#11: Enter the Shadows
		The Wheel of Fire, Part 4: The Dying of the Embers

  Written by Razorclaw X (spiceoflife@hotmail.com)
  http://www.crosswinds.net/anaheim/~slythe/ranma/ranff.html
  Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. And 
all that other good stuff. Proper licenses belong to respective 
properties and characters. The manga has precedence over material in 
the anime. 
  This file can be freely distributed so long as it appears in its 
complete form and proper credit. No part may be reproduced for 
monetary gain without permission from the author. (to which the answer 
is probably "no")

  Author's note: This series takes place after the final manga story, 
Vol.38, after my previous fics, "Moments of Transition," "Team Ranma 
vs. the Orochi Assassins," "End of the Beginning," "Descending 
Spiral," "Specters," "The Law of Amazons," "Doco in the Battle of the 
Bands," "Doco in Hawaii," "The Past is Prologue," and "Treasure of the 
Musk Dynasty." Knowledge of the previous stories helps in 
understanding the minor details of the story (see "Plot Points"). 
  This is the second story in the 'Dying of the Embers' part of the 
story, dealing with trouble that has been brewing for quite a while. 

Plot Points (from previous stories)
==================================
1. Ranma and Akane are married. Ryoga and Akari are married. 
2. Doco (Ranma, the Tendo sisters, the Kunos, Shampoo, Mousse, 
Ling-ling and Lung-lung, Ryoga, Akari, Ukyo, and Konatsu) goes 
semi-professional. 
3. Nodoka insisted that Ukyo join her family to remove her past 
dishonor. While Ukyo accepted, she opted to retain her name for duty 
to her family. 
4. Mousse has reached an understanding with both Shampoo and Cologne. 
After being kicked out of the tribe for a while, he's gain new insight 
and wisdom, but he still blindly-follows Shampoo. 
5. Kodachi and Tatewaki reached an understanding. Both hate their 
parents and Ranma. They know Ranma is the pig-tailed girl. Kuno 
believes the family was dishonored by Ranma's trickery. 
6. Kodachi, Ukyo, Akane, and Shampoo have reached an understanding. 
They treat each other like old friends, as there's no reason to fight 
anymore. 
7. Ling-ling, Lung-lung, and Shampoo's father work at the Nekohanten. 
8. Kodachi and Pantyhose Taro admit an affection for each other. Part 
of Kodachi's reason is so she can win her bet against Asuka the White 
Lily, but Taro is actually flattered about it. 
9. Ukyo discovers she can manipulate chi, but as of yet it manifests 
only in her okonomiyaki. With proper training she could become more 
powerful than Ranma, according to the minions of Orochi. She briefly 
studied under Herb. 
10. Kuno has devoted himself to mastering every technique of the 
Chinese Phoenix Sword to destroy Ranma with. With what he knows now he 
becomes a match for Ranma's abilities. He waits for the day of the 
battle. The Phoenix Sword consumes the power of one's soul. 
11. Ranma has been experiencing terrible nightmares recently: one 
where his friends and enemies torment him, a second where they die 
instead. Both have troubled him deeply, but he hasn't told anyone 
about them. Most recently, Ranma has exerted some control over his 
dreams, and he recognizes the face of that who tortures him-- but he 
won't reveal it. 

------------------------------------------------
Opening: Don't Cry Any more (aka Ukyo's song)
(With Ukyo and the Doco girls: Ranma, Akane, Kasumi, Nabiki, Shampoo)

(Ukyo) On a street corner, shining down is 
The lonely silhouette which is me
I just heard the line "good-bye" from you 
Without quite believing it

My heart beats as though they're drums 
Against my chest 
Which brings forth tears, 
(+ Doco echo) A lullaby

Cheer up, don't cry anymore.
Once tomorrow's here, it'll all be different
Cheer up, don't cry anymore.
Set yourself against a new wind, and 
Smile again!

(Ukyo) I had felt like 
I was totally cool.

In the car that's driving away,
I can see a lovely kiss scene.
You and your girlfriend--
(+ Doco echo) It's no mistake!

Cheer up, don't cry anymore
Only bad things won't continue 
Cheer up, don't cry anymore.
I look up and embrace the sky.
Smile again!

Cheer up, don't cry anymore.
Once tomorrow's here, it'll all be different
Cheer up, don't cry anymore.
Set yourself against a new wind, and 
Smile again!
					*  *  *  *  *

  The underground lab of Dr. Philip Taydome, robotics engineer from 
the best engineering school in America, was dark and cramped. The 
English-descended man wiped the dust off his glasses, annoyed that 
whoever constructed the lab didn't bother to clean up all the dirt 
after finishing modeling. 
  He flipped-on the master light switch, illuminating the dark lab 
with brilliant, fluorescent ceiling lamps. I've got to talk to someone 
about those, Taydome told himself, as he really hated fluorescent 
lights. Natural light was preferable, but underground, that was one 
commodity one couldn't have. 
  It had been over a month since he demonstrated his pinnacle 
achievement in artificial intelligence. It was with the prototype of 
the GAIA-series robot armor Taydome had impressed his sponsors, who 
wished to remain anonymous. And no wonder, if one was going to fund a 
secret United States defense contract, one had to keep their 
identities secret. Of course, what Taydome did know about his sponsors 
was that they were members of the Department of Defense who resorted 
to less-choosy ventures than their publicly-visible cousins 
upstairs. 
  It was this same branch of the Department of Defense that installed 
me in this stupid underground lab, Taydome reminded himself coldly. 
Ever since leaving his main lab in Oahu Taydome cursed his luck, as 
the new lab was installed in Japan, of all places! 
  Of course, the decision had been out of Taydome's hands; his shadowy 
'source' insisted he move there. The source had ordered Taydome to 
request that the Department to build the underground lab for them. It 
would be here the source would direct Taydome's activities. After all, 
the source was the true masters behind the program; they were the ones 
who supplied the good doctor with supplies. 
  Particularly the 'part.' 
  Ah, the 'part!' Taydome didn't know what it was for, but it seemed 
very advanced. Its complex circuit structure allowed Taydome to move 
in directions he never would have dreamed of on his own, allowing him 
to create the complex matrix that served as the GAIA robot's artificial 
intelligence and processing unit. It was what made the GAIA series so 
successful. 
  Dr. Taydome reflected to the GAIA prototype's test run in Honolulu. 
There had been a group of Japanese martial artists there at the time, 
whom the source specifically told Taydome to use as fodder. He made 
sure the prototype could not be traced back to himself, or to the 
Department of Defense; a fortunate thing, because the shattered hulk 
of the GAIA was confiscated by the government for study. 
  Of course, Taydome never expected the GAIA to lose. It was equipped 
with all manner of weaponry: two high-velocity spearhead projectors, 
two arm blades, two heat ray lasers, a rocket booster, heavy armor, 
superior strength, and heavy boots. None of that was enough for those 
martial artists that the source so desired dead. They were too good! 
One day, I will show those upstarts the true potential of the GAIA 
program! 
  Taydome walked to the manufacturing center, where, one after 
another, GAIA-series robots were being assembled. He cringed at the 
sight of the death's head faces each GAIA possessed, each of whose 
mouths were twisted in a sadistic grin. It's supposed to inspire fear, 
the sources said. After all, they designed that ugly face. 
  It worked, Taydome thought darkly. 
  "Is this facility to your satisfaction, Doctor?" asked the distorted 
voice behind the American engineer. 
  "Yes, yes, of course," Taydome replied. "What is the optimal GAIA 
output?" 
  "At optimum levels," started the speaker, the 'source,' speaking 
through a voice distorter resting on the shoulder, "we can complete 
three GAIA units a day. The Department of Defense expects the first 
shipment of fifty GAIAs delivered to it as soon as possible. However, 
I have informed them that they will be unavailable for at least fifty 
days." 
  "You told them we could only make one a day?" asked Taydome, 
surprised. This wasn't exactly what he was expecting, considering it 
took quite a while even to make contact with the Department. 
  The source nodded. "We will, of course, set aside one of our three 
each day for the organization, but the extra two are to be at my 
disposal." 
  "What do you intend to do?" 
  "I have an old score to settle. You know the ones." 
  Taydome nodded. "I... understand." 

  "Look, Ucchan," Ranma lectured, holding his friend's arm, "you want 
to throw yourself into an elbow punch. And, if you're fast enough, 
you can add a backhand punch in the same attack." 
  The day was dawning that Saturday morning. Ranma himself was not an 
early riser, but Ukyo was; she insisted on practicing early, just so 
she could get back to her restaurant in time to open. 
  Ukyo gritted her teeth, and tried to ignore the sweat that dripped 
over her eyes. "I don't want to put all my weight in it, do I? That's 
kind of dangerous." 
  Ranma shrugged. "I don't know what you mean." 
  "Well, let go of me, and I'll demonstrate," suggested Ukyo. 
  "Okay, I'll go easy..." Ranma said, throwing and elbow punch at 
Ukyo's gut. But, before the blow could connect, Ukyo grabbed Ranma's 
exposed arm, and, with a flick of her arm, managed to turn Ranma over 
in mid-air. The young Saotome landed flat on his back with a hard 
thud. 
  The next thing Ranma saw that early Saturday morning was the ceiling 
of the Tendo dojo. Somewhere beyond his viewing range he could hear 
Akane and Nabiki laughing at him. 
  Ukyo's concerned face appeared, blotting out Ranma's view of the 
ceiling. "Ranchan! Did that hurt much?" 
  "Ooohhh," groaned Ranma, putting an arm under his head as a pillow. 
"I'm glad I didn't put ALL my weight into it...." 
  "I told you that was a dangerous maneuver," Ukyo said, offering her 
hand to her fallen teacher and friend. 
  Ranma accepted, and slowly rose to his feet, one arm rubbing his 
sore back. "Sometimes I wonder if I'd really learned how to fight 
just anybody. No one else ever does that to me." 
  Ukyo shrugged, dabbing her forehead with a towel. "Well, the worst 
you can do is stop learning." 
  Ranma peered at his old friend curiously. "You know, one of these 
days, you're going to run out of those words of wisdom." 
  "Ha-ha-ha-ha!" Ukyo laughed. "I doubt that." 
  The sisters, Akane and Nabiki, watched, leaning against one of the 
dojo walls. It may have been early in the morning, but that never 
stopped either sister from watching such interesting spectacles as 
Ranma getting trashed by his student. 
  "You know, from these past weeks, I can safely say that Ukyo's a 
defensive fighter," Nabiki concluded. 
  "What makes you say that?" asked Akane. 
  "Well, besides the fact she lacks in raw power, and she isn't as 
fast as Ranma," explained Nabiki, "she doesn't ever attack unless it's 
a counter hit. She's good at dodging, too; it must be a sixth sense, 
almost as if she can anticipate the direction of Ranma's attacks. I 
doubt Ranma's been holding-back on purpose, too." 
  "Since when have you been studying styles?" wondered Akane. 
  "I haven't," answered Nabiki. "I've been around you too long, 
that's all." She folded her arms and faced her younger sister. "Did 
you hear the latest at school?" 
  "Yeah," confirmed Akane. "People are saying that Kuno and Ukyo are 
item." The younger sister shook her head. "I don't believe a word of 
it. Kuno's a real jerk; what could Ukyo see in him?" 
  "Beats me," Nabiki replied, shrugging. "I'm surprised that anyone 
could get together with Kuno-chan." She sighed. "I suppose if it could 
be anyone, it'd be with her. She's too darn nice for her own good." 
Then again, if they did get married, and, since Ukyo is now legally 
a member of the family, I can gain access to Kuno-chan's money 
without conning him. 
  Sometimes the puzzle pieces do fit, Nabiki thought smugly. 
  "At least she's moved on," Nabiki said. "Shampoo doesn't look like 
she'll move on until next century." Right now Kodachi seems to have a 
thing for Pantyhose Taro, but, like Ukyo, who knows how far that could 
go. 
  "You know," Akane started, changing the subject, "ever since the 
first wedding, Ukyo's been different." 
  "How so?" asked Nabiki, unconcerned, but listening nevertheless. 
"She seems to be the same Ukyo to me." 
  "Well, she's been through a lot of emotional hardship, ranging from 
losing her first love to accepting herself," explained Akane. "She 
may appear to be the same Ukyo, but tempered by terrible trials. She's 
certainly gotten a lot wiser, considering how she often makes those 
profound remarks. In a strange way, they make sense, even when she 
doesn't. I imagine something similar would have happened to me had 
Ranma chosen Ukyo instead of me." 
  "You shouldn't dwell on what might have been," suggested Nabiki. 
"Pain is good for the soul." 
  As Ukyo and Ranma walked out together, Ukyo tried her best to 
pretend not to hear that last comment Nabiki made. No, pain wasn't 
good for the soul, it was good for the body. The soul was too 
precious to risk destruction. 

