Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and it's characters are the product and property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz video.

Chapter Eight

By Michael Fetter

"Ranma, are you alright?"

Shivering, Ranma rubbed her arms quickly and shook off the strange feeling she had just had. She and Mamoru were just finishing up breakfast and were about to head out for school. The morning was a little overcast, but not bad.

Dressed in her school dress uniform, Ranma snatched up her book bag and slung it over her shoulder and waited for Mamoru to do the same. His keys jangled in one hand and he led them out of the apartment and into the hallway.

Ryouga was there staring up a flight of stairs. "Where the hell am I now?!"

"It's you," Mamoru gasped. This had been the man who had fought with Tuxedo Mask. This same man had been there to protect Ranma in the mall and then vanished mysteriously. Mamoru felt a little anger at that, like the fanged man was stealing Tuxedo Mask's 'knight in shining armor' idiom.

Ryouga turned around and caught sight of Ranma and brought a smile to his face. Then he found the person who had spoken and his smile fell quickly. Eyeing Mamoru dangerously, he asked, "You two live together?"

"Yeah," Ranma sounded a little depressed, but not enough for Ryouga, "our parents set it up."

Ryouga nodded slowly and then noticed Ranma was wearing her school uniform. "Are you off to school now?"

Ranma arched an eyebrow.

"What I mean is, can I come along?" He tried to smile while at the same time scowling at Mamoru. "It's been a while since I've been to school and all."

"I remember," said Ranma.

"Huh?"

"Nothing," she shook it off and reached for his hand. "I'll make sure you don't get lost on the way."

Heat began to build up in Ryouga face and he nodded his head vigorously as he followed the redhead down the stairs.

For some reason, Mamoru found himself scowling at the boy and gave his key an extra hard turn to be sure the door was locked.

The drive to Juuban High seemed to last hours for Mamoru as he continued to check his rear view mirror and watch Ryouga staring at Ranma. Ranma herself was seated in the passenger seat, which made things a little better, but he'd rather not have to take Ryouga anywhere. The 'Lost Boy' seemed to be focusing on Ranma a little too intently for his tastes.

The school gates came up faster than he thought they would and Mamoru pulled over to the curb, rubbing the concrete with his tires accidentally. Ranma looked at him oddly for a moment and then dismissed it. Mamoru himself had both hands on the wheel and had to blink a few times like the sun had glared in his eyes, but he'd kept them on the redhead the entire time. He wanted to send Ryouga on ahead, cut the grasp they had on each others' hand, ask the fanged boy what he could possibly have to talk to his fiancée about. Mamoru hadn't noticed his breathing getting deeper as he watched the two enter the high school, barely registering Ranma's wave.

"Ease up there, Mamoru."

He did and turned to the driver side window to find Makato smirking at him. "You looked ready to rip the steering wheel off its column."

Mamoru's hands peeled away from the wheel like Velcro and he took a deep breath. The others were there. Usagi was glancing from Mamoru to Ranma and the new boy. She seemed somewhere lost between a glare and a look of smug satisfaction.

Ami separated from the group and head off in Ranma's direction as was her want since becoming friends. She acknowledged Ryouga for a moment before getting into a conversation with Ranma and eyeing the grasped hands speculatively.

"How are things?" Mamoru asked, feeling better with Ami keeping Ryouga at bay.

Makato shrugged. "We're still trying to figure out what to do about Ranma and since most of the activity has been around her our youma dusting days have gotten easier."

Mamoru nodded, releasing the seatbelt and getting out of the car for a moment before the high school bell rang. Raye mumbled still as she watched after Ranma, which everyone else seemed to now ignore like the wind. "What about the Amazon problem that was going on for a while?"

Minako on the other side of the car dragged her fingers through her long blonde hair and shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe she got scared off by that youma in the Lily Pond."

"Oh well," Makato had a little feral smile. "At least she bugged Ranma for a while. It was pretty entertaining."

"Well-"

"Pigtailed goddess! I, the rising star of the Kendo world, Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, Tatewaki Kuno, age seventeen, have come for thee! Let us embrace our love!"

The group blinked and looked back over to the courtyard.

~

"C'mon, Ryouga." Ranma held out her hand for the 'Lost Boy' and they both left the car behind. It had been an unusually quiet ride. Mamoru normally had something to say about school or appointments of some such. He'd constantly glanced at his rear view mirror angrily. Ranma had checked, but couldn't find anyone following them.

Ryouga stuttered something as he took her hand and followed her into the courtyard. They could both hear the whispers, but Ranma didn't let it bother her. Other people's opinions stopped mattering to her a while ago. Well, most people's opinions.

"Ranma."

Glancing over her shoulder, Ranma found her friend, Ami, jogging up to their position. "Yo."

Ami smiled and looked to Ryouga. "I'm Ami Mizuno."

The boy blushed and shook her hand, "Ryouga Hibiki."

Nodding again, "Ranma, I was-"

Then a certain delusional kendoist made himself known before the group passed him by completely. None of them had even noticed him standing in the center of the entrance, regally garbed in his hakima and bokken tapping his left shoulder nonchalantly. With a practiced flick of his wrist, he sent a single rose on a path with Ranma.

Snatching it out of the air somehow became a sign that she was interested. "Pigtailed goddess! I, the rising star of the Kendo world, Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, Tatewaki Kuno, age seventeen, have come for thee! Let us embrace our love!"

Ranma blinked a moment then gagged at the sight of the pompous kendoist who had groped her back in Nerima. "I don't think so."

Kuno, apparently, hadn't heard. He rushed in with his arms open to snatch her up in a hug. That was the plan anyway.

"BACK OFF!"

More than Ranma had blinked in surprise to see two fists planted squarely in Kuno's face. Ryouga and, somehow, Mamoru had beaten her to it.

Beside the car, Usagi was staring slack-jawed.

"I've never seen him leap over a car in his normal state before," Makato was surprised since she had been talking with him for a moment only to have him vanish the next moment once they saw Kuno.

The kendoist stumbled back a few feet, two red spots marking where he'd been hit. Standing straight again, he glared at the two 'curs'. "That hurt you know."

Ranma was not interested in this fight. Tatewaki, from what she could see, was a complete loser. She'd knock him once and that would be it for the day. But, if Ryouga and Mamoru wanted it so badly, let them. She was ready to head in when Ami's hand found her arm. Ranma turned back, "Ami?"

"Aren't you going to stop this?" Ami's eyes flicked between the fight and Ranma. Her apprehension was clearly written on her face, her grip on Ranma's arm tightening every now and then when one of the boys got in a solid hit.

