CHAPTER 4: White Butterfly
Ranma had a lot on his mind, so he woke up early in the morning to go
workout in the dojo before school. After doing some warm-up exercises, he
began some simple katas. Akane came into the dojo soon after in her yellow gi.
Ranma stopped his kata and stared at her for a moment.
"Akane," Ranma nodded a greeting to her.
Akane looked over in surprise, then responded quietly, "Ranma."
Ranma gave her a smile and continued his kata. Akane went back to her warm-
ups.
Kasumi came to the door of the dojo. "Ranma-kun, you have a visitor," she
announced. Ranma and Akane both stopped and looked toward the door. Ukyou came
walking in with a box. She was dressed in a gi with small okonomiyaki designs
on a light-blue field.
"Ohayo, Ran-chan!" said Ukyou in a bright cheery voice.
"Ohayo, love!" responded Ranma giving her a peck on the cheek. Akane gaped
openly at the display, and turned around angrily. She began collecting bricks.
"I brought you one of the new recipe okonomiyakis. If you want, you can
bring it to lunch with you," beamed Ukyou.
Ranma grabbed the box and gorged on a piece like he was starving. "Mmmmm, is
that good." Ranma was in heaven.
"Ran-chan, I'd like to do some sparring, if you don't mind," Ukyou said
seriously.
Ranma stopped in mid-munch, "Are you serious? I'd like that." Ranma set
down the open box on the table by the wall. He licked his fingers, while Ukyou
began her warm-ups next to Akane. She exchanged a greeting to Akane who
returned the greeting casually.
Ranma went to the center of the dojo and Ukyou joined him. He stopped and
stared expectantly. Ukyou was becoming self-conscious, "W-what are you
staring at?" she asked.
"Your bandolier of spatulas, your not carrying any?" Ranma indicated with
surprise.
"Oh," Ukyou smiled with understanding, "I wanted to practice the Musaabetsu
Kakutou style of martial arts." Ranma and Akane both gaped openly.
Ranma was the first to recover. "The Anything-Goes style?"
"You got it," said Ukyou. Ranma stood at attention and Ukyou quickly
followed. After a courteous bow to each other, they began. Ukyou took the
first initiative and fired a punch easily blocked by Ranma. Ukyou followed with
several rapid blows mixed with a few kicks that Ranma blocked with some
difficulty. He began to smile, the style Ukyou was using was his own. Ukyou
smiled back, then released a rapid punch that caught Ranma by surprise in the
shoulder. After a few blocked kicks, Ukyou repeated with the same rapid punch.
Ranma was able to block the punch and realized that the punch copied some of
Ukyou's spatula moves, only using a hand instead of a spatula. Ranma was
impressed, Ukyou had adapted some of her own skills with some of Ranma's
skills. This was part and parcel of the Anything-Goes style of martial arts.
Combining different techniques and applying them where appropriate.
Two can play that game, Ranma thought. Ukyou then threw another punch,
which Ranma blocked left with an open backhand. Ukyou laughed when she realized
that this was one of the moves she performed with her battle spatula.
After a few minutes of sparring, Ukyou was starting to lose her smile. She
finally stopped with hands on hips. "Ran-chan, your not fighting back. Your
not throwing any punches, your just blocking."
Ranma stopped jumping about. "You ought to know, I don't hit girls." Akane,
who had been watching the match, rolled her eyes. She had heard this line
before. It had angered her, too, on many occasions and Akane felt insulted that
Ranma wasn't taking her seriously as a martial artist.
"H-how am I going to improve my skills if you don't go on the offensive.
What would you do if I were Ranko? You wouldn't want anyone pulling punches if
it were you."
