After the fire burned out, Ranma and Mousse went back into the Café. The two Chosen were discussing interesting ways of informing Cologne about Mousse’s Awakening and preparing to go talk to Akane about a certain Third Lightning when Shampoo returned from whatever she had been doing. She had just decided to work her frustrations out on Mousse when she spotted Ranma, and immediately threw herself into ‘glomping’ mode.
"Aiya! Ranma! Shampoo look everywhere for you! Shampoo so happy see you! Husband come take wife out on date, yes?" Ranma grabbed Shampoo’s arms and attempted to push her away unsuccessfully.
"Husband take wife out on date, no. I’m not your husband. You’re not my wife. And I don’t want to go out on a date with you. I’m really busy right now." Using her power of selective hearing, Shampoo replied to this rebuff with,
"Aiya! Is anything Shampoo can help with?" Ranma sighed and forcefully sat Shampoo down in a seat.
"No. This is nothing you can help with, Shampoo. I’ve already got all the help I need." Still holding Shampoo in her place, Ranma turned towards Mousse. "Forget telling the Old Goul about…" He glanced at Shampoo, who was still attempting to hug him from her position. "You-know-what." He shrugged. "We’ll tell her later. Right now, lets get out of here and go talk to…" Another glance at Shampoo. "You-know-who about…you-know-what." Shampoo stopped struggling and stared, bewildered, at Mousse as he sighed and turned to leave the restaurant with his supposed-to-be-enemy, Ranma.
"Aiya…Mousse…where you going?" She breathed. Mousse either didn’t hear her or, for the very first time in his life, was ignoring her. Then she realized that Ranma was leaving and switched tactics. She got angry. "Stupid Mousse! Where you think you going with Shampoo husband? Ranma stay here and Mousse go away!" Ranma ignored Shampoo completely while Mousse sighed and turned to face her.
"Shampoo, normally I’d be happy to obey you, but nothing about this day has been normal. Ranma can’t stay, he has got to talk to…" He glanced at Ranma who glared daggers at him. "Someone whose name I can’t tell you about…something I can’t tell you about. Due to some extremely bizarre circumstances, I have to go with him. Please try to understand and don’t follow us. It would make us both…very unhappy if you attempt to interfere further in this." So saying, Mousse turned and began following Ranma out of the restaurant. Shampoo was speechless, but, unfortunately, Cologne was not.
"Interesting speech, Mousse. But I don’t think you realize what you’re doing." Mousse stopped walking and half-turned.
"What are you talking about, Cologne?"
"Address me as Elder, Boy!" If the Dried-Up-Old-Mummy was opting for formality, Mousse was in trouble. While Mousse might have been worried, the Second felt Fire pulsing in his veins and knew no emotion save Hellfire’s rage and hate.
"Have my words caused any offense, Elder Cologne?"
"Yes, Mousse. You have just broken at least two major rules you agreed never to break if I allowed you to train as the ‘Hawk’ warrior." Mousse turned a little more so Cologne could almost make out his profile.
"Oh? And what, Honored Elder, were those?" Cologne smirked. She knew she had the boy right where she wanted him. Mousse wanted nothing more than to be a warrior and she could use that as leverage against him.
"First you spoke back to your better and then you proceeded to tell your princess that she could not follow you and went on to threaten her. Both of these were never to happen if you were a warrior. As your Monarch, I have the power to strip you of your title of ‘Hawk’ and banish you from the tribe. If, however, you go back to cleaning and promise to leave Shampoo alone as long as she’s with Ranma, I’ll go back to the kitchen and forget any of this ever happened. Which do you wish?"
"Why would you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Forget. You hate me. You don’t want me anywhere near yourself, much less Shampoo. Why would you throw away a perfectly legal excuse for banishing me if you hate me?" Cologne chuckled.
"Now, Mousse. What makes you think I hate you? I’ve allowed you to remain in Japan against my better judgment and I’ve allowed you to continue to chase Shampoo. Does that sound like hate to you?"
"You allow me to remain in Japan because I work in this stupid restaurant for practically nothing. You allow me to continue to ‘chase Shampoo’ because you think it will make Ranma jealous. That has nothing to do with whether or not you hate me. That has to do with the fact that you’re not as young as you used to be and have instead become a cunning old woman who manipulates the feelings and emotions of others to gain your ultimate goal. That you use me shows your distaste for me. You hate me."
