the back door open. She ran through the kitchen and said, <"Great grandmother...! Oh, it's you."> Her voice trailed off in disgust and disappointment. <"Shampoo! You're safe!"> Mousse ran toward her. Shampoo briskly fended him off with a wok. <"Mousse, I'm NOT in the mood for this! You're just as bad as that crazy Kodachi...."> Barely deterred, Mousse scrambled back to his feet. <"What's happened at the Tendos!? Why was Ranma running around on all fours? Why did he go...."> But Shampoo didn't immediately answer. Instead she slowly put down the wok and sank down onto a nearby stool. She thought about the insane look of possessiveness on Kodachi's face. Then she thought about Ranma's icy cold stare as he crouched next to Akane.... (Of course. It was all in the eyes.) It had been very briefest of looks. Ranma's mother and the other women had only seen hostility and rage in his eyes. But Shampoo had seen something else. Pure, raw hunger. The hunger had such an intensity that it seemed to have a life of its own. It was as if a veneer has been stripped away, exposing a dark core unseen and unsuspected by anyone. Why was she the only one to notice? Ranma was a generous person. Shampoo knew that. After all, he had put up with her persistent advances for so long. To see this hunger, this possessiveness, residing in the depths of his soul.... She shivered. How long had it been there, hidden and veiled from everyone? How long had it been buried so deep that no one -- not even Ranma -- was aware of its existence? She suddenly remembered a videotape someone had shown her. It had been recorded well over a year ago during something called the Martial Arts Ice Skating Championship. Mikado Sanzenin had just threatened to steal a kiss from Akane's lips. What had Ranma shouted...? 'Akane is MY fiancee! Touch her and I'll KILL you!!!' Were his feelings so strong even back then? With all the disturbing thoughts churning around in her brain, the only thing Shampoo could say was, <"Oh my...."> In the meantime, Mousse continued to babble an endless stream of questions. He finally noticed Shampoo's pale, stunned expression. <"Did Ranma hurt you? If he did, I'll...."> Shampoo slowly looked at him and grabbed Mousse's robes. In a low, even voice, she said, <"Don't even try. Do you hear me? You attack Ranma now and YOU... WILL... DIE."> Mousse gazed at her in a pathetic, hopeful sort of way. <"Does... does this mean that you're worried about me, Shampoo?"> Shampoo stared blankly at him, then abruptly released her grip and gave him a half-hearted shove. <"I'm worried about Ranma."> Mousse wilted in disappointment. But as she walked out of the kitchen in a daze, his acute hearing picked up Shampoo's last words. <"I'm worried about all of us."> ********************************************************************** Part 3e: THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE MATTER ********************************************************************** Akane woke up to a soft knock on her door. She rubbed her eyes, then abruptly sat up in bed. (I don't believe it! I fell asleep! What's going on? Where's Ranma!?) The knock came again. "Come IN!" Akane said irritably. Nabiki entered the bedroom and said, "I need to talk to you about this morning. And about Ranma." "Nabiki, I don't have time for this." She grabbed at the clock on her bedside table. In the process, she almost knocked over the empty glass which had contained the warm milk Kasumi had given her earlier that afternoon. "I've been asleep for hours! I've got to check on Ranma! There's no telling what that idiot might do...." "He's fine." "Huh?" Akane's head swivelled toward her sister. "He's helping Kasumi clean up the walkway." "Huh?" Akane blankly repeated. Nabiki closed the door behind her and patiently waited for Akane to absorb this information. In the meantime, she went through her mental checklist of things done and things left to do. She had taken Ranma's bloody clothes, stashed Kuno's katana in a safe place, told her subordinates to hold the fort business-wise, and browbeat Sasuke into telling her what little he could about Kuno. Next on the agenda was the search of Ranma's room. Nabiki wanted to get her hands on that old Neko-ken manual of Genma's. If it wasn't in Ranma's room, it could be in her father's bedroom. She hoped that the night would be quiet. Her ribs ached, her body was covered in bruises, and she was running herself ragged. But there was no help for it. No one else in the family was capable of handling matters properly. "Ranma's fine? Are you trying to tell me that there's nothing wrong with him?" "I didn't say that. I just meant that there's no immediate need to panic, Akane. So you can surely spare a few minutes to talk to me." "I'm not panicking!" Akane looked suspiciously at her sister. "Why do you want to know, anyway?" Nabiki looked suitably fed up and exasperated with the whole situation. "Listen, Akane. You know how Ranma's mother and Ukyo reacted. They're both so messed up about the Neko-ken and Ranma's cat thing, they can't see beyond their own noses. Figuring out Shampoo's Japanese gives me a headache. You know that Ranma won't remember anything. Who else am I going to talk to? Kodachi?" Akane winced at the thought and sank back restlessly onto her bed. "All right," she muttered. "So, tell me what happened this morning." "Well, I came back from my morning run...." ------------------------------------ Nabiki listened intently to Akane's story but didn't ask any questions. At the end of Akane's version, Nabiki's only comment was, "I see." Akane glared at her sister. "Is that it? 'I see.'