  Tatewaki Kuno stood alone in the dark hallway that stretched to 
infinity, deeper into the darkness. 
  "The road one travels is of one's own choosing," began Kuno. "It is 
the choice of one's path on the journey that is life that determines 
what fate lies in the future. The traveler must not regret the road 
not taken; to walk through life in self-doubt is a terrible prospect 
indeed. Thus, I, Tatewaki Kuno, have taken the path of least regret, 
the road taken is the one chosen by my own free will. Ah, to accept 
the consequences of one's actions, to look forward to the future, but 
never to fear it." 
  Kuno spoke thus to himself as he walked the dark path. Every once in 
a while there would be a road block, but each obstacle served only to 
increase the richman's resolve to make it to the end of the journey. 
  "Sometimes one's path may take many detours before being put back on 
track," someone said, a strange, distorted voice echoing throughout the 
dark hallway Kuno traversed. 
  "Who's there?!" Kuno shouted, coming to a pause. 
  "It is that which you have known would come," replied the voice. "It 
is I, the voice of the future, the voice of truth, that speaks to you 
now." 
  "Yes, indeed," Kuno said. This was indeed the one who had visited 
him many times before in prophetic visions. "I assume the time of my 
calling draws near?" 
  "Yes, it has," assured the voice. "Your destiny lies upon the detour 
you are about to make in your life path." 
  Without fanfare or warning, the hallway Kuno had been traveling 
convulsed, rearranging itself so that the long, straight pathway with 
the light at the end ceased to be. Instead, the road twisted and 
turned itself, as if it were a snake on the move. The infinite end of 
the hallway could no longer be seen. 
  "My life is about to take many turns," concluded Kuno. "The symbolism 
is not lost upon me." 
  "Indeed, it is not," the voice said. "Through trial and fire, you 
must take this road, no regrets." 
  No regrets. Never! Kuno vowed silently. 
  "Go forth, Champion!" encouraged the voice. "Go forth, and regain 
that which was wrongfully taken from you!" 
  "Yes...." seethed Kuno, raising a fist into the air with his right 
hand, his left gripping the pommel of his sword. "Yes...." He 
unsheathed the sword, allowing the ancestral Kuno blade to shine in 
what light there was available in the dark hallway. "By my ancestors, 
by the will of Heaven...." 
  He gripped the ancient Kuno katana in both hands, raising the blade 
far above his head. Kuno could feel the power of the phoenix behind 
him. Then, with all calmness, the richman made a wide-arcing slice at 
the hallway wall. 
  The wall slid away, revealing a clean-cut hole that lead to further 
down the road. No obstacle stands in the way of destiny.... 
  "The day has come," proclaimed Tatewaki Kuno, burning in his own 
chi-flames, "that I, Tatewaki Kuno, shall rend punishment on the foul 
one, Ranma Saotome!" 

  It was with such thoughts that Tatewaki Kuno woke from his futon in 
his room in the Kuno estate, still early in the morning. 
  Kuno shook his head, trying to reorient himself. He was indeed 
within his own bed chambers. Sparing a glance at the calendar that 
hung on a nearby wall, he realized that today was the day. 
  The day when Ranma Saotome would meet proper justice. 

  He had hardly made it out the door when Kodachi caught up to him. 
  "Brother!" called Kuno's younger sister. "Wait!" 
  Kuno turned around, seemingly unconcerned, to greet his sister. "A 
pleasant Saturday morning, is it not?" 
  Kodachi was out of breath. She looked like she had just gotten up, 
as her clothes and hair were in disorder. "Where do you think you're 
going with the family sword?" she asked, pointing to the sheathed 
blade at Kuno's waist. 
  "It is time," Kuno said simply, his lips curving into a knowing 
smile. 
  Realization dawned upon Kodachi fast. She grabbed her brother's arm, 
as if trying to dissuade him from leaving. "You're going to kill him, 
aren't you?" 
  Kuno nodded wordlessly. 
  "Wait!" pleaded Kodachi. "Please, you must do me a favor!" 
  "If you wish that I not kill him, I am sorry," Kuno replied, without 
emotion in his voice. "It is not my place to choose whether Ranma 
Saotome lives or dies this day; my only concern is to see our family 
honor restored. If Saotome must die for that to happen, so be it. If 
the fates decree that I must die, so be it. A samurai fears not death." 
  "But you're not a samurai!" Kodachi protested, trying her best to 
dissuade her elder brother. "You don't need to kill him!" 
  "Your ill-conceived concern for Ranma Saotome clouds your judgment." 
  "And your silly notion of honor and glory clouds yours!" 
  "Enough!" boomed Kuno. "I will do battle with Ranma Saotome. You 
are welcome to come along if you wish, but stay out of my way. This is 
my fight, and I request that you no more interfere in my fight as I 
would in your own." 
  Bitterly, Kodachi nodded. Once Tacchi put his mind on something, 
there was nothing anyone could do to stop him. 

  Mousse had no idea where he was. 
  He stood alone, in a large, bowl-shaped pit, the size of a baseball 
stadium, at least. The curves of the pit sloped gradually, until 
reaching its maximum degree angle, perpendicular to the ground where 
Mousse stood, right smack in the center of the bowl. 
  "What am I doing here?" Mousse shouted. 
  The only immediate response was the echo of his own voice. 
  "You are being judged," someone said. 
  Mousse didn't recognize the voice. He scanned the area, his ears 
picking up the voice from all around him, echoing back and forth on 
the walls of the bowl pit. 
  It was right above him. 
  "Very perceptive," the voice congratulated. "Your sense of hearing 
has improved greatly." 
  "Who are you?!" shouted Mousse. "Show yourself!" 
  "Mousse?" another voice called. 
  "Shampoo?" Mousse called back. 
  He thought he was dreaming, but there she was. Shampoo stood next 
to Mousse, looking just as confused as he felt. 
  "Mousse, why you in Shampoo's dream?" asked Shampoo. 
  "Dream?" Mousse asked, puzzled. 
  "Stupid!" Shampoo cried back, slapping Mousse across the face. 
  "Sorry," apologized Mousse. "How can we be sharing the same dream?" 
  "It bad omen," Shampoo replied ominously. "Shampoo no wake up!" 
  "The slap should've waken me up as well," noted Mousse. "How do we 
know this is REALLY a dream?" 
  "Trust me, it is," responded the third, mysterious voice. 
  "Why you do this?!" Shampoo shouted to the one overhead. 
  "Because Mousse deserves to know the truth." 
  Mousse peered at Shampoo suspiciously. "What's he talking about?" 
  "Go ahead," continued the voice. "Go tell him, Shampoo, that you can 
never love him. That you've been leading him along these past weeks, 
simply because you lacked Ranma Saotome's attentions." 
  "That not truth!" denied Shampoo hotly. "Mousse is friend!" 
  "Perhaps so, but you shouldn't lead him around as you do." 
  "Shampoo?" Mousse said, not wanting to believe the voice. 
  The Chinese Amazon turned away. "Dream no lie...." 
  "She's right, you know," added the voice. "Dreams never lie." 
  "You... you've been using me?" Mousse asked Shampoo, not the least 
bit angry. 
  Shampoo nodded. 
  "You're not going to hurt Shampoo now, are you?" asked the voice 
curiously. "Was this problem not caused by Ranma Saotome?" 
  At that moment both Shampoo and Mousse stiffened. Both Chinese teens 
stared straight upward, into the empty, dark sky. 
  "Ranma...." both repeated. 
  "You both know what to do...." 

  Mousse woke from his deep sleep sweating. He looked around 
frantically, making sure he was back in the attic of the Nekohanten, 
as he was when he turned in last night. 
  Quickly, Mousse dressed. Making sure he looked presentable, he 
climbed down from the attic, and marched directly to Shampoo's room. 
He knocked. 
  "Go away!" Shampoo shouted from behind the door. 
  "It's me, Mousse," the weapons master replied. "You didn't happen to 
have a dream where we were in a bowl-shaped pit, and you slapped me 
across the face because you were mad at me because I thought it wasn't 
a dream?" 
  Silence was the only thing that answered Mousse's burning question. 
  The door slid open quietly. Shampoo poked her head out of the crack, 
looking both ways down the hallway, and beckoned for Mousse to enter. 
  "It's true, isn't it?" Mousse asked Shampoo. 
  Shampoo nodded. "Everything." 
  Mousse made his way to the window, and opened it. He stared out 
into the streets of Nerima, gazing at nothing, trying to figure out 
what to do. 
  "Mousse remember what man say?" asked Shampoo. 
  "Yes, I do," replied Mousse. 
  "Then not much time. We have work to do." 

  "It is time," announced the source, still with the distorted voice. 
  Three other figures bowed low to the floor before the source, each 
hidden in as much shadow as their master. 
  "Go to the restaurant called the Nekohanten," commanded the source. 
"There, you will meet an ally, one that shall give you the object of 
our quest. Once you have it, make sure the subject receives it."  
  "We understand," replied the leader of the three. "It shall be 
done!" 
  "Excellent," replied the source. "Remember, you fools, the future of 
our world depends on this!" 

  "So, Ranchan, what do you think?" asked Ukyo, just finishing her 
breakfast. Kasumi would have fixed them the meal, had she been up as 
early as Ranma and Ukyo had been. It was Ukyo who made the meal, as 
Nabiki had other business to take care of, and Akane left for her 
morning jog. 
  "About what?" Ranma said, getting up from his seated position. 
  "Well, my progress, I guess." 
  Ranma shrugged. "I don't know what to think. I mean, you're by 
no means a beginner, and you are showing-me-up quite a bit, but 
still...." He allowed the words to form in his mind before 
continuing. "You're not being aggressive enough." 
  "What's that supposed to mean?" 
  "Well, you never fight back until after you get attacked, for one 
thing," Ranma pointed out. "Seems to me you tend to wait until the 
time is right." 
  "The way I figure it," answered Ukyo, "is that one has to make each 
and every hit count. If I make a mistake, I leave myself open. After 
all, the next hit could be the one that clocks me." 
  "I suppose there's no arguing with that logic," agreed Ranma. "But 
still, you're too much on the defensive. You can't win your fights 
like that."
  "Maybe, maybe not," reasoned Ukyo. "The last time I talked with 
Taro, he said its best to let your opponent wear themselves out first, 
then you can make your move." 
  "Humph, Pantyhose-boy," snorted Ranma. "What does he know?" 
  "Well, you've gotta admit, you never beat him. There's reason behind 
his logic, you know." 
  "The day I follow his advice is the day I die." 
  Ukyo shrugged. "Suit yourself." She walked to the open porch, and 
stretched her arms out to welcome the rising sun. "Sometimes I wonder 
about you, Ranchan." 
  "About what?" Ranma asked, walking to his friend's side. 
  "Sure, you may be able to beat the likes of Mousse and Kuno, but 
you can't ever beat guys like Taro, who've devoted their lives to the 
art," explained the okonomiyaki chef. "You tend to rely on yourself, 
you never try to better yourself like the others do, and when you do 
its because you can't stand the idea of losing." 
  "Shouldn't that show that I'm adaptable?" 
  Ukyo turned to face her friend. "No, it means you only allow yourself 
to adapt when the winds of change catch up to you. In these past months 
I haven't seen you practice any new techniques." 
  She's got a point, Ranma admitted. Not since that Ryu Kumon guy had 
I tried to learn something new. Not that Pop's little tricks were of 
any use, of course. "Oh well, that can only mean I'm the greatest...." 
  "You don't listen!" Ukyo shouted in frustration. "You never listen! 
What is wrong with you?" She stepped closer to her old friend. "You 
need to understand, Ranchan, that the strength of one man is nothing 
after the strength of many. You can't go on relying just on yourself 
to get through your battles." 
  "You're starting to sound like the stranger we met in Hawaii," noted 
Ranma accusingly. "She told me to have faith in others, not just in 
myself. I have no idea what she was talking about." 
  "Then you've still got a lot to learn," concluded Ukyo. She turned 
on her heels, and marched back inside. 

