Hello there.  For those of you who know my, My name is of course,
Monty Python.  For those of you who do not know me, than no
introduction is necessary.  Now I know that you must be thinking.
Right now you must be asking yourself, self, what is this blackard
doing here? Isn't he famous or something?  Isn't he a comedic genus?
Yes, I am famous, and yes, I am a  comedic genus.  How nice of you to
notice.  But that isn't the point.  And right now, your asking
yourself, what is the point to all this?  Well if you would shut up
for a bit, I might vary well explain the whole thing to you, wouldn't
I.  So be quiet.  Now then, ever sense the BBC has canceled, rather
rudely I think, my show, I am now forced to bum around all of Briton,
doing public service announcements and mall openings.  Not much of a
living I might add.  So it is with tremendous pleasure, that I bring
you, today's disclaimer.  Ahem.

When last we left our heroes and heroines, I say, that is mightily
politically correct of them, ahem, as well as those who are both
heroes and heroines, balmy, what nut wrote this?  All right all
right, I ready the bloody thing.  No need to shout at me throe my
headphones, okay.  I am a professional you know.  Now, ah yes.
Having just escaped the clutches of the Black Raven, a bit redundant
don't you think?  All right, all right.. Having just escaped the
clutches of the Black Raven, the Saotome School of Any Thing Goes
Marshal Arts, and the Clearwater School of Any thing Goes Indian
Fighting, decided to take there last stand at the Mines of Marty.
Mean while, Akane and Redd, say, they don't sound vary British, do
they.  Look, I don't need some neurotic Spy, yelling at me, Okay.
So, these two were held captive by the bad buy in a fog enshrouded
wood.  You happy now!  Yes, of course I know that I am not done.
Ahem, so without further ado, I present to you Ranma 1/2 in Curse of
the Ghost Dance, Act 10: Tails Told by the Fire.  But not until I
tell you that Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi.  

Rumiko Takahashi?  Wait just one bloody minuet.  This isn't British!
This is some kind of foreign fan fiction, isn't it!  Why am I giving
you this discount rate then.  My contract specifically states that I
only provide a discount for the use of my name for English works.
Yes I know it's in written English.  You bloody well know I was
referring to domestic work.  For all I know, this thing was written
by some American, about some Japanese cartoon or something.  Well you
can just forget it.  I am not reading the rest.  No, screaming at me
is not helping.  Look, I did not read the whole thing, that means
it's a breach of contract!  No I didn't read the whole thing.  There
are five word left here!  What do you mean what five words?!  Don't
call me a liar, there are so five words that I have not read, right
here on the bottom of the page.  Clearly, written in black and white,
Do not be a pirate.  So, it is I that have the last laugh over all.
Ha ha! 

+----------------------------------------------+ 
|           Code Name D presents:              |
+----------------------------------------------+
|                 Ranma 1/2                    |
|       The Curse of the Ghost Dance           |
+----------------------------------------------+
|                   Act X                      |
|           Tale told by the Fire              |
+----------------------------------------------+

Meditation was not Akane's forte.  She much rather take action, than
to simply sit down and think about something, or worse, about nothing.

Perhaps that was why her training was progressing so slow as of late.

But now, all that was at stake, depended on her meditation.  On her
efforts to sort out the complex sea of emotions that came about her
like a suffocating, seething tied.

The doll remained unmoving, unflinching.  But it still responded, all
the same.  She could feel its emotion.  It was alive.

The doll radiated an unpleasant mix of tormented emotions.  The
greatest of witch seemed to be that of overwhelming loneliness.  A
longing need unfulfilled, of desperate passion  and desire that was
unrealized.  The doll's melancholy was palpable, even to the point to
cause Akane to withdraw from fear.  Fear that the doll may release
it's lost in the form of rage.  Indeed, its anger was great, and
ancient, and checked only by the barest of margins.

But its anger was not directed at her.  If any thing, she got the
feeling that the doll was begging her to relieve it's suffering some
how.  Pleading with her.

