__/\/\____
_(_@ @)_
\__\/__/ 
Wow, what a day it has been.  The only good thing about
this day in fact, is the fact that it's over.  It is so
over that you are now dressed down to your underwear, and
about to climb into bed.

Yes!  Clean sheets, warm downy blankets, fluffy soft
pillows, the quiet cradle of darkness and silence, the
shifty beady eyes.  ?!?  The shifty, beady eyes!!

"Greetings friend."

"AHHHH!!"

You suddenly sit up when you realize that some how, that
shifty, sneaky looking spy, Code Name D, has some now
climbed into bad after you.

"Wow, you look really tense.  You're not going to get any
sleep that way.  When I have trouble sleeping, I usually
like to do a little light reading.  Personally, I prefer to
look at security system diagrams and combination lock
schematics.  But I think Have just the thing in your case.
The next act to Curse of the Ghost Dance."

With that, Code Name D produces a manila envelope out from
under the covers, and handed it to you.

"Hmm, if I remember right.  I believe every one had
retreated to the mines of Marty, and waiting rather grimly
for the Black Raven's next move.  Meanwhile, the Shaman was
going to send Ranma into the dream plane in order to rescue
Akane, as well as to launch a preemptive strike to bring
the Black Raven out into the open.  But then Akane
discovered Ranma with a sever wound in his side, and is in
no shape to be rescuing anyone.  But when the Black Raven
is concerned, things are now always what there appear to
be."

You take the folder, and it reads: Ranma 1/2 in; Curse of
the Ghost Dance; Act XI, Dream Warriors.  Well, maybe
later, so you place it on the night stand.  You then give
Code Name D the boot out of your bed.

"Okay okay.  I can take a hint.  But before I go, let me
remind you that Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi, so
don't be a pirate."

With that, he silently creeps from your bed room, finally
allowing you to snuggle back into your bed, and to lose
yourself in the warm clean comfort.  Just you, the
blankets, the pillows, the darkness, and a Japanese
Copyright Agent.

"Moshi Moshi,"

"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
+-----------------------------------------------+ 
|             Code Name D presents:             |
+-----------------------------------------------+
|                  Ranma 1/2                    |
|        The Curse of the Ghost Dance           |
+-----------------------------------------------+
|                    Act XI                     |
|                 Dream Warriors                |
+-----------------------------------------------+
The serene silence of the mountain woods was rudely
shattered by the sounds of chopping wood.  A racket caused
by two figures who labored away in the growing shadows of
the evening.

"This is indeed an insult, that I Tatewaki Kuno be ordered
to such degrading manual labor," Kuno cursed as he felled
his ax once more.

"I know what your say'en hansom," Marry Lou said as she two
swing her ax a second time, "If'en it wasn't the Shaman
that was a ask'n me, do you think that I would be ruining
my complexion for such manual labor.  I can all most feel
myself, becoming an old maid."

"Indeed, we both lower ourselves.  I am a warrior, a lover.
To merle chop wood is a waste of my talents and skills."

Marry Lou razed her ax again, ready to send another swing
against the tree.

"Ee-ha!!!"

The shoot was timed just so, so that Marry Lou lost her
balance as she swung down the ax, the result was that Marry
Lou fell flat onto her dairy air.

The tree that she was assaulting suddenly burst into
laughter.  Then Kelly Clearwater stepped out from behind it.

"If'en you two would chop wood as hard as you flap your
gabber, this here job would be done already.  Look at Mr.
Tendo and Mr. Saotome over there.  You see them work'en,
but you don't see them complaining."

Kuno then looked at the tree that Genma and Soun were
working on together with a pull saw.

"For the last time, Genma, this saw is mine," Soun said as
he pulled the saw through to his side.

"I don't think so Tendo.  I saw this saw first," Genma
said, he then pulled the saw back through to this side.

"Give it up panda brain.", Soun said, pulling the saw
though  once more.

Both Marry Lou and Kuno blinked twice in astonishment,
while Kelly looked on in pride.

"And to think, that there is the tenth tree that they cut
that way,", Mary Lou said.

"Cures you host.  Why is it that I must lower the Tatewaki
family name with such demeaning manual labor?", Kuno said
to Kelly.

"What the?  Your a warrior, ain't ya?", Kelly said.

"Indeed, I warrior I Am.", Kuno agreed.

"Then get to chopping wood!" Kelly snapped, "The battle
starts here.  And if we are to have a chance against them
zombies, we had better get this engine built before
sunrise.  Unless'en you don't mind going home in one of
them Japanese style body bags."

Kuno blinked twice at Kelly Clearwater's comments, at first
taking it as an insult.  But the troth was they were facing
a formidable foe.  Already, he had come far closer to death
than he would prefer.

"Vary well.  But you owe me," he said.

"Hah, better for me to owe it to you, than to cheat you out
of it.

Kuno blinked again, then remitted.

"Indeed." he said.

It was then that they heard some one struggling up the hill.
"Hmm," Kelly said, "This sounds like it could be fun.  You
two keep working."

< + + + >

Tarry Clearwater continued to pull at her log.  Working to
pull it down the hill to join the others.  It was just that
she was making zero progress.

"What in the Sam Hill are you trying to do?", she heard her
mother say.

"No du, I am trying to move this log." she said.

"Failing would be more like it.  Why don't you just turn
into a boy and get it over with." Kelly said.

"I can do this as a woman, thank you vary much."  With
that, Tarry returned to her futile struggle against the
rope that she was using to pull the log.

"Oh, sure you can.  Land sakes, you're as stubborn as a any
guy I have ever met.  Always doing things the hard way."
Kelly said.