  Shampoo stood alone outside the Nekohanten. As the sun was only just 
rising, the restaurant was still closed; only she and Mousse were up 
at this time. Of course, soon old Cologne would be up as well, and 
there wasn't much time left. 
  She peered at the small box she held in her hand. Shampoo didn't 
know why, but she knew that someone would come by very soon to take 
that box from her. It was her duty to hand over the box to that 
someone, then her troubles would be all over. 
  "Are you the one with the 'object?'" someone whispered from the dark 
shadows of the alley to the side of the restaurant's entrance. 
  The voice caught Shampoo by surprise. When she located the source of 
the voice, she crept silently over, making sure no one else was around 
to watch her. 
  "You are the one," whispered the voice, belonging to a man. 
  Shampoo nodded, and held the box before her in an outstretched hand. 
"This what you come look for?" 
  The man accepted the box, opening the lid a tiny crack, just to make 
sure the contents were there. Shutting the lid once more, the man said, 
"Just as the boss said." 
  Before the man could leave, Shampoo grasped hold of his shoulder. 
  "Tell Shampoo why you need it," demanded Shampoo. She raised her 
fists, ready to fight, if necessary. "You no confuse Shampoo!" 
  The man shook his head. "I see...." He waved for one of his hidden 
companions to come forth. "Okay, 'Bu, take her out." 
  The second man nodded, producing a small bag from his pocket. 
  Shampoo had only enough time to back away a step before the powder 
hit her. She crumpled to the ground, drifting off to sleep. 
  "Pick her up," ordered the first man. "It looks like she needs more 
'motivation' to serve our cause." 

  The only sound that echoed in the neighborhood so early in the 
morning was the sound made from Tatewaki Kuno's sandals, with Kodachi 
following close behind. Not even the birds chirped as they passed 
through the avenue. 
  "I walk these quiet streets," Kuno began, talking to nobody in 
particular, "I travel this lane, to greet my destiny with open arms! 
In the early morning of this day, comes the battle which may decide 
the future of the illustrious House of Kuno. Alone I do not walk the 
path, alone I am not! For even my dear sister stands beside me, though 
not for honor, but for concern, be it concern for myself, or for that 
vile Ranma Saotome." 
  "Why do you like talking to yourself?" asked Kodachi critically. 
  "To keep words as mere thoughts is to hoard them for one's own 
benefit, and not for any other. To share my insights with the world, 
for those who would listen, and those who would care not to listen; 
the world thrives not on the insights of one, but of many. To silence 
those who would share themselves with the world would be a great 
injustice indeed. If it is not for your benefit, then for that of 
Heaven." 
  Kodachi shook her head disappointingly. Dear Brother was getting 
ready to die... again! Why does he concern himself with the ways of 
Heaven when the ways of Earth are far-more tangible and important? 
  "Destiny has one great test in store for every one of us," Kuno 
ranted on. "When the deed has been done, there is no chance of 
changing it. But, deeds may yet be mitigated! As shall be done this 
very day, this battle, this time, Kodachi, my dear sister, I shall 
avenge our family's dishonor!"  
  The two Kunos slowly approached the gates of the Tendo yard. Kuno 
stood before the shut gate, staring up expectantly, probably hoping 
Ranma Saotome would open the gate for him. 
  Instead, Kodachi pushed the gate open. It creaked open without 
hesitation, being unbolted on the inside. "I hope you weren't thinking 
about climbing over the wall." 
  Kuno passed through the gate wordlessly, ignoring his little sister. 
He marched to the front door to the Tendo home, and rapped his knuckles 
against the wood. 
  No answer. 
  "I think we came a bit too early," Kodachi commented. "No one in 
their right mind would be up this early!" 
  Someone from inside called, "I'm coming!" 
  Kuno stared at his sister, who shrugged. 
  The one who answered the door was the one neither Kuno expected. 
  "Kuno!" Ukyo greeted in surprise. "What are you doing here so early?" 
  The richman pushed his way pass Ukyo with a gentle hand, and stepped 
inside. "I have come to challenge Ranma Saotome to single combat." 
  Ukyo shot a look at Kodachi, who shrugged. "Well, I don't think this 
is the right place to duke it out, you know?" 
  "It matters not the battleground," Kuno replied, "but what is 
being fought for. I fight for the honor of my family, of those who 
came before, and for those yet to come. Today is the day destiny has 
decided for me to make a stand." 
  "I see...." Ukyo said, nodding in understanding. Today was the day 
Kuno and Ranma would battle for honor... perhaps to the death. No, not 
now! 

  Ranma practiced alone in the back yard, always careful to make sure 
he didn't accidentally dunk himself into the pond. He thought over 
what Ukyo had said earlier: "In these past months I haven't seen you 
practice any new techniques." 
  She was right, of course. But, then again, if you're as good as I 
am, you don't need new techniques. Why bother learning something you 
might not need to use? What's with people like Herb and Ryoga, ones 
who actively look for better techniques? No confidence in their own 
abilities? 
  Humph, maybe that's one thing I share with Pantyhose Taro. He'd 
never admit that his style is pathetic; he spends all his life 
perfecting each and every single technique he has, and refuses to 
accept any other way. He refuses to use chi attacks or aerial attacks, 
but, then again, he probably doesn't need either of them. Well, his 
loss; I know how to use anything to my advantage-- why be so choosy 
about one's technique? 
  "Ranma Saotome," someone called. 
  Ranma looked over his shoulder, and spied Mousse, sitting cross- 
legged on the roof of the Tendo house. He merely sat there, not 
making any moves, with his thick-lens glasses resting on his head. 
  "What do you want?" asked Ranma, annoyed. 
  Mousse stood up, eyes closed. He leaped into the air, landing at 
the opposite end of the pond, back to Ranma. "I have been ignoring 
my enemies for far too long. Akane Tendo was never enough for you, 
was she? Not only must you have her heart, but that of Shampoo, and 
any other girl!" 
  "If it's a fight you want...." 
  Mousse's lips curved into a smile as he turned to face Ranma, his 
arms folded. "Of course!" 
  Without warning, Mousse threw forth his right arm. A set of three 
chains lashed out from his sleeve, flying at high velocity toward 
Ranma. 
  Ranma dodged the chains to the side, as he knew Mousse would try 
such a predictable attack. "I don't know why you're mad at me this 
time, but...." 
  "The fact that you exist is enough!" Mousse shot back. Dropping 
the first three chains, the Chinese teen launched himself into the 
air once more. "Hearts of women everywhere will be liberated from 
your control!" 
  The young Saotome's eyes followed Mousse's path into the sky. He 
rolled out of the way as Mousse bombarded Ranma with several spiked 
balls, each as large as an orange. 
  Mousse landed once more, not far from Ranma's position, back turned. 
  Ranma, wishing to finish the unprovoked fight quickly, threw himself 
into a flying kick. 
  To his surprise, Mousse stepped out of the way, allowing Ranma to 
continue his flight path unhindered. At least, until his foot 
collided with the wall. 
  It was then that Ukyo appeared at the porch, a panicked look glazed 
over her face. "Ranma!" she cried. 
  Ranma stood up from the ground, looking at Ukyo's direction. "Can't 
you see I'm busy?" 
  Ukyo jumped from the porch and ran to Ranma. "Kuno's here to kill 
you!" 
  Shit. "I suppose you can't tell him I'm busy?" Ranma asked, pointing 
at the seemingly-unconcerned Mousse. 
  For the first time since coming to the Tendo property, Mousse opened 
his eyes, letting his glasses rest on his nose. He peered at Ranma and 
Ukyo suspiciously, then snapped his fingers. "You!" he cried, pointing 
at Ukyo. "Come with me!" 
  "Why?!" Ukyo cried back. "What are you doing?" 
  Mousse smiled. "If dreams cannot lie, then your life must be under 
the grasp of the One! The future of our world depends on it!" 
  He leaped into the air once more, but instead of dropping caltrops, 
Mousse threw several yo-yo's at Ukyo. Each and every one of the 
tethered projectiles wrapped themselves around Ukyo, binding her 
tightly. 
  "Hey!" was all Ukyo could let out before she left the ground, pulled 
away by Mousse. 
  "Ukyo!" Ranma cried. "Mousse, you come back here, you coward!" 
  "Ranma Saotome!" someone else shouted. 
  Ranma looked back at the porch, where Tatewaki Kuno, sword 
unsheathed, and Kodachi, stood. "Oh, swell." 
  "At last, Ranma Saotome!" Kuno shouted, raising his katana. "Today 
is the day where you meet your end!" 

  "Ah, excellent," the source said. "All the pieces are moving into 
place!" 
  Dr. Taydome stood next to the source, and stared at the wall 
monitor viewscreen before them. "I've never seen this device before. 
What is it?" 
  The source replied, "It is none of your business. It comes from the 
same place as the 'part,' and that is all you need to know." 
  Taydome nodded. "That boy... he's one of the Japanese martial 
artists that destroyed the prototype GAIA, isn't he?" 
  "Yes." 
  "And those others, they're part of his party? Why are they attacking 
him?" 
  "The mind works in subtle ways," the source replied cryptically. "I 
had to influence them. It was simple for those two: Kuno and Mousse. 
The others, however, are much harder to manipulate." 
  "You mean, like the Chinese girl your men brought in?" asked Taydome 
curiously. He had been there when the source's three thugs brought 
her and the 'object' into the underground lab, but he had no idea 
what they intended to do with her. 
  "Yes, indeed, Doctor. The one called Ranma Saotome must die, and 
that would be easily accomplished if Mousse brings the girl to me! 
She is the key to the future of our world!" 
  The source turned away from the wall-monitor. "Now, my good 
engineer friend, it is time to release the first two GAIAs. I am 
sure three against one is more than enough for Ranma Saotome." 
  "Considering how he had help just taking care of ONE," Taydome 
added. "Watch, sir, as my creations prove that the machine is far 
greater than man!" 