? I thought you wanted to HELP Ranma!" Nabiki's eyebrows twitched and she said in an unexpectedly terse voice, "I do. And I did." Akane backed off a bit in the face of Nabiki's temper. "Uh... So what did I miss?" ------------------------------------ "Shampoo did what!?" Akane stared at her sister in disbelief. "I said that she was kept Ukyo from following you and Ranma to the bathroom." "I don't believe it! Why?" "Don't look at me. I don't know. All I can say is that it certainly appears like she's given up on Ranma." "But... but it's so sudden. I mean, she's been chasing after him non-stop all this time and she gives up just like that?" Akane snapped her fingers, then her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "That Amazon bimbo... she's probably got some crazy scheme going with Cologne." Nabiki sounded pensive. "No, I don't think so. Don't let your jealousy blind you to the facts. Shampoo has flat out admitted before witnesses that she knows that Ranma wants YOU. Not only is she willing to accept you as Ranma's chosen fiancee, but now she's also ready to defend YOUR position, by force, if necessary. Akane snapped, "I'm NOT jealous!" Nabiki stared at her younger sister and shook her head. "That's pure reflex and habit talking, Akane. Not good." Akane's face turned beet red. She already knew that, but to be reminded by Nabiki, of all people.... Her older sister sighed wearily. "Akane, I know that you and Ranma have been gradually working things out between you." "Well, um.... Yes." "Unfortunately, I think you may be running out of time." Akane looked up at Nabiki. "What is it? If you've got something to say, spit it out!" Her sister gave her a long searching stare. "All right, I do have something to tell you. Can you handle it?" Akane's instinctive reaction was to snap out a furious, "Of course!" However, Nabiki's grim expression and her warnings about bad habits made her hesitate... and really think. After a moment, she nodded very slowly and said, "If it has to do with Ranma... yes... I think I can." "All right. Trouble's coming, Akane. You don't think that this morning was the end of it, do you? And to be honest with you, I'm really worried." Akane looked nervous. "What are you talking about?" "Listen, I don't have any real proof about what's going on. I may be way off-base about this. But I have a few nasty suspicions. First, that what happened this morning was a carefully orchestrated plot directed at Ranma. Second, that the person responsible for this morning's battle wasn't simply trying to defeat or even kill Ranma. I think this enemy's out to really destroy him -- heart, mind, and soul. I'm not talking some minor psyche-out tactic, here. I'm talking total destruction or worse. Madness. Obliteration. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Akane went pale and nodded slowly. "Let's face it, Akane. This guy's done his or her homework. He's going for the soft underbelly." Akane winced at the all too graphic image. "Ranma may be... hell, IS... one of the best martial artists around but he is NOT well equipped to handle this sort of attack." Akane suppressed the urge to scream 'Shut up!' at her sister. She almost hated Nabiki for clearly stating things that she herself had only vaguely dreaded. But yelling at her sister wouldn't make the problem go away. "He's insecure, socially inept, emotionally immature, and regardless of what you might think most of the time, he's actually a pretty sensitive and caring person." "I... I know." Akane stared down at her nervously twisting fingers. "I'm glad to hear that. Because Ranma's going to need every bit of your support he can get. If you really want to help Ranma, he needs to know that he can trust you AND talk to you. He also needs to know that YOU trust him." "M-m-me?" Nabiki pulled at her hair in exasperation. "Akane, quit being so dense! Who else can Ranma talk to!?" She knew that her older sister was right. Genma was hopeless and his mother was probably even worse. When Akane thought about it, Ranma had an overabundance of enemies and rivals, a lot of casual acquaintances, and a few friends. But there were no truly close friends. Well, there was Ukyo. But Akane had noticed an odd sort of uneasiness between Ranma and Ukyo recently, even before this morning's events. "Akane, I'm not asking you to lie. That would be worse than blurting out something stupid. I am asking you to think and think CAREFULLY about what you say and what you do." Nabiki's voice softened just a bit. "I'm serious about the consequences. If you really mess up, you may not get the chance to tell Ranma 'Oops, I didn't really mean that.'" As she watched her sister, Nabiki knew the incredibly heavy burden she was placing on Akane's shoulders. Self-control had never been Akane's strong point but Nabiki also knew that this was something that she couldn't possibly handle by herself. She HAD to have Akane's help. Nabiki hoped that her baby sister was up to the task. "But... what about you, Nabiki?" Akane's voice was soft, uncertain. She smiled sardonically. "Can you imagine Ranma unburdening his darkest insecurities to me?" "Oh." Akane went over Nabiki's words in her mind and frowned. Something bothered her.... Her gaze flashed upward to meet her sister's. In an accusing voice, she said, "Nabiki, how do you know all this?" "I don't know anything for sure. All I've got are a few deductions and a lot of guesswork." "If I ever find out that you were involved or that you knew that something was going to happen but didn't warn us, you're going to be SO sorry...." Nabiki glared at her sister before responding. "I had no idea anything like this was going to occur." Nabiki's unspoken thought was, (No, I didn't know but I can venture a good guess where this guy got some of his information on Ranma.) Nabiki suddenly switched to the offensive and let a real hint of anger seep into her voice. "What kind of monster do you think I am? Sure, I like money and I can be a real bitch at times. But I certainly do not go in for mass murder!" With those words, Nabiki did an excellent job of storming out of the