Suddenly, the log moved, and Tarry, now in her boy form,
was unprepared for the sudden shift, and promptly fell face
down in the dirt.

He glared at his mother, who was smiling brightly, and
holding an empty canteen in one hand.

"Yep, I do feel better now," Kelly said, "Now if that male
ego of yours is finished bleeding, then perhaps you can
pull that log down the hill with the others."

Tarry-kun began to two the log across the dirt, mumbling
all sorts of profanities under his breath.

" Bob returns, Bob returns."

Tarry-kun turned around in time to see a green parrot fly
down, and land on the log that he was towing.

"Report from the front, report from the front "

Tarry-kun dropped his rope, and went over to where the
parrot was standing.  He produced a hot thermos bottle, and
poured some of the contents over the parrot.  In the blink
of an eye, the parrot was gone, replaced by a dusty browned
haired boy warring white and gray, oily coveralls.

"Thanks." Bob said.

"That have you got?" Tarry-kun said.

"Well, they are advancing on the mountain, just as the
Shaman said they would.  But they're moving slowly.  I
think they are more concerned about us escaping, than
trying to kill us."

"Hmm," Tarry-kun said, "They just don't want us to warn
Dirt Hill, that's all."

"Why.  Is there something we can use from town?" Bob said.

"No, he is just being cautious," Tarry-kun ,"When do you
think they will get here?"

"I would say well after sunset, at the rate their going."
Bob said.

"Then they probably will not attack until dawn, if they
attack at all.  Go help out my mother.  I am going to tell
this to The Shaman, as well as see how he is doing with
Ranma.

Tarry-kun began to descend down the hill, down to the mine
entrance.  A short ways into the tunnel that was lit
electric lights inside, and into a side chamber that must
have served as a living quarters.

It was a small circular shaped room, about 20 foot across
or so.  In the center of the room, a small fire was built,
with just enough light and warmth to hold off the dark
dampness of the mind.

Ryouga was standing next to the door.  His arms were
folded, and his legs crossed as he leaned against the wall.
His expression was one of annoyance and boredom.  He
glanced at him, only to acknowledge his arrival.

At the far end of the room, sat Ranma, sitting Indian
style, and with his eye's closed.  Sitting across from the
fire, was the Shaman.

"Reach out for her, with you heart." the Shaman said.
Ranma took in a deep sigh, then flinched.

"Ah, I can't do this." he hissed.

"You must meditate Ranma.  Remain calm." The Shaman said.
"Bob came back from his scouting." Tarry-kun said, "How is
it going?"

"Not well," The Shaman said, "Ranma is difficult, but I
have felt him reach out for his fiancée several times.
Something is blocking him."

"Who, this Black Raven person?"

"Possibly.  But Ranma not having a possession of Akane's
to uses as a focus point makes a difficult task even harder
to  do."

"Hay, don't talk about me as if I weren't in the room!"
Ranma said.

"You are still meditating!" The Shaman said as he shook his
staff at Ranma.  Ranma complied once more, all though
grumbling to himself.

"A possession, huh?" Ryouga said, "What kind of possession?"

"An item that has great meaning to Akane," The Shaman
said, "But she brought few things with her, and what she
did bring, is at the main house, and out of reach."

"I was wondering, would a pet work?" Ryouga said.

Tarry and the Shaman suddenly turned their attention to
him, prompting Ryouga to blush, and twiddle his thumbs.

"Well... you see.. I'm....  herpetpig." Ryouga mumbled, his
voice trailing off.

"Her what?" Tarry-kun said.

"Her pet pig, P-Chan" Ryouga said.

"P-Chan?" Tarry-kun said, blinking, "Is this the same pet
pig that Akane was bragging about at super?  The one whom
she feed in her lap and let sleep with her at night?"  He
continued, his anger growing at Ryouga with each word.

Ryouga grew more ashen and embarrassed, shrinking away from
Tarry-kun.

"Yes," he weekly replied.

"You should be more understanding, Tarry," the Shaman said,
"Perhaps this is acceptable in there culture."

"IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE IN OUR CULTURE!!" both Ranma and
Ryouga yelled, blowing Tarry-kun over with there protest.

But the Shaman's reaction was more violent, and he stuck
Ranma atop his head with his staff.

"YOU ARE MEDITATING!"

Ranma instantly crumpled into a heap next to the fire.  His
eye's were closed, and some spieled began to ooze from his
lip as his tongue hung out part way.  The Shaman nodded to
himself in satisfaction.

"Now that, is meditating." he said, he then looked over at
Ryouga.  "You were saying?"

"Ah, yay, right," Ryouga said nervously.

Tarry-kun handed the Shaman a canteen, and poured a sample
on top of Ryouga.

Instantly, the Japanese boy disappeared, replaced by a cute
little black piglet who was lost in his own clothing as he
looked up.

Tarry-kun instantly melted, and his face lit up with wonder.

"Oh, how adorable," Tarry-kun said.

This promoted the Shaman to clear his through, to remind
Tarry of her current sex.

"Hmm, this gives me a thought.  I must wonder if Ranma
might have an easier chance pushing throw as a girl?"

The Shaman went over to Ranma, and pours a sample of cold
water over him.  Instantly, he, became a she.

"Hop into her lap, Ryouga." The Shaman said as he sat back
down opposite the fire to Ranma.

He produced a small leafy twig, and a hand drum, and began
to chant to a slow rhythmic beat.

"Ranma to seek out Akane, Akane to seek out to Ranma, touch
each other in the spirit plane, make your two soles one
again."

Mean while, Ranma's unconsciousness began to swirl in smoky
color.  Falling in a direction that was neither up or down,
or sideways.  One by one, his senses were striped from him,
leaving him completely alone with the smoke within his
mind.  Soon, even the smoke began to fade into darkness.

