BITTER END - PART THREE

##  ***  ##

Nabiki found Kasumi in the kitchen, cleaning up after dinner.  Akane 
was in the dojo, Soun and Genma were playing shogi on the veranda, 
and Nodoka had gone after Ranma, so the two of them were alone.

"Kasumi - you got a minute?"

"Of course, Nabiki... what can I do for you?"

"It's about Akane and Ranma..."

Kasumi looked sad.  "Yes, I thought that it might be..."

"I'm... worried about Ranma.  Did you see the way he was eating 
tonight?"

"I didn't see anything wrong with the way he was eating."

"That's just it!  He was eating properly - his manners were perfect!"

Kasumi blinked.  "And this is a *bad* thing?"

"No, it's just not the Ranma that I know!  It didn't really hit me til I 
saw Uncle Genma again, but Ranma hasn't been eating all that much 
lately, either.  He used to inhale his food as fast as you could put it in 
front of him, but now..."  Nabiki shook her head.  "I can't even 
remember the last time I saw him finish the first portion that you 
served him."

Kasumi smiled.  "Really, Nabiki, he's just maturing.  Acting more like 
a responsible adult."

"Kasumi, he's losing weight, and he looks like hell.  Akane... she just 
won't let up on him, and he won't fight her.  She's hitting him harder 
and harder, getting angrier and angrier with him, and it's starting to 
really scare me."

"Akane will calm down - eventually.  She's a good girl, and she loves 
him.  She would never hurt him deliberately."

"'Deliberately' is not the issue!  She drowned him once already - was 
that deliberate?  Ranma would have been just as dead."

Kasumi frowned.  "That was an unfortunate incident, but I talked to 
her afterwards... she was genuinely sorry that she had hurt him."

"'Sorry' isn't the point either.  The point is that she *did* hurt him - 
and badly.  The point is that she is *still* hurting him - just as badly.  
She's out of control, Kasumi.  Something has to be done."

"I think that maybe you are overreacting a bit, ne?  Akane listens to 
me. if I ask her not to fight with him, she will not."

"But for how long?  You've asked her that before.  Even you can't 
keep watch over her all the time.  Don't kid yourself, there's going to 
be trouble if something doesn't change soon."

For a time the silence was broken only by the gentle sounds of water 
running over recently washed dishes, and the occasional squeak of a 
towel on porcelain as Nabiki dried them and handed them to her 
sister to put away.  Finally, Kasumi asked, "So you think it is time to 
interfere?  What is it that you would have me do?"

Nabiki sighed.  "Honestly?  I have no idea.  But it's just not going to 
get any better on its own."

Kasumi paused, and turned to face her younger sister.  "All right.  I'll 
take care of it, Nabiki."

"Thanks, sis.  I'd hoped that you might."

Kasumi watched her sister leave, and shook her head sadly.  "I just 
wish that I knew what to do," she said to herself.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

"I have a question for you, Ranma."  Keiko sat down as the group was 
coming to order.  "Just why is it that Akane can hit you?  I mean, it's 
obvious that you have no trouble evading her attacks when you're 
sparring - why is it so different when you're not?"

"I guess the main difference is in her anger.  When she's practicing in 
the dojo, she can usually keep her temper under better control.  It's 
outside of the discipline of the Art that she loses her temper and 
something or someone gets hammered.  Usually, it's me."

"Can't you just avoid her attacks, like you've been teaching us?"

"It's not quite that simple, Natsumi.  Akane is also a trained martial 
artist.  A good one.  When I *do* come up with an evasion, it doesn't 
take her long to develop a counter for it."

"I'd have thought that it'd be easier to evade her if she were so 
angry that she lost control." said Makoto.

"Up to a point you'd be right.  When she's that mad her technique 
goes straight to hell.  On the other hand, her attacks get faster, 
stronger and harder to predict.  To make it worse, the longer I hold 
her off, the angrier she gets, and the more vicious her attacks 
become."

"And you can't just stop her?"

"When she's in the middle of one of her rages, she *won't* stop.  Not 
until *she's* ready.  Physically, I could restrain her, but I'd have to 
hurt her to do it.  Like I said, I can't do that."

"Okay.  How about another approach.  Just *why* is she so angry?  
You wouldn't think that someone could stay mad all the time without 
a good reason."

"I really don't know," Ranma said.  "But Akane's been angry as long 
as I've known her.  The first day I met her, she flattened me with 
the dining room table."

"In God's name, why?" gasped Hikaru.

Ranma looked sheepish.  "That one was definitely my fault.  Akane 
was the first to discover that I was a boy - she did so by walking in 
on me in the bath.  She'd been expecting to share the bath with 
another girl, so you can imagine her surprise.  She ran off screaming."

Several of the gathered women snickered.

"Yes.  Well.  Once I got out of the bath and back into the living room, 
it was to find Akane raving about the pervert in the tub.  She was 
*not* happy.  It was also the first time that any of the others had 
seen me as a male."

"That must have raised an eyebrow or two," agreed Ryouko.

"Oh, it did.  Pop explained the curse to the Tendous, and Akane, who 
hated boys anyway, was the one they chose to be my fiancee.  She 
liked that even less."

"And so she hit you with the table?"

"Ahh... no.  She stormed on about not wanting to marry a pervert.  It 
really was more than I could stand, at the time.  It had been one of 
the worst days of my life already, and to have her blaming me for 
her own mistake of walking in on me in the bath was more than I 
could take.  I said something stupid, and *then* she hit me with the 
table."

"What on earth did you say?"

Ranma mumbled something, just barely loud enough for the others to 
hear, but not loud enough for them to understand.

"I'm sorry... I didn't quite get that." said Natsumi.

"I said," Ranma took a deep breath, "That Iwouldn'thavebeenspying 
onher'causeIwasalreadyabetterlookinggirl..."

There was a moment of silence.  "You're right," said Keiko at last.  
"That one *was* your fault."

"You said that Akane hated boys?"  Kyoko looked puzzled.  "Does she 
like women instead then?"

Ranma coloured.  "No, not in the way that I think you mean.  Akane 
had a person that she was interested in - an older man that she felt 
was more mature than the guys her own age."

"I can believe that," said Ryouko.  "But I don't see where that would 
explain or even justify the level of violence that she's demonstrated."

"Akane was violent towards boys before I met her.  Used to be that 
you could just say the *word* 'boy' and it would set her off.  She'd 
been pounding the stuffing out of them since long before I got to 
Nerima.  She used to have to beat up thirty or forty of them every 
morning, just to get to school."

"You *are* kidding, right?"

"Nope."

"Exaggerating, just a little?"

"Nope.  Furinkan had more than its fair share of martial artists.  The 
leader of the crew was a pompous blowhard by the name of Kunou 
Tatewaki.  He wasn't a bad kendoist, he was just a little peculiar.  It 
seems to run in the family."

"Gallop, you mean," muttered Ukyou.

"Yah.  Well, Kunou had it bad for Akane, and so he told all the *other* 
nuts in the school that if they wanted a date with her, they'd have to 
beat her up first.  So, every morning, they'd try.  She'd get mad, and 
there would be bodies everywhere."

"I take it then, that no one ever managed to beat her."

"Of those clods?"  Ranma snorted.  "Not likely.  You'd think that they 
would have learned after the first two or three tries, but no.  It was a 
regular morning ritual."

"Well, I can certainly understand why that might make her angry.  
It'd make *me* angry.  But what did that have to do with you?  Did 
you ever defeat her?"

"Define 'defeat'," said Ranma.  "I never really fought her.  We sparred 
a bit in the dojo on the day we met, but all I did was dodge.  At the 
time, of course, it was before I knew anything about Kunou and his 
idiot decrees.  I'd just met Akane and she didn't know that I was a 
boy.  As I've said, I don't fight girls.  Still, Akane considered it 
enough of a 'defeat' to tell me that she was glad that I was a girl.  
*That* hurt, I can tell you.  I think that was what made her the 
angriest when she found out that I *was* a boy."

"Just when I think that I've heard it all, when things just can't get 
any weirder..."

"That was just the beginning.  It took Akane a long time to forgive 
me for not being a girl.  Sometimes I don't think that she really has."

Yuriko's tone was thoughtful.  "You know... it sounds to me like your 
wife has a real problem with anger.  Controlling it, I mean."

Ranma nodded.  "She still spends an awful lot of the time angry.  I 
just wish I knew why.  If I could figure out what it was that I was 
doing to make her so mad, then I might be able to do something 
about it."

"Maybe it's not you."

"It has to be me.  I'm the only one that she ever really gets mad at 
anymore.  I'm *certainly* the only one that she still pounds on."

"That just means that you're the focus for her anger - it might not 
mean that you are the *cause* of it."

Ranma looked confused.  "I'm not sure that I understand the 
difference, Yuriko."

Yuriko took a deep breath.  "Well, I'm just guessing here - I'm not a 
professional, but I think that your wife might be suffering from what 
is called a 'rage disorder'.  What you've been describing certainly fits 
the patterns."

"A 'rage disorder'?  What's that?"

"Well, basically, a rage disorder is a bio-chemical imbalance that can 
cause a person to fly into extreme fits of anger over the least little 
provocation.  Sufferers literally can not control their tempers, and 
the level of anger that they exhibit is all out of proportion to the 
things that set it off."

Ranma's expression grew thoughtful.  "Interesting.  It sounds like 
Akane, but I have to admit, I really don't see how that would make 
things any better.  It seems to me like it'd actually make things 
worse."

"One word, Ranma." said Yuriko.  "Treatable.  Rage disorders are 
treatable.  There are a number of names for them, and a number of 
causes.  I can bring more detailed information to the next meeting, if 
you'd like."

Ranma's eyes went wide.  "Please... I'd be very interested to see 
that."

Yuriko smiled.  "What is it you say?  No worries."

##  ***  ##

The walk back to the Ucchan after the meeting and class was 
unusually silent.  Finally, Ukyou spoke.  "A yen for your thoughts."

"Hmm?  Oh, I'm sorry, Ucchan.  I was just thinking."

"About what Yuriko was talking about?  About that 'rage disorder' 
thing?"

"Yeah.  Do you believe any of that?"

Ukyou considered for a moment.  "I don't know, Ran-chan - I'm no 
expert either.  But Yuriko is right about one thing - Akane *does* fit 
the profile she was describing."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking too."

"You sound pretty happy about it."

Ranma's tone was upbeat.  "Yeah, I guess I do."

That caught Ukyou by surprise.  "Ran-chan!  Why?!"

"Eh?  Think about it, Ucchan.  If what Yuriko said was true - if Akane 
really does have this rage thingie, then there's a *reason* that she's 
been this way - and it's *not* my fault!  Even better, she said this 
thing was *treatable* - that there was a cure!"  Ukyou could almost 
hear the relief in Ranma's voice.

Ukyou had to smile.  This was more like the Ranma that she had 
known in the past - optimistic, confident, on top of the world.  Ranma 
had hope again, and Ukyou was hopeful that even more major break-
throughs could not be far behind.

There was a laugh in her voice as the approached the Ucchan.  "C'mon 
in, Ran-chan.  I'll fix us both a treat."

Ranma grinned.  "Thanks.  I'd like that a lot!"

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

"Ranma, I have a question for you."

Ranma stiffened, forced a smile, and turned to face his wife.  "Sure, 
Akane?  What is it?"

"I want to know just what it is that you've been doing every other 
Monday night.  You're gone for hours."

Ranma had been dreading this question, but he had a well rehearsed 
reply ready.  "I've been asked to teach a basic self-defence course at 
the Civic Centre.  It meets every other Monday."

There was nothing in his statement that was untrue, but there was a 
lot that he didn't mention.  As long as she asked the right questions, 
or didn't ask the wrong ones, Ranma was safe.

"Ah!" said Akane, apparently pleased.  "What are they paying you?"

Right question?  Or wrong question?  Borderline, thought Ranma.  "I, 
umm, sorta agreed to teach it for free."

"Free?" asked Akane archly.  "What possessed you to do that?"

"Well, I *had* to.  They needed it - it's a matter of duty."

"But what about your duty to your family?  As a martial arts sensei 
your time is valuable too!"

"But Akane!  They *need* the help!"  Ranma thought desperately.  
"Think of it as a community relations project.  Besides, some of the 
people from this class might come to the dojo for more advanced 
training later!"

Akane softened, but was not convinced.  She took a step toward her 
husband.  "And just who needs this 'help' so desperately, eh?"

Ranma started to sweat.  This was it.  He could not lie.  "Well, umm, 
y'see, there's this group that meets at the Civic Centre... It's kind of a 
support group for battered spouses... and... well..."

Akane's eyes widened.  "You're teaching a self-defence class to abuse 
victims?"  Ranma nodded.  "That's wonderful!  I'm so glad that you're 
helping all those poor women!  I'm proud of you, Ranma."

Ranma blinked as Akane gave him a quick hug, and turned back 
toward the house.  Well, he thought.  That went better than I would 
have expected.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

The next Monday night at group, Ranma had just settled into his 
chair with a cup of tea and some cookies when Yuriko spoke up.  She 
had a number of papers in her lap, and was sorting through them as 
she was talking.

"Ranma, I've been doing a little more digging since last meeting.  I 
think I've found some things that might help you with Akane."

Ranma almost dropped his tea.  "Really?" he asked.  "Yuriko!  That's 
great!  Thank you!"

Yuriko smiled a bit at Ranma's enthusiasm.  "Don't get too worked up 
yet, Ranma.  Remember, this is only a guess on my part, and I'm NOT 
a pro.  And even if I *am* right, it does not mean that this will be 
easy."

Ranma nodded soberly.  That was good advice.  With an effort, he 
calmed himself and gave Yuriko his full attention.

Yuriko spent a few moments more shuffling through her stack of 
papers before finding the one that she wanted.  "Ahh, here it is...  
Intermittent Explosive Disorder, (IEP) is often indicated by several 
discrete episodes of failure to resist aggressive impulses that result 
in serious assaultive acts or destruction of property.  The degree of 
aggressiveness expressed during the episodes is grossly out of 
proportion to any of the precipitating psycho-social stressors."

Ranma's eyes were glazing over.  "Huh?" he managed intelligently.

Yuriko grinned.  "It took me a while to sort through all of that too.  
Basically, a person who suffers from IED or Rage Disorder becomes 
short-tempered and touchy about some subjects.  He will most likely 
be angry much of the time.  This is usually generalised anger.  Rage 
attacks can be triggered by any number of sources, which vary from 
person to person.  The person may also have nightmares."

"Oh," said Ranma.  "That makes more sense.  But... you said that it 
was a 'generalised' anger?  Akane is usually only mad at *me*."

"The key word is 'usually'... Rage disorder displays both general and 
directed anger.  Rage attacks are almost *always* directed, and can 
sometimes even be directed at the patient himself."

"And a 'rage attack' is...?"

"Is just what it sounds like.  A rage attack is similar to a berzerker 
rage, but is not consciously initiated by the person.  During a rage 
attack, the person has adrenaline-enhanced strength, speed and 
stamina and will either not feel pain or will not be bothered by it.  
This makes the person almost unstoppable - until he runs out of 
steam, at which point he'll feel as though he just ran a triathlon."

Ranma looked thoughtful. "You know... that might just explain 
something that's been puzzling me."

"What's that?"

"Well, when Akane and I are sparring in the dojo, she can't touch me.  
She's never been able to come close.  But outside of the discipline of 
the Art - at those times when she loses that control, she's nailed me 
every time.  Mom always said that it was because deep down, I knew 
that I deserved it - but now I'm not so sure."

"Yes, that fits." nodded Yuriko.

"So what causes this?" Ranma asked.

"Oh, anything can set them off," said Yuriko.  "Usually, the trigger is 
associative, rather than literal - though specific words or actions can 
certainly also be triggers."

"No, that's not what I meant," said Ranma.  "What I wanted to know 
was, do they know what causes the condition?  What can they do 
about it?"

"Ahh.  Well, the short answer is 'no' - they don't really know what 
the causes are."  Noting Ranma's crestfallen expression, Yuriko added 
quickly, "They know of several potential causes, and all will respond 
to various forms of treatment."

