Here We Go Again

Notes to follow

**************PRIVATE FEEDBACK ONLY**************

Christopher Angel
cja124@mail.usask.ca

Chapter 2: Horrors
(Two weeks have passed since chapter one)

Tenno drank his coffee on the porch and watched the trio arguing ouside. 
Only days had passed since that one night, and there was still a lot of
tension between them.  They argued a LOT.  He was giving a dour colour
comentary to a giggling Nabiki, who sat drinking coffee at his side.

"Will you two stop being so stupid?!" Ryouga yelled at Akane and Ranma. 
"It's so painfully clear how you two feel Tenno picked it up in hours!" 
(What can I say?  I'm good.)

"It's not our fault he's another Kasumi!" Ranma yelled back.

"HEY!" Tenno yelled at them.  Ranma turned and grinned at him. (I WISH
they'd stop saying that.)

Ryouga held his hands up to forestall any further arguments.  "I don't want
to argue about this.  You two are going to have to admit it to each other
sometime, and I'm going to ride you till you do.  But that doesn't change
the fact that we still have those three girls out there to deal with." (I
take it from your shock that Ryouga being reasonable is unusual?)

Ranma scowled.  "Ucchan first.  She's the most reasonable, and the most
willing to give me up."  (It's the incredibly inflated ego!  Run for your
lives!)

Akane frowned at Ranma, then looked worried.  "I'd say Shampoo.  We can get
Mousse's backup on her." (Isn't she the one related to the 'ghoul'?  I
don't know, Mousse might not want the living dead in the family.)

Ryouga grunted. "I'd say Kodachi.  All three of us know how to beat her." 
(Three way split.  Maybe I'll play tie-breaker. I'd better get out there.)

Tenno stood up, and walked to the trio.  "Is this a private conspiracy or
can anyone join in?"

Ranma looked up and sighed.  "Tenno, we can't agree.  We have to do
something about them, but what?  Who first?"

Tenno sat beside the others and considered.  "I don't know this Kodachi,
and if what you told me was right, I don't want to.  Given what I've been
told, I agree with Ranma.  Ukyo seems to be the most reasonable, from what
I've seen, and if Mousse's fear of Shampoo's great-grandmother is as great
as I'm told, he's not going to be much help.  Besides, he might join forces
with them now that he's half-female.  But we have another problem."

The three looked at him.  A problem big enough for Tenno to mention in the
same breath as this disaster is pretty bad.  He held up his hand, and
concentrated, and they gasped at the white glow emenating from his fingers.
 "I'm no longer 'safe'.  They're going to know it right away, and I'd be a
liability at best."

Ranma just stared at him.  "You shouldn't be able to do that!  Not yet! 
You've only been training a week!"  He frowned. "Waitasec.  White?  I've
never seen white."  He looked at Akane and Ryouga.  "You guys ever seen
white before?"  They both shook their heads.  "One sec, I'm gonna go get
Pop."

He ran off and came back with his father, in panda form.  "Show my father
what you showed me."  Tenno help up his hand, concentrated, and the white
glow apeared again. Ryouga noticed it was streaked with blue.  Genma took a
step back.  He started to write on a sign, but Ranma pulled out a kettle
and dumped it on him.

Genma looked down at Tenno.  "Berserker.  The boy is a beserker," he said
bluntly.  Ryouga and Akane looked confused.  Tenno started to sweat.

"I don't like the sound of this," he began.

"You shouldn't," Genma said shortly.  "The beserkers were an ancient group
of martial artists that were almost universally feared.  Their secret was
not in their skill, or in their power, it was in sheer determination.  When
one was triggered, he would not stop until his enemy was dead.  He would
take horrendous amounts of damage and still keep going.  They were known
for walking through walls just to kill an enemy on the other side."  As the
elder Saotome spoke, Tenno seemed to slowly cumple in on himself.  The glow
faded from his hand and he shook.

"No," he said, the self-hatred in his voice making it a whisper.  "I'm a
monster.  I'm a freaking monster!"  He started to sob.

Ryouga looked at the young man falling apart before him, and slowly reached
out and grabbed Tenno's hand tightly.  "Would a monster help me?"