The other girls Ami hung out with had stepped up behind them. Each had their own worried look. The blonde with the bunny ear hairstyle looked to be on the verge of tears as she watched Mamoru get pounded into the dirt by a glancing blow from Ryouga's sidekick.

Ranma watched for a moment. Ryouga was good, better than Tatewaki, but Mamoru didn't even compare to the kendoist. She should get him out of there. A weakling like Mamoru simply didn't belong in a real martial arts fight. With a sigh, Ranma removed Ami's hand from her arm. "Stay here."

The gathering crowd was yelling into the fight. With Ryouga's berserk anger, Kuno's pompous veneer, and Mamoru's pathetic attempt the fight was quickly falling into a brawl where someone could be injured.

Twirling sideways to avoid one of Kuno's slashes and ducking Ryouga's return turning kick, Ranma was able to gather the bruised Mamoru up in her arms and vault back into the open. The part of the crowd who had watched her hooted with applause while the rest continued to offer suggestions for the other fighters.

A bruise on one cheek and a little blood from a split lip, Mamoru would probably be sore, but maybe the brief fight had knocked some sense into him. Ranma slapped him lightly to wake him up. "Don't tell me you're out of it from these love taps, you jerk. What the hell were you doing getting into a fight like that if you can't keep up?"

"I was," Mamoru blinked and tried to think why he had jumped into the fight. Shaking away the bit of cloudiness, he looked up to the person carrying him in her arms. Ranma's eyes were like the blue sky, a sparkle reflecting, struck Mamoru like the sun. The conversation from the ice cream shop with Usagi came back to him and Mamoru felt more certain about how wonderful Ranma-chan really was.

"NOW GET LOST!" Ryouga growled, punting the beaten kendoist high into the sky until he was lost in the clouds. Patting the dirt from his hands, "Feh, what a weakling." He turned back around to find Ranma helping Mamoru to his feet, their eyes connected and Mamoru's arm over her shoulder. With a growl he began to advance. No one was getting in the way of his only hope for happiness.

Usagi sprinted from her group of friends quickly. She could see the new boy, Ryouga, advancing on Mamoru. "Stop! Leave my Mamo-chan alone!"

Caught between steps, Ryouga balked and stared at the blonde in front of him stupidly. Over her shoulder, Ranma and Mamoru were pulling apart and Ryouga could see their equally confused expressions. "He," Ryouga pointed at Mamoru, "is your . . . boyfriend?"

Usagi nodded sharply.

Dropping his fists, Ryouga relaxed and laughed delightedly. "That's okay then!"

"Eh?"

Ryouga stepped up and took Ranma-chan's hand and started walking. "Let's get to class then, Ranma-san!"

"Uh, okay." Ranma glanced over her shoulder to Ami and Mamoru and shrugged. That had certainly been odd. And why had Mamoru just stood there looking at her? Shaking her head, Ranma brushed away a few strands of her red hair and pulled Ryouga in the other direction. "You're walking to the street, Ryouga. Class is this way."

~

Akane and Ukyou stood in the courtyard looking about. There was no one there. It was too strange to see the place so empty, almost like they were in the wrong place. Akane hadn't realized how accustomed to beating the morning crowd she had become. Well, a day off sounded good to her, especially with the soreness in her muscles from being trained by Ranma-san yesterday.

Further in, Ukyou had found Nabiki on the roof and had called out their question. Kuno had apparently discovered where Ranma was going to school. How he even knew Ranma was a mystery to Akane.

"Kuno went after Ranma?" Ukyou spoke again with a strange look on her face.

"When did he ever meet Ranma-san?" Akane wondered again. Then her body grew tense as she thought of how Kuno pursues his love interests. "Do you think she'll be okay?"

Ukyou smirked easily in a way Ranma sometimes did when she was showing off. "I'm sure, Akane." Tightening her grip on her book bag, Ukyou started heading in for class with a hop in her step. "If Ranchan can take care of daemons and the Sailor Scouts then a moron like Kuno should be no problem."

Akane thought about it and had to agree. Her Ranma-san was incredibly fast, strong, and powerful. Plus, Ranma-san would know at first glance what a pervert Kuno was.

Both girls stopped suddenly when they heard something falling from the sky.

"AAAAAAAA-urk!"

Pausing briefly at the main doors to the school, Ukyou checked over the mess that was a moronic kendoist and looked back to the sky. "That definitely came from Juuban."

"I fight on for my pigtailed goddess!" Kuno made it to his knees, lifting his bokken, broken at the hilt, to the sky. A mass of purple bruises colored his face like a checkers board. Kuno swayed for a moment then dropped back onto his face and went limp. "But first a nap."

Akane snorted and forgot the incident entirely. "Figures."

~

Grousing over another day at school Ranma settled herself down beneath one of the trees in the courtyard, remembering to smooth out her skirt in case of perverts. That was one of the troubles with schools as far as Ranma was concerned. There were too many perverts packed into such a small space. Somehow Tatewaki Kuno had resurrected himself from the first beating this morning and had returned to hound her all day, each time learning the texture of the ground beneath him intimately. Hard to believe, but Ranma almost thought her knuckles were starting to hurt after hitting the moron so often.

At the moment, Kuno was face down in the mud with his bundle of roses held in something other than his hands. He'd attempted to glomp her coming out of class.

Looking around, Ranma just had to smirk. If guys had been keeping their distance before, they were now treating her like a nuclear weapon about to explode.

Picking at her bento, Ranma waited for Ami to show up and eat with her again. Her face flushed slightly at seeing the girl in question exit the school and start heading in her direction. For a few moments she forgot to eat, alone with her thoughts, she was busily watching the sway of Ami's school skirt, like Ranma's, only extending to about mid thigh. Her smile was gentle and caring and she had become a real friend to Ranma.

"Hey, Ami," Ranma called out. Ami picked up the pace a little and settled down beside Ranma. "What did you want to talk to me about this morning?"

"Ranma," Ami picked at her skirt a moment then sighed. "I was thinking that you should try to speak with the Sailor Scouts."

Ranma blinked. "What for?"

"You've been in a lot of fights with these daemon recently." Staring Ranma in the eye, Ami grabbed her friend's hand. They'd known each other a couple of weeks now. After getting to know the redhead Ami had found things she had really liked about the girl and was glad to be able to call her a friend. Though the other Scouts had wanted this for their own reasons, Ami was doing this out of friendship. "I'm concerned that these attacks will continue, and the next time you may not have any help."

"Been doin fine so far," Ranma answered absently, most of her concentration on the delicate fingers wrapped around her own.

"Still, it's not safe. You could get seriously hurt or even killed."

"Ami," Ranma hesitated and bit her lower lip. She was still looking at the ground, a heat riding over her cheeks. She shouldn't do this. She should just . . . In a whisper, "Ami-chan-"

"Ranma Saotome?"