Ranma looked up again, hope in his eyes.

"There were two causes listed in the references that I found - One is 
genetic - it is incurable, but it IS treatable.  Usually, it accompanies 
some other affective disorder - like manic depression, panic disorder 
or something like that.  It is also the rarer form by far."

"Ahhh."

"The other is psychological.  Most often, it occurs when a traumatic 
event in the past has been suppressed.  The memory is beginning to 
resurface, but the subconscious still wants to repress it.  The inner 
battle 'spills over' into conscious activity in the form of violent rages 
that occur whenever something gets too close to that memory."

"So, what you're saying is that when something starts to remind 
them of this 'event', they blow a gasket?"  Ranma considered that.  
"But what would it be?  Akane gets mad at me for LOTS of things."

"It doesn't have to be a specific action - it can be a thing, or a person, 
or just something about a person.  The triggers are associative."

"Associative?"

"Yes - a sound - a color - an odor; anything that the subconscious 
associates with whatever the person is trying to forget.  It can be an 
indirect association, too.  Say that event 'A' is the trigger.  Event 'B' 
reminds the person of event 'A', so event 'B' becomes an indirect 
trigger.  Person 'C' is associated with event 'B', so there is yet another 
indirect trigger.  Depending on how deeply nested the events are, it 
can be difficult to determine what the root causes really are."

Nodding thoughtfully, Ranma asked, "So how can they treat it, if it's 
so hard to find the causes?"

"Well, the genetic varieties are treated with medications.  Usually, a 
combination of anti-rage and anti-anxiety drugs will be prescribed.  
Other therapy forms, like talk therapy, aren't really very effective, 
but can help that patient deal with the effects that their illness has 
on others."

"What about the other?"

"They'll most often start with medication to calm the patient down 
enough for other methods to take effect.  But the drugs are strictly 
short term.  They begin a program of intense psychotherapy to get at 
the roots of the problem, and wean the patient off the medications as 
that therapy progresses.  Once 'event one' is uncovered, and the 
person can resolve the issue, a permanent cure is not uncommon."

Ranma's eyes widened.  "Really?  You mean... that Akane...  Akane 
could be happy again?"

"If she *does* have a rage disorder, then yes.  The chances are good."

"But how can I tell?  How do I find out?"

Yuriko looked sympathetic.  "That will be the hard part.  You are 
going to have to get professional help.  An experienced counselor 
should be able to tell if it is a possibility, but you will have to get her 
there."

"Counseling again.  It always comes back to that, doesn't it?"

Yuriko's tone was apologetic.  "Counseling is critical to the diagnostic 
process, yes."

"It's not so bad, Ranma," said Kimiko.  "What you're doing now is a 
form of counseling.  There's no shame in going to an expert when you 
need help.  The hardest part is the admission that you *do* need the 
help."

"Ahh," Ranma said, "So if I can get Akane to agree to go... if this *is* 
the problem, then there is a treatment, right?  There's hope?"

Yuriko nodded.  "It won't be easy, but yes.  There is hope."  She 
passed an envelope to Ranma.  "Here are copies of the articles that I 
have on the subject.  Maybe they'll help you."

Ranma took the envelope and smiled at the dark-haired girl.  "Thank 
you, Yuriko.  I don't know how yet, but somehow, I'll find a way."

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

Ranma poked his head into the dojo to find Akane sitting against the 
wall, resting after her workout.  He studied her carefully for a few 
minutes, but could tell little.  At least she wasn't obviously in a bad 
mood.  Taking a deep breath, Ranma walked into the training hall.

"Akane?  Have you got a minute?"

Akane looked up at him, her expression unreadable.  "I suppose so.  
Was there something that you needed?"

"Yah," said Ranma as he sat down across from her.  "I seem to have a 
bit of a problem, and frankly, I need help."

Akane appeared to find that amusing.  "You?  You have a problem?  
What sort of problem do *you* have?  Apart from that little matter 
involving water, that is."

"This one is a little more serious than that."

"Oh, really.  Do go on."

"Ahh.  Well.  You see, I can't seem to avoid making my wife angry...  I 
don't know what it is that I'm doing to provoke her so, but whatever 
it is, I'd really like to fix it."

"So," Akane's eyes narrowed.  "You're saying that *I'm* your 
'problem'?"

"No!  That's not it at all!  I want you to be happy.  I want to see you 
smile more." Ranma's tone grew wistful.  "You're so pretty when you 
smile.  I miss that.  I figured that if I could stop making you so mad 
at me, I might get to see it more often."

Akane glared at her husband.  "Really, Ranma, that's not so hard.  If 
you don't want to make me mad, all you have to do is stop doing 
stupid things."

"Well, you see, that *is* the problem," said Ranma.  "I don't know just 
what it is that I do that's so stupid.  I've tried everything that I can 
think of, and honestly, I'm out of ideas.  You won't tell me anything 
specific, so what am I supposed to do?"

"It sounds like you're trying to make this my fault somehow..."

"No!  That's not what I'm saying!.  I want... Akane... I want to go for 
help."

"Go for help?"

"To a counselor.  Will you come with me?"

"A counselor..." Akane stared at her husband for a long time.  "And 
just what good do you expect that to do?"

"I had kind of hoped that someone who was really neutral might be 
able to help us find out why you keep getting so angry with me.  I 
just can't fix it if I don't know what I'm doing wrong.  And no one 
will give me an answer that makes any sense.  I don't know what 
else to do!"

"What's happened to you, Ranma?" Akane's voice dripped contempt.  
"You used to be a fighter!"

"That's not fair, Akane.  I'll fight the devil himself, but I won't fight 
girls, and I sure as hell won't fight my wife!"

"What's the matter?  You think girls are inferior or something?"

"No!  I never said that!  It just isn't right!  Guys shouldn't beat up on 
girls!"

"So you DO think that women are inferior!"

"Why do you keep putting words in my mouth?!  Look... all I want is 
for us to be happy together!  Is that so terrible?  Can't you see that?"

Akane got to her feet and headed for the door.  She paused on the 
threshold, and turned back to face her husband.  "All I see is that one 
of the strongest fighters that I've ever known is turning to jelly right 
in front of me."

Ranma watched her go and sighed.  Yuriko had been right.  This was 
not going to be easy.

##  ***  ##

When Akane came in to go to bed that night, she found Ranma 
already asleep.  Ranma was in girl form, curled up tightly, not quite 
in a foetal position, but close.  It was as if she were huddled against 
the cold, despite the heat of the room.  Every so often, a tremor 
would shake her, or a flash of pain would cross her face as she slept.

Looking down at the sleeping girl Akane shook her head.  Ranma had 
been sleeping as a girl more and more often lately.  Akane wasn't 
sure why, and it bothered her.  She could not remember the last time 
that the two of them had cuddled up together as husband and wife.

There was a gap growing between them - a chasm that was getting 
more impossible to cross with every passing day.  The worst part of 
it was that she had no idea what was causing it.  There was just a 
distance between them now.  Perhaps Ranma just no longer found 
her attractive.  He didn't hold her like he once did, and the fire that 
had burned in his eyes when he looked at her was slowly going out.  
And now... now he would not even sleep with her in his natural form.

Akane looked at the chain around the redhead's neck.  She could just 
see the glint of the gold band that was Ranma's wedding ring nestled 
between the sleeping girl's breasts.  She'd worn that chain ever since 
that morning in the ryoukan - when she'd discovered that a ring 
sized for her male side was too big for her female body's finger.

Akane wondered if now she just wore it out of habit.  She looked 
down at her own ring - the trophy that she had won, a little over 
three quarters of a year before.  Was it really hers after all?  Or had 
she been fooling herself?  Akane wasn't sure.  And she wasn't sure 
that she really wanted to know.

Curling into a ball of her own, Akane cried herself to sleep.

****  ####  ****

"Akane, do you enjoy being angry all the time?"  Ranma was trying 
his best to keep his voice neutral.  He had known this wasn't going to 
be easy, but he was starting to get frazzled.

"Eh?  What kind of stupid question is that?"

"Is it that stupid a question?  You've been so angry so much lately 
that I'm not sure what else to believe anymore."

"Yes, it's a stupid question!  Of course I don't like being angry!  Who 
would?"

"Then will you *please* help me to stop doing whatever I'm doing 
that upsets you so much?"

"Just what is it you want, Ranma?"

"What do I want?" Ranma asked bitterly.  "I want you back!  I want 
the Akane that I married, the one who would occasionally smile at 
me.  I want the kind and compassionate girl who likes holding hands, 
ice cream, romantic movies and walks in the park.  That's what I 
want!"

Akane stared at her husband in shock.  "Ranma!  What has gotten 
into you?  I haven't changed!  I've just been busy!  I've been going to 
school, remember?"

"Yes, I know that, but you *have* changed, Akane."

"No, I haven't!  I'm still the same person that I always was."

"Really?  When was the last time we took a walk together?  When 
was the last time we went out for dinner, or even just a movie?  I 
know you've been busy, but we used to be able to find the time.  
And then you get so angry..."

"I get angry," Akane snarled, "because you keep doing things, and 
saying things that *make* me angry."

"It's not the same!  You're starting to scare me, Akane.  Even *you* 
didn't get *this* mad all the time!"

"And just what the hell is *that* supposed to mean?"

"It means that I want us to go and get help!  It means that I want us 
to see someone that can help us do something about this.  Someone 
that can tell us why you are so mad at me all the time!"

"Are you on about that again?  How is it *my* fault?"  Akane grabbed 
Ranma by his collar and shook him.

Ranma threw up his arms defensively.  "That's just my point!  It's 
*not* your fault.  But we can't go on like this!  I can't..."

Ranma never got a chance to finish his protest as Akane started her 
attack.  The last thing that he heard as the cool, sweet darkness of 
unconsciousness claimed him was Akane growling, "If it's *not* my 
fault then it *must* be *yours*..."

****  ####  ****

Over the next couple of days, Akane started to wonder.  There was 
something fishy about Ranma's recent behaviour.  She couldn't help 
feeling that it had something to do with the martial arts class that he 
was teaching at the Civic Centre.  It must be a damned intensive 
class, she thought to herself.  He was gone for *hours* on those 
nights.  

And now there was all this talk about counselors and anger, and how 
much she had changed.  Just where had all that come from?

Something didn't add up.  And just how had Ranma gotten involved 
with a group for battered spouses anyway?  This was more going on 
than met the eye.  She decided she needed to so some investigating.

Akane placed a call to the Civic Centre.  When the girl answered the 
phone, Akane tried her very best to sound scared and upset.

"Nerima Civic Centre - to whom may I direct your call?"

"Umm, Hi.  My friend told me that there was a group for battered 
wives that met down there... could you give me a little more 
information?"

"Sure!  We have a very good group for battered spouses.  They meet 
on the second and the fourth Mondays of each month, at six in the 
evening."

"I thought that it was a martial arts class..."

"Oh, *that* starts at eight!  Runs 'til ten.  One of the group members is 
the teacher, and he's very good."

"Excuse me... but did you say 'he'?  And that he was a member of the 
group?"

"That's right.  To the best of my knowledge, he's the first man that's 
ever joined the group, but he's well liked."

"I see.  Doesn't it see odd that a martial arts instructor could be a 
battered spouse?"

A laugh.  "You'd think so, wouldn't you?  But, no, I believe it.  He's a 
heck of a good fighter, but I don't think that I've ever met a gentler 
individual."

"He sounds great."

"He is.  Look, if you want more information, I can give you a phone 
number for the group moderator."

"Yes, please."

"Okay.  you ready?  Her name is Takahashi Kimiko..."

Akane pretended to write the name and the number down, thanked 
the girl and hung up.  So.  Ranma was a *member* of the group.  Why 
would Ranma have joined... and then those pleas to go and see a 
counselor...  Akane's eyes snapped wide.  Ranma... Ranma thought of 
himself as a battered spouse?!?  Inconceivable!  Akane could feel her 
blood beginning to boil.  Worse, Ranma had been telling some crowd 
of strangers that she had been abusing him?  And still worse, they 
had apparently believed it!

Ranma would never have done that on his own.  He'd never have 
been willing to admit that kind of weakness.  Someone had talked 
him into it.  There was only one person on the planet who Ranma 
talked to that much.  Only one person on the planet that Ranma 
considered to be a friend above all others.  Only one person on the 
planet who was too stubborn to see that all the trouble was Ranma's 
fault.  Kuonji Ukyou.  Damn her, but she was *still* after her 
husband!

Akane had just worked her way up to 'seething' when her husband 
got home.  Ranma walked into the living room in girl form, and 
plopped down in front of the television.  She reached for the remote, 
but Akane got it first.

"Hey!  I was gonna watch that."

"Later.  I think that we ought to talk a bit first."

"Okay.  What is it you want to talk about?"  Ranma sounded hopeful.

"I notice that you're a girl at present."

Ranma blinked.  "Yah, it's raining.  So what?"

"You've been spending an awful lot of time as a girl lately."

Ranma shrugged.  "It's the rainy season.  Not much I can do about 
that."

"Are you starting to think of yourself as a girl, then?"

"No.  No, I'm not."  Ranma scratched her head, puzzled.  "What are 
you on about, anyway?  Is there something bothering you?"

"Of course not!  What would be bothering me?  Why should it upset 
me that my *husband* - the great Saotome Ranma - master of the 
Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu - thinks that he's a battered spouse?"

Ranma paled.

"Why in the *hell*," yelled Akane, punctuating the word with a 
backhanded slap, "would you think that would bother me?"

"oboy" said Ranma in a small voice.

"You must think I'm formidable indeed, to go running off to a group 
of women for help!"

Ranma scuttled behind the table.  "Now Akane, calm down... please, 
let's talk about this..."

"I AM CALM!" Akane shouted as she batted the table aside.  "But YOU 
are gonna be in a world of hurt.  How DARE you say those sorts of 
things about me!"

"Akane, please!"  Ranma brought her arms up in a gesture that she 
knew would be futile.  Ranma never had a chance.  Plea after plea 
was ignored as Akane pressed her attack.  Ranma dodged as best she 
could, but there was no match for Akane's fury.  Blow after blow got 
through her defences until finally, after a crunch, a squawk and a 
splash, silence once more descended like a pall on a little part of 
Nerima.

****  ####  ****

Kuonji Ukyou was busily mixing up another pitcher of her special 
Okonomiyaki batter when someone walked into her shop.

"Irasshaimase!" she called, as she turned to greet her customer.  The 
word died in her throat and the pitcher dropped from her nerveless 
fingers at the sight that greeted her.

Ranma was a mess.  Her fiery red hair was matted with blood, her 
right eye was blackened - swollen shut, and the whole side of her 
face was red and puffy.  Purple and black bruises mottled her 
forearms, and she was walking with a pronounced limp.  There was a 
large bloodstain soaking into the fabric of her shirt just under her 
ribs, and her breath rattled in her throat.  She hobbled painfully up 
to the counter and took a seat, wincing sharply as she sat down.

Ranma smiled brokenly at Ukyou.  "Hi, Ucchan...  Do you happen to 
have any hot water handy?"

"Omigod... Ran... Ran-chan!" she gasped, when she could find her 
voice.  "What *happened*?!"

Ranma made a deprecating gesture.  "It's nothing, really," she said.  
"You should see the other guy."

Ukyou scowled as she reached for the kettle.  "Don't lie to me, Ran-
chan.  You know better."  Her expression darkened as she passed the 
kettle over the counter.  "Akane did this, didn't she?"

"Now, Ucchan..." Ranma began.

"DIDN'T SHE?" Ukyou repeated, her temper rising.

After a pause, Ranma seemed to fall in on herself.  "Yes," she said 
quietly.  Slowly, she raised the kettle over her head, but hesitated 
shy of dousing herself.  With a sigh, Ranma returned the kettle to the 
counter, still full.

Ranma noticed Ukyou's surprised look.  She shrugged.  "What would 
be the point?  I'll just end up in the pond again."

