Last major revision: 10/08/98
Last modified: 02/10/99

Here is the revised (and hopefully final) version of Part 4.  Many
thanks for all the useful comments I've received.

As always, any C&C greatly appreciated!   ^_^

---------------------------------
TIGER CLAW
Part 4: VISITATIONS
---------------------------------

A Ranma 1/2 fanfic by Madamhydra@aol.com

---------------
Disclaimer
    All rights and privileges to Ranma 1/2 belong to Rumiko Takahashi,
Shogakukan, Viz Communications, Inc., and associated parties.  The
characters of her series are used without her permission for the purpose
of entertainment only.  This work of fiction is not meant for sale or
profit. 
    All original characters are the creation of the author.  All
copyright privileges to these characters are reserved for the author.  

---------------
IMPORTANT NOTE:  
    This is a continuation/ALTERNATE REALITY fanfic.  While the story
follows the manga (and video) continuity to just after Mount Phoenix
(volume 38), the subsequent wedding ceremony (and the related bombing by
Shampoo and Ukyo) does NOT occur.  In this story, a different incident
involving the planned wedding took place.
    Only a limited number of the main characters have actually SEEN the
Neko-ken (the Tendos, Genma, Shampoo, Cologne, Gosunkugi or Sasuke, and
Kuno), although others may have heard rumors about it.
                
---------------
Text Conventions
    (   )  -> thoughts
    >   <  -> sound fx
    <" ">  -> Chinese
    Curse forms are denoted by appropriate suffixes (-chan, -neko,
-panda, etc.) except for Ryoga (P-chan) and Mousse (Muu-Muu).

**********************************************************************
Part 4a:  THE FAMILY BUSINESS
**********************************************************************

    Ukyo Kuonji woke up and instantly regretted it.  She ached -- no,
HURT -- all over.  As she was trying to figure out what the hell was
going on, a young woman walked in, carrying a tray.

    "Hello, Ms. Kuonji.  How are you feeling this morning?"  The woman
was in her mid-twenties.  She was of medium height and looked quite
athletic, but she was more striking than pretty.  Her hair -- black with
the occasional reddish brown highlights -- was cut short in a functional
pageboy style.

    "Who... who are you?"
    
    "My name's Yuri."  The woman placed her hand on Ukyo's forehead. 
"Good, you're not running a fever." 
    
    The chef had vague, painful memories of getting prodded, poked, and
bandaged.  She tried to sit up and couldn't suppress a yelp of pain. 
Yuri gently but firmly pushed her back down onto the futon.

    "You shouldn't be moving.  Here, drink this."  She offered Ukyo a
glass of water and a straw.

    After taking a few sips and catching her breath, Ukyo said, "How
bad...?"
    
    "Well, you've probably cracked a couple of ribs.  On top of that,
you've got a nasty set of cuts on your right side, maybe a slight
concussion, and a lot of minor bruises and abrasions."

    Ukyo ran her hand along the tightly wrapped bandages on her torso. 
"You really seem to know what you're doing."

    "Thanks.  Some of those slashes were pretty deep.  I had to put in a
few stitches.  Fortunately, my needlework is pretty good.  As long as
they don't get infected, you shouldn't have any major scars."  

    "If they were that bad... why didn't you take me to the hospital?"
    
    Yuri gave Ukyo an odd look, then said abruptly, "Do you know what
day this is?"

    Ukyo frowned.  "If I haven't slept through an entire day, it's
Sunday."
    
    "And how many fingers am I holding up?"
    
    "Three.  What's going on!?"
    
    Yuri frowned and peered closely at Ukyo's eyes.  "And you don't
remember?  I didn't think you hit your head THAT hard."

    "Remember what?"
    
    "You don't remember making a big fuss about going to the hospital?"
    
    "I did?"  Ukyo was getting more and more confused.
    
    "Yes.  You were amazingly stubborn about it."  Yuri gave her patient
a dubious look.  "Listen, if you're having memory problems, I should
probably take you to the emergency room right now."

    Ukyo's thoughts drifted back to the night before.  She suddenly
flinched as she remembered what happened.

    "The cat monster!  The one that attacked me!  What happened to it?"

    "I managed to drive it away. I didn't get a chance to finish it off,
though."

    Ukyo gave her a wary look.  "How did you manage to show up just in
the nick of time?" 
    
    Yuri sighed.  "You may not believe me but I have a certain... knack
for being in the right place at the right time."  She shrugged.  "What
can I say?  It's a gift... or a curse, depending on how you look at it. 
I was walking nearby when I heard a disturbance inside your restaurant. 
My curiosity usually manages to get the better of me so I decided to
investigate.  When I took a look inside, that monster was about to rip
your guts out.  I couldn't just leave you there.  By the way, you don't
have a back door anymore.  I think that's how the creature got into your
place."

    "You... don't seem at all shocked."
    
    The young woman smiled ruefully.  "Actually, I'm not.  I've had a
fair bit of experience with weird creatures.  Dealing with supernatural
threats is...."  She paused as a flicker of sadness crossed her face. 
"I should say... WAS a family tradition."  

    "Was?  Wha... what happened?"  The question slipped out before Ukyo
could stop herself.

    "It's what usually happens when people mess around with the occult
for too long.  The Funada clan has a sworn duty to hunt and destroy evil
-- you know, monsters, demons, ghosts, that sort of thing. 
Unfortunately, my family had a tendency to be somewhat... overzealous...
in their activities.  They made a lot of enemies over the generations. 
The consequences of their actions finally caught up with them."  She
made a sharp, expressive slashing gesture across her throat.

    "But it sounds like you haven't given up... the family business."

    Yuri sank down on a chair and stared down at her hands.  "No, I
haven't.  For one thing, it's the only business I really know."  She
heaved a great sigh.  "And second, there are a few matters of honor
still outstanding.... debts that have to be settled."

    Ukyo winced.  "Believe me, I'm all too well acquainted with the
demands of honor."

    Yuri shook off her momentary sadness and resumed her nonchalant
mood.  "So you see, I was somewhat surprised to encounter a cat monster
roaming around your restaurant, but it wasn't a terrible shock."  She
gave Ukyo a curious look.  "I must say that YOU seem to be taking all of
this pretty well yourself.  Most people would be in screaming hysterics
or acute denial right now."

    "Well, I've run into some pretty strange stuff myself since I've
been in Nerima.  And considering what happened to me yesterday
morning...."  Ukyo looked away for a moment.
    
    When it became clear that Ukyo was not about to discuss that
particular topic any further, Yuri said, "That's not entirely
unexpected.  In certain circles, the Nerima district's developed quite a
reputation for weirdness in the last couple of years."

    The chef muttered, "Why doesn't that surprise me?"  She hesitated a
bit, then said, "So, how did you figure out my name?"
    
    Yuri grinned at the slightly suspicious tone in Ukyo's voice. 
"Maybe because I read the restaurant sign?  Or took a quick look at your
mail?"  She held up a couple of letters with Ukyo's name clearly
visible.  "It seemed a reasonable guess."

    "Oh."  Looking somewhat embarrassed, the chef shifted restlessly,
then uttered a sudden, "Owww!"
    
    Yuri immediately got up and reexamined her patient.  "You need to
stay still.  I'm pretty sure that those ribs are only cracked but you're
only going to make things worse by moving around so much.  I'll get you
something for the pain so you can go back to sleep."
    
    As Yuri turned to leave, Ukyo said thoughtfully, "So I didn't want
to go to the hospital...."

    "That's right.  You made a real big deal about keeping the whole
incident quiet.  It's a pretty understandable sort of reaction.  Most
people don't want the whole world to know they've had a close encounter
with the supernatural."  Yuri picked up the tray.  "You also kept
mumbling about this 'Ranma' person...."

    Ukyo's face went stark white.  In a flat voice, she said, "I did?"

    Yuri nodded solemnly.  "But I couldn't tell whether you were scared
FOR him or OF him."  

    She stepped out of the room, but before she could shut the door,
Ukyo called out, "Yuri, have you ever heard about something called the
Neko-ken?"
    
    She stuck her head back through the doorway.  "The 'Neko-ken'?" 
Yuri frowned thoughtfully.  "The 'cat-fist'?"  She thought a moment,
then shook her head.  "No, can't say that I have.  Why do you ask?  Does
it have something to do with that cat monster that attacked you?"

    "No!  No, it's...it's nothing...."  

    Yuri didn't seem particularly convinced by Ukyo's feeble protests,
but she simply shrugged and left the chef staring blankly at her bedroom
ceiling, lost in thought.

**********************************************************************
Part 4b:  FORESHADOWINGS  
**********************************************************************

    Ranma yawned, then stretched long and hard before opening his eyes. 
He stared at the ceiling in lazy contentment as he basked in the warm
sunlight pouring through the open window.  
    
    (Mmmmmmmm......  A good night's sleep.  No interruptions.  No
nightmares.  It's a minor miracle.  Maybe my luck's finally changed?)

    He frowned at the odd noise in the room.  It certainly didn't sound
like the raucous snore of his father.  It was definitely a snore but it
somehow sounded... daintier?

    Ranma turned his head slightly.  His eyes widened in surprise as he
saw Akane sitting on his father's futon, sound asleep.  Her mouth gaped
open and her head was canted at an awkward angle.

    (She's gonna hurt herself sleeping like that.)

    He rolled over on his side to get a better look.  He couldn't help
thinking that she looked absolutely adorable, even with that little bit
of drool coming from her mouth.  

    (Aw, man.  I gotta be in love.)  

    He suddenly blinked, taken aback by the thought that had popped so
easily and so naturally into his head.  A bit rattled, he sat up and
crawled over to her.  In a soft voice, he said, "Akane?  Hey, Akane?"

