[Ranma][Fanfic] "Wanderer" Part 3

[fher...@hotmail.com]

"What do you mean, old man?!"

Happousai smiles, staring knowingly at Herb. A quick hop aboard an
airplane from Nerima to China...ironically, the very same one Cologne, Shampoo
and Mousse used to return home...brought the aged master quickly to the Musk
Dynasty's keep in the mountains near the Nyu-che-zuu village. "You heard me,"
he puffs his pipe. "My student Ranma Saotome discovered a way to permanently
freeze someone in a cursed Jusenkyou state, much more better than your use of
the Kaisuifuu...and there's no way out. The fool use it on himself...herself,
I should say...and because he lost his manhood, he went crazy, got it into his
head to freeze everyone else cursed by Jusenkyou. Do you want to be forever
frozen as a woman, too?!"

The prince of the Musk shudders at that thought. "Of course not! If
the damn fool suffers from his own mistake, too bad!! Why should he force us
to suffer, too?! Where is he?!"

"In Canada of all places," Happousai draws out a map, then hands it
over. "It's a pretty remote location as you can see. Hard to get to under
normal circumstances..."

"It doesn't matter," Herb snorts, his fist shaking. "The Western
nations are so corrupt, it would be child's play to get there and deal with
this matter! We go at once!!"

Happousai nods...

* * *

Pantyhose Tarou shudders, glaring at the note which had been
delivered to him sometime earlier. How Happousai kept track of him, he'd
never know. "So, Fem Boy got himself stuck as a girl, eh?!" he sneers, then
purses his lips.

To be free of his own curse would be nice; logically, if Ranma found
a way to permanently freeze someone in one's cursed state, he might've found
a way to freeze the Jusenkyou curse from activating. It would be wonderful
to stop being afraid of cold water. Rising, he notes where Ranma was
reported to be now. Canada, huh? Strange place to go, but not impossible
for someone like him to get to...

* * *

"How dare she...?!!" Kodachi hisses, glaring at the letter in her
hand, tears pouring down her cheeks. Her beloved Ranma-sama dead, slain by
his own hand...and his ungrateful tramp of a sister was alive, LAUGHING at
her brother's actions and glorifying in her newfound freedom. Not while the
Black Rose of St. Bacchus still breathed, Kodachi had vowed, then quickly
turns to prepare.

"I will avenge you, my love!" she hisses, staring at the poster of
Ranma that always hung over her bed. "I will avenge you once and for
all...!!"

* * *

"Give me a break, old man!" Ryouga snorts, tearing up the letter and
tossing it into the garbage before looking around. "There's no way I'm going
to help you get Ranma back after all you've pulled on everyone! Now, where am
I...?"

A truck then lumbers past, splashing Ryouga with a jet of water from
a puddle. The lost boy jerks, then blinks as he notices he was still human,
remembering what Ranma had done for him...not two days ago! Shuddering, a
delighted, relieved laugh escapes him as he draws a towel, then wipes his
face before heading on his way. Oh, it was so nice to be able to feel a cool
shower fall on him when he was trekking through the woods, much less swim in
the ocean or a swimming pool.

How nice indeed...

* * *

"Wanderer"
a fantasy crossover tale of Ranma Saotome
by Fred Herriot
fher...@hotmail.com
**** **** ****
Based on "Ranma 1/2," created by Rumiko Takahashi; "NoeL," created by Pioneer
LDC; and "Major Raeburn," created by Fred Herriot
**** **** ****

PART THREE - RECONCILIATION

Dawson Creek...

"Ah, a nice breakfast, then back up to the Sisters for some
training!" Chisato smiles, drawing her napkin, then taking fork in hand, dives
into the omelette awaiting her.

Ranma hums as her new friends dive into their breakfast, then stares
out the window. They had come to a beautiful cafe on the Alaska Highway north
of Dawson Creek for a meal, flying down from Raeburton before ducking into an
alley and transforming to civilian clothes...for all three, a coloured hooded
sweatshirt with "NoeL" over white slacks...before walking out in public. The
Jewels they bore were now tucked under their shirts. For all intents and
purposes, they were three teenagers taking in the sights; Banff, a popular
destination for many Japanese tourists, was only five hours away by car.
"What's the food like on Kaemal?" she asks.

"It's not bad," Ryou smiles. "It's not refined with chemicals and
Fate knows what else is in food these days, but the Jewel'll protect you in
case you digest something that doesn't agree with you. Actually, it feels
strange coming back to Earth even if it's just for a visit; I never feel
really satisfied these days when I have a meal here."

Ranma blinks, then hums. "Well, I've lived on the road for so long,
it'd be easy for me to go back to simple stuff. Kasumi's spoiled me silly in
some places; thank the gods I can cook."

"Doubt you'll get much practice when you settle in," Chisato muses.
"We live in one of the largest villages on the northern continent. It's
almost like we're royalty: people always come by with fruit and other fresh
goods to give to us."

"How do they treat you?" Ranma blinks.

"Until we came to Kaemal, there was practically no hope in the eyes
of many," Ryou closes her eyes. "The creatures who'd been ravaging them for
several years before we came seemed like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
at times. When we came and began making a difference, they fell over us with
gratitude."