Ukyou shook herself out of her fugue and ducked behind the counter 
for her first aid kit.  She came around front and took the seat next to 
Ranma.  Rummaging in the kit for a few moments, she produced a 
large bottle of antiseptic wash, and some bandages.  Quietly, she set 
to work tending Ranma's injuries.

Ranma winced again as the antiseptic stung the abrasions on her 
face.  "Ouch!  Dammit, that hurt!"

"Hold still!"  Ukyou chided.  "It's got to feel better than *getting* 
them did!"  Ranma grumbled a bit, but complied.  "You know, I really 
ought to take you to Tofu-sensei...  This looks pretty bad..."

"I'm telling you, Ucchan, it's nothing, really...  Ouch!"

Half an hour later, Ranma looked a lot better, but she was still pretty 
sore.  Ukyou went back behind the counter and cooked up a pair of 
her deluxe okonomiyaki and put them on a plate for Ranma.

"Here," she said.  "Eat this... you'll feel a LOT better."

Ranma smiled her thanks, and ate, while Ukyou mopped up the 
contents of the pitcher that she had dropped.  Once the mess had 
been cleaned up, Ukyou sat down and gave Ranma a long, searching 
look.

"Why?" she asked finally.  "I have to know, Ran-chan.  Why?"

"I think it was because I insulted her cooking...  I'm not entirely 
sure," said Ranma.

"That is not what I meant, Ran-chan, and you know it."

"I finally asked her about getting counseling.  She... declined."

"I know that Ranma.  That was days ago.  What did she do this for?"

Ranma shrugged.  The movement cost her.  "Dunno - I got home, and 
all of a sudden, she was on me about Monday nights - I don't know 
what brought it all up - or how she found out I'd been a part of the 
group.  But she knew all about it."

Ukyou winced.  "I see that she didn't take it too well."

"No," Ranma grimaced.  "She did not."

"So tell me.  Why do you put up with it?  Why do you let her do this 
to you?  Why do you stay with her?"

Ranma's expression was unreadable.  "She's my wife."

"And that gives her the right to... to do *this*?"

"It's not *that* bad."  The red-head sighed heavily.  "Besides... I sort 
of have it coming, don't I?"

"What in the HELL do you mean by that?" asked Ukyou in a shocked 
tone.

"I deserve it... I *must* deserve it, or Akane wouldn't do it."

"Ranma!  *Nobody* deserves to be treated the way Akane's been 
treating you.  There isn't any justification for... for this kind of 
abuse!"

"You'd think that I'd have learned my lesson by now, wouldn't you?"  
Ranma smiled bitterly.  "But no...  My mouth is still getting me into 
trouble.  I guess she has a right to be mad..."

"But to brutalize you?  You *can't* be serious!  Won't you at *least*..."

"I don't fight girls, Ucchan." Ranma voice was gentle.  "You *know* 
that."

"Ran-chan, I'm begging you.  Leave her!  Go to China and live with 
Shampoo, enter a monastery, join the Foreign Legion, it doesn't 
matter; but you have got to get out!  Get away!  Get away while you 
still can!"

A new voice spoke up before Ranma could answer.  "Ahh, Ranma!  
Here you are!"

Ranma stiffened as the owner of the voice walked in.  "Hello, Nabiki."

"Spending time with Ukyou again.  And conspiring, no less.  Tsk tsk...  
You know what Akane will say if she finds out, don't you?"

Ukyou growled in the back of her throat.

Ranma just sounded tired.  "I don't have any money, Nabiki."

Nabiki flinched.  "I'm... sorry, Ranma," she said quietly.  "You *know* 
I didn't mean it like that.  She won't hear anything from me."

Ranma turned to study her sister-in-law for a moment before getting 
painfully to her feet.  "I guess that I'd better be getting back to the 
dojo," she said.  "Thanks for the help, Ucchan."  She turned to leave.

"Ran-chan..."

Ranma paused.

"Please - don't go."

Ranma looked at the floor.  "I have to... she *is* my wife...  I made a 
vow."  Ranma turned toward Ukyou and gazed into her eyes.  "Thank 
you, Ucchan.  You're a good friend.  We... we can talk more about this 
later.  I promise."  After a final glance at Nabiki, Ranma was gone.

Ukyou and Nabiki stood, each lost in their own thoughts, for several 
moments after Ranma left.  Finally, Ukyou broke the silence.

"Nabiki...  What will she do to him?"

"When she finds out that she - I mean he - was here?"  Nabiki shook 
her head.  "He's in for another beating, I expect."

"Will he defend himself?  Will he fight back?"

"You already know the answer to that."

The counter cracked under the pressure of Ukyou's grip.  "Yes..." she 
said at last.  "Yes, I do."

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

Kimiko scanned the group, mentally taking roll of the attendees.  
Everyone had arrived, except for Ranma and Ukyou.  There was still 
time before the meeting was scheduled to begin, and she expected 
them to walk in at any moment.  She walked over to the refreshment 
table and selected a pastry and a cup of tea.  Idly she wondered 
what Ranma would be teaching them tonight after the meeting.

Kimiko was startled out of her musings by a gasp from Natsumi.  
"Kuonji-san!  What *happened*?"

Turning to see what Natsumi had been talking about, Kimiko stopped 
in shock.  Kuonji Ukyou looked terrible.  Her hair was mussed, her 
eyes were red and puffy, her face streaked with tears.  A tightness 
gripped her as she also noticed that Ukyou was alone.

Ukyou shuffled in and collapsed into a chair.  She buried her face in 
her hands as silent sobs shook her.  Other members of the group 
stood by, feeling helpless.  Kimiko set aside her tea and approached 
the crying girl.  Gently she put a hand on Ukyou's shoulder, trying to 
comfort her.  "Kuonji-san...  Ukyou...  Where is Ranma?" she asked 
softly.

After several abortive attempts, Ukyou drew a shuddering breath 
and managed to get herself under control again.  "Hos... hospital..." 
she said quietly.  She sniffled a bit and wiped at her eyes.  Miyuki 
sat down next to her and offered her a handkerchief which she took 
gratefully.

Other members were gradually taking their seats, pulling them into a 
circle around Ukyou.  One of them, Ukyou remembered her name as 
Misato, handed her a cup of hot tea.  Drawing warmth from the cup, 
she took a few deep breaths to calm herself before looking up into a 
sea of anxious faces.  "Thank you," she said.

After another few moments of silence, Ukyou started to talk - slowly 
at first, but with increasing intensity as her story came pouring out.

"On meeting nights, Ranma always meets me at my shop.  I have an 
Okonomiyaki restaurant over near Furinkan.  We talk, I make us a 
light supper, and then we come over here.  Tonight... he didn't show 
up.

"At first, I thought he was just running late."  Ukyou paused.  "When 
I saw him last, he was in his girl form, and he had been very badly 
beaten.  I think that a couple of ribs were broken, but he wouldn't let 
me take him for treatment.  That was two days ago.

"When he hadn't shown up by our normal dinner time, I was starting 
to get worried.  Though my shop is between his home and here, I 
decided to go by and see what was keeping him.  I wasn't too happy 
with the idea - Akane and I... don't get along."

"I would imagine not," agreed a sympathetic voice from the group.

Ukyou's answering smile was tight. "I got to the dojo, and it was 
really quiet.  Finally, I worked up enough nerve to actually announce 
myself and ask about Ranma."  Her grim smile faded into a somber 
expression.  "Kasumi answered the door, thank God.  She seemed to 
be very upset.  When I asked her about Ranma, she said that Ranma 
was in hospital - that Akane had gotten mad at him again, and had 
beaten him so badly that... that for a minute his heart had stopped...

"She beat him because..." Ukyou fought back the sob that threatened 
to overwhelm her; "She had beaten him because she had smelled the 
okonomiyaki on his breath.  She almost killed him because he had 
been with me."  Ukyou wrung her hands in the handkerchief she had 
been given.  "She beat him because of me..." she said again.  This time 
she did not fight the tears.

Kimiko felt her own tears threatening to burn their way out of her 
eyes.  "Oh, Ukyou... don't do this to yourself.  It wasn't your fault.  
You *know* that."

There was a long silence from the assembled women.  The only 
sounds in the room were the occasional broken sobs that managed to 
break through Ukyou's efforts at control.

Finally, Natsumi asked, "You love him a lot, don't you?"

Not trusting her voice, Ukyou could only nod her head as she cried.

After Ukyou's tears had slowed somewhat,  Kimiko spoke up again.  
"Why don't you tell us about it... from the beginning," she said gently.

Ukyou nodded again, and wiped her eyes.  Still sniffling a little, she 
began.  "My dad and I traveled a lot, just like Ran-chan and his 
father did.  Dad had a yattai; he made most of his living selling 
okonomiyaki.  He taught me how to run a business, how to cook, and 
how to fight.  He was very devoted.

"I met Ranma when I was five years old.  Both of us had trained in 
the Art since the time we were able to walk, and neither of us had 
ever really had any close friends before.  For almost two years, we 
were inseparable.  It was the longest time that either of us had 
stayed in one area, too.

"Finally, shortly before I turned seven, Dad had a chat with Saotome-
san.  He knew how I felt about Ranma, and he told me that he'd fix it 
so that Ran-chan and I could be together for ever and ever.  He 
offered Genma his yattai as a dowry, so that I could marry Ranma.  
Genma accepted."

"You mean... you were *engaged* to Ranma?  But what about Akane?  
Wasn't she engaged to him?"

Ukyou's smile was feral.  "That never stopped Saotome-san.  Over 
Ranma's lifetime, his father traded him, sold him or engaged him to 
lots of people."

"No wonder Ranma dislikes his father so..."

"What happened, then?"

"I woke up the next morning to find that Genma, Ranma, *and* my 
dad's yattai were all gone.  I was devastated.  I couldn't believe that 
Ran-chan had done that to me.  That he had abandoned me after all 
the time we had spent together.  But for ten years, there was little 
else that I could believe.

"I spent those ten years training - honing my skills in the Art.  I was 
determined that I would have my revenge for what Ranma and his 
father had done to me.  I gave up my identity - for all intents and 
purposes, the girl that was Kuonji Ukyou died on that day.  I dressed 
as a boy, lived as a boy, attended boy's schools.  And I trained."

"My God..." Hikaru gasped... "How *horrible*."

"Finally, after ten long years, I tracked them down.  They had come 
here to Nerima, and were living at the Tendou dojo.  I found Genma 
fairly quickly, and gave him the first of what would have been many 
thrashings.  My revenge was at hand.  And then, it was Ranma's turn.

"But Ranma was glad to see me!  I couldn't understand that... I had 
come there to make him pay for abandoning me all those years ago, 
and here he was, acting like he was glad to see his long lost friend!

"His father," Ukyou's tone turned bitter, "had never told him that we 
were engaged.  He'd just taken Ranma and the yattai, and left me 
behind.  Ranma, in all his infinite perception, hadn't even realised 
that I was a girl.  It just hadn't been important to him when he was 
six.  I was his best friend, and that was all he ever knew.

"When he found out that I was a girl, he told me that I was cute.  I 
couldn't hate him anymore.  I tried, but I just couldn't.  He was the 
same Ran-chan that I had loved ten years previously, the same Ran-
chan that I still loved."

"And after all of that, you would help him cure her?  Help him keep 
her?"

Ukyou shrugged helplessly.  "What else can I do?  I tried to keep him 
for myself.  I tried to take him away from her.  I don't really have a 
choice.  He loves her."

"Ranma must be pretty special for you to feel that way.  I'm not sure 
that I could be so selfless."

"Don't get the wrong idea," Ukyou sniffed.  "If I thought that I could 
take Ran-chan away from Akane - if I thought that he would come 
with me, I'd do it in a heartbeat.  But I'm honour bound as his friend.  
I can't do anything that would hurt him."

"He means that much to you?"  Rei squeaked.

"He does.  Ranma is one of the noblest people that I know, for all that 
he can be a jerk at times.  Given his father's record, it's a miracle that 
Ranma grew up as well as he did.  But there is nothing that he would 
not do, no price he would not pay for love, honour or friendship."

"I can't help but love him..." Ukyou finished in a small voice.

Kimiko sighed.  "You realise, don't you, that the hardest part is still 
ahead."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you might *have* to take him away from her after all.  
You may have to do what we call an 'intervention'."

"And what is an 'intervention'?"

"You may have to take steps to see to it that Ranma and his wife are 
separated until help can be obtained.  Not only will you have to fight 
her, you may have to fight him.  You'll have to convince him to come 
with you willingly - convince him that things will not get better until 
there is some distance involved.  It will NOT be easy.  Can you do 
that?"

"I don't know.  Ranma can be very stubborn.  You're right when you 
say that it won't be easy."

"We'll help all we can.  But it's you that he trusts.  If it comes to that, 
and judging from what you've told us tonight it very well might, you 
are going to be the one that can save him."

"I understand."

That night, on the way back to her restaurant, Ukyou had a lot to 
think about.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

Ranma woke up, and immediately regretted it.  Pain messages that 
had been queued up in his neural network flooded into his brain as 
soon as it came back on-line.  There were a lot of them.  Ranma tried 
to remember why, but the recent past was a total blank.

After a few moments, Ranma tried to open his eyes.  It took some 
time and a lot of blinking for them to adjust to the light.  Even so, it 
was too bright to be really comfortable.  As full consciousness 
returned, Ranma began to subtly probe his surroundings.

He was in a bed.  His chest felt like it was on fire, and there were 
needles in his arm.  The lights were just a touch too harsh to be 
pleasing, and there was the god awful stench of antiseptic in the air.  
Hospital, Ranma thought.  I'm in hospital.  But why?

A low moan escaped his lips.  His throat was dry and caked like three 
day old oatmeal.  He extended a swollen tongue to lick parched lips.  
An arm holding a cup with a straw moved into view, and toward his 
mouth.  Gratefully, Ranma drank it all.  The cup was withdrawn and 
refilled.  Again, Ranma began to inhale the contents.

"Easy... take it easy..." said a voice gently.

Akane.  Ranma choked on the water, his gasp for breath dissolving 
into a coughing fit.  Once he could breath again, he choked out his 
wife's name.  His voice sounded like sandpaper.

"Oh, Ranma...  I am so sorry..."  Akane's tear-stained face hovered in 
the center of his field of vision.  "I didn't mean to hurt you like that.  
I swear that I didn't..."

Ranma studied his wife.  She probably means that - now, he thought.  
But she's said it before.  And will she still mean it tomorrow?

"Why?" croaked Ranma.  "I was only trying to get help.  I... I just 
wanted to see you smile again."

"Oh, Ranma... couldn't you have just come to me and talked?  I would 
have listened.  You didn't have to go behind my back like that."

Ranma's head hurt.  She probably believes that too, he thought.  "I'm 
sorry, Akane...  I never wanted to hurt you... to make you angry."

"I know, Ranma.  I know."  A pause.  "Ranma?  I don't want you to go 
back."

"But... but why not?  I *like* them.  They... if nothing else, they can 
really use the training in the Art..."

"Ranma, listen to me.  Someone else can teach them the Art now.  I 
don't want you to go back.  Stay home and talk to me instead."

"But... they're my friends.  I gotta help..."

"You did help them, Ranma.  They don't need you any longer.  And 
you don't need to go back there anymore."

"I don't understand... why...?"  There was a buzzing in Ranma's ears.

"Because you're embarrassing me!"

The buzzing grew to a roaring, and Ranma could feel himself losing 
his grip on consciousness.  "But... but I just wanted... to get some help.  
I'm so lost.  I want us to be happy together.  I want it to be the way 
it was before... back when you smiled..."  And Ranma fell back into 
the blackness.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

It was a lovely day.  The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, 
and despite the testimony of the bare trees that spring was still 
months away, the air was warm, and the breezes gentle.  All of it was 
lost on the young man sitting on a bench in Ueno Park.  He was so 
lost in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice the attractive 
brunette that sat beside him until she put her hand on his knee.

"Akari!  I'm sorry that I'm late..." he stammered.