room. Shaken by her sister's outburst and the real anger behind it, Akane failed to notice Nabiki discretely grabbing the empty milk glass as she left. In the hallway, Nabiki choked down a surge of annoyance. It wasn't that she minded being in control -- of playing 'general' and moving people around like chess pieces. But she did have her own ethical standards. And it wasn't as if she really had much of a choice. Father was incapable of any sort of leadership. Akane simply didn't have the temperament for strategic planning. Kasumi was a different matter. Nabiki had long since figured out that it wasn't a lack of ability on Kasumi's part. Her older sister just didn't want to deal with the 'dirty' stuff. Nabiki stared down thoughtfully at the few remaining drops of milk in the glass. Yes, Kasumi usually left the messy problems to Nabiki, but this time, it seemed that Kasumi was not above actively meddling. She briefly considered talking to her older sister but changed her mind. (No, I don't think I'm up to any more gut-wrenching conversations with the family.) ------------------------------------ Back at the Kuno mansion, the loyal family retainer Sasuke was caught in a real dilemma. After an excruciatingly thorough interrogation by Nabiki Tendo, she had flatly warned him to keep Kodachi out of Ranma's way, at least for a day or so. Normally, he would have dismissed the warning but he couldn't forget the destruction and blood in the Tendos' front yard. And after a call to the hospital, he HAD to take her warning very seriously. He glanced uneasily at the bed. Mistress Kodachi would not going to remain unconscious for much longer. Not without some help. And he needed to check on Master Kuno. (Oh, what should I do? She'll wake up soon! But if Miss Tendo is right, it'll be a disaster if she going chasing after Ranma Saotome tonight. I'm sworn to serve and obey the Kuno family but I also have a duty to protect them! Oh, what should I do?) Finally, the little ninja gathered up his courage and raided Kodachi's laboratory. He lit the stick of black rose incense, placed it in her bedroom, and stole out of the house. ------------------------------------ After Nabiki stormed out the door, Akane curled up on her bed to think a bit more. Finally, she headed downstairs. She peeked out the front door. Except for the occasional claw marks here and there, there was barely any evidence of the vicious fight that had occurred only a few hours ago. Kasumi was giving the porch a final wash while Ranma was busily picking up the last few bits of debris. She didn't make a sound but Ranma was instantly aware of Akane's presence. He turned and gave her a faint smile. She wondered what had occurred during her nap. When she had left him, Ranma had been terribly, though quietly, upset. He now seemed to be a lot calmer... more focused. Kasumi picked up her bucket and mop, then headed inside the house. "Dinner will be ready soon." Ranma said, "Thanks, Kasumi." After her sister left, Akane shuffled her feet and said, "You seem to be feeling much better." Ranma gave her a wry grin. "Yeah. I guess so." She gave him a curious look. He shrugged. "Nabiki and I had a long talk." Recalling her own conversation with Nabiki, she winced. "So what did she say?" "She gave me a good kick in the butt, so to speak. Told me what happened. Told me to stop wallowing in misery and take a good look at the big picture." "Ohhh!" Akane was outraged by what she considered as Nabiki's callous and insensitive behavior. She turned to stomp right back upstairs and yell at her sister. Ranma gently grabbed her wrist to stop her. He said quietly, "Akane, she did the right thing. I really needed it. There's a lot of stuff going on here and I was just too upset to see it." She stared at him for a moment, then sank down on the freshly washed porch, scowling. Standing next to Akane, Ranma closed his eyes to savor the smells and sounds of the spring afternoon. Everything seemed sharper, clearer than he could ever quite remember. He absently noticed the scent of Akane's sweat, which mingled in an oddly pleasant way with the smell from her shampoo and the surrounding greenery. The faint metallic tinge of blood should have spoiled everything but oddly, it did nothing to ruin his enjoyment. However, at the same time, Ranma felt strangely out of sync with himself. It was an unfamiliar sensation. He was so used to mind and body being in unison -- that was essential for a martial artist. This time, his body was both strangely relaxed but also ready... ready for who knows what. On the other hand, his brain definitely needed a vacation. Mentally, he wanted nothing more than to crawl in a dark hole to recover -- to get away from it all. Nabiki's little talk had taken a load off his mind but he still had way too much to worry about. Meanwhile, Akane was brooding about how her sisters both managed to handle Ranma so well. After sighing loudly, she muttered, "Ranma, I'm sorry." He blinked in surprise. "For what?" "For not doing enough. I left you alone when I shouldn't have. I could've explained things better. I went off and fell asleep when you were.... I'm just no good at this!" She glared at her knees. "Nabiki always knows the right things to say and Kasumi's always so nice!" Akane grimaced. She had mumbled those last words out loud. And this was Ranma she was talking to. Nabiki could be right about his sensitivity but Akane was much more familiar with 'Ranma the jerk'. She waited for an insult, a teasing remark, or a verbal jab. It never came. There was a moment of silence as Ranma leaned back against the porch post, then he said, "Yeah, right. Nabiki sure knows exactly what to say... to get a guy exactly where she wants him. And Kasumi's really nice and all that but a lot of times she just... ignores... the bad things that happen." Akane looked hurt and a bit offended. He