"Why can't you finish it off on your own?"

Chisato and Ryou exchange looks. "Quite simple, really," the former
sighs. "We want it over with. You want to know how long we've been at this?"

"How long?"

"Well over twenty summers as the Kaemali tell time," Ryou explains.
"Their year is...compatible to ours."

"Twenty years..." Ranma swoons, then shakes her head. Twenty years
of never-ending fighting, bloodshed infinitely worse than what the Greater
East Asian War produced. No wonder Chisato and Ryou needed help. "Can we do
it?"

"Hai, we can," Ryou nods. "Yumi has gone back to Japan to scout one
of your friends to become the final Jewel Warrior for our solar system. Once
she's found, we do some training, then head back. Fortunately, you came very
much pre-trained thanks to your martial arts experience. Given the friends
and acquaintances you have, finding another which would suit our purposes
would be easy."

Ranma blushes. "Thanks..." she smiles, then blinks. "Wait a
minute!! You said Yumi...?"

"Tachibana," Chisato completes.

Silence. "You mean..." Ranma shudders, looking at her hands,
everything clicking together. "She...you...why...?!"

Ryou and Chisato exchange looks, then sigh. "Put yourself in our
position, Ranma," the former sips her coffee. "We've been separated from our
friends and family for twenty years. Twenty years! We want it to end...or
at least see it die down to a dull roar! Every day practically, flying from
place to place, watching people die, engaging these things, then
helping...bury the dead. Start all over again the next morning. We're lucky
that we were able to wipe out several pocket dimensions' worth of these
things recently; it gave us time for a break, come for reinforcements. This
isn't just an honour quest, Ranma. It's war, total war!!"

"So we asked Lord Ryasan to keep an eye out for someone who'd fit our
broad needs for another Jewel Warrior," the latter carries on. "He
discovered you early; this'd be the time you underwent the Neko-ken training.
Could you imagine it? Someone so potentially powerful, Earth's Praetorian
Guardian takes PERSONAL interest?!"

Ranma flushes at the idea. Lord Ryasan, someone rumoured to be 5000
years old, trained and transformed by an immortal alien race to shield Earth's
peoples from the influence of those extra-terrestrial and extra-dimensional
forces ancient peoples worshipped as gods, was a friend and ally of Major
Raeburn during World War Two. To have HIM notice her all the way from his
lonely keep outside the Russian city of the same name...?! "I'm flattered!"
she smiles, then crosses her arms. "Okay, why'd Yumi pick me?"

"Well, once Vladimir Russalovich put us onto your scent, Yumi flew
here to see how you were doing," Ryou explains, referring to Ryasan by his
common Slavic name, V.R. Taychesko. "She trailed you for a month, probing you
and Genma telepathically to ascertain your suitability. What she
found...shocked her!"

"Me?!"

"No, that idiot father of yours!" Ryou shudders. "You have your own
personal problems, Ranma. You'll have to deal with them sooner or later. But
your father was SO obsessed with making you the best martial artist of all
time...he was slowly but surely killing you. Compromise is not a word in your
father's language. First, it was the promise to your mother, then the Neko-
ken, then all the fiancees he was forcing on you. What could've happened
next?! I shudder to even think about it!"

"Put simply, he wanted to find Jusenkyou long before Yumi met him,"
Chisato adds. "What could've happened to you if you fell into one of the
other springs? What could've happened to you if you went to the Nyu-che-zuu
village? That would've been your next stop after Jusenkyou no matter what.
And...what could've happened to you if your mother discovered you were cursed
with one of the animal curses or who knows what else was there?!"

"Especially that mixed one which produced your delightful friend
Pantyhose Tarou?" Ryou muses.

Ranma shudders. "So...Yumi rigged it in such a way that when we went
to Jusenkyou...I'd fall into a spring where the change would still be
profound...but I'd still have a sense of control over myself in the long term,
right?!"

"Exactly," Ryou nods. "Remember how your friend Ryouga reacted to
his curse. He had NO control whatsoever. How would you've felt if YOU fell
into Heitouennichuan?"

"Not good," Ranma looks down...

...then blinks as a hand falls on her shoulder. She looks up to see
Yumi Tachibana gazing at her. "Hello, Ranma."

Ranma rises as they gaze into the other's eyes. Yumi then looks
down. "I'm sorry. Given what I had to do...and what I feared could've
happened to you if someone didn't step in...I really had no choice in the
end."

Ranma smiles. "Thank you."

"Eh?"

"For saving my life."

"What?!"

Ranma chuckles. "You know, some people might've called my becoming
this...running away from everything," she points to herself as they relax.
"I...you know, my Jewel was right in some respects. A good portion of what's
been falling on my head this last year was caused by other people.
Their...unwillingness to compromise when it came to me or their sense of
honour. But...I'm as much to blame for the way my life was until two days ago
as they are. You know, if you hadn't've brought my Jewel to meet me, I...I
would've probably been still stuck in the rut my life's been since I fell into
Nyannichuan...hell, before that in fact..."