"You can’t prove that." Mousse faced the monarch of his tribe for the first time since Fire left him. He stared at her with cool indifference.
"Did you think I would forget forever?" Cologne gasped. It had happened. It had finally happened. The boy who had refused to obey the female monarchs, the boy with fire-bright eyes and a body that oozed grace, the indifferent Amazon male that no female could tame, the sealed Fire, was back. And Cologne knew that he would never again willingly submit to her power. Perhaps not even to Shampoo’s, though he might still love her. Satisfied with Cologne’s response, Mousse turned and crossed the threshold of the Cat Café. Desperate, Cologne called after him,
"Mousse!" He paused. "If you leave, if you take another step out that door, you will be banished from the tribe! Your name will be removed from every Amazon’s mind! You will no longer exist in our village! You will be alone forever! And you will never see Shampoo again!" When Mousse hesitated, Cologne took that as a good sign and continued. "However! If you stay, not only will I forget this incident ever happened, but I will retract the ban I placed on you! I will allow you to challenge Shampoo and fight her outright. I will allow you to fight her with all of your strength, instead of just half! Then we can go back to China and I’ll put your name in the ‘History of Amazon Warriors’ as the first honorary male warrior ever made! Does that appeal to you?" Mousse half turned again.
"You would…give me Shampoo? And make me a warrior? And all I have to do is…stay here? With you?" Cologne nodded.
"Yes. It is a win-win situation. You’ll get everything you’ve ever wanted!"
"And you? What do you get?"
"Why, Shampoo’s happiness is enough for me." That comment finally snapped Shampoo out of her stupor. "Great-grandmother! Shampoo never be happy if have to marry stupid Mousse! Sad and angry forever!"
"Be quiet, Shampoo!" Cologne snapped. "I’m doing what’s best for you and the tribe!" Shampoo, shocked at Cologne’s words, fell silent. "Good. Now, Mousse, what do you say?" Mousse snorted.
"You only want Shampoo’s happiness, huh? I didn’t believe you when you said it and I don’t believe you now. Why do you want me to stay? You know what I am. You know my temperament. I will never listen to you again and you know that. What do I have that could possibly negate that?"
"You have power." Cologne stated fiercely. "You are the strongest Amazon male ever born into this world. Do you not think this is enough?" Shampoo decided that she had better sit down. Now. It was too much. Very suddenly, Mousse had gone from a worthless, obsessive childhood friend to a suitor more highly desired by Cologne than Ranma Soatome. What was going on? Mousse began laughing.
"You would sacrifice the happiness and well being of your great-granddaughter for my power? You, Old Woman, are insane. Not to mention selfish and stupid. No, Cologne, it is not enough. I am leaving to do what you would have stopped me from doing. I will issue you the same warning I gave your granddaughter: do not attempt to stop, hinder, or interfere with what I am doing. If you do, I cannot be held responsible for the outcome. You have been warned." Mousse turned to leave and then glanced back at Shampoo one last time. He took a deep, shaky breath and smiled at her. "You know, you really are very beautiful. I’m sorry this had to happen to you. Good-bye, Shampoo. I will never forget you." Then he turned and, without another word, left the Café, renouncing the Amazon tribe and his life forever. Ranma silently followed him. Cologne’s shrieks of outrage followed them as they walked. Ranma winced when Cologne threatened to execute Mousse’s mother.
"Mousse," he said, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder to stop him, "you don’t have to do this. You can go back. I’d understand. And I’m sure the others will, too." Fire didn’t move, just continued staring at the street, head bowed, eyes covered in the shadow created by his thick bangs. His entire body was tense as Ranma spoke and it only grew more rigged as Cologne’s threats mingled in the air with Ranma’s offer. Finally, he shook his head violently. Ranma dropped his hand and blinked. "What does that mean? No, I’m not going back? Or, no, the others wouldn’t understand?"
"Neither." Mousse choked out. "It means that she can’t have my…my mother…" Mousse’s voice broke. He cleared it and drew one of his long black sleeves over his eyes hastily. "She can’t have the woman who used to be my mother executed. She has no good reason. She can’t use my disobedience against a tribe member. We’re not related anymore." To say Ranma was confused would be an understatement.
"What do you mean, you’re not related anymore? She’s still your mother." Mousse laughed cruelly.