Ranma jerked away suddenly from Ami's gaze to find the person who had sneaked up on them. Her body went straight to the defensive, knowing very few people even capable of approaching unnoticed. Such people were usually dangerous. "Who's askin?"

An old woman no more than a few feet tall, sat balanced upon an old gnarled cane. Long white hair flowed the length of her aged body and a purple robe covered her. "I am Cologne, Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku Amazons."

Ami blinked, "Amazons?"

The moment Cologne had uttered the first syllable of the area in China Ranma had rolled back to her feet and was taking a defensive position. "What do you want?!"

People in the courtyard turned at the yell. Jaws dropped at the sight of the popular redhead caste in an aura of blue flames.

"There is no need for that, Ranma," Cologne spoke evenly. "We've realized our mistake and apologize for attacking you. The Amazons are aware of your," she looked over at Ami and then continued carefully, "condition."

Confused momentarily, Ranma slowly dropped her defenses. Did the Amazon figure out about her curse? Perhaps they knew a way to cure it! "Yeah, my condition."

Cologne nodded. "I have returned with a few other Amazons to show you how serious we are about helping you."

A smile. One of her precious, rarely seen, true smiles began to appear. She was still smiling as Cologne motioned to the perimeter wall and Shampoo jumped down. A sparkle reached her eye and Ranma found herself having a little trouble holding back the tears. "You . . You can really help me?"

"We can, child." Cologne bowed her head once and Shampoo stepped in, smiling amiably at Ranma. "My great granddaughter has told me what has happened here in the last few weeks and I thought you'd like to know we have started up our own restaurant where the Lily Pond used to be. We could use a waitress if you still require a job."

Ranma blinked and frowned slightly. She probably would need a job. Even if she can get rid of this curse, the extra money could be useful while she avoids her pops for a little longer. And by the sound of it, a cure might take a little while to make.

"You don't need to decide now. We will talk again once your classes are finished."

"You gotta deal, Cologne," Ranma smirked.

"Ranma?" Ami grabbed the redhead's elbow, casting a distrustful eye on the old woman. "Are you sure about this."

"Don't worry, Ami. I can handle myself."

"Shampoo will remain to watch over you should you need the help." Cologne added. "Until then, Artifact."

Ranma and Ami blinked as one as they watched the old woman pogo out of the courtyard and over the perimeter wall. What had that been about an Artifact? Ranma turned a slightly distrustful gaze on Shampoo. "I don't need nobody's help."

Shampoo nodded. "Great grandmother no take chances. I stay, protect Artifact."

"Ranma?"

Ranma shrugged off Ami's hands and headed for class. There were too many questions and enemies she was no longer certain about. "Can we talk after school, Ami?" Ranma didn't see her nod. She just walked for class, her temper beginning to simmer, lunch forgotten.

"Artifact?" Ami wondered and watched the redhead followed into the school by the previously homicidal Amazon maiden.

~

Nabiki sighed as she finally arrived at the college campus in Juuban after a short trip on the train. A quick check with her informants told her where to expect Mamoru this afternoon. "If it isn't my favorite cousin, Mamoru."

"Nabiki?" Mamoru looked up from the bought lunch and found Nabiki just sitting down in front of him on the park bench outside his classroom. She had her book bag with her and was still dressed in the Furinkan uniform. "What are you doing here now? Shouldn't you be in school?"

Shrugging, Nabiki gave him a cunning smile that hinted some teeth. "So I took a day off to visit family. Is there something so wrong about that?"

"I think I know you a little better than that, Nabiki," Mamoru muttered, staring at her hard. "So, what's going on?"

She set about rustling through her bag for a second. "Well, it's not ice cream, but I got something you might like." Piercing her cousin with a predatory look, Nabiki pulled out a manila folder and slid out a few pictures of a redhead in some naughty negligee. It was Ranma's own fault for not considering she might return home early while she was having the slumber party with Akane and friends.

Mamoru glanced at the photos for a second before the image registered in his mind and he turned away with a face burning red. "Uh, N-Nabiki?!"

Grinning, Nabiki picked up one and dangled it in front of Mamoru's eyes, swinging in time with the photo in her hand. "No, these are of Ranma and I really don't think that sort of interest in me is legal."

Mamoru blushed further and pushed his cousin's hand away. "I . . . I don't want these!"

"Really? Don't you want something to remind you of your pretty fiancée when you aren't together? And I'm selling them at a discount too."

"I . . . No. I don't want them." Mamoru slapped himself for hesitating like that.

"Your loss, I suppose." Nabiki gathered up the pictures slowly, grinning at the way Mamoru looked a little torn that they were out of sight already. "How are things going? The two of you seem to be getting along better now."

He scratched the back of his head. "Uh, yeah. I guess we are."

"That's good to hear. My sisters and I like Ranma a lot," she said nodding. Actually, Nabiki wasn't sure how she felt about Ranma since trouble seemed to have followed her, but Ranma had also protected her family and stood up to the Sailor Scouts. The redhead's power was not something to be scoffed at. And if she became family then it might be easier for Nabiki to make some suggestions to Ranma about a career as a model. All the yen, that pretty yen. Nabiki blinked when she realized she had drifted off for a few seconds. "And we thought the two of you would look so good together."

Mamoru squirmed uneasily and looked about the area like it were a reflex. "Yeah, well, I'm not too sure."

"Arranged marriages are kind of archaic and usually don't work, but I'd put good odds on this one," Nabiki added.

That had actually brought Mamoru up short. Wouldn't his relationship with Usagi sort of be like an arranged marriage? And they didn't always work. That was true. They were different people now. From talks with the moon cats they each knew that they were different from their past counterparts. Pushing aside the memories of his past, how did he feel about Princess- . . . no, Usagi now. "Not all arranged marriages are destiny."

Nabiki quirked an eyebrow. "Aren't we the romantic." She dismissed it after a moment and replaced the folder in her pack. Nabiki could tell her task had been accomplished after just talking with Mamoru. Reading people came easier to her after all of her deals at school. It took a shrewd businesswoman with a good sense of emotion to get as far as she had and put enough fear into people without them getting violent.

Nabiki stood and stared down at her thoughtful cousin. "But I'm a firm believer we make our own destiny, especially when something better comes along." She was talking about business deals, but he didn't need to know that.

Mamoru nodded. "Yeah. I guess."

"Trust me." Nabiki pat him on the shoulder and took a few steps away before glancing over her shoulder. "Oh, and Mamoru." Nabiki waited to be certain she had his attention. "I know you're busy with college and work, but a girl still needs to be treated sometimes."

There was no immediate response then Mamoru collected his things, traces of a new smile on his face. "Later, Nabiki."

