The Wheel of Fire, #26: Reverse Gravity Razorclaw X (spiceoflife@NYAhotmail.com) http://www.crosswinds.net/~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 given. No part may be reproduced for monetary gain without permission from the author. Fanart can be found at: http://www.crosswinds.net/~slythe/fanart/index.html ------------------------------------------------ Akane sat at her desk for several long moments, her head buried in her arms. Only moments before, infinity ago, Ranma left for another battle. This wasn't entirely unexpected, of course, but she felt left out of something she should be a part of. There was no need for good-byes, for she knew that Ranma would come back-- he always came back. She knew what had to be done, and that Ranma was the one that was going to make things right. So with Shampoo, the priestess Shizuka and her pet boa constrictor, Thanatos, and the hooded girl he had left. Akane raised her head, and reached into her pocket for the sealed letter the hooded girl had given her on the way out. The mysterious girl only said, "You, too, have a part in all this," before departing. The letter was obviously meant to be opened, but when? Now? Later? She set a jade earring down on the desk, and studied it for several moments. Ranma kept the dragon earring, a belonging of Ukyo's that was supposed to bring good luck. Ever since Shizuka and her apprentice arrived and matters got sorted out Ranma believed, quite reasonably for once, that perhaps the hooded apprentice may be Ukyo. All the arrows certainly pointed that way. Of course, there was only one way to find out. She ran the sharp edge of the dragon earring under the envelope and tore it open. Akane set down the earring, and unfolded a letter. "Akane," she read aloud, "I anticipated that you wouldn't allow yourself to do nothing while all of these events transpired, so I drew this up in case such a time came up. In all likelihood Ranma is about to get himself into grave danger, and if Shizu is still with us then there is something you could do and plausibly come to his aid." She scanned the letter up and down, trying to find a date. However, there was none to find, and somehow Akane suspected that the apprentice came up with this note long before she came to town. "You probably know that anyone carrying around a sword these days is viewed upon with suspicion," she continued. "In order to remain somewhat inconspicuous Shizu was denied her swords." Akane raised an eyebrow, realizing where this was going. "It's not much, but it's also not asking too much, either. So what I need you to do is find a pair of good swords and bring them to us." "And then, you, too, can help." Immediately Akane thought about the swords that were kept in the house. There had to be at least another good sword other than the Saotome sword.... Then again, was that what the note meant? She realized there was now a problem: the type of swords wasn't specified in the note. Each sword was used in a different style, a different way from the rest. But the note DID say 'swords.' It obviously meant more than one. And at most one person could only wield two swords. Okay, so it meant a specific set of swords that could be used in the two-handed style. Of course, that could be a dachi and shoto or any other combination of swords. One thing was for sure, such weapons weren't around in the house. "Hello?" Tofu said as he placed the receiver of the telephone over his ear. "Ah, good doctor!" came the voice of Joseph Nakamura. "It's good to hear you well!" Tofu glanced over at the wall clock. "Don't you think it's kind of late for a social call?" "We have an emergency, and only you can handle it." "I'm sorry, sir, but I'm with a pa...." "Kasumi." "Kasumi?! Where?" Tofu's glasses started to steam up. "She needs your help." "Okay, okay! I'll be...." His mesmerization wore off as he felt something hit him over the head, popping his glasses off his nose. Shaking his head, Tofu said, "Uh... excuse me, sir, but can I get back to you?" "No, wai...!" Hanging up the phone, Tofu reached down for his glasses, rubbing the back of his head sorely. "You idiot," came the voice behind him, a man. "Did you have to hit me that hard?" complained the chiropractor. "Who was it?" "That was Mr. Nakamura from Saint Hebereke," Tofu answered. "He says there's something wrong with Kasumi!" "And why would Kasumi be there at this time of day?" "I don't know! I should get down there and...." "And do what? You know as well as I that Kasumi wouldn't be out at this time of the night." Tofu saw another behind the speaker, a short girl leaning on a polearm of some sort. "Hey, you're...." "Where's Shampoo?" demanded the girl. "I don't know," Tofu admitted. "She comes and goes as she wants. You can wait here, if you want." "That's not necessary," the other man replied. "I'll find her myself." He turned to the short girl. "Make sure the good man stays here." The girl nodded. "Maybe then Shampoo come back." "Perhaps," the man said. "Or perhaps not." "He's not coming," Nakamura's voice rumbled deeply. "All of Amakusa's plans were for naught as they fall apart around me!" The priest slammed his fist on the altar before him, and threw the cellular phone in his other hand behind him, over the heads of Kasumi and Spencer. Spencer, dressed in a black suit, held Kasumi, whose hands were tied behind her back. Despite the danger she was in, Kasumi seemed oblivious to her impending doom. "Tofu denies us in our hour of need!" railed the priest. "Where is everyone? Sakurai!" "He's being held by Kuno," the paladin replied. "Nagi!" shouted Nakamura. "Dead," Spencer said flatly. "Miranda!" "Disappeared without a trace." "Mariko!" "Out on a date with her new boyfriend." "Asuka!" "She's no longer willing to help us, not after we left her behind. Besides, if she found out we disposed of Amakusa in his moment of weakness, she'll likely attack us, too." Nakamura balled his fists, seething with anger. All of Amakusa's warriors were spent. All, of course, but one. Turning around, he threw a finger toward Spencer. "You're it." His eyes glowed faintly. Somewhat startled, Spencer tightened his grip on Kasumi's arms by reflex. "M... me? Are you mad?! I can't take on Ranma myself; you saw him!" "Maybe if you release me, he won't hurt you," Kasumi suggested. "I'll be happy to put in a good word for you." "Forget about everything else; we're sacrificing the girl NOW!!" Nakamura's head appeared ready to explode. "Eminence!" the paladin yelled. "What of Amakusa? What of everything we've built so hard for?" "Amakusa can rot in the dungeon for all I care!" the priest screamed, throwing his arms out in the air. "All that matters now is the ascension of the saint-- for Saint Hebereke demands it!" Kasumi said, "You should watch your blood pressure, sir. It's not healthy of you to...." "Shut up!" demanded the priest. "Had you not been the one I'd of gotten rid of you already." "You're not feeling well?" she asked. "Of course not!" "Perhaps you shouldn't speak to the priest so," Spencer whispered into the girl's ear. "He is feeling edgy now." "Oh, I see," Kasumi said, smiling. "I