"Not anymore. As soon as I left the Cat Café, I renounced the Tribe and all her people. Therefore, I am no longer a member and so not related to any of the Amazons. Including the woman who bore me. I am alone. Utterly. I have no place to go. I have no one to go to. I have only myself in the entire world to turn to." Ranma was aghast.
"Then why the hell did you leave?"
"Because I have to live up to my destiny as the Second. I have to be Fire. Hellfire and all of the known world depends on it."
"What are you talking about?"
"Please don’t play dumb, Ranma. The knowledge that I have just forsaken my mother and my home isn’t an easy thing to swallow, and I really don’t need this right now."
"I really don’t have the first clue why you think the three of us can’t handle this by ourselves. We’ll be fine. I mean, hey, what bad thing can combat Water, Lightning, and Wind and survive?" Mousse sighed angrily.
"Don’t pretend that you forgot what you remembered about the Prophecy when your memories were reawakened." Ranma blinked.
"What are you talking about?" Mousse stared at Ranma.
"You mean you really don’t know?" Ranma shook his head.
"No, man, I really don’t know. Are you going to tell me what I don’t know, or are you just going to stand there? Staring at me. Nothing feels so unnerving as when Fire stares at you. Stop that." Mousse blinked and opened his mouth. At that moment Cologne shouted another threat and Mousse cringed.
"Never mind."
"What?! You’re not going to tell me? Oh, c’mon, Mousse! Now I’m curious! You’ve got to tell me!"
"Ranma, shut up." He obliged. "Thank you. I’ll explain everything later. Right now, I have to get as far away from this place as I can. If I don’t, I’m afraid I’ll start thinking about my situation and I’ll loose my nerve and go back. That would be a very bad thing, believe me. Let’s go." Ranma nodded.
"Where to?" Mousse flinched and Ranma immediately kicked himself. That was stupid! Mousse doesn’t have anywhere to go, how would he know ‘where to’? Akane’s right, I am an idiot. Hey, that’s it! Ranma snapped his fingers.
"I know! Let’s go to the Dojo. Sadly, Akane would know more about this ‘Prophecy’ than I would. We’ll go see what she knows. Then we can ask her about the Third, like we had planned. Would that work?" A ghost of a smile answered Ranma’s question and he lead the way back to the Dojo, Cologne’s voice following one step behind them the entire way.

~**~

Once at the Dojo, Ranma let Mousse sit down at the table and went to go find Akane. A few minutes later, Akane come from the Dojo and saw Mousse sitting by himself. She grinned widely and plopped down unceremoniously next to him.
"Hi there!" She greeted. "I take you being here means that Ranma was successful and we were right. So you’re Fire, huh? " Mousse nodded mutely. This Akane Tendo was definitely much different than she had been. Akane picked up on Mousse’s quiet and tilted her head. "Something the matter?" Mousse, always one to be polite, shook his head. Akane sighed. "I know you want to be polite, Mousse, but now is not the time. What’s the matter?" Mousse opened his mouth to reply ‘nothing,’ but his curiosity got the better of him and he found himself saying,
"You’re not acting in any way I’ve ever seen you act before. I was merely contemplating the change." Akane blinked and then smiled.
"You want to know why I’m being so nice." Mousse nodded and added,
"And very…perky." Akane laughed.
"I guess you could say that."
"But why? Is it because Ranma’s nicer? Or because you’re happy for him?" Akane nodded.
"A little of both. And a little more. You see, I usually have to compete with Ranma in everything. Martial Arts. Cooking. Looks. Everything. Now, since he found that Tablet, I have something to offer him no one else can. Not even himself. I don’t have to compete with anyone. I’m special. It’s a new feeling. Kind of fun and frightening at the same time. I mean, what if I mess up? What if Ranma finds someone who translates better than I do? Then I have to compete again. What then? And why am I telling you this?" Mousse smiled the first real smile since the Cat Café and almost laughed at Akane’s embarrassment.
"Don’t feel bad. My mother always tells me that I’m too easy to talk to. She often finds herself talking to me about things she probably shouldn’t have. At least…she used to." Akane was surprised by the look of sorrow Mousse was attempting to suppress.
"Used to? I’m sorry, Mousse. Is your mother…what I mean is, did your mother…pass away?" Mousse laughed harshly.