The brunette smiled.  "Only two days."  Her expression sobered.  "Tell 
me, Ryouga... what's bothering you?  You look so sad... it's like you're 
a million miles away."

"Do you remember Saotome Ranma?"

Akari nodded, a delighted smile crossing her features.  "I certainly 
do.  If it weren't for him, I might never have found the man of my 
dreams."  She patted Ryouga affectionately.

Ryouga nodded.  "Yes, I suppose I do have him to thank for that."

"Is there something wrong with Ranma?  He's okay, isn't he?"

"No, he's not.  He's in the hospital."

"What happened?"

"I'm not entirely sure.  Ukyou didn't have too many details, but she 
was sure that it was Akane that was responsible."

"Akane?"  Akari was incredulous.  "You can't seriously believe that."

Ryouga was silent, but that silence spoke volumes.

"You're telling me that Akane... that Akane..."

"Beats the living hell out of Ranma?  Yes.  I suppose that I am."

"But... but... *why*?  Ranma's so nice!"

"At first, she did it because he deserved it.  Now, don't look at me 
like that... it's true!  Ranma was always making her miserable.  He 
was always teasing her, and while I can't say that he was exactly 
chasing other women, he certainly wasn't fighting them off.  It was 
no wonder that she would get angry, or that she wouldn't believe 
that he cared for her."

"But he does!  Anyone can see it..."

Ryouga nodded miserably.  "Yes... Ranma's fought for her, time and 
again.  No matter what the odds, if it was for Akane, he'd fight - and 
he'd win.  Every time, he'd win.  And she loves him too.  I know she 
does."

"But that doesn't make sense!  Why would she still do that to him if 
she loves him?"

"Akane has quite a temper, and Ranma has a knack for setting it off.  
But it's never been this bad before.  That's what I can't understand.  
Ukyou has to have been imagining things...  That's all there is to it.  
Akane would never do that intentionally.  Yes, that's it.  It was all an 
accident that got blown out of proportion.  Ukyou has never really 
liked Akane that much... she must be overreacting to something 
small."

An image drifted through Ryouga's memory - an image from a small 
pig's point of view.  Akane beating on Ranma - beating him until his 
defences had collapsed, and then continuing to pound on him without 
even slowing down.  With a shudder, Ryouga whispered to himself 
again.  "It's just Ukyou's imagination..."  It sounded hollow even to 
him.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

A small group of women was gathering in the hallway outside of 
Ranma's room in the hospital.  Not everyone from the support group 
had been able to get there, but Kimiko was there with Hikaru and 
Natsumi in tow, and Rei was there as well.  Keiko and Miyuki were 
the last to join the group.

Once everyone had arrived, Kimiko knocked on the door.  The voice 
that answered her knock was soft and listless.  "Come in."

Ranma was alone in the room, lying back, and staring at the ceiling.  
A half dozen tubes ran from his body to machines on the console 
behind his bed.  Most of the lights were green, but there were one or 
two yellow, and even one red.

His visitors fanned out around the bed.  Ranma smiled at them, and 
tried to sit up.  A grimace crossed his face, and two of the green 
lights went yellow, while one of the yellow went red.  The machine 
started beeping softly.  Ranma gave up and lay back down, opting 
this time to raise the head of the bed.

"Well.  Hello." he said at last.

"Hi, yourself."  Kimiko said gently.  "You missed the last meeting.  We 
decided that we'd better check up on you."

Group night!  He'd forgotten all about that.  He tried to sit up again, 
earning another electronic fit from the hardware behind him.  "Oh, 
damn.  Ukyou!  Is she all right?"  Ranma started to reach for the 
tubes in his arm.

Kimiko put a restraining hand on his.  "She's okay, Ranma.  She's 
worried about you of course, but she's okay."

Ranma fell back onto his pillow and sighed.  "Thank heavens for that.  
I was afraid that she might have had... problems.  So.  What news of 
the group?  I'm sorry that I missed my class..."

"Take your time and get well, Ranma.  We want you back whole.  I 
think that Miyuki has some news for you though."

Ranma looked at the brunette expectantly.  Miyuki smiled back at 
him.  "You remember that you said Tochiro ought to try and publish 
his story?"  Ranma nodded.  "Well, he sent it off to Shogikukan.  They 
bought it.  It'll be published in about a month.  He asked me to thank 
you."

"Miyuki!  That's great news!"  Ranma grinned.  "I'll look forward to 
reading it!"

"I'll be sure to bring you a copy," Miyuki sniffed.

There was a pause.  "My God, man.  What did she do to you?"

Noting the worry in her expression, Ranma tried to reassure her.  
"It's nothing too bad, really.  I'll be up and around again in no time."

"Nothing?" asked Natsumi.  She had been reading the chart at the 
foot of the bed.  "According to this, she damn near killed you!"  She 
tapped the clipboard in her hand for emphasis.

"I'm a little harder to kill than that."

Keiko snapped.  "That's exactly the kind of macho crap that I'd expect 
from a man!"  She brushed a tear out of her eye.  "Dammit, Ranma, 
this is no joking matter."

A nurse leaned into the room.  "I'm sorry, but visiting hours will be 
over in a few minutes.  You can come back tomorrow, if you like."

"Thank you nurse.  We'll be going in a minute." said Kimiko.  The 
nurse nodded and left.  Kimiko turned back to Ranma.  "We'll be back 
to visit as we can, Ranma.  If there's anything that we can do for you, 
you *will* let us know.  Right?"

Ranma nodded meekly.  "Yes ma'am.  Thank you.  All of you."

The group started filing out of the room, but Rei and Keiko held back.  
Rei approached Ranma hesitantly, but determinedly.  She placed a 
small vase on the table.  In the vase was a single, perfect, blue rose.  
"Please get better soon," she said in her usual whisper.  "We miss 
you."  She was gone before Ranma had a chance to thank her.

A voice drifted into the room from the corridor.  "C'mon, Keiko!"

"Just a minute!" Keiko called back.  She turned her attention back to 
Ranma.  "I meant what I said, Ranma.  This is too much.  You *must* 
consider leaving her."

Ranma sighed.  "And what about you?  Are you going to leave *your* 
husband then?"

"Yes."  Keiko's voice was little more than a whisper.  "I'm afraid that 
I'm going to have to."

Ranma was at a loss for words.  "I'm sorry..." was the best that he 
could manage.

"Don't be.  Sometimes it's just the way it works out.  If I don't... If I 
don't leave him, then I'll end up here.  Or worse.  I don't want to see 
that happen to you either."

"But I love Akane... I can't just... just leave her."

Anger flashed through Keiko's brown eyes.  "Dammit, don't you think 
that I love my husband?  If I didn't, I'd have left a long time ago!  I 
don't *want* to leave him, but I *have* to!"

Ranma sighed ruefully.  "I'm sorry, Keiko.  I seem to have a knack for 
insulting you.  I didn't mean..."

"I know that, Ranma.  But you can't help her if she doesn't want to be 
helped.  Staying with her is not going to make things better.  I love 
my husband too.  But he won't get help.  He won't even admit that 
there's a problem.  I can't keep on that way.  I just can't."

"I wish I could help..." Ranma started to say.

"Oh, Ranma.  You *have* helped me.  If it weren't for you I'd never 
have had the strength to do this.  You've helped all of us, more than 
you'll ever know.  Just let us help you.  At least consider what I've 
said.  Please?"

Ranma nodded.  "Thank you, Keiko... I... I will."

Keiko left Ranma alone in his room with a thoughtful expression on 
his face.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

When Ranma was allowed to go home from the hospital, he was put 
on strict orders to rest, for at least two weeks.  Ideally, he was to 
stay in bed for as much of that first week as possible.  Kasumi took it 
upon herself to see to it that Ranma *obeyed* those orders.  To her 
immense relief, Ranma did not seem inclined to argue the point.

He slept fitfully - alternating between periods of violent dreamstate, 
and periods of relative calm.  The dreams must have been horrible... 
his tossing and turning punctuated with strangled cries; "Akane, no... 
don't... please...  I love you Akane...  why?  my fault..."

Finally, Ranma's whimpers would fade into silence, and he would 
drift into a deeper sleep once more.

Sitting by Ranma's bedside, Kasumi lost herself in thought.  Ranma 
was sleeping quietly again - a good thing - he needed most of his 
energy to heal.  Even for someone so naturally resilient as Ranma, his 
injuries had been severe.  Kasumi was still having trouble accepting 
the fact that it had been Akane that had done this to him.

Kasumi looked down.  There was an uncomfortable silence that hung 
in the air while she tried to find the words - the words that would 
make it all better - the words that would bend reality to her will, 
and restore peace to her home.  The peace that had been shattered 
when Ranma and his father had come there to live.

No.  That was not fair.  The peace that had preceded their arrival had 
been little more than an illusion - a cloak that had hidden a much 
darker reality.  Since their mother's death - Nabiki's cold aloofness, 
her own oblivious acceptance, and Akane's anger and drive to fight.  
These were real - these were what were surfacing again now.

Ranma had served simply as a catalyst - for every fight that he won 
against impossible odds, Akane remembered the *one* that she had 
lost - the most important fight that she had ever known.

She hadn't known what she was fighting, or how to fight it.  She had 
been all of six years old.  She had expected the shadow that came to 
steal her mother would be like another person - and that if she were 
there - if she were ready - she could defeat the shadow and save her 
mother.

But the shadow had come in the dead of night.  While Akane slept, 
her tear-stained face buried in a pillow at her mother's bedside, the 
shadow had stolen her mother's life.

It had taken the family months to convince Akane that it had not 
been her fault - that there was nothing that she could have done, no 
way she could have fought the demon that had torn her family apart.  
There were times when Kasumi was not so sure that they ever *had* 
convinced her.

Akane had recovered eventually.  At least on the surface, she was a 
normal schoolgirl - but she had become obsessed with the Art - with 
learning to fight better.  Beneath that surface there seethed a mass of 
raw emotion of tremendous power.  Even Kasumi had not truly 
suspected its intensity until Ranma had come into their lives, and 
had broken through Akane's armour.  And, while it had let him in to 
her heart, it had also let the turmoil out.

Kasumi looked sadly at her sleeping charge again.  "You've certainly 
gotten through to her, Ranma-kun..." she said softly, "but at what 
price?"  Gently, Kasumi changed the damp cloth that she had draped 
over Ranma's forehead.  Once she was satisfied that Ranma was still 
sleeping peacefully, she settled back against the cabinets to rest, and 
to think.  The tears left silver trails along her face in the darkness as 
she wept.

****  ####  ****

Ranma awoke to the feeling that something was wrong.  The ceiling 
looked wrong.  This wasn't his room.  Then he remembered.  It had 
been his room.  His and his father's.  But what was he doing here 
now?  He tried to move, and the flash of pain that brought returned 
the rest of his memory as well.  He had been in hospital.  He had 
been there because...

Ranma tried to sit up, and a groan escaped him.

"Don't move." said a voice.  "You'll have to take that slowly for a few 
days."

Ranma lay back on the futon and sighed.  Kasumi leaned over him, 
and started to help him into a sitting position.  Where had she come 
from, Ranma wondered.  She looks like she's been crying.

"Thanks, Kasumi," said Ranma, once he was sitting up.  "What's the 
matter?  Why have you been crying?"

"It's nothing," Kasumi said with a smile.  It looked forced to Ranma.

"C'mon, Kasumi.  Whatever it was, I'm sorry."

Kasumi's voice caught in her throat.  "Oh, no, Ranma.  It's nothing like 
that.  I'm very proud of you."

That caught Ranma by surprise.  "You are?  Whatever for?"

"For trying to get help.  For trying to help Akane.  For loving her 
enough to do all of that."

Ranma sighed in resignation.  When he spoke, his tone was almost 
bitter.  "It's not like it did any good, though is it?  Akane doesn't love 
me.  I've been deluding myself, and making her miserable in the 
process."

"Oh, Ranma... yes she does.  She loves you...  She just can't, or won't 
control her temper.  Since you're closest to her, you get the worst of 
it."

There was a long silence.  Finally, Ranma asked in a small voice.  "Are 
you saying that I should leave Akane too?"

"I don't know.  You love her so much - enough to do all that you've 
done - and she loves you.  I know she does.  But I don't know if it's 
enough.  I don't want to see either of you get hurt anymore."

Ranma winced as he shifted position.  "It's okay, Kasumi.  Really, it is.  
I just wish that I knew what I could do to help her."

"It took a lot of courage for you to go to those meetings at the Civic 
Centre.  That was a good start."

"It might have been better if it had worked," said Ranma tiredly.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

The next couple of weeks were hard ones.  Akane was keeping a 
closer watch on her husband, but he still managed to get a little time 
to himself.  Whenever he was able, he spent that time with Ucchan.

Ukyou was worried too.  Ranma had basically given up.  He'd refused 
to go back to the help group.  When she'd asked, he'd said that he 
wasn't quite up to teaching his class again.  That much was probably 
true.  Ranma was healing fast, but he was still a little too stiff to 
teach effectively.

Then Ukyou asked him why he wouldn't go back to the regular 
meetings, and he'd just said that he wouldn't feel right about it when 
he couldn't contribute anything to help.  Nothing she could say would 
convince him that he had contributed in other ways as well.  It 
frustrated her to see him closing himself off like this, but there was 
little that she could do.  She could not afford to drive him away too.

When Akane found out that Ranma had been to the Ucchan, he would 
usually follow up with a visit to Tofu's clinic.  Tofu, too, was alarmed 
at Ranma's state, but had no more luck getting him to do something 
about it than Ukyou had.

Ranma had more or less resigned himself to the inevitability of losing 
Akane.  He didn't want to lose her - he loved her so much that he 
was not sure that he could live without her.  But he still had no idea 
how to get her to let go of her anger.  Everything he tried had only 
served to make the problem worse, and so, he quit trying.

Kasumi and Nabiki were both trying to keep a closer eye on their 
younger sister, and would manage to walk in at awkward moments, 
when Akane was really starting to lose control.  If their presence 
couldn't calm her, it at least had the effect of giving her a boost in 
the control of her temper.  As a result, Ranma escaped the more 
severe beatings.

An anticipation hung over the neighbourhood like the calm before 
the storm.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

Ryouga rang the bell at the Tendou home, and stood fidgeting while 
he waited for someone to come to the door.  Akane answered.

"Hi!  Come on in, Ryouga.  It's so good to see you again!"

"Ahh, no, thanks Akane-san.  I'm afraid that I can only stay for a 
moment."  Ryouga stammered, one hand behind his head.  He looked 
acutely embarrassed.  "I just wanted to talk to Ranma for a second, if 
it's okay with you."

"Sure!" said Akane brightly.  "I'll go get him for you!"

"Doumo..."

Akane disappeared into the house once more, but Ryouga could hear 
her clearly.  "Ranma!"  Ryouga's here to see you!"  Ryouga cringed a 
bit at the sharpness of her voice.

After a few moments, Ranma came down the hallway towards the 
door.  As he approached, Ryouga could hear Akane's harsh whisper 
in the background.  "...and *behave* yourself.  I don't want you 
picking on poor Ryouga anymore!"  Ranma looked annoyed, but said 
nothing.  As he got closer to the door, Akane raised her voice once 
more and called after him, "Remember, Ranma, dinner will be ready 
in half an hour!"  Ranma shuddered as he walked out the door.

Ryouga looked Ranma over carefully... Ukyou had been right.  The 
signs of his injuries were obvious to anyone who knew what to look 
for; in place of his normal fluid grace there was a stiffness to his 
posture that spoke volumes.  Ryouga was dismayed to note that 
Ranma was still wearing his sleeves long as well.

"Hey, Ryouga!"  Ranma looked genuinely pleased to see his former 
rival.  "How's it going?"

"Well enough, thanks."  Ryouga answered.  "I dropped by to say 
good-bye.  I'm going on another trip, and I don't know how long it'll 
be before I make it back here."

"Sure you won't stay for dinner?" asked Ranma hopefully.

Ryouga flashed him a dark look that faded quickly into a smile.  "I'm 
sorry," he said sheepishly.  "I already have plans..."