    She continued to snore softly.  
    
    He reached out and gently shook her shoulder as he repeated her
name.

    Akane instinctively responded to the sound of a male voice where no
male had any business being.  Still half asleep, she swung her fist,
hard.  However, this time Ranma casually moved his head a bit to the
side, letting Akane's punch whiff harmlessly past his ear.  The force of
her swing pulled her off balance and sent Akane toppling over.  She
awoke to find herself sprawled face down on Ranma's lap.  For a dazed
moment, she didn't react, then she suddenly made a hasty attempt to get
up. 

    "What the... what am I...?"  She jerked her head up a bit too
quickly and felt a stab of agonizing pain as her neck muscles cramped.  

    "OW! Ow! Ow!"

    "Akane?  What's wrong!?"  When he saw her clutching at her neck,
Ranma immediately recognized the problem.  "Oh, good grief.  Let me do
it."  

    She felt her fingers being firmly nudged aside as a pair of warm,
callused hands gently began to knead her neck and shoulders.  As the
muscles loosened and the pain gradually faded away, Akane couldn't keep
herself from relaxing and going limp.  It felt so GOOD....  She wanted
to whine in protest when the wonderfully soothing massage stopped.

    "Uh, Akane?"
    
    She blinked, then abruptly remembered just where she was.  She
quickly scooted off Ranma's lap and stared at the floor, her face
flaming red with embarrassment.

    "Your neck feeling better now?"
    
    "Uh, yes.  T-t-thanks a lot."  She gave him a skittish, sideways
look.  Aside from a slightly concerned expression on his face, Ranma
appeared to be quite calm and relaxed.  It was if he had forgotten all
about the worries and anxieties of the previous day.

    "How did you....?"
    
    He shrugged nonchalantly.  "Come on, Akane.  We've all handled
muscle cramps before."

    "Oh... right."  She was beginning to think that her blush would
never go away.

    "Uh, what were you doing in my room, anyway?"
    
    (Oh boy.  He would have to ask that!)  Akane looked away and mumbled
something under her breath.  Her words should have been quite inaudible,
but Ranma somehow managed to decipher their meaning.  

    "You were worried about me?"  He gave her a surprised stare.

    "Well, um...."  When in doubt, attack.  "Yes, I was!  I couldn't get
any sleep so I came in to keep an eye on you, okay?  Are you happy
now!?"  Akane folded her arms and glared at him belligerently, daring
him to say anything.  Naturally, Ranma couldn't resist.

    "Oh, Akane."  He looked down and uttered a soft chuckle.
    
    "What's so funny!?" she snarled furiously.
    
    He glanced up at her.  The faint grin on his face made Akane clench
her fists.  Before she could pummel him into the floor, he quickly put
his hands over hers and said, "No, no!  I wasn't laughing at you! 
Really!  Thanks for the concern."

    Akane gaped in blank astonishment.  He wasn't making fun of her?  He
wasn't pulling his macho 'don't worry about me' act?  She yanked a hand
free and pinched herself -- hard.
    
    "Akane?  What are you doing?"  He looked rather bewildered.
    
    She muttered, "I'm not dreaming...."
    
    "Huh?"  Ranma looked even more confused.  
    
    "Nothing!  It's nothing!"  
    
    "Okay, if you say so...."  He cocked his head slightly and grimaced.
 "I think I just heard your Father's voice.  And someone's coming
upstairs."
    
    She hadn't heard a thing herself but she scrambled to her feet
anyway.  "Oh no!  I've got to get back to my bedroom!  If he finds out
I've spent the entire night in here...."

    Ranma winced and quickly stood up also.
    
    Any hopes of concealment were instantly dashed as soon as Akane
opened the door.  When they saw Soun, Nabiki, and Kasumi standing just
outside Ranma's room, both he and Akane started to chatter at once.

    "It's not what you think...."
    "I was just visiting...."
    "She was only in here for a moment...."
    "Nothing happened...."
    "Don't blow this all out of...."
    "It's no big deal...."
    
    They continued for nearly a minute until the tense, anxious
expressions on the other Tendos' faces finally registered.  Even Kasumi
looked badly worried.  Ranma felt a chill enter his soul as the warm,
fuzzy pleasure from his morning's interlude with Akane abruptly
evaporated.

    In a quiet voice, he said, "What's wrong?"

    Soun coughed uneasily.  "Son...."  He then gave Nabiki a helpless
look.  
    
    She uttered an exasperated sigh.  "Ranma, during the thunderstorm
last night, a lightning strike apparently set your mother's home on
fire.  It burned to the ground."

    Akane's horrified gasp was covered by Ranma's shout of "WHAT!?"  She
could see his body tense as the memories and fears of yesterday come
flooding back into his mind.
    
    Nabiki held up her hands.  "They're both alive.  Hurt, but alive."

    He snapped, "Where have I heard THAT before?"  
    
    She shook her head.  "No surprises, Ranma.  Dr. Tofu said your
mother's suffering from severe smoke inhalation.  Your father has a few
second and third degree burns.  But neither of them have anything truly
life-threatening."

    He took a deep breath and held it, then he quietly asked, "When did
it happen?  And why wasn't I told earlier?"

    "I don't know.  Maybe it just didn't occur to anybody at the
hospital.  Dr. Tofu called us as soon as he found out."  Fortunately,
Nabiki had been the one to answer the phone.

    Ranma turned his back to the Tendos and retreated into his room.  As
he stared blankly out the window, they could see his right hand clench
slowly into a fist.

    Soun muttered, "Nabiki, don't forget to remind Ranma about... you
know."
    
    In a dismissive voice, she answered, "Sure, Daddy.  I'll remind him
about the appointment with Dr. Tofu."

    With all the unpleasant tasks delegated to his daughter, Soun
hastily headed downstairs.  Kasumi trailed after him, murmuring
something vague about breakfast.

    Nabiki frowned.  Ranma's reaction to the bad news was much too
subdued for her liking.  It made her uneasy.  She had expected Ranma to
go stampeding out the front door as soon as he'd heard about his
parents.  Instead....

    She maneuvered her sister out into the hallway and softly murmured,
"By the way, Akane, just WHAT were you doing in Ranma's room?"

    "Nabiki!"

    Her older sister merely raised an inquisitive eyebrow and patiently
waited.  Akane finally sputtered, "I couldn't get to sleep so I decided
to see how Ranma was doing."
    
    "And just how long were you 'checking' on him?"  Seeing Akane's
scowl, Nabiki made a small, placating gesture.  "Just wondering."
    
    Akane watched Ranma's stiff back.  "I... most of the night."

    "And...."

    "And nothing.  Nothing happened."

    Nabiki looked more than a little skeptical.  "Indeed?"

    "I said nothing happened!  Just what on earth do you think we were
doing anyway?"

    Nabiki sighed.  "I wasn't talking about THAT.  I just wanted to know
if anything unusual happened.  For example, did he have any dreams or
nightmares?"
    
    "No, nothing like that.  All he did was sleep like a log.  In fact,
he certainly got a lot more rest than I did."
    
-----------------------------

    While Ranma appeared quite calm on the surface, his thoughts were in
a state of turmoil.  

    He thought, (A fire?)

        An inner voice murmured, / Big deal. /

    (Damn it!  It's a hell of a coincidence.  I don't like it at all.)

        / Why get so upset? /

    (Was it really an accident?  Or was it a deliberate warning?)

        / Does it even matter? /

    (Even though Mom and Pop weren't seriously hurt....)

        / Now that's damn too bad. /
        / After what they've done.... /
        / ....after what they've said.... /
        / They bloody well deserve to suffer. /

    (If this was deliberate....)

        / Wish I'd thought of it sooner.... /
        
    (Somebody's gonna pay.)

        / Oh YES.  It's definitely time for paybacks. /

-----------------------------

    Ranma suddenly turned.  "What about... Kuno and Ryoga?"  

    In the hallway, the two girls jumped at his abrupt question.  Nabiki
said, "The doctors managed to get them stabilized last night.  Dr. Tofu
says that they're no longer in any immediate danger.  But it'll probably
be a slow, hard recovery for both of them."

    He closed his eyes and relaxed in visible relief.

    "Visiting hours start at 11 AM, but Dr. Tofu wants to see you before
then."

    "You spoke to him?"  Nabiki nodded in response to Ranma's question. 
"What did you tell him?"
    
    Her gaze didn't falter one bit.  "He wanted to know what happened
yesterday morning.  I explained things the best I could over the phone,
but I'm sure he wants to see you in person.  We can go to the hospital
after breakfast."

    He looked a bit startled.  "'We'?  You're coming along, Nabiki?"
    
    "Ranma, do you have a problem with that?"  The middle Tendo daughter
gave him a hard stare.
    
    He mutely shook his head.

    "Dr. Tofu might ask some more questions -- questions that you won't
be able to answer.  I think that between me and Akane, we've pretty much
got anything covered."  

    He glanced at the clock.  It was just past eight in the morning.
    
    "Ranma, there's no reason to go dashing over there right now.  It's
still too early.  Why don't we grab something to eat before we leave? 
It's probably going to be a long day."

    He dragged his fingers through his hair and muttered, "Yeah, you're
probably right."  

    Akane headed back to her room as Ranma started to get dressed.  He
pulled on his usual black pants and shoes.  Just as he was about to pull
on his normal red shirt, a sudden impulse made him change his mind.  He
tossed it aside, then reached for a blue shirt instead.

-----------------------------

    Akane slowly brushed her hair.  Of course she was worried about
Ranma's parents, but she couldn't stop thinking about her early morning
conversation with Ranma.  