Akane hand was in Tenno's other.  "You're not a monster Tenno.  No one
could care for people that much and be a monster."

Ranma gently held Tenno's shoulder.  "Tenno, I haven't known you a long
time.  But I'd like to think of you as my friend.  No friend of mine is
ever a monster to me."

A voice came from behind them.  "You're not a monster."  Tenno turned and
saw Nabiki behind him.  She pulled back her sleeve, where the scars from
the girl-water burn could still be seen.  "I would never do this for a
monster.  Believe it."  She turned and walked back into the house.

Tenno watched her walk away as tears streamed down his face.

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

Akane walked down the stairs from the bedrooms and went to the table, where
everyone but Tenno sat. "He's resting," she told them.  Nabiki let out the
breath she had been holding.  Kasumi glanced at her and made a little "ah"
sound.  Akane smiled a weary smile at Kasumi.  "I now know how you felt all
those times when I cried in your arms.  You feel so helpless, and want to
do so much, and can do so little."  She shook her head, growing angry. 
"It's not fair!  He's such a caring person!  Why should he have to suffer
like this?"

Ranma turned and grabbed his father's gi.  "Talk, old man."

Genma cleared his throat.  "He should be fine as long as he's not
triggered.  If what I remember is correct, the more training he gets, the
more control he'll have.  We'll have to really work on him."  He turned to
Soun, who looked ready to burst into tears.  "Tendo, old friend, you know
any more?"

"Very little, Saotome.  But I know Tenno is a fine young man, and I'd find
it impossible to believe he'd do any harm to anyone.  I almost wish
Happosai was here, he could tell us more."

"Well, we'll just have to make sure I never go beserk," Tenno said, his
voice hoarse from crying.  Everyone turned to the stairs in suprise, as
Tenno came down them slowly.  He smiled wanly at the group. "Weren't we
having a war conference?"

Ranma a looked at his new friend, and slowly nodded.  "Right," he said. 
"So how should we go about breaking the news to Ukyo?" he asked the group
as Tenno sat down.

Ryouga was the first to speak.  "I think you, me, Akane, and Tenno should
go see her."  Tenno started and shook his head.  Ranma nodded in agreement.

"I don't think she likes me," Tenno began, "she told me last time if I got
in her way she'd kill me."

Akane laughed.  "You get used to it." She began ticking names off on her
fingers. "Ukyo. Shampoo.  Cologne.  Kodachi."  She made a fist.  "Just stay
out of the fighting.  I think I understand what Ryouga is thinking.  You're
there to listen.  It's what you do best.  You're like another Kasumi." 
Everyone at the table chuckled, and Kasumi smiled.

Tenno gave Akane a pained expression, but smiled faintly.  "I WISH you
people would STOP saying that."

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

The group stopped outside Ucchan's. 

Ranma grimaced.  "I'm REALLY gonna hate this."  He looked at his friends. 
"Let's go."

"Welcome to Ucchan's!" Ukyo sang out.  "What can I..." Her voice dropped
off as she saw the four people who entered, and the grim expression on
their faces.  "No!" She cried, as she picked up her fighting spatula and
grabbed one of the throwing ones. She started to advance.  "I'm not going
to let you have him!"

Ryouga stepped forward.  "Ukyo, don't!  Don't make this harder.  Let it
go."

"Ukyo, don't do this." Akane pleaded with her.  Ukyo slowed, and looked at
Ranma.  Tears glistened in her eyes, and she had a desperate expression. 
Ranma shook his head.

"Ucchan." Ranma said softly.  "I care about you.  As a friend.  But I won't
marry you."

Ranma's words stopped Ukyo like a brick wall.  She looked into Ranma's
face, and saw determation and a little pain.  She saw much the same in
Akane's.  Ryouga's face showed pain and compassion.  Ukyo felt a little
hope.  "Ryouga, help me.  You can have Akane, I'll have Ranchan.  We'll all
be happy."

Ryouga shook his head. "No, Ukyo.  Akane and Ranma belong together. 
Anything else would be wrong."  