"It's not running away," Yumi shakes her head. "And you're right.
You are as much to blame for that madness as all those who interacted with
you. But that's for you to figure out on your own time. All I really
understood at the time I met your father was this: he had no care whatsoever
for the damage he was inflicting on you. All he cared for was your martial
art, preserving it and ensuring it went on. He didn't take time to prepare
you for life in society when your trip ended. The consequences of all the
secrets he kept from you. 'That's not his son!' I said to myself when I
understood your father's real nature. 'That's his slave!'"

"Yeah, it did feel that way at times," Ranma shakes her head. "Every
time something came up, he barked at me to go take care of it, then became a
panda to run away! Saotome Secret Technique!!" she snorts, looking back at
her food.

"True," Yumi nods. "So I decided I was going to catch him in a
pincer movement. I hypnotized him to ensure he would hit you right INTO
Nyannichuan...that and no other spring. Once that occurred, one of two things
could've resulted when we came back here. The first result is the one that
worked: your Jewel was sent to you, showed you how bad it was, then offered
you a way out."

"What was the second way?"

"The more...harsh approach," Yumi sighs. "Please understand, I
really had no choice once Lord Ryasan persuaded me that you were the best
choice; I think Ryou, Chisato and your Jewel have shown you how bad it is on
Kaemal. You see, I'm not your fiancee, Ranma-chan. The actual wording of
our agreement...and I have it written out here," she pulls out a folded sheet
of paper, handing it to Ranma, "...was that if I came back and discovered
that you were in a situation which was in my opinion life-threatening, I
would then have the right to force Mr. Saotome to give up ALL legal custody
of you, including renouncing all prior agreements made on your behalf...and
you would then become part of my family. My sibling. Ranma Tachibana. Once
that happened, I would then've been happy to help you clear away any
problems...such as the Nyu-che- zuu woman Shampoo and her
great-grandmother...still hanging over you, then let you make the choice. If
you came to Kaemal, that was fine. If you chose not to, I would've accepted
that, removed your curse, then we'd've gone our separate ways."

Ranma blinks as she reads the note, then smiles. Incredible. For
once, someone had really pulled a fast one on Genma. And atop that, she now
had a family again. A family that at least accepted her freedom of choice.
"Thank you...Onee-san."

Yumi flushes, then everyone laughs as the Tachibana sisters embrace.
"Well, what did you find in Tokyo?" Chisato muses.

"We have one good candidate," Yumi muses. "One I think you'd highly
approve of, Ranma-chan...Ukyou Kuonji."

"U-chan?!" Ranma blinks.

"Yes," Yumi nods. "She has one living relative left; her father. And
after he forced her to practically destroy herself just to get vengeance on
you and your father, now compounded by your leaving her behind...I don't
think she'll be going back to a very happy home. I doubt her father would in
the end accept what you did to Genma Saotome, Ranma-chan...and while I can't
say this is a definite possibility, it wouldn't take much for him to turn his
frustrations at his lost honour on Ukyou."

Silence falls as Ranma considers that. "Did you check out everyone,
Onee-chan?" she gazes at Yumi.

The older Jewel Warrior blushes at the familial reference. "Hai, I
did. Kodachi is out; too mentally unstable. Shampoo is also out. Her
loyalty to her village is quite strong; transporting her to another planet
would hurt her badly. Further, if certain members of the Nyu-che-zuu's
ruling council found out she was a Jewel Warrior, they would stop at NOTHING
to force her to bow to their will for their own ends. It would destroy her
tribe once and for all. As for Akane, she has some potential..."

"I'd prefer Akane," Ranma cuts in.

Silence. "You would?" Chisato blinks.

"Hai, I would."

"May I ask why?" Yumi stares at her.

"Be-because..." Ranma stammers, then smiles. "I love her."

"What about Ukyou?" Ryou muses.

Ranma sighs. "Ryou, you said that there were things I had to take
responsibility for. U-chan...Ukyou...is one of them. I...I don't love her
like I do Akane. My feelings for U-ch-...Ukyou are the same as what I'd
happily develop with Yumi-onee-chan. She's my best friend, my 'sister' if you
will. I've NEVER loved her or looked on her as a future mate, certainly not
with Akane around.

"I...hell, this is one of the things I didn't want to deal with for
so long! I...I let her continue to delude herself into thinking she could
win me. I never admitted my true feelings about Akane in public...and I sure
as hell wouldn't admit them to U-ch-...Ukyou!! She'd've done everything in
her power to make me turn from Akane and come to her! And..." she shakes her
head, allowing shamed tears to flow, "...it would've been a hollow,
meaningless relationship. I...the only way I could've possibly thought of
Ukyou as something more than a friend...is if Akane had died."

Silence falls as the three older warriors gaze sympathetically on
Ranma as she looks down, not moving to wipe her tears. "That must've been
the most painful thing for you to admit to all of us now, Ranma-chan," Ryou
smiles.

"Hey, it was the way things were in Furinkan," Ranma shrugs. "They
used me, I used them...a vicious cycle that never seemed to end, you know.
It...it had to stop...and I...hell, I didn't know how to stop it without
hurting someone along the way...!"