    Instead of insulting her or making some stupid remark, Ranma
actually thanked her.  What was even more unnerving was the way he said
it.  No nervousness.  No stammering.  And he sounded totally sincere.  

    (Ranma was usually so skittish about his feelings.)  Actually, she
wasn't much better herself.  But this morning, he seemed so
confident....  

    No, that wasn't right.  Ranma's confidence usually bordered on cocky
arrogance.  This was completely different.  It just seemed like he was
much more... comfortable... with what he was saying.  That was really
strange.  She would have thought that the horrible experiences of
yesterday would make him feel more uptight, not less.

    (How peculiar.)

**********************************************************************
Part 4c:  DOUBLE-DEALING
**********************************************************************

    "Double or nothing."

    There was an exasperated sigh over the cellular phone, then Dan
Xin's current employer said in a sharp female voice, "You've known all
along that you'd be crossing paths with Cologne."

    "While I don't mind dancing on the razor's edge, I certainly feel I
should be adequately rewarded for doing so.  And having that old ghoul
hanging over my shoulder all the time is starting to get on my nerves." 
Dan Xin couldn't sense Cologne's presence at the moment, but she had no
doubt that the old crone was lurking somewhere in the vicinity.

    "I've already agreed to pay you a ridiculously large sum of money."

    "So what?  As I said, I want double or you can find someone else."

    "You know that there IS no one else."

    "That's not my problem.  Pay me or you can go looking for a
replacement."

    There was a longish pause, then the employer said in a tense, chilly
voice, "Fine.  Same arrangement as before.  Half to your designated
account, half when this job is completed -- to MY satisfaction."

    Dan Xin said snidely, "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

    The woman ignored the taunt.  "Since we appear to be renegotiating
our deal, let me clearly define your job just so there's no
misunderstanding.  Your primary task is to keep Cologne occupied, but
don't forget that you -- or rather, your people -- have an additional
job to do."

    "You mean, besides playing a self-propelled target for a crabby old
woman?  I remember, I remember," said Dan Xin in dismissive tones.  "You
also want the Shadow Scroll.  Don't worry.  My team's ready.  But I wish
that you'd simply tell me where the damn thing is."

    "Because I still don't know its precise location.  The only thing
that's certain is that it's somewhere in Nerima.  I'm currently in the
process of narrowing down the location.  It is a difficult task and I
don't want your great grandmother interfering."

    "Fine.  You're the one paying."

    "Please remember that fact.  Now, I've already warned you about the
martial artists in Nerima.  As events progress, your subordinates will
probably have some run-ins with them.  You could lose some of your
people.  Do you have a problem with that?"
    
    Dan Xin shrugged carelessly.  "I don't care how skilled these
youngsters are supposed to be.  If my people can't handle some upstart
teenagers, I consider them completely expendable."

    "Very well.  Oh, and a warning."

    "What?"

    "As I pinpoint the Shadow Scroll's location, I'll have some
additional errands for you personally.  The specifics of performing the
errands will be up to you.  However, whatever you do, do not harm or
threaten Akane Tendo."

    Dan Xin snapped, "Why not?"

    "Because you'll make Saotome extremely angry.  You won't be able to
handle him in that state."

    "Who says I can't!?  Are you saying that I can't defeat a half-grown
BOY!?"

    The woman said very dryly, "That boy beat your cousin, the champion
of your former village, with ridiculous ease.  And your great
grandmother seems to have selected him as her new protegee."
    
    Dan Xin laughed contemptuously.  "Is that supposed to scare me? 
Cologne would never consider a MALE worthy of learning her most powerful
techniques."

    Her employer's voice became softly taunting, "Indeed?  But she
taught him the Hiryu Shoten Ha.  And he learned that skill in a matter
of a few short days."

    Dan Xin bared her teeth in a silent snarl.

    "Just remember what I said.  Good-bye."  Her employer abruptly hung
up.
    
    Dan Xin glared at the phone.  

    (Not able to handle him, indeed!  We'll just see about that....)

    However, the anger in Dan Xin's eyes was soon replaced by the
glitter of greed.  The money was good but cash alone wasn't enough to
lure her into a possible confrontation with Cologne.  No, what she
really wanted out of this job was the Shadow Scroll.  According to
legend, the Shadow Scroll pointed the way to a great treasure -- not of
material wealth, but of arcane power.  And if there anything Dan Xin
coveted more than money, it was pure power.

    She was content to let her employer do all the research.  But once
she got her hands on the Scroll, Dan Xin had no intention of handing it
over to anyone.  And once she mastered the Shadow Scroll's power, she'd
finish off Cologne, then wipe those pompous fools of Joketsuzoku village
off the face of the earth.

-----------------------------

    Yonoko put her phone away with a faint sound of disgust.  She could
practically hear the greed dripping from Dan Xin's voice.  The money was
of no concern to the sorceress.  She could've easily handled Dan Xin's
demands for ten times the amount.  However, Dan Xin's conduct was SO
unprofessional.

    She shrugged away the annoyance.  As long as the ex-Amazon did what
she was told and didn't act prematurely, Dan Xin was free to play her
little power games.  

**********************************************************************
Part 4d:  BLACK ROSES
**********************************************************************

    Earlier that morning Sasuke had snuck back into the Kuno mansion to
air out Kodachi's room.  He took special care to remove any traces of
the black rose incense he had used to keep her sleeping throughout the
night.  Nabiki Tendo had warned him to keep Kodachi away from Ranma for
24 hours.  Well, he had done as much as he dared.  After he was finished
cleaning up, he slipped away to inform Principal Kuno about his son's
condition.

    An hour or so later, Kodachi Kuno woke with a sore head and a foul
mood -- fouler than usual, that is.  

    "SASUKE!" she shrieked.  No answer.  "SASUKE!"  When the little
ninja failed to appear, she threw on her frilly black bedrobe and
stormed out of her room.  She made a quick stop by her laboratory to
chug down her own headache concoction -- one that drug companies would
have paid handsomely for... if it weren't for a few minor, mood-altering
side effects.  Kodachi swept through the mansion, terrorizing the house
maids and sending the other servants ducking for cover.  She eventually
ended up in the kitchens, still without finding any trace of the Kuno
family's faithful retainer.

    "SASUKE!  You miserable little worm!  Show yourself this instant!" 
She waited, tapping her foot impatiently.  

    There was a knock on the back door.  Kodachi ignored it.  
    
    The knock came again.  She continued to ignore the sound.
    
    Someone knocked again and this time did not stop.  Finally, she
couldn't stand the incessant rapping and flung open the door.

    "YES!?" she snarled.
    
    The young, very handsome delivery man blinked at the vision of a
beautiful lady, surrounded by clouds of black lace.  

    "Uh, uh...."
    
    Kodachi, noticing her appreciative audience, instantly reverted to
her demure, school girl persona.  She tittered behind the back of her
hand and pulled her bedrobe modestly around her.

    "So sorry, ma'am.  I was looking for Mr. Sasuke Sarugakura.  I need
to drop off a few packages addressed to a Ms. Kodachi Kuno."
    
    She giggled again.  The young man was still too bedazzled to notice
the unnerving edge to her laughter.  Wiser persons would have been
running for their lives.

    She tossed her head.  "You're very lucky.  I'll have you know that
it's hardly the place of the mistress of the house to answer the back
door."

    He smiled and nodded eagerly.  "Oh yes, ma'am!  I never would've
mistaken you for one of the servants!"

    She preened a bit, then murmured, "You said something about
packages?  Bring them in.  I'll have Sasuke sort them out later."

    "Certainly."  Soon the young man was carrying in box after box. 
"Uh, ma'am?  There are four boxes from the Nashinaho Chemical Company,
two packages from Hokkaido Horticultural Exotics, one box from Oki
Pharmaceuticals, and a package from this Indian company that I can't
pronounce.  Please sign here."

    Kodachi carelessly scrawled her name on the receipt slip and started
to tear into one of the boxes.

    "Uh, ma'am?"
    
    "Yes?" she muttered irritably.
    
    "I need you to sign separately for this particular package."  The
delivery man held up a small, plain parcel.  Recognizing the company
name, Kodachi snatched it from his hand, signed her name one last time,
and shoved him out the door.

    Her eyes glittered with excitement as she ripped off the paper. 
Inside the package was a plain but well crafted wooden box.  She opened
it and found a slip of paper sitting on a pile of dried rose petals. 
Black rose petals.

    The letter read, "Ms. Kuno.  In response to your repeated inquiries
about an obscure rose variety known as 'Umbra', we informed you several
months ago that no such plant exists to our knowledge.  However, it has
come to our recent attention that this rose does in fact exist.  This
plant grows wild in the northern end of Honshu and is extremely rare. 
The only known grower of this rose is a horticulturist located in a town
near Mt. Iwate.  The address is as follows:....

    "We cannot provide any guarantee as to the accuracy of this
information or as to the alleged properties of this rose.  However,
since you are a highly valued customer and since you have expressed
great interest in this plant, we are forwarding this information to you
along with the entire sample sent to us.  Sincerely, Koiaka and Sons,
Imports."

    Kodachi reached into the box and pulled out several petals.  Even
though they were dried, the rose petals was velvety soft and had a
distinctly blue sheen when held to the light.  She gently crushed a
handful of petals and buried her face in them, intoxicated by their
subtle scent. 

    "So this... this is the fabled 'Umbra' rose.  And if the legends are
true...."
    
    She reached into the box for another handful and felt something
sharp lying hidden beneath the petals.  Carefully emptying the contents
onto the tabletop, she found a single dried rose bloom.  Kodachi picked
it up and immediate cut her fingers on the large, vicious thorns
completely covering the stem.  But the pain was nothing compared to the
elation filling her heart.

    "Mistress Kodachi!"