"Mamoru. You may not believe me now, but this is for the best." Nabiki sighed and left the college after seeing her cousin enter one of the buildings. "The little girl Usagi is just going to get you into trouble. Besides how could any guy pass up a girl with a body like Ranma's?"

There was still the slight nagging doubt in her mind about the engagement, but it hadn't been forced on her. If Mamoru didn't like it he would have been honest and frank. He was like that a lot of the time. Nabiki wanted a little more assurance though. The couple had yet to go out on a date or do anything of significance with each other besides living together. And from what she heard, Ranma still slept on the couch.

Nabiki stumbled backwards a moment after bumping into someone while she was thinking.

A tall, muscled boy blinked in confusion and looked about the area. He couldn't figure out how these things happened to him, but they were definitely somebody's fault. Ryouga caught the girl he'd bumped into before she could fall. "Uh, excuse me? Could you tell me how to get back to Juuban High?"

Nabiki blinked. "Ryouga?"

The boy looked at her more closely and tried to remember. Finally snapping his fingers, "Oh, uh, you're the girl I met back in Nerima."

"Nabiki," she supplied with a grin. This may be the extra push Mamoru needs, she decided. "You like my friend Ranma, don't you?"

Ryouga blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "Uh, well, hehehe . . . I mean I, she's uh . . ."

That was all Nabiki needed to hear. "Don't worry. I get it." She reached into her book bag for a second and pulled out a manila folder. "And have I got a deal for you."

~

The area beside the lion exhibit in the Juuban Zoo looked like a park with a bench and large, leafy trees. All was green with it being spring and the zoo only catered to a few dozen people at this time of day.

Haruka briskly walked along the path, brushing aside tree limbs. Her focus was on the destination or she might have seen Michiru's slight look of annoyance. They were in the area much earlier than they needed to be. Haruka, however, was more interested in grabbing the pure heart crystal and saving humanity than worrying about the mood of her lover.

Beside the bench, Haruka glanced about the area as it matched what the magic mirror had shown. "This is it."

"It's where the mirror said we would find the next pure heart crystal," Michiru agreed.

Though Haruka knew they were early due to her eagerness, she also hoped their target was just as eager. Wishing that something more specific than 'later' would have come to Michiru, Haruka asked, "I don't suppose it mentioned the time?"

"We'll just have to wait." Michiru spoke and headed into the trees for a place to hide and wait out their target.

~

Ranma had been antsy throughout the rest of the day. The idea of getting rid of her curse or working on a cure had been dancing through her mind. No more panties and bras. No more perverted boys. And definitely no more monthly visitors. It all sounded like a dream to the once boy.

She left school in a hurry, getting a promise from Ami to meet her later where Ranma could give her the good news. Ranma didn't have a lot of friends anymore, or people she had been very close to. Akane and Ukyou were nice, but Ranma only saw them on the weekends and mainly for training. Her one time best friend Ukyou had even become a little less in her heart. Seeing Ranma as a girl had definitely dropped whatever deep emotions the chef had once had. But Ami, she had not only become a friend, but someone Ranma could go to for help with school, to talk, or just be with for the past months. Ami, the most special person in Ranma's life, would finally hear the whole truth of Ranma's past and hopefully the same open kindness would accept the 'him' that was Ranma.

Approaching the new restaurant, Ranma knocked on the doorframe and entered though the closed sign was still up. "Hello? Cologne?" Shampoo followed silently, relaxing a bit more rather than scanning the area for any danger to Ranma.

From within the kitchen a white blur jumped through the swinging door and launched itself at Ranma. "Shampoo!"

Ranma blinked, having not expected to be picked up and embraced so tightly. With sudden anger, she bounced the boy off of the ceiling with a swift kick to his chin. "Hands off, pervert!"

"Aiyah, what stupid, blind boy do here?" Shampoo peered at the crumpled form on the floor.

The Chinese boy shook his head and settled large glasses over his eyes and studied the girl he had embraced. "Shampoo?" The red hair and school uniform told him otherwise. He stood up and bowed once, "Oh, excuse me, miss." With a new grin he jumped to the correct target. "Shampoo, I love you!"

Shampoo scowled and let the blind boy embrace her bonbori with his face rather than touch him herself.

"That was useless," Ranma commented, watching the Amazon maiden hit the boy once more as he twitched.

"Welcome to the Nekohanten, Ranma."

Throwing her shoulder length red pigtail over her shoulder, Ranma lifted a hand in greeting. "Yo." Finding herself nervous and excited, Ranma-chan twisted a piece of her skirt between her hands. "So, uh, what can you do about my curse? How long does it take to cure?"

Cologne, balanced again on her cane, arched an eyebrow. "I would hardly call this a curse."

"Well, I'm not you and I'd rather be normal again," Ranma answered quickly with a little heat.

"Considering you are a martial artist, I would figure this change would be a boon for you."

"Hardly." Ranma snorted. "Maybe I'm a little faster, but I can do just as well without."

Spending most of her time watching Ranma from outside of the classroom window, this was the first time Shampoo actually heard Ranma for any significant amount of time. "Aiyah, Artifact not act like Shampoo think."

Ranma's brows creased at the title. "What is with this Artifact business?!"

Cologne had a feeling there was something else going on that she didn't know about. Rather than describe the legend of the Artifact, she asked, "Ranma, what curse are you referring to?"

Blinking, Ranma looked at herself as if it were more obvious thing in the world. "What else? I'm a fucking girl! There's only one way this curse woulda stuck on me!"

Realization dawned on the present Amazons. A few in the back had even stuck their heads out to view the Artifact they had come to protect and follow. "Jusenkyou."

"Artifact be to Cursed Springs?" Shampoo asked in her broken Japanese.

Ranma nodded. "Yeah, I was there with my pops trainin. Only the fool couldn't read Chinese." Staring down at the old Matriarch, a pleading look entered Ranma's eyes. "Well, are ya gonna cure me or not?"

"Mousse, get some hot water," Cologne ordered simply.

The Chinese boy was almost to the kitchen before Ranma spoke in a slightly dejected tone. "It don't work like that." She had seen her father change with warm water the first time and had hoped it would work for her as well. An hour later the guide and her father had to hold her back from using scalding water in a desperate attempt to get rid of the cursed body.

"Excuse me?"

"Hot water don't change me," Ranma repeated.

Frowning, Cologne rubbed her chin and leaned in closer to Ranma, peering at something no one else could see. "This may take some looking into."

"And Artifact?" Ranma asked.

Sighing, Cologne nodded. "That will take some time."