The he sensed something.  It was a tiny distant light.  A
light that was always there, but only visible now because
all else had been striped away.  But now, he could not
ignore the light.  He would not ignore it.  He was drawn to
it with forces that were beyond measure.

He suddenly felt him pass throw an unseen barer, and then
the came closer still.

Before he knew what was happening, she, was falling, for
real.  Directly for the fish pond in the back of the Tendo
Dojo.  She cried out, and flawed her arms, desperately
trying to take flight, but to no avail, she plunged into
the cold water, and struck bottom, head first, while here
feet still stuck up into he air.

Slowly, she pushed herself up to her knees, and rubbed the
sore spot on the top of her head.

"Ow, man that hurts.", she said, "I wonder where I..."

Suddenly, as she was starting to look around, she
discovered something that wasn't there before.  Out of
Instinct, Ranma-chan flipped backwards, out of the pond,
and into a defensive posture, and confronted her opponent.

It was a corn husk made doll, standing a commanding eight
foot in height over her.  To the eye, it would seem
perfectly harmless, as it just stood there, unmoving, and
unflinching.  But Ranma knew better, she could feel it's
anger slough off of it like a fog from a hot cup of tea in
the winter cold.  It's  black stitch eye's glared throw her
with completely and total malice.

But it did not act.

A few measured moments passed, before Ranma-chan finally
began to side-step away from this strange and dangerous
artifact.  It's malice continued to follow her, even though
the doll still didn't show any sign of resonate.

Slowly, Ranma began to pass behind the doll, and she began
to feel some what safer.  The threat, not nearly as
immanent as before.  Witch only left Ranma with more
questions, like why the doll "didn't" attack, when it's
malice was so obvious.

Finally, she began to look around at her surroundings.
To his surprise, it was the Tendo house, perfect in every
detail. But at the same time, there was a surreal quality,
as if every thing here was a fake.

"Akane," she said as she remembered her mission.
Slowly, Ranma began to search through the face house.  She
could still feel the menacing doll spirit outside, so she
didn't dare call out to Akane.  It was also possible that
there were worse things waiting for her here.

A search of the lower floor proved fruitless, so she went
upstairs.

"Ranma, no baka"

Ranma-chan flinched.  That was Akane's voice.  So this
wasn't a fools errand after all.  But who was she talking
to?

Ranma went over to the door for Akane's room, and saw that
it was barely open, so she peeked in side.

Akane was sitting on the edge of her bed, tending to
something.  She reached over and dipped a cloth into a
bucket of water, and then returned to what ever it was she
was doing.

"What am I going to do with you?" Akane said.

Ranma-chan was just about to inter, but something stopped
her.  Sense she wanted to hear exactly what Akane was going
to say next.

"This happens every time, Ranma.  Some one else falls in
love with me, and your forced to rescue me, almost loosing
your life in the process. It reminds me of when you saved
me from Prince Toma.  I remember when you  told me that I
was the woman you...  That I was the..."

Ranma-chan flinched.  Were those little words really that
hard to say?  Even when one was unconscious?  Ranma rang
her own hands, realizing to her self, to HIM self.  The he
was also guilty of the same crumb.

"Why did I do it, Ranma?"  Akane said, repeating an
unspoken question.

This had gone on long enough, and Ranma-chan stepped fully
into the room, and cleared her thought to announce her
presence.  Some where in the back of her mind, she was
hopping to catch Akane in a compromising position.  Then
did a double take at what she saw.

Akane looked over her shoulder, and was flabbergasted when
she saw her.

"What the... Ranma?"

Akane was presently sitting on her bed, and allowed the
head of a young man to rest in her lap as she tended to his
wounds with a damp cloth.  But the man who she was tending
too, was him!  Ranma!

"What's going on?  Who's that, Akane?" Ranma-chan asked.

"He's you, you... baka." Akane said.

"Oh really?  Then how come he's still a he, even after the
damp cloth treatment, huh?"

"You know very well, that your curse acts wired at times."
Akane protested.  But she then rang out some water over the
Ranma that rested in her lap.  He didn't change.

"So he is a fake," Akane said, "I don't understand, this is
making no sense Ranma.  Wait!  Maybe it dose."

Akane then scooted out from under the fake Ranma, and went
over to the window to look out.

"Just as I though," Akane said.

"Wha?" Ranma-chan said as she moved over to the window to
look out as well.  It was the corn husk doll, standing
guard outside the window.

"Is that a guard of some kind?" Ranma said.

"No Ranma, that's the real prisoner," Akane said, "The
dolls  are the key to the whole thing."

"Huh?" Ranma said, his face clearly expressing the fact
that he was pulling mental blanks.

"Baka, do I have to spell every thing out for you?" Akane
said, "That doll down there is some kind of Native American
spirit.  I think that it falls in love with whom ever
possesses the male corn husk doll.  Then this Black Raven
traps me and the spirit here, and sends in the fake Ranma
to torture the spirit with jealousy."

Ranma-chan blanched at the though of another would be
suitor for Akane.  Especially that was so powerful. Then
she realized what was really going on.

"I hate to burst your bubble Akane, but that spirit is in
love with another spirit, and not with you.  Besides, why
would he fall for an uncute tomboy?"

Akane began to boil with Ranma-chan's taunting.
"The dolls act as a channel, to take affection from a human
host, and direct it towards it's mate.  And you're not her.
Ha ha.."

Ranma-chan suddenly crumpled under the blow of a pillow
that Akane hand just smashed over her head.  A pillow that
was surprisingly as hard as a rock.

Now having just receives some measure of satisfaction from
smiting Ranma-chan, she turned back towards the window to
watch the unmoving corn husk doll.