"No. She is not dead. But she might as well be, for all I’ll see her." Akane was extremely confused.
"What do you mean?" Mousse sighed and slumped slightly, defeated.
"Fine. I’ll tell you. Though I don’t know why. I’ve been banished from my tribe. I am no longer an Amazon. I have nowhere to go or anyone to go to. My only living relative is my mother and I am forbidden to go anywhere near the village, so I can never see her again. Cologne will probably tell her that I’m dead or something. That horrid old monster. She’ll make it sound like I was defying everything my mother ever taught me. Poor Mother."
"Maybe that’s because you did defy everything your mother ever taught you. About obeying your elders, anyway." Mousse and Akane looked over at the door, where Ranma was standing, grinning madly. "You should have seen him, Akane." He continued. "It was unbelievable! The Old Mummy was yelling at him and threatening him and he just looked at her like she was dirt and walked away." Akane smiled at Mousse.
"Really? That’s amazing! Did you really, Mousse?" Mousse, who was blushing by this time, merely nodded his head. Akane clapped her hands happily. "That’s wonderful! It’s about time you stood up to her. Way to go, Mousse!" The boy’s blushed deepened.
"Yes, well…there was a large price for that bravery." Akane nodded.
"Maybe so, but was it worth it?" Ranma sat down next to Akane, sandwiching her between two Powers, as Mousse nodded. "Would you do it again?"
"In a heartbeat." Akane nodded.
"Good. But I have a question about that. Why did you have to?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, why did you have to go against her? Couldn’t you just have stayed there? I still don’t even know what happened." Mousse shrugged.
"I threatened Shampoo and then lost my temper."
"Wait, wait, wait. That doesn’t make sense. How did that get you banished from your tribe?"
"It just…did." Ranma sighed.
"Mousse, as a story teller, you stink. I’ll tell you what happened, Akane. After Mousse realized that he was Fire, we decided to come back here and find out about the Third. Just as we were about to leave, Shampoo showed up and she was her usual…bubbly self, for lack of a better word. No offense, Mousse." "None taken."
"Good. Anyway, I very calmly…explained to her that Mousse and I were involved in something very…big and that she couldn’t help us. She didn’t like that idea and so Mousse warned her that if she persisted in bothering us, we wouldn’t be responsible for the consequences. I think you phrased it very diplomatically, Mousse, don’t you?"
"Very."
"I thought so. Well, Shampoo was shocked, because she couldn’t believe that Mousse and I would work together on anything, but the Old Mummy heard Mousse, too, and she didn’t like what he said. So she pulled some legal tribe something-or-other and told Mousse to apologize and leave Shampoo and me alone. That’s when Mousse lost his temper." Akane nodded.
"Ok, now that makes some sense. But why’d he loose his temper?"
"That parts easy. See, all these years, Cologne’s been making Mousse train under the animal ‘Hawk’, when she knew that he was a Cat. Then, to add insult to injury, she made Shampoo train under the ‘Cat’. That made Mousse’s elemental Creature very angry. So Mousse was very angry. When Cologne tried to intimidate Mousse again, it inflamed him." Mousse winced.
"Bad pun, Ranma." Ranma grinned.
"I know. So anyway, when Mousse got angry, he accused Cologne of hating him, and then told her, in a round about way, that he remembered, and suddenly she wanted him to stay and be her new Son-in-law. He flat out refused. And she got maaaaad! I’ve never seen her so mad. It was great! Anyway, she started threatening him, and he just ignored her. So she kicked him out of the tribe." Akane blinked.
"And that’s it?"
"And that’s it."
"So…so why didn’t you just…I dunno, swallow your pride and pretend to be sorry?" Mousse shrugged.
"Because one of the conditions was leaving Shampoo alone. Forever. I just couldn’t do that. Besides, who in their right mind would willingly stay in the same house as someone who hates them?"
"I see your point. But after that, why didn’t you marry Shampoo when Cologne offered? It’s your life’s dream offered to you on a silver platter!" Mousse shrugged.
"I was tempted. You have no idea how tempted. But right now, Shampoo doesn’t love me. I know in time she will, but she doesn’t now, and forcing her to marry me against her will would only serve to make her hate me more. And I also can’t forget my commitment as the Second. ‘Four in the Fight,’ and all that." Akane blinked.
"’Four in the…’ what?" Mousse stared at her.