shifted uncomfortably. "What's wrong?" "How can you say that about my sisters?" "Hey, I'm not being mean or nothing! But I've got eyes. It's no big secret what your sisters are like." He sounded a bit defensive. Ranma took a deep breath to calm himself, then squatted down in front of her. "Akane, you managed to save Ryoga's and Kuno's lives. You also stopped me from hurting Nabiki, Mousse, Kodachi, and a lot of other people, too. Don't try to tell me that's not enough. You were there when everyone needed you. That's plenty, okay? Your sisters aren't perfect -- not even Kasumi. Nobody's asking you to be, either." Akane blinked, then slowly blushed. She smiled shyly at him and murmured, "Thanks, Ranma." They sat on the porch, not quite touching but close together, and watched the sun sink in the sky. -------------------------------------- Some time later, Kasumi called out, "Ranma? Akane? Dinner's ready." Ranma sighed and rested his head against his knees. Akane gave him a curious look. "What is it?" "I was just thinking. I should probably go talk to Mother tomorrow." He sounded slightly sick at the prospect. She snapped, "She should be coming to you -- especially after the horrible things she said!" Ranma blinked in surprise. Akane normally didn't hold grudges against other people -- just against him. However, this time, she wasn't just mad at his mother. She was definitely STAYING mad. ********************************************************************** Part 3f: A CHANGE IN THE AIR ********************************************************************** Dinner at the Tendo home started out peacefully enough. Everything seemed pretty normal except for Ranma's relative lack of appetite. Akane worriedly noticed that he was eating like a normal person instead of wolfing down everything in sight. As for Ranma, he picked at his food and tried his best to ignore the nervous looks Soun kept giving him. They were halfway through the meal when they heard a familiar lecherous cackle echo throughout the house. "WHATTA HAUL!!! Whatta haul! Whatta haul!" Soun buried his face in his hands and moaned. To her alarm, Akane saw Ranma visibly twitch in annoyance. Happosai hopped into the living room with his usual bag of underwear. As he bounced wildly around the room like a demented rubber ball, the old martial arts master left lingerie scattered all over the room and its occupants. Ranma, who had remained totally still, ended up with a black lace nightrobe dumped over his head. It was followed by the usual dousing of cold water. Akane couldn't see Ranma-chan's face but she could see her knuckles whiten as she clutched her bowl and chopsticks. A barely perceptible quiver went through Ranma-chan's body. Nabiki held up a cream silk teddy and examined the European designer label with an experienced eye. "The old pervert's really hit the jackpot this time. This little number could buy us all a hefty steak dinner." The chopsticks and Ranma-chan's temper snapped simultaneously. (Uh oh,) was the thought that crossed more than one mind. Ranma-chan yanked the slopping wet nightrobe off her head. She lunged to her feet and howled, "HAPPOSAI!!!" Nabiki's eyes went wide. Kasumi dropped her soup bowl. Akane uttered a soft, "Eep!" With his head buried in his bag, Happosai did not immediately notice what had so shocked the Tendo daughters. "Ranma, sweetums! Do I have a number for you! Let's see, let's see...." Happosai rummaged a moment and pulled out a nearly transparent, electric blue bra. He turned and said, "Won't you try this one for me.... WHOA MAMMA!" "WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT, YOU OLD PERVERT!?!" "Ranma! You... your...." Akane scrambled to her feet and grabbed Ranma-chan's arm. She flicked a quick glance down at Akane and muttered distractedly, "What now? Can't it wait until I pound the crap out of that obnoxious old...." Ranma-chan blinked. (Hold it. I'm looking DOWN at Akane!? That's not right! I should be looking UP at her!) Stupefied to realize that she still stood at least a good four or five inches taller than Akane, Ranma-chan hurriedly ripped her shirt open and checked her chest. (Yup, breasts still there.) Soun keeled over while Happosai drooled at the magnificent sight. Akane and her sisters stared speechlessly at Ranma-chan. Instead of the buxom, petite, red-haired girl they were all familiar with, Ranma-chan now had the exact same height and black hair as her boy-form. And she no longer looked like a cute girl of fourteen or so. Ranma's female form was now a stunningly beautiful young woman of nearly eighteen years. A reasonably observant person might have noticed that red-haired Ranma-chan and black-haired Ranma had a strong family resemblance. Now the relationship between Ranma's girl-type and boy-type was practically impossible to miss. Except for her distinctly female features and figure, Ranma-chan was essentially a perfect match to her male form. Even her eyes were the exact same shade of blue-gray. Happosai finally broke out of his trance. His expression somehow managed to become even more lecherous as he homed in on Ranma-chan's exposed bosom. Her looks might have changed, but there was nothing wrong with Ranma-chan's reflexes. She smashed the incoming Happosai's head into the floor, then punted him out of the living room. "Take a hike, you old freak!" After they all watched the old lech sail off into the evening sky, Ranma-chan turned to see Akane mutely holding up the steel tea kettle. She stared at her altered reflection for a long time before finally taking the kettle. One deep breath and she dumped the hot liquid over her head. Ranma felt the familiar sense of transformation. He quickly checked his height and pigtail, then heaved a great sigh of relief and sat down abruptly on the floor. Nabiki got up and walked out of the room without saying a word. Akane