CAN'T LET GO 
(A Ranma 1/2 fic by Cass and GSL)

Authors' Notes aka stuff we wanna say now or we might end up being sued 
or flamed:
We have written this story out of fun. In no way do we own the 
characters of this story, they belong to Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan 
Inc, Shonen Sunday Comics, and Viz Video.  This story is meant for 
entertainment, non-profit purposes.

This story deviates from the Ranma universe after Ukyou arrived in 
Nerima.  Some of the characters have been given mind-altering drugs by 
us and that's why they act out-of-character.  8-) This is generally a 
dark fic.

Comments, criticisms and MSTs are welcome. You can reach us at 
chiaty@singnet.com.sg
You can view this at http://web.singnet.com.sg/~chiaty/fanfics.htm

We also would like to thank our pre-readers, Justin Baugh, Jed 
Bidwell,Maurice Phillip and Arthur Edwards.

[ ] = dream sequence
< > = character's thoughts
{ } = conversations in chinese 


Part 5B: Opposite of Love is Hate
---------------------------------


	Night after night, Ranma continued his vigil over Ukyou, coming to 
soothe her when she had nightmares, smiling when she didn't dream of 
such things the whole night.  He would lie down and pretend to fall 
asleep but once Ukyou was in slumberland, he would sit up straight and 
wait patiently.  He knew he dozed off sometimes but usually her cries, 
however soft, would awaken him.  Siting next to her in a flash, he 
chased the imaginary Daddy away, comforted her and sang a relatively 
unknown lullaby (he remembered his mother singing it to him when he was 
small) to her.  Throughout all this, Ukyou never once awakened, though 
she came close several times.  So she was unaware of what Ranma was 
doing.  

	The lack of rest naturally made Ranma more tired and it was even more 
of a struggle to get him to wake up in the mornings.  And his exhaustion 
showed, as his martial arts moves started to get sloppy.  Desperate, he 
took afternoon naps, rather than to clue Ukyou in on what was really 
going on. 

	Once, he heard her humming a tune while cooking, recognizing it to be 
the lullaby he had sang to her.  When he asked, she smiled and replied 
simply, "I think my mother sang it to me when I was little."  Ranma 
beamed for a whole hour after that.  

	As days went by, Ukyou became more cheerful and she frequently hummed 
the lullaby.  Also, her nightmares grew infrequent.  All these changes 
did not go unnoticed by Ranma, who was secretly pleased.  To hear her 
hum that tune was enough to spur him on those long vigils.  

--------------------------------------------------------------
(Meanwhile...)

	"Ryouga?  Can I come in?"

	"Yeah, sure!  Oh, wait just a minute!"  Ryouga frantically surveyed his 
room for any messes.  He stuffed his clothes and book into the closet 
and shouted, "Ok!"

	Akane opened the door and let herself in.  She smiled and said 
haltingly, "I just wanted to say that, uh, I had a great time today."  

	"Even though Mr Tendo came into the restaurant and started hugging the 
other patrons, shouting that his daughter was dating?" asked Ryouga.

	"Despite that," laughed Akane.  "I wonder if Dad is still there?"  They 
had discreetly left by the back door when Soun's back was turned.  Then, 
they had went home and watched an old movie, mimicking the actors' 
famous lines and reenacting some scenes.  Akane beamed as she recalled 
the fun they had.  "I uh, would like to do that again."

	"How about a date tomorrow?"  He cursed under his breath.  He didn't 
want to seem too eager.  The fact that she had asked him out on a date 
today was already a miracle.  

	Akane grinned.  "Ok.  We can go to that new amusement park." 

	"and ride on the 360 degrees rollarcoaster ride!" they said in unison.  
Both teenagers laughed.  

	"Well then, see you tomorrow.  Good night."  She pecked his cheek and 
rushed out, leaving a dumbstruck Ryouga frozen in his spot.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
(8pm in Nekohanten)

	Today, according to the Chinese almanac was an auspicious day for 
marriages. Couples would have life-long marriages and plentiful 
descendants. And because of this, they have chosen to get married on 
this fateful day. 

	The last few days were spent on making marriage preparations. Since 
they were both Chinese, a Chinese wedding was planned. Being Amazons, it 
was not customary to register their marriages as state regulations were 
normally ignored. So the couple decided that a simple dinner and wedding 
ceremony at home would suffice. 

	There would not be any guests, as they did not have friends here 
anymore. It would be a ceremony consisting of the two of them only. 

	Straightening her red cheongsam for the last time, Shampoo smiled 
satisfactorily at the image on the mirror. They didn't get the 
traditional marriage costumes as it was too expensive. Even though 
Cologne had left them a considerable sum of money in the bank, they 
decided to watch their spending since they have no income with the 
Nekohanten being closed.

	She became panicky as the auspicious hour drew near. Very soon, she 
would become Mousse's wife. It was kind of funny that she spent most of 
her life rejecting his advances and now, she was to be married to the 
man willingly. 

	So far, her decision seemed correct. It didn't matter if she didn't 
love him as much as she loved Ranma. Mousse was there for her, and the 
past few months have proven that she could be happy with him.

	Knock. Knock. 

	She checked herself in the mirror again to make sure that she was 
presentable. A knock on the door was heard again, followed by her 
groom's voice, "{Shan Pu, may I come in?}"

	"{Yes,}" she called out, turning expectantly to the door. He appeared 
wearing a matching red Chinese robe. <Well, he isn't too bad a catch,> 
she thought.

	"{Hmm, you are really beautiful.}" 

	"{Thank you.}" She made a full turn to let him have a complete view of 
herself. He just continued to smile. She noticed that he had brought an 
envelope with him and asked him what it was.

	"{Oh, the lawyers' office sent a person up just now. Didn't you hear 
the bell ring?}"

	"{No.}"

	"{Anyway before we can sell the Nekohanten, we need to transfer the 
shop to your name first. So, we need Cologne's death certificate...,}" 
he stopped suddenly as if realizing his mistake.

	"{Must we talk about this today?}" Her mood was greatly dampened.  

	"{I'm sorry.}" He seemed apologetic. "{Why don't you authorize me to 
handle the sale, like that you can just concentrate on being my wife.}" 

	He was grinning now, much to her chagrin, "{Must I remind you who is 
the boss of the house?}"

	"{Yeah, you are...}" He had a resigned tone, which made her feel bad 
about bullying him. 

	"{What must I do?}"

	"{Huh?}" He gave her a bewildered look. Then, he realized what she was 
referring to and promptly took out a document from the envelope. "{Uh, 
just sign the form here.}"

	Without reading, she signed the legal document. "{Now, can we revert to 
our wedding?}" She slung her hands around his and they began to walk out 
of the room.	

	It was the moment of truth. The time has come. Together, they came to 
the doorstep of the restaurant. Facing the moon up in the sky, they made 
a bow. Next, they came to the offering table. On it, there was a picture 
of Cologne. To it, they made another bow. Finally, they bowed to each 
other. The ceremony was complete.

	Normally, there would be a tea ceremony where the couple would present 
tea to their elders. But since there wasn't any relatives around, they 
scrapped this. 

