PM Productions Presents 
A Phillip Masters Fanfic
Feelings Are Blind
Part Four:  Deciding Fate

	Ranma sulked as he walked down the road.  It was close to midnight, as he had sat in Ucchan's for a 
good hour before finally leaving and locking up.  Nothing seemed to be going right for him, and he was 
seriously worried about Ukyou.  Not only that, but he was even more worried about his other suitors.  What 
would they do when they found out?  Would they hold it in?  Would they lash out at him?  Or, would they hunt 
Tenchi down... and... and... he couldn't think of what they'd do.  He knew Tenchi was a good fighter, but he 
wasn't even as good as himself, how could he hold up against his fianc�es'?  He wasn't even sure Tenchi could 
hold up against Shampoo alone, never the less Shampoo, Kodachi, Ukyou, and possibly Akane all together.  Heck, 
even Kunou would want a piece of poor Tenchi.  
	The thought of Akane made him stop in the middle of the street.  Fortunately, it was late at night and 
the roads were almost entirely empty for miles around.  He looked up at the stars, obscured by the intensity 
of Tokyo's light pollution.  Still, most of them shone through, a million points, pinpricks in the night sky. 
 Yet, somewhere, in the vastness of that same space, lie the planet of Tenchi's origins.  He was from this 
planet, but some of his blood was not.  Ranma wasn't sure how to take that.  Whenever he saw him, it didn't 
matter.  He looked so human, he seemed so human... how could he not be?  But he believed him, when he said he 
was not fully so.  
	Ranma shook his head violently.  He had begun thinking about Akane, and Tenchi had somehow usurped 
her.  His tomboy, who he had spent two years with, risked life and limb for on countless occasions.  Cried 
over when he thought she had died.  He had thought he loved her, more than anything.  It seemed love was truly 
a fickle thing... the ignorance of youth allowed for that.  Possibly he didn't know what love was... but more 
likely he just ignored it.  Ignored it for too long, and now he was in love with another.  It didn't bother 
him anymore to think that.  He loved Tenchi, it was something that was actually painful to try and deny.  
However, given all of this, he couldn't bring himself to go to him, not until he had made his feelings clear 
to everyone in his life.  
	He looked down, and noticed he had begun walking again without even noticing.  He found himself 
staring at the Nekohaten.  His feet had simply taken him there, probably out of familiarity.  He sighed, then 
altered his route to take him back to the Tendo home.  It was much too late to talk with Shampoo and Cologne, 
and he wanted to save them for last anyway.  Okay... maybe he wanted to save Kodachi for last...  He sighed, 
and continued down the road.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

	Tenchi and Ryouko sat at his apartment, with an empty gallon size ice cream tub sitting on the coffee 
table before them.  They both sighed in contentment.  Ryouko leaned back against the couch and stretched.  
"This is the life, Tenchi!  Cooling off with a  good friend, and good food.  All that's missing is the 
liquor!"  She reached into her shirt and pulled out a bottle of sake.  "Oh my!  Where did this come from?" she 
asked with a devilish grin.  
	Tenchi didn't really care for sake, but he couldn't help but smile at Ryouko.  She seemed so happy and 
carefree, even more so than usual.  As if a weight had been removed from her shoulders.  He accepted the small 
glass of clear, seemingly harmless liquid from his best friend, then downed it in a gulp.  Seemed he was 
caught up in the moment.  The moment suddenly lost some of its charm.  Ryouko patted him on the back as he 
hacked and wheezed for a good five minutes.  His stomach was still burning afterward, and his head was feeling 
a little lighter than usual.  
	"Wow!" Ryouko exclaimed, "You sure can't hold your sauce!"  She simply tilted the bottle back and took 
about half of it down in one chug.  She exhaled sharply as she pulled it away, a small cloud of mist puffing 
from her mouth.  "Now, that... is some good stuff!"
	Tenchi had gotten over his coughing fit, and was sitting up again.  He grinned at Ryouko, finding her 
attitude to be most enlightening for some reason.  He found another glass in his hand, and though unsure of 
where it had come from he threw the contents down his throat anyway.  A second stream of fire rolled down his 
chest and into his stomach, where it cooked nicely.  The room was lulling ever so slightly, but the effect was 
a pleasant one.  Then, another glass was in his hand!  It was amazing how that kept happening.  He drank the 
sake, he assumed that's what it was, with particular flourish.  As he tossed his head back and downed the 
drink, he found his body kept going.  He fell backward into the soft confines of the couch.  Then, he lilted 
over onto Ryouko, who he found even more soft and comfortingly warm as well.  It made him think of Ranma.
	Ryouko threw an arm around Tenchi.  "So, how's," she paused as if trying to figure out what words to 
use, "your first time... being drink... drunk?"
	Tenchi had to think a moment to remember how to speak.  "Good." he said, not trusting himself to 
elaborate.  They both sat like that for a good five minutes, then Tenchi spoke up again.  "Ryouko?"
	"Yeah, Tenchi?"
	"Why didn't I ever notice the ceiling was orange?"  He frowned and squinted his eyes.  Was it orange? 
 Or was it purple?  He couldn't tell.
	Ryouko looked upward, then seemed to slump back.  "Oh, that was a bad idea."  
	Tenchi put an arm around Ryouko to help support her.  "You okay?" he asked.
	"Yeah... and I can't see the ceiling, it's dark in here.  The TV's off."
	"Oh... yeah."  Tenchi couldn't remember actually switching the set off.  He also could swear he could 
still hear the last program they were watching.  Tenchi laughed inside.  He had done it, he had escaped 
reality.
	"What's so funny?" Ryouko wondered out loud.
	Seemed he didn't just laugh on the inside.  He shrugged, "Noting really... I'm just happy."
	He heard Ryouko giggle, it was a musical sound.  "I'm happy too." she stated, and squeezed his 
shoulder.
	Tenchi squeezed back.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