knelt down beside him. "Ranma, are you all right?" "No. Shit, what now!?" The last words came out more like a moan. Kasumi cheerfully said, "But Ranma, at least you didn't turn into a short, red-haired boy!" "That's supposed to make me feel better?" Akane handed Ranma a napkin. After wiping his face dry, he looked up to see the Tendos staring at him with worried expressions on their faces. "I think you need to see Dr. Tofu as soon as possible, son," Soun said in a surprisingly firm voice. "Yeah. That sounds like a real good idea." Nabiki's voice suddenly cut into the conversation. "Sorry, but Dr. Tofu's too busy to see anyone tonight. He's still at the hospital." "Why?" Akane looked up in surprise. Her older sister said, "Apparently he's having trouble stabilizing two of his patients." Ranma's head jerked up and he stared almost angrily at Nabiki. "What the hell do you mean by that? What's wrong with them? Just what did I DO to them?" Surprisingly, Nabiki glanced at her older sister. Kasumi blushed slightly and murmured, "Well, they... they did have some nasty cuts and bruises." Nabiki pointedly prompted her sister. "And...." Kasumi gave her father a demure, almost guilty look. "And it seemed that something had... badly disrupted the chi in their bodies." The long silence that followed was finally broken by the sound of ripping fabric. Ranma flung the torn napkin aside and bolted out of the living room. Akane and the others caught up to him as he was speaking into the phone. "Mousse? Where's Cologne?" Ranma suddenly jerked the receiver away from his ear. Everyone on the Tendo house could hear loud yelling, presumably in Chinese, over the phone. Suddenly there was a crashing noise, a loud >CLONG<, and then silence. After the commotion at the other end died away, Ranma cautiously put the phone back to his ear and said, "Hello? Shampoo? Yeah, I'm feeling... okay at the moment. But something's come up. I really need to speak to your great grandmother." He frowned as he listened to Shampoo's reply. "You don't know when she'll be back? No. No, there's no need to come over. Yeah, I'm... I'm sure. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay? Bye." Ranma hung up and sagged against the wall. He muttered, "Now I wish I hadn't kicked the lech quite so hard. The old pervert's pretty useless, but he's better than nothing." Akane gently put her hand on his shoulder and said, "Ranma, we can still go to the hospital right now. Maybe Dr. Tofu can spare a moment to look at you." He slowly shook his head. "I... no, you heard Nabiki. He's got his hands full with Ryoga and Kuno. I've already done enough to them. How can I butt in when he's trying to keep them alive? I'll check with him first thing in the morning." "Are you sure?" Akane asked. "Maybe there's someone else we can talk to?" Nabiki said acidly, "Like who? Gosunkugi? That Tarot-reading classmate of yours, Akane?" Ranma blanched a bit. "You've got be kidding. And if you mean that girl who nearly got all of us poisoned with Akane's 'medicine', the answer is 'NO!'. I'm not THAT desperate." But under his breath, he muttered, "Not yet, at least." It was an indication of Akane's worry that she barely reacted to Ranma's comment about her cooking. He sighed and pushed away from the wall. "This has been one hell of a day. I'm going to change and go to bed." Ranma slowly headed back toward the bathroom. Akane watched him with worried eyes. Turning to Nabiki, she asked, "Do you think he should wait? CAN he wait?" "I don't know, Sis. But he's right. With Dr. Tofu busy and with both Cologne and Happosai gone at the moment, there really isn't anyone else to talk to about all this." Kasumi said, "Oh dear. I guess no one's hungry anymore." Akane sighed and headed for her room. -------------------------------------- The doctor in question was slouched into a hard, uncomfortable chair, trying to savor his tea. (Let's see if I have a chance to finish this cup.) At about the eighth sip, the warning beeper went off -- again. (No, I guess not.) "Doctor! He's crashing!" Dr. Tofu sighed and plunged back into the battle to save Kuno and Ryoga. A half hour later, he was back in his chair with a fresh cup of tea. From the time he had received that terse call from Nabiki Tendo, Dr. Tofu had not been off his feet for more than five minutes. He had managed to stabilize the two young men when they arrived at the hospital -- but only temporarily. Since then, he had been forced to run back and forth between his two patients because of their tendency to go into either cardiac or respiratory failure without warning. Digging into his pocket, he pulled out a small piece of paper. Thanks to Kasumi's note, he had a good idea about what was going on. The real issue was how to fix it. The physical injuries were severe but certainly not fatal, not for these guys. If he could only restore the chi in their bodies, the physical injuries would heal in no time. Easy diagnosis. Difficult cure. But what the hell caused the disruption in their chi in the first place? And where are the others? He found it very strange that no one except Sasuke had stopped by to check on Kuno and Ryoga's condition. All he really knew was that the incident occurred at the Tendo dojo. (Why haven't Akane and Ranma shown up, either as patients or to check up on Kuno and Ryoga?) He glanced over the life sign monitors. Kuno was actually doing quite a bit better than Ryoga. That was surprising, considering Ryoga's much greater physical strength and endurance, not to mention his better martial arts skill. Plenty of questions and still no answers.... A different alarm began to chirp -- again -- and a weary, plaintive voice said, "Doctor...." ********************************************************************** Part 3g: THE GAPING ABYSS ********************************************************************** Shampoo