Ranma looked down and thought a moment, then said, "Okay, Okay. I see your
point." Ukyou went immediately back into a stance and fire a volley of punches,
all blocked by a retreating Ranma. Ranma then threw some soft punches that
Ukyou immediately realized would be easily blocked. Ukyou countered with a left
punch that Ranma ducked under and planted a kiss on Ukyou's left cheek. Akane,
who had been watching the match, had to cover her mouth to stop a giggle. After
a few more punches and kicks, a kiss was planted on Ukyou's right cheek. Ukyou,
who continued to spar was blushing visibly.
Ranma went on a short offensive with a few easily blocked kicks, but it
backed Ukyou up toward the wall. Ranma dodged another of Ukyou's punches and
planted a kiss on her left cheek again. Ukyou was cherry-red with embarrassment
but cooled when she was suddenly struck with an idea. She threw the same kind
of punch with her right, but before Ranma could plant a kiss on her
right cheek, Ukyou lifted up the okonomiyaki which ended up in Ranma's face.
Ukyou started laughing and pointed at Ranma who was now a statue dripping
with sauce on his face. Akane was rolling on the floor at the sight. Ranma
just smiled, visibly red underneath the sauce.
"Well, as you know, anything goes," Ukyou laughed.
"You know, you're right!" said Ranma pointing a thoughtful finger. He slowly
picked up the disastrous okonomiyaki and began to chase a giggling Ukyou around
the dojo in a threatening manner. After backing her into a corner, he grabbed
her and part of the okonomiyaki landed on her face and the shoulder of her gi.
Both went to the floor in laughter.
When the laughter had finally died down, Ranma pulled a topping away from his
face and threw it at a laughing Akane. "And you, be quiet!" Akane, who easily
dodged the flying piece, just stuck out her tongue and resumed giggling. Ranma
turned back to Ukyou and pulled a piece off her cheek and ate it. "Mmmmm,
sweet. Just like you?" He licked his fingers.
Ukyou tilted her head and said, "Ah!" She pulled another piece off her face,
and fed it to him.
*****
When Cologne arrived home at the Nekohanten, she was not in a good mood. She
hated all the Japanese business practices with all their go-betweens and
confusing customs. Why couldn't it be simpler? Why did it all have to be so
complicated? But, when in Rome do as the Romans do, or as it was, do as the
Japanese insisted on doing it. The whole thing gave her a headache, she pressed
a pressure point.
She found a disturbing note left by Mousse saying that Shampoo was in the
hospital. He didn't elaborate and say why. After getting settled, she went and
collected both Mousse and Shampoo. Under Cologne's frightful gaze, a wobbly
Shampoo gave her entire story. Cologne was not pleased.
"WHAT GOT INTO YOU, CHILD?!"
Shampoo was near tears, but did her best to steel herself. An Amazon warrior
who had failed would not cry in front of a matriarch. In front of Cologne, that
would be considered bad taste and weak, weaker than she already felt. She had
to be a warrior, no matter what the circumstances were.
"I'm...sorry, Great Grandmother," Shampoo said softly through downcast
eyes.
"Don't ever, ever try magic on your own, child. The results could be
disastrous. YOU COULD DESTROY US ALL!" Shampoo had never seen Cologne panic
before. Under the worst conditions, Cologne had always kept her bearing, her
center. Something in Cologne's voice frightened her even more, more than just
the simple bawling out she knew she deserved. Cologne seemed on the
edge of panic. Shampoo looked up.
"The power in those amulets haven't been used in centuries, and there are
good reasons why. Their power is too awesome, too great, especially to be
welded by a careless child such as yourself!"
Cologne gave herself some time to calm down, before she continued, "Now,
that it seems that both amulets have been put away...and *LOCKED*," she
emphasized, "we need to go about the business of discovering how Ranma came
about one." Shampoo noted that Cologne didn't call him 'Son-in-Law`.
"And you," Cologne indicated Shampoo with an accusing finger, "have a
little problem to deal with. You were beaten by an outsider...again!"
Shampoo's eyes grew large at the implication.
*****
"{Ranma, it is time for our second class,}" said Tori.
