When Ryoga finally found Furikan highschool, where Ranma was attending, his first site of the boy was him running from a crazy girl swinging a mallet. He needed a distraction to get Ranma away from the crowd. So he did what they had done years ago. He attacked. Then he got lost. That night the radio came to life again.

 "Ryo-kun?"

 "Ranma! Where are you!?"

 "In your room."

 "WHAT?!?!"

 "I cleaned the house for you."

 Ryoga snickered at the thought of Ranma cleaning anything.

 "Where are you? What town?"

 Ryoga shook his head, "No town, I'm in the woods."

 "I'll find you."

 "No."

 "What?"

 "Let me do this. When I return I'll challenge you and we can run off somewhere with more privacy
than your school yard."

 "I still love you."

 "I love you to Ran-kun."

 The pigtailed boy smiled, "My hair misses you too. My braiding is horrible!"

 Ryoga laughed, "That was mean of you to play that you forgot me."

 "I forget almost everyone after a while, I needed to make sure no one would suspect."

 "And the bread." Ryoga laughed, "I wanted to share it like we used to so bad!"

 "Well when you come home. . ."

 "Hai, I'll be home soon."

 "I'll be waiting for you."

 "Promise?"

 "Zutto Ryoga, Zutto."

 "I love you Ranma. Ryoga out."

 Ranma carefully changed the batteries in his radio and slid it back into his shirt.

 Akane, who had watched the entire conversation, smiled, "He's a lot nicer to you."

 "Ryoga is one of the kindest people I know. He would do anything to help a friend. He is honorable
and true and. . ."

 "Totally head over head in love with you."

 Ranma blushed, "That too."

 "You're lucky."

 "I know." Ranma stood and stretched, "We should get home before pops figures out where I
disappear to. Thanks for coming along. It'll throw him off a little I hope."

<Part 6>
 

 Ranma walked past his pop the next morning and noticed he was in panda form, playing with a tire. "Anou. . . pop?"

 The panda growled at him, irritated.

 "Ah. . . Mr. Tendo? What's up with pop?"

 Happosai answered before Soun could stop him. "Well Ranma me boy, your father was trying to
give you a mind clouding potion yesterday but if you recall you knock him into the Koi pond. On the
way down he accidently inhaled some of the food and so now he thinks he's a panda because it was
the form he was in when the potion kicked in."

 Ranma sighed, "Guess we weren't as convincing as we thought."

 "Ranma is it true?" Soun asked teary eyed.

 "Hai. I can't marry Akane."

 "How could you?!"

 "I can't love her." Ranma thought quick and added, "And a girl as special as your daughter deserves
to have a husband who will love her. Maybe Tatawakai Kuno. He seems to worship Akane."

 Soun was smiling again but Ranma was twitching under the dinning room table.

 "Ranma how dare you try to set me up with Kuno!?!"

 Kasumi smiled, "Oh dear, I'll have to take you to Doctor Tofu!"

 "NO NO NO!" Ranma laughed nervously, "I can go alone, really!"

 "Oh, ok then, if you're sure."

 //I remember last time you came in while I was being looked at. I ended up with my head on
sideways!// "I'm positive."

 Akane snorted, "Only fools are ever positive"

 "Are you sure?" Ranma asked.

 "I'm positive." Akane said then realized what Ranma had done. "Ranma no baka! Get back here!"

 Ranma was already long gone.
 
 

 Ryoga smiled when he saw Ranma heading down the street. "Ranma! Prepare to die!"

 "Jigs up Ryoga, dad knows." Ranma sighed.

 He stopped mid attack, "But your still here!"

 "Well, that's a long story." the pigtailed boy smiled and started relating the whole tale to Ryoga as
they walked down to the river bank, under the bridge. "So I don't know how long it'll last, but for
now. . ."

 Ryoga sat beside Ranma and the other boy lay his head in the lost boy's lap.  "Do you think he'll
make you leave again?"

 "I'm a grown man now, and I can definitely handle my dad." Ranma smiled, "I am never leaving you
again. God himself couldn't force me to go."

 Ryoga's eyes went wide and he clamped his hand over Ranma's mouth, "Don't say that!"

