Chapter Thirteen

	Ken walked down the street in a daze.  His head was filled with a
hundred thousand things, but the most prominent thought was Ukyou.  He
wanted to be more to her than just a waiter, than just a friend.  It was a
thought that possessed him whenever he looked at her and felt the warmth
she spread when she laughed with him, walked and talked with him.  Now
things were abruptly different.  First there was an understanding of how
they felt, that they wanted to share something more than just being
friends.  At least, that's what he thought she meant before the
rollercoaster of emotions started.
	"Why does it always have to be me?" he said to himself quietly.
	As he walked the streets sadly, he found himself in approaching
the small street that the Nekohanten was situated by.  He could see
Shampoo sweeping the street and sidewalk in front of the quaint
restaurant.  As he approached, Ken ran over the few times that he'd
visited to eat and talk to Shampoo.  They'd spoken Chinese just as he
would have if he were at home.  It was a comfortable atmosphere that made
him feel at home in the same way he'd feel at home with another Chinese
family.  It was nice to speak to someone in a language he was natively
fluent in.  Shampoo could understand the slight feeling of displacement
from his own home, since she herself experienced the same thing.  Times
were changing, however, and he found himself frequenting the Nekohanten
less and less after becoming more and more friendly with Ukyou.  Ken
wondered if it was a good idea being caught here after the incident with
Ukyou.  He'd seen how jealous she could be with Ranma.
	The thought pierced his mind.  Ukyou said she was getting over
Ranma and ready to forget him.  Yet she said his name after he kissed her,
and the way she said it was what hurt the most.  Ukyou had said Ranma's
name in an almost reverent way, as if it wasn't Ken she'd wanted there,
but Ranma; and that Ken's place there was only to provide some kind of
substitute for him.  Ken pondered the thought of being Ukyou's substitute
Ranma, a thought that cut away at his heart violently.
	"Might as well head over.  It's not like she really cares." he
muttered to himself.
	Shampoo waved when she saw Ken pass under the lights close to the
restaurant.
	"Ken!  It's such a pleasnat surprise to see you!" she said
brightly in Mandarin.  "You haven't visited in so long, we thought that
you might have found a better restaurant."
	Ken smiled.
	"No place serves Chinese like this place, Shampoo."
	"You sure?"
	Ken laughed.
	"Of course."
	Shampoo giggled, and her lavender tresses swayed gently as she
laughed.
	"Why don't you come in?  We just closed, but I can serve you
something to eat.  You must be tired of okonomiyaki by now!"
	Ken's eyes blurred for a moment at the mention of okonomiyaki.
Shampoo was quick to catch on.
	"Something wrong?"
	"Not really, it's nothing at all.  I just remembered something."
	"Well, why don't you take a load off inside and we'll find
something to pick up your spirits.  How about it?"
	Ken smiled appreciatively.
	"Thanks, Shampoo."
	She ushered him inside and sat him down at a table close to the
kitchen, the only source of light in the restaurant.  She brought out a
pot of tea and two small cups.
	"So where's Mousse?"
	Shampoo rolled her eyes.
	"Mu-mu-chan is in his cage right now.  He's being punished for
making another pass at me."
	Ken laughed.
	"I don't know whether to call him an idiot or a man of great taste
in women." Ken said with a mischievous grin.
	Shampoo blushed and playfully slapped Ken's hand.
	"Stop that!  You're such a tease!  You should know that I'm
engaged to Ranma."
	Ken's smile abruptly faded.
	"What's wrong?" Shampoo asked quickly.
	"It's about Ranma."
	"Yes? What is it?" Shampoo asked urgently.
	"I'm afraid he's chosen a fiance, for keeps this time."
	Shampoo's eyes darkened.
	"He chose Akane, didn't he?"
	"I'm sorry, Shampoo.  It hurt a lot of people."
	Shampoo gazed sadly into her tea.
	"You know, I came to expect it.  Even though I knew I was prettier
and a better cook than Akane, she had something I didn't.  Even Ukyou
didn't have what it took to win him."
	Ken sighed.
