Ok, I think this is the last chapter unless I do
something crazy and end up having to extend it. I'm
so proud of the idea I have to end this with. I just
came up with it last night. After this is finished,
I'll probably focus on "Sister Earth" until it's done,
too. If you haven't read that yet, please do. I know
my description for it on RJ's page makes it sound
really bad, but it isn't. (Well, it might be, I'm
biased, bein' the author and all) I'm wondering how
many people are angry about the cliffhanger in part
nine. That's partly why I'm getting this out so soon,
so that no one will be forced to wait too long.
(Although I should hold it hostage for a while just
to get some mail...) The other reason is that I don't
want to forget my brilliant (*cough* yeah right) idea.


Soulmate
Part Ten


____________________________________________________________

    The senshi stood around Usagi's bed, watching and
listening to her labored breathing. Ranma sat on the
edge near her head, but wasn't looking at her. He was
watching Ami as she typed away on her computer, trying
to find out what was wrong. Outside the closed door
they could hear pounding as Kuno and others tried to
force their way into the room. Fortunately for everyone,
the door was reinforced by Senshi magic.
    Ami frowned over her computer screen and Ranma grew
even more anxious than he already was. He didn't like
not being in charge of a situation, and he definitely
didn't like not knowing what was wrong with the girl
he loved.
    "I've found it," Ami said after what seemed like
a lifetime. "It's not good. It appears that it's a
sickness caused by evil power."
    "Evil power?" Rei asked, subdued after her frantic
worrying. "Do you recognize it?"
    "Unfortunately, I do. It's been there for a while,
but it just only got triggered now."
    "What is it?" Makoto asked, not wanting to hear it.
    "Beryl's last curse. It appears when she had Mamoru
as her prisoner, she discovered that the soul-link
between Mamoru and Usagi wasn't a naturally formed one."
    "What?" Mamoru sounded angry.
    "The soul-link you two had was forged by Queen
Selenity during the Silver Millennium, so that you
two would easily agree to marry each other. It would
also hide from Usagi any unloyalties you had. You
could (and have been) the cruelest person in the
world to her and she still would have loved you. But
your soul-link was broken by combating powers."
    "Combating powers? What's that supposed to mean?"
Minako demanded.
    Ami furrowed her brow. "I'm not sure." She typed
more, then nodded to herself. "Ah. When two strong
powers work against each other, one eventually wins
out. Usagi came in contact with a strong power and
it destroyed her bond with Mamoru."
    "What could have done that..." Rei wondered aloud.
    "Jusunkyo," Ranma muttered quietly.
    "Right, whatever that is." Ami continued. "That's
why she finally realized Mamoru was cheating with Rei.
Probably why she got fed up with us as well."
    Minako's blue eyes flashed. "But that doesn't
explain why she's sick, Ames."
    "I'm getting to it. You see, this curse Beryl sent
can only be cured by Usagi's natural soulmate. Beryl
knew that Mamoru couldn't cure her and Usagi's real
mate couldn't be found as long as she was linked with
Mamoru. She wasn't counting on that link being broken."
    "But what triggered it?" Makoto asked. "I mean, was
it because we made her mad?"
    "No, it looks like it was on a timer."
    Mamoru began to pace, then stopped and sighed. "Fine.
Ami, you have to find Usagi's true soulmate. It'll mean
I'll lose her forever, but I can't let her die."
    "There's a problem with that. The power that destroyed
her bond with you masks her new bond. There's no way we
can find him unless we want to bring every man in the
world here for inspection that is."
    "What about him then?" Rei pointed to Ranma who
was staring at Usagi sadly.
    "The chances of him being her soul mate are....well,
let's just say there's a better chance of pigs learning
to talk."
    "Oh."
    "How.." Ranma cleared his throat, finding he couldn't
talk. "How long does she have?"
    "Two days." Ami closed her computer. There was no
mistaking the finality in that statement.
______________________________________________________________