Ranma looked past his visitor into the courtyard.  There was an 
attractive brunette standing by the gate, waiting patiently.  Her 
white blouse, plaid skirt and warm smile were unmistakable.  
Unryuu Akari.

Ranma grinned.  "You sly dog!"  Then his expression sobered.  "I hope 
that you two will be very happy together."

"Thanks."  Ryouga was still grinning.  "I think...  I think that we will."

Ranma waved to Akari before he turned his attention back to his old 
friend.  "Have a good trip, Ryouga.  Don't wait *too* long before you 
visit again."  Ranma started back into the house, but Ryouga gripped 
his arm before he could move.

Ranma flinched almost imperceptibly, and looked at him curiously.  
"Was there something else?"

Ryouga peered down the hallway, as if to assure himself that there 
was no one else there.  When he spoke, his voice was almost a 
whisper, but he startled Ranma with its intensity.

"Ranma...  look.  I know it's none of my business, but..."

Ranma tensed.  "You're right.  It isn't."

"Dammit, Ranma, I'm your friend.  I'm... concerned."

"You know, a year ago, you'd never have said that.  You'd still be 
trying to rip my head off for mistreating Akane."

Ryouga nodded, but did not relax his grip.  "Things change, Ranma.  It 
took a while, but I finally learned that.  Ranma... please...  get some 
help before it's too late."

Ranma was silent for a long time.  Ryouga was not sure what to 
expect; he was prepared for Ranma to fly into a rage, to attack him 
even.  Instead, Ranma's reply was so quiet that Ryouga almost 
missed it.

"I... I tried that already," he said softly.

Ryouga was surprised.  "You did?  What happened?  How did it go?" 
he asked.

Ranma's smile was lopsided.  "Not *too* badly... I was only in hospital 
for a week."

Ryouga winced.  "Ranma... you know how much I respect Akane... you 
know that I would never suggest anything that would hurt her...  but 
you have to get away, Ranma.  This isn't healthy.  Please."

Ranma studied his friend's expression.  There was no hostility there, 
only concern.  "And where would I go?" he asked, shaking his head.

"Go?  Anywhere!  Come with us!  There are one or two techniques of 
yours that I really want to learn."

Ranma smiled a little sadly and said, "Thank you, Ryouga... that 
means a lot to me.  But I can't leave her.  I made a vow.  I have to 
stay."

Ryouga looked at the ground for a moment then back up into 
Ranma's eyes.  "If..." he began.  "If you change your mind,  Akari and 
I will be in the kissaten at the corner from eight until ten tonight.  
Meet us there."

"I can't.  I'm sorry."

Ryouga released his grip on Ranma's wrist and turned to go.  "We'll 
wait for you...  'til ten o'clock," he said simply.  He and Akari walked 
out of the compound, arm in arm.  Ranma smiled wistfully to himself 
as he watched them go.

As they cleared the gates, Akari squeezed Ryouga's hand.  "Do you 
think he'll come?" she asked.

Ryouga took a deep breath and looked back at the porch, where 
Ranma was still standing.  "No, Akari-chan..." he said sadly.  "No, I 
don't think that he will."

##  ***  ##

Ranma walked back into the house, and into the dining room.  Akane 
was just setting the dinner things on the table.  Ranma shuddered; he 
hated it when Kasumi was away.

"So, what did Ryouga want?"

"He just stopped by to say good-bye.  He's going on a training trip - 
he and Akari are going together."

"Oh, how sweet!"

Akane set trays of food on the table.  Ranma was gratified to see that 
she had cooked curry.  Akane's chicken curry was nothing to write 
home about, but it was actually edible.  Ranma tried not to let his 
show of relief be too obvious.

Ranma kept thinking back to Ryouga and Akari as they walked arm 
in arm away from the dojo.  They had looked so happy - so much in 
love.  He looked over at Akane, and found himself wishing that they 
could walk like that.

Akane caught him looking at her.  "What's the matter with you?  
Isn't your dinner good enough?"

"Dinner's very good," Ranma said.  "I was just thinking about Ryouga 
and Akari.  It was nice... they looked so happy together.  You should 
have seen the two of them."

Akane nodded her head.  "That's good," she said.  "I'm glad that 
Ryouga finally found someone.  He was always so lonely.  And he's 
such a sweet guy.  He deserves a girl like Akari."

"You know... there was once a time when *we* were like that..."

"What is it that you want. Ranma?"

"I... nothing."  Ranma's shoulders sagged in defeat.  "It's... it's just that 
it's been so long since we really did anything together.  Even a simple 
thing like taking a walk."

"So what's your point?"

"I was just wondering if... I mean... would you like to join me for a 
walk after dinner?"

"Ranma, it's winter.  It'll be cold out."

"It's not that cold.  And the sky is clear.  We could go down to the 
river and look up at the stars."

"I have a morning class tomorrow, Ranma.  I have work to do.  I 
don't have time to waste walking around in the cold with you."

Ranma stared into his bowl, but he didn't see it.  There was a loud 
snap as Ranma's chopsticks broke in his clenched fist.  He looked up 
at his wife, and in a hoarse voice, he asked, "Akane... do you love 
me?"

"What kind of question is that?  I'm your wife, ne?"

"It's an important one.  Please.  Do you love me?"

Akane stared at Ranma in silence, trying to find words.

"You can't say it, can you?  In all the time that I've lived here - in all 
the time that we've been married - I've never heard you say it."

"Ranma..."

"There was a time that I thought you might... when we got married.  
You *did* marry me after all.  And we had some good times together.  
We squabbled less... things were starting to get so much better..."

Ranma looked up, and there were tears in his eyes.  He was making 
no effort to stop them, weeping openly.  Akane was shocked.  "Ran... 
Ranma... are you *crying*?"

"But it was all in my mind, wasn't it?  You *can't* say it because it 
isn't true."  He choked back a sob.  "Why?  Why didn't you say 
something?  You could have been free.  You didn't have to do what 
your father wanted, if it was going to make you so unhappy!"

Ranma pushed back his dinner tray and got shakily to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Akane asked.  "You've barely touched your 
dinner!"

"I'm not really very hungry right now," Ranma said.  "I'm gonna go 
get some air."

"But it's curry!"

"I know.  I'll eat it later, okay?"  Ranma walked out of the dining 
room and down the hall.  Akane heard him put on his shoes, and 
then open the front door.  With a final click of the latch, he was gone.

##  ***  ##

Ranma wandered aimlessly, not paying any real attention to where 
he was going, and not really caring.  What did it matter, after all?

The air was cool, the sky was clear, and there was a stiff breeze that 
tugged at the loose fabric of his shirt.  The streets were quiet; most 
people were at home, eating their dinners or spending time with 
their loved ones.  Ranma was beginning to regret not being like most 
people.

Before too long, Ranma found himself down by the river, under his 
favourite bridge.  He often came here when he was upset.  As water 
was attracted to him, so he was attracted to the water - drawing 
strength and comfort from its quiet power.  He dropped to his 
haunches on the grassy bank and stared into the depths.

The river was swollen with the runoff from recent rains, its surface 
roiling and turbulent.  Small whitecaps were visible as the wind 
whipped across rapidly moving wavelets.  The normally placid 
waters looked to be as troubled as Ranma felt.  He would find no 
peace here today.

Ranma stood and resumed walking.  As darkness fell, the streetlamps 
came to life, the transformers that powered them adding their voices 
to the sounds of the evening.  The neon lights on storefronts and 
restaurants cast multicolored shadows that blinked in and out with 
their flashing.  People scurried about their business, moving quickly 
and silently as if eager to escape the encroaching chill.

Ranma paused at an intersection as the clock on the building opposite 
struck nine.  He was tired and cold and hungry, but his stomach was 
still too tied in knots to eat.  Dropping onto a bench at the corner bus 
stop, he buried his face in his hands and fought down an urge to cry.  
He had done enough of that already.

Looking up and around to determine his location, he was somewhat 
surprised to note that he was only a few blocks from the dojo.  Most 
of the storefronts were dark now, but a warm light spilled out onto 
the sidewalks from the windows of the kissaten across the street.  It 
took Ranma several minutes to realise that he knew the couple that 
occupied one of the window booths.

Ryouga and Akari.

Ranma watched the two for a time, grateful for the darkness.  They 
would not be able to see him.  Ryouga looked nervous, but happy, 
babbling away about who knew what, while Akari smiled warmly at 
him while she listened.  For the first time since Ranma had met him, 
Ryouga looked neither angry nor lost.  He looked content.

But every now and then, Ryouga's smile would fade, and he would 
look from the clock on the wall to the door of the restaurant, and 
back again.  It looked as though he were waiting for someone.

The realisation struck Ranma like a dash of icewater.  They were 
there waiting for *him*.

For an instant, Ranma considered running over and joining them - 
taking Ryouga up on his invitation.  A training trip, to where Ranma 
didn't really care.  Just a chance to get away.

But he could not.  Ryouga and Akari were happy together.  They had 
been kind to offer, but they did not need him getting between them.  
Ranma had already caused his friend enough grief - it would not be 
fair for him to put Ryouga's hard won happiness at risk.  It had been 
too long in coming as it was.  He wished his friend well.

When Akari looked at Ryouga it was obvious that she loved him.  
Ranma didn't think that he'd ever seen Akari get angry.  A surge of 
jealousy flashed through him.  It just wasn't fair!  He and Akane 
could have been like that - should have been like that.  But all he 
saw in Akane's eyes anymore was bitterness and rage.  He couldn't 
understand.  If she hated him so much, why had she ever agreed to 
marry him?

Maybe it had all been a mistake.  Maybe the time had come for him 
to leave. If all he could do was cause her pain, or make her angry, it 
would be for the best.  But the very idea tore at Ranma's heart.  He 
hated the idea of quitting - hated the thought that Akane could not 
be happy with him.  Was there no other way?  Surely there had to be 
another solution!  He loved Akane so much - if only he could figure 
out why he was making her so mad!  Maybe then they could be more 
like Ryouga and Akari.

A shiver passed through him that had nothing to do with the cold.  
Taking one last longing look toward the couple in the booth, Ranma 
stood and stretched.  It was time for him to be going.  With a sigh 
and a heavy heart, he turned and headed for home.

****  ####  ****

"I might have known that I'd find you here."  Akane's voice was ice.

Ranma froze, his okonomiyaki halfway to his mouth as the hairs on 
the back of his neck started to rise.  With an effort, Ranma calmed 
himself and turned to face his wife.

Akane stood in the doorway of the Ucchan, her face a dark mask.  
"And just what do you think you're doing here?" she snarled.

Ranma blinked.  "Ahh... having lunch?"

Akane started forward, intent on letting Ranma know just what she 
thought of his wise-ass responses, when a motion caught her 
attention from the corner of her eye.  She stopped, and looking over 
towards Ukyou, noticed that the okonomiyaki cook had casually 
slipped out a couple of her small throwing spatulas.  Ukyou smiled 
sweetly at her and shook her head.

"Oh, no.  Not in here you don't."

Akane glowered at her but made no further moves towards Ranma.  
Trembling with barely suppressed fury, Akane turned back towards 
her husband.  "Go home," she growled at him through clenched teeth.  
"I'll deal with you when I get back."

"But Akane..."

"I said GO!"

Ranma gulped and looked towards Ukyou.

"Maybe you'd better go, Ran-chan,"  Ukyou's gaze never left Akane.

"But..."

"It'll be okay, Ranma.  Your wife and I have some things to... discuss."

Reluctantly, Ranma headed for the door.  He started to turn back, but 
a glare from Akane stilled him.  Ukyou gave him a reassuring look 
from behind Akane's back.  After a moment's consideration, Ranma 
surrendered to the inevitable and left the little restaurant.

When Ranma had gone, Akane glared angrily at Ukyou.  "Just what is 
it that you've done to him?" she hissed.

The question took Ukyou by surprise.  "Done to him?  Done to 
whom?"

"What have you done to Ranma!?  He was crying at dinner last night!  
*HE* was crying!"

Ukyou stared at Akane incredulously.  "And you think... You think 
that *I* did something to him?"

"You must have done.  The Ranma that *I* married would *never* 
have cried!  He was strong!  He was a fighter!  Being around you has 
made him weak - taken the fight out of him!"

Ukyou had held her tongue for Ranma's sake.  She had gone out of 
her way to be civil - had said nothing that Akane might construe as 
hostile - while all the time watching the Tendou woman destroy the 
man she loved.

But now, now there was no reason to hold back.  Now Akane HAD to 
be made to see what she had been doing to Ranma, she HAD to be 
made to understand.  Ukyou's temper flared and the full force of her 
frustration and agony burst forth.

"Are you really that blind?  That stupid?  Can't you see how much he 
loves you?  Do you have even the faintest idea of how much you're 
hurting him?  You're tearing him apart, and you don't even care!"

Akane whirled on the okonomiyaki cook, her eyes blazing.  "And just 
what would *you* know about that?"

"What would I know?"  Ukyou almost laughed.  "I know everything!  
When Ran-chan talks, *I* listen!  And when he doesn't, I see!"

"Really..." Akane's voice was sharp.

"Really."  Ukyou shot back.  "I know that he loves you, though I'll be 
damned if I can figure out why.  The way you abuse him is criminal;  
you *know* that he won't fight you - that he *can't* fight you - and 
still you beat him without mercy."

Akane started to retort, but Ukyou cut her off.

"You never listen to him, either.  You just assume the worst and start 
in on him again - you never give him a chance to explain anything!  
You act on the first thought that pops into that empty head of yours, 
and it's Ranma that pays the price for your impatience!"

"If that's all..." Akane started.

"Oh, I'm not finished yet.  I'm just getting warmed up!  You're so 
bloody primitive that the only way that you can think of to deal with 
a problem is to hit it.  You hit Ranma all the time; does it make you 
feel better?  Does it solve your problems?  It would never occur to 
you to use *reason* would it?

"If that weren't bad enough, when you find out that you were wrong, 
what do you do?  Do you apologise?  Of course not!  You beat the hell 
out of him *again* because *you* didn't believe him the first time!"

Akane was smouldering.  "Now *look* here..."

"I don't know if you're brain damaged, or stupid, or what.  You do the 
same thing all the time, over and over again.  Don't you ever *learn*?  
Does it never occur to you that he might be telling you the truth?  Do 
you *ever* give him the benefit of the doubt before you pound him?

"He worships you like some kind of goddess, but you don't seem to 
care.  Feh.  If that is the kind of love to which Ranma is doomed, then 
it would have been a kindness for his mother to have made him 
commit seppuku."

"Are you *quite* finished?" Akane asked, her voice dripping acid.

"I've said my piece."

"Then hear this.  Stay away from my husband.  He chose ME.  He's 
MINE.  He's none of your concern.  I don't want you anywhere *near* 
him, do you understand me?"

Ukyou stared hard at Akane before answering.  "Ranma is my friend.  
I will NOT abandon him.  When HE tells me to stay away, then I will.  
Until that time comes, I intend to be here for him no matter what."

Akane stood, fists clenching in fury, jaw tight.  Ukyou returned the 
stare with a maddening calm.  Finally, Akane spun on her heel and 
stalked toward the door.

Not this time, Ukyou thought.  "Akane!"  Akane froze, still facing the 
door.  "Don't hurt him anymore.  If you want to keep him, let him 
know that you love him.  If you hurt him again, you are going to 
regret it.  I promise you that.  By all that's holy, I swear it."

Her back rigid, trembling in rage, Akane stomped out of the shop 
without looking back.  Ukyou watched her go.  There was going to be 
trouble.  She could feel it.  "At least she used the door this time," 
Ukyou muttered to no one in particular.

##  ***  ##

Akane was livid.  How dare that tart speak to her like that!  After all 
the trouble that she had caused - after all the time she had spent 
trying to take Ranma away from her, and here she was threatening 
to do so again.  Telling Akane how she ought to be treating her own 
husband!  What would Ukyou know about husbands?  SHE had never 
gotten one!