deal with this all the time at home." "I can imagine," muttered the paladin. "Maybe I can cook up some soup and...." "THAT'S ENOUGH!!" Nakamura railed. He took threatening steps toward the captive Kasumi, appearing ready to throttle her. "You, my dear, should count yourself amongst the blessed, for you will be the first to become one with the saint!" The first thing Kodachi heard as soon as Chika opened the front door was, "Dragon Formation: Switch On!" Chika stood aside, opening the door wide for Kodachi and Ayame to enter her house, her expression betraying embarrassment. "Shion's watching 'Getta Robo G' again. He never gets tired of it!" Somewhere down the hall Kodachi heard explosions characteristic of television anime, as well as Shion's blatant enthusiasm for ancient shows. "Does he ever tire of otaku-ism?" "He's otaku?" Ayame asked, wearing a befuddled expression. "That's such a geezer's show!" "Of course not!" Chika replied. "Don't you know what a REAL otaku is?" "Well, sort of," admitted Kodachi's lieutenant. "The kind that wants to go out with cartoon girls?" "Enough banter, time for business," Kodachi interrupted. "Leave your brother be, lest we require his services." Chika nodded. "You know, I tried looking for your brother on all the regular places... but it's come up as nothing." "I hardly expected such," Kodachi said sternly. "I was looking more into more isolated locations." "Oh, well... then that's beyond me," the media specialist admitted. "I didn't think...." "EXACTLY!" Ayame yelled. "It's a wonder you do at all." "Like YOU have anything to say about thinking!" Chika shot back. "You couldn't think your way out of a two-wall maze!" "Enough!" Kodachi shouted. Facing Chika, she said, "Get your brother here immediately, and we can begin!" "Getta Beam!" the girls heard Shion yell. "You're kidding," the lieutenant said, shaking her head. "What can otaku-wanna-be do?" "I believe it is time for him to earn his keep," Kodachi announced. "We must fine my dear brother before he performs a regrettable deed!" Ranma felt a strange sense of deja vu as he ran into the night, toward battle, with Shampoo, Shizuka, and the hooded apprentice. The previous time it had just been with Shampoo, who appeared to be the only one willing to help him stop Nemesis at all costs, but that proved to be a poor judgement. Later on, after the disastrous fight against the remaining Orochi assassins, the others, lead by Akane, appeared and lent a hand in the final battle-- in their own ways. Of course, the cost of it all was one good life... but this time, things will be different. Ranma cast a momentary glance over at the priestess, surprised to see that the huge snake of hers was nowhere to be seen. Shizuka said it was a boa constrictor, named Thanatos; Ranma hardly had fond memories of that 'pet.' Minutes before he remembered the slithering monster wrapped around the girl's neck and body, but now it was as if the creature never existed. He glanced over at the hooded girl that ran beside priestess Shizuka, and wondered. The forcefulness in her voice and personality, as well as the things she knew, all pointed to the direction of Ukyo. Akane never believed that Ukyo could have survived the final battle against Nemesis, but somewhere, deep down inside, Ranma couldn't accept her end. The last time Ranma saw the okonomiyaki chef alive... as herself, was in his arms, when she traded her life for his own. Apparently possessing such a power, Ranma ran off into the battle with Nemesis and mopped-up the war for good. And then Seiryu appeared, having inhabited Ukyo's body for her own twisted ends. In the end the martial artist was forced to use the deadly attack theorized by old Cologne, and Seiryu was destroyed. No, Seiryu was destroyed... but where was the body? There was no body. While the others thought the final attack reduced Ukyo's body to ashes, Ranma believed otherwise, and the girl was living proof. Not only that, but Ukyo was probably just as smart as Seiryu, and could fake her own death the same way the dragon spirit had. That's the only way, Ranma decided. And yet, Ukyo seemed quite upset about being around town. Probably because she wanted to leave this life behind her, Ranma thought. She explicitly expressed a wish to leave this terrible life she was leading in Nerima behind and get on with her own; perhaps this incident is getting in the way. Well, that's all well and good, but where did Konatsu go, and did he have any part of this? Maybe not, but there's no way to know for sure. Ranma set his eyes back on the objectives. If there ever was a time to confront Ukyo over this, this was certainly not the time: Kasumi needed help, soon. * * * * * To: blackwidow@northspire.net From: warlock@spielburg.org Subject: Re: A new job (Follow-up) Digging on just the surface, there is apparently no official record on a Shizuka Minazuki. Apparently, yes, she was born to that name, but given up for some reason by her parents. Will have to look into that one deeper. Where she ended up is anyone's guess, but certainly wasn't raised by parents. Looks like she hasn't gotten a real formal education, either. Sure, the documents are there, but they look fake, and it's easy to fake 'em. Not to mention doing fakes also gives a good eye for picking 'em out. She's sixteen, and her education reflects such, but I suspect whoever's doing this for her will also give her a nice diploma, too. This, of course, gives her no reason to be in school, so I don't know why she'd be at Furinkan High. But she has appeared here and there in the public light, there's no doubt. Apparently, she's part of some group of party arrangers, which makes her quite visible to us-- so she's definitely not a fake person, I suppose. There's also high score initials on a game machine over in Osaka that seems to match our subject, but I'll have to look into that later. Right now she's apparently living with a Minazuki family here in Tokyo, related to her birth parents by blood. So she is who she claims to be, but that might just be it. I'll keep you posted if there's more I can find. Have a nice day. - Warlock +-------------------------------------+ | There is no knowledge that is | | not power. | | We brake for nobody. | +-------------------------------------+ * * * * * Shion sat back at his seat, and sighed. Nabiki Tendo was definitely one to pick 'em. Before agreeing to help search for Tatewaki Kuno Shion, otherwise known as 'Warlock' on the Internet, decided to write the note to fulfill his obligation to the 'Black Widow.' While the two had not discussed the terms of the information, Shion found a strange reason not to ask for money. He first saw the subject, the mysterious Shizuka, when Tatewaki was bringing her to his home the night she was attacked by the paladins. He reviewed the information tapes after returning from 'rescuing' Chika from her problems, and was glad to have caught sight of such crucial information. And yet, something about the girl sparked Shion's curiosity. There was something... special... perhaps regal... about that girl that the hacker couldn't pinpoint. Even when beaten and