__/\/\______ _(_ )_ \__\/__/Once again, you find your self in a highly questionable place. This time waiting by a mail box. But other than your self, there is no one else here. At least, that is what you think until you hear a muffled sound emanating from some where. It must be coming from the mail box. A gentle knock, and the mail drop lid opens of it's own accord to reveal a pair of shifty yellow eyes that dart nervously back and forth. "The sun sets in the east for those with no compass," he said cryptically. All you can do, is give him a puzzled look. "Close enough. Once again, we meet. You've come see what happens to the Saotome School of Any Thing Goes Martial Arts while they are in America. And who is this dark visage that clearly has ill in store for our heroes? Luckily, I, Code Name D, is on the job." Finally, he gives you a second envelope, "Act II: A spirit's Unrest." "Shhh! Don't read it here. Every thing was created by Rumiko Takahashi, so she owns every thing here. It's copyrighted you know. And her spies are every where." As if to prove his point, a friendly looking Japanese Copyright Agent appears with a letter in hand. (You know he's a copyright Agent because it says so on his jacket.) "Moshi moshi," he says with a wide and friendly smile. There is a squeak and a clank as the mail box door closes. The agent shrugs his shoulders and deposits his letter. "Sayonara." he says, then turns to leave. That's when you hear the tearing and rustling of paper inside the mail box, as Code Name mumbles the contents to himself, as apparently the letter was meant for him. "Yada yada.. do hereby fine you 15,000 yen for misspelling Rumiko Takahashi in the last episode!" The whole mail box then tips over onto its side. +----------------------------------------------+ | Code Name D presents: | +----------------------------------------------+ | Ranma 1/2 | | The Curse of the Ghost Dance | +----------------------------------------------+ | Act II | | A Soul's Unrest | +----------------------------------------------+ | By Code Name D | | Edited by Deric Wilson | | Version III | +----------------------------------------------+ Gray fog swirled about his vision, as he finally, FINALLY, set foot upon the place where his destiny would occur. All around him, he could smell the odor and feel the slimy trace, and see the glint of the mortal presence. It had taken ages for him to rend away the barriers that were placed here. And at long last. At long long last. He was here. He wanted to roar in victory. To announce to the world that he had foiled them. That he defied the elders. But victory was not yet his. This first battle had yet to be fought, and it would be a long battle. Bringing together two of the worlds most formidable fighting schools together was risky. But he could think of no other way. Red eye's suddenly opened from within the thin gray fog, and he surveyed a simple, modest looking hill that lay before him. Barely as tall as a man, nor so wide that one could walk its perimeter in less than a minute. Never the less, it was a bare hill, devoid of trees and shrubs, despite being hidden in an old forest. Its smooth surface was covered with grass, and at its peak lay a plain flat stone with carbon scores across its surface, a place for a fire. The shadow had to admit that his foes had preserved this resting place well. The dark figure reached out to touch the stone, and was suddenly met with a final barrier that he had not expected. However, it was breached as easily as the others, and he was finally in. The glowing red eyes closed, disappearing into the gray fog that spawned them, and a new pair of eyes, that could not be seen by mortals, were opened. His vision plied through the mound, peering through the black soil as if it were a clear pool of water. At the bottom of the pool lay two shriveled human figures. The smaller one was embraced by the larger. His eyes widened with wonder. The tale told of this place, of the honored dead here, did poor justice to the power that he saw buried under the earth of the mound. Power, great, immeasurable, power. Unfortunately, it was beyond his use. Worthless. Like the ocean to the sea traveler who was dying of thirst. Finally, his unseen eyes found what he was looking for. They were precisely where the ancient fables had foretold, clutched with the grasp of the entombed. He reached for them, and was soundly halted. A new barrier. One that he had not encountered before. This one was not crafted by man, for its energies were far stronger, crafted by that vary ocean of energy. He stood little chance of piercing it with brute force. But armed with his cunning, it would be no more a barrier that the first one he encountered. "Great spirit. As I have promised, I have come," he said with words that could neither be heard, nor understood by any tribe of man, "I have crafted the first seal. The ends of the