Akane opened her eyes, and considered the doll for a moment.
Thinking about her situation, plotting of any way out.  It stood to
reason that she was some how transported to this place.  Another
dimension?  Another reality?  One thing was for sure, she was not in
Japan.  That meant that a conventional escape impossible.

No, her best, and perhaps only hope, lay within the enigma of the
corn husk doll.

Akane slowly shifted in front of the doll.  Doing so, she felt a
slight shift in emotions that it emitted, as if it's desire was
cooled slightly.

Could it be that this thing was actually male?

Akane continued to move closer, this time, moving more gracefully,
more.. feminine.    This seemed to cool the dolls passion even more
slightly.  But over all, it was like a single drop of water against a
raging forest fire.  It wasn't her that this doll hungered for.

Akane finally stopped about five meters away, and sat down n the side
walk, folding her legs together, and resting her hands on her knees.

With an audible sigh, to further calm the doll to her approach, she
closed her eyes, and began to sort throw the tortured emotions that
the doll was radiating, and to try and think of a way out.

< + + + >

The sun had set, and already, the dominant source of light  and head
was the hastily build camp fire.  Around it, in a truly glum state,
were the members of both the Clearwater School of  Thing Goes Indian
Fighting and the Saotome School of Any Thing Goes Marshal Arts.  The
two who were the most for learn, had to be Tarry Clearwater, and
Ranma Saotome, who both glared hatefully at the fire.  Ranma even
went as far as to toss a stray  stick into the fire, stirring the
embers.

Just as forlorn, but still a bit more constructive, was The Cajun who
was playing a strange, yet interesting tune on a harmonica that seem
to fit the mood of defeat that prevailed the camp.

Ryouga, with his ever present back pack, had broke out what few
rations he had, manly in the form of instant Ramón noodles.

Bob, the mechanic, was leaning against the tree, and toying with a
yo-yo.

Soun and Genma were playing Shoige on a portable game board.  Cindy
and Kelly were playing bridge with a deck of cards.

Shampoo and Ukyou were leaning against each others back, trying to
get some much overdue sleep.

The only one who worked to be productive, was The Shaman, who was
seemingly in between contemplation, and meditation.  Some times, his
eye's would be closed, and he would quietly sing to himself in his
native language.  Other times, he was babbling in English, scratching
out thoughts in the dirt before him.

It continued like this for some time. With no one talking for most of
the time.  And when some one did speak, it was usually Genma,
prompting Soun to make his move.  With the only sounds to be heard,
was The Cajun harmonica, struggling to play over the constant
crackling and thunder of the ceaseless lighting storm above.

With a deep frown, Genma considered the game, patiently waiting for
Soun to decide on his next action.  Finally, he moved.

Genma didn't need to consider his next move vary long.

"I win again," Genma exclaimed, "That's four times in a row, Tendo.
You seem to be a little distracted."

Suddenly, Soun's gaze snapped onto Genma, and his frown became a
glare.

"Distracted you say?!" Soun said.  His tone grabbed every ones
attention.  "Distracted!?  Tell me Saotome, why should I be
distracted.  Even though my little girl is helplessly bound in the
merciless grasp of some killer Native American spirit,  run amuck.
Who plans on destroying the world, who is even now working on
bringing horror and destruction on my precious Kasumi and Nabiki back
home," Soun said.

He then stood up, knocking over the portable shogie board, and began
to shout aloud, redirecting his anger from Genma, and to the Shaman.
Ukyou and Shampoo both woke with a start.  Even Ranma gave Soun some
more space.  But the Shaman seemed to not take notice of Soun's
sudden display of contempt.  "While we sit here, roasting
marshmallow, and listening to the militant Swedish chef playing his
harmonica!  WHY SHOULD I BE DISTRACTED!!"

"Calm down Mr. Tendo," The Shaman said, still not showing any other
sign of noting Soun's rage, "Your anger will not serve  your daughter
in any way."