	Ranma laid in his futon, listening to the thrumming of the nearby sleeping engine.  He stared at the 
ceiling, still pondering his situation.  He would have a monstrous day tomorrow, and he was not all looking 
forward to it.  How could he do it?  How could he fall in love in a day?  And with a guy no less?  It baffled 
him to the point of breakdown.  Every time he tried to rationalize it, the whole thing fell apart.  Placing a 
piece knocked another one out.  It was an impossible puzzle, and his happiness depended on its completion.  He 
wanted to go to Tenchi right then... so bad he could feel it.  Thing was, he wasn't sure if he wanted to go as 
a guy, or a girl.  
	He shut his eyes tightly.  He would burn that particular bridge when he was on it.  Hopefully Tenchi 
would pull through and rescue him before he fell through the cinders.  For now, he needed to focus on the 
problem at hand.  Telling everyone else about Tenchi.  Then, only then could he go see him.  With that goal in 
mind, he could do it.  He was a fighter, the best fighter.  As long as he kept the winning in mind, he would 
always make it.  
	With that glory in his thoughts, exhaustion finally won over worry, and he fell into a deep slumber.
 
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

	Tenchi woke up, and instantly regretted it.  As soon as he was consciously aware, a demonic 
construction worker began to jackhammer his skull.  He closed his eyes, trying to push the pain from his mind. 
 This only made the pounding more acute.  He reopened his eyes and turned his head, finding it to be easier 
then he would have guessed.  He discovered Ryouko lying asleep next to him.  They were still on the couch in 
the living room.  It seemed she couldn't move last night any better than himself.  He sat up very slowly, 
smacking his lips to attempt to clear out the unusual taste in his mouth.  He met with mixed success.  He 
briefly entertained the thought of waking Ryouko up, but vetoed it.  He needed a shower, and he needed it 
right then.  There was no debate.
	He rose completely from the couch and stumbled into the bathroom.  The construction worker had gone on 
break it seemed, and the pounding in his head was more like a memory.  Though the little demon was obviously 
taking its hiatus in his stomach, because all thought of food made him want to hurl.  He reached into the 
shower stall and turned the hot water to full.  When it heated up to scalding, he twisted the cold knob until 
it was comfortable.  Then, he pulled off his clothes, dropping them on the floor, and stepped in.  He felt as 
though the water were soaking into his body, erasing the effects of the alcohol and renewing himself.  He was 
so relaxed, that he didn't even jump when Ryouko phased into the stall next to him.  However, she was totally 
naked, and his mind did eventually catch up with the situation.  His nose bled and he pressed himself against 
the cold wall.  "Ryouko!  What are you doing?"
	She looked over at him half-lidded for a second, as if trying to deduce what the disturbance was.  Her 
eyes widened suddenly, and she disappeared, the air rushing in behind her with an audible pop.  Tenchi 
blinked, trying to figure out exactly what just happened.  His mind was not quite back in gear, and his clutch 
was stuck.  He opened the stall door and looked out into the bathroom proper.  Ryouko stood there, fully 
clothed.  She seemed a little disoriented.  She looked at him apologetically.  "Sorry about that, Tenchi.  I 
can't think right now."  She put a hand to her head to bring the point home.
	Tenchi nodded in understanding.  "It's okay, Ryouko.  I feel the same way.  I'm almost done, then you 
can have the shower."
	She nodded and walked out of the bathroom.  Tenchi sprayed his face off, making sure to clean off all 
the blood.  He would have to find out if there was anything he could do about that spontaneous bleeding 
whenever he saw a naked girl.  He had to look at the bright side though, he didn't throw up.  He chuckled 
lightly and stepped out of the stall.  He wiped himself down, making sure he was completely dry, then wrapped 
the towel around himself and left.  Ryouko was sitting on the couch rubbing her temples.  He sat down next to 
her.  "That bad, huh?"
	She nodded without looking at him.  
	"Well, you can take a shower now."  He patted her on the shoulder to try and cheer her up.
	Ryouko smiled lightly, though it was obvious that her heart wasn't in it.  She got up from the couch 
and stumbled once more into the shower.  Tenchi went into his room and pulled some everyday clothes on.  A 
pair of shorts, and a T-shirt, average fare.  He walked out into the living room and switched the television 
on.  He flipped through the stations until he hit the news.  What instantly caught his attention was the fact 
that Nerima popped onto the screen.  He couldn't see a reporter, but he could hear the monologue, "In the 
Nerima Ward of Tokyo today a large explosion was seen coming from the residence of a Tendo Soun.  Some 
specu..."
	Tenchi flipped the set off and sat down on the couch, hard.  Soun Tendo?  He wondered if that was the 
same Tendo Ranma was staying with.  He had told Ranma that he wouldn't interfere with her life unless she came 
back to him.  However, he wasn't even sure if she was okay or not.  Maybe that wasn't where she was staying 
after all?  Only one way to find out... and may Ranma forgive him if he's wrong.
	"Ryouko!" he yelled into the bathroom.
	"Yes?"
	"I'm heading to the Tendo Dojo... it's not far from here!  I have to check up on Ranma, there was an 
accident this morning!"
	"Okay!  I'll catch up with you in a minute!"
	Tenchi nodded to himself and took off out the door.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