"Maybe you didn't really want it to stop," Chisato muses.

"What do you mean?"

"Ranma, until you walked through the door of the Tendou home, you had
no real friends, Ukyou and Ryouga excepted," Chisato smiles. "You never had
a stable home or something to act as your family. Suddenly, you had them.
And then more people came along, those who wanted you. And they cared for
you in their own way. They were always there for you when you got into a
jam. If you made a decision, you would lose friends. There's nothing really
wrong with wanting not to hurt other people's feelings, Ranma. You are a
wonderfully kind and caring person, someone always willing to stick up for
those who can't fight for themselves. That's what made you so perfect for
our purposes. But, sooner or later..."

"I would've had to make a choice," Ranma sighs.

"Yes," Ryou nods. "And like it or not, the choice you made just
now...is in my mind, the best choice for everyone concerned. Everyone,
including you, will now have to realize that they can't always stick to old
patterns of behaviour. Believe it or not, in the long run, you did them all a
great favour, Ranma."

"I hope so," Ranma lightly smiles, then gazes at Yumi. "I'm sorry,
Onee-chan. I can't accept Ukyou being among us. She...even if I told her
what I just admitted to you, there's a strong chance that she'd just let it
pass and subvert herself to me again. Her life's been wrecked enough because
of me. Please, no more."

"And you would desire Akane instead?"

"Hai."

Yumi sighs. "Well, I have some strong reservations about her, Ranma-
chan. One, Akane would be leaving behind her whole family. It would destroy
her father; he looks on Akane as the means by which your martial art will
continue. I don't think her sisters would welcome it, either, especially if
they've taken the opinion that you've really hurt Akane's feelings. Two,
there is the problem of her temper. Like it or not, if Akane flies out of
control while possessing a Power Jewel, people could DIE, Ranma-chan! That's
something I certainly DON'T want to see happen."

"I should talk to her, then," Ranma sighs...

* * *

Tokyo...

"No."

"Dad!!"

"No!" Souun sighs. "Akane, it is too late. He...she has made her
decision. We have no reason to deal with Ranma anymore. Put hi...her behind
you."

"Did YOU put him up to this?!" Akane glares at Nabiki.

Nabiki shakes her head. "Akane!" Souun snaps. "How can you turn on
your own sister like that?!"

"Maybe because Onee-chan here decided she wasn't going to treat Ranma
like a human being!!" Akane glares at her father. "Just like a few other
people treated him at times...right?!!"

Souun shudders, his tears threatening to deluge the house. "Akane-
chan, I swear I didn't say a thing to Dad," Nabiki sighs, fighting back her
own tears. "Yes, I still think you shouldn't go off to see Ranma...but if
you want to go, I'll help."

Akane stares at her, then frowns as Nabiki bows her head ashamedly.
"Thanks, Onee-chan," she smiles, then hotly glares at her father. "Now, as
for you, I am NOT going to stay here and allow what I had with Ranma to be
destroyed just like that!!" she growls, her battle aura flaming. "I don't
care about honour anymore! It was YOUR stupid sense of honour that started
this whole mess in the first place!! You WANTED to force us together when we
didn't want to do it! You didn't CARE about our feelings whatsoever!! And
THAT also contributed to Ranma leaving us like that!!! I will NOT let you
wreck MY life anymore...!"

"How dare you...?!" Souun's hand bolts up...

...then his arm is grabbed and he is pitched through the front door
into the tree beside the koi pond! "Cool off!!!"

"Ranma!!" Akane gapes.

Ranma smiles. "Lucky thing I caught that!" she depowers herself back
to civilians, then leans down to kiss Akane's cheek. "Hi. Miss me already?"

Akane shudders, then smiles. "A lot."

"Gomen," Ranma sighs, then looks outside. "C'mon in, girls!"

"My, what a nice home," Yumi muses as she, Ryou and Chisato step
inside, depowering as they pass through the doorway.

"No way!!" Nabiki gapes, bolting up...

...and finding herself facing a VERY icy Ranma. "Where do you think
YOU'RE going?!" her hand lashes out to neck-pinch Nabiki into unconsciousness.
"You're not going to make money off me THIS time, Nabiki!! Go to sleep!"

"Wasn't that a little too harsh?" Akane wonders.

"No, it wasn't harsh enough, but decapitating her would BE too
harsh!" Ranma sits beside her as her three fellow Jewel Warriors relax around
the table. "So, did everyone freak when I took off?!"

"Well, Shampoo and her brood are back in China now," Akane sighs.
"Good riddance to bad rubbish; there was actually a law that states that if
you wanted to be a woman full-time, you'd become Shampoo's blood-sister and
she'd be free to marry someone else. Ukyou's heading back to Kyoto, probably
tomorrow. I tricked Kunou-sempai into thinking that your two halves were
brother and sister and that your male half killed himself to save your female
half. Happousai's freaked out over it, but I haven't seen him since
yesterday." A pause, then, "Your mother got the note."

"She's not my mother anymore," Ranma sighs.

"Not to her," Akane smiles. "She...accepted what you did. She
said...if she couldn't have a son, she'd have a daughter."