"Shit." Hope was being driven off once again and stomped over by fate. How could this have happened to her? Why? What had she done to deserve this? Ranma had only wanted to become the best martial artist in the world and had worked hard to that end. Leaving her mother, home, and whatever life and friends a normal person might have had, Ranma had been left with just the Art and masculinity. And that had been taken from her. There was no dignity left in her, reduced to wearing women's clothing and even being forced into an engagement with a boy. "Least I can still get a job out of this." And earn some money to start living on my own, Ranma thought to herself.

"That's finding the silver lining," Mousse muttered, sensitive ears picking up Ranma's grumbling.

Ranma-chan quickly rounded on the boy, her aura flaring slightly, giving everyone a look at her lower blue aura. "Look asshole, I've had to deal with enough perverts thanks to this body. I either take care of myself or I end up somebody's Barbie doll."

Shampoo smiled at the way Ranma had just sent Mousse cowering into the kitchen and looked at her great grandmother. "Artifact make good Amazon, no?"

Ranma snorted. "Whatever."

Cologne needed some time to think over what she had learned today. Dealing with the Artifact, a powerful being that ended up being a chauvinistic man trapped in a woman's body, would take some considering. "Work begins after school and until closing. What you wore for the Lily Pond will be fine."

With less hope and gratitude, Ranma stalked out of the restaurant, "Later, old woman."

Shampoo hesitated in following for a moment. "Great grandmother, why we not take Artifact back to China?"

"You said it yourself that demons have been attacking her here already. This is where she is necessary and where we shall be needed." Cologne answered then waved to the door. "Go with 'him', Shampoo."

The girl bowed. "Yes, great grandmother."

~

In a foul mood, Ranma brooded over her situation as she walked into the Juuban Zoo. Ami was to be meeting her here after the meeting with the Amazons. The girl had at first wanted to go along, but Ranma wasn't sure she wanted Ami to know everything yet. If there had been a curse Ranma would have been glad to share her secret with her closest friend, but with that hope diminished, Ranma felt lost again.

Coming around the bend of a garden path that wound through the park, Ranma caught sight of the familiar blue and white uniform that matched her own. Pausing a moment to get control of herself, Ranma kept her eyes on Ami while speaking to the Amazon at her side. "Shampoo, could you stay outta sight for a bit."

The Amazon looked about the area a bit, fingering the handles of her bonbori. Having chased Ranma through China and Japan she was aware of the danger the redhead's presence seemed to develop. "Shampoo must protect Artifact."

"Fine, just don't do it where I can see ya," Ranma remarked absently and headed for the railing Ami was leaning against.

The Amazon glanced over Ranma's shoulder and nodded. "Shampoo here if Ranma need."

Watching Shampoo walk back a distance, Ranma turned around to watch the girl she was here to meet watching the animals. Ranma approached hesitantly, standing a few feet behind the other girl. "Ami?"

With a smile she turned around and picked up her bag. "Hi, Ranma. Were the Amazons able to help you?"

Ranma hesitated. "I'm not sure yet."

"Did you think about what I said during lunch?"

This felt safer than getting right into anything personal. Ranma nodded, though she hadn't really thought about it at all. "About talkin to the Sailor Scouts? I guess it wouldn't hurt. I'm pretty sure you were right and they just thought I was a bad guy at first or somethin."

A tiger inside the pen growled up at them. Ranma shivered.

Concerned, Ami put a hand on the redhead's shoulder. "Ranma?"

Eyes closed, Ranma tried to banish the creeping fear. "Sorry, it's just . . . those animals."

"And here I thought you had a lot in common," Ami smiled with a sidelong glance at the orange striped cats. Ever since Ranma had performed the Neko-ken the first time Ami had started looking at the girl as a predator. The tigers looked so exotic and beautiful, completely covering their fierce and powerful nature.

After the little reflection, Ami guided them both to a bench. Ranma seemed to have been a little repulsed by the comment.

Shivering once more at the pen, Ranma tried to think of something to say. Ami seemed to be waiting for her. Opening and closing her mouth a few times, Ranma finally suddenly looked at things a little differently. "Havin somethin in common doesn't mean you like someone."

"That's true," Ami responded after a moment, obviously having not expected the comment.

Licking her lips, Ranma put her hand over Ami's. The blue-haired girl seemed not to notice. Ranma looked up from the hand to the gentle smile and then further into Ami's pale blue eyes. She licked her lips again before speaking, "Like us."

"Us?" Ami blinked.

"Sure." Ranma fidgeted, looking about the area with her eyes then returning to Ami. "You ain't a martial artist. But you're smart and nice."

Oblivious, Ami smiled gently. "You're nice, Ranma."

A brief flicker of a grin curled on Ranma's lips to vanish a moment later. "No, I'm not. I haven't been a very nice person in a long time."

"Ranma, what is it you're trying to say?"

This wasn't going anything like Ranma planned. She had thought about it some, but words had never been Ranma's strongest point. She could insult or tell someone off, but it had been so many months since she'd felt even a little bit like her old self. Her old self was a kinder person, if arrogant and chauvinistic. Ranma could see that now. Women weren't the weak fighters her father made them out to be.

With her free hand, Ranma-chan reached out and looped a bit of Ami's blue locks with her finger. "I like your hair. It looks soft and it sort of shines. And your eyes, they're a pretty blue."

Shifting a little in her seat, Ami had to blink a few times. Her voice returned with a little quaver. "Your eyes are blue."

Ranma swallowed and pressed on. "Yeah, but your eyes are cool and calm like ice. I think you're very pretty."

"Ranma-"

"Nice soft skin," Ranma continued, staring down at her thumb running over Ami's hand. With a sad smile, Ranma stared into the girl's eyes once again. "I wish I'd met you before."

"Before what?" Ami caught her breath as the Ranma leaned in and placed a kiss on her lips. She sat there frozen for a moment, eyes wide and watching the redhead, feeling the hand on hers and the slender fingers playing with her hair. So close Ami could smell the clean skin. With a sudden cry, Ami pushed back and stood up from the bench. "Ranma, I can't. You're a girl and I'm a girl."

That was it then. Ranma looked up at the girl, doubting she ever be accepted now. In more than ten years, Ranma had been alone. Alone with her father was still alone by anyone's standards. Things were fine for a time, she had her pride and dignity, but all of that was stripped away by Jusenkyou. Ranma had hoped to find something to fill that void in her heart that ached for focus. Anger had worked for a time. First anger at the world, with her father, and with her curse. Later, the anger turned against women who fell so below Ranma's standards and the perverted boys who were never close to being what she had been. Ranma had been a man, a man amongst men, and now she was, as Ami said, a girl.

"Maybe before," Ranma whispered silently, staring down at her hands in her lap.