	"I apologize.  I should have kept my mouth shut.  It was none of
my business."
	Shampoo smiled weakly.
	"Better now than later, I guess."
	Ken could tell she was on the verge of tears.  Suddenly she smiled
impishly.
	"You know that you did beat me in combat." She said softly as she
moved her seat closer.
	"Whoa, hey!  Shampoo, I knew we were getting along as friends
pretty well, but isn't this sudden?"
	Shampoo laughed.
	"I'm just kidding you oaf!" she admonished with a grin.
	Ken smiled thankfully at the chance to lift the mood of the room.
	"I was just making a present for Ranma, but since he's out of the
picture, I might as well forget it."
	"A present?"
	"I wanted to give him a dowry to show I was serious."
	Ken nodded appreciatively.
	"You never gave him one?" he asked.
	"I didn't know about it.  We came from a remote village in China
where rules were different."
	"You mentioned it before." Ken replied.
	"I just thought if I followed the customs here, it might show that
I was more serious on a romantic level rather than something purely
legal." Shampoo finished in Mandarin.
	Ken nodded assent.
	"Can I ask you a favor?" Shampoo asked suddenly.  "It's a small
one.  If you don't want to, it's no big deal."
	"What is it?" Ken asked.
	"I didn't exactly check to see if my present would work for Ranma
and since he's really out of the question now, it's a moot point.  Still,
I'm curious to see how well I did with it?  Would you mind wearing it?"
	"You made him some clothes?"
	"No, silly.  You'll see.  Will you try it?"
	Ken smiled.  He didn't see the harm in it.
	"Sure."
	Shampoo left, running into her great grandmother as she went
through the kitchen.  Cologne nodded to Ken as she exited the kitchen.
	"Shampoo mentioned we had a visitor.  It's good to see you again,
Ken.  What brings you here tonight?"
	"I was just passing through."
	Cologne nodded again and sat at the table.
	"I could not help but hear you tell Shampoo that Ranma had chosen
a bride.  Are you positive it was Akane?"
	"Well," Ken began, "Ukyou came back with the news that he'd chosen
Akane; and since she'd been at the dojo that day to speak to Ranma and his
mother, I don't see any reason to doubt her."
	Cologne nodded sadly.
	"I was afraid something like this would happen.  Did Shampoo take
it well?"
	Ken nodded.
	"Much better than Ukyou.  I was afraid she would break down, but
she took it very well.  I found it a little odd."
	"Shampoo is a strong warrior.  She has trained herself to accept
the worst news."
	Shampoo interrupted the conversation with her entrance.  She held
out a simply gold circlet to Ken.
	"I found this in a jewelry store and thought I'd change it to fit
Ranma."
	Ken picked up the circlet and his eyes widened at the sudden surge
in ki he felt.
	"Will you try it on?" Shampoo asked sweetly.
	Ken looked up and stared at Shampoo.
	"Where did you get this?" he asked quietly.
	"It won't fit?" Shampoo asked sadly.
	Ken grit his teeth.
	"Why don't you try it yourself?" he hissed.  "You plan on forcing
Ranma to marry you, don't you?"
	Shampoo looked surprised.
	"What are you talking about?" she asked incredulously.
	"My great granddaughter has no intention on using this on Ranma,
Ken." Cologne interjected.
	Ken turned to face the old woman.
	"You know what this is, don't you?" he hissed.
	Cologne simply smiled.  Ken was about to get up from his seat, but
chains appeared from nowhere to bind him.  Cologne deftly flipped her cane
around and tagge him at the base of his neck.  Ken thrashed in his seat.
Cologne raised an eyebrow.
	"The pressure point didn't work.  Perhaps I applied it
incorrectly."
	Ken struggled, and successfully broke the chain binding him to his
seat.  He rose in fury.
	"What's the meaning of this?" he shouted.
	Four more chains appeared from the shadows of the restaurant
lashing themselves around him, restraining him.  Ken stepped forward, and
pulled on the chains violently.  He was rewarded with Mousse's form
stumbling and falling out of the shadows.  Shampoo quickly grasped the
circlet and approached him.