	They started to have their dinner. It was a small feast, which they 
prepared together. Lighthearted conversation ensued but it didn't hide 
the uneasiness that both had. 

	Somehow, she had become apprehensive that they were going to be 
intimate. It was probably the wedding jitters, she thought.

	He, on the other hand had waited his whole life for this moment. And it 
was funny that he had second thoughts of what he was going to do. There 
was some part of him that begged him not to carry out the plan, to take 
her as his wife and they could live happily ever after. And that urge 
was getting stronger as he saw the beautiful face of hers. But how could 
he allow her to get away without punishment? She caused the 
deterioration of his eyesight, and she never even apologized once. How 
could he forget the insults and jeering that arouse due to his poor 
eyesight or the way Shampoo had treated him in the past? There was no 
way he was going to let that pass. 

	Finishing their meal, Shampoo attempted to clear the dishes. She felt a 
hand on hers, turning, she saw Mousse shaking his head. He gave her a 
warm smile and kissed her lightly on the lips. 

	Breaking off the kiss, he bent to carry his bride. Whistling to the 
tune of the Wedding March, he marched to their room where their lives 
would change forever.   

(Insert any lemon scene between Mousse and Shampoo of your choice.)

	Totally spent, he lay on top of his bride. He was still recovering his 
breath and fought defiantly against the lethargy. Pushing himself up, he 
looked at his flushed bride. 

	He couldn't believe that it had happen. And yet it was laid in front of 
him. He laughed uncontrollably. He has truly succeeded. The years of 
planning, the agony that he suffered under her hands, all ruptured into 
this one moment. The first step to his plan was completed. 

	Shampoo was giving him a startled look. She called out to him, asking 
what was wrong and shook his body to get his attention. He didn't seem 
to notice and continued to laugh. She was confused, with a dreading 
feeling of what was to come.

	Finally stopping, he gazed menacingly at his wife. It was time for the 
second step. She attempted a smile but he could see the fear in her 
eyes. Speaking in a taunting voice, "{So, did I do well?}"

	"{Mu Tsu...,}" she was still weary of her husband, especially his words 
had intensified the dreading feeling that she had. Somehow, she was 
afraid to speak, fearing that she might say the wrong thing. However, he 
was still waiting for her answer and quickly she formed a reply, "{Yes, 
it was very satisfying.}" 

	"{I'm glad. I've enjoyed it a lot too. I have waited so long for 
this.}" 

	She smiled weakly. 

	"{Do you love me?}" He asked in sudden seriousness.

	Relaxing slightly now that they were on familiar grounds, both her 
hands rose to cup his face lovingly, "{Of course, who else would I 
love?}"

	"{I was so afraid that you would call out Ranma's name...,}" Mousse 
said casually, flashing an evil grin.

	"{MU TSU! You're my husband now and I love you. Ranma's all in the 
past.}

	"{Really?}"

	"{Yes!}" Pausing for a moment, she professed her love again, "{I. Love. 
You.}"

	"{That's great,}" his eyes were sparkling. The seriousness of Shampoo's 
face, the finality of her words added to his good mood. After giving her 
one of his more passionate kisses, smiling wryly, he continued, "{'cos I 
don't.}"

	"{Huh?}" That shocked her all right.

	"{What? You expect me to still love you after all that you had done to 
me?}" Mousse said, pulling a straight face as if he was stating the 
obvious.

	"{No...}" She was overwhelmed by confusion. "{You...,}" she stuttered, 
disbelief written all over her face. She could still smell his sweat 
from the love-making and remembered his tenderness, she just couldn't 
accept that all he did was just an act. As self-denial set in, she 
sought for the reason that Mousse would say such things to her. "{Mu 
Tsu, stop playing with me. This is not funny.}"

	"{Oh, you think this is a game,}" he smiled as he saw the pair of 
hopeful eyes staring at him. His grin grew wider as he proceeded to 
eliminate her hopes, stealing the sparkle from her eyes. "{Sorry, but I 
will have to disappoint you.}" He leaned down on her, talking softly to 
her ears, "{Guess I'm not the lovelorn boy who was desperately in love 
with you 6 years ago. That boy died on the day when you threw him into 
the river.}" 

	Stunned, she didn't know she had started crying. Emotionally scarred, 
she knew she couldn't take another rejection, or another failure. She 
had deposited all her hopes on him and it would certainly crush her if 
he had used her.

	Relishing the effect his words on his antagonist, he carried on 
willfully, squishing the little voice in his head that told him not to. 
"{I only wanted revenge. And what else would be better than to give you 
a taste of your own medicine.}" He wanted his every word to torture her. 
It was like he lived his whole life just for this moment. "{The reason 
that I chased after you was to capture your heart and crush it with my 
bare hands. I stopped loving you a long time ago. How could you be so 
na�ve that I would still be attracted to you? But you were great, the 
sex and all. Don't worry, I'm not going to throw you away like a used 
tissue paper; I had lots of plans for you. You would repay every single 
debt that you owe me, plus interest.}" 

	He didn't need to see the despair on her face. The aura that she was 
radiating showed that. However he wasn't perturbed by it as he didn't 
need to hold back on their fights anymore. He could show her his true 
prowess anytime. 
 
	She had finally seen his true colours. It devastated her that the past 
few months were just a ploy. She was sad and angry at the same time, 
angry with herself for not seeing through Mousse's true intentions and 
angry that she had truly fallen for him. 

	"{BASTARD!}" With a push, Shampoo tried to shove him off. He was flung 
to the end of the bed but he didn't seem to mind. She followed up with a 
kick to his chest and almost got him when he swiftly caught hold of her 
leg and pushed her crashing onto the wall.

	"{My, aren't you feisty tonight?}" Mousse winked at the fallen body. He 
didn't take advantage of his superior position. Instead he leapt off the 
bed and stood, watching Shampoo trying to pick herself up.

	He was prepared when she came charging at him. She was trying to 
execute one of her moves and he knew exactly how to respond to it. Her 
left arm stretched aiming for his head, which he brushed away forcefully 
and hurried to defend his abdomen area. As he anticipated, Shampoo's 
true intention was to hit him in the stomach. He caught her hand and saw 
the surprise on her face. He went behind her, and cruelly, twisted her 
arm until a crack sound was heard. "{It's no use, I know all your moves, 
having watching you on the sidelines for so long. Surrender and I...}"

	"{Never!}" Shampoo screamed before he finished his sentence. Her free 
left hand grabbed the back of his neck and tried to flip him over. He 
was surprised that she nearly got him, but stood his ground and 
half-carried her over him and promptly dropped her. 

	Without letting her recover her breath, he jumped on her and crushed 
her with his bodyweight. "{This is for the times that you ignored me.}" 
Then, he picked her up and threw her across the room. "{This is for 
throwing me into the river.}" Not letting up, he ran to where she was 
laying on the floor and kicked her which she blocked feebly.

	"{This is for the times that you hit me.}" He came down on her like a 
raging bull, losing all senses except the pent-up anger that he had 
accumulated for the past few years. Strangely his tears flowed as he 
threw punch after punch at her which she could hardly block. Shampoo's 
world turned black as a forceful punch connected to her face.