~

Ami stood up nervously and watched Ranma collapse onto herself. It looked like she had been her last hope for the redhead, that this moment had been all or nothing. Considering the difficulty for women to come out with their preferences like that, it had likely taken all of Ranma's strength to go that far.

She felt bad for Ranma, and while Ami did like her friend, that was all she was, a friend.

Someone else might have left after this, but Ami still had her compassion and knew there was basically no one else for Ranma to go to. "Ranma," she started soothingly, kneeling down and taking the girl's hand, "I'm sorry. I'm -- I'm very flattered, but . . ."

"It's okay Ami," Ranma whispered. The total dejection in the redhead's voice was not lost on Ami.

"I still want to be your friend, but that's all." Ranma still stared at her lap. Ami was more concerned, thinking back on all the things she knew and had seen with Ranma. After such a long time, Ami could figure out when Ranma had just come from bashing a pervert or fallen into another quiet spell. The signs of depression and then intense anger were so easy to see. Ami worried about what would happen if Ranma left on her own now. Suicide looked like a certainty. "Don't give up. There . . . There are others out there."

Ami leaned her forehead into Ranma's red hair and held the girl by the shoulders to show her support. She hoped this hadn't completely broken her friend after such a hard life.

"Indeed there are. And you are fortunate to have mine noble presence to glory upon."

Where Ranma had been ready to cry into Ami's shoulder a moment ago, a sudden flare of energy made Ami back off a second later. Ami saw the furious expression on Ranma's face to match the red corona of power that burned about her body like a bonfire. Kuno couldn't have come at a worse time and he was about to pay for his arrogance painfully.

"Get out of here," Ranma growled deeply.

Still strutting forward, Kuno wore a smug grin and tapped his shoulder with the edge of his bokken. "Tis not a fair occasion that the great Blue Thunder, Tatewaki Kuno, should chance upon his fiery pigtailed goddess in this seclusion?"

People a little ways off stared at the kendoist blankly.

"Did I not hear true thou wers't scorned for thine affections?" Kuno continued loudly.

Ranma turned a further shade of red with anger. Ami had begun to wave her hands defensively, "I didn't-"

"But, my fierce warrior, mine affections shall find thee comfort. With an act from my manliness shall thee be recovered to the home team!" Tatewaki ended by raising his boken to the air, thunder rumbling in the background.

From within the grove of trees behind the bench, Shampoo leapt onto the path with her bonbori ready for action. "Shampoo know Artifact say leave alone, but Shampoo no stand Stick Boy mouth."

"You dare to stand between the great Tatewaki Kuno and his pigtailed goddess?" Kuno demanded. "I accept your challenge. If you win then I shall allow thee to date me!"

Shampoo blinked at the quick exchange and barely put her weapons up in time to parry the first strikes. "Who say Shampoo want date Stick Boy?!"

~

"It's her!"

~

"Attack."

~

When she stood up, a look of revulsion coming across her features, Ranma lost that piece of her that clung to hope by the merest of threads. This was it. She'd wanted Ami. Ami who had seen her as the bitch she was and overcome it. Who had overcome the walls and took a step inside.

Now Ami turned away, seeing the darkness spread that much further. The door was pulled shut behind her. Ranma sat alone, behind her walls, protected from the world, keeping them from knowing. This was where she was doomed to remain, alone, wanting and never quenched.

"Ami," she whispered, too low to be heard.

The contact on her hand did not register. Only revulsion. That's what Ami had seen. Something to be disgusted by, scraped on the boot of life and scraped off.

Kuno, the moron, he was here. Ranma couldn't understand, didn't listen to what he said, but she wanted to hurt him. Had she been in his position she would not have squandered that life with delusions. This wasn't his fault, but it would feel so good to make it so. Let all of her misery collect in his image and pound it to the ground. Would it leave then? Could she destroy this hurt with her fists?

She'd warn him once. "Get out of here."

He remained, opened his mouth and spewed black ichor. Ranma wasn't sure when it happened, she was up and moving, but it flowed like a waterfall, pounding into her center and rushing out with fierce expression towards her anger.

~

"Ranma!"

Ami took a step back, hardly able to understand how things had moved so quickly. First Shampoo appeared and then Ranma flickered from existence to reappear before the kendoist, striking out with her little fist, and sending the boy backwards, crashing through a few trees. He was dead. There was no way he could have . . . was this Ranma . . . it was her fault.

"I'm sorry, Ranma," Ami whispered, straightening herself up, lip trembling. Ranma was dangerous, they all knew it, had seen it, and now this may have resulted in the loss of an innocent.

"Aiyah."

Ami looked over at the Amazon, Shampoo. Another who had known Ranma was a danger.

"Artifact fast." The Amazon grinned, looking over the beaten boy with approval.

"Temper, temper, little girl."

The group looked up to the redhead floating over the park. She smirked with an evil glint and the area around her began to darken. The tigers in the pen began to growl angrily, slowly creeping backwards to the service entrance.

"It looks like I'll have the chance to make up for the past failures," the woman cackled and raised her hand. From below two daemons appeared. They growled and swiped with clawed hands, black striped fur standing like spikes along their bodies.

Ami was starting to step back as she faced the Scouts latest enemy untransformed. "Who are you?!"

"I am Mistress Nine," the woman grinned down at Ami, "but you can call me your death!" She gazed haughtily at Ranma, "Killing to birds with one stone."

"Weak Girl run, yes?" Shampoo ordered, taking a position between Ami and the daemons. She knew Ranma cared for the girl and would become distracted and hurt if Ami was not taken care of.

"You," Mistress Nine pointed down at Shampoo. "With your dedication to your village, you are a perfect candidate for a pure heart crystal and it will be mine! Twin Tigress, attack, retrieve for me the pure heart crystals!"

"Go!" Shampoo ordered, shoving Ami further into the grove of trees behind them. She was about to attack the daemon with her bonbori, but out of the corner of her eye, Shampoo noticed Ranma had not moved a muscle. In fact, the redhead looked to be frightened.

Shampoo ducked the first tiger woman's swipe and rolled to the side catching the second on the temple with a spin kick before it could reach Ranma. "What Artifact do? Must fight great evil!"

Ranma-chan's muscles began to twitch and her mouth stuttered with speech.

This was not how Shampoo remembered the Artifact. Ranma had always been a great warrior before, but now she looked to be caught in some terror and unable to move. The tiger women hissed and attacked again. It was all Shampoo could do to stay out of the way with Ranma under her arm. She bound further down the path with the redhead beginning to mutter louder and louder. Great grandmother had said the great evil would be powerful and now she understood if they could do this to a powerful fighter like Artifact.

"Shampoo protect Artifact!"

The tiger women seemed confused with their prey running off.