"Can't you be serious for just once, Ranma.  What you say
can't be true.  I've watched this doll ever sense I got
here.  And when the phone Ranma showed up, and I began to
treat his injuries, the doll became even more angry and
jealous."

"Jealous?" Ranma-chan said, pushing the rock hard pillow
aside, "But not of you, right?"

"No du, Ranma," Akane said, "Just what are you doing here
any way?"

"Baka, I'm here to rescue you," Ranma-chan said, "Only I am
not sure how.  I was hoping that you would be holding the
doll, and that you could be freed my letting go.  But that
obviously isn't going to work.  You're not holding any
doll."

"Come to think of it, I am not sure what happened to it.  I
must have dropped it when the Black Raven transported me
here," Akane said.

"Wait.  Maybe you are holding it," Ranma-chan said.

"Don't be so stupid Ranma, of course I'm not holding it."
Ranma-chan them moved over to the window, and looked down
at the doll as it kept vigil.

"This world isn't real, Akane," Ranma-chan said, "It's like
a spirit plane," Ranma-chan said, "Your real body, but be
hanging on to the doll while you sleep here.  What we have
to do, is get you to wake up."

"Wake up?  How am I going to wake up.  I'm already awake,"
Akane said.

"I got it.  You know how some times when you dream that you
falling, you always wake up before you hit the ground?  I
bet that this will work here too.

"No you're not Akane.  and I'll prove it."

With that, Ranma-chan pinched Akane in her side.

"OW!"  "YOU MOLESTER!!!"  "PERVERT!!" 

Finally, Akane dusted her hands of the task, satisfied that
Ranma-chan was significantly roughed up that he wouldn't
try that again.

Wean while, Ranma-chan lay in a heap, upside down, on top
of Akane's bed, with numerous cracks radiating from her
head across Akane's bed sheets, battered and bruised.

"That hurt quite a bit for a dream," she said weekly.

"Dolt!  I never said I didn't believe you about being in a
dream plane.  But I am not dreaming," Akane said.

Ranma-chan pushed herself back onto her feet.

"Well we had better fine a way to wake you up soon.  The
others are counting on us," Ranma-chan said, "And I don't
plan on letting them down."

<+++>

This New World held many strange things.  Changes that even
time could not account for.  His foe was clearly or English
descent, especially since the spoke there fowl language.
But there spirit was defiantly not English, since they
possess a fighting soul unlike any other he had ever
encountered before.

And then there was the Samurai, who wheeled his bokuto with
the discipline of a master French swordsman. 

There was so much that didn't make sense.

At that moment, the Myna General stepped away from the
concealment of the foliage.  A simple node spoke volumes.
They were asleep.

Without any verbal command, his men moved forward.  Quickly
making their way past the long yellow beast.

He looked back to his Myna counterpart.  Again, volumes
were said without a word.  A strategy was devised.  But
with luck, all would be slain in there sleep.

Finally, it was his turn to march past the great yellow
beast.  What a strange machine it was.  But it was still
just a machine, nothing more than the sum of the iron from
witch it was cast.

But the Yellow School Bus, would say otherwise.

< + + + >

The camp had become quiet.  Even the once high and cracking
fire, was now little more than wormly glowing embers, as
both the Saotme School of Any Thing Goes Marshel Arts, and
the Clearwater School of Any Thing Goes Indian Figting,
soundly slept abroud the fire's gerth. 

Sudnly, Bob sat up.  Roused from his sleep by a despreit
warning.  It was the school pus that they had left behind
in the parking lot.

"There coming!"

Bob quikly got up, then moved over to where Tarry was
sleeping.

"Wake up, WAKE UP!", Bob said as he shook her.



"You tuch me again you greasy pavert, and you will need
that wrench of your to pry my foot from your butt." Tarry
said as she punted Bob to the other side of the camp, "Now
if you will excuse me, I need to get some shut eye before
the morning."

< + + + >

Ranma-chan sat down at the far end of the room, and stared
at Akane, while she sat down at the chair of her desk, and
starred back.  Nether of them blinked, trying to stair the
other down.  Why they did this was unknown.  But for some
reason, every thing had to be a competition between them.
Every thing.

Suddenly, Ranma-chan stood up.

"I have it.  Akane, you know how you will always wake up if
you dream that your dying?" Ranma-chan said.

"So,"

"Its simple, you jump over the wall.  Sooner or later,
you're going to wake up," Ranma-chan said.

"What!  Now you want to kill me Ranma!  What ever did I do
to you to deserve that?"

"You want me to make you a list, Akane?"

"I already told you, Ranma.  I am not dreaming.  If I jump
over the wall, I will die."

Suddenly, Ranma-chan grabbed Akane's head, and forced her
to look out the window.

"Dose that look like home to you Akane?  Where are the sky
scrapers.  Where our the neighbors.  Where is the ground,
for crying out loud.   You're deeming Akane.," Ranma-chan
said, "This is the only way."

Akane considered all of her options.  Then nodded slowly.
Within minuets, her resolve and courage came up in full
course.

"Okay then.  I'll do it."

"That a girl.  That's my Akane," Ranma-chan said as the two
of them got up and began to walk out of Akane's room.
Suddenly, Akane smacked Ranma-chan over the head.

"Oh, so I am your property now!" Akane said as her voice
trailed off in the distance, "You pervert!"

Left behind, still unconscious on Akane's stone hard bead,
was the clone boy-type Ranma.  With the real Ranma having
already shown him/her self.  There was no more need for the
phone to be cared for.  Suddenly, the phony Ranma's eye's
flared open, and he sat up in Akane's bed.  His wounds were
suddenly gone, and the blood vanished from his clothes.