 "What?"

 "He might take it as a challenge! Please don't say that!"

 "Ryoga."

 "Ranma I. . ."

 "Ryoga."

 Both boys jumped and looked toward the river. A man floated just above the water, walking toward them.

 "Gabriel!"

 Ranma held his love close, "Ryoga you know him?"

 "He's my. . ."

 "Ryoga I bring you tidings."

 "Your what?" Ranma looked at the glowing, devastatingly handsome man and felt unworthy in
comparison. Fear touched his heart, "Ryoga? He. . . are you. . ."

 "No! Ranma he's my boss."

 "Your boss?"

 "I. . ."

 "Ryoga." Gabriel repeated.

 "WHAT!?"

 "I am sorry, you must come with me."

 "Why?! Because I'm to close to my human?! You showed yourself! You broke a rule too! Let me
and Ranma be!"

 "I cannot. War is threatening Ryoga. You are needed."

 "But I. . ."

 "As the angel of war you are needed in the battle."

 "Ryoga?" Ranma let go of the boy he loved and backed slightly away. "What's going on? What is he
talking about?"

 "Ranma I. . . Kuso." Ryoga's whole face radiated defeat. He opened his wings and dropped his
human guise. "I'm sorry."

 "No." Ranma shook his head, "NO! You said you loved me! We. . . I thought. . ."

 "Ranma I do love you! I do!"

 "Get away!" He flailed out with his fists. "Stay away from me!"

 "Ranma listen!" The angel dodged.

 "You lied!"

 Two strong hands caught his fists and Ryoga pulled Ranma into his embrace. They both sank to the
ground and for the first time since he could remember, Ranma cried. "Angels can't lie!"

 "All of those nightmares," Ranma shivered, "They weren't nightmares were they."

 "No."

 "So even then. . ."

 "I've always been an angel Ranma."

 "How. . ."

 "I took the place of Ryoga Hibiki, he died when he was thirteen. I took his place to be your
guardian."

 "You're my guardian angel?"

 He nodded, "I really do have a horrible sense of direction, and I really do love you, I never lied to
you about anything Ranma, I just didn't tell you about this."

 "Why?" He looked into the eyes he knew so well, "Didn't you think you could trust me?"

 "I couldn't. It's against the rules."

 "From what I can gather you broke more than your share of those anyway. What was I? A kick you couldn't get in Heaven?"

 "No! I love you Ranma. I never lied about that."

   "So you're the angel of war." Ranma glared, "this is priceless. I thought, I mean. . . just forget it."
He wrenched himself from Ryoga's arms and ran.

 "Ranma!"

 Firm hands on his wings stopped him from giving chase. "You must come with me."

 "No."

 "What?"

 "Give my position to someone else, I don't want it any more."

 "Ryoga. . ."

 "You teach unconditional love ne?"

 "Hai."

 "Well I am following my heart. I love Ranma unconditionally and I wont see him hurting like this."

 "If we replace you now, we lose the war, and if Hell conquers, how long do you think Ranma will be ok? Soft skin, full hair, long legs, angels face, how many demons will overlook that?"

 Ryoga paled at the thought of Ranma in the hands of Hell's minions.

 "Now you see what we are fighting."

 "But he thinks. . ."

 "When the war is over you can return to him. Patch things up and explain. Give him time to cool down. We need you Ryoga."

 "I. . ." He sighed in defeat, "Hai, alright. I will fight."

 "Thank you Ryoga." Gabriel said softly, "And I'm sorry."

 Ryoga wasn't listening anymore, his love and pain filled eyes searched in the direction Ranma had
run. //I'll return Ranma. I swear it.//

 
 Ranma slammed into the dojo and grabbed up his pack.

 "Ranma?" Akane asked, "Ranma what happened?"

 "Nothing."

 "Big nothing to make you this upset."

 "DO I LOOK UPSET TO YOU!?" He roared.

 Akane rolled her eyes.

 "I'm leaving."

 "Oh come on, I didn't hit you -that- hard."

 "It isn't that."

 "Then wh. . . Ryoga? Did something happen to Ryoga?!"

 "I don't know anyone by that name."