    Startled, she jumped and nearly scattered the precious rose petals
all over the room.  "Sasuke!  Where have you been?  I've been calling
you for hours!"

    "Forgive me, mistress.  I went to inform your father about your
brother's condition."

    Kodachi's lips curled in a sneer.  "And what did my esteemed parent
have to say?"

    Sasuke nervously scratched his head.  "Uh, he was so busy with plans
for the upcoming school quarter, I don't think he heard me."

    She snorted.  "He never paid much attention to either myself or my
dear brother.  Why should he care now?"  She scooped the dried rose
petals back into the box and carefully picked up the now bloodstained
rose bloom.

    "But Mistress Kodachi!  Your brother's...."

    She froze in mid-turn and said in an odd voice, "Does he live?"

    "Yes, but...."

    She swept her hair back from her face.  "Well then, I fail to see
what all the excitement's about."

    "But...."

    "But what?" she snapped.

    "Something's terribly wrong with him, Mistress Kodachi.  He seems to
have gone quite... insane."

    (Oh, Tatewaki....)

    Kodachi ruthlessly crushed the brief flare of sentiment, then tossed
her head and said airily, "My dear brother has always been notoriously
feeble-witted.  I suppose it was inevitable that his mind would snap one
day."

    "Mistress Kodachi!"  Even after serving the Kuno family for so many
years, Sasuke still managed to sound a bit shocked.

    "Never mind my idiot brother.  I want you to locate Ranma for me."

    "Ranma Saotome!?" the little ninja squeaked.

    She whirled around in a swirl of black lace and snarled, "What other
'Ranma' do you think I'm talking about?"

    "But... but....  What will you be doing?"

    "HO HO HO HO HO!!!"  
    
    Sasuke cringed under the onslaught of her maniacal laughter.  

    "I have to prepare a new addition to my toilette!  Something that
will make myself suitably enticing for my darling Ranma!"  She scowled
at the little ninja.  "Well, don't just stand there!"

    "Y-yes, mistress.  I go!"  He vanished in a blur.
    
    Kodachi walked back to her bedroom and contemplated her plans.  All
her life she had been surrounded by shadows -- shadows of history,
shadows of long faded family glory, shadows of her mother....  Her
brother Tatewaki had chosen to lose himself in the past by spouting old,
dusty poetry and playing the role of noble samurai warrior.  Her father
had gone the opposite path.  Except for name, the elder Kuno had cast
aside everything related to his family.  Instead, he had chosen to
wallow like a pig in the gaudy trappings of modern Hawaiian culture.

    As for herself, Kodachi had been well on her way to being trapped in
a shadowy half-existence like her brother.  She played the demure
schoolgirl, going through the motions expected of the daughter of an old
and respected family.  Just like a pretty doll.

    Kodachi hated dolls.

    She hadn't been truly alive until HE showed up.  Kodachi sighed
wistfully.  She could remember it perfectly, the first time she saw HIM.
 Even in the darkness of night, he had been so vibrant, so alive.  As
she had plunged to the ground, he had scooped her up in his arms.  And
in that moment, held tight against his warm body, she knew that if she
could have Ranma, she would never have to worry about being lost in the
shadows again....

    (No.  I'm not going to rot away in this old house, lost in some
pathetic dream world like my poor fool of a brother.  I want to live! 
And with Ranma by my side, I WILL!)

    Even yesterday's incident did nothing to deter her.  Her encounter
with Ranma's feral side only seemed to confirm what she had sensed all
along.  Ranma was the sun and she coveted his light -- his vital energy
-- like nothing else in her life.  Even black roses needed the sun to
grow.  Everything else in her life had been mere wants.  Ranma was a
NEED.  He was going to be her salvation and she would do anything,
endure any pain, to make him hers.

    And it won't be easy.  She knew that the mannerisms that she used to
dominate her world made him uneasy.  She was also painfully aware that
he didn't love her.  

    Her eyes drifted down to the box of black rose petals.  According to
the old scroll on herbs she'd found, the 'Umbra' rose could be used to
make a scent that would awaken a man's deepest passions and desires.  

    Ranma might not love her, but she would take whatever she could get.
 And if it was only his passion, then his passion would suffice... for
now.  

    And perhaps... just perhaps... love would come later.  

    At the moment, Kodachi's only worry was whether the dried petals
would be potent enough.  She would give it a try.  And if the dried
roses weren't strong enough, she knew exactly where she could obtain
some fresh ones.  

    After she finished dressing, she took one last sniff of the dried
Umbra rose bloom before dropping it back into the box, ignoring the
numerous tiny wounds inflicted by the near razor-sharp thorns.  Kodachi
then headed for her lab, absently licking at the bloody cuts on her
hand.

**********************************************************************
Part 4e:  UNQUIET MINDS
**********************************************************************

    Lying unconscious in a hospital bed, Ryoga twitched and whimpered as
hazy images flitted through his mind.  There was one scene that kept
repeating -- one of Akane glaring down at him.
    
    (What is she shouting at me?  I don't understand!)
    
    The look of horror, shock, and anguish in her face was like a knife
being plunged over and over again into his chest.  His entire body
throbbed with pain.  His gut felt as if it had been ripped open with
dull hooks and the entire side of his face seemed like one huge gaping
wound.  But all his physical misery was nothing compared to the horrific
feelings of guilt that threatened to drown him.  He knew that he had
done something terrible....

    (Akane, I'm sorry!  I'm so sorry!  I didn't mean to hurt you!)

    It was his worst nightmare.  She knew.  Somehow, she knew his
darkest secret.  

    ....P-chan.... 
    
    But how... of course.  
    
    It HAD to be Ranma's fault.

    Aloud, he muttered, "Ranma, you bastard...."

-----------------------------------

    In a different wing of the hospital, Tatewaki Kuno thrashed
restlessly in his restraints as a voice whispered softly in his mind --
a voice both urgent and plaintive.

        [ Master, I have awakened.... ]  
        
    "What?  Who said that?" he muttered aloud.
    
        [ Master, where are you? ]
    
    "I... I don't know...."
    
        [ Master, the shadows.... ]
    
    "Shadows...?"
    
        [ The shadows are stirring.... ]

    "What.... what do you mean?"
    
        [ Come.... ]
    
    "I...I can't."  Kuno twisted helplessly in his bonds.
    
        [ Fulfill your blood's pledge.... ]

    "Blood....?"    
    
        [ Guardian, abide by your duty.... ]
    
    "Duty?  What...what duty?"
    
        [ To hunt down the darkness.... ]
        
    "Darkness...?"
    
        [ And strike it from the earth.... ]
        
    "Strike....  Yes...."

    Kuno's soft laughter echoed in the room.  "Of course... who else
could be the blot of evil in this fair city....  Oh no.  You're not
going to escape so easily.  I WILL destroy you...."
    
    Dr. Tofu grimly watched as Kuno opened his eyes to stare vacantly at
the ceiling.  It was nothing more than a single whispered word, but that
one word was spoken with a fierce, unshakable determination.
    
    "Saotome...."

**********************************************************************
Part 4f:  CONSULTATIONS
**********************************************************************

    Out in the Tendos' yard, Ranma stood holding a cup of cold water. 
He knew he needed to check out a few things before he saw Dr. Tofu.  He
took a quick breath and emptied the cup over his head.  Shaking the
water from her eyes, Ranma-chan first took a good look at herself.  

    (Damn it!  I was hoping that the change in my girl-form was just a
temporary thing.  I guess not.)  She shrugged.  (Well, time to see what
this body's got.)

    Akane didn't have much of an appetite.  Instead, she and Nabiki sat
in the living room and watched Ranma-chan run through an extensive
series of exercises.

    "That's so weird...," Akane muttered.

    Nabiki sipped her tea and said, "You mean that change in his
girl-form?"  

    "Yes.  I mean, what could have possibly caused something like that? 
Do you think the Neko-ken had something to do with it?"

    Her sister shrugged, "Frankly, I don't see how the Cat-fist could
have possibly affected his Jusenkyo curse.  In the past, they seemed to
be pretty much independent of each other.  But who knows?  Maybe Dr.
Tofu has some ideas."  She watched Ranma-chan strip off her shirt,
exposing a white tanktop which clung enticingly to her body.  Nabiki
scrutinized Ranma-chan's new form with a critical and dispassionate eye.

    "But I can say this much, Akane.  If his girl-type stays this way,
the boys at school are going to go absolutely bonkers."

    Akane gave her sister a startled look.  "What do you mean?"

    "Take a good look, Akane.  Ranma's girl-form used to be very cute
and very pretty.  Now I think she could give Ms. Hinako's grown-up body
some serious competition.  I'm not talking about mere bust size, but
with respect to overall appearance.  Imagine how she'd look with her
hair down."

    Akane buried her face in one hand and muttered, "Great, I used to
have a fiance who's cuter than I am.  And now he's more beautiful?  Good
grief!"

    However, Nabiki had detected another change in Ranma-chan -- one
that had totally escaped Akane's attention.  And knowing Doctor Tofu, he
probably wouldn't notice it either.  

    She couldn't really define it but there seemed to be an air of
definite... femininity... about Ranma's female form that hadn't been
there before.  It was very different from the overblown, cutesy way he
usually acted when he was pretending to be a girl.  Whatever this
intangible quality was, there was a naturalness about it that Nabiki
found rather disturbing.  

    The new Ranma-chan was not a girl.  She was a woman -- a young woman
perhaps, but most definitely a woman.  And a sexy one, at that.

    (Oh, yes.  Ranma's new form is going to attract the guys' attention,
all right.  Big time.)

    Nabiki said nothing about this particular change to her sister.  All
she said was, "Does his new looks bother you?"