waited for Ranma to hang up, then she angrily slammed the phone down. (Where IS great grandmother!?) She despised Dan Xin as much as any other member of her tribe. Dan Xin's mother had been Shampoo's favorite aunt. And while they hadn't been close, Mousse had lost his mother because of Dan Xin's viciousness. The Amazon girl knew why Cologne was taking Dan Xin's presence so personally. Dan Xin had been Cologne's chosen successor, her prize student. Her treachery was a massive personal affront to Cologne and totally unforgivable. Shampoo understood Cologne's need to punish Dan Xin for her numerous crimes. But dead was dead. Nothing could bring her beloved aunt back to life. And no matter what he said, Ranma needed Cologne's help and advice. And he needed it NOW. She grimly promised herself that the next time she saw Cologne, she'd make the old woman listen to her, no matter what it took. Not even if she had to physically tackle Cologne to get her attention.... Shampoo turned to glare at Mousse who was struggling to crawl out of a heap of broken furniture even as he tried to remove a pot wedged onto his head. Mousse had made a total fool of himself, as usual. When he had answered the phone and immediately started to yell death threats to the caller, she had guessed that it was Ranma on the other end. Finally losing patience with his fumbling, Shampoo wrenched the pot off his head. As she did so, she shoved him into a chair and said, <"Mousse, I want to say something and I want you to listen VERY carefully."> <"Y-y-yes, Shampoo?"> <"I am no longer interested in marrying Ranma so you have no reason to attack him anymore. Is that perfectly clear?"> Oddly enough, Mousse's first reaction was not pleasure as one might expect. Instead, he looked rather worried. <"Does... does Cologne know about this, Shampoo? She's bound to be furious."> She sighed wearily. <"I was planning to tell her this afternoon. But then we had a... unwelcome visitor. Cologne went out to follow her and hasn't come back yet."> <"Oh."> Mousse was silent for a moment, then asked, <"Why?"> <"What?"> Shampoo looked irritated. <"Shampoo, why are you suddenly giving up now? After all this time and effort?"> He added quietly, <"It has to do with this morning, doesn't it?"> Shampoo nodded curtly and stared silently at the floor. Mousse went pale with rage. (Control, control,) he sternly reminded himself. <"Ranma... Did Ranma... do something to you after you sent me away?"> She gave him a slightly confused look, then realized what he was talking about. <"No! Ranma didn't touch me! I'm an Amazon, not some helpless outsider woman!"> <"Then tell me why!"> Normally Mousse would not have pushed the issue so far. But this time, he had to know whether Shampoo was really giving up on Ranma. Or was she going to change her mind tomorrow and go running back to his rival? <"It's none of your business! All you need to know is that I'm no longer interested in marrying Ranma, so leave him alone!"> Mousse bit his lip, then said, <"Shampoo, I... I want to believe you. But how can I? You've been chasing after that ungrateful wretch for nearly a year and a half. Now you expect me to believe that you're giving up just like that? For no reason at all?"> <"Mousse, you idiot! Do you think this decision was easy for me? Do you think that I WANTED to give up on marrying Ranma? I didn't! But you don't always get what you want! You, of all people, should know that by now!"> Those words were like a slap in his face. However, he was more stunned to see a few tears seep from her eyes. <"You want to know why? Then I'll tell you."> Her voice dropped low. <"You know Ranma has a horrible fear of cats, right?"> He nodded carefully, unnerved by her intensity. <"When cats frighten him too much, he acts like a cat. And he uses the Neko-ken."> Shampoo went on to give Mousse a concise summary of what happened that morning. By the time she finished, he had a sick, horrified look on his face. <"So that's why you...."> She quickly shook her head. <"That's not the reason why I decided to give up, Mousse. You see, this morning, everyone else just saw him acting like a vicious cat. But I saw something truly frightening. It's a part of Ranma that has been hidden away from everyone -- even from himself."> Shampoo took a deep breath. <"Ranma wants Akane. He's always wanted Akane. And he'll never give her up. NEVER."> Her chilling emphasis sent shivers up and down Mousse's spine. He had no doubts about her seriousness. <"I... I don't understand. I know he has feelings for Akane but...."> <"I'm not talking of mere 'feelings', Mousse! I'm not even talking about love! This is something totally different. It's much more dangerous than that! It's... it's like a terrible hunger."> She considered telling him more but settled for a simple warning. She grabbed Mousse's sleeve. <"After today, I'm afraid. If someone tries separate him and Akane, there's no telling what Ranma might do."> He blinked nervously behind his glasses. "If you're right, you've got to tell Cologne!" "You fool! What on earth do you think I've been trying to do? But she's too busy to listen to me! She's off chasing Dan Xin...." "WHAT!? Dan Xin's here in Nerima!?" A mixture of hatred and utter revulsion distorted Mousse's face as he launched into the most vile obscenities that he could think of. ********************************************************************** Part 3h: RESTLESS NIGHTS ********************************************************************** Nabiki stirred uneasily in her bed. There were plenty of unanswered questions, but one in particular nagged at her. Whoever set up the morning's incident obviously knew about Ranma's cat phobia and knew just how powerful the Neko-ken was. So why would anyone risk mucking around with the infamous Cat-fist? He wouldn't, of course, unless it was critical to his plans... or