bloodied that air was hardly diminished. Something that seemed to... stir feelings inside the aloofness. Perhaps that was the reason I never asked for money, Shion thought. Am I getting soft? Looking over his shoulder, satisfied that the three girls were not looking his direction, the Warlock sent off the note, into the twisted virtual web and beyond. Akane had nowhere else to turn, and waited in front of the heavy gate at the front of the Kuno estate after knocking. There was a good chance that neither Kuno was at home, but there was the possibility that SOMEONE was home. She could not think of any other person in the neighborhood who had enough weapons from which to find the right swords. Strangely, without herald, the gate opened inward. "Eh?" Akane peeked her head inside, but could find no one, nor any indication that anyone opened the gate for her. Shrugging, she pushed open the gate the rest of the way, and made her way to the front entrance, as she had many times before. Everything was still, as not even nocturnal insects made a sound within the confines of the estate walls. Akane's eyes darted about, looking for something... anything that would make it so. Soon she found herself at the front entrance, and it was only then Akane realized there was someone standing in front of the open doorway. "And who might you be?" the woman asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice. Though the woman was definitely older, Akane could not help but compare her appearance to that of Kodachi. She bowed respectfully. "Good evening, Mrs. Kuno." "Make it snappy!" demanded Shoto. Akane could tell there was a servant hiding behind the door as she saw the telltale shadow shaking in terror behind the woman. "I'm Akane, a friend of your son's." She forced herself not to wince at the mention of 'friend,' as Akane hardly found it true. But, if it did get her past the front door, using it was a good idea. "I see," Shoto said carefully, nodding slowly. "A girl friend. What do you want?" Going straight to the point, she answered, "He said I could look at his sword collection...." "Come in, go down the stairs, and go right," Shoto directed, looking bored. "Those useless pieces of steel are good for nothing else!" "Thank you," Akane said with a bow. She heard the woman 'hmph!' as she skirted by, trying not to force herself to run. The moment Akane descended the stairs to the underground level the aura of oppression seemed to lift. "At least she's not my mother," she muttered, following Shoto's directions. It was not hard to miss the sword chamber, as it was at the end of the hall, door wide open for anyone in the hall to see. Akane looked from wall to wall in awe at the number of swords that were mounted on the walls, careful not to bump into the display cases that dotted the room here and there. All of it was swords, all Japanese, of varying styles and builds, from different periods in history. "Now what?" Akane asked herself, heading for a single sheathed sword that rest alone on a pedestal. She reached out and picked it up. "RESTORE ME!!" a disembodied voice boomed. Startled, Akane dropped the sword, looking around for the source of the voice. "Who's there?!" "RESTORE ME TO THE STONE OF WISHES," the voice demanded, "AND YOUR WISHES WILL BE RENEWED." Akane raised an eyebrow as she realized the voice was coming from the sword itself. Picking it up once more, she said aloud, "The sword that gave three wishes?" Looking behind her to see if Kuno's mother was there, and satisfied that she wasn't, Akane said, "I wish for...." "NO WISHES," the sword said, "UNTIL I AM RESTORED AND RESET." Great, she thought. The Wishbringer is STILL useless. But then... does that mean you have to put it back? Replacing the useless sword on the pedestal, Akane turned her attentions back to the other swords, in particular to those mounted on the four walls. It hardly took long for her to discern a pattern in the way the swords were mounted. Tatewaki must have sorted the weapons by era, Akane thought, so she traced the beginning of the swordsmithing era and moved on from there. The two-blade style had not been developed until after Musashi, so the search was narrowed down to the wall opposite the exit, which held such swords. There were several sets, many single blade sets, but several double blade sets as well. "Okay, it's just here now," Akane told herself. "Now all I've got to do is find the right set." Fortunately for her, Tatewaki had taken the time to track down some of the owners of the blades, and included such information on a card mounted below the blades. Not only the owner, but the style of the owner as well, Akane noted, as well as any brief extra information, such as etched messages on the blades, or whatnot. She skipped all the single blade sets, and focused on the double blade sets until one card stuck out in particular. The sword set was a pair of nearly identical katana, the type of which possessed a nearly-straight blade, but was indeed curved. Each blade appeared identical to its twin in every way that Akane had no doubt that both were forged by the same man. The handles were wrapped in some kind of preserved, leathery skin, likely from a reptile, while the sheathes were made of solid iron. Near the pommel of the swords a serpentine creature, probably a dragon or snake of some kind, was etched carefully on the blades. Akane was awed that the two creatures seemed exactly the same as on the other blade. Appropriately, on the information card the blades were called the 'Dual Viper Fangs.' That must be a good indication, Akane thought. Sliding the blades into their sheathes, Akane smiled to herself. "If this isn't it, nothing is. But from what I know about Shizuka, this'd better be it!" She gathered both sheathed swords in her arms. "Ranma, Kasumi... just hang on." Determination filled her eyes. "I'm coming for you guys!" Picking locks without the aid of sight was more difficult than Senryu Amakusa, founder of the Church of Saint Hebereke, imagined. He lay on his back on a stone-cold slab of stone, chained down and locked without a key. Though the chains limited the movement of his arms, Amakusa noted that Joseph was very lazy in his job, as the founder managed to produce the picking tool from his pocket. A snap echoed in the empty underground chamber, and Amakusa knew his job was a success. He lifted up the arm with the pick, and started feeling for the lock attached to the chain keeping his head down. Not much time, he told himself. I can't stay down here, not knowing what that priest was doing! He found the lock, and started working. "Well, that's interesting," Chika exclaimed, staring at the monitor in front of her. "What?" Kodachi asked, entering Chika's office. The sounds of explosions and buttons echoed outside, followed by angry growling by Ayame. The seated girl pointed the butt of a pen at the monitor of interest. "It's of the church hall." "I can see that!" Kodachi yelled. "No, no, look who's there," Chika said. The gymnast squinted her eyes as she pressed her face closer to the monitor. "It appears to be a confrontation." "Looks like Ranma and