    The youngest Tendo daughter gazed thoughtfully at Ranma-chan as the
martial artist tested her balance on one of the big rocks edging the koi
pond.  She was silent for a moment, then said quietly, "It's strange. 
But... no, not really."  She seemed to have forgotten her sister's
presence.  

    "Ranma... is Ranma... is Ranma.  It doesn't seem to matter whether
he's a guy, or acting like a cat, or has a female body that could stop
traffic.  It's all still Ranma."  

    Akane scowled as she spoke, so it wasn't entirely clear whether she
meant her words as a compliment, a statement of fact, or a complaint. 
Perhaps it was a little of everything.

    Nabiki drawled, "That's an interesting point of view."

    "Hmmmmm...."  Akane muttered distractedly, not really paying
attention to her sister.  Nabiki couldn't blame her.  Even after living
in the same house for nearly two years, she still enjoyed watching Ranma
work out.  Of course, she was usually on the prowl for interesting photo
opportunities but that didn't distract her from admiring a superb
martial artist at work.  

    Nabiki adored competence in all forms.
    
    Combine that with Ranma-chan's new body and Nabiki's fingers itched
for her camera.

    Ranma-chan finished her exercises with a graceful backflip off the
rock.  Carelessly slinging her discarded shirt over her shoulder, she
walked over to Nabiki and Akane.

    "I'll be right back after I take a quick shower."

    Nabiki said, "Sure.  There's no hurry."

-----------------------------
    
    A few minutes later, Ranma reappeared in his male form.  As they
briskly headed for the hospital, Akane said, "Nabiki, you mentioned that
the fire was caused by... lightning?"
    
    "That's what the preliminary investigation report said."  Akane
didn't bother asking how Nabiki had managed to gain access to that sort
of information.  "It's a perfectly reasonably explanation.  Mrs.
Saotome's house wasn't the only building to burn down last night.  There
were at least four other fires."

    Ranma had remained quiet up to that point but he glanced up and
said, "But we weren't supposed to get any rain all week, much less have
a violent thunderstorm."
    
    "Weather forecasts aren't perfect," Nabiki murmured.

    "No, they're not."  
    
    Both Nabiki and Ranma fell silent, keeping their thoughts and
suspicions to themselves.

------------------------

    The hospital receptionist was expecting them.  As soon as they asked
for Dr. Tofu, they were ushered into an empty examination room and told
to wait.

    When the doctor walked in few minutes later, his grim and exhausted
appearance gave them a shock.  He greeted them with a weary smile.

    Ranma spoke first.  "Doc, how's Kuno and Ryoga doing?"
    
    "Ryoga's doing all right.  He's recovering steadily but he hasn't
regained consciousness yet.  Kuno...."  Dr. Tofu fell silent and rubbed
the bridge of his nose.

    "What's a matter with Kuno?"
    
    The doctor sighed tiredly.  "Physically, Kuno's doing quite well. 
In fact, he's healing much faster than Ryoga."  He paused a moment.

    (And I can't explain that at all.  Kuno should have been partially
paralyzed, at least temporarily.  When he came in yesterday, his X-rays
indicated that he had several cracked vertebra.  But this morning, the
new X-rays showed no traces of any spinal injuries.  And considering the
way he's been able to thrash around....)

    "Mentally, I'm afraid that's an entirely different story.  I'm not
sure of the cause but he's become alarmingly fixated on you, Ranma."

    Nabiki murmured, "Kuno's always been obsessed about him, Doctor." 

    "I know, but this is a very different sort of fixation.  From his
ramblings, it appears that Kuno's now hearing voices -- voices that are
apparently telling him that he has a sacred duty to destroy some dark
and terrible evil.  Namely, you, Ranma.  We've had to put him under
restraints to stop him from hurting himself and the hospital staff."  

    Ranma turned pale.  "Oh man....  He was pretty wigged out when he
showed up at the dojo yesterday.  He was waving around a real katana,
not one of those wooden bokken he usually carts around."

    Dr. Tofu frowned, "Now that's not good news."  

    Ranma paused, then softly said, "Doc, Kasumi said that there was
something wrong about those guys' chi...."

    Dr. Tofu hesitated a bit before answering.  "Well, she was right. 
The physical injuries weren't the critical problem.  Something had
severely disrupted the flow of chi in their bodies."  

    "Disrupted?  You mean like the stuff that Ms. Hinako keeps pulling
with that stupid coin of hers?"

    "No, that's completely different.  Ms. Hinako only drains chi and
battle auras.  Her type of attack doesn't affect the pattern of chi flow
itself.  It only reduces the amount of chi a person has.  Everyone
usually manages to recover fairly quickly and it's not life-threatening.
 However, in Ryoga and Kuno's case, the actual patterns themselves were
disrupted.  That's why it was so hard to stabilize their condition.  The
disruptions manifested themselves in physical symptoms such as heart or
respiratory failure.  The treatment's fairly straightforward --
reestablish the correct patterns -- but it's rather difficult to
accomplish in practice.  It requires meticulous care and a good deal of
concentration to reconstruct the patterns properly."  Tofu ran his hand
wearily through his rumpled hair.  "Having to work on two people
simultaneously only made things much harder."

    "But you managed to fix them, right?"
    
    "Yes, eventually."  The doctor smiled reassuringly.

    "Do you know what... what caused all this?"

    "No, I don't."  He saw the distress in Ranma's face.  "Don't jump to
conclusions.  We know that the Neko-ken was responsible for the physical
injuries but that doesn't necessarily mean it was responsible for the
effect on their chi.  From what Nabiki said, they were probably under
the influence of a whole slew of magic spells.  I'm no expert in that
area, but I've heard that black magic can have a very nasty effect on a
person's lifeforce."

    Ranma didn't look too convinced by Dr. Tofu's words but didn't press
the issue.

    The doctor stared thoughtfully at him for a moment, then said,
"Akane, Nabiki, if you'll excuse us for about 30 to 45 minutes?  I want
to get going on Ranma's examination."

    Nabiki said, "Sure thing.  Ranma, we'll just ask the receptionist
about your parents.  And maybe check in on Ryoga."  She gave Dr. Tofu an
inquiring look.  Before the doctor could respond, Ranma quickly said,
"Could you guys wait a bit?  Then we can go see him together."

    "Ranma, are you sure you want to do that?"  Nabiki said, her eyes
narrowing slightly.  

    He ducked his head and muttered, "I'm worried about him too. 
And....  It's just that... well, something's really driven Kuno totally
wacko.  Ryoga may not be showing any obvious signs but we can't be sure
that he hasn't been affected, too.  I'd feel a lot better if I was
around... just in case."

    Nabiki waited a heartbeat, noted Ranma's white-knuckled grip on the
examination table, then slowly nodded her head.  Before Akane could
argue, Nabiki grabbed her sister and towed her out the door.  

    "Why not?  We'll talk to the receptionist and wait for you just
outside, all right?"

    "Thanks, Nabiki."

-----------------------------------

    Once outside, Akane stared at her sister and snapped, "What was that
all about?  Now we've got to sit around here and do nothing for nearly
an hour!"

    "Take it easy, Akane.  There's no harm in indulging Ranma a bit." 
Nabiki dug through the stack of magazines until she came across
something worth reading.

    Akane scowled at her sister.  "There's something else going on here,
right?"

    "Hmm?" 

    "Come on, Nabiki.  'Indulging Ranma', indeed!  What are you up to?"

    "Akane, stop pacing and sit down."

    Her younger sister threw herself into a chair and said, "All right,
Nabiki.  Talk!"

    She sighed and said, "Akane, you can be so dense at times.  Haven't
you figured it out by now?  He's just worried that something might
happen to you if you wander off by yourself."

    "Oh great!"  

    However, before Akane could start on her usual 'how dare he think I
can't take care of myself' tirade, Nabiki hastily added, "Considering
everything that's happened, I think Ranma's entitled to feel a little
bit paranoid.  Or do you think that fire last night at his parents'
house was just a convenient 'accident'?"

    "You don't think...!"  Akane suddenly looked uneasy.

    "I know that coincidence runs rampant here in Nerima, but this time?
 Not bloody likely."

    Akane frowned, then with a mixture of suspicion and confusion, she
said, "Nabiki, I've been meaning to ask you something.  Why are you
suddenly being so... so helpful?"

    Without looking up from her magazine, Nabiki calmly said, "You can
consider it a sort of payback." 

    "What do you mean by THAT?"

    "Why don't you try to figure it out for yourself?  Think of it as
practice."  Nabiki closed the magazine and looked at her sister. 
"Akane, you're not very good at understanding what motivates people. 
The problem is that you're lazy.  You always want things spelled out for
you in big letters.  But that's not the way real life works.  I'm not
going to be around forever to tell you what's really going on or to hold
up cue cards when you get into complicated situations."

    (Akane, you were always the baby of our family.  You never had to do
anything more than just be yourself.  Well, those days are over.  Time
to grow up, kiddo.) 

    Staring down on her hands, Akane muttered, "But... but I'm not any
good at this sort of thing...."

    "Exactly my point.  It's very similar to marital arts -- it takes
constant practice, you screw up a lot, and you get hurt.  The big
question is whether you care about Ranma enough to even try."  With
those words, Nabiki opened up her magazine again and began reading.

    Akane stared to her sister for a moment.  When it became clear that
Nabiki had nothing more to say, the youngest Tendo daughter settled into
her chair to do some hard thinking. 
 
-----------------------------------

    After the most thorough examination that he could manage, Dr. Tofu's
only conclusion was that Ranma was in his usual superb physical
condition.  Taking into account the emotional stress that Ranma was
under, there was nothing abnormal about his aura or his chi, either. 
Dr. Tofu found the very lack of symptoms puzzling and somewhat
worrisome.  Something as traumatic as the fight yesterday should have
had SOME noticeable effects.