Ranma blinks, her eyes tearing at the thought of Nodoka still wanting
her, then sighs. "I still can't. I won't accept her as my mother as long as
I have to accept HIM as my father."

"I don't blame you," Akane smiles, then gazes at the other Jewel
Warriors. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude! It's just that...I wanted
the chance..."

"To make up with Ranma before she left," Chisato smiles. "Relax,
it's normal."

"Besides, you might say that we've come not to end things between you
and Ranma...but progress them," Ryou adds.

"What?" Akane blinks.

Yumi sighs. "First of all, permit us to introduce ourselves. I'm
Yumi Tachibana. These are my best friends, Ryou Midorikawa and Chisato
Kadokura. All three of us became Jewel Warriors twenty years ago. We have
been...busy fighting an endless war on Kaemal for that period of time, a war
we want to end as soon as we can. But to make it happen faster, we decided
to get reinforcements. Ranma-chan here was one of two; there were five Power
Jewels placed in Kaemal's home solar system. The last spot is still open."
She then smiles at Akane. "You can change that."

Akane blinks, paling as the real meaning behind Yumi's words
strikes. "Oh, gods..."

Yumi pulls out a small bag, then opens it to draw out a necklace
imbedded with a glowing ruby Power Jewel. "This can be yours, Akane
Tendou...if you're up to the enterprise."

Silence. Kasumi stares at Yumi, then at Akane. Ranma remains
silent. Ryou and Chisato relax. Nabiki is still dead to the world. Akane
blinks, then looks down. "I...why me...?"

"Well, put simply, we didn't want to bring my sister out to Kaemal
without having a friend come with her," Yumi muses.

"'Sister?!!'" Akane spins on Ranma.

"She was never my fiancee," Ranma smiles at her. "She tricked Oyaji
into signing an agreement that'd force him to renounce me and disavow all
marriage agreements on me if she judged that I was in a...life-threatening
situation. You have to admit, with some of the jokers we've dealt with over
the last while, I've been in that position since I came to Nerima."

"In other words, you tricked Mr. Saotome into giving up all custody
of Ranma-chan...to save Ranma-chan's life!" Kasumi covers her mouth. "Oh,
my..."

"Arigato," Akane smiles.

"Would you want some time to think this over?" Yumi asks.

"I...yes, I would want the chance," Akane shudders. "I...when Ranma
left, I...realized then and there how much she meant to me. I...you want to
give me the chance...give us BOTH the chance...to correct the mistakes we
made. But...at the same time, I'd be leaving everything behind. My family,
my friends. Are you sure I'm the right sort to have that?"

"You have...both good and bad points," Yumi admits, placing the
crimson Jewel into its pouch and back into her sweatshirt pocket. "Your good
points include your tenacity, never wanting to give up regardless of the odds
against you. You're the only one of Ranma-chan's fiancees she implicity
trusts. You're the only one Ranma-chan really loves. Yes, you both have
some things to work out between you, but they're not differences than can't
be dealt with." She then pauses. "But you have some bad points, too. Your
family and friends for instance. I've NO idea when you could think of seeing
them again. Atop that, there's your temper. With this," she taps her own
Jewel, "...your temper can get people killed."

Akane shudders, then sighs, looking down. "I think I can understand
that. But...wouldn't Ukyou be better suited? I mean, she's practically an
orphan and has very little in the way of friends here...and she does love
Ranma."

"No," Ranma shakes her head. "It'd be...perpetuating a lie she's
deluded herself with over the last year, Akane-chan. A lie that...I
contributed to by never explaining to her my real feelings for you. If I did,
she would've really gone all out to break me away from you. I...I needed her
as my friend, someone I could talk my problems over with. I didn't want to
lose that...but I...don't love U-ch...Ukyou like I love you, Akane-chan. You
are my future mate; at least, I hope that's what'll happen. Ukyou is my best
friend; in her own way, my sister. I...besides, her life's been ruined enough
because of me. No more, please."

"If she understood that and...accepted it, would you still want her?"
Akane asks.

Ranma shakes her head. "No."

Akane shudders, then smiles. "Oh, Ranma..." she leans over to kiss
her cheek, then gazes at Yumi. "I...I'd still like some time to think this
over."

"I can only give you a week, Akane," Yumi warns. "I'm sorry but time
is, sadly, of the essence here. We have to factor in time to get both of you
trained, then be on Kaemal right after."

"I understand," Akane nods, then notices Nabiki. "Oh, Onee-chan,
would you mind NOT telling Nabiki or Dad about Yumi's offer?" she looks back
at the elder Tendou daughter.

"They might find out sooner or later," Kasumi warns.

"That's true, but I want to tell them on my own time...and I
certainly don't want Nabiki to fan this out over the whole district. I want
to make the decision on my own."

"I understand."

"Well, we're going to head back to Canada," Chisato stretches herself
as she and Ryou rise to leave. "Someone should be there in case Lord Ryasan
passes on a message about Kaemal."

"Good idea," Ryou nods. "Thank you for hosting us."

They part from everyone, then fly off. "In the meantime," Yumi
sighs. "Ranma, do you want to go see Nodoka now?"