Ranma had just finished eating lunch under a tree at school and was trying to
meditate. He found that meditation was difficult because he kept becoming
distracted. Ukyou was thoroughly busy with the lunch rush at Ucchan's and her
anxieties were coming across whatever connection it was that bound Ranma and
Ukyou into one spirit.
"{Go ahead, Tori. I can't think about what I was doing anyways,}" said Ranma
frustrated.
"{It's difficult to concentrate now, isn't it? When either one of you are
busy with something, the other will find it easy to become disoriented. It
turns out that that is one of the lessons I want to teach you.}"
Tori went into detail on helping Ranma keep his center and concentrate when
he was in meditation or even when he was fighting. He gave advice Ranma could
use to keep his emotions in check and the emotions of Ukyou from becoming too
distracting. Ranma applied the lesson and found he could meditate even when
Ukyou was at her busiest.
Another lesson Tori taught, Ranma called the 'magic show`. It dealt with the
casting of illusions by his own ki to make him appear elsewhere or to disappear
entirely. Ranma recognized some of these aspects from what Genma at one time
tried to teach him. It gave Ranma the foundation he could build upon. Ukyou
when she had time, tried to catch some of the lessons.
*****
"{Ran-chan! Ran-chan!}" Ranma was startled awake from a small nap he took
after dinner. He wiped the sleep from his eyes.
"{Uh, yeah. What's up?}"
"{I just had a strange visit from Shampoo. We were in a dinner rush, Konatsu
was taking orders and I was at the grill. I guess I must have been pretty
preoccupied. Sensing something, I turned around, and there stood Shampoo. She
slowly walked up to me, kissed me on the cheek, and then ran away.}"
Ranma jumped out of bed. "{Oh, NO! The 'Kiss of Death`. That means that
Shampoo is prepared to hunt you down to the ends of the Earth until she
either kills you, or you kill her. You'd never be safe.}" Ranma thought for a
moment, then said, "{Okay, okay. I'll take care of it. I think I know a way.
I'm going to go have a few words with the fossil. It's time I put an end to
all this Amazon business, anyway.}"
"{I don't know what you've got planned, but take care of yourself. Okay?}"
added Ukyou.
"{Don't worry. I will, my love.}"
*****
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! It was late at night and someone was pounding on
the Nekohanten front door. Mousse ran to the window, and looked out
irritatedly.
"We're closed Saotome. Come back again tomorrow when we are open for
business." Mousse didn't even wait for an answer, but turned around and
walked back toward the steps to his room, and back to precious sleep. At
once, the door hinges exploded, throwing the door across the room, it knocked
over a table and careened off the counter. Ranma walked in. Mousse turned
around, his hands in his sleeves at the ready. Despite his dramatic entrance,
Ranma radiated calm.
"Saotome, I know what Shampoo did, and I'm sorry about it, but you'll still
have to go through me before I'll let you harm her." Mousse was still at the
ready, but was relieved that Ranma was not ready to fight him.
Ranma looked up at the stairs and said, "Mousse, I promise you that before
this night is over, Shampoo will be yours." That got him. Mousse's eyes
widened, and a smile formed. He dropped his stance.
"Really? I will marry Shampoo?" Mousse winced when he was suddenly struck
in the back of the head by Cologne's staff.
"That will never happen, boy. I would never allow Shampoo to marry a
spineless jellyfish like you," said Cologne. Mousse bared his teeth evilly, but
kept silent, and backed out of the way.
Cologne turned to Ranma and brightened. "So, Son-in-law, have you finally
come to your senses and come to retrieve your bride, Shampoo?" Cologne then
turned cold. "Because if not, then we have nothing further to discuss. I have
a business to run, and will be doubly busy in the morning fixing that door you
just broke."
Ranma continued to radiate calm. "Cologne, you know why I am here. I've
come to end this charade, once and for all."
"Oh?" said Cologne surprised. She was surprised also that Ranma had used her
proper name, and had not referred to her as simply 'Old Ghoul`. "So then, you
have come to marry Shampoo. I'm glad you've finally accepted the inevitable."