Ukyo began to cry, shaking her head.  She looked at Ramna again.
"Ranchan..." Ranma sadly shook his head.  She looked at Tenno. "YOU!" she
hissed.  "This is all your fault!  You ruined everything!  I'll kill you!"
She threw a spatula at him.  Tenno could do nothing as it flew straight
towards his face....and was snatched out of the air by Ranma, who bent the
spatula into a twisted mess.

"You want to kill someone, fight me."  He said, standing in front of her
and dropping the mangled spatula to the ground.  "I won't have my friends
killing each other."  Ukyo raised her fighting spatula to strike...and let
it drop to the ground with a clang.

"I can't," she gasped.  "Not you."  She turned and ran into the back of the
store.

Tenno slowed his racing heart.  "My turn," he said as he followed her. 
Please let her remember the code, he prayed.

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

The war party reconvened, minus Tenno, who was still over at Ukyo's. 
"Mousse is our best bet." Ryouga said.  "He's infatuated with Shampoo, that
we know.  Whether it's enough for him to disobey the ghoul is another
question."

"Where's Tenno?" Nabiki asked.

"With Ukyo.  She needs someone to talk to." Akane said softly.  "I think we
all just needed someone to talk to."  

Ranma looked at Akane for a moment, then shook his head.  "No, the best we
can hope for now is that the three of us can handle the three of them.  I
expect now that Mousse has a girl form, the ghoul's probably going to use
it to control him more."

Ryouga looked at Ranma.  "We better wait. If we have Ukyo's help we might
have a chance."

Ranma sighed.  "I know.  This really, really sucks."

Ryouga looked at Akane, then Ranma.  "You two need to talk," he said in an
awfully good imitation of Tenno.

Ranma sighed.  Ryouga was a pain when he was an enemy.  As a friend he
could be worse.  He glanced at Akane, who was looking at him with wide
eyes.  He thought about Ukyo, and Shampoo, and Kodachi.  He thought about
all the pain he had caused, and sighed again.  "Yes, I think we do."

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

At the Cat Cafe, Cologne was making plans of her own. "Son-in-law has
finally decided," she told Shampoo.  "When they come to tell you, it will
be your last chance.  We must kill Tendo Akane then.  Prepare yourself."

Shampoo nodded and went to gather her weapons.  Mousse sighed and followed
her.  "Where are you going, duck-boy?  Or maybe I should say, girl-boy
now."  Cologne asked him coldly.

Mousse turned to her, his face like stone.  "You should know by now, ghoul.
 If Shampoo fights, so do I."  The vehemence in his voice shocked her.  He
turned and walked away.

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

Tenno's time with Ukyo was sheer torture.  He didn't know why people opened
up to him.  He sighed.  A second Kasumi is right, he thought.

"Ukyo..." he began, but she put her hand over his mouth.

"No, you told me your story, let me tell you mine."  She sobbed a bit, and
took a deep breath.  "When I was six, I met Ranma and we became instant
friends.  Everyday he used to run up and fight me for some okonomiyaki.  He
won almost every time.  Don't get me wrong, it was a game between us.  I
knew he'd win, so I would draw funny pictures in the sauce for him.  I
loved every day of it.  Then my father engaged me to Ranm..Ranchan."  Tenno
relaxed a bit.  That was a good sign.  She still thought of Ranma as a
friend.  "Ranchan's father stole the cart, and ran off, leaving me behind. 
I was disgraced, my father was disgraced, and we were ruined.  The other
kids mocked me so much, I tried to hide my hurt behind a mask of
masculinity.  I became everything I thought a man was.  I trained for
nearly a decade in my own brand of fighting.  Then, I came to Japan for my
revenge."  She sighed.

"Genma was easy.  Too easy.  I soon discovered Ranchan was innocent, he
didn't know what his father had done.  He even thought I was a guy.  I
didn't care, and still fought him." She paused.  "Ranchan defeated me
easily, despite all my training.  He didn't want to hurt me, even then.  He
found out the truth, and got through all my anger by calling me cute.  He
wanted to be friends with me again.  I think I loved him then."  She paused
again, and took a deep breath.

"Akane, I hated at the start.  I thought she and Ranchan were awful for
each other.  They always fought.  But I soon grew to like her, and we had a
tentative friendship.  I couldn't bring myself to really hurt her.  Until
the wedding.  I just couldn't accept it.  I did everything I could to stop
the wedding, including teaming up with Shampoo.  I nearly killed Akane, for
real." She swallowed.  "After the wedding, things were starting to return
to normal.  They didn't get married, and it was back to the same old way
things were before."