 "Ranma!" Akane chased after him, "What happened did you two fight? I'm sure you. . ."

 "There is no us." Ranma spat out the words as if they were poison. "It was all a lie."

 "Ranma!" But it was no use, he was gone. Akane stood there in the road, the wind blowing her
dress and hair. "Ranma."

 Once he was lost as he could get, Ranma fell to his knees and slammed his fists into the ground,
"Damn you Ryoga! You bastard! You Fucking Ahou! Why?! Damn you! WHY!?!"

 Only the wind answered and the pigtailed boy slid to the ground trembling and completely worn out.
"why?"

 No one found the pigtailed boy. Days passed, then a week, still he was left like that, finally a fever
gripped him and Ranma could only pray that Ryoga wouldn't find his body when he returned.
 
 

 Ryoga raised his blazing sword, "Charge!" Wing met tail, fang met fire. And Hell and Heaven
collided in a battle for the place called Earth and the souls she held, but one Angel fought for one
thing only, something more powerful than Earth and Afterlife combined. Love.

 "I will not be pressed back in that firey prison!" Lucifer growled, "Take them! Kill them!"

 "Back!" Ryoga sneered and slashed his way toward the fallen angel, "Get thee behind me Satan!"

 "Stay back boy! Or I'll roast your soul to feed my Hellions!"

 Ryoga fought the ruler of the underworld with all of the fire in his soul, he would not let this creature
win! He could not!

 All around him angel and demon alike fell to the swords of their foes. Satan tripped through the
carnage always just out of Ryoga's reach.

 "I can read into your soul." He laughed, "You don't have to worry, I'll take care of you human for
you. Ranma will be in good hands."

 "NO!" The battle cry was heard throughout Heaven and Hell and down on Earth, Ranma's fever
closed eyes fluttered, "R. . . yoga."

<Part 7>
 

"He s over here!"  Mousse called when he finally found the boy all of Nerima was out looking for.

 Cologne examined the prone figure,  Oh this is not good.

  What wrong grandmother?  Shampoo asked.

  He has a strong fever, we must get him to the hospital.

 Kuno hefted the boy over his shoulder,  Thou art a horrible fiend Saotome Ranma, but for the
happiness of the fair Akane and her cunning sister, I will help you.

  Oh, Ran-chan.  Ukyo cried on Akane s shoulder,  What happened that would make him run away
to die like this?!

 Akane s battle aura was only barely subdued, //Ryoga, I had better never find you, or you ll wish
you had never come back to Nerima.//

  Halt!  Ryoga slashed through four more of the foul creatures tring to climb Heaven s gates.

  What is it you desire angel of war?  They tempted.

 Ryoga sliced more down and unfurled his mighty wings, beating a rain of dagger sharp feathers upon them.  The lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. . .

  But you do.

  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. . .

  With whom do you wish to lay?

  He leadeth me beside the still waters. . .

  But do you wish to be lead?

  He resoreth my soul.

  You had better hope so.  They sneered gleefully and opened a viewing window into Ranma s
hospital room, showing the pigtailed boy shivering and burning with fever.  Because your soul is fast
fading.

  YOU LIE!  He roared. The smirking creatures died with the smirks on their faces. The blast
attracted the eyes of Satan to the angel of war who was glowing with energy and wreaking havok on
the demons around him. //So much power, but where is it s source?//

 In a blast of rage Ryoga made his power explode and took with him all of the demons in his vicinity.
Satan s army was weakening.

 //If I can not win by brawn I must win by brain.// He thought. //What is the keystone of their
defenses and offenses? The Angel of War. What is his reason for fighting? Ranma Saotome. So if
Ranma is gone, he will have no will to fight. Or what if Ranma was. . . That s it!//  Go!  Satan
ordered his swiftest demon and relayed the plan.

 Ryoga saw,  Michael!

  Hai?!

  Follow that runaway, I want to know what he is up to.

  As for now you re the boss.  He nodded and took of after the Hellion.

  Say your final peace Lucifer.  Ryoga hissed as he blasted the last of Satan s demons.

 The prince of evil stood firm, grinning,  You haven t killed all of my Minions.