Suddenly, there was an uneasy silence, and Soun's glare intensified
against The Shaman.

Ranma suddenly gulped nervously.

"Uh oh," Ukyou said.

"Shampoo no can watch."

Genma's response was to high tale it into the woods.

"And sitting around the fire is going to help my daughter!", Soun
hissed.

Suddenly, the woods were gone, with only raging fire and  suffocating
brimstone in the back ground.  A giant purple Soun head commanded a
still calm and sitting Shaman who still did not bother to look up to
notice the angrily waving tongue that was directed at him.

"!!WHAT DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR MY DEAR AKANE!!"

< ! ! ! C R A S H ! ! ! >

The woods were now back as they were, and every one was  still
sitting around the camp fire, all though some what scarred  into
silence, but were still alive after Soun's display of demonic anger.

But oddly enough, Soun did not fair as well for some reason.   He
still stood where he stood before his display, still looking  at the
Shaman while pointing a finger at him.  But his Comono was ash over
his body.  His long black hair stood on end, with waifs of smoke
curling from its body.  There was even a small fire burring away at a
few strands at one end.  His eye's were wide open from shock, and the
expression of shear surprise replaced his demonic anger.

Soun opened his mouth to say something, but he was only able to utter
a tiny black cloud from the cavity, and a quit gasp.

The Shaman, who thus far had barley acknowledged Soun's tantrum,
finally began to take notice with an odd surprised expression of his
own.

"Hay!" Ranma shouted, "You can't do that to Mr. Tendo."

"Yay, he is one of us!", Ukyou said as well as both she and Ranma
confronted The Shaman.

"What kind of person attacks like that without even so much as a
warning?" Ryouga said.

The Shaman stood up, and made a closer inspection of the charred and
burnt Mr. Tendo.

"It was not me who attacked him," The Shaman said, still wearing a
surprised expression.

"Why, if'en I didn't know any better, I would say that the man was
struck by lighting," Kelly said.

"A likely excuse," Ranma said.  Suddenly, at that moment, Genma came
sprinting back from the woods, clearly frightened within an inch of
his life.  He quickly grappled Tendo and he nervously looked around.

"I.. I just saw a lighting strike and.. AHHHH!"

Suddenly, Genma realized who it was that was struck by lighting, and
fainted dead away.

Ranma, Ukyou, and Ryouga could only blink in confusion.

"Well I'll be tarred and feathered," Kelly said, "Mr. Tendo was stuck
by lighting."

"But if you didn't attack Mr. Tendo, Shaman," Tarry said, "Then who
did?"

The Shaman then looked up at the still constant lightning that raged
over head.

"Hmm, Mr. Tendo's anger must have attracted the energies of the sky
and the ground towards him, like a magnet.  This must be how the
Black Raven is harnessing the energy," The Shaman said.

"Well now," Marry Lou said, "That dose nicely explain how the Black
Raven is drawing his power.  But I am still not seeing how he was a
angering the two spirits in the first place?"

"Could a doll have any thing to do with it?" Ukyou asked.

This caught both the attention of Marry Lou and The Shaman.

"What about a doll?" The Shaman asked.

"In the kitchen, I saw Akane taking to a corn husk doll," Ukyou said.

"Hay Ranma, didn't we see that Conquistador and Indian jump out the
guest room window with two dolls?" Tarry said.

"Now that you mention it.  One was a girl doll, and the other a boy
doll.  I think that was what they came for in the first place," Ranma
said.

"Could it be?" The Shaman said, "It is vary possible."

"Is what possible?" Marry Lou said.

"Yes, if it is true, and I think it is, then we may be able to come
up with a strategy that we can employ," The Shaman said, more
babbling to himself than any thing.

"Strategy smatigey," Tarry snapped again, "I say we all dog pile on
this clown and get it over with."  

Tarry's head suddenly had Area's giant sized fist slammed on top of
it.

"Area not like dog joke."