	 Feeling no resistance from Shampoo, he continued his blows even when 
she was knocked unconscious. Only when his tiredness took over, did he 
come out of his trance. The rage that he had a minute ago had 
dissipated, his sanity returning.

	Looking at the battered body, heartache overwhelmed him completely. He 
didn't know why, according to his plans he should be doing a wacky dance 
routine now. But happy was the last thing on his mind. He didn't 
understand his emotions or why he hit her except that he had to. He 
reached out to her and cradled her body to an embrace. Hugging her 
tightly, his tears began to flow more freely and murmurs of sorry were 
spoken.

--------------------------------------------------------------
(Morning, Nekohanten)

	She dreamt like everyone did, only hers was a nightmare. Most people 
forget their dreams after they wake up but she did not. Probably because 
it was a reality that Mousse had attacked her. Despairing, she realized 
that even in her dreams, the horrors didn't leave her.

	She had awoken to find herself still naked with her arms and legs 
chained to the wall, in a standing position. She was in a room, and 
despite the darkness, she recognized that she was in the basement of the 
Nekohanten. 

	Pulling at the metal chains, she tried to free herself. She couldn't 
muster any strength on her right hand since Mousse had broken her arm. 
The chains didn't budge and what she succeeded in was getting more 
bruises.

	She stood as the time passed, unable to do anything else. In the 
beginning, she cried regretting how her life has turned out. She was 
sorry that she had caused Mousse's misfortune but it was an accident. 
She was deeply hurt that the man whom she thought would treasure her had 
only wanted her for revenge. It was a grimly realization that there was 
not one person in the whole wide world that truly cared for her. 

	She felt very lonely and dejected, only her tears accompanied her. It 
was only after a long time, presumably hours, did the tears stop. Being 
an Amazon, she was a strong person at heart. She realized that crying 
wasn't going to settle anything and being sad would just fall nicely 
into Mousse's plans. No, she wouldn't let him have the pleasure. 

	A door cracked open, letting light into the basement. Squinting, she 
saw a figure descending the stairs. <Mu Tsu,> she thought as anger began 
swelling inside her. He switched on the lights to the basement, allowing 
her eyes to relax.

	He slowly approached her with a medical kit. And she didn't lose any 
time in voicing her thoughts. "{Damn you Mu Tsu, release me at once!}" 
It ticked her off when he just smiled. "{To hell with you!}" He remains 
unconcerned. "{You piece of shit.}"

	He was standing in front of her now. With a quick move, he jabbed a 
point few inches below her left shoulder, immobilizing her and putting 
an end to her foul language. "{A lady shouldn't say such things. Besides 
it just eggs me on that you're having such a wonderful time.}" He didn't 
wait for a response and instead opened up the medical kit. Taking out a 
bandage and some ointment, he proceeded to tend to her wounds. "{Best 
not to let you die from infection or internal bleeding, right?}" He 
grinned, looking up at her. "{Furthermore, I haven't had enough fun 
yet.}" 

	Returning to the bandaging, he continued to talk to his unwilling 
audience. "{Who would have guessed that the future leader of the Amazons 
would have a fate like this? Being trapped in a basement, with no 
chances of escaping by a mere man; a man you thought was useless. Didn't 
the old crone tell you never to underestimate your opponents? Hell to 
it, she didn't even practice that. So, I guess you should be forgiven 
for making that mistake.}" 

	He looked up to her again. His control nearly slipped but he checked 
himself in time. <Follow exactly to the plan! Don't be deceived by her 
beauty!> Faking an appearance that he was satisfied with the wide-eye 
look that she was giving, he reverted to his task at hand. "{I'm a 
hidden weapons expert but weapons are not the only thing that I hide. I 
knew that by concealing my skills and emotions, I would have an 
advantage in the form of an element of surprise. Khu Lon was too old, it 
was just time for her to meet her maker. In a way, she was killed by 
you.}"

	<NO!> She screamed in her mind.  

	"{I got an impersonator of you to kill her. So she thinks that her 
beloved great granddaughter had ended her life.}" 

	Anguish welled up within her. She wanted to scream out her grievance 
and injustice but no sound came out. Tears flowed as she realized that 
Cologne had thought that she had murdered her. 

	"{Even though I didn't get to kill her myself, I did make mincemeat out 
of her.}" Grinning madly whilst looking away from her sorrowful eyes, 
his hands gesturing as he spoke, "{I used a screwdriver and repeatedly 
plunged it into her body. It was a bloody mess. Blood scattering 
everywhere, pieces of her flesh flying to the surroundings... I couldn't 
even recognize her when I'm done.}"

	Never in her life did she desire to kill a man. Now, her aim in life 
would be to slaughter him in cold blood. At the same time, she wanted to 
inflict pain on herself, to slap herself, to beat up herself for causing 
Cologne's death, no matter how indirectly. If it weren't for her, Mousse 
had no reason to bear a grudge against Cologne.

	 He nearly cringed when he met her deadly gaze but he held on his mask 
for dear life. He was losing control and he needed to end it fast.  "{I 
guess it's very tiring for you to keep standing like this, I'll make 
other appropriate arrangements. I don't suggest running away as you will 
find the stay enjoyable. There is something that I want to give you; 
something that would make you high and take the pain away.}" Finishing 
up the bandages, he retrieved a syringe from the medical kit and 
injected a substance into a vein in her hand. "{Its called morphine. 
Hope you like it.}" 

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

	Hastily, he came out of the basement and closed the door firmly behind 
him. Locking the door, he leaned heavily on it. His heartbeat has 
finally begun to slow down. 

	Breathing deeply, he tied to assess the situation. He managed to taunt 
her, jeer her and told her that Cologne had died because of her. She was 
hurting deeply now. The plan has gone accordingly but it nearly went 
haywire.

	He gave himself a tight slap and berated himself, "{I don't believe I 
nearly spoiled that. All I have to do was to follow the plans and I...}"

	Getting away from the door, he punched a nearby wall in frustration. 
Why did he feel the guilt? Why did he feel reluctant to follow up on 
what he had planned for years? Why was it so hard on him? 

	"{She must have cast some spell over me. That's why I'm hesitating.}" 
Breathing normally now, "{She won't get away that easily, I swore that 
she would get her desserts and I fully intend to accomplish that. The 
next time. The next time that I have my fun, there will not be any 
hesitation, any guilt. I will fully enjoy it.}"   

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

	"So what are you two planning to do today?" asked Kasumi as she passed 
a bowl of rice to Ryouga.

	"Roller blading in the park," he replied as he placed some tofu in soy 
sauce on top of his rice.

	"And sharing blue cotton candy," added Akane with a smile.  Ryouga 
looked at her in surprise.  <That's what we did the first time we went 
out together, weeks after she was discharged from the hospital.  A kid 
was eyeing our cotton candy and I gave him my pink cotton candy.  So I 
ended up sharing Akane's blue one.  She remembered!>	

	"I remember buying my three daughters cotton candy a long time ago," 
reminisced Soun.  He sniffed a few times and progressed into a loud 
wail.  "Wahh!  Now my Akane has her fianc� buying her cotton candy!"