  "I was wondering when you'd show up," Ranma said, unconcerned that 
Kuno wielded a real sword this time. 
  "Ranma," Kodachi warned, "don't underestimate my brother." 
  Kuno nodded. "She's right, you know." 
  "I suppose this has to do with your honor," muttered Ranma. "Well, 
if there's nothing else to do, let's rumble!" 
  "As you wish," Kuno sneered, his lips curving into a malicious 
smile. He thrust the katana high up into the air, raised by his right 
hand, as if summoning Heaven to his side. Whispering to himself, he 
said, "Phoenix flames, guide the hand that wields thee! Heaven, fight 
by my side this day! Let the battle be joined!" 
  Ranma remembered the last fight he had with Kuno: he had been no 
pushover then. With the flames of the phoenix on his side, Kuno had 
more power than before. The young Saotome watched as chi-flames 
erupted along Kuno's blade, casting an unearthly hue on the morning 
light. So, Kuno, make your first move. 
  As if Kuno read Ranma's mind, he swung his blade in circles high 
above his head. As the blade made its first full circle, Kuno cried, 
"Phoenix," the second, "tail," and, the third, "cyclone!" 
  Unexpectedly, Kuno threw the flaming sword into the air, allowing it 
to spin in mid-air by itself. It curved in its arc, fixing itself onto 
Ranma's position. Before he realized it, Ranma threw himself aside, 
just as the spinning flame blade shot its way downward. 
  "Go, cut him like the crude saw blade you mock!" cried Kuno, his 
right arm outstretched. "Ha-hah!" 
  "Careful, Ranma!" cried Kodachi. 
  Ranma looked up, watching as the flaming sword turned around for 
another pass. He dodged that one in turn, then broke into a sprint to 
make it to Kuno's position on the porch. 
  "You're guiding it, aren't you?!" Ranma cried, as he threw a kick 
into Kuno's gut. As Kuno grunted to himself and fell, Ranma looked over 
his shoulder toward the flying flame blade. It lost its flame, then 
clattered uselessly to the ground. 
  "That's it?!" Ranma taunted, standing over Kuno. "That was the 
worst battle I've ever seen!" 
  "Not quite, Saotome," Kuno replied, gathering himself to his feet. 
  "What's a warrior without his weapons?" Ranma asked, almost 
rhetorically. No way Kuno could continue the fight now; he's just 
about helpless without a sword. 
  "A warrior still!" Raising his right arm into the air, Kuno cried, 
"Phoenix nether blade!" 
  Both Kodachi and Ranma took steps back as Kuno's hand burst alight 
in chi-flames. To Ranma's amazement, the chi-flames formed what could 
vaguely pass for a sword. It was as if Kuno were holding fire itself, 
but not getting burned. Then again, it was his own chi. 
  "Oh, swell," cursed Ranma. The battle has just begun. 
  "Behold, Saotome!" Kuno cried, raising his chi-blade into the air. 
"The Chinese Phoenix Sword never leaves its wielder unarmed!" He 
sliced the air, flames trailing the arcing path of the blade. 
"Yaaaahhhh!!!" 
  Ranma dodged left and right, avoiding each and every one of Kuno's 
speed-thrusts of the flame blade. Kuno's advantage may have been 
speed, but Ranma was much faster. 
  Ranma saw an opening in the split-second it took between thrusts. 
He threw his arms outward, and, channeling his chi, cried, "Moko 
Takabisha!" 
  Two chi bolts collided with Kuno's chest, sending him flying 
backward from Ranma's blast. The chi-flame-created sword ceased to 
exist as it left Kuno's hands. Kuno lay flat on his back on the 
ground. 
  "I will not rest easy," muttered Kuno under his breath, "until the 
day is won!" He willed the flame blade back into existence, pouring 
his energies into increasing the flame's intensity. Kuno stood up, 
ready to face Ranma once more. 
  "I don't believe this," Ranma whispered to himself. Kuno never could 
take much punishment before.... He leaped back as Kuno completed his 
slicing arc, just barely missing Ranma by centimeters. 
  Dodging each and every swing Kuno made, Ranma tried his best to 
discern a weakness in the Chinese Phoenix Sword. Let's see... flames
generate a lot of destructive power and heat... and heat is a form 
of hot chi.... I'll show him! 
  Without waiting, Ranma threw his arm forth, shouting, "Hiryu shoten 
ha!" 
  Kuno was caught unawares by the sudden appearance of the whirlwind. 
He screamed as the chi-created phenomenon carried him into the air. 
  Not far away, Ranma could hear Kodachi's yell. "Brother!" 
  Ranma scanned the skies, watching from the bottom of the whirlwind 
Kuno's spinning path. "I don't believe how many times this works on 
him." 
  He almost expected Kuno to fly out of the whirlwind, but instead, 
something else happened. Crashing almost as thunder, from the center 
of the whirlwind, someone cried, "Phoenix... reborn!" 
  Ranma threw himself back as the whirlwind became consumed in fire. 
The intense light of the spinning blaze forced the young Saotome to 
shield his eyes. 
  The entire town of Nerima became enveloped in a sunburst, for all 
miles around one could see the flaming column that centered at the 
Tendo back yard. 
  Kodachi was no longer alone at the Tendo porch. The other Tendos 
and Saotomes, now alerted to the battle in their yard, gathered 
behind her. 
  "Oh my," was all Kasumi could say. 
  "The spiral!" shouted Nabiki. "The fires...." 
  "Look, Saotome!" Soun cried, pointing at the brilliant column of 
fire. "Could it be...?" 
  "The phoenix?" Genma shouted back. 
  "...cancel out all cold chi...." continued Nabiki. 
  "Destruction by fire...." Soun started. 
  "...with overwhelming heat!" Nabiki finished. 
  The whirling flame column dispersed, as if being sucked-into the 
center, as if it were imploding. If one could see the center of the 
flames, one could make out the shape of a man within. 
  Ranma's eyes returned to normal vision, only to be greeted by lots 
of smoke. Standing in the midst of the smoke was Tatewaki Kuno, his 
ancestral Kuno blade in hand, alight in flames once more. What caused 
Ranma to back away was the fact that Kuno was unharmed. 
  "...and reborn!" finished Soun. 
  Kuno brushed off his shoulder with his free left hand. "Really, 
Saotome, did you expect the phoenix to die so easily? In flames of 
its own creation? Ha! It is the flames, the fire, the heat, the 
destruction! that fuels the legendary Chinese fire bird!" 
  He gripped the ancestral Kuno katana in both hands, and summoned 
the fires once more. Kuno cried, "Phoenix nether blades, I give birth 
to thee, as the myriad tails of the legendary bird!" As if on cue, 
six flaming blades came into existence around Kuno, each flying under 
their own power. The flame blades spun around Kuno protectively. "The 
will of the Bronze Phoenix, known as Tatewaki Kuno, Blue Thunder of 
Furinkan High to men, commands thee!" 
  "Oh, give me a break!" complained Ranma, as he got up and ran from 
Kuno's mad charge. Doesn't this ever end?! 
  For each blade Ranma dodged, the other six were there waiting for 
him. Kuno's own blade was under his own power, but the other six 
behaved as if there were six men wielding them alongside Kuno. Ranma 
began to feel the heat of all seven deadly blades, and he tired, for 
he could not keep track of them all. 
  "Why prolong this battle?" taunted Kuno. "Face the inevitable, 
Ranma Saotome! Your death is at hand!" 
  Behind Kuno, unaware of the noise, the wall of the Tendo back yard 
burst apart. 
  "Any last words?" the richman taunted, raising sword high. 
  But Ranma's attentions were elsewhere, as he heard the minute sound 
of something being fired. "No!" he cried. 
  Without thinking, Ranma threw himself at Kuno, tackling him. The six 
flame blades, however, remained floating in the air. Several 
somethings whizzed-by overhead at high speeds. 
  "Get off me, Saotome!" Kuno cried. "Or do you, in your perversions, 
wish to die in my arms?!" 
  "You idiot," Ranma said, pointing to one of the walls, "I just saved 
your hide!" 
  Sure enough, the wall Kuno was facing before he was knocked down was 
riddled with several tiny, spearhead-like bullets. 
  The observing Tendos, Saotomes, and Kodachi, yelled in surprise at 
the two new arrivals that pounded down the back wall of the Tendo yard, 
arms raised, ready to fire at Kuno and Ranma. 
  "Your deaths are at hand," announced the first of the death's head 
men. What stepped into the Tendo yard were two of Dr. Taydome's GAIA 
combat machines, ready and armed for the kill. 

  "Wait, I don't understand," Taydome piped up, as he watched his 
creations attack the wrong target. "I thought they were supposed to 
kill that Saotome kid!" 
  The source laughed a strange, distorted laugh. "It doesn't matter 
who they kill. All of them must die eventually. Even tools such as 
Mousse and Shampoo must be discarded, when their usefulness is at an 
end." 
  Taydome grabbed one of the source's arms. What it was he felt was 
the sleeve of a soft kimono. His attentions were momentarily fixed 
on the source's soft, flawless skin, but Taydome shook his head, 
breaking the reverie. "But, what about the chef girl?" 
  "As I said before," replied the source, "she is the key to our 
future! She cannot be discarded." 
  "You keep referring to 'us' and 'our,'" noted Taydome. "Just what 
is so important about her? How would you know if she were really 
that important?" 
  The source shook Taydome's grasp off. "It is proper for a scientist 
to ask questions, Doctor." One cold, unforgiving finger pointed at 
the engineer, forcing him to step back. "But remember, my dear 
engineer, ask the wrong questions, and your life is forfeit." 
  Taydome nodded quickly. 

  "It's... it's... that machine from Hawaii!" Ranma cried in 
recognition. "Two of them?!" 
  "This does not bode well...." Kuno muttered to himself. 
  The two hulking machines stepped into the Tendo yard, raising their 
arm cannons to bear at Kuno and Ranma. 
  "Objective sighted," droned the first machine. 
  "Terminate objective," said the second machine. 
  "I believe it is time to make a hasty retreat from our present 
positions," suggested Kuno. 
  Both Ranma and Kuno leaped up from the ground, running for their 
lives as the two GAIAs fired their deadly volley of bullets their way. 
Dirt kicked up on the ground on the heels of the two Neriman teens, 
scrambling for cover. 
  "Brother!" Kodachi yelled. She leaped down from the porch, whipping 
out her ribbon, and rushed to get the attention of the GAIAs. 
  Kuno stopped just as the two machines stopped firing at him. He 
looked over his shoulder, and saw his little sister making a reckless 
move. "Kodachi, no!" 
  Kodachi wrapped the end of her ribbon around a small sack. She 
twirled the ribbon into the air, creating a fierce spiral in the air. 
Black rose petals flew forth from the sack. "Black rose storm!" 
  "What is she doing?!" Ranma wondered. 
  The attentions of the GAIAs was caught by now. 
  "Acquiring new targets." 
  "Targets incoming. Fire." 
  Just as Kodachi expected, the two GAIAs started firing at the storm 
of black rose petals. As the bag ran out, Kodachi snapped her ribbon 
back down, and rolled out of the way. 
  Both Kuno and Ranma made their way to Kodachi's side. They watched 
in wonder as the two machines shot down each and every one of the 
rose petals. 
  "That won't confuse them for long," panted Kodachi. "I guessed 
correctly; the machines are designed to attack immediate threats as 
priorities. Apparently, my false attack drew their attention. Silly, 
really, that one need only shout a threatening yell. Hehehehehe...." 
  "There's nowhere to find cover, not here, at least," noted Ranma. 
  Kuno, with all six flaming swords still dancing around him, scoffed. 
"I find it without form to attack one when his back is turned! The 
only acceptable solution would be to take out our mechanical menaces." 
  "How?" asked Kodachi. "Last time there was only one of them, and 
we had enough trouble with that!" 
  "Watch," was all that the elder Kuno would reply. 
  Without waiting, Kuno gathered the six flaming swords together. 
End to end, the flaming swords attached to each other, forming one 
long chain of swords, the source at Kuno's own blade. He swung the 
sword chain above him, shouting, "Phoenix tail strike!" 
  Kuno lashed out with the chain of swords as if it were a whip. It 
caught one of the GAIAs square in the head, wrapping around the 
death's head face and bathing it in deadly flames. 
  "Warning," droned the GAIA. "Heat sink overload...." 
  *KABOOM!* 
  The chain of swords ceased to exist, its power expended in the 
tremendous explosion on the first machine's head. Where the death's 
head face once rested was a smoking stump. 
  The second machine, however, appeared unharmed. 
  "Automatic shut-down initiated. Heat sink compensation activated," 
the second machine droned. It simply stood there, unmoving, just as 
its partner, giving the group time to think their strategy through. 
  "So, how're we going to get rid of the second one?" asked Ranma. 
  "I would not know," admitted Kuno. "The tail strike took much power, 
power I had gathered from the flame column." 
  Kodachi said, "Well, whatever it is, we'd better do it quickly, 
because that thing looks like its ready to attack again!" 
  "Auto-repair sequence initiated," the first machine cried. 
"Auxiliary visual scanners on-line." 
  "WHAT?!" all three Neriman teens yelled in unison. 
  "Swell, the blast didn't take out the other one!" complained Ranma. 
"Now what?!" 
  Kodachi shrugged. "Don't look at me! I don't know any fancy tricks 
like you and Brother do!" 
  "Saotome," Kuno started, getting Ranma's attention. "Am I correct in 
assuming that your dragon spiral was fueled by the heat of my flames?" 
  "Yeah, so what?" Ranma replied. "Neither of those... of course!" 
  "What?" Kodachi asked, apparently out of the circle. 
  Ranma turned back to Kuno. "I need you to get both of those things 
really-hot. Can you do that?" 
  "Of course," Kuno replied haughtily. "I...." 
  "Kodachi, can you distract those two long enough for me to finish?" 
Ranma asked. 
  "What do you intend to do?" asked Kodachi, still unsure of what 
was going to happen. 
  "Keep cool," replied Ranma cryptically. Without another word, he 
threw himself into the pond. 
  Still standing at the Tendo porch, Kasumi, Nabiki, Soun, Genma, and 
Nodoka watched as the three teens scattered about the yard. 
  "What is Ranma doing?!" cried Nabiki. "This is no time for...." 
  "Ranma!" someone called from the front door. Akane ran to the porch, 
and stood by with the others. She looked tired and out of breath. 
"What's going on?!" 
  Nabiki turned to her younger sister. "The fight of the century!" 
  Kodachi looked at her brother, confused. "I'm supposed to distract 
those?!" she shouted, pointing at the now-moving GAIAs. 
  "Heat sink compensation complete," called the second machine. 
"Initiate power-up sequence. Initiate battle program upgrade." 
  "Auto-repair sequence complete," called the first. "Initiate 
battle program upgrade. Acquiring targets." 
  "Keep them busy!" Kuno shouted back. "I'm trying to gather the 
necessary heat!" Bit by bit, Kuno's form became enveloped by an 
increasingly-burning chi flame. 
  Kodachi ran from her brother's side. She threw a couple of clubs at 
the two machines, trying to get their attention. "Over here!" she 
cried. 
  Needless to say, both machines opened fire on the immediate threat. 
While the first resorted to arm cannons, the second attacked with 
twin heat rays, being far-more accurate than the arm cannons. 
  Unnoticed by all, steam rose from the pond. Ranma, now in female 
form, removed all excess heat generated from the scuffle with Kuno's 
six dancing blades. She watched Kodachi dance about the bullet shots 
of the GAIAs, then turned her attention to Kuno, who seemed ready to 
explode. 
  "Surrender is unacceptable," the first machine called at Kodachi. 
  "Bah!" Kodachi spat. "I find it unacceptable as well!" 
  "Kuno, now!" Ranma cried. 
  "Haaaaaaaaahhhh...." rumbled Kuno, throwing all the energies he 
could muster into one final blow. He pointed the ancestral Kuno blade 
at the two distracted GAIAs, and shouted, "Phoenix fire stream!" 
  All chi-flames seemed to drain from Kuno's person as a stream of 
fire shot forth from the end of the ancestral Kuno katana. The flame 
blast enveloped both GAIAs in a hellish glow. Both machines realized 
there was a new threat, and, turning their attentions from Kodachi, 
readied their aim on Kuno. 
  "It's time! Brace yourselves, everyone!" warned Ranma. Throwing her 
fist forth, she leaped into the fray, and cried, "Hiryu shoten ha 
revised: Karyu shoten ha!" 
  Kuno continued to pour his energies into the phoenix fire. 
  The resulting violent mix of hot and cold chi erupted into the likes 
that haven't been seen since the battle with Saffron: the great 
whirlwind of extreme heat and cold chi ripped the two GAIAs from 
their positions, and high into the air. Had there been extreme cold 
chi available, the destruction would have been immense. 
  Instead, the whirlwind, overcome by phoenix flames, burst into the 
flaming column as before. 
  Ranma threw herself backward, careful to avoid the flame column's 
deadly effects. Unexpectedly, the column, starting from the bottom, 
began to dissipate into thin air. The two machines were nowhere to be 
seen; all traces left were a rain of ash. 
  In truth, Kuno had absorbed the phoenix flames, as he did before, 
back into his own person. Observers could detect a reddish tint about 
his aura. 
  Ranma jumped, as Kuno clamped down a hand on her shoulder. 
  "Ranma Saotome," Kuno said plainly. "All debts and honors have been 
paid off this day, as Heaven decreed. Today we part ways; from now on 
all bets are off." 
  Kuno turned and walked away, leaving a confused Ranma behind. She 
stopped Kodachi before she walked by. 
  "Kodachi, I have to ask you something," Ranma said. 
  "What?" Kodachi asked. 
  "What did your brother mean?" 
  Kodachi laughed. "He won't admit it, but by saving his life you 
have erased what insult you bestowed upon him." She turned and ran 
to catch up with her older brother. 