"The Black Raven can not be harmed by force, any more than a knife my
cut the wind around it," The Shaman said, "But we may be able to
launch a two pronged attack.  But to make my plane plain, I must
explain what we are up against.  Nothing less than the Earth and Sky
itself.


"Long before man ever walked the land.  The spirits dwelled in this
plane.  Each spirit has a special interaction with the others.  But
two in particular had a close bond.  For nearly an eternity, the
spirit of the sky, and the spirit of the earth have been attracted to
each other, and began to share an undeniable love.  But even thou
they meet and  embrace each other cross the full breath of the land,
they were for ever apart as the land and the sky is apart.

"Then, about two thousand years ago, the two spirits chanced upon two
lovers.  A man and woman who lived and loved in these vary hills
among which we sit.  The spirits I commune with tell me their names
were Dancing Cloud, and Warrior of the River.  Their love for each
other was so great, that the spirits could not help but to see it.
Then, both sprits came to a new level of understanding.  The grate
spirit of the sky, saw kinship with Dancing Cloud, and became
feminine.  The grate spirit of the earth saw kinship with Warrior of
the River, and became masculine.

"When Dancing Cloud and Warrior of the River spoke to the spirits of
the sky and earth to proclaim their eternal union, the spirits
answered.

"They would receive bountiful hunting, and strong children, if they
would share their love with the spirits.  Dancing Cloud and Warrior
of the River agreed.

"To share their love, the two lovers were instructed to make two
dolls from the husk of corn, and allow them to dry in the sun on a
patch of freshly turned soil.  One was in the form of a woman,
crafted by Warrior  of the River.  The other, in the form of a man,
to be made by  the hands of Dancing Cloud.  Dancing Cloud and Warrior
of the River were then told to share the two dolls with each other
as they shared all things.  The dolls would observe as they share
their dreams, their passion, and their bodes in pleasure.  It would
be through the two dolls that the spirits of the sky and earth would
experience human love, and human life.

"For a short time, all lived in unprecedented happiness.", The Shaman
continued, "Then the Spaniards came.

"From the south, a grate battle was raged.  The defenders of the
Mayan Empire had gathered an impressive army, one equal to the
invaders.  A bloody battle forced the invaders to retreat to the
north, with the Mayans close on there heals.  Then near this valley,
the Spaniards stood their ground, and a new battle ragged.  Blood was
spilled for days and nights.  Carnage and death were dealt under both
sun and torch.  In the end, the Spanish soldiers were victorious, but
the price of victory was grave.  Their numbers were so culled that
further invasion was impossible, and grate armies cut them off from
the sea, their only means of reinforcement or retreat.

"In their anger, the Spaniards came across the village in which
Dancing Cloud and Warrior of the River dwelled.  Warrior of the
swiftly left to join in futile combat, and was slain.  Unchallenged,
the Spaniards attacked the defenseless village.  Dancing Cloud was
rapped, and then stabbed.  When she revived, her dwelling was a
blaze, and she died a horrible death."

It was then that Ranma noticed a few sniffles from around the camp.

Kuno was slumped in sorrow, his hand to his forehead.

"Ho, what unmeasurable tail of sorrow.  A great and tender love,
dashed upon the jagged rocks of war.", he sighed.

Area, a grate giantess of a woman sat perfectly still,  with her
lower lip quivering uncontrollably.  Sitting next to her, Marry Ann
dabbed her eye's with a hanky.

Ukyo looked truly long faced, and The Cajon, who just happened to be
sitting next to her, was actually openly weeping.  When suddenly, the
Cajon let lose a shower of tears as he leaned on Ukyo's shoulder for
support.  Even Shampoo, the least like of all to be moved by such a
tale, sniffled.

Genma and Soun were crying in each others arms.

"Shampoo never hear such sad story." Shampoo said.

It was then that Ranma herd a sniffle to his right.  Turning, he
realized that Tarry was pulling away tires of her own.

"Not you too!", he snapped.

"Hay, I'm just as sensitive as the next girl.", Tarry said

"Ho please.", Ranma said.