unless the guy was a raving lunatic. (Raving? No way. Too calculated. So what's so important about the Neko-ken?) Nabiki narrowed her eyes. It certainly wasn't a simple martial arts challenge. No, this whole incident had a much 'dirtier' feel to it. There was something darkly personal about all this. On the other hand, revenge was a very good possibility. She stared blankly at her bedroom ceiling. Revenge for something Ranma did while he was in his 'cat mode' and using the Neko-ken? Revenge for a defeat in battle? Revenge for a DEATH? (I wonder what Genma hasn't told us about their travels. Could Ranma have...?) It was all too possible. If it had simply been a matter of defeating an opponent, Genma would have surely boasted about it. However, if Ranma had crippled or even killed someone, THAT would be very different. Knowing his son, Genma would have every reason in the world to keep his mouth shut. Nabiki could easily see how someone, obsessed with revenge, would find it wonderfully appropriate to kill Ranma while he was in his cat-frenzy... and to use felines to destroy so many of the important people in his life. She shook her head. There was no way to be sure. Revenge seemed to be the most likely scenario but there were plenty of others. There just weren't enough facts. The myriad possibilities haunted Nabiki as she fell asleep. -------------------------------------- Akane tossed and turned. She glared at the clock. She'd been lying in bed for hours and was no closer to sleep than when she started. She finally kicked off her covers and sat up as she reluctantly admitted what was bothering her. Ranma, of course. Akane silently opened her door and padded down the hallway to his room. She carefully opened the door and peeked inside. Ranma lay sprawled face down on his futon, snoring very softly. (Doesn't that figure? I can't sleep a wink because I'm worried sick about that jerk. And what is he doing? He's sound asleep! Hmph!) Akane stalked back to her room. But after another hour, she found herself still awake. Off she went to check on Ranma again. He was still sleeping peacefully. The third time it happened, Akane finally gave up any hope of rest that night. (Oh, who am I kidding? I'm never going to get to sleep tonight!) Finally, she snuck back into Ranma's room. Akane heaved Genma's futon against the wall and sat down in a huff. Wrapped in a blanket, she resigned herself to watching Ranma enjoying a good night's sleep. (The insensitive jerk! Here I am, fretting my stupid head off and he's snoozing like he hasn't got a care in the world!) A wry smile crossed her face. (Well, I guess I know who's the real idiot here.) She had to admit he looked very handsome, even with his mouth hanging open. Akane remembered how she had run her fingers through Ranma's hair that morning. She then found herself suppressing an odd urge to do it again. She looked down at her fingers and wondered, (Strange. You won't think that that a guy's hair could be so silky... so soft... almost like fur....) But soon after she settled down, Akane dozed off into a deep sleep. She was completely unaware of the lithe, black body that slipped through the open window and sat down on Ranma's futon. The small black feline stared down at Ranma for a moment as the young man continued to snore into his pillow. The feline then lightly tapped Ranma's head with its paw. Ranma promptly rolled over onto his back. The feline climbed upon Ranma's chest and twitched its whiskers before settling down into a comfortable crouch. There it stayed the entire night, staring silently into his sleeping face. Both Ranma and Akane remained blissfully oblivious of the cat's presence even as a ferocious thunderstorm rolled into Nerima. -------------------------------------- Fire alarms rang and fire engines charged off into the night as the lightning storm touched off a blaze at more than one residence in the city. A newly rebuilt house was devoured in a matter of minutes despite the pouring rain and the best efforts of the fire department. ********************************************************************** Part 3i: UNNATURAL HUNGERS ********************************************************************** Ranma found himself standing inside the darkened Tendo dojo. The walls and corners of the dojo were lost in shadows and only his immediate surroundings were clearly visible. He found the strange lighting eerie and rather disturbing. (How the hell did I get here? Don't tell me I'm walking in my sleep now!) There was a soft, malicious chuckle from a darkened corner. Ranma spun around, ready for anything. "Come on, man!" He stared into the darkness as he tried to make out the intruder. In response to his challenge, a tall man, dressed entirely in black, seemed to ooze forth from the shadows. With his opponent's face covered by a black face cloth, all Ranma could see of the stranger was a pair of darkish blue eyes. There was a slight crinkle around the eyes which hinted at a hidden smile. "Who the hell are you?" The only answer Ranma got was another malevolent chuckle. The stranger approached, then moved to circle around him. Ranma backed up and turned to follow, warily keeping his attention on the intruder. "Hey! I'm talking to you! I want some answers!" "You have some tasks to perform. And lessons to learn." The voice that answered was soft and rather pleasant to the ear. However, Ranma was in no mood to be pacified. Ranma snarled. "Are you crazy!? You think you can waltz in here and tell me what to do? I'm not interested!" "I'm afraid you don't have a choice." Ranma's eye suddenly narrowed. (Aw, hell! I bet I've just been played for a sucker. Akane!) He led with a swift slashing kick. The black-clad figure dodged easily. However, Ranma's attack was just a diversion. He lunged forward and bolted for the house. To his shock, no matter how quickly he