	"Daddy, remember what I told you about not pushing them?" reminded 
Kasumi.

	Akane blushed and intertwined her fingers with Ryouga's.  She softly 
remarked, "I don't mind." 

	"Congrats, Ryouga.  Welcome to the family.  Of course you'll still have 
to pay the rent." commented Nabiki.

	"I'm very happy for you, Akane.  And you, Ryouga," beamed Kasumi as she 
mentally thought of the dishes for tonight's big celebration.
	
	Soun stopped wailing momentarily to solemnly shake Ryouga's hand.  
"Future son-in-law.  Make my daughter happy or I'll make you very 
unhappy."  Then the Soun fountain started again.

	Ryouga did the only thing he could do.  He fainted.

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

	Ranma sat down in a lotus position and meditated.  The new moves he was 
trying required a level of concentration and purity of spirit so high 
that most mortals could never qualify.  The manual was titled 'How I 
Ruled Chin and Seduced Xena by Lao Ma'.  It was a strange title but who 
cared so long as the skills contained within are powerful.  And this 
manual certainly fulfilled that criteria.  One technique called for the 
pugilist to manipulate his chi so well that objects could be destroyed 
by merely thinking about it.  And that was just the second level!  At 
the highest level, the pugilist could fly like the birds.  Such power 
contained in an unassuming thin manual!  

	He remembered the day he found it.  It was after a vicious fight with 
Happosai which he won, of course.  As Happosai fled, a manual dropped 
onto the ground.  The old pervert's loss was his gain.  <Finders 
keepers, losers weepers.>

	Ranma slowed down his breathing and ignored all outside stimuli, to get 
distracted while he was practicing would mean internal injuries at 
least.  He repeated the mantra stated in the manual over and over again, 
hearing the words in his mind, his blood and his soul.  He felt his chi 
building up and flowing through his body.  Slowly, he lifted his arms at 
chest level and waved his hands about, with the palms facing, always 
keeping one hand above the other.  It was as if he was holding a ball 
and rotating it in his hands.  Within minutes, a chi ball appeared in 
his hands, invisible to the naked eye.  But Ranma could feel it, as 
though it was an extension of himself.  

	As the minutes passed, Ranma grew more excited.  Never before had he 
been able to control his chi ball for so long.  <If only Akane and the 
others can see me now> he thought.  The chi ball flickered, almost 
vanishing.  Startled, he tried to concentrate on his meditation, 
repeating the mantra with a fervour.  However, with one errant thought 
came others.  <Is Akane out of hospital?  Does she hate me?  Does she 
even think of me?>  The chi ball vanished as Ranma coughed.  Breathing 
heavily, his heart racing like it was a locomotive, he felt as if he had 
just ran around the world.  When he finally caught his breath, he slowly 
stood up, only stubbornness keeping him from fainting.  Seeing the 
reddish patch on the grass, he thought, <Blood.  I guess I should feel 
lucky for just having slight internal injuries.  I'll be alright in 2 
days, maximum.  But that's 2 days of not practicing the skill!  I've 
spent so much time just getting myself into a suitable state for 
learning it and now...>  Ranma slowly walked back to camp, thankful that 
it wasn't far.  

	Back in camp, he slumped down exhausted.  <If I hadn't thought about 
Akane, I would be alright> he complained grumpily.  <Even when she is 
not around, she still manages to injure me!  Must have owed her big time 
in my past life.>  His expression softened as he remembered the tomboy 
that had captured his heart.  Images of their past flashed in his mind's 
eye: their first meeting, the bath incident, a few of their quarrels, 
her going out with Ryouga, her collapsing due to his ki balls, resulting 
in a jumbled mess of emotions.  The regret, guilt and love combined to 
give him a heartache that no medicine could ever heal.  

	He closed his eyes, trying to remember the happy times they had spent 
together but sadly there were too few of them.  Most of the memories he 
had dug up were sad or angry ones.  <Not like the memories I have with 
Ukyou.>  He smiled as he remembered the day he had picked some wild 
flowers (he didn't have enough money for a decent present) as her 
birthday present and she smiled as radiantly as the sun, them sitting 
near the campfire telling ghost stories and jokes and their childhood 
days together.  And gradually his heartache lessened.  It was as if 
thinking about her was enough to lessen his pain.  <But then that had 
been going on for quite some time already, huh?> a part of him replied.  
A tiny smile appeared on his face.  Gradually, so slowly that he hadn't 
noticed until now, Ukyou had healed his wounds and crept into the 
crevices of his heart.  

	<You two-timer!  Unfaithful jerk!> screamed his mind.  <How can you 
fall in love with Ukyou?  You love Akane, remember?  You promised to 
return to Nerima, to her!>  Ranma groaned and buried his face in his 
hands.  

	A minute later, Ukyou arrived.  She had just finished her training 
regimen for today.  Ukyou beamed as she wiped off the beads of 
perspiration on her face.  "Ranma!  Finished training already?  I'll 
start on dinner right away." 

	Ranma looked up, his spirits perking up a little when he heard her 
voice.  His throat caught at the sight of her.  Ukyou's hair, tied up in 
a loose ponytail, was damp and messy.  Her pretty face marred by dirt 
and sweat.  Her workout clothes, damp in some areas, dirty in others, 
didn't show off her figure.  Despite all that, he thought of her as 
Aphrodite.  <Wow, I must really love her to find her attractive like 
this.>

	"What!  What's wrong with me?"  Ukyou peered down at herself.  "Why are 
you staring at me like that?"  <And grinning like a fool, too> she 
mentally added.  "You never have before."  

	"Huh?  Nothing.  I'm just in a good mood that's all."  

	Ukyou looked at him for a moment, a silly suspicion forming.  Shrugging 
her shoulders, she walked off to prepare dinner.  But first, she had to 
make a detour to her bag where a mirror was kept.  

	Watching her go, Ranma's good mood increased.  He now knew where his 
heart laid.  Akane was his first love and a place in his heart would 
always be reserved for her.  But their relationship was in the past.  
Perhaps, if they both weren't innocent youths not knowing how to show 
affection, he might still be with Akane.  But perhaps they might have 
broken up or he might have suffered brain damage from all that 
malleting.  Who knew of the destiny that might have been if one path was 
not taken?  He certainly didn't.  And he could not, would not spend his 
entire life wondering about what might have been.  The time for regret 
had past or he'll find himself regretting about lost opportunities in 
China.   

	No.  He wouldn't make that mistake again.  Not with someone like Ukyou.   

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

	That night, Ranma acted really strange.  He stared at Ukyou a lot, with 
a gentle smile and eyes that hinted of a surprise.  Whenever Ukyou 
caught him, he would say something quickly like 'I love the fish stew 
you made', 'how's your training going?' and 'nice full moon we're 
having".  The only time she got a negative response from him was when he 
talked about suffering internal injuries due to lack of concentration.  
Puzzled at his actions but not daring to ask why, Ukyou quickly retired 
for the night.

	Watching her sleep peacefully that night, Ranma couldn't resist 
stroking her hair and cheeks.  Nor could he stop smiling.  Maybe he 
would never stop.  Heck, he wouldn't mind it in the least.