Shampoo slowly came down the stairs in her pajamas and stopped about mid-way,
watching in silence. Her face was still a little scarred from the night she
attacked Ukyou. Mousse took a seat at a table.
"That is not what I meant. This whole Amazon marriage thing with Shampoo has
always been your idea. Shampoo probably would have given up a long time ago if
it were not because of your persistence. My fight isn't really with her, it is
with you."
Cologne really was surprised. "So then, you have come to fight me. Good!
You do know that if you fight me, you will lose. You will die. That is
acceptable. Your marriage to Shampoo, or your death, either way the
honor of my tribe is satisfied."
Ranma dropped to a ready stance. "If I win, then you will call off Shampoo's
claim on me, and her claim on Ukyou."
Cologne didn't move, but said, "So be it, Son-in-law. It will be as you say
if you win,...but you will lose." Cologne still didn't move, but Ranma could
tell from her aura that she was ready to strike at anytime.
Cologne first tried a taunt. "By the way, I've heard about your recent
switch in lady of choice to your spatula girl. Really, Son-in-Law, I don't
really care what you do here with some of these local tarts, but don't think
you'll be hopping from bed to bed once we get to China." Ranma couldn't
help but turn red at that.
"Mousse! Shampoo! Whatever happens, stay out of it," said Ranma moving into
a new defensive stance.
"Oh, I wouldn't dream of interfering, Saotome!" said Mousse, who sat back
grinning. Shampoo kept her silence, but nodded. She had no visible expression.
All at once, Cologne lashed out, but before she could connect, Ranma had her
staff. He took a step back, and began to twirl her staff in his left hand,
rapidly. It began to make a sound like an airplane propeller, moving Cologne
back. He slowed, and brought it to a halt with the staff perpendicular
to the ground. He noted the butterfly design engraved into the top of the
staff, then brought the staff down in front of him, laying both hands across
the top of it gently. The jaws of both Mousse and Shampoo gaped, visibly.
Cologne was impressed. Never in all her ancient years had someone disarmed
her so quickly, and efficiently. Son-in-Law is formidable, indeed. Now I will
have to kill him. This is not the same boy I have observed in the past. It
will probably take all my skill and wisdom to dispatch him. Cologne for the
first time in a long, long time was frightened, and she made an effort not to
show it. She was about to attempt another strike for a pressure point,
when she was stopped.
"Kuh Lon!" said Ranma in a voice that was as steel, but calm, soothing,
mesmerizing. It was a voice that reminded Cologne of her father long ago, when
he was about to give her some piece of advice. Ranma was radiating serenity.
Ranma raised a hand up. "Kuh Lon, observe. I have something to show you."
In the minds of all those present, a picture formed. It was of an open meadow
with wild flowers on it. From different directions, two white butterflies
approached each other, and began circling each other. On and on they circled,
first one way, and then another, a silent mating dance that was soothing and
tranquil. They continued to waltz, until they finally joined. Later, hundreds
of little butterflies fluttered around and danced much like the first two.
The picture then started over. Again, it was the same open meadow, and the
white butterflies fluttered in, and danced. Cycling round and round, first in
one direction, then reversing. Suddenly, a bird flew out of the sky and
snatched one of the butterflies in its beak and flew off to consume it. The
remaining butterfly continued to flutter around helplessly searching for its
mate, until finally it landed on the ground, and died. The picture then
cleared.
All were stunned into silence. Cologne thought for a moment, then looked up.
"What kind of magic is this? This fable has no meaning."
"Doesn't it?" asked Ranma. He was not put off.
Cologne was about to strike again, when it hit her. The memories: The first
memory was of Cologne when she was about seven years old. For over a year, her
parents pushed her into becoming a great warrior. Daily, she attended
exhaustive practices in weapons, in martial arts and other wisdom.