"And then you showed up, and destroyed all their hopes for a cure.  I found
Ryouga after that day, and he looked so lost, so lonely.  I just couldn't
let him walk away.  I did what I could for him.  I liked him even then. I
mean, if he won Akane, I had a WAY better chance at Ranchan." She looked at
her hands.  "And then, when talking to you, Ryouga admitted he was wrong. 
I couldn't believe it.  Here was the one guy who we all thought would never
give up, who would hate Ranma forever.  Giving up.  And you, just sitting
there, listening, until you asked how we all were so blind to not see
Ranchan and Akane loved each other."

She paused.  Tenno could see the tears in her eyes.  "Then Ryouga agreed
with you.  And I just saw red.  I wanted to kill Ranchan, kill Akane, kill
Ryouga, but I wanted to kill you the most.  You were the cause.  But I
remembered how you weren't an fighter like the rest of us, and how it would
just be murder.  So I just threw you two out."  She smiled sadly.  "And
Ryouga called me his friend. But as I thought more about it, I think I
realized he was right.  I just didn't accept it till today."  She looked at
Tenno, and there was hope in her eyes.  "Do..do you think Ranchan will
still let me be his friend?  And Ryouga? And ... Akane?"

"Yes, Ukyo, I think they will.  Come on."  He helped her up, and they
started to walk over to the Tendo's.

So much pain and hatred, he thought.  How could they let this go on?

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

Ranma and Akane sat on the roof, staring at the stars.  

"Akane," Ranma began, then faltered.  He swallowed, and continued.  "I
don't know how to say this.  But please try to hear me out.  Every time I
see you unhappy, I hurt.  I just have to try to make the hurt go away.
Whenever I see another man go after you, I see red.  I get so angry.  I
don't know why, but all I want to do is get you away from them.  When
you're in danger, I go crazy until I know you're safe.  When I thought you
died, I was ready to kill myself." Akane just stared at him, her eyes wide.
"I never wanted to hurt you, or make you angry with me, I just couldn't
help my mouth at times.  I didn't even want all those fiancees.  All I knew
is that if I could delay our marriage, you wouldn't have to be married to
some half-woman freak.  That kept me going for a very long time."  He
swallowed, and forced himself to calm down when he realized he was
babbling.  "But now, what I care about the most is you." Ranma took his
hands, and looked into her eyes. "Akane, I..I love you."

Akane gasped again.  She had waited to hear those words for so long, and
here they were.  "Ranma..I..I love you too!" she whispered fiercely, and
hugged him for all she was worth.  She begain to cry into his chest.  She
weakly beat his chest as he held her.  "Ranma, you jerk, I've been waiting
to hear that for ages."  She looked up at him.  "Was it really that hard to
say?"

"Akane, it was the hardest thing I ever said.  I was never more afraid of
anything in my entire life."  He smiled down at her.  "It's easier now
though, even though I mean it just as much.  I love you.  I have always
loved you, and I always will."

She smiled.  She liked heaing those three words very much.  "I love you,
Ranma.  I never doubted you'd come for me every time." She giggled.  "Every
time you pulled some stupid plan to ruin some romatic scene I felt so much
joy under the anger, because I knew you cared." She held him tighter.  They
were silent for a moment.

"Akane, I can't ask you to never get mad at me again, but I hope you'll
always trust me.  I'll never purposefully do anything to hurt you.  EVER. 
And I don't care what Shampoo or the ghoul, or Kodachi does.  You are
MINE."  Held her tightly for a moment.  And then turned his faced to hers,
and tentatively kissed her.  It was awkard, but there was so much love.

"Yes, Ranma, and you are mine." she said as he pulled his face away.  She
grabbed the back of his head and fiercely kissed him again.  Ranma
stiffened, but soon relaxed and enjoyed the kiss.  Ages seemed to pass
before the broke apart.

"That was VERY nice," Ranma said, then sighed. "Come on, we've got two more
things to worry about."  They moved to hop down, but Ranma stopped.  "One
second."

