[Ranma][Fic] The way out.

  Ranma's vision blurred from the combination of drugs and pain and he
remembered.

---

  "Hey, old ghoul! What's this ya gave me?"

  "Think of it as a belated wedding gift, Son-in-law," Cologne replied,
her voice carrying a hint of mystery and perhaps regret.

---

  Ranma forced his head up from the hospital bed and looked, she was so
young!  He thought, but it was her.  The six year old Akane looked back at
him while whatever Soun was saying was drowned out by Ranma's delirium.
It wasn't his body she was seeing, he realised blearily - something he
should have been all too used to - how had he got to this point?

---

  "This?" Ranma said, indicating the dragon ring on his hand. "Cologne
said it's called Heart's Choice.  S'posed to be used by those of mighty
warrior spirit to save someone on the edge of death - bit of 'n odd
choice for a wedding gift if you ask me."

  "Wedding gift?" Akane inquired, her look hinting at future mallets if
he misstepped verbally.

---

  Ranma sank back to the bed exhausted to the bone.  It was true that a
strong spirit could keep the body it inhabited alive for longer
against grave injury or disease.  Presumably Cologne's gift had been used
that way - as a stop gap to keep someone on the edge of life till a healer
could be found or the danger point passed.  It was not to be, he decided,
he couldn't keep this body alive any longer.  He half heard Soun Tendo
promising his daughters something he should not have done as the blackness
began to roll over him.  Soun was right - Ranma only regretted that he
would not be there to see it.  Still, at least he had found an honourable
way out.

---

  There was a sharp crack as the ring 'Heart's Choice' gave under the
unnatural strain.  The Chinese shirted figure dropped the hat that had
been held reverently over it's chest and staggered - recognising the name
on the gravestone.

  "Ranma?" Akane asked, turning back to her fiance.

  "Is that really you Akane?  What's happening?"

  Akane didn't realize it but her father's promise had finally come true
- her mother was back.

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Whew!  The idea for this came at about 5:30am from a dream and I decided
to get it written before I lost my inspiration.

The idea that Soun gathered his family by the hospital bed and promised
she would be all right just before she died was stolen from another fic.
[Title forgotten, as usual].  I hope this still looks like a good story
when I wake up again. ^_^

Just to make things clear - the ring's magic was triggered by Ranma and
Akane's emotion on the anniversary of Akane's mother's death.  Ranma could
have cancelled the effect, but chose not to.

It would be interesting to see how everything turns out - but I think this
is the last I write on the subject.

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