    "Doc?"

    "Hm?"  Dr. Tofu stared at him distractedly.  

    "How about it?"

    "Oh.  Well, Ranma, based on my examination, I have to say that
you're in excellent shape.  Frankly, I can't find anything wrong with
you.  Your Jusenkyo curse is still there, of course."

    "Uh, Doc, didn't Nabiki tell you anything about what happened during
dinner last night?"

    "Well, she did mention something about the curse, but she said that
I'd simply have to see it for myself."

    Ranma heaved a sigh.  "Can I have some cold water?"

    After Dr. Tofu wordlessly handed Ranma a cup, the young man slid off
the examining table and poured the water over his head.

    For a brief instant, the doctor thought that Ranma's Jusenkyo curse
had been miraculously cured, but then he quickly realized that while
Ranma's height and hair color hadn't changed, he still turned into a
girl.  No, that wasn't really accurate.  Ranma-chan was now a young
woman -- and a stunningly beautiful one at that.

    "How did THIS happen?"

    Ranma-chan shrugged helplessly.  "It just... did.  Happosai was up
to his old tricks with the underwear.  He splashed me with some water
and...."  She gestured to herself.  

    "Well....  Happosai is always running off to Jusenkyo.  Are you sure
that he didn't hit you with some new variety of cursed water?"

    "Nope.  Akane said that he used one of the vases in the room so I'm
pretty sure that it couldn't have been the water itself."

    Dr. Tofu absently noted that even Ranma-chan's voice had changed. 
While still unmistakably female, it was no longer quite as high-pitched
as before.  And it sounded... well, he couldn't find any other way to
describe it except as 'richer'.  A less dispassionate observer might
have called it almost... sultry.

    The doctor sat down on a stool and murmured, "Well, this IS an
interesting development."  He gave Ranma-chan a thorough visual
examination.  "Now your female form's much more similar to your normal
male form, both in height and in age.  Hmmmm....  How's the change in
body size affected your speed and strength?"

    "The change... hasn't reduced my girl-form's speed.  At all." 
Ranma-chan bit her lip anxiously, then whispered, "In fact, I think I'm
even a bit faster now...."

    Dr. Tofu raised a startled eyebrow.  If that was true -- and he saw
no reason to doubt Ranma-chan's assessment of her own abilities -- her
speed would now be truly phenomenal.  "I see.  And the strength?"

    "I... don't know.  I haven't noticed any real difference, but the
only way to really find out is to get into a serious sparring match or a
fight."

    "Hmmm...."

    After a splash of hot water returned Ranma back to his male form, he
fidgeted uneasily.  "Doc, it's not that I LIKED being a cutesy girl, but
this is... really kinda scary.  I mean, all the previous stuff I've
tried barely put a dent in my curse and now this, on top of everything
else that's happened to me...."  His voice wavered slightly.

    Tofu gave Ranma a reassuring pat on the shoulder.  "I know that your
cat phobia and the Neko-ken really bother you...."

    "Bother me?  Doc, you don't know the half of it."  He fell silent
for a moment, then murmured, "I hate it.  All my life, I've been taught
how important it is for a martial artist to have self-control.  In
combat, if nothing else.  But I've got absolutely no control over my
cat-side.  It just does whatever it wants...."

    "You do realize that your cat-side is only acting out your innermost
feelings."

    Ranma hunched his shoulders as his face turned bright red.  "Yeah. 
The stuff with Akane... that's as embarrassing as hell but I could deal
with it.  But that's not what scares me."  In a whisper, he said, "I'm
afraid that if I'm really... angry at someone, my cat-side will actually
DO something about it.  And now that I know what it's capable of...."

    "It's not your fault...."

    "Doc, it IS my fault.  It's my fault because I let this whole stupid
cat thing go on.  I should have just told Pop to shove it and done
something about it long ago!  But no, I kept making excuses!"
    
    "Ranma...."

    He stared at his hands.  He thought he could still catch the
faintest scent of blood on them, even though he had washed his hand
repeatedly.  

    "Can you understand, Doc?  I used to just shrug it off and ignore it
because nobody really got hurt.  Akane says that I like fighting.  I
guess I do.  But I always had the choice of stopping if and when I
wanted to.  This time, it was totally different.  This isn't a matter of
just beating someone up or defeating them.  This is about murder.  I
came too damn close to killing Ryoga and Kuno.  And the worst thing of
all is that I didn't NEED to.  If Akane hadn't stopped me...."

    Dr. Tofu watched Ranma with sympathetic eyes.  Nabiki had told him
all about how Akane had been forced to literally put her hand in Ranma's
mouth to stop him from ripping open Ryoga's throat.

    "Doc, I totally blanked out just after Kuno and Ryoga showed up. 
The last thing I remember was those idiots charging into the compound
yelling something about a stupid wedding between Akane and me.  The next
thing I remember is waking up in Akane's room.  I was all covered in...
blood."  His voice was quiet, empty of emotion.

    Staring vacantly as his mind replayed the events of the last day, he
whispered, "It was everywhere.  On Akane, on me... my hands, my
clothes... I could even taste it...."  Ranma closed his eyes.

    The doctor give Ranma a badly worried look.  Nabiki said that she
didn't think there was an immediate danger of Ranma killing himself --
emphasis on 'immediate' -- but she had been rather vague about her
reasons.  Admittedly, Nabiki was very good at reading people, but she
was still young and hardly a certified psychologist.  Then again,
neither was he....

    Tofu decided to approach the issue indirectly.  "Are you thinking
of... going away?"

    Ranma instantly shook his head.  "No, I can't.  It's way too late
for that.  Akane and her family's all tangled up in this mess.  I won't
desert her."  He suddenly looked up at Tofu.  The doctor was taken aback
by the cold, fierce gleam of determination in those blue-gray eyes. 
"Someone tried to hurt Akane.  There's no damn way I'm leaving her alone
and unprotected."  
    
    Dr. Tofu sighed quietly.  "I understand your position, Ranma.  I
just wish I could gives you some reassurance.  Unfortunately, there's so
little reliable information about the Neko-ken....  It's mostly rumor
and speculation.  Have you talked to Cologne?"

    "I tried.  Shampoo said that the old ghoul's off on some personal
errand.  There's no telling when she'll show up again."

    "I see.  Well, ever since I found out about your problems with cats,
I've been doing research and asking my associates about it.  Sad to say,
but I haven't found too many answers.  I'm sure you know that there are
quite a number of cat-based martial arts styles."

    "Uh-uh.  Tiger, leopard....  I've used some of their moves."

    "All right.  Like many other animal fighting styles, they're based
on creatures in nature.  The Neko-ken's quite a bit different.  It is a
cat-based fighting style but one that utilizes chi to an extent that
most styles never dream of, simply because most martial artists can't
manipulate their chi to the necessary degree.  For example, when you use
the Neko-ken to shred objects like wood, metal, or stone, you're
actually using extremely focused chi to do that.  Your hand almost never
touches the object you're cutting.  You're basically generating a
psychic 'blade' or 'claw'."

    "Uh, Doc, how did you find out about all the stuff I do when I'm
using the Cat-fist?"

    Dr. Tofu smiled faintly.  "Akane told me.  She asked me a lot of
hard questions about the Neko-ken right after that first incident at
Furinken High.  She wanted to know what she could do to help you.  Ever
since then, she's been keeping me up to date every time you've used the
Cat-fist."  He cocked his head slightly.  "I hope you're not mad at her
for consulting me behind your back.  She's been quite worried about you
and you've been very reluctant to discuss the matter directly."

    "I... I didn't know that."  (Good grief!  She's been doing this for
nearly a year and a half?  All this time, while I've been blowing this
stuff off, she and Dr. Tofu have been researching the Neko-ken?  And the
only times I ever discussed the Cat-fist with Dr. Tofu at all was
because SHE brought up the subject first.)

    "Akane even gave me a videotape involving your battle with Cologne
and a giant shark.  I think Nabiki got the video from one of the
bystanders on the beach."

    Ranma dropped his face into his hands and groaned, "Oh great!  If
Nabiki had her hands on it....  Hell, I'm just surprised she hasn't
passed it around school.  For a suitable rental fee, of course."

    Dr. Tofu blinked.  In a startled voice, he said, "You haven't seen
it yourself?"

    Ranma silently shook his head.

    "I thought...."

    He said flatly, "Doc, I've never seen myself in the Neko-ken.  Pop
did his very best to ignore it.  Whenever I woke up after going 'cat',
he'd yell at me for being a weakling and drag me off for an extra
heavy-duty training session."

    Although Dr. Tofu's mild expression didn't change, he was
entertaining some very uncharitable thoughts about the elder Saotome. 
(That moron....)  Aloud, he gently said, "Would you like to see it?"

    "....Yeah.  Maybe later?"

    "Just give me a call and I'll show it to you.  Hm.  Before I go any
further about the Neko-ken, maybe we should ask Akane and Nabiki to join
us.  Unless you mind?"

    "I... I don't mind about Akane, but Nabiki...."  His voice trailed
off as he instinctively balked at exposing what he considered a major
weakness to Nabiki's prying eyes.  (But considering all the stuff that
happened yesterday....)

    Ranma threw up his hands.  "Aw, hell.  Why not?  They're both up to
their necks in this damn mess."

    As he went to call the girls in, Dr. Tofu hesitated.  "Ranma, I've
been meaning to ask you about Ukyo.  I saw her a few days ago and she
seemed... well, rather unhappy.  Did you....?"

    Ranma looked away uneasily.  "No.  I haven't said anything about
that stupid love potion she used on me."

    "Why not?  What are you waiting for?"