She remembered one day when she was attending staff practice. A straw dummy
had been erected and her training instructor was having her, along with several
other girls, take strikes at it. While she was awaiting her turn, she looked
off into the distance and saw several children playing in a field. They were
laughing and running among the flowers chasing butterflies. It looked like fun,
and they were having such a good time. Cologne remembered reflecting on how she
wished she was with them. She was tired of all the strenuous exercises, and
just wanted to run and play like the other children, but her parents had pushed
her into other pursuits. The last thing she remembered was being struck in the
head. When she came to, she was bleeding out the side of her head, and the
instructor was yelling at her to pay more attention. The instructor said that
if it had been an enemy, Cologne would be dead now. When she had arrived home,
her parents were furious, and they doubled her training schedule.
The next memory was of a evening when she was walking along with her newly-
wed husband. They were taking in the sights of the forest. She remembered that
he stopped all of a sudden, and asked her to take a look. He pointed to a low
branch on a tree where an object was hanging down, a cocoon. There was movement
within it. First, it broke through the outer fabric of its shell and dropped
down, hanging upside down. It started to open and close its wings in slow,
careful beats. After a while, it finally fluttered its wings and flew off.
Cologne remembered her and her husband trying to run after it, laughing,
before it disappeared off into the distance. They sat down on a quiet peak,
and watched the sun go down.
The next memory was of a tragic affair that had occurred after her first
daughter was born. Her and her husband were travelling back from a nearby
village visiting relatives, when a band of thugs ambushed them. Though
Cologne fought bravely, she was outnumbered and wounded. Her husband had
taken an arrow, and laid down on the ground dying. Her daughter was still in
her basket, crying with all her might. She attended to her husband, since he
was the more seriously injured. As he lay dying, she placed his head in her
lap and was crying. Her husband asked her to be brave. Slowly, she reached down
to try and kiss him. Before their lips met, a white butterfly flew in and
landed on his nose. Despite the tragic affair, Cologne remembered she couldn't
help but laugh. Before she could shoo the butterfly away, her husband slowly
exhaled his last breath. The butterfly flew off.
Cologne buried her husband. She didn't want to construct a funeral pyre
since it might bring back the thugs. After burying her husband, Cologne
remembered travelling through swamps and high mountains carrying her daughter.
Badly beaten, her daughter seemed like she too was dying. When she reached her
village, she laid in bed sick for a while, another woman took care of her
daughter who eventually survived the experience. The villagers mounted a
search, and eventually found and executed the ones responsible. It still didn't
relieve the pain, longing and anguish Cologne had felt in her heart at
the loss.
Cologne dropped her head. She wepted. "I finally see the truth in your
parable. The first picture was of you and this...Ukyou. It is of events that
would transpire if no one interferes with your newfound love for each other.
The second picture you gave was of tragic events that would occur if there was
some outside interference, like Shampoo's claims, hampering that love affair.
"Son-in-Law...Son, you have beaten me. Not once, but twice. Though you
didn't kill me, it seems like it would have been better if you had. Your
weapons are much more powerful than mine and are *devastating*. You have used
'grief` and 'regret`, but I also recognize that your power has been derived
from the amulet Shampoo gave you. If this is a token example of that power,
then we are helpless against you. I release the claims against you."
Shampoo started to protest, coming down to the bottom of the steps. "No! NO!"
"SHAMPOO!" she commanded, and them calmly, "Great Granddaughter, you will
release your claim on this warrior, and his...chef."
Shampoo's eyes started to gloss, she was in shock. The hole in her heart was
constricting, and she found it hard to breathe. It hurt so much. Slowly, she
dropped her head and replied in what was just barely a choked whisper, "Yes,
Great Grandmother."
Cologne regarded Shampoo for a moment, then said, "Come child, it is time we
went home." Cologne reached for her staff and Ranma gave it to her. She looked
for a moment at the butterfly design on the top of it, then went up the stairs
slowly. Shampoo looked up at Ranma for a moment, then lowered her head and
followed behind her great grandmother.