"I...maybe later," Ranma smiles, gazing warmly at Akane. "I...have
something else to settle first."

Akane blushes...

* * *

"I'm glad you came back."

Ranma smiles as she and Akane walk through the district market hand-
in-hand. "I'm glad, too," the former gazes warmly at her. "I know it
might've been pretty harsh, but what was I supposed to do? I...it came to
the point where I felt helpless over this whole mess. I couldn't do a thing,
say something, without someone butting in the way, something happening to me
or because of me."

Akane sighs. "Yeah, you have been the centre of a lot of strange
things, haven't you?"

"Do you still blame me for all that?"

Akane pauses, then shakes her head. "Not anymore. I suppose I
really can't apologize enough for all the times I blamed you for everything
that happened. I...deep down, I loved you, but I really didn't want a fiance
at the time. I wanted a friend."

"I'll always be that for you," Ranma gazes at her.

"Arigato," Akane leans against her.

"Hey, Ranma!"

Ranma looks, then grins as Hiroshi and Daisuke walk up to join them.
"Hey, guys!" she waves.

"Haven't you taken off yet?" Hiroshi asks.

"No, I got to do some special training with this thing before my
friends'd let me go," Ranma thumbs her Power Jewel. "I'll probably be on
Earth a couple more weeks, then I'm off."

"You better watch it, then," Daisuke warns. "Miss Hinako's plenty
pissed at you for nearly killing her like that."

"Too bad; if the child abuser can't see what she does to people at
times, then it's her tough luck!" Ranma sneers.

"Um, Ranma...!" Akane warns.

An explosion!! "YOU NAUGHTY DELINQUENT!!!!" Hinako snarls, glaring
at her, fifty-yen coin in hand. "How DARE you strike me like that?!! HAPPO-
GOJUU-YEN-SATSU!!!!!!"

Ranma's Jewel glows as an energy aura surrounds her. Hinako's chi-
absorption blast taps into that shield, then a bolt of energy slams into the
child-like teacher, sending her flying against a pillar, still a child.
Everyone blinks, awestruck, as Ranma yawns. "Well, that takes care of her for
a while!"

"What did you do?!" Akane stares at her.

"I cut out her chi-powers," Ranma gazes at her lover. "It'll only
last a week, but she'll still remain stuck as a child. Maybe when she's
learned her lesson, I'll undo the damage Jiji did to her when she was a kid
and freeze her as an adult."

"Oh, Ranma, PLEASE do that!!" Hiroshi moans.

Everyone laughs as they head down the marketway...just as Ryouga
comes up. "Hey, Ryouga!!!" Ranma waves.

"Ranma?!" Ryouga blinks, then walks up to her. "Hey, I though
you'd've left already!!"

"Not yet," Ranma shakes her head, then looks warmly at Akane. "Akane-
chan, could you excuse us for a moment, please? I'd like to talk to Ryouga
alone."

"What about?!" Akane blinks.

"Something personal," Ranma's eyes narrow. "Believe it or not, I am
entitled to some secrets, even from you."

"I..." Akane shudders, then sighs. "I'm sorry. I just don't like it
whenever you're alone with him. I don't like it when you two fight, you
know."

"Who says anything about fighting?!" Ranma smiles. "Ryouga and
I've...squared matters between us. Could you please wait for me over at the
ramen kiosk there?" she points across the street.

"Okay," Akane blushes, quite surprised that Ranma didn't lace her
words with insults. "Behave, Ryouga-kun!"

"Hai!" Ryouga nods.

As Akane heads across the street and Hiroshi and Daisuke head off to
a pachinko parlour, Ranma and Ryouga relax by a cherry blossom tree. "So
what's the problem?" the latter wonders.

"Ryouga, please be honest with me," Ranma stares at him. "Do you
love Akane? Do you really love Akane?"

"I..." Ryouga stammers, surprised at Ranma's bluntness, then looks
down. "Not anymore."

"What happened?" Ranma looks concerned.

An impish grin crosses Ryouga's face. "Well, believe it or not,
I...met someone."

"Oh?!" Ranma's eyebrow rises. "Who?!"

"Well, it's someone I met before you took away my curse," Ryouga
pulls up a picture, then hands it over. "Akari Unryuu."

"Beautiful!" Ranma whistles on seeing the demure brunette with the
lavender streaks in her hair, then notices the big palooka beside her. "What
is this?!"

"That, believe it or not, is her pet sumo pig Katsunishiki," Ryouga
chuckles.

"She's a pig farmer?!" Ranma blinks. "Ryouga, after what you've been
through, I'd think you'd steer way clear of this girl."

"Well, she...ah, er...!" Ryouga shudders, then laughs. "Weird, ain't
it?!"

"Yeah, I guess so, you lucky dog!" Ranma hands the picture back.
"Um...does she know about P-chan?"

"Hai, she does. Didn't bother her a bit, really. Actually, she
wants to meet you; I just ran into her before coming into Nerima and I told
her about what you did," Ryouga smiles, then sighs. "But...I haven't told
her about the part with Akane."