"You know. That old poem. That Ranma’s Dragon taught him."
"What poem? Ranma, are you holding out on me?" Ranma gulped.
"N-no, Akane!" He stuttered. "I have no idea what he’s talking about!" Mousse looked confused.
"Hmm. Maybe it was just me." Akane blinked.
"Maybe it was just you…what?"
"Well, I once heard this poem…"
"And?"
"And, I just thought Ranma would have heard of it before, too." Akane waited patently for a few minutes and then prompted him,
"And the poem is…?"
"Oh! You want to hear it? Well, ok. This is it:

~**~

"Oh, where am I now? How am I supposed to find anything when anything looks like everything!"
"Oouuuuuuuuu!" Ryoga stopped dead in his tracks…and grinned. That was the unmistakable call of a wolf. And it was close! Not to mention familiar. For as long as he could remember, Ryoga had wandered, camped, trained, and lived with a pack of wolves that were as close to ‘friends’ as anything he had ever had.
"Oouuuuuuuuu!!" The solo became a duo, then a trio, then more and more as pack mates joined in the call. Ryoga began laughing as the calls came closer and closer. Grinning wickedly once more, he threw his head back and joined in the song, calling his pack to him.

"Oouuuuuuuuu!"

Mousse sighed disgustedly as he trudged along.
"It’s not bad enough that we’ve been out here for two and a half weeks looking for that fool." He complained. "Now we’ve got wolves!"
"Wolves?!" Ranma dropped into a fighting stance as he listened to the traveling sound of a pack song. He straightened slightly as another voice joined the pack. This voice came from a slightly different direction; the direction the pack seemed to be running in. And it sounded…different. "Hey, Mousse?" The boy was looking around, attempting to pinpoint the exact location of the wolves. He looked over at Ranma when he called his name.
"Hmm? What?"
"Did you notice anything" Oouuuuuuuuu! "different, about that other call?"
"The one that’s attracting that wolf pack?"
"Yea. That would be the one."
"Yes. There does seem to be a difference."
"But what?"
"I don’t know. It seems to be more…I don’t know…"
Oouuuuuuuuu!!
"Human?" Ranma supplied. Mousse snapped his fingers.
"That’s it! It sounds human! No true wolf makes that kind of sound."
"Its a really good imitation though, isn’t it?"
"Very good indeed. One would have to spend months listening to a wolf call in order to imitate it that well." Ranma blinked.
"Hold on a second. Months?" Mousse nodded.
"Months at least. Possibly years. Listening to wolf cries every…night…"
"For years?"
"Years." Ranma looked at Mousse. Mousse looked at Ranma. They both grinned. Water whooped and began running towards the human wolf-call that, God willing, would lead to the object of two and a half weeks worth of travel.

Ryoga, oblivious of the two man party attempting to locate him, laughed joyously as six large wolves knocked him over and said hello as only wolves could. Amidst a shower of wolf-y kisses and friendly nips, Ryoga attempted to pet, scratch, and say hello to all of his friends.
"It’s been a long time, I know!" Ryoga laughed. "I’m sorry I was away for so long. I can never seem to get lost where you guys are. Hey!" He exclaimed, looking over at one of the female wolves. "You’re gonna have some pups soon, aren’t you?" She ducked her head as if to show embarrassment, and seemed to be agreeing. Smiling hugely, Ryoga disentangled himself from a pare of males and walked over to her. Kneeling next to her, he smiled softly and scratched her gently behind one of her ears. "That’s so great!" She lifted her head and licked him. He laughed and looked around. "Well, which one is the father?" She turned her head towards the forest and yapped once. Another male, larger than any of the others, materialized from out the shadows and stood slightly away from the boy. Ryoga’s eyes softened. "The Alfa, huh? That’s not too surprising. You always were a beautiful girl." All the wile, Ryoga had been watching the Alfa, and he only looked back at the female when she licked his cheek. "All right, all right, I’m sorry, I’ll pay more attention to you." He laughed as a playful male came behind him and nipped him lightly on the back of the neck. "None of that!" He rubbed the male’s head, who gave him a wolf-y grin and lolled his tongue in response. A twig snapped behind the bushes. Ryoga, always ready for danger, jumped in front of his pack. There was a flash of movement, and the Alfa was in front of him. Ryoga tore his eyes off of the pack leader just in time to see…Ranma Soatome and Mousse come crashing through the bushes. He sighed and glared at them as he said, "It’s all right. They’re not evil. At least, Mousse isn’t. Ranma, however…" The pack lowered their hackles and stopped growling. The Alfa walked away and stood where he could see all of his pack. Ranma looked at Ryoga, the wolves, Ryoga, Mousse, and finally back at Ryoga. Mousse just stared. Ryoga huffed.