Of course, Akane fumed quietly, the one she's after is mine.  That... 
that tramp would never be happy until she had taken Ranma for 
herself.  And Ranma, damn him, was either too stupid to see it, or 
was actually going along with it.

After all, it had been Ukyou that had dragged Ranma to those 
meetings.  It had been Ukyou that had started to poison Ranma 
against her.  It had been Ukyou that had convinced Ranma that he 
had a problem - that there was something wrong with his marriage.  
Everything had been *fine* until Ukyou had started her meddling.

Now everything was in a frightful mess.  Ukyou had just challenged 
her - challenged her right in front of Ranma - and here she was, 
running home, with her tail tucked between her legs, just like some 
stray dog.  Why hadn't she fought?  Why had she let Ukyou say those 
things to her - about her - without fighting back?

Because she has that spatula, Akane told herself.  Because Ukyou 
doesn't fight unarmed.  But even if she'd had her katana, she didn't 
think that she'd have been able to defeat Ukyou.  Ukyou was damned 
*good* with those spatulas of hers, and Akane simply didn't have 
Ranma's speed.

Besides - there was a quiet little voice in the back of her mind that 
was telling her that maybe, just maybe, Ukyou was right.  She told 
the voice to shut up, but still it kept nagging at her.  Remember? 
asked the voice.  Do you remember when Ranma looked at you and 
all you could see was the love in his eyes?  What do you see when he 
looks at you now?  Do you see the fear there?  Do you see the pain?  
Does it make you feel good to see that?

Shut up! Akane snarled at the voice.  What do you know?

I know, the voice retorted, that you're losing your husband.  With 
every punch, with every tantrum you throw, you are driving him 
further away from you.  I know that if you don't fix things soon, you 
*will* lose him, just like you've lost everything else in your life - just 
like you lost your...

"SHUT UP!" Akane screamed.

You're wrong, Akane told the silent voice.  I am not losing Ranma.

Aren't you?  When was the last time you went out together?  When 
was the last time that the two of you just sat and talked?  When was 
the last time that you did anything but fight with him?  When...

"Last night!" Akane retorted triumphantly.  "He asked me to go for a 
walk with him just last night!"

Did you go? the voice asked her.  A pause.  Thought not.  You're 
driving him away... and there comes a point when even Ranma will 
give up.

"Enough!  I'm the one that Ranma chose!  Ranma still loves me!"

Really?  Why should he love you?  What have you got to offer him?  
Face it sweetheart, you're a mediocre martial artist at best, you can't 
boil water right, and even dressed as a boy, Ukyou is prettier and 
more feminine than you.

Akane snarled again and picked up her pace in a vain attempt to 
leave that annoying little voice behind.

Halfway home it hit her.  Ukyou had challenged her - *and Ranma 
had not moved to defend her*.  It was true.  She WAS losing Ranma.  
And it was all Ukyou's fault.  Ukyou's and Ranma's.  The more Akane 
thought about it, the angrier she got.

****  ####  ****

Later that afternoon, Ranma stood behind the dojo, facing a practice 
target.  A featureless concrete monolith, the target nevertheless 
seemed to Ranma to be staring back, almost as if it were mocking 
him.  With exaggerated deliberation, Ranma began a kata that helped 
him focus his energy - that helped him channel his Chi.

Ranma closed his eyes as he felt the energies building - gathering - 
concentrating.  He faltered for a second as the charge accumulated, 
distracted by the pain from his bruised forearms.  Angrily forcing 
the pain aside, he resumed the exercise.  The flow reached its peak, 
and extending his arms toward the target, Ranma initiated the 
release.

"Mouko Takabisha!" he cried, as the bolt crossed the space between 
him and the monolith.

The discharging energy splashed harmlessly over the surface of the 
concrete, dissipating into nothingness.  Ranma swore in disgust.  If 
there had been a fly on the target, it would still be there.  This was 
never going to do.

Closing his eyes again, Ranma started over.  Once more he began to 
gather his strength, building it, storing it like a giant capacitor until 
he would release it all in one concentrated burst.  He drew strength 
from all of the positive things he could think of - Ukyou's loyal 
friendship, memories of the times when Akane still smiled, the way 
his heart had soared when she had laughed, how achingly beautiful 
she had been in her wedding dress - the joy he had felt when she 
had touched his face after the battle at Jyusendou...

As the energy peaked, Ranma threw out his arms and again his cry 
of 'Mouko Takabisha' rang out.  This time, the blast was stronger - 
the outpouring of Chi struck the target - and did nothing.  At best, he 
could see some minor pitting on the concrete surface.

Ranma stared at the target, as if willing it to show more damage.  His 
best attack - his most powerful technique - had done little more than 
scratch its surface.  Ranma just couldn't understand.  What was 
wrong?  There should be a hole there - big enough to crawl into.

Ranma looked down at his hands.  He was supposed to be the heir to 
the Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu... but if this was the best that he could do, 
then he didn't deserve that either.  Ranma's fists clenched as the 
frustration tore his soul.  Again he had failed.  Like everything else 
he had tried over the past two years, he had failed.

He had failed to find a cure for the curse that plagued him.  He had 
never been able to become whole again; never managed to reclaim 
his manhood.  Every attempt at ridding himself of the curse had met 
with failure - had ended in disaster.

He had failed his mother and in his promises to her.  He was not the 
manly son that she had so wanted.  His strength, his determination, 
his skills - had all been inadequate.  He had failed her again with his 
inability to appease the wrath of his wife.  Still she hammered him 
for flaws that he had been unable to correct, no matter how hard he 
had tried.  In truth, he was not even sure what they were.

He had failed Akane too.  In everything that mattered, he had fallen 
short.  He could not lie to her, but he had never won her trust.  She 
had no faith in him; in his fidelity, or in his love for her.  He had 
failed to make her happy - he could no longer make her smile.  The 
only emotions that she would share with him were frustration, 
jealousy and rage.  He had failed to live up to her desires or her 
expectations.  He could do nothing to please her.  He had failed to 
give her the help, the support or the understanding that she needed.  
A scream tore itself from his throat.

Dark energies coursed through Ranma - bitterness, anger, frustration, 
depression and despair.  In his mind's eye, everything he touched 
turned to ash and was swept away by the winds - gone, as though it 
had never existed.  The mother he had never really had the chance 
to know - the childhood he had never had - the friendships that he 
had never built - the loss of his manhood and the disintegration of 
his marriage; through it all, he had still had the Art.  Today even that 
had deserted him.

Today his failure was complete.

Reflexively, Ranma's hands extended toward the practice target.  His 
eyes closed, and he cried out.  "SHI SHI HOUKOU DAAAN!"

The discharge of energies tore through Ranma like lightning, setting 
his nerves on fire.  Every cell in his body felt as if it were aflame as 
the blast leaped from him to the target, and beyond.  A wall of sound 
rushed back past Ranma as the raw Chi energy ripped matter apart, 
reducing it to its simplest components.

Drained, Ranma sagged, oblivious to his surroundings, and the subtle 
alterations that had just been made to the local topology.

The practice target, thirty cubic meters of steel reinforced concrete, 
had ceased to exist.  So had a tree, a four meter section of the 
compound wall, the ashcans that had been behind it, and a major 
portion of the sidewalk and street beyond.  A trench, meters deep, 
was all that was left of the intersection.  Cold water fountained into 
the air from a ruptured main, raining down on the courtyard where 
Ranma stood, drenching him, and triggering the inevitable shift.

Ranma was blind to it all.  Looking down at herself, she fell to her 
knees, tears of frustration burning as they forced their way past 
unwilling eyes.  This body, this girl's body was no more than she 
deserved - the final symbol of his... no... of *her* failure.

Ranma hauled herself to her feet again and staggered back towards 
the house.  The way things were going, she figured that she might as 
well clean up and go help Kasumi in the kitchen.  She doubted that 
she'd be good for much else.

****  ####  ****

The sun was just peeking over the eastern horizon as Akane stormed 
into the dojo.  Removing her katana from its rack on the wall, she 
strode to the end of the training hall, where she had set up a practice 
dummy.  Straw, packed into several layers of burlap and cotton 
batting, all bound into a vague semblance of a human shape, the 
dummies were designed to take pretty heavy abuse.  Of course, it 
was just a coincidence that all of hers looked so much like Ranma.

Akane could feel her blood singing through her as she swung the 
blade.  Her motions were fluid, smooth and elegant.  Slash followed 
stab with speed and precision.  For the duration of the exercise, the 
clumsy girl that Ranma had so often teased was gone, and in her 
place was a warrior that moved with a dancer's lithe grace.

As her kata drew to a close, Akane looked toward what was left of 
the dummy.  Bits of straw and strips of shredded burlap and batting 
covered the floor around the post where the dummy had been 
mounted.  Yes, thought Akane, this was just what she needed.  
Pausing to fit the post with another dummy, Akane once more began 
to vent her anger and frustration on a hapless simulacrum.

Akane reflected on the cause of her anger.  She had come home last 
night to find that half of the rear garden wall had been vapourised, 
along with a good chunk of the street behind it.  She'd had a pretty 
good idea who had been responsible, and started looking for Ranma.  
How could that idiot husband of hers have been so careless?

When Akane had found her, Ranma was in the kitchen, wearing one 
of Kasumi's aprons as she cut up meat and vegetables for the evening 
meal.  That had brought Akane up short.  Ranma cooking?  Ranma 
wearing an apron?  Voluntarily?  Akane's irritation had grown as she 
came to the conclusion that Ranma was trying once more to prove 
that he could be a better girl than Akane could.

Spin.  Slash.  Feint.  Stab.  Akane's dance continued, the light flashing 
off the polished blade.

At first, Ranma had denied any knowledge of the incident, and when 
Akane had dragged her out of the house to see the damage, she had 
looked fully as shocked as Akane had felt.  After that, while Ranma 
did not deny being responsible, she still claimed to have no memory 
of the event.  Did Ranma actually expect her to believe that?  It was 
just the sort of stunt Ranma would pull, but she was not going to fall 
for it - not this time.

Ranma had shrugged, and turned to go back into the kitchen.  That 
had been the last straw as far as Akane was concerned.  Akane had 
grabbed Ranma by the shoulder and spun the redhead around to face 
her again.  Ranma had just looked at her, saying nothing.

Akane had lost her temper.  Her arm had tensed for a moment and 
then her hand had flown to deliver a stinging slap across Ranma's 
face.  Ranma didn't move.  She didn't evade; she didn't so much as 
blink.  Akane had reversed her swing, and tagged Ranma again with 
the back of her hand.  Still, Ranma didn't move.

Husband and wife had stared at each other for long moments.  
Finally, Ranma had asked in a quiet voice, devoid of any emotion, 
"Are you finished?  I need to get back to preparing dinner."  When 
Akane made no answer, Ranma had turned and shuffled back into 
the kitchen.  Akane had looked up to see Kasumi watching her from 
the porch, with a sad expression.

Anger and shame had warred for control of her then as she stormed 
off to the bedroom.  She was still not sure which had won.

****  ####  ****

Ukyou felt like pounding her head against the wall.  Ranma had been 
doing so well.  Smiling and laughing, the old Ranma had finally begun 
to re-emerge.  From the depths of utter despair, Ranma had fought 
his way back to hope that there could be an end to all of the pain and 
heartache.

Ukyou, too, had started to believe that it could work out.  Ranma had 
learned so much - had come so far.  And during the classes he taught 
at the Civic Centre, he had come truly alive.  He had been doing what 
he was born to do.  It had been *working*, dammit!

But Akane had put an end to it.  She had put him in hospital, and 
destroyed everything that he had fought for - everything that he had 
achieved.  Almost four months of work - all of it had been washed 
away in a single, brutal evening.

If anything, Ranma was in a worse state now than when he had 
started attending group sessions.  Since coming home from hospital, 
he hadn't smiled once.  He couldn't seem to concentrate on anything 
anymore.  He walked around as if in a daze, saying little and doing 
less.  Ranma was shutting down - distancing himself from everyone 
and everything - withdrawing into a shell of denial and indifference 
that frightened Ukyou.

The few times that he had managed to come by the restaurant, his 
appetite had been off.  He didn't even wolf down his okonomiyaki 
anymore - what little she could tempt him into eating.  An air of 
quiet resignation hung over him like a fog.  It was as if he just didn't 
care anymore.  And yesterday, after Akane had come for him again, 
Ukyou had finally had enough.

It wasn't fair!  He'd been so close - so close to helping himself, and so 
close to helping Akane.  But Akane hadn't wanted help, and she was 
determined to take Ranma down with her.  That could not be allowed 
to happen.  There was no way she was going to let Akane destroy her 
friend without a fight.

Talk had failed.  Prayer had failed.  Common sense and reason had 
failed.  All other options had been exhausted.  It was time to fight.  
One way or another, Ukyou was resolved that the abuse would stop 
today.

After giving Konatsu some last minute instructions, Ukyou gathered 
her bandoleer and her combat spatula, and headed for the door.

****  ####  ****

Akane was fitting a third dummy to the post when Ranma walked in 
for his... make that *her* morning exercises.  Akane watched as 
Ranma moved to the other end of the dojo, and began a complex 
series of kata.  Ranma's natural grace combined with her feminine 
curves made the exercise into an exotic dance; precise and controlled, 
but with a supple beauty that was mesmerizing.

Despite the bruises, Ranma's expression was serene.  There was, in 
the Art, still peace to be found - at least for Ranma.  Akane had 
never been able to find much of that tranquillity of spirit.  Angrily, 
Akane finished mounting the new dummy and returned to her 
practice.

Akane began her kata and let the rest of the world fade from her 
awareness as she and the blade became one.  She *was* the blade, 
cutting, piercing, slashing.  She could almost feel the material of the 
dummy as the blade whipped through it.  She was so involved with 
her exercise that she did not even notice when Ranma finished her 
warm-ups and fetched a dummy of her own.  Nor did she see Ranma 
flinch when one of her strokes removed the pigtail from her own 
dummy's head.

Akane finished her routine as Ranma was wrestling a dummy onto 
another post.  Something about Ranma's demeanor was beginning to 
irritate Akane again.  Perhaps it was the strained silence that had 
developed between them.  Perhaps it was the aire of resignation that 
hung over her.  Maybe it was just that it was getting harder and 
harder to get a rise out of Ranma.  Akane wasn't really sure, but for 
some reason she felt an intense need to wipe that placid expression 
off of Ranma's face.

"Hey," said Akane.  "Didn't you bathe?"

Ranma's reply was flat and toneless.  "Of course I did."

Akane blinked.  "Then why are you... why are you..."

"Still a girl?"

Akane nodded.

Ranma shrugged.  "Does it matter?"

"A girl doesn't make much of a husband," Akane retorted.

"No, I guess not." Ranma agreed quietly.  Ranma turned back to her 
dummy and started her exercises listlessly - pounding on the inert 
figure with little effect, and less enthusiasm.

Akane's irritation grew.  "You're gonna have to do better than that," 
she taunted.  "You're hitting that thing like a girl."

Ranma just *looked* at her - then turned back to the dummy.

Akane tried another tack.  "So, where were you last night?"

"I was on the roof.  I was watching the stars, and I fell asleep."

"I see.  What if I told you that I had information that you were with 
Ukyou again last night?"

"I'd say that your information was in error."

"Can you prove that?"

"Do I have to?"  Ranma shrugged.  "Nothing that I can say is going to 
convince you of anything.  Believe what you want."

"Dammit, Ranma, you could at least ACT like you were interested in 
our marriage!"  Akane was really starting to get angry.

Ranma turned towards her wife with an incredulous expression on 
her face.  "What...  WHAT did you say?" she managed to gasp.

"You heard me!" snapped Akane.

"You're mad!" Ranma shot back.  "I've tried everything that I could 
think of to make you happy!  I've kept every promise!  I've begged.  
I've pleaded.  I've given you everything that I have; everything that 
I am.  What do I have to do to prove myself to you?

"Well, for starters, you could stay the hell away from Ukyou!"