    "I... don't know.  I guess it's because... I want her to tell me on
her own."

    "I see."

    "Am I expecting too much from her?"

    "I don't know.  Maybe you are."

    Ranma's voice held equal parts of anger and pain.  "Shampoo admitted
her part in that mess.  Ukyo should have at least THAT much honesty."  

    Dr. Tofu said, "Ukyo worries too much about your opinion of her. 
That's probably why she's been afraid to say anything to you."

    "Ukyo's smart, pretty, nice... she's a good person.  But she should
already know that for herself.  She shouldn't need me to tell her that!"
 

    Dr. Tofu sighed.  "Some people don't have enough belief in their
self-worth so they rely on other people's opinions too much.  Besides,
it's only natural for Ukyo to worry about the opinions of her closest
friend.  She's just afraid that you'll hate her for what she did."  

    "I don't hate her."

    "But you're angry because you feel betrayed."

    "....Yes."  Ranma looked away.  "I thought I could trust her
but...."

    "You'll have to decide how to handle this.  But it might be best to
just get this all out into the open," Dr. Tofu said quietly.

    "Yeah.  I'll keep that in mind, Doc."  Ranma gritted his teeth in
frustration.  "I never asked to be the center of Ukyo's, Shampoo's, or
Kodachi's life."

    "But you seemed to like it at first.  And I remember all the things
you did when you thought Shampoo wasn't interested in you anymore.  You
know, that 'contrary' jewel incident?"
    
    Ranma flushed and muttered, "Yeah, now that I think about it, it was
a pretty stupid and mean thing to do.  But it was kinda cool at first,
you know, having them hang around.  With all the travelling Pop and I
did, I never really got to know any girls who were interested in me. 
But things just started to get crazier and crazier.  And now that I want
to get out of this mess, I can't."
    
    "So you've finally come to a decision?"
    
    Ranma whispered, "Doc, I don't think there was ever any real
decision to make."  

    (I think I fell in love those first couple of weeks.  I was just too
stubborn to admit it to anyone -- even myself.)  

    "But in a way, that only makes things worse.  I've let this
situation go on and on for way too long.  How am I supposed to tell the
other girls about all this?  I can't just go up to them and say 'Gee,
too bad, but you never even had a chance.'  That'll make them REALLY
happy."

    Dr. Tofu sighed quietly.

    "The only good thing that's come from that fight yesterday is that
Shampoo doesn't seem to be interested in marrying me anymore."

    "Well, that's one third of your problem gone."
    
    "Yeah, but that leaves Ukyo and Kodachi...."

     "Hm.  I can imagine how difficult it'll be trying to deal with
those two girls.  I get the impression that they're both extremely
stubborn.  It's going to be very hard to convince them that you've
chosen Akane of your own free will...."

    "Try 'impossible', Doc."

    "And they might take their pain and anger out on Akane.  Is that
what you're really worried about?"
    
    With his back turned, Dr. Tofu couldn't see the odd, half smile that
flitted across Ranma's face.
    
    "You're right, Doc.  I HAVE been worried about that possibility. 
But I've also recently decided that I need to make matters perfectly
clear to them.  They're just gonna have to learn that I'm absolutely
serious about Akane...."  
    
    In a distant corner of Ranma's mind, something cheerfully whispered,
/....even if it kills them. /

-----------------------------------

    When Dr. Tofu peered out into the reception area, he saw Nabiki
quietly engrossed in the business section of the newspaper while her
sister slowly paced back and forth. 

    "Akane?  Nabiki?  Would you mind joining us in here?"

    As soon as she entered the examination room, Akane glanced quickly
at Ranma.  He turned his head and gave her a slightly bemused look in
return as she demanded, "Well, how is he?"

    Dr. Tofu smiled.  "He seems to be fully recovered from the fight
yesterday.  As for the rest....  I was just telling him what I've
discovered about the Neko-ken."

    Nabiki saw her sister's cheeks turn slightly red.  (Ah!  Interesting
reaction there....)

    Ranma said quietly, "He said that you've been telling him all
about... what I do when I go 'cat'."

    Akane blushed even more.  She huffed and snapped defensively, "Well,
it wasn't as if you were doing anything about it yourself and...."

    Ranma cut her off with a soft, "Thanks."

    Akane blinked, shuffled her feet, and mumbled an awkward, "Um...."  
    
    He continued to give her that slightly bemused look, but inside,
Ranma felt a sudden, crazy impulse to touch Akane.  From that very
morning, he could still remember the feel of her skin under his
fingers... the scent of her hair....  If it hadn't been for Dr. Tofu and
Nabiki's presence, he might have given in to that impulse and to hell
with the consequences.

    The doctor broke the mood by cheerfully saying, "Well, I was just
explaining how the Neko-ken differs from other cat-based martial arts."

    Nabiki said, "You mean in its integral use of chi techniques."

    Everyone's eyebrows shot up in astonishment.

    Akane said, "Nabiki, how did you...?"

    The middle Tendo daughter shrugged nonchalantly.  "Information on
the Neko-ken isn't THAT hard to find.  The real trick is sorting out the
few credible tidbits from all the overblown myths and legends."  

    "Gee, does everyone know more about the Neko-ken than me?" Ranma
muttered plaintively.

    Akane glared at her fiance.  "That's not hard, considering how much
energy you spend trying to ignore it!"

    Ranma glared back at her.  "You're damned right!"

    "Whoa, whoa!  Time out, guys.  I think Dr. Tofu has a bit more to
tell us."

    "Thank you, Nabiki.  Most martial arts can be practiced and used in
combat without employing focused chi.  Naturally, if you can manipulate
your chi, that enhances the effectiveness of any martial art form. 
However, according to my friend Dr. Kayuga, the Neko-ken is extremely
unusual because it requires not just the ability to focus one's chi but
it requires a mastery of chi manipulation before a practitioner can even
begin to utilize a single move."

    Dr. Tofu give Ranma a quizzical look.  "It's astounding that you had
that necessary ability when you were only six years old.  No wonder you
picked up all those other chi techniques so easily."
    
    Ranma smiled sourly.  "Thanks for the compliment, Doc, but I would
have preferred to avoid the whole cat thing all together."

    Akane frowned, "Just how many martial artists ever learned the
Neko-ken?"

    "No one knows with any certainty.  By rumor, a bare handful of
martial arts masters.  And certainly no one within the last 200 years or
so."

    Nabiki reached into her shoulder bag and pulled out a battered green
booklet.  Ranma said, "Hey, isn't that...?"

    "Uh huh."

    Akane blurted, "Nabiki!  How did you manage to get your hands on
it?"

    "I took the liberty of looking through Mr. Saotome's things." 
Noting Ranma's scowl, she murmured, "You have a problem with that?"

    "No.  I just wish I'd thought of it first," he grumbled.

    "This is the manual that Ranma's father used to 'train' him in the
Neko-ken.  I didn't find it too informative but maybe you can get more
out of it, Doctor."

    "Thanks, Nabiki."  Dr. Tofu took the book and read the title aloud,
"'The Anything Goes Martial Arts Final Attack Cat Fist'.  Interesting." 
But as he quickly flicked through the tattered volume, a frown appeared
on his face.

    "What's wrong, Doc?"

    "Now this IS strange."

    "What!?"

    "This book contains pages and pages extolling the virtues of the
Cat-fist.  Plenty of discussion about its power, what it can do, how
it's unbeatable, etc.  But except for that single mention of the 'pit of
starving cats' technique...."  Ranma shuddered visibly.  "....It doesn't
disclose a single thing about HOW to learn the Neko-ken.  There are no
guidance, no beginner's moves.... nothing."

    Nabiki chuckled.  "Sounds like an advertising brochure.  All flash,
no substance."

    "Then how on earth did anyone ever learn the stupid thing without
the you-know-what method?" Akane muttered crossly.
    
    "I don't know."  Dr. Tofu continued to skim the booklet, looking for
clues.

    In a more serious voice, Nabiki said, "I noticed that it describes
the ability to slice through almost anything, but it doesn't say
anything about the other things that happened... the battle aura and
stuff like that."

    Akane frowned.  "But how do we know that the cat-shaped battle aura
we saw yesterday actually has anything to do with the Neko-ken?  It
could just been Ranma's natural battle aura.  I mean, if he thinks he's
a cat, why wouldn't his battle aura look like a cat?"

    "That's a very insightful observation, Akane," Dr. Tofu said
thoughtfully.

    Nabiki said, "There's just one minor problem.  From everything I've
heard, that was no normal battle aura.  The way Shampoo described it,
the aura actually seemed to have physical substance...."

    Akane scowled, then said, "Well, there was so much weird magic
floating around during that fight....  Couldn't that aura be caused by
some sort of magic spell?"

    Ranma sputtered, "Spell?  What magic spell?"

    Akane touched his arm and said, "I can't be sure, Ranma, but your
cat-phobia kicked in way BEFORE Kuno and Ryoga changed into those tiger
monsters.  And... and there were other things wrong."  She winced as she
remembered Ranma's soft cries of pain and how he had begged for the
torment to stop....

    "You think someone slapped me with a magic spell to set off my fear
of cats?  But why?  This guy had to know that I was sure to freak out
anyway once Kuno and Ryoga... changed."

    Akane could only shrug helplessly.

    Dr. Tofu said, "Hmmm, battle auras.  You're right, Nabiki.  There's
no mention of anything like that in this manual and nothing in my
research ever remotely suggested the possibility of such a thing.  But
it certainly sounds like something that would fit right in with what we
know of the Neko-ken.  Think about it.  What is a battle aura except a
powerful outward manifestation of one's chi?  And chi manipulation
appears to be a hallmark of the true Neko-ken."