"Ahem.", the Shaman said.  "As I was saying, when the grate spirits
of the earth and sky learned of this.  It was too late.  Stricken
with grief, and loss, they began to unleash their fury upon the
Spaniards.  In an attempt to flee the vary might of the earth and
sky, they ran across the vary battle failed where they slain the
defenders.  There, they met their doom at the hands of nature's fury.

"Having exacted some measure of revenge, the grate spirits of the sky
and the earth returned to the burned village.  There,  they
instructed the survivors to place the two lovers in each other's
embrace, and to bury then in a hill, so that both the earth and sky
could cradle their loss.  The dolls were also to have been said to
have been burred with them.  Their power to share love with their
retrospective spirit still intact.

"The spirits tell me that the hill where we encounter the Black
Raven, is the vary hill where the dolls were burred with the two
lovers."

"I see," Ukyou said, "This Black Raven dug up the dolls, and handed
it to Akane and Redd.  The dolls were designed to channel the love
that Akane and Redd experienced to their perspective spirits."

"But Akane and Redd aren't in love with each other." Bob said.

"Precisely.  That's why the spirits are so pissed.  It must be like
adding injury to insult," Ukyou said, "It must be a torture for them
to be so close, yet so far."

"So all we have to do, is get the dolls form Akane and Redd, and put
them back, right?"  Ranma said.

There was a moment of silence.  Even the Shaman didn't seem to have
an immediate response.

"It might work." The Shaman finally said, "But it would not end the
problem, the black Raven must be dealt with as well."

"Cool," Tarry said, "I've been meaning to take away Redd's dolls for
some time now." 

Suddenly, Area knocked Tarry up one side of her head again.

"Hay!  What did you do that for Area?  I said doll, not dog!"

"All sound same to Area."

"But if we take away his power, wouldn't  ki blast be enough to end
it?" Soun said.

"Possibly," The Shaman said, "At the vary least, it will force him to
end his attack against Tokyo.  But I doubt that it would destroy the
Black Raven.  There is also the possible that removing the dolls now
may only anger the spirits further, fueling the Black Raven's power,
rather than starving it."

"Shampoo have question.  Is sure spirit ward no work?  If yes then
Shampoo have idea."

Shampoo took a stick and began to draw a Chines pattern on the
ground.  A pattern that began to capture the Shaman's interest.

"Shampoo learn from Grate Grand Mother.  Is called spirit mine.  When
spirit step on, it blow spirit to pieces, like real mine to person."

The Shaman continued to stair at the pattern.

"Hmm, if we can modify this, it may work after all.  Surely, the
Black Raven can not expect this and will have no defense," The Shaman
offered.  With that, he picked up a stick, and began to alter
Shampoo's echoing.  Changing the Chines symbols for hieroglyphic type
symbols that were highly stylized with Native American influence.  He
then stood back to study it.

"It's possible.  But not in this form.  A dream catcher is what we
need," The Shaman said.

"Shampoo not know what dream catcher is."

"It's resembles a hand crafted spider web with feathers hanging
down," The Shaman said, "Evil dreams are caught in the web, and burn
away with the sun comes up.  While the pleasant dreams will fall down
to the sleeper bellow.  But it was never meant to catch spirits.
However, these modifications may expand the reach of the dream
catcher to capture the dark spirit energy of the Black Raven.  When
sun light strikes the dream catcher, the dark energy and the light
energy within the Black Raven will be separated.  It may work.

"But how do we get the Black Raven to step on it?" Genma asked.

"I can handle that," Bob said, patting his wrench, "With my Mechanic
Advantage attack, I can easily leverage here where we need him to be."

"But then sense son light is needed, he can't do this until dawn,"
Tarry said.

The Shaman nodded.