    The clock read eleven thirty. Ranma fought to keep
his tired eyes open. The end of the second day was
quickly approaching. Usagi would be gone in a matter
of hours. The Senshi had all gone back to their hotel
long ago, and only Ranma kept watch at Usagi's side.
He'd been there since they'd brought her when she first
fell sick. He hadn't gone to school or eaten anything,
and the little sleep he had gotten was slumped on the
floor by her bed.
     He could see the slow rise and fall of her chest,
but other than that, there was no sign that she was
still alive. She was a frightening shade of pale and
her hand, which he clutched in his, was colder than ice.
    Usagi was the only girl he'd ever loved. The only
one who got him to see past his pride to care about
another person. She'd helped him so much, and now...and
now he would lose her forever. A solitary tear ran down
his cheek. He, Ranma Saotome, was crying. If it had been
for any other reason, he would have been ashamed, but
not now.
    He slowly climbed into the bed beside her and wrapped
her tightly in his arms. He wanted to be as close to her
as he could before she was gone.
    "You're the only one who could ever make me care this
much," he said hoarsely, forcing a smile as he looked down
on her peaceful face. He began recounting all his memories
of her, reciting them out loud like a bedtime story. Ranma
laid his head near hers when he was done, wishing for this
time with her to last forever. "You can't leave me..."
___________________________________________________________

    Ranma hadn't even realized he'd fallen asleep until
the sun shone into his eyes through the window. Usagi
was still in his arms. He felt a sharp pain in his heart
as he remembered that she would be dead by now. He couldn't
stop himself from looking down at her.
    She wasn't pale. The slight tan she's always had was
back, and her cheeks were red. More important than that
though, she was breathing.
    She was breathing?
    Could Ami have gotten the days wrong? Her computer
was amazing, but even it could make a mistake. He would
strangle her for being wrong. He really would. Now he
had to wait another day. To once again watch his love
lie helpless at Death's door.
    Then something happened that changed everything.
    Usagi stirred and with a moan, snuggled closer into
Ranma's shoulder, throwing one arm around him carelessly.
    Usagi hadn't moved or made a sound since she'd first
fallen sick.
    He could barely allow himself to hope. "Usagi...?"
    Slowly, she opened her eyes and smiled sleepily.
"Mmmm?" Then her eyes opened the rest of the way and
she pushed herself up to look fully at Ranma. "Is this
real?" she asked quietly in a bewildered voice.
    "I'm wondering the same thing."
    They stared at each other in silence for long moments
before Usagi threw herself back into his embrace with a
startled cry. He could feel her wet tears soak into his
shirt. "It was so dark, and I was afraid. I heard Ami say
I was going to die and...then there was nothing for a
while, and then...then there was you. You asked me not to
leave you and suddenly it wasn't dark anymore and I knew
I could come back. I was a long way away, but I made it.
I made it. Oh, Ranma!" She was babbling and they both knew
it but neither cared.
    He held her tightly, fighting hard not to cry. What
did this mean? Suddenly, she pushed up off his chest and
looked at him again. She looked so happy, and completely
unlike someone who had almost died.
    "The whole time when I thought there was no hope,
Ranma, something kept me from letting myself go completely.
I never told you..."
    "I knew, Usa-chan, I always knew." He moved to kiss
her but she pulled back, shaking her head.
    "I want to say it."
    "Okay."
    She took a deep breath. "Ranma Saotome, I love you.
I've loved you ever since you helped me the day we met,
and I'm going to love you for eternity." She giggled and
pressed her hands to her mouth before flinging her arms
around Ranma's neck. "I love you!"
    "You can tell me that forever," he said against her lips.
    "I plan to." She promised quietly.
    Unnoticed by them both, the bedroom door opened as
the Senshi came to bid a final good-bye to their friend.
They stared in shocked silence for a while until finally
Ami turned and walked away.
    "Where are you going?" Minako asked in a whisper.
    She sighed. "To teach pigs how to talk."
__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________
The End!!!!
Yeah! I finished it and the ending is presentable! What do
you think? You have to e-mail me now, because you have to
give your opinions on the story as a whole.

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