  Michael is following. . .

  A decoy.  He laughed,  See where the prime demon went, and what he has taken for me.

 A light momentarily blinded the angels and when it cleared Ranma stood, hanging limp in the air, like
a puppet.

  Ranma!  Ryoga cried.  Let him go!

  No.

  Bastard!  The lost angel charged. Satan snapped his fingers and Ranma jumped forward to take
Ryoga s charge. The angel skidded to a halt,  Ranma?

 Another snap and the pigtailed martial artist rammed his fists in Ryoga s gut, he was thrown back
into the giant pearls that were heaven s gates. Ranma advanced on the fallen boy and prepared
another attack.

  Ranma.

  Where is your fight now?  Satan grinned with glee,  Where is your spirit? Your soul? Hm angel of
war?  He chuckled when Ranma slammed Ryoga into the air.  Why don t you fight back?

 Ryoga fell like a stone, unwilling to open his wings lest the sharp feathers cut the human.

He slammed into the ground with a groan.  You possessed him!  The boy cried.  Give him back!

  Now why would I do That when I ve found the perfect weapon?  Satan grinned and forced Ranma
to attack again. He backed Ryoga up against the gates, fist at his throat.

  Ranma, don t do this.

  Ranma Saotome is dead.  Satan chuckled.

  No!

 Gabriel watched with concern for the boy he called little brother. Ryoga refused to fight back against the boy he had given his heart to, even if Satan told the truth and Ranma was only the shell, Ryoga
would never harm him.

 Another blow landed and the angel s head slammed into the gates, cracking the pearl.

  Ranma.  Ryoga searched his assailant s eyes.  Please, Ranma.

  He can t hear you.  Satan singsonged as waved his hand artfully.

 Ranma slammed Ryoga sideways and advanced again.

 Tears were streaming from Ryoga s eyes and he stood, facing the boy he loved. Ranma moved in
for the kill. Knowing what was coming, Ryoga fell to his knees before the boy. His attacker stopped
and stared. This move so unlike an attack threw the demon who possessed him off.

 Ryoga bent his head in acceptance,  I love you Ranma.  He said softly,  If I die at your hands it
would be all I could wish for. I don t wish to live wihout you.

 A flash of recognition passed over the lighted eyes and Ranma blinked and shook his head.

  Only know that you loved and were loved and I will die happily for you to live.

 Again the body before the angel spazmed, an internal battle taking place.

  Lucifer wants me only. As soon as I am dead you ll be free.

  R. . . ryog. . . a.

  Ranma?!

  . . . run. . .

  What?  Ryoga took his hands and smiled up at his love,  what did you say?

  p. . . lease. . . run. . . c. . . can t . . . h. . . old . . . him. . . much longer.

  Ranma. . .

  I love you damn it! Run!

 The angel of war took to air almost too late as the demon took control again and charged.  Ranma!

  No Ranma here.  He chuckled.

 Satan smiled, the angel would never kill his beloved human. Once the angel of war was delt with
taking over the gates would be simple even without his hordes.

 Archangel Michael flew back into the battlefield and saw what was happening.  NO!!!

 Ryoga had no time to react before the archangel s sword was thrust through Ranma s gut and the
demon was dispelled.

  Damn you!  Satan sneered as he ran away,  Damn you Michael! Damn you and you re little brother
of War!

  Ranma.  Ryoga laned and gathered the boy into his arms.  Oh God no.

  Ryoga I had no choice.  Michael started.

  I wish you had let me die! I wish you had let him kill me!

  Ryoga. . ."

 "My fault. It's all my fault. If I had just kept my distance like I was told Satan wouldn't have taken
him and he would never have been used against me. If only I had been strong enough."

 "Don't waste your time with might-have-been and what-if. It's done."

 Ryoga shivered as a cold chill wrapped itself around his heart, "Kill me."

 "What?" Michael stared at the angel before him.

 "Kill me too. I want to be with Ranma, cut off my wings and kill me so that I can join him." He gently traced the soft curve of his human's face and brought his lips to the cooling mouth of his love. Tears
fell to the lifeless skin. "Ranma." His voice was choked and harsh. "I never lied. Never about us. I
love you. I'll follow you."