"It may work indeed.  But only if his power source is removed.  The
dolls most come first," The Shaman said, "And I think I have a plan
on how to do that in a way that the Black Raven may not expect.
Akane and Redd's strange behavior must be due to some sort of
influence on the part of the Black Raven.  He has the power to use
his fog to distort the real world, and the dream world.  To give each
qualities of the other.  He must be holding Akane and Redd in a dream
plane.  It may be possible to send another to that same dream plane
to communicate with ether Akane or Redd.  Both, if they are in the
same plane.  That warrior they then be able to free one from the
dream plane."

"Is this some form of astro-projection?" Soun said.

"To an extent, yes," The Shaman said, "But the 'spirit' dose not
wonder the real world, only a dream world where any thing is
possible.  There are risks.  The dreamer will be venerable.  If the
body is moved, even in the slightest, the spirit may not be able to
find its way back."

"But other than that, the spirit is invulnerable, right?" Tarry said.

"To a large extent, yes," The Shaman said.

"Then we have our bait for the Black Raven," Tarry said, "If the
warrior is successful in braking what ever spell he has on Redd, the
Black Raven will have to come to the sleeper to deal with her, giving
Shampoo the opportunity to use her thimigady do.  Yep, this is the
part where I valiantly volunteer to say the day." she said with a
toss of her blond pony tail.

"Hay!" Ranma shouted, "What about Akane?"

"What about her?" Tarry said, "Like I care about some judo kicking
tom boy."

With that, Ranma got into Tarry's face, who returned in kind.

"And I suppose you do care about some clumsy sissy who playas with
dolls," Ranma said.

"Gerrrrr!" Tarry said.

Just then, The Shaman cleared his through.

"Actually, I have already decided that Ranma shall go."

"What!" Tarry said, "Now wait just one cotton picking minuet here..."

"It shall be Ranma, because he is tuned into Akane's dream world.
Once he is there, any thing can happen.  Akane may herself become
endangered.  But as oppose to Redd, I feel that Akane will be far
better equipped."

Ranma took The Shaman's decision well, by giving Tarry the raspberry.
This, only promoted her to growled back at him.

"Ranma," The Shaman said, "Your peace of mind must be assured.
During the dream walk, you will be completely vulnerable, and once
discovered, the Black Raven will come and try to kill you.  You will
need one person to stand watch over you."

"Not a problem, right Ranma?" Ukyou said, suddenly appearing from
Ranma's left.

"Shampoo guard husband with life," Shampoo said, suddenly appearing
on Ranma's right.

"You, keep watch over Ranma?!  Hah, Ranma's got more to fear form
you, you hussy!  Besides, I'm his fiancée," Ukyou said.

"And Specula you carry suppose to move fear into hart of monster.
Shampoo not think so."

"Actually, I think I would prefer Ryouga," Ranma said.

"You keep out of this!" Ukyou snapped,

"You keep hands to self, Ranma is Shampoo husband!"

"It's just killing you inside that he is my fiancé, and not yours,"
Ukyou said.

Shampoo and Ukyou continued to argue.  Mean while, Ranma too
advantage of the distraction, and snuck out from between them.  Tarry
and her mother watched the argument press on, not entirely sure of
what to make of it.

"Stop me if I am wrong mother, but I though Akane was Ranma's
fiancée?" Tarry said.

"Well, I am sure that they do things different over there.  Perhaps
three fiancée is normal," Kelly said.

"IT IS NOT NORMAL!!" both Ukyou and Shampoo shouted at the same time,
bowling both Tarry and her mother over.

"Huh?" Ukyou said.

"Hiya, where Ranma go?" Shampoo said.

Ukyou and Shampoo looked around, just in time to see Ranma, The
Shaman, and Ryouga disappear into the mine.

"Hay!  Wait up!", Ukyou said.

"Shampoo not leave Husband unguarded!"

With that, the two started after them, only to suddenly be tripped up
by something.  Looking back, the noticed that there feet were both
hooked onto the end of a shovel, and the other end was clearly in the
grip of Kelly Clearwater.

"Come on you two, we ain't got time for no hanky-panky guy chase'en
nonsense.  We got a war to win," she said.