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

	4 a.m.  Darkness surrounded the forest, for the moon was hidden by a 
cloud strangely shaped like a croissant and the campfire had 
extinguished long ago.    

	["Mama, I love you!" shouted Ukyou as she ran towards a tall woman 
wearing a plain blue dress that reached the floor, the latter's face 
hidden by a large straw hat.  She seemed to run forever, trying to reach 
her mother but always the distance between them remained.  Just as Ukyou 
was about to give up, her mother opened up her arms and beckoned for 
Ukyou to hug her.  With a burst of newfound strength, Ukyou raced 
towards her mother.  A few metres remaining, she jumped, straight into 
the arms of her mother.  "Mama."  Ukyou buried her face in her mother's 
bosom, not wanting to ever leave her side again.  

	Suddenly, Ukyou felt her mother growing taller, bulkier and the 
latter's breasts shrinking.  Shocked, Ukyou could only stare as her 
mother morphed into Kenzo Kounji.  He grinned evilly, revealing his 
wolf-like teeth.  He licked his lips as he stared appreciatively down 
Ukyou's body, mentally undressing her.  Ukyou shuddered as his hand 
squeezed her left breast and slowly travelled downwards.  

	"No!  Get away from me!" she yelled and ran off.  She turned to see if 
she had lost him and instantly regretted it.  Her father was gaining on 
her, one hand stroking his erection as though her resistance thrilled 
him even more.  Spying a room, she went in.  Leaning against the closed 
door, she panted and surveyed the room.  Her old bedroom!  <No, not 
here.  No!>  

	"Where's my beer, Ukyou?  Get your pretty butt here this instant!"  All 
the items in the bedroom morphed into her father's face.  And they were 
all yelling at her, taunting her.  

	"No!  Get away from me!" Wielding her giant spatula, she destroyed 
every last one of them.  Breathing heavily from the exertion, she gaped 
as her father walked through the wall.  Finally, the impossibility of 
the whole situation clicked in her mind.  <I'm dreaming!>

	"You're dead, father.  I killed you!  Stay dead and out of my dreams!"  
Determination shining in her eyes, she lifted her weapon high above her 
head.  It lingered there for a second and quickly moved downwards in an 
arc to sever his head.  She watched as his head dropped down onto the 
floor and rolled to her feet.  

	"Never", she heard the room whisper as the head jumped right back on 
top of the shoulders.  Enraged, Ukyou hacked away at the man, cutting 
him into tiny pieces.  Soon, all that remained of her father was a large 
pile of scraps of flesh and bones.  "Stay dead!" she shouted as the wind 
sent the pieces flying off into destinations unknown.]  

	Ranma peered down anxiously at Ukyou.  Did she moan just now?  Staring 
at her, sleeping peacefully, the corners of her lips curled up in a tiny 
smile, Ranma smiled and whispered, "Sweet dreams, Ucchan."  Yawning, he 
went back to sleep.

----------------------------------------------------------------
(Night, Nekohanten)

	A sweet smell filled her nostrils, stirring her from her sleep. In her 
dazed mind, she barely remembered what happened after Mousse had 
injected morphine into her. The effects were still there though, she 
shook her head a couple of times to dispel the drowsiness.

	A voice startled her. "{Glad that you're awake. I was wondering how 
much longer I had to wait.}" She tried to sit up but found that she was 
restrained. Her hands and legs were spread apart, fastened to a stone 
table. She tried to shift around but the locks were tight, each movement 
brought pain to her wrists or ankles. "{Ah, you shouldn't do that. It's 
no use.}"

	"{Curse you Mousse, I'll never forgive you. I should have let you drown 
in that river.}" She hadn't got a chance to see Mousse yet, but from his 
voice, she could roughly guess where he was standing. 

	"{Sorry, but you are 6 years too late.}" He walked towards Shampoo but 
stopped at the side of the table, near her legs.

	She strained her neck upwards and caught the grin that he wore. Her 
body began to complain and she surrendered, lying heavily onto the table 
again. "{Devil! You're the devil.}"

	"{Tsk, tsk. How could you treat the person who had given you so much 
pleasure a day ago?}"

	"{BASTARD!}"

	"{You were screaming my name, asking for ME. I say you were very high 
indeed.}"

	"{Shut up!}" Her eyes clenched tight, willing the memories to go away.

	"{Why, you weren't that shy a person?}" Hearing no response from her, 
the game was less fun. So, he decided to start the next one. Taking a 
tin from his robe, he asked, "{Hungry? You haven't had anything to eat 
since last night.}" There was no response, not that he was expecting 
any.
 
	He walked nearer to where her head was and opened the lid of the tin. 
"{I remembered honey was one of your favourite food.}" With that, he 
dipped his hand into the tin. Sucking at his finger, "{hmm... the top 
grade quality that you liked.}" Again, she didn't speak, turning her 
head defiantly away from him. It didn't matter that she kept quiet now, 
because she wouldn't be able to do so later on.

	She felt his hands on her cheek, forcing her to face him. The smell on 
his hands was familiar. Then, she realized that it was this smell that 
she had awakened to. Gathering all the hatred for this man, she glared 
at him.
	 
	He had her attention and his fun could now begin. Spilling a little of 
the honey on her body, he began to rub evenly, whistling at the same 
time. 

	She was becoming uncomfortable. Between the sticky substance on her 
body and the hands that were roaming freely on her body, she hated the 
latter more. She struggled, her body moving about, making his work more 
difficult. But instead of stopping him, he seemed to be encouraged by 
it. 

	Before long, he came inches above her head. He brushed a stray strand 
of hair away from her face and immediately his attention was locked onto 
her face. Staring intently at her, his heartstrings pulled and again he 
hesitated. For that, he earned a spit on the face. Resolve returning, he 
swiftly wiped his face with the sleeve of his robe. Then, he proceeded 
to not so gently rub honey on her face.

	After that, he was finished, her whole body was coated with the sweet 
substance. He disappeared from her sight and the running of tap was 
heard. For a while, she was wondering what he was trying to do.  Was it 
some kind of sick sex game that he was thinking? She didn't need to 
answer it as he reappeared shortly with a small tank partially covered 
by old newspaper. 

	She started to have panic attacks. What was he trying to do? And what 
was in that tank? She could not see that clearly as he had stopped near 
her legs. From what she could see, there was some black stuff inside the 
tank. Somehow, she didn't want to know what it was, having a bad feeling 
about it.

	Mousse wasn't about to have second thoughts. He had spent an hour 
hardening himself for this. And the spit nailed it. He was the revenge 
obsessed maniac, not stopping until she suffered a fate worse than 
death. This time he would follow through, nothing was going to stop him.

	He tore off the newspaper, revealing the gruesome sight within. There 
were tens or hundreds of big black fat ants creeping around, most of 
them concentrated on a cut tree branch.  He set the tank on the table 
where Shampoo was laid. Wearing gloves, he cautiously took out the tree 
branch and left it near Shampoo's legs. Shampoo hasn't been able to see 
all these since it was outside her line of sight.