Instantly, he stood up, then slowly turned to look out the
window, just as Akane and Ranma-chan made it outside, still
arguing as they made there way to the outer wall.  The
phony Ranma looked down on them, and as the view shifted
closer to Ranma's face, it could be seen that his eye's
were filled with the flickering tongue of a red flame.

< + + + >

One by one, the Myna and Spanish soldiers silently
positioned themselves along the perimeter of the enemy's
camp.  Surrounding it, could be seen thirteen blanket
covered bodies.

A moment passed.  Then, when all were in position, a silent
order was given.  A swarm of fifty or do Myna and Spanish
soldiers charged out into the camp, and plunged spears and
daggers into the sleeping forms.

But something was wrong.  The blankets were pulled aside to
reveal only rocks and piles of dirt.

"NOW!!"

From one end, Dusty Darenger felled an ax, just as his
brother felled his at the same time.  Two ropes were neatly
severed with one blow, and a large, horizontal log came
swinging down from the trees.  A few were quick enough to
dodge the log, but most were swept away into the far
foliage, plowing into the shrubs and tall grass, and
directly into thin air.  Only now did they discover that
the camp was build on the edge of a cliff.

Suddenly, Tarry Clearwater stood up from the foliage.

"Alright girls and boys.  Strike a cord, because it is time
to ROCK AND ROLL!!"

Bob and Area instantly leapt out from ether side of her,
and charged into combat.

Ukyou charged foreword, and drew out her battle spatula.
Flanked by her own countrymen.

"ATTACK!!"

With that, the whole of the Saotome Scholl charged.  The
suddenly surprise attack, against what was in and of
itself, a surprise attack, took the attacker by surprise,
and began to back away.  One Spanish soldier stepped onto a
tuff of grass when a suddenly click from a hidden catapult
launched him into the air and over the cliff.  A hand full
of others met similar fates.  Reducing their force even
more.

Then the enemies mettle stiffened, and they suddenly stood
their ground as both schools charge into their front line.
Weapons clashed and arrows and spires sliced the air.  And
the cascade of troops over the edge continued.

Shampoo charged into the fray without any further
hesitations.  But it was clear that something was bothering
her as she fought side my side with Ukyou.

"Specula girl, Shampoo wonder why girl boy say stone and
bread?"

"How should I know, I only translate," Ukyou said as she
batted another soldier over the cliff.


< + + + >

Akane neatly landed on top of the wall, and looked down.
She knew she shouldn't have.  But sense the plan was to
jump, she didn't really see what the point of not looking
was.

Ranma-chan landed next to her.

"Ranma, are you sure this is the only way?" Akane said as
she watched the clouds drift bellow the house."

"Yes, I am sure its the only way Akane," Ranma-chan said,
"Not unless you have a batter idea.  And we have to move
quickly too.  The others are probably already fighting.  We
don't have much time."

Akane swallowed heard, and continued to stair down into the
blue void below.  Then she felt a slender, yet firm hand
fall on her shoulder.

"Don't worry Akane.  I'll go with you.  On the count of
three.  Okay," Ranma-chan said.

Akane reinforced her resolve.  She wasn't really jumping
into nothing.  She would be jumping into the real world.
Akane nodded.

"One," Ranma-chan said.

Akane took a step to the extreme edge.

"Two"

She balled her hands into fists, then allowed them to relax.

"Three-aakkkk"

Suddenly, Ranma-chan leached over.  Akane turned, and saw a
large spear protruding from her stomach.  She lost her
balance, and fell into the blue void below.

"RANMA!!"

She was about to jump after him, when suddenly, a loop of
rope passed over her head, then snapped tight round her
arms, pinning them to her side, as well as preventing her
from jumping after Ranma.

"What the?", Akane said, then poured her strength into
defeating the rope.  Only to have it snapped back, pulling
her back away from the wall.  More loops of rope flowed
towards her, quickly tying up her hands, and then her feet,
before all the slack was snapped away.

Akane then turned to see who it was at the other end of the
rope.

It was... RANMA??

< + + + >

The Shaman continued to sing quietly for Ranma, keeping her
body entranced as she ventured into the dream world.  The
seen was so serene and quiet that P-chan had even fallen
asleep in Ranma-chan's arms.

Suddenly, the room was filled with a high pitched scream of
a woman in complete agony.  Then Shaman stopped his
singing, and opened his eyes in time to see Ranma-chan
flinch violently.  Throwing the little black pig across the
room.

"But the spirits of the mountain!"

The Shaman instantly leaped over the fire, and grabbed with
the flailing girl.  Forcing her as pest as possible to keep
her in her seated position.

"Ryouga!  We must keep her restrained!" The Shaman said,
"If she moves!  Ranma's spirit will be lost in the dream
world for ever!"

There was the sudden spilling of a gray coffee pot in the
corner of the room, as Ryouga charged forward, and grappled
around Ranma-chan's chest to keep her still.

"What's happening?"

"Apparently, Ranma's skills as a combatant, are being
called into action.  This is not good, for he will surly
face foes far more powerful than any he has ever faced
before."

< + + + >

The Spanish Caption swiftly skirted the battle.  He had to
admit, they proved to have prepared for his attack.  This
was not going to be easy after all.

The Mayan captain knelt down next to him, also observing
the fallings tide of battle as it turned against him.

Suddenly, the wind spoke.

"No.  He must not.  She must not.  It is the Shaman."

Thick dark fog swelled around, as a pare of glowing red
eyes opened.

"This is the Shaman's work.  He has found a way to injure
me.  He must be stopped."

"What must we do," the Spanish Captain said.