"What are you looking at, Ranma? What, are you as afraid of wolves as you are of cats?" Ranma grinned.
"You can’t say that anymore, P-chan. I’m not afraid of cats anymore!" Ryoga laughed cruelly.
"Yea right, Ranma. I’ll believe that when I see it."
"Are you calling me a liar?"
"Hey, you said it!"
"It is true, Ryoga. Ranma is no longer tormented by an irrational fear of cats." Ryoga glared at Mousse.
"Why are you defending him? I didn’t think you liked him. And what happened to your glasses? You’re not wearing them." Ranma looked at Mousse and indicated Ryoga with an arm.
"I give you Ryoga Hibiki. Master of the obvious." Mousse sighed when Ryoga growled, which in turn caused the wolf pack, save the one who was off by itself, to growl as well.
"You know, if your attempting to befriend him or get him to help us, you’re failing." Ranma flapped a hand at Mousse and grinned.
"He’ll help us. We just have to explain things. Yo, Ryoga, buddy-"
"I’m not your buddy, Ranma." Ranma blinked. Then he shrugged.
"Ok. Whatever. Listen, we found you to tell you about this-"
"I really couldn’t care less about anything you have to tell me about, Ranma. In fact, you’re lucky I’m in a good mood, or I would’ve attacked and destroyed you by now. So just, go away. Get lost, or something." "Hey, I’m not the one who gets lost!" "What’s that supposed to mean?"
"You should know!" Ranma and Ryoga glared at each other for a few tension filed moments. Then Ryoga laughed once good naturally and half turned away from Ranma. He closed one eye and looked at Ranma through the other as he said,
"Wazza matter, Ranma? Cat got your tongue?" Just as Ranma lunged at Ryoga, Mousse intervened and pulled Ranma back. Holding Ranma behind him, Mousse pulled out the Tablet and showed it to Ryoga, who stared at it blankly.
"What’s that?" Mousse stepped forward as Ranma huffed and tuned away. Giving the Tablet to Ryoga, who took it and examined it.
"It’s the reason we came out here to find you. Ranma found it in a cave a few weeks ago." When Mousse mentioned who had discovered it, Ryoga looked disgusted and shoved the Tablet at Mousse, who shoved it back, explaining quickly, "It’s an apocalyptic message concerning the End of Days!" Ryoga stared at him, aghast, mouth hanging open.
"It’s about what?!"
"The Apocalypse. The End of Days. The Final Battle. The End of the World. Call it what you will." Ryoga was horrified.
"What’s it got to do with me?!"
"That’s what we came to see you about. Apparently, there’s something coming to destroy the world. We don’t know why. We don’t really know who. All we know about who is that the henchmen are called Nightshadows and they’re made of dark emotions. Like fear and hate. Things like that. We also know," Mousse said hurriedly as Ryoga opened his mouth, "that there have been people Chosen- four people- who were born to defeat these things and save the world. Each person has Power over an Element. The First has Water. The Second has Fire. The Third has Lightning and the Fourth has Wind. We’ve already found the First and Second." He grinned ruefully at Ryoga’s shell shocked appearance. "Care to help us with the Third?" Ryoga’s mouth opened and closed as he tried unsuccessfully to say something. Finally he choked out,
"Why are you telling me this? What has it got to do with me?" Mousse swallowed.
"Well…that’s why we’re here. Our translator, the one who reads the stuff on this Tablet, says that you’re…that you’re Third Lightning. Now, she’s been dead right about everything else, so we’re betting she’s right about this." Ryoga took several deep breaths and closed his eyes.
"And who might your translator be?"
"Akane Tendo." Ryoga nodded. "She said that…that ‘being the Third is a great responsibility and she’s counting on you and the others to save the world.’ She’s really into saving the world. Go figure." Ryoga’s brain was desperately fighting a loosing battle of comprehension. He looked at Mousse.
"Why are you here?" Mousse stared at him.
"Because I’m Second Fire."