	The ants smelled and they knew what to do. Shampoo was starting to itch 
and ache from bites. She knew that there were something crawling on her 
and it was scaring her. She tried to look up but she couldn't see 
anything yet. Meanwhile, she could feel her legs being swarmed and there 
was little to do except to panic more.

	Mousse was standing not too closely to Shampoo. He watched eagerly as 
the ants raced along his wife's shapely legs and commanded his mind to 
enjoy the sight. There were some red spots forming and when he turned to 
her face, he could see the scared little girl that she had become.

	"{What's happening? Dammit! Let me go.}" she scowled although fear was 
evident on her face.

	"{Can't do that. My buddy over there seems to be enjoying itself,}" he 
said pointing to the army of ants.

	"{What's ...,}" she managed before she screamed. She had finally seen 
the culprit for her discomfort. She tried to shake the ants off, but 
there were too many of them. 

	It was a fascinating sight for him. To see her cower and quake before 
him just as he imagined it to be. The ants were playing their part very 
well. He visualized that very soon, the six-legged creatures would be 
traveling up to every part of her body, even to her insides where none 
had ventured. He especially looked forward to the sight of the ants 
making their way into her nostrils, ear... It was a very exciting time 
for him. Even as he mind recited the above, his hands were unknowingly 
clenched tightly by his sides.

	It particularly disgusted her when the ants took liberty with her 
sensitive regions. The pain she could take but shame was not something 
that she could handle. With renewed feverish, she tripled her efforts to 
shake the ants off, or at least stop them from biting her.

	It was a daunting task. She was growing tired. The creatures were 
crawling higher and higher up her body almost to her neck. Her heart was 
pounding vigorously in her chest. Her mind was set on an emergency 
alarm, her thoughts frantic, her resolve dissolving. Scared out of her 
wits, she cried for leniency. "{Please, anything but this. Mu Tsu, 
release me. HHHHHHEEEEEEELLLLLLLLPPPPPPPP!}"

	He laughed nervously to her plea, ignoring her and instead concentrated 
on the ant's advancement. They were moving along the contours of her 
neck. <It's happening,> he thought ardently. But as he continued to 
watch, bit and pieces of his control started to fall apart.

	<NO! She deserved it for what she had done to me.> The ants had climbed 
up to her chin. <She's a bitch! A witch!> They neared her mouth. <She's 
the cause of all my troubles.> 

	He moved out of reflex. He didn't even think about moving. In fact, he 
was convincing himself not to move and to enjoy the sight. But it didn't 
work, no matter how strong the reasons, he couldn't stand the sight of 
Shampoo being hurt.

	Swiftly, he brushed the ants away from her face. Some of them got onto 
his hands while others fell to the ground. But there were too many of 
them. The ants kept coming and those that were on him were climbing up 
his sleeve, disturbing him. 

	He knew that it was a lost cause if he kept on sweeping. There was no 
way he could sweep all the ants away from her and him. He needed to 
think. How was he going to kill the ants in his original plans? <Yes, 
that was it.> He ran towards the sink, attached a hose to the tap, 
turned the tap to warm water and brought the hose to where Shampoo was 
laid. 

	Spraying the water at Shampoo, he managed to wash the ants off her. He 
continued for a while to make sure that no more ants were left on her 
body. Then, he turned the hose to himself, washing away any ants on him.

	When he was satisfied, he dropped the hose, the water still running and 
walked towards Shampoo. She still looked very frightened but there was 
also something on her face. A look of shock, astonished that he had 
saved her.

	That look shook him, his concern for her liquefied. Instead, he grew 
angry at himself for once again disrupting his owns plans. He couldn't 
let her know that he was feeling weak for her. Trying to salvage the 
situation, he tried his best to put on a smile. "{We'll have more fun 
later.}" 
--------------------------------------------------------------
(In the morning)

	Ucchan, I... I got something to tell you.  I," stammered Ranma, as he 
nervously shuffled his feet, not daring to look at her.

	"Eat your breakfast first, then we'll talk," interrupted Ukyou as she 
poured him a cup of hot tea.

	Glad of a chance to compose his thoughts and slow his wildly thumping 
heart, Ranma sat down and gobbled his food.  <Don't you dare chicken 
out!> his heart cautioned him.  His relationship with Akane was full of 
missed opportunities and regrets.  Now that he's wiser and more 
experienced, he wouldn't let his relationship with Ukyou be like that.  

	When they had finished their meal, Ranma thought, <Now is the time.>  
He gazed fondly at her lovely face, bathed in the morning light, and his 
heart rate accelerated.  <But first, I want to drink more tea.>  He 
gulped down his tea and poured himself another cup.  

	He saw Ukyou starting to get up and clear the dishes and panicked.  All 
he could say was "Wait."  Ukyou sat down again, smiling at him.  And he 
felt himself go numb at the sight of that smile.  He wanted so much to 
profess his feelings for her but what came out was "You got some sauce 
on the corner of your mouth."

	"No, not there.  Here, let me do it, " Ranma said as he leaned forward.  
His finger wiped away the offensive spot and touched her lips lightly.  
<So soft.>  Impulsively, Ranma pressed his lips onto hers, trying to 
convey all his feelings for her with that simple act.

	When he pulled away, he was blushing furiously.  "Ucchan, I..." he 
stammered.  <Come on, it's just three little words.  Be a man and say 
them>  He continued, "I love you".  His blush deepened.  "When we first 
got engaged, we were only 6 year olds.  Let me make it official.  
Ucchan, will you marry me?"

	"But what about Akane?"

	"Akane and my feelings for her belonged to the past.  You, Kounji 
Ukyou, are my future."  He smiled and waited for her reply, already 
knowing what it would be.  

	"If you want me to say 'yes'," Ukyou said coyly, her eyes conveying 
mirth, "then, you'll have to defeat me in battle.  Are you up to it?"  

	<Defeat Ucchan to win her hand in marriage?  Had she been fraternizing 
with Kuno?>  "Yes," he confidently replied as he stood up.  

	"Then, let the battle begin!" Ukyou shouted as she swung her giant 
spatula at him.  

	Ranma leapt away, though that move was unnecessary, for the attack was 
way off.  <Is she just pretending to put up a fight?> he wondered.  
However, the sight of Ukyou wearing her bandoleer of small spatulas, 
soon proved him wrong.  <That swing was just a distraction for her to 
get the rest of her weapons!  That's my Ucchan, cute and smart!>  He 
moved into an attack position, still smiling away.

	 Ukyou smiled back and winked conspiratorially as she began a series of 
slashes and strikes so fast that it would put Shampoo in shame.  Ranma, 
using his own Chestnut Fist skill, fended off each attack.  <If only I 
was still cursed, then Ukyou would be no match for my speed.  What am I 
saying?  Wishing that I'm a girl?>  He grimaced at the thought and 
concentrated on increasing his speed but to no avail.  <I can't keep up 
this pace for long> he thought as he matched Ukyou blow for blow.  As 
Ukyou swung her spatula forward, he blocked it with one arm and punched 
her hard in the stomach.  Ranma stepped back and asked, "Ready to give 
up?"