Ranma turned to go, but he was stopped by Mousse who place a hand on his
shoulder. "Thanks, Saotome."
"Shampoo is badly hurting and is going to be needing someone. Just be
patient." Mousse nodded and Ranma continued out the door.
*****
Moeller 12375 was the most dense object known to exist and could only be
picked up by radio telescope. Though small, the object harbored a massive black
hole whose power output totalled the combined energies of millions of suns.
Imagine the surprise on the faces of the scientists who one day trained their
dish up to the heavens...and found it missing.
*****
The lunch rush had just ended and Ukyou took an opportunity to get away from
her grill and help Konatsu clear tables. While cleaning one table she found
that one of her customers had left a newspaper, the local shinbun. She
couldn't help but notice that the front page was frantic about all the
disasters and weird happenings going on around the world. Some events were
minor, some were major, and some were unprecedented. She became concerned.
"{Tori?}" Ukyou inquired.
"{Yes, Ukyou?}" She held the paper up in front of her.
"{Are all these events caused by these...beings from the nexus?}"
"{Some are natural, but...the more dramatic ones *are* nexus-related.}"
"{They're increasing their attacks, aren't they?}"
"{It is spreading, yes.}" She put down the paper when a thought occurred to
her.
"{Tori, I have to know and I don't care what laws you have to break
to answer it. Did these...beings cause the air disaster in Kyoto that took...}"
"{Took your father?}" finished Tori.
"{Yes, did they kill my father?}" Ukyou asked quickly, closing her eyes.
There was a dramatic pause and then, "{Yes. Yes they did, Ukyou. And...and
no laws were broken in telling you that.}"
Ukyou slammed a fist onto the table; lucky enough, she didn't employ her ki
field. She did, however, capture the attention of the entire restaurant, that
grew quiet. She forced a smile and radiated calm. Slowly, all present returned
to their meals and their conversations.
Under her forced smile, she was smoldering. "{If I get my hands on these,
these *creatures*, I'm going to rip them apart.}"
"{Of that, I have no doubt,}" responded Tori.
"{Tori?}" It was Ranma. He was taking a pop-quiz when he overheard the
entire conversation and looked up suddenly. "{Who are these creatures from the
nexus?}"
"{They are Pu-Optuah from my universe. Their sole purpose is the destruction
of the nexus.}"
"{Why?}" asked Ukyou recovering, "{Why destroy the Earth in order to destroy
the nexus?}"
"{The nexus is a conduit between the two universes, yours and mine, and acts
as a safety valve to prevent the two from mixing. Should they touch, the two
would combine and form a new universe, leaving the old ones destroyed. It is
kinda like blowing up one balloon inside another, as the new balloon expands,
it displaces the old, leaving destruction in its wake.}"
"{But why the Earth?}" Ukyou asked again.
"{These beings need energy. There is a central theme to both universes, that
matter and energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can, however, be borrowed
and exchanged. By *stealing* this energy the Pu-Optuah hope to destroy the
nexus, and then form a new universe of their own design. And...it is not just
confined to the Earth.}" Ukyou and Ranma both went big-eyed at the
implication.
Tori continued, "{These beings also need a different form of energy, *ki*
energy. That is the reason so many lives are being lost, the Pu-Optuah are
sucking their ki. Though they can do it directly, it's much easier to take it
at the moment of death. Besides feeding off of it, they claim they need this
form of energy to help them survive the initial destruction of the old
universes, and to help mold and shape the new universe they'd create, and form
its laws.}"
"{They sound like demons to me,}" said Ranma.
"{Ha! If only you could be so lucky,}" deadpanned Tori. Jaws dropped.
*****
Tori spoke happily, "{Congratulations. I can now report that all necessary
events are now in their proper sequence. We may begin our journey. The first
stop for you after school, Ranma, is a little talk with Cologne.}"
Cologne was in her room at the Nekohanten packing.