"It is the one called Ranma, this one is working to rescue
my captive from the dream world.  But in the waking world,
he is completely venerable.  I scene the Shaman has this
Ranma concealed in the mine.  Kill him.  Kill him swiftly."
With that, the eye's closed, and disappeared.  Only the fog
remained.

Concealed by the fog, both the Mayan and Spanish Captain
stood up, then observed the battle.  With every one dealing
with the foot soldiers.  The two of them turned, and walked
unchallenged all the way to the mouth of the mine.  Inside,
the only thing that stood between the foreigner from Japan,
and death, was the Shaman, and the shadows of the mine.

< + + + >

"You're not getting any way, little girl."  Ranma said,
pulling the lasso even tighter around Akane, casing the
rope to burn into her flesh.

But Akane was not about to give up, and poured all of her
strength into braking free, even though it seemed
impossible.

"HI-YYAAA!"

Suddenly, from out of no where, Ranma-chan dove out from
the sky, driving the spire into the male-Ranma's back,
pushing it strait though his midriff

Ranma let go of the rope, and reared back with a painful
howl.  A blasting hot wind escaped from the wounds of the
fake Ranma.

Ranma-chan then did three back flips to put some distance
from her and the fake male Ranma.  "Akane!  Run!",
Ranma-chan ordered, "I'll hold off this imposter!"

Akane needed no further promoting, quickly freeing herself
from the ropes, she bolted for the wall.  Suddenly, some
one slammed her from the side, knocking her flat onto her
back.  When Akane looked up, she looked right at.. Akane!
It was herself.  But this Akane had western style war paint
on her face, eagle feathers in her hair, and wearing the
ringed garments and an extremely short animal hied skirt

The fake Akane bore down on her with yet another spire, but
Akane did a back flip, and returned herself onto her feet,
just in time to catch the spire tip before it plunged into
her stomach.  She then got a good close look at her double,
and saw those same burning red eyes.  Akane made sustain to
glare defiantly back as they contested for control over the
spire.

---
  

After quickly dispatching seven zombies, sending them
cascading one by one over the hundred meter shear cliff,
Shampoo spun around, and confronted the next wave that had
hoped to over come her.  But they were wrong.  With a
fierce, yet feminine battle cry, she charged into their
mists, striking each one in turn with her boudoir.

Suddenly, she realized that a third wave was already upon
her.  She dodged as best as she could, forcing her closer
to the edge.  They, they came at her, like a wave of men,
hopping to wash her over the edge.

Desperately, she tried to knock them aside, but they came
at her too quickly, too recklessly.  With a final battle
cry, they forced her over the edge.

Suddenly, she felt a sting around her wrist.  Looking up,
she saw that it was ensnared in the grip of a bull whip.
And at the other end was the American Amazon, Area.

"Not let Sister Amazon die easily," Area said.

Without warning, a fourth wave of men pilled upon Area,
attempting to mover her over the edge by brute strength.
But she was like the mouton.  Completely immobile.  While
she still held firmly to the whip that held Shampoo
suspended above oblivion, she fought them off with her free
arm.

Then, Area gave a howling battle cry that would strike fear
into the hart of even Shampoo's fellow Chines Amazons.
With a wave of her arm, Shampoo was snapped from the maw of
the cliff, and launched back into the fray.

Shampoo righted herself, and took out three more soldiers,
even before setting foot on the ground again.

Shampoo and Area regrouped, then charged with a combined
force that the enemy could not oppose.

< + + + >

Akane snapped into a defensive posture, as the face Akane
charged her with a spear.

Then, with controlled discipline, Akane smacked the spire
tip aside, and shoved her palm into the false Akane's face,
wrenching the spire from her grip, and knocking her flat on
her butt.

Akane took possession of the spear, and spun it around.

The Indian Akane back flipped onto her feet, and suddenly
produced a second spear from the fog.  Once again, she
charged.

Akane side stepped, and swings the end of the spire onto
the Indian Akane's face.  Again, knocking the other Akane
for a loop.

It was then she heard a shout behind her.  Looking over her
shoulder, she realized too late that she left herself open
to the phony male Ranma from behind.  But just she was
about to be impaled, Ranma-chan kicked at him from the
side, from out of no where.

"Ranma?  I though you were... dead?" Akane said, "I saw you
impaled."

"I am a spirit walker here Akane.  Apparently, I can't be
killed  by mortal means.  Now get out of here, while I
cover for you!" Ranma-chan said.

"Right," Akane said, with that, she bounded to the top of
the wall.

The phony Ranma and Akane charged Ranma-chan, but she held
both of them back with her usual flare."

Akane hesitated for a moment as she peered down into the
Infiniti blue void beneath the edge of the wall.  Then she
focused.

"Bonsai!!!" she should as she jumped.  Only to land onto a
strange pitching wooden deck.  A wet and salty wind blasted
into her face.

"What the?!"

Akane looked out past the railing of what had to be the
edge of a Spanish Gallon, into a an angry and churning sea
beyond.  And rising, just short of the black horizon, was
an enormous wave, heading strait for her.

"Oh shi.."

The wave smashed into the ship, violently pitching the
deck, and tossing Akane into the air.  Then the wave struck
her, like an ice cold locomotive.  Then something caught
her, a net of some kind, trapping her in the current of the
crashing wave until it ebbed.

Some how, Akane managed to grasp the net before the wave
pulled her from the deck, and she held on for her life, as
the wind a driving rain renewed there assault against her.
The frigid cold of the water, numbing her fingers.

With horror, she realized that it wasn't a net that caught
her, but the rigging for the sails.  Had the wave thrown
her less than a meter ether way, she would have been washed
over board.  The ship continued to pitch, and the swell out
at sea beyond the deck was replaced by another, rushing
towards them.  And she braced herself for another impact.