Ranma had had enough.  "NO!  You've taken just about everything 
else from me - what do I have left?"  she asked bitterly.  "I will NOT 
let you take away my last friend!"

"Don't you mean your lover?  Your mistress?" Akane's voice rose to a 
shout.  "How many times do I have to tell you?  I don't want you 
seeing her anymore!"

"But Akane!  We're just friends!  Honest!"

"You expect me to believe that?!" Akane snarled as a red haze crept 
across her vision.  This was intolerable - the two people most 
responsible for all of her pain were ganging up on her again - her 
husband and his mistress.  A small part of her mind cried out that 
Ranma just might be telling the truth; that he and Ukyou really were 
no more than friends.  She squelched that thought as the rest of her 
mind conjured up images of Ranma and Ukyou together - laughing, 
talking, having fun.  All of the things that Ranma never did with her 
anymore.  "Just how stupid do you think I am?!" she cried.

Ranma belonged to HER, not to Ukyou!  Akane felt her arms tense 
and the rage surge through her like a flash flood.  Rational thought 
was swept away and she surrendered to the blackness, letting the 
torrent of fury overwhelm her.

##  ***  ##

Ukyou could hear voices as she approached the dojo.

"How many times do I have to tell you, I don't want you seeing her 
anymore?!"  Akane was screaming.

"But Akane," came Ranma's answer, "We're just friends!  Honest!"

"You expect me to believe that?!"  Akane retorted.  "Just how stupid 
do you think I am?!"

"Would it matter?" asked Ranma bitterly.

"WHAT was that?"

"You've never believed me before; I don't expect that you'll start 
now."

"Well, why ELSE would you be with HER all the time?  Why not your 
other friends?  What about them?!"  Akane's tone was acid.

"What other friends?" Ranma asked.  "Ucchan's the only friend I've 
got left!"  She was shouting now.  "She's the only one that you haven't 
managed to scare off!"

Ukyou stepped onto the porch, and looked into the training hall.  
Ranma, still in girl form, was standing at one end of the room, just 
under the family shrine.  Akane stood facing Ranma, holding the 
katana that Nodoka had given her when she and Ranma had married.  
The blade glinted as she swung the katana towards the slashed 
remains of a number of training dummies that bore mute testimony 
to the extent of her rage.

"And just what is THAT supposed to mean?"  Akane's voice was 
getting shrill.

"Just that!  No one ever comes by anymore because of the way we 
fight all the time!  It makes them uncomfortable.  Don't you get it?  
They're AFRAID of you!  Ryouga, Kunou... Everybody!  Hell, you even 
have KASUMI scared!"

Akane took a half step toward Ranma, prodding at her with the 
katana.  Ranma ducked to the side, avoiding the blade, and Akane 
moved to pursue.  Ukyou tried to scream, but succeeded only in 
uttering a strangled gasp.

Ranma saw her at that point, and called a warning.  "Be careful, 
Ucchan!  Stay back!"

Akane whirled.  "YOU!!" she screamed at Ukyou.  "I told you to stay 
AWAY from Ranma!  He's MINE!  This is all YOUR doing!"

Ukyou felt as if she were paralyzed - time seemed to stand still.  She 
had known that Akane had grown more violent, but she was totally 
unprepared for the brutal reality.  The girl that stood before her now 
was more like an animal than a thinking being.  Ukyou's eyes were 
drawn to the blade that Akane was waving, as the hammering of her 
own heart fought for her attention - and lost.

Akane swung the tip of her katana back towards Ranma, her eyes 
flashing with ill suppressed fury.  As she tightened her grip on the 
handle, Akane's voice was like thunder in Ukyou's ears.  "I warned 
you... I warned you both!  DIE, RANMA!"

Ukyou watched, horrified, as Akane thrust forward with the katana.  
Ranma was too startled to even *try* to evade;  the blade slid easily 
into her abdomen just below the ribs, and out through her back.  
Ranma blinked, a look of shocked surprise frozen on her bruised 
features.  She fell to her knees as the blade was withdrawn, its bright 
finish stained red with her blood.

Ranma convulsed once, coughing up blood as the light faded from her 
eyes, and, like a puppet whose strings had been cut, she dropped 
quietly to the floor of the dojo.

"Ran-chan... NOOOOooooo!" screamed Ukyou, rushing forward.  Her 
combat spatula clattered to the floor as she tossed it aside.

Ukyou dropped to her knees beside Ranma's limp form.  Frantically, 
she rolled Ranma over onto her back as she pulled the large ribbon 
from her hair.  Hugging Ranma to her and using the ribbon as an 
impromptu bandage, she tried desperately to staunch the flow of 
blood from the gaping wound.

Ranma's breathing was rapid and shallow, her eyes glazed.  Flecks of 
blood stained her lips.  "Ucchan?" she managed to gasp.

"I'm here, Ran-chan...  It's going to be okay..."  Ukyou sobbed as she 
fought to stop the bleeding.  "You're going to be all right..."

"I... I'm sorry..."

Ukyou felt a searing white heat pierce her heart as Ranma twitched 
in her arms and was still.  She fought to hold on to Ranma's body, but 
her arms had suddenly turned to lead, and refused to obey her.  
Ranma fell back to the floor of the dojo and Ukyou could see a new 
gash between the redhead's breasts.

Numbly, Ukyou looked down.  The tip of Akane's katana protruded 
from her own chest, spilling her blood and Ranma's to mix in a pool 
on the floor.  She tried to stand, but could not move her legs.  She 
stared up uncomprehendingly at Akane's hate filled expression.

"You want him?" Akane snarled.  "Then join him in hell!"

Waves of agony swept through Ukyou as Akane withdrew the blade, 
twisting it as she pulled it free.  Ukyou swayed once and pitched 
forward onto the lifeless body of her childhood friend.

The last sound that Kuonji Ukyou heard was Kasumi's terrified 
scream.

##  ***  ##

Kasumi was walking towards the dojo with a tray of snacks, and 
things for tea.  Ranma and Akane had been squabbling all morning, 
and when Ukyou had arrived, Kasumi had decided that she had 
better keep an eye on things.  Besides, Akane would usually listen to 
her eldest sister even when no one else could get through to her.

Kasumi could hear Akane's voice as she stepped into the courtyard.  
Though she could not make out the words, the tone was clear enough.  
As was her wont of late, Akane was angry.  Kasumi sighed.  This was 
not going to be easy.  Suddenly, another shout brought Kasumi up 
short.

"Ran-chan!  NOOOOoooooooooo!"

That was Ukyou!  The anguish and despair in that scream had been 
almost tangible.  The tray she had been carrying clattered to the 
ground as Kasumi began to run.

Nabiki had heard the scream as well, and was leaning out of the 
family room door as Kasumi ran past.  Kasumi saw her and shouted.  
"Nabiki!  Tofu!  NOW!"

Nabiki bolted for the phone.  She had never in her life heard that 
tone from Kasumi, and it terrified her.

Kasumi heard Ukyou sobbing as she hit the porch and ran into the 
dojo proper.  What she saw there stopped her dead in her tracks.

Ukyou was on her knees holding the girl Ranma tightly in her arms.  
What she could see of the front of Ranma's shirt was soaked with 
blood, and blood was collecting in a large pool under Ranma's body.  
Ranma's eyes were all but closed and her breath came in short, sharp 
gasps.

Kasumi started forward to help, but came up short again, as she 
caught sight of her youngest sister.  Her eyes widened in horror.

Akane stood over her husband and the sobbing Ukyou, wearing an 
expression of such animal rage and hatred that she no longer looked 
human.  Gory red stains spattered the front of her gi.  She was 
holding her katana in both hands, and Kasumi was horrified to see 
the crimson film of blood running the length of the blade.

Kasumi could not move.  She was frozen... trapped like an insect in 
amber.  It was as if she were held fast by some unseen force, while 
the world moved in slow motion around her.  A part of her mind 
screamed out that she could fix everything... She could make it all 
better.  It would all be all right, if only she could move... if only she 
could move...

But it was not going to be all right.  As Kasumi watched helplessly, 
Akane brought her katana around in one fluid motion, driving it 
deeply into Ukyou's back.  Ranma shuddered once and was still.  
Ukyou lost her hold on Ranma's body as her arms fell limply to her 
sides, and the red-head fell back onto the dojo floor.  The blade of 
Akane's katana had gone through Ukyou, and right through Ranma's 
heart.

Kasumi watched as Ukyou looked up at Akane.  Akane was saying 
something - the words held no meaning for Kasumi - but the timbre 
was unforgettable.  That snarl would haunt her dreams for the rest 
of her life.  Akane wrenched her blade from Ukyou's body, twisting 
savagely as she tore it free.  With a small, gurgling cry, Ukyou fell 
across Ranma's corpse and was still.

Kasumi heard someone begin to scream.  After what seemed an 
eternity but could have been no more than a fraction of a second, she 
realised that the voice was her own.  Akane whirled at the sound and 
the heat of her glare cut into Kasumi with searing force.  All other 
sounds were drowned out as a roaring filled Kasumi's ears and the 
world went black.

##  ***  ##

Someone was screaming - Akane could just hear it over the roaring 
in her ears.  It was not the sharp scream of anger, or even the ragged 
cry of pain, but rather the mournful, keening wail of absolute terror.  
Akane whirled to face the source of the sound, and was dimly aware 
of a figure crumpling to the ground.

Her mind echoed the scream she had heard.  The effect was like 
icewater on her spine, chilling her to the core.  Akane blinked as the 
haze began to lift from her vision, and the world swam back into 
focus.  The first image she registered was that of the figure collapsed 
in the entrance to the training hall.  Kasumi.

Akane reacted on instinct, calling out her sister's name as she moved 
forward.  She started to trip over something on the floor.  Looking 
down, she froze - unable to fully comprehend what she was seeing.

Ranma lay flat on the floor, her eyes half open, staring blankly into 
the nothingness.  Ukyou was sprawled over Ranma's body, sightless 
eyes open wide, a trickle of red pooling under a slack jaw.  There was 
blood everywhere - and neither of them were breathing.

Akane took a step backward, the horror of the scene before her 
washing all thoughts of her sister from her mind.  She slipped on the 
blood-slick matting, and fell back onto the floor.  Instinctively, she 
tried to catch herself as she fell.  The tatami was warm and sticky - 
and her hand came away wet.  Akane's katana dropped from her 
numbed fingers and clattered to the floor.  The sound drew her gaze 
to the weapon, and the bright film of blood that stained its mirrored 
blade.

Akane's mind tried to grasp the enormity of what she was seeing, 
and failed.  This could not be reality - it was a nightmare - a horrible 
dream from which she would awaken soon.  Any second now, she 
was going to wake up in her nice, warm bed, with Ranma beside her, 
and this horrible image would be no more than a rapidly fading half 
memory.

Any second now.  Any second.  She would be waking up.  Why wasn't 
she waking up?  She was ready for this dream to be over now.  She 
tried to cry out, but a strangled whimper was all that could squeeze 
past the tightness in her throat.  Please, God, let me wake up...  
Tearing her gaze from the gory scene before her, Akane looked down 
- to see the thick red stains that covered her hands, and the front of 
her gi.

Akane screamed.

##  ***  ##

Nabiki was the first to reach the dojo after she had heard Kasumi's 
scream.  She ran across the courtyard toward the dojo, until she 
caught sight of her elder sister's limp form sprawled in the entryway 
of the training hall.  A tightness gripped her chest as fear threatened 
to overwhelm her.  Summoning all of her courage, Nabiki approached 
her fallen sister.

Kasumi was alive, and there were no obvious wounds.  Her breathing 
was deep and even, and Nabiki decided, with no small measure of 
relief, that she had simply fainted.  Satisfied that Kasumi was in no 
danger, Nabiki stood and walked into the dojo.  She was halfway 
across the practice hall before Akane's anguished wail froze her in 
her tracks.  She would never forget that instant as the details of the 
tableau before her were burned into her memory.

Nabiki started to back slowly out of the dojo, her mind fighting 
desperately to deny what she was seeing.  "No..." she sobbed quietly,  
"No, please..."  She nearly jumped out of her skin as she found her 
retreat blocked, and gentle hands caught her shoulders.  Fighting the 
urge to scream and run, Nabiki turned and found herself face to face 
with Doctor Tofu.  The expression of shock and horror on the doctor's 
face was a mirror of her own.

Tofu's voice sounded hoarse to Nabiki.  "Go on," he said.  "Get Kasumi 
into the house.  I'll... I'll do what I can here."

Numbly, Nabiki nodded and stumbled towards the entryway where 
her older sister was still lying.  She was grateful for anything to keep 
her mind away from the scene in the dojo.  With a strength she 
didn't even know that she had, Nabiki lifted her sister's unconscious 
body and fled into the house.

##  ***  ##

Tofu had been on the phone with Nabiki when he had heard Kasumi's 
scream in the background.  He had been out of the door before the 
telephone handset in the clinic had hit the floor.  He ran the three 
blocks to the Tendou home as fast as he could.  He had been too late.

Kasumi's injuries were not physical - though she and Nabiki would 
both no doubt be scarred for life.  After sending Nabiki and Kasumi 
to relative safety, Tofu carefully approached the youngest Tendou.

Akane was babbling, childlike, trying to wake Ranma up.  She would 
shake the redhead's body, alternating between pleading and crying.  
"Please, Ranma!  Wake up!  I'm sorry, Ranma... I didn't mean it!  
Please, won't you please wake up?"

It didn't take any medical training to see that Akane's pleas would go 
unanswered.  Tofu came up behind Akane quietly, and, bracing for 
the worst, laid a hand on the sobbing girl's shoulder.  Akane froze for 
an instant before turning around slowly.  When she saw Tofu, her 
eyes lit up with hope.

"Sensei!" she cried.  She threw her arms around him and sobbed into 
the front of his shirt.  "Thank god you're here!  Ranma...  Ranma 
needs your help!  He won't wake up!  Please, sensei... please make 
Ranma wake up!"

Reflexively, Tofu put his arms around her, and hugged her tightly.  
As gently as he could, he said, "I'm sorry, Akane.  There's nothing 
that I can do for Ranma now.  Ranma... is dead."

"Dead?" she sniffed.  "He can't be dead... he's still a girl!  Make him 
wake up."

"Akane, you have to believe me.  Ranma... Ukyou... they're both 
dead."

"NO!  You're lying!  He *can't* be dead... he's Ranma!  No one can beat 
him!  No one!"  Akane started to struggle - trying to break free of the 
doctor's grip.  "You can fix it!" she cried, "You can make it better!  
Make the pain go away!  Why won't you fix it?  Why?!"

As Akane's cries pushed into full hysteria, Tofu applied pressure to a 
set of key points on the back of her neck.  Akane stiffened briefly 
and then lapsed into unconsciousness.  He lifted her and carried her 
out of the dojo, and back into the house.

****  ####  ****

Ukyou's father had proven impossible to locate - no one the Tendous 
had been able to reach even knew if the old man was still alive.  In a 
rare moment of lucidity, Tendou Soun declared that his clan would 
take responsibility for Ukyou's arrangements as well as Ranma's.

The funeral visitation was held in the dojo, the caskets occupying the 
same space that the altar had at the wedding, not quite a full year 
before.  Each coffin was draped with a black shroud, and topped with 
a photograph of the deceased.  There were two photos on Ranma's, 
one showing his female form.  Candles provided an eerie, flickering 
illumination, and the scent of incense filled the air.

Tendou Soun was absent - under sedation and the watchful eyes of 
his eldest daughter and the family doctor.

Kasumi dealt with her grief as best she could, alternating between 
looking after her father and taking care of the house as she always 
had.  As she ran out of chores to do, she would start the cycle again, 
cleaning things that were already clean, taking things out of their 
cabinets so she could put them back away, straightening already 
immaculate rooms, and scrubbing for all she was worth to remove 
non-existant grime and dust.  There was an intensity to her labours - 
a drive fueled by the nagging feeling that if she had been more like 
her mother, if she had been more worthy of her position, she would 
have been able to prevent this tragedy.  If she stopped to think 
about it, she knew better, but her doubts remained.