"Sooner or later, that's going to come back to haunt you, Ryouga,"
Ranma warns. "You better be careful."

"Yeah, you got a point there," Ryouga muses, then sighs. "But first
things first. Ranma, you happily gave up so much just to help me with my
curse. I can't thank you enough for what you did. To that end, I release you
from your vow never to tell Akane about my curse. I...I'll just have to take
the lumps when I get them."

"I..." Ranma blinks, then sighs. "Okay, if she asks, I'll tell her.
But...something might happen first, though. Ryouga, there were five Power
Jewels scattered throughout Kaemal's solar system. Four now have hosts.
I...part of the reason I came back here...is that I wanted to ask Akane-chan
to be the fifth Jewel Warrior for Kaemal."

Ryouga blinks. "Has she said yes?"

"No, she hasn't. We've given her a week to decide. Like it or not,
time's against us. There's still the need to train her in the Jewel before
we go to Kaemal. The reason I asked you if you still loved Akane-chan is
that...I didn't want to take her away if someone still cared for her here.
Kunou doesn't count, certainly not the rest of those clods at school. You
do."

"I...thank you," Ryouga smiles, surprised that Ranma wasn't thinking
just of herself these days. "And if she decides to be with you, then I won't
stand in her way."

"Fair enough," Ranma smiles. "I...ask you to stay silent about this,
though. Definitely don't mention this to anyone like Nabiki. Akane-
chan...wants to make the choice on her own without other people trying to
influence her either way."

"Hai, I understand."

The two then walk across the street. "So what did you talk about?"
Akane wonders as they relax across from her.

"Oh, Ryouga here just told me he's got a girlfriend!" Ranma winks at
the lost boy.

"Nani?! Ryouga-kun, is this true?!"

Ryouga blushes. "Er...hai!" he chuckles, then sighs. "Um, Akane,
Ranma told me about what she and her friends are offering to you. I...I
won't try to influence you either way, but deep down, I hope you do say
'yes.' Ranma really needs a friend with her now; believe me, I know what
being alone means."

"I...thank you, Ryouga-kun," Akane blushes.

"And I won't say anything about it to anyone else," Ryouga promises.
"You deserve that at least."

"And thank you again," Akane sighs, then gazes at Ranma. "Alright,
you, what've you done with Ranma?!"

"Eh?!!"

"Everyone's acting so nice to each other these days!!" Akane emits an
exaggerated hum. "Especially you! That's not the baka hentai sex-changing
selfish jerk I remember!! Where is he?!"

Ranma blinks, then laughs. "I...well, he...SHE...is still here," she
taps her heart. "It takes me a while in certain places, but I do learn my
lessons, Akane-chan."

"Ditto," Akane smiles.

Ranma then leans over, delivering a chaste kiss to her lips. Akane
jerks, then sighs as they warmly embrace, their kiss deepening considerably,
totally uncaring of the people staring slack-jawed at them. Ryouga trembles,
then hotly glares at the unwanted spectators. "What are **you** all looking
at?!!"

Innocent whistles respond as they return to their own business.
Ranma chuckles, then gazes at him. "Hey, Ryouga."

"Hai?"

"Thanks."

Ryouga shrugs. "What are friends for?"

* * *

"Pig-tailed girl!!!"

"Eh?!" Ranma turns around, then sighs. "Oh, hello, Sempai."

Kunou walks up to her, then courtly kisses her hand. Ranma, Akane
and Ryouga were heading out of the market towards the Tendou dojo. "Oh, my
beautiful pig-tailed goddess, you've come back so soon from your sojourn
abroad!" the kendoist intones. "I cannot begin to express my condolences at
your loss!!"

*'Loss?!'* Ranma blinks confusedly, then remembers what Akane had
told Kunou earlier. "Oh, Sempai, I'm so sorry!" she breathes out. "It's been
very hard, admittedly. Thank you for your words. However, I should warn you
now that my visit is but a brief one. I will be taking my permanent leave of
Tokyo and Japan within the next couple of weeks."

"Why?!" Kunou intently stares at her. "Why do you wish to go?! Can
you not remain here?!"

"No, Sempai, I cannot. I've...taken a profound obligation
elsewhere. A place you nor anyone else here can follow me, I'm afraid.
Please, I ask you, ON YOUR WORD OF HONOUR, to let Akane Tendou and I go and
bestow your loving attention on another."

"What?!!" Kunou jolts. "But...why...?"

"As I said, I will soon undertake a journey to a far-away land, one
no one here can follow me," Ranma sighs. "It will be to a place fraught with
hideous tragedy, a war the likes of which no one can imagine in their darkest
nightmares. People...have need of my help. I will give it to them, but I
CANNOT guarantee ANYONE'S safety, not even one as skilled as you, in this
situation. Please, I already have my brother's death on my conscience. I
don't need to add anyone else to that list."

"I...see," Kunou sighs, then bows. "So as you would ask, pig-tailed
one. I...pray that somehow, you may escape this dark place and return once
again to those who care for you."

"I make no such guarantees, Sempai," Ranma shakes her head.

"Very well, then," Kunou bows. "May you at least have a peaceful
trip, my pig-tailed goddess. Farewell."