<+++>

The Black Raven struggled over the smoldering remains of an
ancient fire, forcing himself to endure both the pain that
was being delivered to his army, and the agony he found
with the battle that was taking place in the Japanese
girl's prison plane.  The one called Ranma was still there,
still working to rescue her.  It wasn't possible to stop
him in the dream plane.  Ranma was immune to his powers of
illusion there.  He had to kill Ranma in the waking plane.

But the battle there was not going well.  Both Schools,
together, had found a way to match his power.

Another wave of shearing agony flowed throw him, and he
tightly shut his eye's against it.  The demands on his
power were too great, he had to end this now.

His eyes opened again, flashing with flames.

<+++>

The Spanish and the Myna Captains observed the battle.  The
losses were heavy, and reinforcements were being forced
forward.  But the battle field was too confined, limiting
the amount of reserves they could deploy.  This worked in
there favor.  Who ever lead the party had carefully chosen
the place where they would make their stand.

Suddenly, flames began to burn into there eyes as the power
of the Black Raven lorded over them like a thick gray
shadow.

"Kill the one named Ranma!  Kill him now!  GO!!"

A thick, black fog bank rolled over them, instantly
removing them from their observation point.  When the black
fog rolled away, they found themselves deposited at the
mouth of the mine.  
In side, the one called Ranma, was completely vulnerable.
And no one lay in between them, and their target.

Confidently, the marched into the darkened mine, and into a
hall filed with glass boxes and ancient articles on
display, like monuments.

"What evil ax falls upon the tree of justice.  To shake the
gentle leaves of the innocent from they're peace, and into
the course of peril.  What monstrous force, dares to chisel
a sharp edge upon the face of chaos, and to strike at the
with death and suffering."

Suddenly, with a hollow click, the chamber was flooded with
light as intense as daylight itself.  And there, at the
center of the chamber, blocking their path.  Was Kuno
Tatewaki.  Standing confidently, with his Bokuto patently
waiting by his side.

"Each blow upon the tree of life, brings closer that force
that shall answer to this cruelty.  And thus, a noble
spirit steps forth, armed with only wit and arms, the noble
warrior known as man kind," Kuno said.

"The man that is beyond this chamber is my means of
bringing salvation to those whom I love grater than my own
life.  I gladly lay mine down into the path of peril, to
block your way."

With, the Spanish Captain drew his saber.

"/Stand aside./"

"/I will not./" Kuno said as he razed his Bokuto.

The Myna Captain then stepped forward, and produced two
fierce looking hatchets.  The Spaniard gave Kuno and evil
smile.

"/Even you, Samurai, can not hope to repel two skillful
attacks./"

"Well now, and I thought we was the ones being sneaky to
double team you feller's." a female voice said.  Marry Lou
then stepped out from behind the door, and took up a
position next to Kuno.  She then produced her own battle
hatchets.  "Shall we dance then?" she said with an evil
smile.

Then each of the four combatants pared off, and began to
side step across the chamber in order to maximize their
control over the space.

It was Marry Lou and the Mayan Captain that charged each
other first. The Myna let out a piercing shout, but Marry
Lou answered with a soul breaking rebel yell.  Hatchets
flow about them with a blinding furry, casting out sparks
when ever they meat.

Kuno focused his attention on his own opponent.  He
directed his ki to his weapon, in order to reinforce the
wood for the razor sharp steal that it would have to meet.

It was the Spaniard that made the first move, charging at
him with a frontal assault, and a battle cry of his own.

Kuno swiftly blocked the assault, but it was a discuss to
conceal the true thrust of the assault.  The Spaniard
quickly withdrew his sword, and thrusted.  Kuno was ready,
and period.

<+++>

Tarry dusted her hands together.

"Another dozen, over the edge.  These guys are about as
slow as you are Bob," Tarry said, "There starting to run
out of tricks."

"Ha ha ha," Bob said as he batted the last of them over the
cliff.

Just then, a new round of Spanish orders were called from
around the corner.  With discipline and coordination, three
ranks of Spanish conquistadors marched around the corner.
Each armed  with a long pike. Then, with a single order,
they form a dense wall of razor sharp pikes.  With a second
order, they began to slowly march over the battle grounds.

Bob looked at Tarry with a tired expression.

"You just had to open your mouth didn't you."

"Like it's my fault now?" Tarry said.

"You say that as if your were surprised, you dim witted tom
boy," Bob said, getting into her face.

"Watch your mouth, monkey wrench man.  Them are fighting
words," Tarry said, now getting into Bob's face.

Bob growled angrily back at her.  "It's not a monkey
wrench.  It's called an adjustable pipe wrench, you blond
bimbo!"

Just then, a battle spatula was placed in between them.

"Come on you guys, we don't have time to fight each other,"
Ukyou said.

Tarry folded her arms, and turned the other way.

"I am not a guy.  Eep!"

Every one suddenly noticed a second rank of advancing
Spanish Soldiers in a wall of pike formation, closing in on
them in the other direction.

The wall of razor sharp edges began to push every one back,
closer to the cliff.

"Um, if any one has an idea, I'm willing to listen," Tarry
said.

<+++>

Thrust, counter thrust, slash, counter slash, parry, dodge.
Kuno had the advantage of two thousand years of discipline
since the Spaniard last walked the earth.  However,  it was
clear that the Spaniard had the edge one strength and
experience, a deadly combination matched with the reflexes
and agility of his saber.  Kuno's first mistake, would
quickly bring certain death.

Kuno was constantly forced to sacrifice ground for
security, least his defenses would be overwhelmed.  The
stratagem was rapidly eating away at the distance
separating him and where Ranma was helpless, and eventually
backing him onto another chamger.