	Ranma was not having one of his better mornings.  So far he had managed to get thrown into the pond by 
his father, mostly due to the lack of sleep he received the previous night, gotten hit by Akane three times, 
and he hadn't even told her about Tenchi yet, and Shampoo had shown up, thus the reason Akane hit him the 
second and third times... so far.  It was only ten in the morning, he didn't know how much he could take.  
"A...Akane, no... I didn't... I mean..."  As usual, his reasoning skills counted for naught while being 
directly questioned by two angry females.
	"Shampoo no understand why Ranma even talk to violent girl!"  Shampoo had popped in the rear wall, 
missing the door by about eight centimeters, at around nine that morning.  Ever since her arrival things had 
gone downhill in a major way.
	"Who are you calling violent, you hussy?" Akane screamed in reply.
	Shampoo grinned, as though her point had already been gotten across.  Had Ranma no regard for his well 
being he would have agreed with her.  "Akane... calm down..."  His soothing was cut short by a forth mallet 
blow to the cranium.  He wondered in passing how much more trauma his skull could take before giving out 
entirely.  
	"Don't you even try and patronize me, Ranma!" she yelled as she lifted her weapon back into the air.
	"I wasn't trying to do anything to you!  I am just trying to make you calm down!"
	"Why?  So you can go out with that bimbo?"  She pointed to Shampoo for good effect.  The Amazon did 
not look too amused at that.
	Sometimes, Ranma simply felt like screaming.  Screaming to Akane, screaming to Shampoo, screaming to 
his old man... screaming to the whole fucked up world.  "Come on, Akane!  Thanks to you fighting Shampoo we've 
already lost the gas main... again!"  While the two women were fighting they had inadvertently struck the gas 
line and caused a small but intense explosion.  No one had been injured, in fact the two fighters hadn't even 
noticed what they had done until later.  However, he knew he would not be able to change back from a girl 
without searching for hot water.
	"Shampoo no care!  Violent girl start!  Shampoo just come to see airen!"  She tried to latch onto 
Ranma again, but was blocked by Akane once more.  The Amazon growled at her opponent, her battle aura 
beginning to become visible.  Ranma sent a silent prayer to whatever gods may have been listening for 
something to get him out of this mess.
	Just then, Kasumi walked into the room.  She smiled as bright as day, even in the face of the 
destruction before her.  The Dojo was not its usual glorious self at that moment.  "Ranma!" she beamed, "you 
have a visitor!"
	Everyone turned to the door...
END PART FOUR
Sorry for the nasty cliffhanger.  However, I want the next scene to be unbroken, but I didn't want to write 
anymore on this part.  So, I'm saving the next situation for the next part.  As always, comments very 
appreciated.  Thanks for reading!
PMasters (3-31-98)