company," agreed the media specialist. "I'll patch in the audio." As Chika ducked under the desk, Kodachi watched the initial banter with amused interest, her brother forgotten. Fingers were pointed, Kasumi Tendo thrown back to the priest, Nakamura, while Spencer, the paladin, withdrew a pistol from his coat pocket. Ranma and the three girls present charged. "Okay, got it!" Chika called from below. "DAMMIT, YOU!!" they both heard Ayame scream. The sound of something slamming to the floor followed. "Pick somebody OTHER than Great Mazinger!" Both Chika and Kodachi's eyes stared out the door. "It's not MY fault that you suck," Shion replied coolly. "Up yours, Four-Eyes!" Chika shook her head. "I don't know why she thinks she can beat him at Super Robot Wars." "Forget them," Kodachi instructed, turning her attentions back to the monitor. "What of the audio?" "Oh yeah, forgot to turn up the volume...." Time seemed to slow for Ranma as Spencer squeezed off the first shot. For a moment, he saw the hiss of smoke from the barrel of the pistol, and a moment later the bullet flew from it. But that sensation ceased completely when he hit the wooden bench off on his left side in dodging. Losing track of the others, the martial artist kept himself low under the next bench while the paladin continued firing-- at who, Ranma didn't know. A startled gasp and gurgle by the paladin gave Ranma the impression that someone was already tying him up from attack. Now's the time to get to Kasumi, he thought, quickly darting to the end of the row. He dared a quick glance over to where he thought Spencer was, but the paladin was no longer there. A series of heavy footsteps told the martial artist that he was in pursuit of his attacker, and it was in a direction away from the altar. A sudden kick in the gut brought Ranma to awareness of his new situation. A heavy fist swung in an uppercut, sending Ranma reeling backward. "You have no clue the trouble you've caused me," the attacker said, throwing another kick into Ranma's stomach. "That voice..." Ranma muttered, as a final kick sent him to the floor. Nakamura's eyes glowed malevolently, his voice a bit deeper than usual. "Amakusa was right to fear you, but he was but a frail human. And so are you." Dammit, Ranma thought. "Ranma!" he heard Shizuka shout. "Dear me," Kasumi said. Dammit, have enough sense to get out of here! Though he couldn't see where the priest was looking, Ranma heard him move away. "You!!" "What do YOU want?!" Shizuka complained. "Get out of here!" "The girl stays!" demanded Nakamura. Ranma caught the glint of some kind of steel-bladed weapon. "Or what?" the priestess shot back. "You'll pick my fingernails with that kid's knife?" Ranma oriented himself onto his side, looking up toward Nakamura. The pain in his body hurt more than expected, as the priest was apparently stronger than he looked. Or at least, the demon was. The priest of Saint Hebereke threw the knife. Someone screamed, likely Kasumi. "Now, my dear, don't move!" Nakamura ordered Kasumi. He looked down at Ranma as he produced another knife. "Now it's your turn!" Twisting his body around, Ranma swept his legs around, throwing Nakamura off his feet. The martial artist was up on his feet just as the priest hit the floor. He looked around, and saw only Kasumi standing, her hands cupped over her mouth in shock. "Shizuka!" Ranma shouted. No reply. Just as the thought of rushing to the center aisle entered his mind the martial artist was tackled from behind. His head smashed against the end of a bench, and he felt the cold steel of the knife against the back of his neck. "Pitiful," Nakamura snorted. "A powerhouse such as you, beaten by this weak shell!" "Then finish it!" Ranma snarled. "The more you wait, the more you'll lose it!" And, as if on cue, he felt the spurt of blood splash on his neck, but the cut had not been made. Nakamura gurgled in shocked pain, and Ranma felt the tension of the knife lessening. "If there's anyone that gets to kill Ranma," a new voice said, "it's going to be me!!" Nakamura stood up, allowing Ranma the chance to see his savior. "Mousse?!" The Chinese martial artist stood with his left arm extended forward, his thick glasses glistening in the light of the room. A single chain extended out from the arm's sleeve, a line Ranma traced the distance down to its end, a harpoon, its head buried in the priest's arm. "Where'd you come from?!" demanded Nakamura. "Same here," Ranma added. "These past weeks I've trained in secret," Mousse answered. "I've restored myself as before, and better than ever!" His lips curved into a cold smile. "I've waited a long time for this, evangelist!" He threw forth his other arm, and fired off more chains at Nakamura. Ranma winced, taking an involuntary step back for each hit Nakamura took from Mousse's attack. A spear head buried into the other arm, a scythe slicing through shoulder, a spiked mace gutting the gut. A rain of blood showered over the polished floor of the end aisle as Mousse continued in his relentless attack. "Stop it!" Ranma shouted. For a moment, the chain barrage ceased. "Take a good look, Saotome! THIS is how you're going to die!" He threw even more chains, and Nakamura was pinned with more steel. Ranma looked over his shoulder to Kasumi, who was bent low on the ground, probably attending to Shizuka, wherever she got hit. "Kasumi!" he shouted, "take Shizuka and get out of here!" Nodding wordlessly, Kasumi threw Shizuka's arm around her neck. The wounded priestess's eyes appeared glazed, as a knife jutted out of her body somewhere between her shoulder and heart. "...and then he said, 'You get burning...'" the priestess of Genbu mumbled to herself. "...and before that, 'looks like I'm not doing too much in this episode, either....'" Ranma looked back toward Nakamura, and wished he hadn't. The man was a living pin cushion now, pinned against the wall opposite Mousse, many sets of chains hanging limply on the floor. Mousse started dragging the chains back, dragging the body of Nakamura with it. "What the hell did you do that for?!" Ranma shouted angrily. "You didn't have to kill him!!" "You don't get it, do you, Saotome?" the Chinese martial artist said, dragging the chains closer. "I've released him from a living Hell, just as I was denied by Kodachi." "What does Kodachi have to do with this?" "She denied me a proper death, of course," Mousse answered, prying the bloody body off his weapons with his foot. "But, if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have gotten this opportunity." "You're one sick man," Ranma decided. "You are no warrior!" accused Mousse, pointing his index finger at the martial artist. "What's the matter with you? Afraid of death and dying?! Huh!" "And you're so fixated on killing!" Ranma shot back. "Why don't you go home and do it?" "I will, but I've come to retrieve Shampoo as well," he admitted. "I've received word from home that the war is not going well, and that Shampoo and I are being recalled immediately." "So go help Shampoo and get lost!" "I think I can squeeze in killing you! Consider it payback for all the humiliation you put me