<+++>



Yet another wave crashed against the ship, and Akane
clutched the icy rope as best as she could command her numb
fingers to do so.

"Akane!" some one shouted, nearly droned out by the whole
wind and angry waves.  But Akane heard it.

"Ranma?!"

The boat violently pitched foreword, falling into the truft
of a wave.  Looking behind her, also hanging on for life to
a side rail, was Ranma-chan.

"Akane!  It's a trick, your not really here!"  You have to
..."

Suddenly, a mighty wave crashed over the deck.  Akane
shrieked in panic as it nearly swept Ranma from the deck,
but she held in there, grabbing onto another bundle of
rigging.

"AKANE!  HANG ON!"

Akane suddenly turned, to see male Ranma struggling across
the railing, working to get to her.

"No Akane, you have to
let...." Ranma-chan shouted,
just before another monster wave washed over the deck.  The
same wave crashed over here, and Ranma-kun, who had almost
reached her.  The force of the wave, again, nearly pushing
her into the sea.

When the water cleared, she felt a strong grip take her
wrist

"I got you Akane," he shouted over the din of the storm.

Akane could only stair into his face, helpless against the
storm.  Again, overwhelmed by Ranma's courage, his
dedication.  The fact that this was always his best.  She
hated to admit it, but in time like this, she was as
helpless before him, as she was to the storm.

"Akane, I love you," he said as he pulled her more securely
onto the deck.

>--------SNAP-------<

He said it wrong.  She didn't know why, she didn't know
how.  But the real Ranma would say that, that way, at this
time. Even though he had before.  Then a flood of fact
washed into her mind.  The fact that Ranma was still a boy,
despite the ice cold water.  This wasn't Ranma, but one of
the Black Raven's elusions.

Once this sunk in, Akane began to struggle out of Ranma's
grip, only to have him tighten it.

"Let go of me you pervert!"

"You heard the lady," Ranma-chan suddenly said, jumping the
phony  Ranma from behind, "Let her go!  Akane, you have to
drop the doll!  You have to let go!"

"Ranma!  Behind you!!" Akane shouted.

Both Ranmas turned, just in time to see the largest wave
yet began to crest over the tiny boat.  Like a mountain of
angry sea.  "Uh oh," both Ranmas said simultaneously as the
wave began to crash down upon them.

The ship pitched violently again as the water was thrust
into the tip of the mast, pulling the tatted sail along.

Male Ranma tackled Akane to the deck, and under the rail to
take cover from the waive.  But Ranma-chan was not so
swift, and caught the full force of the wave.  Then Akane
was submerged under vengeful waters.

Then, as swiftly as it came, the wave passed over the ship,
leaving it intact and still up right.

"Akane!" Ranma-chan shouted from some where over the side.

"Ranma!"  Akane forced herself back onto the rolling deck.
Only to have grab her from behind.

"That's right, Akane," the phony Ranma said as he tightened
his grip, "I can't defeat him here.  But I can contain him.
Soon the current will take him out of reach for the ship.
But rest assured, if he can't come to us, I will come to
him!"

< + + + >

Tarry Clearwater slowly rubbed her chin with a dirty hand.
Her brow was covered with dirt and sweat, but there was an
evil smile on her face.

Facing her, was the last Mayan soldier, with the cliff just
under his heal.  Surrounding him on side, were the members
of the Saotome School of Any Thing Goes Marshal Arts, and
the Clearwater School of Any Thing Goes Indian Fighting on
the other.

"Okay," Tarry finally said, "We can do this the hard way,
or the easy way.  Your choice."

The Mayan stared at her.  He then hunched over and readied
his club.

"The easy way it is," Tarry snapped, and she leaned
foreword, and landed a foot directly into the soldiers
face, sending him neatly over the edge.

With that, she dusted off her hands.

"Now that, was a good time," she said.

"Is you crazy?" Shampoo said, clearly winded some what,
"Shampoo nearly killed."

"Area almost parish too." the Argentina Amazon said.

"Ah you wimps," Tarry said, "What better time to test your
metal, than to test it for real.  On the edge, pushing the
envelope."

Area folded her arms, "You say that because Area beat you
in practice all time."

"WHAT!  Oh, were into delusion now are we?" Tarry said.

"Area surprised you can see pass you big fat nose to notice
anything Area dose."

"Nose?!?  You mean 'fat head', you dumb Mex.!" Tarry said
as she got into Area's face.  (At least as best she could
while being significantly shorter.)

"No. Area mean too big ego!"

"Why you!" 

"Um, guys," Bob said as he stepped in between them hoping
to brake their argument.

"I am not a guy!" Tarry snapped as she stepped into bob's
face.  But Bob didn't look back.  It took a few moments for
Tarry to catch on to this, before she looked in the same
direction.

Coming up from the trail, was a thick rolling wave of fog
that quickly flooded the battle ground.  For a few moments,
visibility was zero.  When the fog finally thinned, every
one saw a dark and black shadow standing at the far end of
the ground.  A black figure, with blazing red eyes.

"It is time for you to receive my vengeance!" the black
figure shouted.


To be continued in act 12: Thus Strikes The Raven

_____Closing Credits____________________________
-->Insert Christmas Carrels here<---------------
------------------------------------------------
Story by : Douglas E. Kulp
Editing by : Christopher S Martin
Based on stuff by : Rumiko Takahashi
Transportation and lodging by : Code Name D.

Why do you want asylum in the US Ranma?  Akane is trying
her hand at Mexican food!?!  You may have a case there.

[ ___/\/\___ ]Code Name D.
[  _(_@ @)_  ]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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