Nabiki stared sullenly at the caskets, but made no move to go near 
them.  She had an image to maintain, and could not deign to show 
sentiment.  Though no one would be allowed to see her grieve, grieve 
she would.  Even the ice queen had a heart.

Off to one side of the hall, Genma sat motionless, his face grey and 
without expression.  He might well have been made of stone.  He 
watched the processional of friends and family through eyes that 
were cold and lifeless.  No trace of emotion showed through the 
facade.  He had lost his only son.  Nothing mattered anymore - his 
future was gone.  Obliterated in one careless, heated moment.

Nodoka entered the training hall and approached the coffins, her face 
a mask.  Stiffly formal, dressed in full kimono, she was the very 
picture of traditional Japanese grief.  She carried a familiar bundle, 
though this time, it was much shorter.

Tradition, thought Nodoka bitterly.  Tradition had ruled her life since 
the day she had been born.  Tradition had given her a husband, and 
when the Art had taken him away for years at a time, tradition had 
given her stability.  It had given her a sense of purpose that had 
sustained her during the long and lonely nights while her husband 
and son were absent.

She had defied tradition once - when she had given the blade to her 
daughter in law at the wedding.  Why couldn't she have waited?  She 
had just been too excited to see her son wed.  It had interfered with 
her judgment, and now she was paying the price.

Now she hoped that tradition would give her the strength that she 
needed to go on in the face of tragedy.  Carefully she unwrapped her 
bundle.  "Good bye, my son.  If not for my foolishness, you might still 
be here with us now.  I can only pray that your spirits will one day 
forgive me."

Reaching into the cloth wrappings and extracting the shattered 
remains of the Saotome blade, she laid the pieces on her son's casket.  
The last piece was the guard that had borne the family crest.  It had 
been snapped cleanly in two.  "The Saotome line... ends here."  With a 
heavy heart she stood and moved to join her husband, to make room 
as friends and acquaintances came to pay their own respects.

Kunou stood, his expression wooden, though it took every last bit of 
the strength he had to maintain it.  He was Samurai - he would deal 
with his own grief later.  For now, he had to be strong.  For his sister, 
for the Tendous, for the survivors, he had to be strong.

He still could not fathom it.  Saotome Ranma was dead - he had long 
prayed for this day.  But not like this!  Not at this price!  Osage no 
onna was dead - Kuonji Ukyou was dead - Tendou Akane was in an 
institution.  Somehow it was all Ranma's fault - it had to be.  That 
was the only thing that made sense - it was the only thing that he 
could believe, and stay sane.

His sister, Kodachi just stood - shocked to sanity for the time being - 
staring in horrified amazement at the coffins.  The proportions of her 
Ranma-sama's casket seemed off, somehow.  the box was just a hair 
too short.  Like her brother, she had been shocked that Ranma was to 
be interred in the very same vessel as the pig-tailed girl who had so 
brazenly contrived to steal his attentions from her.  And so she had 
done, for he was now forever beyond her reach.

Once the Kunous had left, a lone figure in a short, Chinese style dress 
approached the caskets.  Her great grandmother was back at the 
Neko Hanten, packing for the return to China, and Mousse... Mousse 
had been warned that if he were to approach her during the next 
week, it would be the last thing that he ever did.

Shampoo knelt before Ranma's casket and let the tears come.  With 
great care, she took off an amulet that she had worn for the occasion, 
and laid it on the coffin.  "Stupid, Ranma.  Why so stupid?" her voice 
was a bare whisper.  "Now Shampoo can go home.  But what is point?  
You no will be there.  You never know..." her voice started to break, 
"You never know how much Shampoo love you."

She looked up at the photographs and a flash of raw anger surged 
through her.  "I never know.  I never know what trouble you in.  
Never allowed to know...  Husband..."  Shampoo choked back a sob.  
She had failed him.  If only she had known what was happening, how 
bad things were, she might have been able to do something.  She 
might somehow have prevented this.

With a sob and a cry of "Bie Liao,"  Shampoo ran blindly from the 
dojo and into the night.

Konatsu, dressed in black, came and stood staring vacantly at the 
boxes in front of him.  After a time, he knelt before Ukyou's coffin 
and closed his eyes to pray.  "Good-bye, Ukyou-sama.  In the end, 
you won your love after all, didn't you?  I hope... I hope that you will 
both be happy in the next life.  Think back, on occasion, and 
remember those of us that you left behind... because we will never 
forget you."  Tearfully, Konatsu laid a small spatula, and a single, 
perfect lily next to Ukyou's photograph.

Friends came and went through the evening... Hiroshi and Daisuke 
paid their respects as though in a daze.  Gosunkugi had come and 
stared owlishly at the two caskets, as if unable to believe what he 
was seeing.  Yuka and Sayuri too came to say their good-byes.

The last group to visit was the membership of the self-help group 
from the Civic Centre.  Each member took a moment to say a short 
prayer for their fallen comrades, and to say their farewells.

Keiko could hardly see the scene before her through the tears in her 
eyes.  "Damn you, Ranma," she sobbed.  "I got out.  Why couldn't 
you?"  Trembling, Keiko dropped her offering on the casket - a plain 
gold band.  Her wedding ring.  "It isn't worth the price you paid."  
Yuriko helped the weeping redhead out the door.

When Rei's turn came, she knelt and stared at Ranma's photograph, 
her eyes smouldering with barely suppressed emotion.  With shaky 
hands she placed a small locket on the box.  Her whispery voice 
almost failed her as she said, "Good bye, Ranma.  I will miss you.  
Thank you for your kindness."

Miyuki's turn came next.  She had brought flowers for Ukyou, and for 
Ranma she had brought a book.  "I promised you this when you were 
in hospital.  I know how you were looking forward to reading it.  It 
ends happily, Ranma.  It ends happily; thanks to you."  She fought to 
keep her voice calm, but inside she was screaming, as she read the 
dedication to her husband's first published manga.  "To Saotome 
Ranma... a very special man, with heartfelt thanks.  You gave me a 
chance to get back my happiness and my marriage.  I am forever in 
your debt."  Miyuki set the book gently on the casket.  "And so am I, 
Ranma.  Thank you."

Kimiko was the last.  Kneeling before the coffins, she laid a flower on 
each, and took a deep breath.  "I am an old and foolish woman." she 
began.  "I was very set in my ways, until the two of you came into 
my life.  I can't help but feel that this could have been avoided, if 
only we had done more.  If we had not almost driven you away.  I 
hope that your spirits can find the will to forgive me.  And I bring 
you this promise.  Our group will never turn anyone away, nor give 
them cause to feel unwelcome so long as I draw breath.  We will not 
forget the lessons that you have taught us."

After another moment of silent prayer, Kimiko got slowly to her feet 
and walked out of the dojo to join the others.

****  ####  ****

After several suicide attempts, Tendou Akane had to be restrained.  
She would not be allowed to kill herself.  Strong medications were 
administered to help calm her, but they did nothing for the guilt, the 
pain and the loss that she felt.  Slowly they were driving her mad.

Ranma had tried to help her - as Ukyou had tried to help Ranma - 
and their devotion had cost both of them their lives.  And for what?

Ranma had loved her, as she had loved him.  They were supposed to 
have lived happily ever after!  That was the way that all good stories 
ended.  Not in nightmares like this - where demons from the past 
had risen and driven her to madness and murder.

She had been wrong - so very wrong.  Ranma had been honourable 
and had earned her trust and devotion a thousand times over.  It 
was she who had failed him.

Her despair was overwhelming - her sleep tortured by visions that 
woke her screaming in the middle of the night.  Daily she would beg 
to be allowed to die, to pay for her crimes.  But they would not 
release her.

Until one day, Tendou Akane was gone - retreated - banished into 
whatever internal hell she had made for herself.  She left only a shell 
behind -  a mindwiped doll.  A girl who had no memory of her past, 
or sense of her identity.

*****  ##  ***  ##  *****
*****  ##  ***  ##  *****
EPILOGUE
*****  ##  ***  ##  *****

The girl was sitting on a bench under a cherry tree, her long, dark 
hair fluttering in the breeze.  The skies were grey - the wind chill, 
but with a hint of the warmth that would be coming with the spring.  
Already the branches above her were showing the buds that in just a 
months time would be filling the air with the petals from pink, sweet 
smelling blossoms.

He was late.  Though outwardly calm, one who knew her could tell 
she was nervous from the way her hands worried the plaid fabric of 
her skirt.  She tensed momentarily as a taxi-cab pulled up to the 
curb.  Maybe it was the right one this time.  A pause.  Thank the 
Kami, it was.  She sighed in relief as the lone passenger exited the 
car, paid his fare, and walked toward her.

The force of his depression hit her like a physical blow.  It had not 
gone well.  "Ryouga-kun... are you... okay?"

The man stopped in front of her, and she looked into his eyes.  Her 
heart ached to see the devastation there.  "She... she didn't know me... 
didn't remember me.  She didn't even know her own name!"

She reached towards him, longing to be able to soothe his pain.  He 
let her guide him to a seat on the bench alongside her.  Seeing her 
worried look, he managed a weak smile.

"I'll be okay, Akari-chan.  Really, I will.  Let's just get this over with.  
Which way?"

The couple stood, and Akari led Ryouga down a path, deeper into the 
cemetery.  They walked in silence for a time, passing monument 
after monument - each one cold, barren and sterile.

"I know that you cared for her..."

"There was a time when I was in love with her.  I'd have done 
anything for her... I'd have killed Ranma myself if she'd asked it of 
me."

"Killed him?  You can't mean that!"

"Oh, I hated Ranma... I hated him for so long.  I hated him for what I 
thought he had done to me.  I hated him for what I thought he had 
taken from me.  But in the end, I found out that he was my friend.  I 
didn't realise it until it was too late, but he had always been my 
friend."

"I think that you did know it... deep down."

"Maybe."  Ryouga smiled sadly at Akari.  "It could have been me, you 
know.  I was angry at Ranma for so long that I had almost forgotten 
what it was like NOT to be angry.  So many times I let that anger 
control me - drive me - until it almost drove me insane.  If you had 
never come into my life, If I had never met you, I might never have 
learned to let it go.  It could so easily have been me."

Ryouga shuddered and Akari reached out to him, taking his hand in 
hers.

"Akane really loved Ranma...  I guess that sounds kind of strange, 
after all that's happened, but she did.  It took me a long time to get 
to the point where I could accept that.  I had always known, deep 
down, but your first crush is always the hardest to get over."

"I know..."  Akari squeezed his hand reassuringly.  "It's okay."

"When Ranma married her, I was crushed.  By then I knew that you 
were the one for me, but there was still a part of me that was not 
ready to let go of that dream.  Well, after they were married, Ranma 
started treating Akane better.  Everyone figured that they would 
stop fighting and get along."

"But it didn't get better, did it?"

"No... no, it didn't.  If anything it got worse.  For months, I tried to 
figure out what Ranma was doing to her - how he was tormenting 
her.  He had to have been doing something!"

Ryouga looked at Akari, his expression mournful.  "But he wasn't!  I 
watched him; I watched him like a hawk!  He would bend over 
backwards to avoid insulting her, or saying anything that might be 
taken the wrong way.

"It was never enough.  She *would* take it wrong.  Every time.  She 
reacted to him as she always had - she flattened him.  Nothing he 
would do could placate her.  The more nicely he treated her, the 
more she seemed to be angry with him!  I couldn't figure it out!

"I know how hard Ranma tried...  Akane could be cold when she got 
mad, and she got mad a *lot*.  But at the same time, I could see how 
much she loved him... how she cried after she had hurt him.  She just 
could not or would not stop."

Akari nodded and slowed for a moment, before heading off toward 
one of the monuments.  A simple stone monolith with the name 
"Tendou" engraved on its base.  Three of the gravesites had markers 
on them.  The first was old - about ten years, if Ryouga remembered 
correctly.  That would be Akane's mother.

The other two graves were recent.  The rich scent of freshly dug 
earth still clung to the air around the site - the dark soil still devoid 
of grass.  The markers bore nothing more than the names of the 
people interred.  Saotome Ranma, and Kuonji Ukyou.

The soft rumble of distant thunder made Ryouga reach instinctively 
for his umbrella.  He and Akari stood, staring sadly at the two graves, 
as a cold drizzle started to fall.

"Maybe... maybe if I had tried harder.  Maybe if I had done more, if I 
had done something differently, I could have stopped this."  Ryouga's 
voice was a hoarse whisper.

"Don't do this to yourself, Ryouga," Akari's tone was pleading.  "It's 
not your fault.  You did what you could at the time.  You couldn't 
have known that it would go this far - nobody could."

Ryouga draped his free arm over Akari's shoulders and held her 
tightly.  "It didn't have to be this way.  This should never have 
happened.  If... if only Akane had listened to him... If only he had 
listened to Ukyou - Maybe then they'd still be with us."

Ryouga stepped forward, and knelt before the gravemarkers.  Gently, 
he reached up to his head and drew off two of his bandannas.  
Laying one across each grave, Ryouga murmured a short prayer and 
stood again.  "Come on," he said, his voice on the verge of breaking.  
"Let's go... let's go home."

Two very sad people wandered off into the afternoon, each drawing 
strength from the other... each supporting the other... each loving the 
other - the way it *should* be... the way it should have been for 
Akane and Ranma.

=====
OWARI
=====

Author's Notes:

If you have read this far, Zen thanks you for your patience and your 
persistence.  Zen started out to write an Akane gets Ranma story as 
the result of a promise made to Caroline Seawright - who sort of took 
exception to Zen's 'Ukyou deserves Ranma' bias.  Zen is afraid that 
bias shows up in this story as well.  Funny how that works.

Zen did not start out to write a darkfic... Though Zen does tend more 
toward serious stories than light hearted fluff most of the time, Zen 
never really intended for this to go down the path that it did.  But, as 
Zen was thinking, trying to come up with some new angle from which 
to view the Ranma/Akane relationship, Sebastian Weinberg made a 
careless comment or two in the C&C of another fic that struck a chord 
in Zen - It helped to nail down in Zen's mind just why Ranma and 
Akane are *terrible* for each other.

But Zen had promised to write an Akane gets Ranma fic.  So he did - 
and this is the result.  It just turned out to be an Akane GETS Ranma 
fic.  *sigh*  Caroline, if you read this, Zen offers his apologies... and 
hopes that you may one day forgive him.

Zen would like to thank his pre-readers, too.  Richard Lawson, 
Sebastian Weinberg, Nicholas Leifker, Sean Gaffney and Raphael See.  
Special thanks to Mike "Cynewulf" Noakes, for extensive help with 
the fight/class scenes.

Part of the foreshadowing in this story was based on a Japanese 
custom.  Japanese people will almost NEVER give anything that cuts 
as a wedding present, or to a friend.  It is considered bad luck - as a 
symbol that the marriage, or the friendship might be cut short.  
Nodoka's gift of her katana to Akane was, in a sense, the kiss of 
death.

A note about the group meetings.  Zen researched this bit fairly 
thoroughly, and the sad truth is, there are almost NO support 
structures that exist for men who are beaten by their wives.  There 
are no civil agencies that'll take them seriously - and most women's 
groups *actively discourage* their attempted formation.  The fact of 
the matter is, that rather than the entry scene being unrealistic, their 
shift to acceptance of Ranma *at all* let alone on the first day, is 
totally unrealistic.  Zen had to take a liberty with that, though, or 
none of the subsequent meetings would ever have taken place.  For 
that liberty, Zen relied on the curse - and Ucchan's little temper-fit 
that revealed said curse.  Without it, they'd never have accepted him 
at all.

The material on rage disorders is very real.  Zen has a friend who 
suffers from such a disorder, though he is getting treatment.  It was 
during a discussion with him over the nature of rage disorders that 
this story really started to surface - Akane's behaviour throughout 
the manga and in many fanfics fits the pattern perfectly.

Zen is off to read something light and fluffy now... like maybe 
"Hamlet" or "King Lear."

Ja ne-

Zen no Itan-sha
Ayanami@mindspring.com
April 1997

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