through while in Japan!" "What'd I do?! You ingrate; what about all the times I helped you?" "Touchy subject," a third voice said. Immediately, the eyes of both Mousse and Ranma turned to the bloody corpse of Nakamura, which began to rise under its own power. "Ah hell," Ranma cursed. "Don't tell me that the priest had a pure heart, too?!" "Not quite," Nakamura admitted, his bloodied face fixing on the martial artist. "But it is a body, nonetheless." "The demon's taking the corpse," Mousse knew. "Just like Seiryu," Ranma added. He suddenly understood why Nakamura attacked Shizuka first. But then, where the hell was Ukyo? "Kasumi offered a body full of pure spiritual energy," the demon Nakamura explained. "This purity offered the greatest power, the greatest vessel. But faith is faith; I'll just have to take what's here and run with it." "You're 'Saint Hebereke,' aren't you?" the Chinese martial artist asked. The corpse nodded. The myriad holes in its body seemed to close as the proportions seemed to meld and congeal. "It's the name given to me, and the name I've assumed, yes." Skin began to discolor to an odd red color as the corpse grew in height. "I've waited in my dormant state in a statue of a hidden shrine for many centuries," he continued, as the corpse's eyes started to bloat in size, the whites becoming yellow. "And it was only recently I was found in my dormancy by the man who styles himself Amakusa, and through him I've managed to slowly restore myself to my former glory." Nails formed from fingertips as fangs grew from the teeth. "With enough energy, and enough power, I'll be able to force myself back into the Kami Plane, the dimension of the gods!" "That's new," Ranma noted sarcastically, hiding his revulsion of the monster. "Who would've thought that there're some guys who want to leave the Kami Plane, and guys who want to get in it?" "I'll return home more than a god!" proclaimed the corpse-turned monster. "Now that the bulk of the kami have weakened due to humanity's influence on this Earth, I'll be the GOD OF GODS!!" "Hey, we beat up the Orochi!" Ranma pointed out. "If we can beat up the most powerful kami left, what makes you any special?" Both he and Mousse launched a flurry of punches and kicks. Hebereke's foul lips curved into a smile, and stared hunched down at Ranma. "Any and all energy you exert now will only serve to feed me!" The creature chuckled to himself as it seemed to not notice the attacks made by the martial artists. "I consume the energy of the masses, fool! The worship of the Saint Hebereke, the feelings present in this very room fuel me!" The monster raised a heavy claw, and smashed it downward, over the heads of Ranma and Mousse. Shampoo paused around the corner as shots whizzed through the air where she once was. Taking several shallow breaths she remained tense, listening for the footfalls of the paladin. The Chinese Amazon succeeded in leading Spencer from the church grounds and out into the streets, where she hoped the shadows of the night, as well as the unfamiliar grounds, would allow her to catch the paladin by surprise. Yet, a small part of her kept reminding her how stupid a plan it was, and how much of a plan it really was.... One step. Two steps. Click! Spencer was probably reloading his pistol. She tightened her grip on both her bonbori, revealing them from their hiding place. Three steps, four... five... si.... Five steps, and no shadow. There's no way I could've underestimated, Shampoo thought. And by reflex she leaped back out into the street as shots rang from above. Spencer stood atop the wall, over where Shampoo was once standing. "That's pretty good!" Shampoo jumped up in the air, deflecting bullet shots with her bonbori during ascent. Her descending arc put her in direct collision with Spencer, who was busy reloading his pistol again. She dived in with her left bonbori forward. But the paladin was quite aware of his surroundings, and jumped backward on the wall, escaping Shampoo's crushing attack. Having finished his reloading, Spencer pointed the gun at the Chinese Amazon and squeezed off several more shots. Shampoo lifted her right bonbori up to protect her in her moment of vulnerability, but after the third shot the metal ball head cracked and shattered. She quickly raised her remaining weapon to deflect more shots, until she heard the telltale 'click' of the trigger. "Never rely on projectile weapon!" Shampoo yelled, rushing with bonbori first. "Never leave without a backup!" Spencer shouted back, throwing the spent pistol away. He withdrew a second pistol that was tucked in his waist, and fired. But Shampoo kept on coming, even as her remaining bonbori shattered from the shot. She howled out in pain, but was too intent on her enemy to be bothered by any minor wounds. Both the paladin and the Chinese Amazon tumbled from the wall into the alley, locked in death grips. The second pistol of Spencer's was sent flying into the air, but it hardly mattered to the two brawlers where it landed. Showing surprising strength, Spencer slammed Shampoo into the wall, grabbing her by the shirt. Shampoo screamed in pain, realizing that the wound she took was a bit more serious than she thought. "Not so cocky now, are you?!" the paladin said, seething with anger. He slammed the girl against the wall once more, with more force. "I'll teach you to get in our way!" Shampoo spat in the paladin's face. "False one!" The paladin snarled, overcome by bloodlust. "You heretic!" he cried, rolling a knife from up his sleeve, "The saint delights on your sacrifice!" BLAM!! For a moment, Shampoo wondered if she was still alive. Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at the paladin's monstrous expression, locked forever. His death grip released, and the knife clattered to the alley street, the paladin following soon thereafter. And it was only then she realized she was breathing hard. "Oh my, how violent." Shampoo's eyes turned to her right, where, at the end of the alley, stood Kasumi Tendo, eldest of the three Tendo sisters. She supported up the fanatical priestess, Shizuka, from the right, as Shizuka's right arm was draped around Kasumi's neck. The priestess herself stood limply, a knife stuck in her left shoulder. Despite that, it was her left arm holding the smoking shotgun. "'...fight honorably,'" the priestess said in a seemingly drunken stupor, "'like you always should....'" The Chinese Amazon raised an eyebrow. "What you do? Get yourself drunk?" "I think the knife may have had some alcohol on it before getting stuck in her arm," Kasumi replied, in her usual blank look. "Saint Hebereke knife?" Shampoo guessed, stepping over the body of the paladin. "What's happening?" She felt a hand grip her leg. "Don't... goooo...." Staring back down at Spencer, she said, "Still alive?!" "Don't... leave... me," begged the dying paladin. "The saint abandoned me...." "And no wonder," Shampoo replied smartly, bending down to pick up the pathetic man. "Wait..." protested Shizuka. "I've gotta go back...." Shampoo's eyes narrowed, carrying the paladin over her shoulders. "You need help as much as paladin." "I'm