Akane watched as Ranma went to the top of the roof, and turned to face as
much of the city as he could.  "I LOVE TENDO AKANE!" he yelled at the top
of his voice.  "DO YOU HEAR ME, I SAID IT! I LOVE TENDO AKANE!!!!"

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

Ranma and Akane returned to see Ukyo and Tenno sitting at the table. 
Everyone's eyes were on Ranma and Akane, though.  

Ranma blushed furiously. "Uhh," he said. 

Ryouga snorted.  "He just proclaims his love to Akane to all of Nerima, and
the best he can say is 'Uhh'."  Ryouga shook his head and stood up. 
"Ranma, Akane, I have one thing to say to you two," he said angrilly as he
walked over to them.  He suddenly grinned, his fangs gleaming.  "About
damned time!"  Ramna and Akane both blushed this time, and the room erupted
in laughter.  "Come on, sit, Ukyo has something to say."  

Ukyo's face was still a bit puffy from crying.  "Ranchan, Akane, I...I'm
happy for you both.  I'm ... sorry for what I've done to hurt you." She
paused.  "I hope we can still be friends?" She asked, smiling hopefuly.

Ranma let out the breath he had been holding and grinned.  "Always, Ucchan.
Always."

Akane also smiled.  "Yes, Ukyo."

Ranma smiled for a moment, then sighed.  Back to business.  "I think we
agree Shampoo is next.  Kodachi might get one of us with one of her brews,
and we'd need to be our strongest to take on Shampoo's crew."  He scowled. 
"You realize we'll probably have to hurt that ghoul pretty badly to make
her give up.  Maybe even kill her.  I'd better take her on, I'm the only
one fast enough to have a chance."

"I should probably take on Shampoo," Ryouga offered.  She's never fought me
before, so my style might confuse her.  Ukyo and Akane should take on
Mousse."  He looked at the two girls in turn.  "No offense, but Ranma is
the best fighter here, and I'm the only one who comes even close to him. 
Shampoo is a better fighter than Mousse, and he'd have no chance against
two targets." The two girls scowled, but nodded.

"I'd better stay out of this one," Tenno volunteered.  "I'd only be in the
way or a target for them to strike at you with."

"No, Tenno.  You're going.  You're the most insightful man I've met,
they'll need you," Nabiki insisted.  Akane's eyes grew wide.  Her face
betrayed nothing, but her eyes shone with mirth.  Nabiki, I would never
have believed it, she thought.  She and Kasumi exchanged a knowing glance.

Kasumi stood up, and smiled.  "Come on father, Nabiki.  Lets leave them
alone."  Nabiki reluctantly sttod and followed her sister and father. 
Genma stood, poured come cold water on himself, and trundled up the stairs
in panda form.

As they left the room, tension seemed to flow out of Tenno.  Ukyo looked at
him in askance.  Tenno blushed.  "She gives me the creeps." he said.

"Who, Nabiki?" Ukyo asked. "I can see that."

"No, Kasumi," he admitted, embarrased.

"KASUMI?" All eyes turned to him.  Most of the table was shocked, all of
them were suprised.

Tenno shuddered. "Just don't ask."

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

They began their assault in the mid-afternoon, when the Cat Cafe would be
empty.  Ramna waited for the others to give him the go ahead before heading
in.  Inside, Shampoo and the others waited, ready.

"I still don't see why we can't talk to them," Tenno complained.

"They probably know we're coming," Akane replied. "Cologne will punch
first, and give orders later."

Tenno sighed and nodded to Ranma.  "Fine, let's go."  Ranma looked around
at the street once last time and swore.  Nabiki and Kasumi stood across the
street, buying groceries.  He grabbed Tenno and pointed them out to him.

"Tenno, you better not go in after all.  Get them out of here.  This may go
into the streets." Tenno nodded and ran to them.  Ranma looked to the
others, saw what he needed.  They entered.

Akane, was right, Ranma realized.  Shampoo and the ghoul WERE expecting
them.  Even Mousse was there, his glasses actually on his face for once. 
As they entered, Cologne threw a handful of darts at Akane.  Ranma cursed
and shoved her out of the way.  Most flew through the open door into the
street.  They squared off like they had planned.  Ramna on Cologne, Ryouga
on Shampoo, and the two girls on Mousse.