  "I don't believe it!" cried Dr. Taydome in frustration. "How in the 
world did they take out TWO of my creations?!" 
  The source chuckled. "They are martial artists with chi on their 
side, of course." 
  Taydome stared at the source with excitement in his eyes. "And what 
do WE have?!" 
  "Now, my engineer friend, we have one of our own," the source 
replied, amused. "The girl possesses far more power than those two, 
yet she lacks proper training." 
  "Truly? Why didn't you tell me before?!" 
  "Chi powers belong to the people who can use it, and cannot be 
wielded by machines, no matter how much you may desire it so," the 
source replied. "I know too well the results of such a disastrous 
union...." 
  "Sir!" called one of the source's minions. "The re-education 
process in Shampoo has been completed." 
  "Good," replied the source. "And Ukyo?" 
  "The 'object' has been presented to her. The results were as you 
expected," replied the man obediently. 
  "Excellent!" the source exclaimed in delight. "It is no matter that 
Kuno is lost to our cause; Ukyo, Shampoo, and Mousse combined are far 
more than a match for Ranma." 
  "If you don't mind me asking, why is Ranma's death so important?" 
asked Taydome. 
  The source peered at the engineer curiously. "I'll tell you this, 
my friend: his death is vital for the future of humanity. If he is 
allowed to live, then we are all doomed." 

  Everyone was gathered at the table for breakfast as Kasumi served 
the meal. Both Kuno and Kodachi shared the meal at Nodoka's 
insistence. 
  "I don't get it," started Akane, "I thought we'd seen the last of 
those machines when we left Hawaii." 
  "So did I," Ranma said, who was back in male form. 
  "Apparently, you, Ranma, are being hunted," Kodachi proclaimed. 
  "What makes you say that?" asked Ranma. 
  "Think about it: those two machines came straight to the Tendo 
property," Kodachi explained. "They couldn't have known that Brother 
and I were here, and if there's anyone that's dangerous around here, 
it would be you." 
  "So nice to be appreciated," Ranma replied sarcastically. 
  "Ranma, where's Ukyo?" Akane asked. 
  "Ukyo!?" Ranma jumped, almost knocking over his dish. 
  "Don't get all jumpy, Ranma," Nabiki suggested. "Just what 
happened?" 
  "It was the strangest thing," started Ranma. "Mousse was there, 
challenging me to battle for no reason. As soon as he saw Ukyo, he 
muttered something about joining 'the One,' then he grabbed her and 
ran off. I would've followed if Kuno hadn't showed up." 
  "My apologies," Kuno said. "If I knew that Ukyo Kuonji were in 
danger, then our battle may have been postponed." 
  "Well, then our next course of action may be a trip down to the 
Nekohanten," concluded Ranma. "I think it's time to have a good long 
talk with Mousse." 

  After finishing their breakfast Ranma, Kuno, Kodachi, and Akane had 
made their way to the Nekohanten. It was still early, so the 
restaurant was still closed, but Cologne was awake. Quickly, they 
explained the situation at hand to the old matriarch. To their 
disappointment, Mousse wasn't around, and neither was Shampoo, for 
that matter. 
  "It is rather unusual for Mousse and Shampoo to leave without a 
word," Cologne said, sighing. "I do not know if they left together, 
or separately, but one thing is for sure, they were in a hurry." 
  "Mousse has abducted my beloved, Ukyo Kuonji," explained Kuno. "His 
location and intent must be brought to light!" 
  Cologne nodded. "I understand your concern for your friend. 
However, I cannot say what drives Mousse. Shampoo...." 
  "What would be so important about Shampoo's activities?" wondered 
Kodachi impatiently. 
  "I entered her room, and it appears she has taken something quite 
powerful with her." 
  "And that would be...?" voiced Akane. 
  "The reversal jewel, of course." 
  "What would Shampoo want with the reversal jewel?" asked Ranma. 
  The old Chinese matriarch shook her head. "I do not know. If the 
kidnapping of Ukyo by Mousse and Shampoo's departure with the jewel 
are connected, someone is working from the shadows, specifically to 
bring harm to you, Son-in-law. Dark times are upon us indeed." 
  "Why is that?!" Kuno vented furiously. 
  "Because if the reversal jewel is put on upside-down, the true 
feelings of the one who wears the magical brooch becomes reversed. In 
other words, feelings of love turn into hatred, and vice versa." 
  She turned to Ranma. "If there is indeed one who wishes to kill you, 
Son-in-law, then I believe I know the result of Shampoo and Mousse's 
actions. You are in grave danger indeed." 
  "Why is that?" asked Ranma, confused that the pair of Chinese could 
cause him any trouble at all. 
  "If I guess correctly," explained Cologne, "then the reversal jewel 
is intended for your friend, Ukyo." 
  "And since she is friendly by nature," continued Akane, "if the 
reversal jewel were to be placed upside-down on her...." 
  "No!" Kuno couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Do you mean...." 
  "Yes," finished Kodachi. "The kind demeanor, her cheerfully- 
optimistic attitude, and general outlook of friendliness on life, 
turn into cold, unfeeling hatred beyond reason." 
  "Exactly," said the Chinese matriarch. "Everything that she holds 
dear, and then some, will become the object of her wrath." 
  "I don't see how that's a problem," Ranma said. "I'm far and away 
better than Ukyo." 
  "Think about it, Ranma," Akane explained, "we know that Ukyo has 
potential to wield as much chi-manipulating power as Herb, right? 
Mousse knows that as well; he was there, remember? If Herb taught 
Ukyo anything while she was staying with him, then...." 
  "...she can use those powers on us," finished Ranma, groaning. To 
Kuno, he asked, "You were there with Herb and Ukyo; what did Herb 
teach her?" 
  Kuno lowered his head. "Enough to use it." 
  "Good," Akane said, nodding. "At least she won't be able to pull 
really bad things on us. That's one less thing to worry about." 
  Kuno rested the tip of his katana on Ranma's shoulder. "Be warned, 
if you bring harm to Ukyo Kuonji, you will have to answer to me." 
  "Who said I was going to hurt her?!" Ranma replied sharply. 
  "That still leaves the matter of who could be behind this scheme," 
voiced Cologne, changing the subject. "I know of no one with enough 
power or ability to coerce even Shampoo and Mousse to serve him, 
whether willingly or not. It is given that Shampoo and Mousse are 
not acting alone, as the machines you described indicate. There is a 
larger power moving." 
  "Could it be the Orochi?" asked Akane. 
  The Chinese matriarch shook her head. "It is not the way of the 
kami, even one as evil as the Orochi, to resort to machinery. The one 
behind this is not a kami of any sort, but man." 
  "Very few people would want to kill me," Ranma pointed out. "I mean, 
I can count them on one hand! There's Pantyhose...." 
  "He wouldn't dare!" Kodachi cried, cutting Ranma off. "He's too 
much a gentleman to resort to cheap tricks as manipulation of others!" 
  "She has a point," agreed Akane. "That's not Taro's style." 
  "Besides," added Kodachi, "Taro got attacked by that Hawaiian 
machine, too." 
  "Well, moving on," continued Ranma, "there's also Saffron, but he's 
long gone, and Ku... never mind." 
  Kuno shot Ranma a hard look. 
  Ranma shrugged. "I can't think of anyone!" 
  "Then you have offended one who stands in shadows," Cologne 
concluded, the last word dripping with ice. 