 "Ryoga don't ask this of me." Michael pleaded.

 "You killed him!" The angel of war cried, "The least you could do is to kill me too!"

 "I. . ."

 Cold and burning eyes met Michaels and the angel took a step back. "If you don't kill me I will kill
you."

 "Ryoga. . ."

 "Die!" He lunged but a sudden light froze all of the angels in their place.

 RYOGA

 He looked up and gasped. Jesus stood at the gates of Heaven, holding a soul's hand. "Ranma!"
Ryoga ran to the soul and wrapped his arms around him, "Oh Ranma! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I
didn't. . ."

 Ranma had tears falling over his insubstancial cheeks, "I love you Ryoga."

 "Ai shiteru." Ryoga sobbed and burried his face in Ranma's chest, "Ai shiteru, Ai shiteru, Ai shiteru,
zutto Ranma, zutto."

 The son of God smiled and faded, leaving the Angel to gude Ranma's soul back to his body on
Earth.
 

<Part 8>
 

Michael and Gabriel followed to make sure the two were ok, and once at the hospital, all of them snuck into the pigtailed boy's room. There he lay in a coma, just waiting for his soul.

 "Go on." The herald angel pushed him forward.

 Ranma nodded then turned to Ryoga, "Ryoga I'm sorry." He said as he sank into his Earthly shell
once more.

 "So am I." Ryoga hugged his love close as the soul and flesh melded once more and Ranma
suddenly stiffened and gasped in a breath. "Ranma?"

 "I forgot to breath." he chuckled and threw his arms around Ryoga.

 The lost angel laughed and huged him back, love and longing bare in his eyes.

 "Ryoga?" Ranma asked, still weak from all that had happened.

 "Hai?"

 "I love you." He sighed, burying his face in his love's shirt, "Never keep something like that from me
again. I worry about you so much1."

 "Anything for you Koibito. Anything."

 "Ryoga I. . ." Michael started.

 "I forgive you." The angel said, "But never harm my koibito again."

 "Hai."

 Ranma waved goodbye as the angels dissappeared then he noticed Ryoga's scrutany, "What?"

 "Having your soul removed shouldn't have dehydrated you." He said an dpointed to the water IV.

 "I. . . anou. . ."

 "Ranma?"

 "I ran away."

 "You were going to let yourself die!"

 "Well, without you what good am I?"

 Ryoga punched him in the gut then grabbed his shoulders. "Never say that! You are my whole
reason for being here! I would give up heaven for you! Don't you understand?"

 "I'm not worth it."

 "Like Hell you aren't." Ryoga bent down to kiss him, "Don't you ever say that again."

 "But. . ."

 "You are my everything. If you die I swear I'll cut off my wings and die with you."

 "Ryoga!"

 "I mean it Ranma. We're forever, dead or alive I'm not leaving your side ever again."

 "Promise?"

 "Pinky promise."

 "Seal it with a kiss?"

 Ryoga smiled, "Gladly." But as he was lowering his lips to Ranma's the door burst open and all of
Ranma's fiances, Akane included, slamed in.

 "Ranma! We heard. . ." Akane skidded to a halt when she saw Ryoga, his face an inch from
Ranma's, Ranma's arm around his neck, pulling him down.

 "Ranma honey. . ." Ukyo asked, "What are you a. . . doing to Ryoga?"

 "I. . ."

 "If I didn't know better I'd say he was kissing him." Kodachi sing songed, "But that can't be because
Ranma is mine ne lover?"

 "NO!" Ranma shook his head and shrank back into Ryoga's arms.

 "Ranma no like girls?" Shampoo asked.

 "No offense ne? But Ryoga. . . we. . . I mean. . ."

 In unison all three girls pulled out identical malet-samas and screamed, "Ranma no hentai!" The two
boys were slammed out the window.

 "Nice to see everything is back to normal." Ranma-chan giggled as she climbed out of the river,
P-chan tucked under one arm.

 P-chan grunted in agreement and nuzzled her ear.

 "Let's go home." She kissed the blushing pig on the snout and smiled, "I love you. My angel."
 
 

~Owari~