going back!" the priestess insisted, removing her arm from around Kasumi's neck. She stood up straight, but apparently too fast, for the priestess fell flat on her face soon thereafter. As Shampoo shook her head, Kasumi turned to greet the newcomer. "Why, hello, Akane!" Huffing and puffing, with a bundle of two sheathed swords in her arms, Akane's eyes went wide when she saw her sister. "Kasumi!" "Where are you going?" demanded Shampoo. "Shampoo!" Akane greeted. She stared down at the collapsed Shizuka. "Uh... Shizuka...." "I'm going back...." she mumbled to the ground. "That's perfect!" exclaimed Kasumi. "I'm sure you're going to go help Ranma, right? You can take Shizuka with you." "Hey!" Shampoo protested. "Why not I go and she take Spencer to hospital?!" "Because you're already carrying him?" Akane pointed out. "Besides, you're going to watch Kasumi, right?" "That would be nice," agreed the elder sister. The priestess raised her head from the ground. "You be goooooddd...." "Shizuka...?" Akane whispered. "'Ranma and Ukyo, sittin' in a tree,'" she blurted out, trying to form a song. "'Dee why eye en....'" Slinging the straps of the swords over her shoulder, Akane bent over to help the priestess to her feet. "The least you could do is stay 'normal' like you were when split...." Ranma continued to pummel the red giant on the back as Mousse tried in vain to slice off its right thumb with a saber saw. Hebereke regarded the two martial artists with amusement, barely registering pain to the two insects. "More energy you expend," the demon said, "the more that fuels my gate!" "Dangit, won't you just PRETEND to get hurt?!" complained Ranma, rubbing his sore fists. Mousse threw the saber saw away as its edge dulled flat. "I give up," he declared. "No, no!" Hebereke boomed. "Keep fighting!" Raising his huge right fist, the demon threw Mousse at the opposite wall. Ranma jumped off its back just before Hebereke slammed his back against a stone column. The Chinese martial artist hardly bothered to get up. "Go 'way, Mom... I'm too tired to kill...." Ranma regarded Mousse with scorn as he landed in the benches. "C'mon, Mousse! Get up! We've got to beat this thing!" "With what?!" Mousse cried back. "None of our attacks work on it! We don't HAVE any Magical +3 Swords of Manliness!" He dumped his gift pair of magic claws out in front of him. "Not even these are strong enough to even SCRATCH the guy!" "JOSEPH!!" All eyes turned to the source of the new voice. Senryu Amakusa, draped in a dirty robe, leaned next to the altar. His youthful face was marred with dirt and grime, and appeared someone older than before. "Amakusa...." rumbled Hebereke. "You escaped...." "Magic weapons," the founder said, "may not be in abundance these days... but...." He fumbled with the folds of his robes. "Here's a present from the blue dragon!!" Ranma's jaw dropped in surprise as he recognized the dart Amakusa threw. "A dragon earring?!" The red giant hardly flinched as the earring, its pointed shaft end first, buried itself into the demon's thick hide. "That bit," the demon said simply. "What did THAT do?!" Ranma shouted at Amakusa. "Damn, it's not enough!" cursed the founder. Hebereke seemed to tremble a moment, as his eys began to water up. He tried to pinch the earring out from his hide, but it was too small to grasp with his great claws. "Poison," Mousse muttered. "That's poison!" "And it's not nearly enough!" Amakusa added. "The poison must've evaporated over time!" "What, it's got a concealed injector?!" Ranma realized. The red demon stomped once in the direction of Amakusa. "You'll die, for trying to exterminate me, worm!" "Deceiver of the masses!" accused the founder. "I wish you never saved me thirty years ago!" "With a heart such as yours I can open the gate home in no time!" Hebereke roared in anger. "Ranma!" Akane cried. "Akane!" he yelled back, glancing over at his wife who stood at the open double doors. The wounded Shizuka, with the knife removed from her shoulder, sat against the frame, a pair of sheathed swords cradled in her arms, her head down. She mumbled something Ranma could not make out as he rushed before Akane. Slowly, behind them, Hebereke stomped over the benches toward the altar, and the vulnerable Amakusa. "Akane," Ranma began, taking deep breaths, "give me the dragon earring!" "W... why?!" she asked, producing it from her pocket. "Thanks!" he cried, snatching the earring from her hand. Immediately, he rocketed toward the red giant. "Ranma!" Akane cried. "What're you doing?!" "Here's more from the dragon!" Ranma shouted, throwing the earring with all his might. Dazed as he was, Hebereke barely caught sight of the earring projectile before it buried itself in his arm. "What's this?!" the demon cried out in disbelief. "ANOTHER one?!" "Poison fit for gods," Amakusa declared, "hidden for so long in ancient Chinese assassin tools." The proportions of the demon began to shrink and disproportionalize. "N... no! I can't die now! I've got to return...." "You'll return home, all right," Ranma said, "but dead." He turned his eyes away from the melting demon and headed back toward Akane. "The earrings were always assassination tools...." Mousse got up to his feet. "Strong enough for the gods.... Heck, it's a god's poison." Ranma turned his head back to Amakusa, who was stepping down from the altar. "How'd you get that earring?!" "I found it on the beach," the founder explained. "Found it along with Nagi, after your battle, from what I gathered. I took the time to research such a curious piece, so I saved it just in case." He smirked. "It sure did bring good luck." "Eh, I'll get 'em later, after the body finishes dissolving," the martial artist decided. "I've no need for poison, but...." "Very good job, Ranma, Akane," a new voice said. All eyes watched the hooded apprentice appear from the shadows beyond the double doors. "Where've you been?" demanded Ranma. "It wasn't my place to fight," the girl answered. "It was, however, my goal to bring down the demon with the aid of the god poison." "You knew?!" Akane gasped in surprise. The apprentice pointed to Shizuka on the floor. "The swords were only a diversion. I knew Ranma gave you the earring, so we needed you here as well. Had Shizu been able to wield them... well...." "I thought she wasn't a martial artist," Ranma pointed out. "Not in that sense, no," admitted the hooded girl. "But she is training." "Who are you?" asked Amakusa. "The question is, who are YOU?" countered the apprentice. "Huh?" Ranma drew a blank stare. Amakusa laughed at Ranma. "Did you truly believe my name really was 'Amakusa?'" "Of course not," Mousse said. "You named yourself after the supposed revolutionary leader back in the Tokugawa Era." "Funny that HE knows that," the apprentice muttered. "'Course he know...." Shizuka moaned suddenly, startling the others. "You're Ranma... you're Akane... you're Ukyo... all big one happy family...." "My name is really Senryu Nishimura," Amakusa revealed. "Rather plain, but...." He turned to look around the hall. "Well, maybe dropping 'Amakusa' might be healthy for a while." "And you," Ranma said, pointing