  Ukyo had no idea how long she'd lay on the cold, hard slab that 
served as a table. Actually, upon further inspection, it was in fact 
a very hard cot, typical of American military. 
  She looked around, and absorbed her surroundings. It was a rather 
dark, yet plain, brown-colored square room, with a single door as 
the only outlet. The low-level florescent lights barely lit the 
room. The only thing that set this apart from an empty room was the 
cot. 
  The okonomiyaki chef rubbed her arms and legs, still sore from 
Mousse's yo-yo's. The trip from rooftop to rooftop had ended abruptly 
when Ukyo recognized the building. Of course, she didn't expect to be 
taken underground, to a facility that the ones above probably had no 
idea existed. Immediately Mousse relinquished her to three men, who 
appeared a little shocked at their victim, then carried her to the 
cot room. She didn't know how long it took for one of them to come 
back, carrying a strange little box. He had produced a strange green 
brooch, then fastened it to Ukyo's okonomiyaki shirt, just below the 
neck. Ukyo had no idea what the jewel was for. 
  She cursed her luck, as her bandoleer was still back at the Tendo 
dojo. Then again, that's what training with Ranm....
  Ranma. 
  That little bastard! He was to blame for all this! 
  "That's right, concentrate your anger on Ranma," encouraged a 
strange voice. 
  Ukyo turned around. The door was now open, and, standing there, was 
a stranger, shrouded in darkness, but plainly wearing a patternless 
kimono. She couldn't tell if the voice belonged to a man or a woman. 
  "Who are you?" Ukyo asked cautiously. 
  "I'm your benefactor," replied the source. The stranger stepped 
closer, into the light, removing the dark shadows. 
  Ukyo gasped. "N...no.... Y..you! How can this be?!" 
  "Listen to me," continued the source, "the future of humanity 
depends on the death of Ranma Saotome! You have the capability in your 
hands!" 
  "I'll gladly rid you of Ranma, but you...." Ukyo started. 
  "I have no time to explain," the source said quickly, cutting Ukyo 
off. "You will have help from others: Shampoo and Mousse have joined 
our side. There's also my three minions, whom you've met already. 
Unfortunately, Dr. Taydome's robots won't be complete in time for 
this skirmish, but we cannot wait that long! I should have waited, but 
impatience got the better of me. The sooner Ranma dies, the better." 
  Ukyo nodded. "Very well, but you're going to have to explain 
yourself to me when this is all over...." 
  "Seiryu," the source said gravely. "Call me Seiryu." 
  The blue dragon, thought Ukyo. How fitting. 

  The day was approaching noon, and Ranma and company had no idea 
where to look. All four teens remained at the Nekohanten, taking up 
space while Cologne opened for business. Ling-ling and Lung-lung 
didn't appreciate having to serve tables, as Mousse and Shampoo 
were not there to do the job themselves. 
  The four decided the best course of action would be to wait for 
either one of the Chinese teens to return, as none of them had no idea 
where they might have gone. 
  Their patience paid-off when the door opened to three shadows. All 
eyes were on the new arrivals. 
  "Ranma Saotome," Ukyo said venemously. "I knew we'd find you here." 
  Ranma was the first to stand up. He stopped, noticing the light of 
the room shine off the green brooch that rested at the bottom of the 
okonomiyaki chef's neck. "Ukyo...." 
  Standing beside Ukyo, to the left and right respectively, were 
Mousse and Shampoo, both having arms folded. All three teens stepped 
inside the restaurant. 
  Kuno stood up. "Ukyo Kuonji, I know not what those fiends may have 
done to you...."
  "Silence!" Ukyo cried. Throwing her arm forth, a tennis ball-sized 
bolt of energy leapt from Ukyo's palm, flying at such speed that Kuno 
had no time to dodge. 
  Shampoo stood forward. "Our quarrel with Ranma, no one else! Ranma 
must die!" 
  Akane shouted back, "Why?!" 
  "The future of humanity depends on it!" replied Mousse, removing a 
chained claw from his sleeves. 
  Cologne emerged from the kitchen. "If you don't mind, I would 
prefer you take the fight outside." 
  "Certainly," Ukyo said. "I wouldn't want to ruin such a lovely 
restaurant." With that, the three turned heels and marched back 
outside. 
  Ranma looked at Akane assuringly. "I'll be fine. Just wait here." 
  Akane watched as Ranma left the restaurant, with Kuno and Kodachi 
following behind. What can I do to help Ranma? He'll need some help, 
that's for sure. Now, just who could I turn to for... yes! 
  With that, Akane jumped from her seat, and exited the Nekohanten. 

  "Seiryu, I don't understand," Taydome began. "Why are you attacking 
the boy now? If we wait until tomorrow, we can be sure that the next 
two GAIAs are ready as well!" 
  "Fool," replied Seiryu's distorted voice. "Ranma must surely be 
weak from his earlier battle. If we tire him out, little by little, 
it will be a small matter for myself and my three minions to finish 
him off." 
  "But, what if that may not be possible?" asked Taydome. 
  Seiryu gave a glaring look at the engineer. Taydome cringed at the 
close proximity he was to the source's scar over the left eye. It 
terrified him immensely-- Seiryu's dead eye seemed to peer into 
Taydome's being. He almost thought it glowed. 
  "Then, my friend, you'd better make sure that the next two GAIAs 
are operational by this evening. I don't care if you make shortcuts, 
because Ranma dies today or not at all!" 

  Three against three, arrayed in the street the Nekohanten was on. 
On one side was Ukyo, Shampoo, and Mousse, each armed with fists, 
bonbori, and chains, respectively. The other side was Ranma, Kuno, 
and Kodachi, the latter being armed with katana and ribbon, 
respectively, as Ranma fought unarmed. 
  No sooner had the six combatants left the restaurant a crowd was 
gathering. The customers of the Nekohanten left their seats to stand 
by the door and watch the confrontation that was waiting to happen. 
Even the twins and Cologne stood by to watch. 
  "So, Ranma, our time for battle has come," announced Ukyo. 
  "I suppose so," Ranma said, shrugging. 
  "You don't understand how important you are to the future," Ukyo 
explained. "Seiryu, our leader, has seen it! It is the will of the 
One that you must die, lest humanity be doomed!" 
  "Yeah, and why is that?" asked Ranma. 
  That seemed to take all three opponents aback. Shampoo shook her 
head. "Shampoo... not know," the Chinese Amazon admitted. 
  "It doesn't matter!" Mousse decided. "It is time to end this once 
and for all, for all time!" 
  Ukyo threw a glance at both Shampoo and Mousse. "You can do what 
you will with the others, but Ranma is MINE!" 
  The six combatants charged, each taking on one opponent each. Kuno 
danced around Shampoo, Kodachi tangled with Mousse's chained claw, and 
Ranma dodged the furious blows of Ukyo's wild punches and kicks. 
  Kuno, whose sword was sharp enough to slice the thinnest hair, sliced 
both of the huge balls that formed the bulk of Shampoo's weapon in 
half. It was training in destroying watermelons that urged Kuno to 
attack the bonbori first, almost on instinct. Yawning, as if taunting 
Shampoo to think of better attacks, Kuno allowed his guard to drop. 
Shampoo saw this opening, then flew into a leaping kick. What the 
Chinese Amazon didn't know was that Kuno anticipated the attack, and 
side-stepped accordingly, allowing the girl to fly pass in the air. 
  Kodachi pranced about Mousse playfully, dodging each and every 
attack from the chained claw with ease-- her agile body was used to 
such quick movements. She lashed out with her ribbon, which normally 
would have been no match for a chain, and snagged the claw-end of 
Mousse's chain. With a violent jerk, Kodachi disarmed Mousse, but 
that didn't stop the Master of Hidden Weapons at all. Reaching into 
his sleeves, the Chinese acrobat leaped back, throwing six chains, 
three from each arm, toward Kodachi. The Kuno girl merely danced 
around the ill-conceived attack. 
  Ranma, however, was too reluctant to hit his old friend, as she 
continued to swing her punches in fury and in such speed that all 
Ranma could do was dodge. 
  "Ukyo, it's me, Ranchan!" Ranma called desperately. 
  "Fhaw!" spat Ukyo. "You're the cause of all my troubles, and now 
you're going to die!" 
  The reversal jewel! Ranma thought. If I could only just get close 
enough to get it off her.... He dodged yet another wide swing, which 
prevented the young Saotome from getting close enough to Ukyo. 
  "Did you want to play with fire?" taunted Ukyo. "Too bad, because 
all I play with is water!" Throwing her palms forward, a chi-bolt 
was given birth. "Eat this!" 
  The energy bolt pounded Ranma square in the chest, washing over 
him like a glob of water, yet it truly wasn't water. As this was 
the force of water, the blow hurt immensely. 
  Ukyo stood over Ranma. "Pathetic!" she announced. "I expected 
more of a fight out of you, Ranma. I am your worst enemy after all." 
  "You're not my enemy," Ranma forced himself to say, over the pain 
in his stomach. "You're my friend...." 
  "And that's what makes you weak!" Ukyo shouted. "How can you beat 
an enemy you can't bear to harm?!" She stretched her palms open, 
letting chi pulse within the cupped hands. "I may be inexperienced, 
but I know enough to finish you!" 
  The unexpected blow that hit Ukyo came from behind caused her to 
lose her footing. Ranma flinched, almost certain that whoever attacked 
Ukyo would come for him next. 
  "Akane-sama wished that I would help you," Konatsu said, offering 
a hand to the fallen Ranma. 
  "Konatsu!" Ranma exclaimed, accepting the kunoichi's hand. "What 
are you doing here?" 
  "I'm here to save you from Ukyo-sama," explained Konatsu, his 
sword still sheathed on his back. He fought unarmed, as he wished no 
harm to come to his beloved Ukyo. "If you cannot harm Ukyo-sama for 
her own safety, then leave the battle to me." 
  Ranma nodded, then stepped back. 
  "Konatsu!" Ukyo spat, getting to her feet. "You little prick, I'll 
show you for interfering with the future!" 
  "I don't know what you speak of Ukyo-sama," began Konatsu, "but I 
will do everything in my power to release you from your spell!" 
  In the meantime, Kuno had Shampoo pinned to a wall at swordpoint. 
"I suggest this be a good time to yield to me," Kuno said. 
  "Shampoo never surrender!" she cried, kicking Kuno between the legs. 
  "Shampoo!" cried Akane. "Stop this!" 
  The Chinese Amazon turned to Akane menacingly. "Shampoo no need 
fight richman, but fight you! Now you die!" Shampoo threw herself at 
Akane, feet first. 
  "Wait, Shampoo!" Akane yelled, dodging the Amazon's attack. "There's 
no reason why you should be doing this! You love Ranma!" 
  At the mention of Ranma, Shampoo's anger turned into confusion, 
flushing over her face noticeably. "My... love?" 
  "Yes!" Akane encouraged her. "You wouldn't want to kill him because 
you love him!" 
  "Love..." Shampoo repeated. Then, she shook her head violently. "No! 
Akane have Ranma's love! You WILL die!" 
  "No wait!" the youngest Tendo girl shouted hastily, arms raised. 
"You can't kill me, or Ranma will never love you!" 
  That seemed to stop Shampoo in her tracks. She clutched her head in 
both hands, shaking nervously. "No, no, no! Get out of Shampoo's head!" 
  Shampoo screamed. 
  The scream caused Mousse to halt his barrage of chains. Something 
snapped within him, causing him to forget about the battle. He cried, 
"Shampoo!" With that, ignoring Kodachi, he ran to his beloved's side, 
holding her gently. "Your beloved is here!" 
  As soon as Mousse put his hands on Shampoo, all doubt was erased from 
the Chinese Amazon's mind. She turned around confidently, and decked 
him. "Get away, stupid!" 
  Konatsu, in the meantime, dodged each and every water bolt Ukyo 
threw at him. The kunoichi studied his friend's frantic attacks, 
trying to discern a pattern in her attacks. Deciding there was none, 
he merely waited for an opening. 
  Without hesitating, Konatsu leaped into the air. At the same time, 
he withdrew his sword, exposing the blade to the light of the sun. Ukyo 
stared upward in panic, knowing that she was no match against an armed 
man without weapons of her own. She merely stood there, jaw dropped, 
eyes open wide, waiting for the finishing blow. 
  Instead, the kunoichi landed just before the shocked okonomiyaki 
chef. With the end of his blade, Konatsu flicked the reversal jewel 
off her shirt, sending the brooch flying. 
  Ukyo merely stared at the kunoichi, dumbfounded. 
  "Konatsu?" 
  "Ukyo-sama, you're all right," Konatsu assured her. 
  "I... was going to kill you... and... Ranchan!" she realized. 
  "The cursed jewel is gone," the kunoichi said, holding his friend 
tightly. 
  Ranma rushed to Konatsu and Ukyo's side. "Ukyo! Are you okay?" 
  "I'm fine," replied Ukyo. "Just... a bit disoriented, I guess." 
  "Then it's all over," Ranma announced. 
  "No, it's not, Saotome," Mousse said, walking to the Saotome, one 
hand supporting his head steadily. "It is only just the beginning. 
Seiryu will undoubtedly be displeased with what has happened here 
today." 
  "Who's Seiryu?" asked Ranma. 
  "The one who visited our dreams," replied Mousse cryptically. "The 
one who used us against each other, just to get at you." 
  "Me?" Ranma's gaze was a blank stare. For the life of him, he 
couldn't figure out why anyone would want to kill him, especially 
someone he doesn't know. 
  "I can't believe it myself," Ukyo began. She grabbed Ranma's 
shoulders, and looked him straight in the eyes. "You see, Seiryu is 
me." 