	Ukyou's only response was a high kick to his face which he blocked with 
both hands.  He caught her foot and tossed her up.  He watched as she 
performed a quick double aerial somersault and landed perfectly, three 
feet from him.  He applauded the move, saying, "9 out of 10."

	Ukyou frowned slightly and turned, doing a spinning back kick to his 
head.  Ranma ducked and brought his fist towards her face.  She blocked 
the move with her forearms and somersaulted out of his reach.  

	Instinctively knowing where she would end up, Ranma ran to the spot.  
Before Ukyou finished her somersaults, Ranma had already punted her to 
the sky.  He watched as she twisted her body in mid air, used a tree 
branch as a trampoline and propelled herself towards him.  He saw the 
small spatulas flying at him and was able to dodge all of them.  <That 
was too easy.  There isn't enough speed on the spatulas to be a real 
threat.>  Just then, a pain in his left arm made him realize his folly.  
<The small spatulas were a diversion!>  He glanced at the injured arm 
and was relieved that it was only a small shallow cut.  "You're not 
making it easy for me, are you?"

	Ukyou opened her mouth and then closed it, as if she wanted to say 
something but changed her mind.  She concentrated and a small ball of ki 
appeared in her palms and sent it hurling towards our hapless hero.  He 
sidestepped it and it exploded upon contact with a tree, two metres 
behind him.  He frowned and commented, "Hey, Ucchan.  Let's not use our 
ki attacks.  This is just a friendly match.  I don't want you to get 
hurt."

	"Are you sure I'm the one who will get hurt?"  She launched another ki 
ball, this one much larger than the first.  However, Ranma got out of 
its range.  She frowned, beads of perspiration forming on her forehead 
as she found the strength to throw some more smaller ki balls at him, 
one after the other.

	Leaping out of one ki ball's path, ducking under another and blasting 
the rest with his own Moko Takabisha, he recalled how he had taught 
Ukyou the ki blast technique.  Always one for practical demonstrations 
rather than long-winded theories, he had demonstrated his Moko Takabisha 
several times but to no avail.  Ukyou wasn't able to do one.  Realizing 
that she had to find her own intense emotion to fuel her chi, just like 
he used confidence, Ryouga used depression and Happosai used his 
pervertedness, he stood there silently as she reached into the depths of 
her soul.  Soon, he noticed a faint aura around her, flickering like a 
flame.  'That's it!' he had yelled and urged Ukyou to concentrate on 
that emotion.  Within the next few days, she was able to launch several 
small ki balls in rapid succession.  He asked her what emotion had 
fueled her ki but her lips were sealed.  But he could hazard a guess, 
for her eyes would become cold and dangerous when summoning up a ki 
blast, just like right now.  <It's anger> he thought as he launched a 
Moko Takabisha at her, knowing and praying that with her current level 
of skill, she would be either dodge or blast his attack away.

	She did neither.  He watched in mute horror as she stood her ground, 
gripping her spatula.  <No!  Get away, Ukyou!  NO!>  Unable to move, he 
looked on as the scene unraveled, in slow motion.  His blast was just 
half a metre away from Ukyou now.  Ukyou closed her eyes and sent her ki 
flowing from her hands and into the spatula.  It glowed pale blue.  She 
swung her spatula like a baseball bat, sending his ki blast, combined 
with her own ki, spinning towards Ranma.  Shocked and relieved, Ranma 
couldn't react in time and was sent flying to the distant trees by the 
force of his and Ukyou's ki blast combined.  

	Ranma shakily got to his feet, trying to ignore the pain signals coming 
from all over his body.  <Something is wrong with this fight.>  He 
wasn't able to continue this train of thought for Ukyou had sent another 
ki blast his way.  Concentrating hard, he tried to form a ki ball of his 
own but failed.  With the internal injuries sustained yesterday and his 
present injuries, his ki reserves are almost gone.  The blast knocked 
him onto the grass.  Another blast nearly knocked him unconscious.

	"What are you doing?" he asked as blood oozed from his mouth.

	Ukyou laughed , taking delight in his confusion.  She grasped her giant 
spatula firmly, pointing it at Ranma's neck.  "What does it look like?  
I am killing you!"

	She lifted the weapon up and swung it.  Ranma hurriedly rolled out of 
the way.  "Why?" he gasped.

	"WHY?!  You dared ask why!  You and your father ran off with my 
family's yattai and left me behind.  Because of that, my dad, he..."  A 
flicker of pain showed in her eyes.  She kicked his side viciously.  Her 
eyes were now furious like a blazing fire that has gone out of control.  
"Did you really think that I can forgive you for years of suffering and 
humiliation just by saying that I am cute?!"  The spatula drew blood as 
it slashed his right arm.  "Did you really believe that once I saw you, 
I'll be bowled over by your charm and everything will be bright and 
cheery again?!"  The spatula slashed his forehead, causing him to see 
red.  "Are you really that egotistical?!  A kick and a blow.  "Or are 
you just plain stupid?!"  Two quick slashes at Ranma's chest.

	"Ucchan...  I didn't know... about the... engagement...  Only kids," he 
whispered as he watched her with his left eye.  The view his right eye 
offered was a sea of red.  "Sorry," he added.

	"Is that supposed to make me feel better?!  Will one 'sorry' make up 
for all the injustices in my life?" she asked rhetorically.  Her gaze 
hardened, reminding him of the look in her eyes whenever she did a ki 
blast.  

	<It's not anger that's fueling her ki>, he realized belatedly, <it's 
pure hate>.  Trying to reach past her hatred and into the soul of the 
Ucchan that he knew and loved, he pleaded, "Please Ucchan...  Don't...  
Pain doesn't... go... away with... revenge."

	"What do you know about my pain?!  Nothing!"  The spatula cut his body, 
leaving small and large wounds all over.

	"Ucchan," he managed to get out.  He wanted to say that he did know of 
her suffering, that he would do anything to change the past.  That it 
was him who comforted her from the nightmares.  That the lullaby she 
loved was what he sang to her every time she had a nightmare.  However, 
he had passed out from the pain.
	
	The spatula moved down in a deadly arc that was sure to sever his head.  
"I'm sick of hearing you call me 'Ucchan'."

---------------------------------------------------------------
(Afternoon, Nekohanten)

	Splash. He had used warm water so her curse was not activated. Bleary, 
Shampoo opened her eyes to see a smirking Mousse staring at her. Then, 
frantically she looked as much as possible around her body for signs of 
ants. No, there was none of them. But she still had the feeling that 
they were still crawling on her body.

	"{Oh, my Shampoo, the woman who was the soul of my life. A woman so hot 
that she nearly ate the fiber of my soul.}" Mousse scorned, his voice 
full of contempt. Having dropped an empty pail on the floor, he grabbed 
a nearby towel to wipe off the moisture on Shampoo's body. 

	"{You make me sick. No, you are sick. You deserved to be confined in a 
mental institution. Kept in isolation, killed, hanged, electrocuted 
whatever... and KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF ME!}" 

	He dropped the towel because she was dry but his hands continued to 
linger on her body. "{Had fun last night?}" He said with a glint in his 
eyes.