	"Are you crazy?!  Do you have any idea what you're doing?" Ken
shouted as he backed away from her.
	"Shampoo knows exactly what she's doing." Cologne said calmly.
"You don't live three hundred years and live to talk about it by making
mistakes.  I know what I'm doing."
	Ken looked at Cologne in shock.  He backed away faster.  Chains
shot out from Mousse's robes in an attempt to entangle him.  Ken could
only dodge helplessly until his luck ran out and he was tripped before he
could throw himself outside.  He watched in horror as Shampoo bent over
him to put the circlet on his head.
"You don't know what you're doing!" he screamed.  "You don't know what
horrors you've unleashed!  Don't do this, Shampoo!  It's wrong!  It's all
wrong!"
	Cologne simply stared at him impassively.
	"Ranma will marry Shampoo.  That is the way it will be." she said
plainly as Shampoo secured the circlet around Ken head.
	People in the surrounding area were awakened in terror by a
horrendous scream of agony and pain that echoed through the night.

	A flash of pain and a primordial cry for help ripped through his
consciousness.  The figure silently stood from a quiet vigil next to a
small jade pendant on a raised dais.  The figure ran a hand through a
tousled mane of black hair.  He straightened the white gi he was wearing
and also the white hakama.  A slender woman with flowing gold hair in
white robes ran through the door behind him, stopping by his side.
	"Was that it?  I felt him crying for help?  Was it him?"
	The man by the dais stared at the small jade pendant as it flashed
once, twice, and then remained still.
	"I heard him crying out for help.  It was raw and unfocused.
Something's very wrong."
	The lady backed away to arm's length and stared at the man across
from her worriedly.
	"You're going after him, aren't you?" she asked quietly.
	"Faith, you know that I have to.  He's my brother, and the last of
my family left."
	"He was shamed by Fate!  You know my Angela disavowed him
publicly.  Would you follow someone so utterly dishonorable into an
unknown world where you might find yourself in danger as well?  Khan was a
trained Avatar and he was one of the best men to fight with the sword.
You trained with him, you know his abilities; yet he cries out like an
animal wounded and destined to die.  Anything that could have done that
could do the same to you."
	"I understand your trepidation," the figure said with a loving
smile, "but he is my brother.  You know that your sister would have
disavowed my brother regardless of whether he was dishonorable or not.  If
anyone, it was your sister that was acting so low." he said bitterly.  The
woman winced.
	"Faith," he continued, "I'll be safe.  I haven't lived as long as
I have to simply run off and kill myself; and especially after being wed
to the incarnation of Life and Love herself." he finished with a smile.
	The gold haired woman's blue eyes twinkled and she laughed a soft
laugh that rang like soft chimes in the air.
	"Then go, and find him if you must." she said reluctantly.  "But
return home, love.  I'm afraid of what might happen to you."
	She raised herself on her toes to kiss him softly.
	"I'll be back before you know it." he replied softly.
	"Andrew," she said as she looked at him with worry again.  "You
know that Brutus went after your brother last.  What if he was successful
in taking his soul and the combination of Fenrir and Janus?  You know that
to have a man as utterly devoid of conscience as Brutus to possess half of
the Four Horsemen will bring nothing but ill will to all he meets."
	Andrew turned to look at the pendant again, the sign of good luck
his mother wore before her death.
	"Khan isn't dead yet.  I just feel it.  The cry for help means he
must be alive.  There's still that feeling, something pulling at me to go.
If he were dead, I'd just feel some void there."  He turned away to look
at his wife again.  "Faith, keep an eye out for your sisters.  I don't
worry about Lilith.  The incarnation of Death is the least of my worries.
I can bargain with your younger sister; but your older sister I'm worried
about."
	"I'll keep an eye out for Angela, then.  I'll keep her occupied if
anything happens."
	Andrew nodded gravely.
	"You know what happened the last time she got her mitts into my
older brother.  I don't want it to happen again.  He's a good man, but too
easily led by his heart."