  "It will be a matter of time before they lead Ranma to me," Seiryu 
announced, back to the three minions. "When that time comes, it will 
be up to us to save the future." 
  Dr. Taydome chose that moment to enter the private chamber. "I 
regret to inform you, Seiryu, that the one who has been tracking me 
for the past month is on his way!" 
  Seiryu chuckled. "So, he's finally caught up to us? Are the GAIAs 
operational?" 
  "Yes, but all the weapons aren't configured properly...." 
  "Good enough!" Seiryu declared. "I suggest you lay low, Doctor, 
for this facility is about to rumble." 

  "They're hiding under the bathhouse?!" Ranma exclaimed. 
  Mousse nodded. "There's a secret entrance in the back room. Shampoo 
and I have been there quite a few times already, and there's no 
traps. It's the source of the GAIA machines." 
  "We should be careful of Seiryu's three monster minions, too," 
cautioned Mousse. 
  "What monsters?" asked Konatsu. 
  "Beings of nightmare," explained Mousse. "They are men with the 
features of animals. They're extremely powerful in their own right." 
  "Strange, I thought they were normal men," Ukyo said doubtfully. 
  "Shampoo no remember monsters," added Shampoo. 
  "I'm telling you, there are monsters there!" insisted Mousse. 
  The party consisting of Ranma, Akane, Mousse, Shampoo, Ukyo, 
Konatsu, and both Kunos entered the bath house. There was no one 
around; only the empty hot baths and the lights were any indication 
that anyone was around. 
  "I don't like it," Kuno said. "It seems too quiet." 
  "Welcome, friends," a voice announced over an intercom system. 
  "Seiryu!" Mousse shouted in recognition. 
  The distorted voice of Seiryu chuckled. "I'd like you to meet my 
three bodyguards." One after another, entering the bath chamber 
from separate doorways, entered three shadows. Stepping into the 
light, the monstrous features they possessed became apparent to 
Ranma and company. "Byakko, Genbu, and Suzaku!" 
  True to their names, the three monsters bore resemblance to the 
legendary creatures of the same name. Byakko, a white tiger-man, had 
the upper torso that resembled that of a man, but his lower portion 
resembled that of a tiger's body, giving him six limbs in all. Genbu 
resembled a snapping turtle, standing on his hind legs, with 
opposable thumbs on his forelegs. Suzaku, the red bird, stood on the 
hooked talons of a bird, his arms outstretched, throwing open his 
wings that were part of the arms. All three animal men peered at the 
teens with blood in their eyes. 
  Finally, Seiryu emerged from the darkness. Wearing a plain kimono 
hued almost sky-blue, she had her hair tied-up in a bun. Other than 
the long, vertical scar that ripped over the left eye, and perhaps a 
bit of wrinkles, Seiryu's face was a startling resemblance to that 
of Ukyo. She discarded the voice distorter from her shoulder, letting 
it clatter into the hot bath, where it shorted-out. 
  "She DOES look like Ukyo!" exclaimed Ranma in surprise. 
  "It is time to end this, for the future!" Seiryu proclaimed. 
Pointing a finger at the Neriman teens, she cried, "Attack!" 
  Genbu lumbered slowly toward Ukyo and Konatsu, snapping his beak 
anxiously. 
  Suzaku took to the air, but Mousse and Shampoo were ready for him. 
  Byakko charged toward the two Kuno siblings, ready to do battle. 
  Ranma and Akane were left alone to fight Seiryu by themselves. 
  Byakko wielded a double-sword: while holding the handle of the 
sword a blade jutted from each end of the handle. Kuno's katana 
clashed with each end of the double blades, one after another, as 
Kodachi contended with the tiger-centaur's raking front paws. 
  Ukyo, still without her weapons, threw chi-bolts, one after another, 
at the exposed armored chest of Genbu, while Konatsu leaped to the 
turtle-man's other side, trying his best to pierce the hard shell. 
  Ranma dodged Seiryu's energy bolts lazily. He noted that the woman 
was holding back. "You're the one who's been tormenting me in my 
dreams, right?" 
  "Correct," admitted Seiryu, her dead left eye glowing malevolently. 
"I wished to break you from within, but your show of force in our 
last encounter proved that it could not be done. Therefore, I had to 
resort to the others. Dream manipulation is a delicate, but simple way 
of influencing others. After all, the strength of the one is no 
comparison to the strength of the many. But, you didn't listen. You 
never listened." 
  Strange, that's something Ukyo had said before! Ranma thought. 
  "Let this be an end to your days!" announced Seiryu, lifting her 
arms high into the air. 
  Akane looked behind herself, and noticed that the water from the 
hot bath was beginning to leap over the side. "Ranma!" she cried in 
warning. 
  While the Tendo girl had enough time to avoid the back attack, 
Ranma had no suck luck. Hot water drenched him; the force of the hit 
was such that the water wave attack knocked Ranma onto his stomach, 
off his feet. 
  He craned his head up in time to watch Seiryu throw two more chi 
bolts his way. Ranma rolled out of the way, the two chi bolts 
throwing-up water upon impact. 
  Seiryu smiled. She threw her left arm downward, letting it tremble, 
as if that were the only part of her body that shivered. A low 
rumbling sound was all that either Ranma or Akane could discern from 
their adversary's actions. 
  Without warning, something burst from the ground below Seiryu. Now 
in her capable hands, Seiryu gripped a long, three-pronged trident in 
both hands, holding it up high. "I believe it's time to go fishing," 
Seiryu taunted. 
  Suzaku tried his best to bombard Mousse and Shampoo with bombs, 
but the two Chinese warriors kept one step ahead of their avian 
adversary, staying above him at all times. The red bird squawked 
angrily as Shampoo landed on his back, frustrated at being unable to 
attack his prey. Mousse, taking advantage of Suzaku's distraction, 
threw several chains, each wrapping around the bird-man's body. He 
jerked the chains downward, throwing himself into the hot bath along 
with Suzaku and Shampoo. 
  Soon both Shampoo and Mousse emerged at the surface of the bath, 
both catching their breaths. 
  "Where's the bird?" asked Mousse. 
  "In headlock!" Shampoo replied, bringing her opponent to the 
surface. 
  What broke the surface of the bath water was not that of a bird 
creature, but of an ordinary man, gasping for air. 
  "Nooooo!" the man cried. "My powers are gone!" 
  "What?!" both Shampoo and Mousse exclaimed in surprise. 
  "Could it be...?" Shampoo started. 
  "Jusenkyo cursed?" finished Mousse. 
  Ranma, sparing only a glance away from Seiryu to see Suzaku's true 
nature, cried, "Everyone! Get them into the baths!" He threw himself 
out of the way as Seiryu's trident barely caught his arm. 
  Ukyo nodded in understanding. Konatsu jumped off Genbu's back, 
and swung his blade wildly, trying his best to get the turtle monster 
to the edge of the pool. The monster growled, unwilling to enter the 
pool when it reached the rim. Shrugging, Ukyo threw both palms forth, 
summoning the power of water to her side. 
  Genbu roared in surprise, the chi-created water spashing against 
his hard body. However, surprise transformed into annoyance as the 
great turtle warrior stood his ground, struggling to push his way 
forward toward his enemy, against the flow of the force of water. 
  "Dammit," cursed Ukyo, trying her best to hold back the turtle 
monster. 
  Byakko, spinning his blade in the air, pounced at his opponents, 
sending Kodachi and her brother running for cover. Snarling in 
frustration, not knowing which opponent to go after, the great white 
tiger stood his ground, carefully scanning around his position for 
any surprises. 
  "These... CREATURES," muttered Kodachi, "will not be taken down 
lightly!" 
  Seiryu snorted. "So, you've discerned the weakness of my bodyguards!" 
She floated high in the air, just out of reach of Ranma's blows. The 
leader of the monsters folded her arms, trident resting on her right 
shoulder. "Doesn't matter; Suzaku was the weakest." 
  "HEY!!!" shouted the man in Shampoo's hold. 
  "Genbu and Byakko are more than a match for your pathetic attempts," 
finished Seiryu, annoyed that her minion interrupted her speech. 
  "I'm willing to bet you're not cursed, are you?" Ranma guessed. 
  "You are correct in assuming that they are Jusenkyo-cursed," Seiryu 
said. "It was Herb who said that the mixing of Jusenkyo curses would 
only compound the curses. Therefore, they willingly bathed in the 
Springs of Bengal tiger, red bird, and snapping turtle, then a trip to 
the Spring of Drowned Man!" 
  "How can you know that?!" Ukyo cried, trying not to lose her 
concentration against Genbu. "Unless...." 
  "Fools, don't you understand?" the kimono-clad woman cried. "I am 
from the future!" 
  Ranma spared a glance at his old friend. "When were YOU going to 
tell me about the springs?!" 
  "You're the future me?!" shouted the okonomiyaki chef, ignoring 
Ranma. 
  "Precisely!" confirmed Seiryu. "However, my existence in this time 
is due to my chi energies alone; without an anchor in time, I and my 
companions would cease to exist!" 
  "Why have you been doing this?!" cried Ranma. 
  Seiryu floated higher into the air. "Because, Ranma, through your 
actions, the future is doomed! It is through your actions that I lost 
everything and more, least of all my eye! I brought myself, my three 
minions, and future technology, for the sole purpose of making sure 
you die!" 
  It was then Dr. Taydome emerged into the bath house. "The future?!
How fascinating! The 'part,' the weapons... all from the future!" 
  "Impatience got the better of you," noted Ukyo, nodding sagely. 
"You... you've been here for a while, haven't you?" 
  "Technology as you have been handling, my engineer friend, should 
not exist for another ten years!" Seiryu explained, ignoring Ukyo, 
her dead eye glowing brighter. "And if Ranma isn't killed before the 
day of judgment...." Her voice trailed off. She shook her head 
violently. "No! I won't let it happen again!" 
  Raising her left arm, Seiryu cried, "Annihilate them!" 
  Ranma turned his head around. Behind him and the others, were two 
more GAIAs, their arm cannons ready to fire. 
  "Oldest trick in the book," muttered Mousse. "And we fell for it!" 
  "Initiate firing sequence!" droned one of the GAIAs. 
  "Not while I'm alive!" someone shouted. 
  "Who's there?!" shouted Kuno, parrying a blow from Byakko's blade. 
  The new arrival moved like a blur to everybody's eyes. The man ran 
about, allowing the GAIAs to consider him a threat. He came to a halt, 
standing right between the two machines. 
  "Taro!" Kodachi cried in recognition. 
  Pantyhose Taro smiled, and bolted. The two GAIAs, too slow to adjust 
their aim, unloaded their ammunition into each other. 
  Dr. Taydome gasped in surprise. "You! Why don't you leave me 
alone?!" 
  Taro came to a halt at Kodachi's side. "Miss me?" he asked. 
  Kodachi laughed. "I knew you'd be back!" 
  "I've been tracking Taydome since we last parted," explained Taro. 
"As you know, these machines he's building are too dangerous to exist, 
especially if they are from the future! They must be destroyed at all 
costs!" 
  "You've got no argument from me!" agreed Ranma. 
  "No!" protested Taydome. "No one touches my creations!" 
  "Come, Doctor!" Seiryu shouted. "We must withdraw! I realize too 
late that the battle is lost! If we leave now, we may yet triumph 
later!" 
  Seiryu turned around, back exposed to Ranma and company. Genbu and 
Byakko, standing their ground, edged ever so slightly closer to their 
leader, leaving Suzaku in Shampoo's headlock. 
  Mousse cried, "The reversal jewel!" 
  Sure enough, resting on the back collar of Seiryu's kimono was the 
reversal jewel, hanging upside-down for all to see. 
  Seiryu turned in anger. "You won't let me leave, will you?!" She 
spun her trident in a full vertical circle. "Very well, then! Get 
back, Doctor, because if I fail, then we won't meet again!" 
  Taydome nodded, and ran to hide. Both Genbu and Byakko, however, 
roared, then stomped back into the fray. 
  "I should enjoy taking you all on by myself," taunted Seiryu. 
"If you take off the jewel now, I won't be able to maintain my time 
anchor the split-second it takes for my mind to leave the influences 
of the jewel." 
  "And you won't exist...." Ukyo muttered to herself. 
  "Well, if all you're going to do is wreak havoc for the rest of my 
life, I'd say that's a fair trade," Ranma shouted back. 
  "I knew the dangers of time travel," Seiryu continued. "I've 
accepted the consequences of my actions, but now, Ranma, you're 
going to have to accept yours!" She pointed the triple-pronged 
trident at the Nerimans, channeling chi-energies into the head of 
the weapon. 
  "Look out!" warned Taro, throwing himself and Kodachi for cover. 
  As Taro suspected, three energy bolts fired from the trident head, 
each one firing after different targets. One bolt crashed where 
Kodachi used to stand before Taro knocked her down. 
  Shampoo, still in the hot bath holding her now-human opponent, 
ducked her head below the surface of the pool as the second of the 
bolts seared the air. To her surprise, the bolt, though made of 
chi-created water, continued on its path, crashing at the bottom 
of the pool. 
  The third chi bolt headed into Konatsu's direction. He tripped and 
fell on the slippery surface, unable to get away. 
  Ukyo, recognizing the kunoichi's danger, threw a chi bolt of her 
own. By judging the speed of the incoming attack, and calculating the 
proper moment to throw the bolt, Ukyo's bolt deflected Seiryu's shot. 
  At the same moment, Genbu nearly slashed the okonomiyaki chef with 
a sharp claw, the girl dodging at the last moment. 
  Ranma leaped into the air, sailing up and over Seiryu's levitating 
body. His opponent's eye followed his arc in the air, distracting her 
from making another attack. And, just as he sailed behind her, Ranma 
reached out with his arm and snagged the jewel from Seiryu's back. 
  "Oh my...!" whispered Suzaku. "What has he done?! We're gonna die!!" 
  Genbu and Byakko, turning their attentions away from their opponents, 
snarled likewise in anger and panic. 
  The look on Seiryu's face appeared as that of sudden liberation. 
The second that began, her form began to waver, seemingly ready to 
dissolve. Slowly, the source behind Dr. Taydome sank to the floor, 
unable to maintain her levitation powers. 
  Ranma caught Seiryu in his arms. "It's over," he announced. 
  "What's going to happen?" wondered Akane. 
  Seiryu smiled, her dead eye seemingly glowing for one final burst. 
A fine beam of light jumped from the dead eye, colliding with Ranma's 
forehead, but having no apparent effects. Ranma shook his head in 
confusion at what his former opponent was showing him. 
  What Ranma was seeing in his mind happened in a split second; images 
of the destruction bombarded the young Saotome's thoughts. He even 
recognized the smoldering ruins of the Tendo household and of the 
high school. Everything was on fire, burning, destroying. He saw, from 
Seiryu's perspective, the three volunteers she gathered jump into the 
Jusenkyo springs. He saw what he believed to be the time travel 
machine that sent the four back in time, barely recognizing who he 
believed to be Kodachi, dressed in a dirty white lab coat, hair in 
a mess. He saw, from behind rocky cover, Kuno, standing alone amidst 
the destruction, katana raised high, and charging to his final battle 
against an unseen opponent. Finally, Ranma saw a row of marble slabs 
in a dark room, each the final resting place of an unfortunate person. 
One after another, Seiryu passed the corpses, stopping at one in 
particular. She had said, "I was too late," just as Ranma recognized 
the face of the one on the slab: Akane. 
  And, with the same suddenness, the images vanished. 
  It only took a split-second, yet it seemed to stretch on forever. 
  Ranma was shaking at the visions he saw. What... happened? 
  Byakko snarled frantically, as if trying to say something. 
  "Ranchan..." Seiryu whispered, "thank you.... I'm... free...." She 
seemed to be choking on her words, trying her best to finish her 
message before her existence ended. "Don't... let it... happen...." 
  "What?" asked Ranma, desperate to know what caused the destruction. 
  "Just remember... we are all.... One." 
  Without warning, as if some force were sucking her into a hole in 
her stomach, Seiryu imploded, her form disappearing from existence. 
In turn, her three minions disappeared as well, in the same manner. 
Shampoo tumbled over in the bath with the sudden release of her hold. 
  Akane leaned over to Ranma's side, and placed a sympathetic hand on 
his shoulder. 
  Ranma shook his wife off. "No... I'm okay." 
  Of course, Dr. Taydome was just fine. "No one, NO ONE, is going 
to touch my creations!" he cried defensively, blocking the way to the 
back room. 
  Taro pushed Taydome aside. "Sorry, Doc, but from what the lady said, 
this technology shouldn't even exist! I'm putting you and your 
operation out, for good. From now on, the world will be safe from 
your weapons." 
  Inwardly, he added, "And, no one shows me up and gets away with it!" 