"And why is…Ranma…here."
"Because he’s First Water." Ryoga blinked.
"Wouldn’t that trigger his curse?"
"No. That’s one of the perks of being a Chosen. All your curses are removed. I’m not blind anymore, Ranma’s not terrified of cats, and cold water doesn’t do anything to us but get us wet." Wordlessly, Ryoga took a canteen off of his back and deftly spun the cap off. Turning slightly, he flung the water at Mousse and Ranma, getting them both soaked. As Ranma sputtered and Mousse shook his cloths off, Ryoga stared. Finally he looked down at his empty canteen and said,
"Akane said she was counting on me?" Mousse blinked.
"In a round about way, I guess." Ryoga continued staring at his empty canteen.
"If I agreed to help you. If I said I’d risk my neck and fight with a guy I can’t stand. I wouldn’t be cursed to turn into a…well, I wouldn’t be cursed?" Mousse nodded.
"It is a fact that the process of becoming a true Power does eliminate all curses." Ryoga closed his eyes once more briefly, then looked at Mousse.
"All right. What do I have to do?" Mousse grinned and stepped forward. Taking the Tablet which hung limply in Ryoga’s other hand back, he pointed to a character and said,
"All you have to do is trace this mark here, over and over. The rest pretty much takes care of itself." Ryoga nodded and traced obediently. He closed his eyes when Mousse instructed him to. After quite some time, he opened his eyes and stared crossly at Mousse.
"This isn’t working." Mousse was confused.
"I don’t know why. This is exactly what I had to do. Ranma told me its what he did, too." Ryoga growled and faced Ranma, speaking to him for the first time in a while.
"Ra-n-ma! This is your fault, isn’t it?" Ranma blinked and then glared at the boy.
"How in the world could it be my fault? I haven’t even done anything!"
"Exactly! You’re the First, you should be doing something!"
"Not if you paid me!"
"Why not, you jerk?!"
"Because this is all wrong!"
"What is?!"
"This whole thing! You’re only doing this because you think its an easy out on all your problems! Well, let me tell you something: it isn’t!" Ryoga’s hands balled into fists and he took a menacing step towards Ranma, saying,
"I don’t see why it shouldn’t be an easy out! All of this is your fault anyway!" Ranma yelled out as he grabbed Ryoga by the shirt collar and slammed him into a tree.
"Damn it, Hibiki, I’m tired of this! How is this all my fault?!"
"If you had just showed up when you were supposed to-"
"That was years ago! Over a stupid piece of bread!"
"It was more than the bread!"
"Then what was it! Tell me now, because I’m not going to do this with you ever again!"
"You never showed up! That’s the problem! I made it a point of honor to be there and you just left!"
"I waited three days!"
"What would an extra day have cost you?!"
"Plenty! My old man made me go! Do you think I wanted to go to China? You think I wanted to leave without fighting you? It was a point of honor for me, too! My dad made me go! I tried everything to make him stay, but that’ll only work for so long. He threatened to drug me! And it’s not my fault you got lost!"
"Its not my fault, either! Its my family’s curse!"
"I know that! When we left for China, I held no grudge. It was you who made it a grudge. I only ever remembered you as this slightly weird guy who liked to fight. Then suddenly, there you are! Yelling that stupid ‘Ranma! Prepare to die!’ It’s not your fault you couldn’t find me. It’s not my fault I had to leave. Why can’t you leave it at that?" Ryoga looked upset.
"Even if I could, after that…"
"Everything after that happened because it happened. That’s all there is to it."
"But…but…"
"But what?"
"But what am I supposed to do now? I spend all my time trying to beat you! What am I supposed to do if I just…‘let it go’?"
"Save the world."
"What?" Ranma let Ryoga go, and they both backed away from the tree.
"We’ve been given a unique opportunity. We’ve been chosen to save the world! What better excuse to train than that?" Ryoga looked at Ranma, then at his own hands.
"But…I’ve already tried once. I couldn’t do it. Akane was…wrong. I’m not the Third."
"I don’t agree. I think you were doing it for the wrong reason. You can just say, ‘oh, I feel like dumping my curses. I think I’ll become the Third!’ You have to want to. This isn’t a walk in the park. It’s going to be hard. And it’s going to hurt. Very, very badly. There are going to be hundreds of battles, and you’ll walk away with scars from all of them. This isn’t a one time offer, Ryoga. If you want to do this, if you’re in, you’re in forever. And I promise you, it’s going to hurt." Ryoga looked at Ranma, then at Mousse. Finally, he sighed and smiled slightly.