	Faith nodded.  Andrew walked out of the room, a wooden staff
materializing in his hand as he walked out the door.  She looked above the
door and eyed the symbol of Janus above the frame.  It seemed to haze in
her view and switch to that of Doom, and then Ragnarok.  A cold feeling
settled in the pit of her stomach, disturbing her violently.  She quickly
fled the room, shivering despite the numerous candles and torches that
heated and illuminated the room.

	An insistent knock on the door was what jostled Kasumi from her
usual chore of cooking lunch for her father and guests.  She turned to
look at Nodoka standing next to her cutting vegetables.  The elder Saotome
looked at Kasumi quizzically.
	"I don't believe we had guests coming today." Kasumi said plainly.
	"Perhaps it's just a salesperson." Nodoka suggested.
	Kasumi wiped her hands dry on a towel that hung in her apron
pocket and untied the apron strings behind her back.  She tossed the apron
on the counter and made her way to the door.  Another knock sounded as she
rounded the bend to the door.
	"Please wait a moment." She called out as she undid the latch on
the front door.  She heard some shuffling of feet as she opened the door.
	"Oh my."
	A figure in a white gi and white hakama stood silently with a jo
in his hand, regarding the yard when she opened the door.  His black hair
waved slightly as a breeze ruffled it.  He turned to look at Kasumi evenly
and smiled a curt smile before bowing stiffly.
	"Good afternoon.  May I please speak with the head of the
household?" he said in impeccable Japanese.  There was a hint of an
American accent.
	Kasumi turned from the door and called out to her father.
	"Father, a man is here to speak with you."
	She turned and ushered him inside.
	"Please follow me." she said to the strange gentleman.  He bowed
stiffly again and quietly expressed his thanks.
	When the two of them reached the low set table overlooking the
yard, Nodoka, Genma, and Soun were sitting enjoying tea.  Kasumi motioned
for the stranger to sit and brought him a cup of tea.  He nodded his
thanks with a polite smile and set it on the table before him.
	"What may I assist you with?" Soun asked with a pleasant smile.
"I see from your clothes that you are a practitioner of the martial arts.
Are you interested in the use of our dojo?"
	The stranger shook his head.
	"I am not here seeking a hall to train in.  Rather, I am here
seeking a particular person."
	Soun and Nodoka turned and glared at Genma.  He simply raised his
hands defensively and shook his head violently.  The stranger continued as
Kasumi joined them with tea of her own.
	"I am here in an attempt to find my brother, Chai Tse-Khan.  The
energy signature from the Ethereals he possesses ran strongly to this
point here.  There was another trail, but that is beside the point.  I am
fairly certain he frequented this place.  I hope you may know who I am
talking about and can point me in his general direction."  As he finished,
the stranger looked evenly at the quartet of people across from him.
	"How do we know you aren't someone looking to kill him in a duel
of honor?" Nodoka said suspiciously.  The stranger smiled.
	"I see my brother has explained his situation.  I find it odd that
you listened and accepted his word.  While I am intrigued, it is an
irrelevent issue.  I apologize for not introducing myself.  I am Chai
Tse-Khan's younger brother, Chai Tse-An."
	Genma and Soun simply stared at the stranger.  Kasumi put a hand
over her mouth, and Nodoka looked evenly at the stranger across from her.
	"How do we know you're telling the truth?" she asked.
	"You can not.  You must take my word in this matter and either
assist me in my search or deny me your help.  I feel my older brother is
in grave danger and I am here to assist him in any way possible."
	Nodoka gazed at the newcomer across from her intently.  He looked
a great deal like a younger version of Ken.  The hard edge and etched
lines that defined Ken in her mind was absent in the stranger.  Yet, she
could feel that this was Ken's brother.  They shared the same hair color,
eye color, walking demeanor and manners.
	"I feel that we have no choice but to assist you, then.  If you
are telling the truth that Ken is indeed in danger, then it would only be
appropriate that we help you." Nodoka replied evenly.
	The stranger smiled.
	"Thank you.  I truly appreciate the gesture.  I must ask that we
begin immediately.  Please tell me everything you know about his habits
here as well as the way he acted upon his arrival.  It would also be
beneficial for you to tell me about your relation with my older brother so
that I may judge how deeply you and your associates may be affected by our
eventual encounter."