"So, son-in-law, you come to tell the amazon who you will marry.  I don't
think so."  Ramna started the chestnuts technoque he had learned so long
ago.  Cologne cackled as she returned the favor. "Use my own technique on
me?  You're a 100 years to young for that-urk!" Ranma smiled grimly.  He
had gotten a punch through, but he had been hit once himself. Would he get
another hit?

Ryouga was having an easier time with Shampoo than he expected.  She was
just nothing compared to Ranma.  He battered her about for a minute, and
then chi-blasted her out.

Mousse lost almost instantly after Shampoo.  As she fell, all the fight
went out of him.  He sat on the floor, and surrendered.

Cologne was not pleased.  "Mousse, you traitor!  I'll see you die for
thi-urk!"  

Mousse was unperturbed.  "I said if Shampoo fights, so do I.  She's not
fighting, so neither am I.  Besides, you seem to have other things to worry
about," he smirked.

Ranma was beginning to grow tired.  He couldn't keep this up forever, and
already the ghoul had gotten more punches on him than he had on her.  He
began another volley of punches, and was swept off his feet as the door
flew off it's hinges inward and hit him.

Everyone stared at the entryway.  In it, framed in a white aura almost as
bright as the sun, was Tenno.  He held two of Cologne's darts, and they
were convered in blood.  The most horrible thing about it was the
expression on Tenno's face.  It was pure loss.

"WHO. THREW. THESE." Even his voice dripped pure desolation.  Everyone
looked at Cologne.  So did Tenno.  "YOU."  Tenno started his way towards
her.  "YOU. KILLED. HER." Cologne looked amused.

"Oh, how pretty, I've never seen white before.  Good, my son-in-law needed
a break."

Tenno reached her, and started to swing at her.  He cried as he did so, his
voice pure sorrow.  Cologne easily dodged the punches he threw, but found
her punches seemed to have no effect.

"You OK, Ranma?" Ryouga asked, lifting the door off him.  Ranma got up and
watched the battle.

"Geez, Pop wasn't kidding." he replied.

"She's going to win, you know.  He has no chance," Ryouga told him.

Ranma shook his head.  "She can't stop him.  Remember what Pop said? 
Beserkers wouldn't stop for anything.  There's nothing she can do but run.
He's going to kill her."

"Ranma, you're not making any sense."  they watched Tenno swing wildly at
Cologne and her furious counterattack.  Once again, there was no effect. 
She seemed very confused.

"Look at him.  He's taken hundreds of punches, and nothing's changed.  The
ghoul just tired herself out."  Just then one of Tenno's wild swings grazed
Cologne and she screamed, she jumped away and looked at Tenno in horror.

"What kind of monster are you?  I've never felt such pain."  Tenno reeled
as if struck, and then stalked after her, beginning the battle again.

Ryouga whistled in awe.  "His touch brings agony, and she can't do anything
to stop him.  You're right Ranma, he's going to kill her.  We'd better stop
him if it gets out of hand."

Ranma nodded and looked around.  Shampoo had woken, and sat watching the
battle.  Mousse stood with Ukyo behind her.  "Hey, where's Akane?" Ranma
asked. She was nowhere to be seen.  "Watch them, I have to find her!"  

He dashed out the door.  It was then he saw what had triggered Tenno. 
Nabiki lay on the ground, covered in blood.  Kasumi sat beside her, holding
her sister's head in her lap.  Akane was holding Nabiki's hand, crying. 
Ranma ran to them.  "Is she..."

Kasumi shook her head.  "She'll be fine. The darts hit her in the shoulder.
 They hit a major artery though.  Tenno did something though, and the
bleeding stopped in time."  She looked at Ranma.  "Why was he glowing?"