"I’ve always had a high tolerance for pain. What do you say? Give it another go?" Ranma and Mousse smiled, and Mousse brought the Tablet to Ranma. Water accepted it and held it out to Ryoga.
"You know what to do." Ryoga nodded, took a deep breath, and began tracing. It was a different sensation from the very beginning. The character let off a sort of energy, sending a thrill all up Ryoga’s arm, painting a mark on the inside of his eye lids. The mark grew brighter and brighter until it exploded, sending a shower of white sparks all over the dark landscape. Ryoga took his arm away from his face and looked up to find a large wolf, made of lightning, towering over him. Ryoga grinned.
"Well…that’s not too surprising." The wolf studied Ryoga for a moment before throwing his, for it was definitely a he, head back and howling. Ryoga closed his eyes and allowed the music to fill his ears and mind, allowing him to think of nothing else. Ryoga was the song and the song was of Ryoga.
"This…" Ryoga whispered. "This is…familiar." He opened his eyes in wonder. "I know you." The wolf ceased his howling and looked at the boy.
"I was with you as you traveled. I was with you when you slept. I was with you when you fought and when you cried." Ryoga nodded, unashamed.
"Yes. You were always with me. My pack…that pack of wolves that follows me around…it is yours. That’s why other wolf packs always back down. They know." The wolf nodded. Ryoga tilted his head. "All of my pack members have names. Only those who know those names may call them ‘family.’ Is it the same with you?" Again the wolf nodded. "Can you…tell me your name? Or…must I guess?" The wolf just…looked at him and Ryoga sighed.
"I must guess."
"No." The wolf rumbled. "Guessing is not an option. You know my name, pack mate. To guess would be an insult." Ryoga squeezed his eyes shut.
"I do know your name. Why can’t I say it?"
"What are you afraid of?" Challenged the big wolf. "You are afraid." He insisted when Ryoga attempted to protest. "If you were not, you would remember."
"I’m not going to be good enough. Ranma will…"
"What can the Water First do to you? His job is to keep you four together. He will do nothing to you."
"Yes, but, he will-"
"Do not blame your insecurities on the Water. He has done nothing to you." Ryoga winced.
"All right. All right. Point taken. But…but what if I’m not good enough? What if I let down my new pack?" "Have you ever let your pack down before?"
"What?"
"In all your travels, have you ever truly let your pack down?"
"Yes. I’ve been gone so long…"
"Did they shun you?"
"No!"
"Do they hate you?"
"No!"
"Then what do you fear? Your pack is your family. Your family will forgive you always, if you have tried your best." Ryoga smiled.
"Thank you…I think…I think can go back now. With you of course." The wolf nodded.
"Only with my name." Ryoga smiled again.
"Of course…Dalmeth." The wolf threw its head back and howled once before running at Ryoga, who merely closed his eyes, opened his arms, and accepted the wolf. As the wolfs tail passed threw the boy, he fought hard and remained standing. Turning, he grinned to find a little black piglet standing beside his Wolf, his Dalmeth, wearing…a round object with a perpetually spinning arrow. A compass? Ryoga grinned.
"Hey! That means…I won’t get lost anymore! Yes!" Turning to Dalmeth, Ryoga nodded, and he was suddenly back in the clearing, surrounded by pack mates, animal and human. Ryoga knelt and pressed his face into the soft shoulder fur of the Alfa, who had come to stand by him during his Remembrance.
"You knew." He whispered to the Alfa. "Well, I remember now. Dalmeth says ‘hi’." Looking up, Ryoga met the eyes of first Fire, then Water. Grinning once more, he stood and stretched in his new outfit. The style was basically the same, save the design. While his pants were totally black, his shirt was yellow, with the black silhouette of an impressive wolf on the front, his head thrown back in a howl. Ryoga’s bandannas were now totally yellow, with a black character in the center. The character for Third Lighting.
"So!" Began Ryoga. "Let’s go have Akane tell us about our last pack mate, shall we? There’s an Earth to protect, after all!" Ranma and Mousse looked at each other, grinned, and joined their new ‘pack’ in a race back to Nermia and against time.