a finger at the hooded girl. "You're Ukyo, aren't you?" Akane voiced. If either could see an expression under the hood, Ranma and Akane imagined it to be perplexion. "What are you talking about?!" "Shouldn't she be dead?" Nishimura asked. He looked over to Mousse, who nodded. "Ranma," the Chinese martial artist said, "are you feeling all right?" Ignoring Mousse, the young Saotome pressed further. "Ever since you've gotten here you've known each and every thing about us and our relationship, stuff that nobody should know outside of town! And Shizuka said you only appeared recently, at a time a little after Ukyo 'died.'" "That doesn't mean a thing," she scoffed. "Ranma's got a point," Akane said in support. "You DO seem to know too much." She pointed to Shizuka. "Also, she's called you 'Ukyo' by name the entire trip here!" "She's got alcohol in her system," the apprentice explained away. "Shizu doesn't know what she's talking about." "And yet," persisted the martial artist, "you've always been there, hiding, planning everything, just like Ukyo would." The hooded girl gave a startled gasp of surprise when Ranma grabbed both ends of her hood. Metal flashed quickly, but the martial artist was quick enough to stop her. Akane gasped when she saw what the girl held. "That's a spatula!" Ranma smirked, forcing the girl to release her grip on the metal spatula. "It's over." He threw off the hood. "You know," Chika said, turning her head away from the monitor, "if we released this to theaters, do you think we'd get a good amount of cash?" Kodachi, standing above the media specialist, hardly gave the thought consideration. "Waste of time. Hardly exciting at all." "The real show's out there," the other girl pointed out, jabbing a thumb out the door. "Shit sticks!" they heard Ayame curse, followed by the slamming of a control pad on Shion's head. "Hey!" Shion protested. "You're paying for it if you break it!" "Then stop cheating!" "I'm NOT cheating! I didn't even use Great Mazinger!" "I doubt it," Kodachi decided. "Perhaps we should resume our search for Brother-dear." The girl revealed under the hood forced Ranma to step back in surprise. Her face was nothing like Ukyo's, appearing somewhat more innocent in expression. Her dark hair was worn short, with no bow in it at all. "Eh?!" Akane gasped. "Who...?" "I'm Hokuto Takemasa," the girl introduced herself. Mousse slapped Ranma in the back. "See! What'd I tell you?" "Y...you're not Ukyo...." Ranma stuttered. "The next best thing," Shizuka rambled. "Ranma Saotome," Hokuto declared, "you're the one that's making my life miserable." "Ranma!" Akane shouted in warning, but Ranma hardly heard her. "Ho-boy, here it comes," the martial artist said, shaking his head. "I didn't know it until today, but you're the one that's been gravitating my life," continued the apprentice. "In fact, you're the gravity of the lives of those around you." "Say what?" "Everything that's transpired, from the gathering and separation of your friends and enemies, to the pain and hardships you all suffered, are all caused by you." Ranma laughed. "That's the newest one I've heard!" For a moment, he almost thought Akane was trying to say something to him. The world around the martial artist seemed to fade to blackness. He tried his best to stomp out his momentary fright as he realized that the only one left was Hokuto herself. "Think about it," she said. "It was you that drew together those such as Tatewaki Kuno, then his sister, Shampoo, then Mousse, Ryoga, Ukyo... all of them and more, together in one town. All centered around you." "And it was also you that made you, and them, stronger. Your desire to become better was tempered by the desire for stronger opponents. That introduced old Cologne to Ryoga, who indeed became stronger. And then Mousse and Tatewaki became stronger as well. The girls couldn't stop chasing you because you wanted them to chase you as well." "That's silly!" Ranma yelled. "I never asked any of them to fight or marry me! They could just leave me alone if they wanted to; I had nothing to do with it!" "And yet you were tempted by all of them in one form or another," Hokuto continued. "You had ample time and opportunity to rid yourself of these 'nuisances,' but found you could not; you cling to the familiar and sense of 'family.' No, that was why you couldn't tell Ukyo the truth that you didn't love her. That's why you couldn't help Tatewaki see the truth of your curse. That's why Mousse always sees you as a threat to him. All that and more." "But now, they're all gravitating away from you, and it scares you. It is a change you're consciously unwilling to undergo, yet unconsciously you want this to be. It's this type of conflict that binds me to your life, and tethers the others to you at all times." "That can't be right," Ranma countered, "I got Ryoga and Akari together, and they're living happily ever after. They're out and gone." "Because that is what you truly wished for your old friend." "But Ukyo died... I didn't wish this!" "You did, because you knew she cared too much about her honor to allow her to live. You made her die." "No way! Even then... Kuno and his Phoenix...." "You pitied your opponent, and wished him to attain the level you occupy. But, now that he's there, you wish for him to... disappear." "Mousse!" "He saw his hollow love for Shampoo because you felt pity for him as well. Part of you wants to give him the fight he's dreamed of, yet the other wants him back in China." "Shampoo!" "You want her to go home, but you can't bear for her to leave, which is why she's still here instead of home to fight a war." "Kodachi!" "She's found a new occupation for her time now that the idea of being somehow related to her is revolting, even if it is through a distant cousin as Taro. You got rid of him for that reason." "So what am I? God?" "No, but you may as well be Fate to them." "Then what does that make you?" Hokuto sighed, taking a deep breath. "I'm that which connects the gravity...." "I don't play in riddles!" shouted Ranma. "Who are you?!" "Fifteen-hundred years ago a girl from Japan traveled to China against her will. She was taken as a slave concubine to be an exotic gift for a Chinese warlord. On the way there they encountered a valley filled with many springs. It was there that girl made her escape, but it was too late when she discovered the true nature of the place." "Jusenkyo," Ranma guessed. "She fell into one of the springs, and thereafter it was cursed to become the Spring of the Drowned Girl. However, she was recovered and revived by the wardens, and she eventually returned to Japan. The girl that drowned at the spring was my ancestor." "Go figure," he muttered. "It was not until after the Jusenkyo spring claimed its first victim that its deadlier curse was realized," continued the girl. "Undocumented and unprecedented in Jusenkyo history was a fate-link-- a destiny bond between the cursed and the template. It was because my ancestor, the template, was no ordinary girl, as she possessed an unusual power." "That's swell; I know where this is going." "A strong spiritual link between my