Ranma shook his head.  "I'll explain later, Kasumi."  Just then, he heard
another scream.  "Oh, no.  Tenno!  He's going to kill Cologne!  I've got to
stop him!"  Ranma ran back through into the restaurant.  Tenno stood over
Cologne, who cowered on the ground.  He held one of Shampoo's maces and was
about to smash Cologne with it.  "Tenno, STOP!  Nabiki's OK!  She's not
dead!  Don't kill Cologne!"  Tenno didn't seem to hear him.  He merely
raised the mace higher.  "Tenno!  You have to stop!  You're not a killer! 
Nabiki believed in you.  Don't become the monster you were so afraid of
being! Nabiki's alive!" Those last words seemed to reach Tenno.  He
stopped, and turned to Ranma.  

"Not dead?" he asked.  His voice was full of pain, still, but there was
hope.  He frowned, and turned back to Cologne.  "KILL!"

"NO!" Ranma screamed.  

Tenno held the mace to strike, but didn't. "SHE. HURT. HER," he roared. 
"MUST. DIE."

"No, Tenno.  Let it go.  You're not a monster.  Don't become one."  Tenno
whirled, and saw Nabiki in Akane's arms.  She seemed to be fighting to stay
awake with every ounce of her strength.  "Let it go.  I'm alive.  Just it
go.  She doesn't have to die."  As she contuned talking to him, the glow
around Tenno slowly faded.  When it was gone, he collapsed.  Nabiki looked
at him with sadness in her eyes, and more than a little love.  "Don't let
him die, sis.  I need him too," she whispered, and fainted.

Akane gasped.  Kasumi looked at her wounded sister closely, and sighed in
relief. "She'll be fine, Akane.  Whatever Tenno did, it saved her life." 
She turned to the prone Tenno. "It's him I'm worried about."  She went to
work on the battered man.

Ranma looked at Cologne.  The old woman was cowering on the floor beside
Tenno, trying to crawl away.  "Great-grandmother get what she deserve,"
Shampoo said.  "She not true amazon.  No true amazon bows to man."  Cologne
seemed to snap at this.  A horrible sound came from her.

"NO!"  She slowly stood up, and then ran out of the restaurant.  "It's not
over!  Not yet!"

Ranma and Shampoo watched her leave.  Ranma turned to Shampoo, who had
tears in her eyes.

"Ranma no want marry Shampoo," she said hollowly. 

Ranma looked at Shampoo sadly.  "I'm sorry, Shampoo.  I love Akane. I won't
marry you."

Shampoo fell to her knees and cried.  Ranma merely stood there silently. 
After a few moments she stood, determination on her face.  She agrilly
wiped her tears away and whirled on Ranma.

Shampoo sniffed.  "Ranma no want Shampoo, so Shampoo no want Ranma. 
Violent pervert girl can have.  Shampoo want Ryouga.  He beat her in FAIR
fight.  Ranma only beat with tricks."  She went and hugged Ryouga.

Ranma looked at her shocked.  Then he looked at Ryouga, who was standing
like a statue.  He started to chuckle.  He looked over at Akane, and saw
her smiling at a different sight.  Ukyo was staring at Ryouga and Shampoo,
a faint blue glow around her.  Ranma caught Akane's eye, and they were both
exploded into gales of hysterical laughter.

Mousse sighed.  "Oh Shampoo...."

Notes:

*sigh* Yes, Tenno is a beserker of sorts.  You can all groan later.  I
decided to make him my berserker, my way.  It's a variant of the way the
guy from Record of the Lodoss War goes beserk, with some fun abilities
popped in.

The reason I needed to explain this was I read the Bitter End and then
Bezerker, and after the nightmares wore off (those are some SICK fics) I
got worried of people's mis-reading the way Tenno goes beserk.  He's a NICE
beserker, kids.  I mean, the only reason went after Cologne that way is he
thought Nabiki was DEAD.  I'd freak if someone killed someone I loved too.

All I can say is it's not as bad as it looks.  I'll admit sometimes this
fanfic gets away from me (that entire Akane/Ranma 'I love you'  scene was a
good example - I like it though) and they turn out WAY differently than I
plan them, but I don't plan on doing anything that sick if I can help it. 
Besides, things aren't always as they seem. (Notice: blantant teaser
detected)

Finally, as for the "they're too eloquent" complaint, I have no reply.  My
writing style (as it is now) focuses heavily on dialogue.  You can see that
in my characters.  Yes, they're somewhat OOC, but these are some emotional
times.