"After them, stupid!" Mistress Nine screamed.

Twin Tigress were off like a pair of shots in the dark. They leapt over obstacles to catch up with the bearers of their master's pure heart crystals.

Shampoo glanced once over her shoulder when the hairs on the back of her head stood up. It was a lucky move as the daemon ran faster than anything she had ever seen. A claw was about to remover her face before she could react. The unconscious body on the ground made that unnecessary.

"Wha?!" Shampoo went sprawling to the ground, losing her grip on Artifact at the same time. The unconscious kendoist had tripped her! If she had the luxury Shampoo would have beat him to within an inch of his life, not far considering how badly Ranma had already hit him.

The daemons were already upon them, having recovered from the miss. The first tiger woman hovered over Ranma-chan's cowering form. Shampoo could finally hear what she had been muttering.

"c-c-c-c-ca-ca-ca-cat-cat-cat-CAT!"

"Tigress!" the second shouted, plunging a knife hand downward to skewer Shampoo's chest.

"I fight on!"

"Ack!" Shampoo tumbled to the ground again after being jostled from her seat on Kuno's back. The kendoist had somehow recovered from his blow. Almost as if he were used to heavy impacts.

"Tigress?" The tiger woman blinked in surprise and then removed her closed paw. She opened it again and to her shock, discovered a crystal, glowing like a rainbow through a pearl. The other daemon had also stopped, foregoing the fun it was having tormenting Ranma to observe this spectacle.

"It was the boy?" Mistress Nine asked in a wondering tone as she sauntered closer. "I see. His unbalanced desire to prove himself a great samurai made him the carrier of a pure heart crystal. Give it to me, Tigress."

Grinning with large teeth, the daemon walked back to her master, the crystal hovering over her palm.

"NOW!"

Mistress Nine stopped suddenly as a woman screamed from within the trees and a column of water suddenly engulfed her daemon. When the water cleared, what stood before her was a Sailor Scout with short blonde hair and the crystal safely held in her hand. "Not today, you scum," the girl sneered.

Tigress was scrambling back to her feet to deal with this real threat and retrieve the crystal for her master when something hissed at her. "Sister Tigress?"

Shampoo, also having gotten back on her feet, looked over to where Ranma had been. The second daemon was crouched over the ground and unmoving. Another hiss came through and the slices in the daemon's body became apparent, allowing the sections to fall apart with a splat. From beneath the dead daemon rose a silver light. Ranma crouched there, her face and hands dripping with the Tigress' blood. "A-Artifact?"

Another loud hiss was the only reply.

~

The other Scouts were on their way. Ami had dashed into the forest after the help from Shampoo. Crouching down behind a large tree, she had the time to open her communicator and contact Raye. Not waiting for a response on the priestess' part, Ami stood back up with her henshin rod in hand.

Transforming as she ran, Ami paused in her thinking long enough to wonder if she had to give an opening speech in place of her missing leader.

Bursting out of the trees and into the area she had left Ranma, "Hold it right . . . there . . . Ranma?"

The area was empty and quiet. Sailor Mercury opened her visor to take a reading of the area, hoping that the fight had only gone elsewhere and Ranma was not really lost to the enemy. A power reading came from further down the way. It was the strange half mix of Silver Millenium power. The energy was fading, but not at a dangerous rate, more like a relaxing muscle.

"I hope I'm not too late," Ami rushed in the direction of Ranma's power. On the way she stepped over two piles of dust and a broken daemon seed. Another few steps and she came across the Kuno boy, pale and lifeless. Ami swallowed and continued further.

There were blast marks and areas of upturned earth like Sailor Uranus' World Shaking. Another section was water logged as would happened with Sailor Neptune's Deep Submerge. When had they arrived?

"Shampoo?" Sailor Mercury found the Amazon half-imbedded within the steel railing. Her heart crystal hovered over her chest shining blue. With a gentle push, Mercury reinserted the crystal into its owner. Shampoo would at least recover in a little while.

"Where are you, Ranma?" Mercury asked, concern etched over her face. Walking a little further and finding rows of deep cuts in the ground, Mercury began to frantically search for her friend. What had happened? The battle looked severe here. There were smatters of blood all around and something darker. Had Ranma hurt Mistress Nine, or could it have been the Outers?

"Ranma!" Mercury called out. There was a rustling within the trees. "Ranma!"

"Meow?"

"Ranma," Mercury sighed with relief as the redhead's face peered around one of the trees. Ranma-chan seemed happy to see her and bounced around the ground, limping slightly on her front 'paw'.

Being more familiar with the Neko-ken now, Ami knelt down to the ground and pat her leg. "Here kitty, kitty."

Ranma-chan brightened even further and trotted up to Mercury. Rubbing her head against one of the extended hands, Ranma purred happily at being pet. She allowed herself to be gathered within Mercury's lap and stroked carefully.

Ami dropped her Sailor form after another scan of the area showed nothing. Though she was happy to find Ranma safe, a fear grew within her over speculations of what might have happened. Kuno was dead, obviously without his heart crystal. Had the delusional idiot carried a pure heart crystal? If so, who has it now? Stroking the red hair, Ami grimaced at the thoughts. "There are only three pure heart crystals and Sailor Moon hasn't gotten any of them."

Ranma twisted a little in Ami's lap to purr comfortingly into the girl's neck.

"And the only lead we have," Ami continued, staring down into the stormy blue eyes of her friend, "is you."

~

Pluto cursed as she had lost contact with the present as soon as the Outers had reached Ranma. Somehow the redhead prevented her from seeing anything within that area of the time stream.

While she might have liked to see the fight, Haruka had still returned with the second pure heart crystal. She and Michiru had told Pluto all that had happened upon their return to the house.

After snatching the crystal away from the daemon with her incredible speed, Haruka had been ready to fight Mistress Nine and leave the daemon to search the other people in the area for another crystal.

A quick fight had ensued ending with the deaths of both daemons at the 'claws' of an insane martial artist. The Amazon they had seen in the Mirror was tossed into the railing by one of the daemon while the other traded blows with Ranma-neko. Haruka's own fight with Mistress Nine had been fairly one-sided, forcing the Outers to flee to protect the crystal they did have.

Ranma-neko became enraged after the Amazon girl had been knocked unconscious. She cleaved her attacker in half and then killed the other Twin Tigress before it could run off with the other girl's crystal. Mistress Nine stayed only long enough to scream at Ranma and earn herself a slash across her cheek that bled a black substance.

Pluto had tried to go back and follow these other people, but Shampoo and Ami Mizuno were also lost to her sight for just being associated so closely to Ranma. The redhead was a true menace to the future.