< + + + >

This place may have looked like home.  But it was not home.  Not even
close.

Akane allowed herself to fall into her bed, and at once regretted it
when the plush and inviting blankets proved to be as hard as stone.
A rather painful lesson at that, and what was going to a rather nasty
bump on the back of her head in a few minutes.

Akane extracted herself from the phony bed, and examine it closer.
One could have sworn that it was soft and comfortable, just be
looking at it.  That was what her eye's told her, even while touching
it.

"This is vary strange." she said to herself.

Every thing about this artificial home was fake.  All the desks and
drawers were in place, and in working order, but they were all empty.
There were no pencils, no extra change in clothing.

Akane left the worthless bed, and went over to the desk, and looked
out the window.  Again, she shuddered as she saw the giant male corn
husk doll looking back her with it's blank and inhuman glare.

She desperately wanted to shout out to it, to order it to leave her
alone.  But to do so, would be tempting death.  She just was not safe
around it.  Not so long as this wave of anger surrounded it like a
closing tide.

The sky above was even more distilling.  A bright blue sky, with
fluffy white clouds drifting by.  But there was no sun, even though
every thing was so bright.  The clouds moved far to swiftly, even
though there wasn't even the slightest breeze.  Plus, from the higher
vantage point of her bed room window, she could see only more blue
sky, where earth, pavement, and the Tokyo sky line should be.

Akane then decided to re-focus on the problem, the doll, and looked
back down below her window.  Only to discover that it had disappeared
again.  Only gone from sight, she could still feel it's anger, it's
pain and lust for something that she couldn't identify.

A lover perhaps?

Yes, that may actually have something to do with it.

"I wonder if Redd is having the same problems as me?" Akane said,
"Only with the female doll standing watch over him.  Maybe the male
doll is in fact longing for the female doll!"

"Akane!"



Akane looked up from her desk, and at the door.  That was Ranma.
Instantly, she leapt from her chair, spilling it to the floor, as she
burst into the hallway, and down the stairs.  A second later, and she
burst from the from the door, and on to the sidewalk leading to the
front gate.

There, she skidded to a halt, and froze in place in total fear of her
life.  The corn husk doll was there, standing in the middle of the
side walk, as if defying her to approach.

Behind it, was Ranma, clinging desperately to the wall to keep
himself on his feet.  At once, Akane could see that he was in vary
bad shape.  There was a large gash in his side that he was trying to
keep closed with his left hand, and his right arm hung limply and
uselessly from his shoulder.  His left eye had nearly swollen shut.

Akane no longer cared about the doll's presence.  Without fear or
hesitation, she sprinted around the doll, and knelt next to Ranma,
just as he collapsed to the ground, even as he fought to remain
upright.

"Just... one more look... at you..." he weekly said as he looked into
her eyes.

Then he passed out, falling the rest of the way to the ground.

Akane became frantic, the doll still blocking her way.  All she could
do, was watch Ranma bleed to death in front of her.

"RANMA!"  she cried.  But Ranma remained unmoving, and the doll
remained unyielding.

To be continued in act 11: The Dream Warriors.

_____Closing Credits____________________________
-->Insert Elevator Music Here!<-----------------
------------------------------------------------
Story by : Douglas E. Kulp
Editing by : Christopher S Martin
Based on stuff by : Rumiko Takahashi
Transportation and lodging by : Code Name D.
       Gee, Mr. Tendo, I don't see why Long John
Silvers "have" to cook their fish. You might ask
them about that.

[   ___/\/\___   ]Code Name D.
[    _(_@ @)_    ]dougkulp@feist.com
[   _\__\/__/_   ]code_name_d@my-deja.com
[   \   () * /   ]Read the rest at:
http://www.tass.org/fanfic/ranma.curse-of-the-ghost-dance
or read it at the Fan Fiction Underground.  At
http://www.oocities.com/Area51/Aurora/8484/ghost.html

    Source: geocities.com/area51/aurora/8484

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