    Nabiki murmured, "Now that's an interesting omission.  How does that
old saying go?  'Things left unsaid are just as important as the things
said.'"  

    Ranma pounded his fist on the examination table.  "Damn it!  Where's
Cologne!?  She's the only one who really knows anything about the
Neko-ken!"

    Dr. Tofu frowned.  "Considering her age, it's just possible that she
might have actually fought a Cat-fist adept many, many years ago.  And
survived, which would say a lot for her skill."

    Nabiki said, "I'm pretty sure that's the case."
    
    The doctor blinked in surprise.  "Really?"
    
    "Yes, during that fight on the beach.  With the shark.  I believe
she said something about running into the Cat-fist before."
    
    "Hmmmm.  That makes it even more important that we talk to her."

    Ranma sighed and said, "You got anything else to tell us, Doc?"

    "Not at the moment."

    "Then... can we see Ryoga?"

    "Yes, I'll tell the nurse to let you make a quick visit.  I'm sorry,
but you won't be able to see Kuno."

    "I... I understand.  If you find out anything...."

    "I'll let you know."

-----------------------------------
    
    While Nabiki stood outside chatting with one of the nurses, Ranma
and Akane walked into the ward where Ryoga was resting.  Ryoga was
almost completely wrapped in bandages.  The few parts of his body that
weren't covered showed heavy bruising and nasty-looking scratch marks.  

    "Aw, man...."  Ranma shuddered.

    A passing nurse whispered encouragingly, "It's not nearly as bad as
it looks.  The doctors are almost positive that he won't lose that eye. 
And the scarring should be minimal."
    
    Ranma stared at his rival and occasional friend.  Unconsciously, he
reached for Akane's hand and held it.

    (Why did you do it, Ryoga?  From the way you were acting, you HAD to
have some idea of what was going to happen.)
    
        / She's MINE. /

    (You knew and you did it anyway.  Was beating me THAT important to
you?)

        / Try something like that again.... /

    (Why won't you just give up, you idiot?)

        / ....and I'll kill you.... /

    (Can't we just be friends?)

        / ....slowly.... /

    Akane whispered, "Uh, Ranma?"
    
    "Hm?"
    
    "My hand's going numb...."
    
    He glanced down to see Akane's fingers turning white from his tight
grip. He quickly loosened his hold and would have released her hand
completely but Akane clung to his fingers.

    She muttered, "Just... not so tight, okay?"
    
    Even in the dim light of the hospital ward, Ranma could see Akane
blushing furiously.  He felt a similar warmth flooding his face, too.  
    
    "Um... sure thing."  
    
    He jumped as Ryoga suddenly uttered a soft moan.  The injured
teenager stirred restlessly and mumbled piteously, "No...  Akane.... 
I'm so sorry.  I shouldn't have... couldn't stop... being... p... p...."

    (Oh, shit!  The idiot's gonna blab all about being P-chan!)  As
Ranma frantically tried to figure out a way to get Akane out of the
room, Nabiki stuck her head into the ward and whispered, "Your time's
up, guys.  The nurse says that he really shouldn't be having any
visitors at all."

    "You're perfectly right.  Come on, Akane."

    She looked a bit startled as he quickly dragged her away from
Ryoga's bed, but Akane managed to keep her mouth shut.  

    (Poor Ranma.  This whole affair must be terribly difficult for him. 
Guilt must be eating him alive.  And it's really not his fault at all.)

    Out in the hallway, Ranma leaned his head against the wall, overcome
by a turbulent mixture of guilt and relief.  He muttered, "He looks like
he'd been stuffed through a shredder.  What did that nurse say? 
'...won't lose that eye... scarring should be minimal'?  And Kuno's gone
really nuts this time."

    "Ranma...."  Akane put her hand on his shoulder and he leaned
slightly into her comforting touch.  She could find nothing else to
really say.  Awkwardly, she murmured, "The receptionist said that your
father and mother are two floors down."

    He reached up and touched her hand, then straightened.  "Yeah, let's
finish this."

-----------------------------------

    Akane's little gesture of support had not gone unnoticed.  One of
her classmates saw Ranma and Akane standing in the hospital hallway. 
She bumped into some friends shortly afterward and naturally told them
about the incident.  Other people happened to overhear some, but not
all, of her story and their overactive imaginations easily filled in the
rest.

    Within a day or two, the Nerima gossip machine would turn a moment
of awkward sympathy into something considerably different.  

**********************************************************************
Part 4g:  PARENTAL UNITS
**********************************************************************
    
    They made a quick stop to see Genma.  Ranma's father was loudly
snoring in his bed.  Except for a few burns on his arms and shoulders,
he was basically unhurt.  That wasn't entirely unexpected.  The elder
Saotome had always had a superb instinct for self-preservation.

-----------------------------------

    Ranma gingerly approached his mother's bed, then flinched slightly
when he noticed what his mother was holding.  When the nurse saw Ranma
staring at the sheathed katana tightly clutched in Nodoka's hands, she
shrugged helplessly and said, "We tried but we couldn't get her to let
go of it."

    As he stared down at his dozing mother, he thought wearily, (Why
doesn't that surprise me at all?)  He closed his eyes and struggled to
put together a calm facade.  (This isn't the time to argue about it.)

    Ranma edged closer to the bed.  He paused briefly to listen to her
harsh breathing, then softly whispered, "Mom...."

    Nodoka's eyes flickered open, then widened in apprehension.  That
apprehension vanished as soon as she realized that she still had her
sword.  Only then did she notice her son standing by her bedside,
patiently watching her.

    "Ranma...."  Her voice gave way to harsh, racking coughs.  Unable to
speak, she awkwardly clutched her son's arm with one hand.  The other
hand kept its fierce grip on the katana.  Even now, she was unwilling to
completely relinquish her hold on the family weapon.  
    
    He put his hand on her shoulder and said gently, "No, you just rest.
 We'll have plenty of time to talk after you get better."

    Nodoka smiled gratefully at her son, then closed her eyes and
relaxed, letting her hand slip from Ranma's arm. 

    Akane and Nabiki watched the brief conversation from the other side
of the room.  Akane had a tense scowl on her face.  She didn't like to
see anyone in pain, but she wasn't about to forgive Nodoka so easily.

    Ranma didn't say anything, even after they left his mother's room. 
However, he couldn't quite suppress a bitter smile.

    Since he certainly seemed calm enough -- maybe a bit TOO calm -- and
since Akane appeared to have taken her advice to heart, Nabiki decided
to leave the two to their own devices.  She casually said, "Well, I've
got a few errands of my own to run.  What about you guys?"

    Ranma looked a bit startled.  "Huh?  Oh, I don't know.  I thought
that we might drop by the Neko-hanten and see if Cologne's come back,
then grab something to eat."

    "Fine.  I'll tell Kasumi not to expect you for lunch.  See you
later, then."

**********************************************************************
Part 4h:  SPLISH SPLASH
**********************************************************************

    Kasumi finished hanging up the last of the wash and stepped back. 
The sight of clean laundry drying in the spring breeze always filled her
with mild satisfaction.  As she prepared to return to the house, she
noticed a small, fluffy black cat perched on the rocks edging the koi
pond.  It seemed fascinated by something in the water.  Even as she
watched, the cat leaned over a bit too far and toppled into the pond
with a startled squall. 

    She dropped the laundry basket and rushed over.  The cat was
paddling with great determination, but was too small to haul itself out
of the pond.  As for the koi, they were none too happy about the feline
intruder.  They swum around in angry circles, bumping and nipping at the
cat.

    "Oh dear!"  Kasumi knelt down and fished out the bedraggled little
feline.  It didn't struggle.  The tiny cat merely stared at her with its
big blue eyes and uttered a pathetic mew.  The sight was almost
indescribably cute.

    "You poor thing."  
    
    The little feline shivered and sneezed twice.

    "I suppose you were hungry.  Don't you know that those koi are much
too big for you?"  Kasumi gently rubbed its tummy and got a surprisingly
loud purr.  "But I'm afraid that you can't stay here.  Poor Ranma, he'll
have an absolute fit if he sees you.  But you're lucky.  I think I'll
have enough time to dry you off and give you something good to eat
before he returns."

    With those words, Kasumi carefully carried the black cat into the
Tendo house.

--------------------------------------
(end of Part 4)

**********************************************************************
**********************************************************************

Author's Notes:

Tentatively scheduled for upcoming sections of Tiger Claw...

Part 5 -> Ranma and Akane visit Ukyo and meet Ukyo's rescuer. 
Naturally, wherever Ranma is, the Black Rose is never far behind. 
However, things don't turn out quite the way Kodachi hopes.  Shampoo
drops by and she's actually worried about Mousse.  And Nabiki has an
unpleasant surprise as one of Ranma's worst rivals shows up in Nerima.

^_-

**********************************************************************

CREDITS:

Additional inspiration from: 
    "The Whisper" by Queensryche
    WEREWOLF: THE APOCALYPSE (and associated materials) by White Wolf
Publishing, Inc.;
    TIGER CLAWS, copyrighted 1991 by Tiger Claws Production, Ltd.; 
    THE HIGHROAD TRILOGY series by Alis A. Rasmussen;
    USHIO & TORA, copyrighted 1992 & 1993 by Kazuhiro
Fujita/Shogakukan.
        
Additional fanfic mentions:  ^_^
    "Hearts of Ice" by Krista Perry and "Nekophobia" by David Eddy for
starting my obsessive interest in the neko-stuff.

Many thanks to my pre-readers, for their suggestions, critiques, and
support.  ^_^

Last modification date:  05/31/98

--------------------------------------------
madamhydra@aol.com         /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/:E

http://www.geocities.com/~madamhydra/