"Cologne, I need your help," said Ranma in the doorway.
Cologne looked up from her things and said, "You shouldn't need my help, you
have the power of two amulets behind you. I saw that last night. Nothing
should be a problem for you."
"I need to retrieve the other two amulets." Ranma said folding his arms.
Cologne stopped and regarded Ranma. "Now you do have a problem. I know the
two matriarches that have the remaining amulets and I assure you, they are not
going to just simply give them to you, especially to an outsider."
"Will you let me try?"
"Let you try? Why should I help you?"
"I want to lead a team of martial artists to help battle the beings that are
responsible for all the disasters that have been occurring. The two remaining
amulets are the key to battling these beings."
Cologne continued her packing. "You shouldn't need the amulets magic to
scare off a few demons. You've done quite well on that score before without
resorting to any of their magic."
"These aren't demons, Old Ghoul, these are enemies from the *nexus*!" Ranma
shouted. Cologne was about to grab her staff to hit Ranma at the reference to
'Old Ghoul`, but the word 'nexus` froze her in place.
"N-nexus?" Cologne asked wide-eyed. Ranma was baffled at finally seeing
something akin to fear on Cologne's face, it was an unforgettable expression
across her ancient countenance. "These 'beings` are from the *nexus*?" Ranma
nodded. "Then our destruction is near, isn't it?" Cologne sat down and seemed
distant.
"Not if we get to the amulets in time. Like I said, I want to assemble a
team to cross into the nexus with me and battle these beings right where
they live. The added incentive is that I can remove the Jusenkyou curses
once we cross into the nexus."
"Shampoo go." Shampoo said, suddenly appearing from behind Ranma. Ranma
turned and Shampoo looked him in the eyes. "Shampoo life mean nothing now.
Shampoo die at side of Ranma."
"No one will die, not if I can help it," reassured Ranma. "Besides, I've got
allies in the nexus." Cologne's eyebrows went up at that.
*****
Ranma and Cologne assembled a team of cursed martial artists together in the
Tendou Dojo: Mousse, Shampoo, Ryouga (when he found him) and Genma (happy for
any reason to get away from Nodoka). He repeated the plan he had spoken to
Cologne and added a few words relayed to him by Tori. He proved to all that he
was no longer cursed by pouring ice cold water on himself. All agreed to join
with the hope of removing their curses and ridding mankind of these 'fiends`.
The added benefit was that Cologne now had a crew to help her move back to
China.
Akane hung around outside the dojo and listened in to the minutes of the
meeting. Ryouga saw her in the doorway. When the meeting was over, Akane left
suddenly. Ryouga saw something in her eyes, and he guessed what it was.
*****
"NO! Absolutely not! And that's final!" said Ranma with his arms crossed.
"But I'm a trained martial artist like Ukyou or Shampoo or..." explained
Akane.
Ranma shook his head insistently. "NO! You do not have a tenth of the skill
of Ukyou or Shampoo. Besides you have no reason to go, you're not cursed."
"Yeah, but there are lives in danger. As a martial artist, I have to do what
I can to protect lives."
"I'll look after her," interjected Ryouga. Ranma turned around to see
Ryouga.
"I don't need your protection, Ryouga. I can look after myself."
Ranma looked up. "{Hey Tori!}"
"{Ranma?}" it was Tori.
"{I need some help here. I need some way to convince this girl to stay
out.}"
"{Ranma, let her go.}"
"{WHAT?!}" asked Ranma incredulously. He unfolded his arms.
"{I said, 'Let her go`. She'll be going with Ryouga looking after
her. He'll protect her and see that no harm comes to her.}"
"{Are you sure about this? She is not as skilled as the others.}"
"{I think you'll find that she'll surprise you with just what she can do.}"
Akane was about to stick a finger in Ranma's face and make another point when
Ranma suddenly turned around and said, "Okay, your going," then walked out of
the room. Akane just stood there stunned with her finger extended and her mouth
open. Ryouga who stood off to the side with his arms crossed, just tilted his
head.