	Ganma and Soun looked surprised.  Kasumi rose and excused herself
to get more tea.  Nodoka looked evenly at the person across from her and
nodded solemnly.
	"Before we begin, may I ask your name?" the stranger asked.
	"My name is Saotome Nodoka.  This is Tendo Soun, "she said
indicating to Soun, "and this is my husband Genma." she said pointing at
the nervous figure of her husband.
	The stranger bowed to each of them.
	"As I said before, my name is Chai Tse-An.  My peers and family
call me Andrew.  It is a name I find more convenient than my Chinese
name."
	Nodoka nodded and began her explanation of everything that had
occurred upon Ken's arrival as far as she knew.  Andrew simply listened
intently, nodding assent or smiling in the meantime.  Nodoka was about to
explain how she had adopted Ken into the Saotome family when she was
interrupted by two voices rushing in from the front door.
	"We're home!" Akane called out.
	Ranma barreled into the room and stopped cold when he saw Andrew.
>From his point of view, another Chinese character was emblazoned on the
back of the gi.  Akane barreled into him.
	"What's the big idea?" she said irritably.
	Ranma pointed.  Akane looked at him questioningly as Andrew turned
to look at them.
	"Who's the new guy?" Ranma asked his mother.
	"This is Ken's younger brother, Andrew." she said gesturing.
Ranma both nodded and bowed curtly before sitting by the table.
	"Are you here because of Ken?" Akane asked.
	Andrew nodded.
	"Do you know of what has happened to my brother?" Andrew asked.
	Ranma shook his head.
	"Absolutely nothing.  Something happened between him and Ukyou and
now she can't find him.  Sounds pretty serious since we didn't see him at
school and she hasn't seen him since last night." Ranma explained.
	"So he's disappeared.  Rather typical of my brother." Andrew said
with slight distaste.
	Ranma looked at him quizzically.
	"He does this a lot?"
	"My brother is a rather emotional fellow.  Where I am from, it's
frequently joked that he got all the fighting and brute strength of the
family, while I was left with the intellect and resource of the family.
In truth, my brother is actually more emotional than most.  It is
something that has been both his salvation and undoing."
	Ranma and Akane looked at each other worriedly.
	"What exactly do you mean by that?" Akane asked tentatively.
	"My brother's fighting abilities all stem from his ability to
channel energy by means of emotions.  If he feels neutral about a
particular person or does not feel sufficient emotion towards a person,
then he isn't effective in a fight.  His natural fighting abilities aren't
enhanced enough for him to fight effectively.  Give him something to work
with, such as hate or anger, or even love, and he will surely defeat his
opponent; whatever the cost is to himself.  It has proven to be a great
asset in battle, but a great impediment on his personal life.  I'm sure he
has expressed such things to you.  He has a tendency to do so with people
he finds trustworthy."
	Ranma and Akane nodded in assent.
	"He pretty much told us everything." Ranma said with a grin.
	"Everything?  Has he mentioned my existence or the prophecy?"
	Ranma and Akane were taken aback.  Nodoka looked intently at
Andrew.
	"What prophecy?  What is going to happen to him?" she asked
intently.
	Andrew sighed.
	"I doubt Ken would have explained it, but I will do so for your
own safety.  Both he and I possess two Ethereals each.  Did he explain the
concept?" Andrew asked.  Everyone nodded.
	"These Ethereals we possess," Andrew continued, "are judged to be
the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  This is vastly different from the
Judeo-Christian idea of the Horsemen.
	"Ken's part of the four is that of Doom; to be specific, Fenrir
and Janus.  Fenrir was the Norse creature that was regarded as the
harbinger of apocalypse.  Janus was the Roman deity of doorways, and by
extension, beginnings and endings of journeys.  These two incorporate to
form a rather nasty, two-faced, vindictive creation.  Luckily this
particular creation is held back easily, if not precariously, by a twisted
sense of honor.  To that end, Ken was able to make a pact to ensure his
sanity.  If he is in control of himself mentally, then physically he is in
command.  If he should become weak mentally, then Doom will take control.