	Horrible memories returned. She felt a deliberate soft brush against 
her right shoulder, immediately she turned to it. For a moment she 
thought she saw the six-legged creature again. Her skin began to itch 
and along came the fear also.

	"{Don't worry, I've run out of ants. Hmm... I've been thinking, what 
type of funeral do you want?}"

	She didn't answer him. She wanted to ask him to kill her now, that she 
wasn't afraid of death. But another part of her mind, the Amazon part 
told her that if she were to die, she had to pull him along with her. 

	 "{How about burying you in a wasteland? Well, you know like matters 
congregate together. Furthermore, you would have the company of worms, 
ANTS...}" After taking a moment to enjoy the cringe on her face on the 
mention of ants, he continued, "{Didn't like it? Ah, I got it. Cats like 
fish. I throw you into the sea and you get the perfect scenery of the 
ocean. Colourful fishes swimming around, making a meal out of you.}"

	She couldn't stand it anymore, "{What is your game?}"

	Ignoring her, he carried on. "{Cremation. That may do it. Like the old 
saying, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Hmm, I wonder if you are able to 
feel anything when your dead body is being burnt.}"

	She knew she was in for another torture. If only she found a way to 
break free from him. "{Mu Tsu, damn you. Are you a man? The river thing 
was an accident, don't put all the blame on me. You had a part in it.}"

	He didn't bother with her and went on, "{Ah, I just burn you before you 
turn in your last breath.}" Smiling happily, he finally met her eyes and 
nearly flinched. Mentally reminding himself not to look at her eyes or 
her face more than necessary, he resumed his act. Taking out a cigarette 
lighter, he flicked it on, missing the look of horror on her face as he 
followed his own advice.

	Hardening himself, he began teasing her body with the flame. She 
shifted to avoid it but he followed her every movement. Until she 
couldn't shift anymore, he exposed her to the full flame. There was 
minimal pain but the fear was immense.  Trapped like a deer, she prayed 
very earnestly that he wasn't going to set her aflame now. She still 
hadn't given Mousse his rewards yet.

	He was very careful with the lighter, never lingering in the same place 
for too long. Being unclad, there was no danger of her clothes catching 
fire. It was just the naked flame and her naked body wiggling about. 
<Enjoy it! She's getting what she deserves.> Even as he tried to 
convince himself, his resolve was burning out. 

	He stopped suddenly. Silently she thanked the gods when he walked away 
from her. But she knew that he wasn't over with her. 

	There were some clanking noise and shortly his voice floated in the 
air. "{I always had the hots for you, even now. It's just that it's in 
the form of a metal rod.}" Reappearing and holding onto a lighted, 
heated metal rod by its wooden handle, he gave her a long view of the 
elongated item. 

	He held the rod hovering over her body, threatening to scald her with 
every movement. Everytime when he looked like he was going to drop it, 
her heart skipped a beat. She knew that there was no escape for her but 
it still didn't kept her from fearing or hoping for the best. 

	He tried to drop the rod on her but at the last minute, he held back 
again. Fighting an internal struggle, he told himself that he must do it 
but something kept holding him back. 

	After a while, she was wondering why wasn't him making a move. He 
seemed to be in some kind of struggle himself. His face was grimacing, 
his hand shaking slightly as he held the rod. Could it be... could it be 
that he didn't want to hurt her? But that was not possible. He killed 
Cologne, injured her, trapped her in this basement and was torturing 
her. She couldn't believe that she would think that he still loved her. 
But yet her heart wasn't convinced of her reasons. 

	At the end, he didn't scald her with the rod as it had cooled down. 
Blaming himself, he swore silently under his breath, determined that he 
shouldn't fail again. Recalling the next step of his plan, he moved 
towards the sink and picked up the hose which was still attached to the 
tap. Turning it on, warm water gushed out.

	He was next to her now, hose in one hand. Forcing her mouth to open, he 
stashed the hose into her mouth. She turned sideways and tried to force 
the hose out but he kept holding it onto her. She began choking onto the 
water, swallowing it on mouthfuls. Her breath was starting to expire. 
Her face turning green from the suffocation. Then, it happened, the 
water stopped coming. She threw out all the water that was still on her 
mouth and began to take quick breaths. 

	A hose fell noisily onto the floor, water spraying everywhere. She 
turned and saw Mousse taking a few paces back, a disbelieving look on 
his face. When he met her stare, she could see the panic and agony in 
his eyes. She was even more surprised when he ran away from the basement 
without a word.

	Could she be right? Did he still have feelings for her? Somehow, she 
had become more confident of her answer.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
(China)

	<Oh man, I hurt all over.>  Gradually, he opened his eyes and winced as 
the sunlight glared down at him.  A face popped into his line of sight, 
sunlight forming a halo around it.  <Long hair.  Who?  Ucchan?>  
Suddenly, he remembered.  The proposal.  The battle to win Ucchan as his 
bride.  Her moves becoming vicious and deadly.  Ucchan loudly 
proclaiming that she wanted revenge.  That she didn't love him.  
<NOOO!!!!>  Ranma shouted.  Nothing.  He paused in shock.  He swallowed 
and tried to speak.  Nothing.  Only the sound of laughter, Ukyou's 
laughter.
	
	"You're finally awake, eh.  Good.  I wouldn't want all my efforts to go 
to waste.  Aren't you going to ask me why I spared your life?  No?  Oh I 
forgot!  You can't speak anymore."  Ukyou laughed, taking pleasure in 
his shocked look.  She watched as he opened and closed his mouth several 
times before giving up.  

	He tried to get up but couldn't.  He concentrated on moving his fingers 
but he couldn't feel them.  He commanded his legs to stand but they 
wouldn't.  <What have you done to me?!> he mentally screamed.

	"You see, I realized that killing you straight away was no fun at all.  
You'll be dying the way you wanted - in a battle.  Nope, no way.  After 
all that you and your father put me through, that is too light a 
punishment for you.  I want you to _suffer_."  She stared at him, her 
gaze cold and penetrating.  "I want you to be crushed by the fact that 
you will be a quadriplegic for the rest of your life.  To go back to 
Nerima and notice the looks of pity on the faces of your friends and joy 
from enemies.  To see your dear Akane and silently watch her get married 
and have kids with someone else because you are no longer a man, no 
longer Saotome Ranma, the greatest martial artist in Nerima."  

	Ranma frantically shook his head, not wanting to believe her, refusing 
to give up hope.  After all, wasn't he Saotome Ranma, the guy who could 
overcome all odds?  <I'll recover.  I'm sure of it!>  He kept on 
encouraging himself, blocking out Ukyou's endless tirade of sarcasm.  

	Sensing that her victim wasn't as depressed as she had hoped, Ukyou 
leaned down until her face was inches away from his.  "You still can't 
accept your fate, can you?  You think you can wake up one morning and 
everything will be the way it was."  Ukyou stared at his eyes.  "I'll 
enjoy seeing hope fading away from those pretty eyes of yours."  And she 
was right.

End of Flashback--->

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

AUTHORS' NOTES:

1. What flashback, you ask?
The flashback began in Part 1, in which Ukyou was reminiscing to an 
invalid Ranma.  






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