*****
"Ranma, I hope you are not going on a fool's errand. I just got you back
from Genma a couple of months ago... and now you are leaving me again?" said
Nodoka with a pleading look.
"Mother, I've been on quests like this before and have come back every time."
"I just hope your over-confidence won't be your undoing. What about Ukyou?
I thought you cared for her. What does she think of you taking off like this?
Are you going to leave her mourning over a dead fiancee?"
"Mother,...Ukyou is going, too. And so is Genma." Nodoka looked at Ranma
stunned.
*****
Genma held up a hand to his mouth and whispered. "This way I can get away
from Nodoka, if you know what I mean." Genma made a show of swallowing and
holding his neck.
"I wish I were going with you, old friend. I miss those days of high
adventure we used to have." said Souun wistfully.
"We did tear up the roads, didn't we, Tendou." laughed Genma giving Souun a
nudge in the ribs.
"We sure did." Souun was reminiscing, and then he came back down to Earth.
"You come back now. I still need a Shogi partner...though I'll miss sitting
across from a panda."
"When I'm cured, I'll be back." Genma picked up his pack and shook hands
with his friend, giving him a final hug.
"Look after that little girl of mine," Souun said as he started
bawling watching Genma leave.
*****
Sergei Topolev was drunk. He had just spent his last ruble on a bottle of
vodka, trying to wash away his sorrows at the loss of his wife, Tasha, and his
11-year old daughter, Anna, by the liter. His wife had just left him after a
seemingly perfect 13-year marriage for a steel worker. He couldn't understand
what happened, but thought suspiciously that it had something to do with
a year of an increased workload at the Poliarsk Nuclear Facility. The
government kept promising reforms, but still he had not been paid in weeks and
his savings was rapidly diminishing. He had heard that his wife may have left
because this steel worker had...western connections.
I'll show her,he thought, then he swore. He had made his own arrangements
to *score it big*. In the bathroom was a little cylinder. His job consisted of
the removal and disposal of the active warheads that were attached to the SS-
18's and SS-20's, the nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles that the
former Soviet Union had in it arsenal, in compliance with the START II Treaty.
The Russian security apparatus was not like it once was under the KGB. Though
difficult, it was possible to removed *highly-questionable material* from the
facility. He had removed it in a lead-lined thermos.
Feeling a wave of nausea, Sergei staggered into the bathroom and poured out
his guts into the toilet. The strain brought more tears to his eyes. When he
released the last of his dinner, he looked up at himself in the mirror.
God, I look terrible, he thought, as blood-shot eyes stared back at him. He
looked over at the reflection of his thermos in the mirror. It was sitting
up on the tub. He turned and slowly opened the thermos and admired the warm
glow that was pouring out it. This could make me rich, he laughed to himself.
A flash stopped him cold.
*****
The security guard was reading the newspaper. A man came up slowly and
flashed his I.D. card. It seemed routine, after all people came through the
facility all the time and at all hours. The guard waved the man on his way and
returned to his newspaper. He suddenly detected the smell of alcohol in the
air, but thought nothing of it. He had been told that a party had been given in
honor of the director's daughter, at her winning of a bronze medal in the
Olympics. He turned the page of his newspaper. That was the last act of his
life as he was thoroughly wiped off the face of the Earth.
*****
In the U.S., NORAD went under full alert. Satellite tracking had detected an
*anomaly* in southern Russia. Whatever it was, was pretty huge. To the relief
of many, radar and satellite surveillance detected no incoming missiles, but it
was obvious that a new crater had been formed in the former U.S.S.R. and whole
sections of the Earth's atmosphere had been ripped away. The number of
casualties were staggering. The U.S. president called and offered his deepest
sympathies and any humanitarian assistance possible.
*****
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End chapter 4.