Feeling her anger rise, Pluto turned her attention to the present where Haruka was toying with her gift from the pure heart crystal. The kendoist had held within his body the Buster Sword. It burned like fire as Uranus swung it through the air in cleaving motions then spinning it around her hands.

Pluto could tell the next encounter with Mistress Nine or Ranma would go very differently with this new and powerful weapon in their possession.

~

Sleeping in Ami's lap for another hour, Ranma had finally begun to rouse. She peered sleepily at the activity around her. A stretcher passed by where she and Ami rested, bearing a corpse covered with a black bag. Kuno was dead, Ami told her, still petting her hair.

Ranma didn't respond immediately, pressing her cheek into Ami's knee while across from them Shampoo was being bandaged up by paramedics and attended to by Cologne.

She didn't wait long after that. Ranma silently got up from Ami's lap and started heading for Mamoru's apartment. She knew Ami wanted to speak with her to get her to stay, but she couldn't. These attacks were dangerous like Ami said. If not to her, then to the people around her. It was not safe for Ami to be near her. Ranma felt better about being rejected by Ami. Even if she wouldn't be loved, at least she would know her friend would be safe.

With one of the other Amazon warriors tailing her, Ranma entered the apartment building. The girl had leapt to the roof and Ranma-chan had closed the front door of the apartment behind her. She felt numb, the walk back had gone by without her noticing. Dead to the world, her past life, and the people around her, Ranma only wished she could deaden this misery that claimed her.

"Ranma?"

Mamoru was already back from college, the incident at the zoo having ended as the sun began to set. It was dark out now, dark inside the apartment even with the kitchen lights on. Mamoru was cooking something at the stove, but seeing her he turned down the heat and followed Ranma to the living room.

Staring off into nowhere, Ranma fell onto the couch. She'd forgotten her book bag, she noted. Would have to get it back for tomorrow. There was homework to be done and she usually trained a little before dinner. Well, maybe the fight earlier could balance out her training.

"Are you all right?" Mamoru came around to sit beside her, picking Ranma up by her shoulders so she could lean against his chest.

Ranma-chan did so dazedly. Her mind worked further around the horror of what had happened and sought out different thoughts. She realized now that this is why she had been so upset during the slumber party. It wasn't that the other girls had forced her into the bit of negligee or that they had watched those crappy movies. It was because she had been there, there, and they hadn't even noticed. A boy in a girl's body? No, they wouldn't have been able to dress her up in that case. She was . . . Was she becoming the girl like her father claimed? First it had been the body, but was she losing more now?

"What does it matter anymore?" Ranma whispered.

Mamoru leaned in closer, "What was that?"

Turning her eyes to the boy, Ranma did not hide her tears or force them back. Instead she grabbed onto Mamoru's shirt and buried her face in his chest. Why did this happen to her? Couldn't she find the bit of normalcy others had? The sliver of happiness in a raining sky? All . . . all she wanted was . . .

Mamoru's arms closed about her waist and shoulders to bring Ranma in closer.

~

Though Pluto's plans were progressing well to be ready for the coming enemy, she still had her lingering doubts over the introduction of this random element. "Ranma must be dealt with," she growled and gave up on trying to locate the redhead in the time stream.

Tightening her fists until the knuckles cracked, she began to pace about the Time Gates in furious thought. "The future is not certain so long as she lives. Already too much has been wrapped around her presence and the main line of the Time Stream is becoming muddled."

She glanced over at the pulsing mass of color, the portion representing the possible futures becoming divided further as she watched. "This is her fault and the world will pay the consequences if it continues.

"She is not my queen, that much is certain. The power she wields, however, may be the result of another Silver Millenium power that I have forgotten. If she lives then I risk losing everything I have worked so hard for these past centuries to regain. If she dies then the path to Crystal Tokyo may become clear again, but I risk losing someone who may be a necessary ally in the future."

Pausing in her stride around the emptiness, Pluto recalls the few events she knows of in Ranma's past. "There are too many daemon attacks upon her to be a coincidence. Our enemy recognizes Ranma as someone important. If she does hold a pure heart crystal then killing her would be as good as handing victory over to our enemy. I can't find her in the Time Stream . . . but she has come across the Inners a number of times," Pluto smirked and slapped her fist into her palm. A plan was forming to remove the redheaded nuisance and regain the path to Crystal Tokyo.

"I will have to hurry," she muttered, bringing her staff out to open a portal to the world, "before Ranma does anything to destroy the future irreparably."

~

Ranma found herself caught up in the sensations of Mamoru's body so close to hers. Though Ryouga had held her much the same, she couldn't think of a thing to compare this to. An arm behind her back with the hand resting on her shoulder was there. She wasn't sure about warmth and comfort, but it was there. He had her pulled in close that her head could rest against his chest. Pressed against the clean fabric she could hear his heart beat within his chest.

The moment was not lost on Mamoru either, it seemed. He'd tensed briefly, expecting maybe to be hit, but when it did not come a heat rose up in his body to break over his cheeks. Ranma was . . so small, smaller than Usagi, but she was also greater. Usagi was a girl he'd fallen in love with back in the Moon Kingdom, but that didn't mean they were fated to be that way again. Things have changed. The Moon Kingdom was gone, could not Endymion be gone as well? A new body, a new life, so why not a new love?

He'd meant what he'd said about Ranma that time he spoke with Usagi in the ice cream shop. Once he'd gotten past her anger over the arranged marriage there was so much to Ranma that he liked. She was strong, beautiful, independent, and more mature; someone he had truly been looking for. In the present, the future had yet to be written. What happened all depended on the chances they took now, the happiness they found now.

Holding Ranma's cheek with his other hand, he turned her to face him, watching her blue eyes sparkle with unshed tears, in the moonlight. The pair glows a pale blue that set them like a flame within the room. Without pause, without thinking, Mamoru's lips descended onto Ranma's and his heart leapt as she returned the kiss wantonly.

End Chapter Eight

* * *

Emails came in with one main subject: how long until the next update. Well, here it is. I had a few things happening to tend to these past months, one being college, relationships (without a girlfriend and a semi-social life I'm just a loser who spends Fridays and Saturdays writing), and then my birthday. Yep, I'm twenty-one and I'm also writing fanfics, a little pathetic in its own way.

Ah well. About this last chapter, the major point was to help the Scouts find the next pure heart crystal. Ranma's increasing sense of lost identity was a major point of stress for her, which required some release in one way or another. With Mamoru, I personally don't like the idea of destiny though I do believe a certain amount of life is directed by this invisible force it doesn't mean we can't change. Plus, I feel even a moron like Mamoru would find the new 'princess' a bit repulsive.

Send C&C to [email protected]

Or visit my website at www.geocities.com/jehtek

Ja ne.