It is a loose pact and one that is questionable in value; but it is the
best we can hope for."
	Ranma shook his head.
	"So what about you?" he asked impatiently.
	Andrew sighed and took a sip of his tea.
	"As for me," he continued, "I possess figures you should be aware
of.  The two Ethereals that I have achieved equilibrium with are Ida-ten
and Kuan Khong.  While Ken manifests Doom, I manifest Salvation.  I am by
far the most stable of the both of us, and there is no possibility of
imbalance or inauspicious behavior with me."
	"So you two are complete opposites?" Akane asked.
	"Precisely." Andrew replied.  "We are two sides of one coin, so to
speak.  Therein lies the prophecy.
	"Ages ago when one person was able to unite the four Ethereals
both my brother and I possess, there was a great cataclysm.  He could not
control the united creation of the four, and as a result, he couldn't
control himself.  Bringing together the four Etherals caused him to choose
poorly.  Before being able to explore each of his options he combined in
favor of Doom, resulting in Ragnarok, or the complete apocalypse.  If he
had known that there was a choice perhaps he would not have chosen so
poorly.
	"Which leads me to my next point.  Ragnarok is the fruition of
Doom's dominance over the four.  He represents a righteous anger, ready to
purge all that he sees evil and unfit to exist in one massive cataclysm.
While it is an actual means to an end, destruction of an entire existence
is not an option that most would want to see.  On the other hand, should
the four unite in favor of Salvation, then Illumination would result.
Justice and reason prevail in this case.  It still embodies a righteous
anger of sorts, but is less destructive in nature.  Both achieve the same
ends, but in two vastly different ways."
	"So what's the prophecy?" Akane asked.
	"The separation of the four was inevitable.  All things in
existence reside in balance.  Your concept of yin and yang explains it
well.  Doom and Salvation are the natural components of the four that
maintain such a balance.  However, just as all things existence in
balance, so do the actions that move time forward or backward.  To sit in
homeostasis without action means there can be no reaction and all things
would cease to be.  Just as Doom and Salvation exist together in balance,
so must they exist in imbalance.  Goodness and peace cannot exist without
evil and pain.  So it is destined that all four must be combined once
again."
	Everyone at the table sat slack-jawed.
	"So how do you know if things are going to be good or bad?" Ranma
finally asked.
	"Only the Ethereals and Fate know what is in store for us; but
even they see futures that may be and not those that will be.  For them,
it is enough to give us indications of what they see.  Both Ida-ten and
Kuan Khong have expressed this.  Upon receiving the Ethereals, they
recited to me:
For Dark and Light to live apart,
You must take apart the mind and heart.
To fuse them both and thus make one,
Hell's horns must blast and evil won.
But Heaven's bells must also chime!
Love must last the test of time!
One cannot live if the other's gone.
Make whole the four to right what's wrong.
	"It is a riddle that I have yet been unable to decipher, as my
brother holds another fragment of the prophecy that is supposed to clarify
our destiny.  Has he spoken of it?" Andrew asked.
	Ranma shook his head.  Akane slowly shook her head as well.
Nobody had heard it.
	"I'm sorry, but Ken never expressed such things to us."
	"It is a rather dark and shameful part of his life, in his own
opinion.  I myself dare not judge for fear of misunderstanding the
message." Andrew replied solemnly.
	The opening of the front doors interrupted them.  Hurried
footsteps made their way to the room, a voice shouting along the way.
	"Ranma!  Akane!  Everyone!  There's fight at Furinkan, and it's
got Ken and Ryouga in the middle of it!"  Nabiki cried as she burst into
the room.



*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Ethan Tsai
1 N. College Street
Northfield, MN 55057

Member of SAUCE (it's what should* go on the okonomiyaki)
Civilian Advisor to the Warehouse, Chemical Superfreak
	Free Consultation on a Referral Basis
Member of USSRTFW:SR

TSAIE@Gridley.ACNS.Carleton.edu
http://public.carleton.edu/~tsaie/ethan.html