ancestor and the cursed allowed the cursed to exert an unconscious degree of control over fate, but the worst came at the expense of my ancestor. She suffered a psychic backlash on her very being by the cursed-- memories and thoughts that were not her own. Ever since then, whenever someone fell into the Spring of Drowned Girl, a female member of my family suffered the fate-link. There have been many that have been cursed by that very spring, but I'm certain now that you're the one." "I'm linked... to you?!" Ranma exclaimed in disbelief. "That's crazy!" "The evidence is irrefutable!" Hokuto yelled angrily. "Don't you see? I'm being overwritten by your thoughts and perceptions of Ukyo Kuonji!" "Why would that be, of all people?!" "Because you killed her off! Because you're feeling so bad about killing her that it's bleeding across the fate-link and into me!" She threw open her robe, revealing a familiar outfit beneath: a bandoleer of spatula-darts. "I don't even know WHY I have this! Not to mention I've suddenly become a good cook and started getting memories that don't belong to me! And although I wanted to try to discipline myself, you ALSO sent me to the Shrine of the Four Gods, because you remembered Ukyo had done so as well!" "I'm willing to bet you qualify for the Guardian of Seiryu, too," Ranma guessed, "because that's how Ukyo turned out in her future." "Except I don't think I'll be ME long enough to appreciate it!" Hokuto replied angrily. "I'm LOSING because of you, dammit, and I don't even curse like that!!" "Because of my desire to restore Ukyo to life," Ranma said, "I'm killing someone else...." He nodded with firm resolve. "I'll stop now." "Do you really think it's THAT simple?!" the girl screamed. "No matter how CONSCIOUSLY you wish for it to happen, UNCONSCIOUSLY you'll NEVER let go of Ukyo! That's human nature. The only way to end this fate- link is to remove your curse." "Remove the curse?! That's never been even close to happening before!" "Plenty of times! You could've been cured, and I spared of this misery, had you truly WISHED to be liberated of your curse!" "What're you sayin'?! I HATE turning into a girl!" "A small part of you... no, perhaps bigger, desires to know the life of a girl. I know this because of our fate-link. Somewhere, somehow, you ENJOY it. You enjoy the thrill it gives you and the edge it gives you over others. That's why Tatewaki could not give you the wish with his Wishbringer; that's why Happosai drank the barrel of water from the Spring of Drowned Man. That's why the Japanese spring was dried-up. Each and every chance of liberation was eliminated because you WANT to keep it." "Not only that," she added, "but you're also the one who keeps the others from being cured as well. If you can't get cured, nobody else will." "But Herb's cured!" Ranma pointed out. "That's because he, too, held a fate-link, and he also possessed the gravity-- enough gravity to counteract your own. My mother has been freed from her torment in this manner." "So we can just find his way...." "You have to WANT to get cured, total and complete!" "But I...." "You continue to cling to your girl form! Until you stop I'm going to die." Hokuto's image began to fade away. "Maybe then, you'll appreciate the friends you had... when they were your friends," she said bitterly. "But now... now, enjoy your fate. Enjoy it while it lasts, for when I die... the gravity will disappear forever, and it'll be too late to save anyone." Ranma shook himself out of his trance, but found he was no longer at the church. He sat up in bed, realizing he was back at home-- how, he had no idea. He glanced over at Akane's bed, which lay unoccupied, then at the clock-- only two hours had passed since the battle, Ranma guessed. Akane was likely downstairs... Mousse was probably already getting ready to kill him. Shizuka was likely still drunk. And Ranma was alone. "What the hell does it all mean?" the martial artist wondered aloud. Kodachi leaped down the stairs as soon as she saw Tatewaki enter the front door of the Kuno estate, bursting with energy. He still clung to the sword he used to make the finishing blow to Nagi Tachibana, former Orochi assassin, and his face appeared tired and weary. "Where have you been?!" she demanded, imitating the voice of her mother. "I have done soul searching," the elder replied slowly. "Much thought, as to my existence, my way of life, and what is left of it." "And...?" Kodachi hardly liked what she thought was coming. "I shall be leaving for America to pursue my studies," he announced, dropping the bomb. Now was not the time for weakness. "What gave you that idea?" Kodachi asked, trying to keep her voice even. She wanted to say, "Please stay!" but knew it sounded silly. He had to choose his own path, just as he allowed Kodachi to choose her path. "The distractions brought about by living here in Japan have diverted me from what is truly important... life," Tatewaki said. "In this realm of violence one cannot help but become a part of it, as I have. So come the weekend, I shall depart over the seas." "When will you be back?" the younger asked, avoiding any sticky questions. "Three or four years, perhaps." Tatewaki shrugged. "But I assure you, 'tis for the best." "What?" Shampoo exclaimed in surprise. Mousse nodded, as did Ling-ling behind him. "When I came by here to get my weapons I found her here." Shampoo sat back in her seat, in the room allocated to her while working at Dr. Tofu's office. Mousse and Ling-ling stood by the door, their backs against the wall, appearing relaxed-- but only in appearance. "The old one," Ling-ling said, "has decided that, since the battle fares against us, that you two be recalled immediately to join the fight." "This is what I've been waiting for!" Shampoo declared happily. "The old kook's finally cracked," Mousse said in agreement. "We should leave immediately, before anything else happens to our people." Shampoo's eyes narrowed in suspicion, knowing the man wished harm on herself and Ranma. "You seem changed from before." "And with good reason," the Master of Hidden Weapons replied. "How can I be sure you won't try to kill me first, hmm?" Cologne's great-granddaughter folded her arms, waiting for a satisfactory answer. "Because the war consumed my father," he answered, "and now, it too claimed my mother." He produced one of the magic claws from his sleeves. "I'll make them pay for that... with blood!" * * * * * Mousse (VO): "Just when you thought it was over someone turns around and comes back to get you. It's not over by a long shot as one of your old foes makes a comeback in a way you never imagined!" "Next time: Burning Eyes. Ranma, I'll kill you!" ------------------------------------------------ Author's Notes I purposefully arranged for the names Ayame and Chika to mesh together after the singing duo 'Aya and Chika from D&D' who sang the Power Stone anime's opening ("Rise in My Heart") and closing ("Waitin' For Heaven"). Actually, I had Chika named first, and I adjusted Ayame's name to fit. Razorclaw X (spiceoflife@NOREPLYhotmail.com) http://www.crosswinds.net/~slythe/ranma/ranff.html