With that, the kendoist withdraws. Akane blinks, then feels Ranma's
forehead. "Are you sick?!"

"What does THAT mean?!"

"I can't believe you were able to warp him around so easily!" Akane
exclaims.

"I invoked his sense of honour," Ranma chuckles. "Blasting him into
the stratosphere never worked. You may also notice that I've made sure he
can't bother you anymore."

"Nani?!" Akane blinks.

"Ranma did say 'Akane Tendou and I' when she invoked that promise,
Akane," Ryouga warns.

"Oh, that she did!" Akane suddenly grins.

Everyone laughs...

* * *

"Greetings, Nabiki Tendou," Kunou nods as the middle Tendou daughter
walks up to him, rubbing her shoulder. "What has happened to you?!"

"Ranma happened, that's what!" Nabiki snarls. "You seen her?"

"I met the pig-tailed goddess in yonder market," he nods in the
direction he came. "Nabiki, a question if I may. The pig-tailed one told me
that she shall soon be leaving to another land, one fraught with a terrible
war. Is this true?"

"I..." Nabiki blinks, then sighs. "Yes, it is true. In fact, I may
add some more to that. Ranma, believe it or not, is heading to another
planet."

Kunou blinks. "I...beg your pardon?!"

"It's true," Nabiki sighs. "Tell me, Kunou-chan, did you by any
chance notice a beautiful emerald necklace around her neck?"

"So I did."

"I bet you didn't know that was a Power Jewel."

Kunou blinks again. "A Power Jewel?! As in the same type of weapon
the ninjitsu grandmistress Deannette Raeburn wore?"

"The very same."

"I see," the kendoist hums. "So that explains her words. I assume
that Power Jewel is of another world."

"It is."

Silence as Kunou sighs, gazing at the stars overhead. "They are
beautiful, aren't they?"

"Eh?" Nabiki blinks.

"The stars. Do you ever gaze on them?"

"I...not really," Nabiki turns her gaze heavenward.

"To gaze on those heavenly lights is one thing I know was a profound
interest of Ranma Saotome, whenever matters deluged him...and her...to the
point where solitude was the only thing that kept him...and her...sane," he
looks at her. "I suspect you never knew that. Whenever Ranma disappeared to
be alone, he...and she...didn't always go to Ukyou Kuonji or the Nekohanten.
He...and she...only went as far as your roof to gaze on the stars. Now...she
will become one with the stars."

Nabiki blinks, staring incredulously at him. "You mean to say that
you've known all along about Ranma's curse!"

"'Twas that what it was?!" Kunou sighs. "So as you may say.
Remember, the transformation did occur before my gaze many a time. Did you
really think I was so inept that I didn't take time to think the matter
through? And besides, both forms bear the same name: Ranma Saotome. Truly
if they were brother and sister, one would have a different name."

Nabiki blinks, surprised that Kunou had figured it all out on his
own. "Then...why the pursuit? Why chase the female Ranma and fight the male
one?"

"I...because I was unsure as to which was the real form, Nabiki,"
Kunou sighs. "Because even when it dawned on me that what was happening
defied rational explanation...especially with one disappearing and being
replaced by the other instantaneously...it was hard to believe at times. I
was unsure which was the real Ranma. Was Ranma a man or a woman? One has to
understand that a transformation as profound as that would...alter one's
modes of behaviour and opinions, both for the one so cursed and...those who
view it from a distance."

"You're right," Nabiki grins, mentally kicking herself for not
realizing how much the kendoist knew sooner. "In fact, the Chinese elder
Cologne told us that those...afflicted with Ranma's type of curse will at
times want to spend life...in their cursed form."

"So...Ranma was born a man."

"And now is a woman," Nabiki nods.

"She would have to be to weld a Power Jewel," Kunou sighs.

"Are you angry?"

"At Ranma? No. She...and you...have gone to great lengths to make
me thoroughly understand this matter. It is my own fantasies that now draws
my wrath, Nabiki Tendou. All I can wish for Ranma now...is luck in her
future task. Given the great power a Power Jewel bestows its host, I think
she shall have need of it."

"True," Nabiki sighs. "But...I still wish she hadn't've gone and
dumped the whole works on us like that."

"Ah, thou are concerned about the support you have long given your
family via all the schemes you have birthed over the last year and more,"
Kunou smiles. "Worry not about it, Nabiki. If there are those who cannot
see the profound love you have for your family, those who care not to pierce
the emotionless veil you wrap around yourself, they aren't worthy of your
attention."

Nabiki blinks, then sighs. "Tatewaki?"

"Hai?"

"Thanks."

"You are welcome," Kunou nods. "Perhaps I may escort you to a
restaurant so we may discuss this further?"

Nabiki flutters her eyelids. "Are you asking me for a date?"

"I am."

"Alright!" Nabiki chuckles as they head off, then sighs. "I should
try to find some way to make up with Ranma, though. She wasn't in a pleasant
mood with me when she came back tonight."

"Let her make that choice, Nabiki. Ranma now has...very much on her
mind right now," Kunou warns.

"Yeah, that she has..."

* * *

To be continued...

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