ran, he couldn't seem to reach the doorway. "Shit!" He spun to face the mysterious intruder. The man was nowhere in sight. "It's not that easy, Ranma." The voice came from right behind him. Ranma dodged and punched, all in one smooth motion, but his opponent slipped away into the shadows. The soothing voice murmured, "The only way to get out of here is to defeat me." Ranma gritted his teeth. "And if I don't?" A careless shrug. "You'll stay trapped here forever. Are you good enough?" "I can do anything I damn well have to! If that's the way you want it.... HYAI!!!" From that moment on, the stranger and Ranma were locked in battle. The first moments of the fight were brutal, the pace unrelenting. The intruder was incredibly skilled... possibly a match even for Cologne. He used techniques and moves that Ranma had never seen before. But Ranma would not -- or could not -- let that stop him. Actually, he was glad that there was finally something tangible to fight. However, somewhere along the way, the tone of the fight... changed. Ranma completely lost track of passing time -- but it didn't seem to matter. The surroundings subtly altered, losing any resemblance to the Tendo dojo. Ranma didn't notice. Pain had no meaning. Physical exhaustion had no meaning. All that mattered was the lethal exchange of strike and counterstrike. It was a dance which drew him in and consumed him. Each time the intruder tried a new move, Ranma observed his opponent's technique... ...analyzed it... ...dissected it... ...made it his own... ...used it or countered it as HE desired. A faint smile appeared on his face. Let the others scorn or insult him at their own peril. This is what he was. This is where he excelled. This was his dominion. In this shadowy arena, on the field of combat, Ranma Saotome would admit no master. ********************************************************************** Part 3j: SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT ********************************************************************** Ukyo sat up with a start. At first, she thought that the raging thunderstorm had awoken her. She then heard the sound of breaking glass downstairs. She jumped out of bed with a snarl and grabbed her battle spatula. (If that's a burglar, the moron's picked the wrong person to mess with tonight!) She was in a lousy mood and welcomed the opportunity to commit some serious mayhem. Ukyo prowled to the top of the stairs and listened angrily as the intruder threw the furniture around. The idiot seemed to be looking for something. She grimaced as she heard something else break. Infuriated, she bounded down the stairs and slammed her hand down on the light switch. To her surprise, only a few of the lights came on. Most of the restaurant was left in murky darkness. She glared around suspiciously, then stalked forward. (Where the hell did the guy go? I didn't hear him leave....) There was a scraping noise behind her. She whirled around and froze in shock as a man-sized monster lunged out of the shadows. Ukyo only had an instant to notice the black fur, the musky odor, the distinctly cat-like features...and the all too familiar, glowing green eyes. She frantically swiped at it but missed. A tremendous blow to her side sent her flying across the room. She skidded along the floor and slammed into the wall hard. As Ukyo staggered to her feet, her head swam dizzily. The agonizing pain in her chest told her that she probably had a broken rib or two. Even worse, she was losing blood fast.... She barely managed to fend off a flurry of slashing blows. Watching the beast's claws leave long scratches on her metal spatula, the chef dazedly wondered, (What the hell!? What's with all these cat things!?) The monster's next blow connected and knocked her to the ground. As the creature reared up over her, Ukyo clutched her spatula and struggled to stay conscious. She wasn't about to let herself be gutted like some pathetic rat. (Legs... got to go... for the legs....) Every movement seemed to send knife blades through her chest but she doggedly lifted her battle spatula and took aim. The cat creature dug its claws into the front of her shirt, dragging her closer. Just before the creature could rip her open, something hit it. The impact knocked Ukyo out of the monster's grasp, but also jarred her injured ribs. Everything started to go dark and she barely managed to get a look at her rescuer. It was a young woman expertly wielding a pair of large metal fans. As Ukyo struggled to stand up, she could hear the sounds of intense combat in the background. There was a low snarl, the sound of smashing wood, and then silence, broken only by the persistent rumble of thunder and the patter of rain. Ukyo turned a bit too quickly and the world started to tilt. As her vision faded, she felt two strong arms supporting her. A worried feminine voice asked, "Are you okay?" "K-K-Konatsu?" "Actually... uh... no." -------------------------------------- (end of Part 3) ********************************************************************** ********************************************************************** CREDITS: Additional inspiration from: "The Whisper" by Queensryche WEREWOLF: THE APOCALYPSE (and associated materials) by White Wolf Publishing, Inc.; TIGER CLAWS, copyrighted 1991 by Tiger Claws Production, Ltd.; THE HIGHROAD TRILOGY series by Alis A. Rasmussen; USHIO & TORA, copyrighted 1992 & 1993 by Kazuhiro Fujita/Shogakukan. Additional fanfic mentions: ^_^ "Hearts of Ice" by Krista Perry and "Nekophobia" by David Eddy for starting my obsessive interest in the neko-stuff. Many thanks to my pre-readers, for their suggestions, critiques, and support. ^_^ Last modification date: 05/31/98 -------------------------------------------- madamhydra@aol.com /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/:E http://www.geocities.com/~madamhydra/