  Taro exited the bathhouse later that afternoon, joining the others 
that waited outside. He walked to Kodachi's side. The Kuno girl, 
happy to see her love, threw her arms around his neck lovingly. 
  Dr. Taydome sat alone in front of the empty bath house, sulking, 
unsure of what the Department of Defense would do to him. 
  "It's over," announced Taro. "All records and devices have been 
accounted for, and destroyed. We won't see another machine like that 
again." 
  "At least, until that technology is invented in ten years," noted 
Akane dryly. "So, you've spent the past month tracking them down? I'm 
proud of you." 
  "Thanks," Taro replied, trying hard not to blush to the woman that 
resembled his mother. He turned his attentions back to Kodachi, who 
was smiling knowingly. "Come on, let's go." 
  "Heh-hee," chuckled Kodachi. "I think it's time I showed you the 
place I call 'home....'" 
  "What I don't understand is," Ranma started, changing the subject, 
"why the future Ukyo, Seiryu, would want to come back in time, risking 
existence, just to kill me." 
  "I don't know either," admitted Ukyo. "Whatever it is, she said the 
event would be happening soon. I, for one, wonder how she got the 
reversal jewel on her in the first place." 
  "I suppose we'll never know the whole truth," Akane decided. "We'll 
just have to deal with Ranma's problem when it comes up." 
  While the three friends talked on, both Shampoo and Mousse left 
together, returning home to the Nekohanten. Konatsu trailed behind 
Ukyo, as the three started the walk back to the Tendo household. 
  Ukyo changed the subject. "Ranchan, do you suppose the future 
will turn out as bad as Seiryu painted for us?" 
  "How should I know?" Ranma replied honestly. 
  "Of course, she never said anything specific," Ukyo added. "I've got 
to remember to pay attention to detail the next time I time-travel." 
Certainly, losing an eye is nothing to look forward to. 
  "Well, I think," started Akane, "that since you no longer have the 
reversal jewel, Seiryu will never exist; she was a creature born of 
hate created by the magic of the jewel." 
  "Of course, what're we going to do with the jewels now?" wondered 
Ukyo. "We've got two of them." 
  "I don't know," admitted Ranma, fumbling with both reversal jewels 
in his pocket with one hand. It was to his surprise that Seiryu's 
jewel didn't vanish along with her. 
  "I guess we'll have to figure that one out later," concluded Akane. 
  "Ukyo," Ranma started, "why didn't you tell me about the springs?" 
  "The springs?" Ukyo asked. She snapped her fingers. "Oh yeah, about 
Jusenkyo. I'm so sorry, Ranma, but I couldn't think of a good time 
to bring it up." 
  "You could've told me after Herb told you," Ranma replied. 
  "It's not that simple," explained Ukyo. "You see, Herb says that 
the Jusenkyo springs survive every natural disaster thrown at it. 
The sources of the springs, what truly matters on the cursed training 
grounds, are unaffected, even if the waters are. The thing is, when 
a cursed person jumps into another spring, the effects of both curses 
are combined, as both take effect at the same time." 
  "And that's why Taro, after jumping into the octopus spring, only 
has those tentacles," concluded Akane. "I can't believe I haven't 
thought of that myself." 
  "Then I suppose it's a good thing you guys stopped me from getting 
the water from the Spring of Drowned Man," Ranma said. "I... I don't 
know what to say." 
  "You don't have to say anything!" assured Ukyo. "Just remember to 
be careful what you wish for." 
  "Can you imagine a man-woman?!" Ranma cried in exasperation. "It 
could've been me!" 
  Akane grabbed Ranma's shirt. "If you go even one step farther in 
that thought, you're sleeping on the roof!" 
  "Hey, hey!" Ranma replied defensively, holding his arms up. "It's 
not my idea!" 

  Ignored by all, walking in the opposite direction of Ranma, Dr. 
Philip Taydome sighed inwardly, repressing a telling smile. The 
fools, they believed I was completely vanquished? 
  Reaching into a hidden pocket on the inside of his lab coat, the 
robotics engineer produced a shiny band of metal. Appearing in some 
respects to an oversized watch, the band could fit easily over 
Taydome's arm. Prying open the top of the mechanism attached to the 
band, he peered inside, staring in wonderment at the circuitry. Sure, 
the circuits were damaged in places, and the device, according to 
Seiryu, won't ever work again, but just studying the design allowed 
Taydome to create a new generation of circuits for his terrible 
robots. 
  The robots and the records may be gone, Taydome told himself, but 
the 'part,' and the dream, goes on! 

					*  *  *  *  *
Closing: Lambada Ranma 

  [Akane:]      In our Tendo dojo,
  [chorus:]     our tenant
  [Akane:]      Ranma had harsh training at,
  [chorus:]     Jusenkyo.
  [Genma:]      Quite a tragedy!
  [Ranma:]      When I pour water on myself,
  [Girl Ranma:] I turn female,
                with my messed-up life.
  [chorus:]     Akane's fiancee!

Ranma: You are SO uncute! 
Akane: You've got to be kidding. That pervert, I refuse!
Genma: Hmm, how shall I explain this? 
Ranma, I'll kill you! Shampoo

Girl Ranma: Why'd you do this?! 
Kuno: I'm the Blue Thunder of Fuurinkan High! 
Soun: How do you explain yourself, Ranma?
Oh-hohohohohohoho! Kodachi

Mousse: So, you think my techniques mere tricks?! 
Cologne: You're quite skilled, Son-in-law. 
Happosai: Hahahaa, I've got Akane's panties!
Bwii, bwii bwii! Ryoga

  [Akane:]      In our Tendo dojo,
  [chorus:]     our tenant
  [Akane:]      Ranma had harsh training at,
  [chorus:]     Jusenkyo.
  [Genma:]      Quite a tragedy!
  [Ranma:]      When I pour water on myself,
  [Girl Ranma:] I turn female,
                with my messed-up life.
  [chorus:]     Akane's fiancee!
-----------------------------------------------
Author's Rant

  Taro had been hunting Taydome ever since he parted company with the 
others at the end of the Hawaii story. His motivation: it's either 
because the machines were showing-him-up, or a development of duty 
to protect the weak, your choice. Taro's duty to protect others has 
only gone so far as to extend to women in danger in the manga, but I 
see this as an eventual growth of character, since being exposed to 
the respect of three others: Akane, Ukyo, and Kodachi. As you can see, 
the quest has made him a veritable expert on the GAIAs, seeing how he 
trashed them so easily. More ego points for him :) 
  The three goons were created after I wrote Treasure of the Musk 
Dynasty, where Herb explained to Ukyo what happened when one acquired 
multiple curses from the Jusenkyo springs. I based all four villains 
after the four beings, Suzaku, Seiryu, Genbu, and Byakko, representing 
the compass points and elements together. 

Razorclaw X
http://www.crosswinds.net/anaheim/~slythe/ranma/ranff.html

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