earth have been met. Gaze upon their presence at the Darenger Ranch, see how powerful they are. Can you not feel their love? You shall have that love, all that you crave, but only if I may bring it to them." The dark visage patiently waited. Finally, as he knew that it would, the barrier was swept away by the vary force that had erected it. At long last, he had them firmly within his grip. The weapon that he would need, to turn great love into great destruction. The greater the love, the more he would destroy. And a love this great, all the world was his... to kill. The woods reverberated with a horrible, evil laugh. One that would have been very audible to mankind, had only one been there to hear it. < + + + > It was night time. Or at least one might think that it was by looking out the window, or hearing the owls, or the howling of the wolves, or the chirping of the crickets, or... Akane bolted upright. She could almost feel the dark circles under her eyes pulling at her face. But, more importantly, she knew that it wasn't night time. It had been a dreadfully long flight, nearly twelve hours in the air. Only to find out that they arrived early morning, local time. Ten more hours by bus, dinner, and then sun set. Wham! Every one else was out like a light. Save her. Perhaps it was the constant racket outside. Locusts, crickets, owls, wolves, frogs, the rusted windmill constantly squeaking, or the shutters smacking against the house, the lackey foist, Ukyou's snoring, or.. "Enough already!" "Hey, do you mind!" Ukyou snapped. "Hiya, no can sleep with Akane shouting!" Shampoo said. Both Shampoo and Ukyou rose from the floor to flank Akane on either side of her bed and stared hatefully at her. "Huh, do you two want the bed?" Akane said, shrinking back a little. "Bed too high from ground," Shampoo said. "No really, you can have the bed Akane," Ukyou said, "But you know, if you're having trouble sleeping, why don't you get some warm milk. And give us some peace and quiet." "Good idea, that way Shampoo and spatula girl get some sleep without Akane shouting." "Come on, you guys?" Akane said in protest, "You can't really be tired? It must be two in the afternoon at home. What about Jet lag?" Just then, Shampoo and Ukyou exchanged weird looks between each other. "What Akane talk about?" Shampoo said. "You got me," Ukyou said. She then stretched and yawned, with Shampoo repeating in short order. "Right now, I'm just too tired to care," she said groggily. Akane crunched up her face in anger. "Rrrrh! Fine!" she said. She then jumped out of the bed, and went to the door. Ukyou and Shampoo smiled brightly as they watched her leave. "Sleep well you two," Akane hissed. Ukyou yawned again. "Shampoo sleep." Akane gave each one a final inspection, almost suspicious. Then turned away and closed the door behind her. Ukyou and Shampoo paused for a moment, then were up like a pair of springs. Shampoo suppressed a grin as Ukyou reached under Akane's bed, and pulled out a tape player. She pressed the stop button, and the outdoor racket ended abruptly. "Say, that worked better than I thought it would. But don't you think your snoring was just a little over the top?" Ukyou said. Shampoo looked at Ukyou angrily. "Shampoo no snore!" "Oh sure you don't," Ukyou said. Then they forgot their argument, and they both moved to the door, and cracked it open, just in time to see Akane descend the stairs. "Shampoo hope spatula girl know what she doing?" "Trust me. This is a perfect plan. Every one knows that Americans men are exotic lovers, and have a thing for Japanese women. All we have to do, is get Akane to become enamored with one of the Darenger boys, and our problems will be solved." "Hiya, then Ranma love Shampoo." Ukyou face faulted. "But Shampoo have question? Where is Darenger boy?" "On to phase two, honey," Ukyou said. Then the door was silently closed. < + + + > Step by step, Akane carefully made her way through the unfamiliar corridors in near total darkness. Eventually, her hands found the railing that lined the stairway, and carefully made her way into the living room. Downstairs, she saw that most of the furniture had been pushed aside to clear floor space for the men to sleep. Ranma, Ryouga, Kuno, her father, and Mr. Saotome, were all sleeping quietly on the bed rolls that they had brought. She then spotted Ranma, just as a the moon moved out from behind a cloud, and it's light shined through the window to illuminate her declared fiancé with a spot light like effect. He lay on his back, completely spread eagled, snoring away so loudly with a mouth wide open that made it look as if he was trying to swallow the moon light. He had kicked away his covers, and lay before her, garbed in little more than his white T-shirt and yellow trimmed boxers. There was even a trail of drool that had found it's way from the corner of his mouth, and almost made it to his bedroll. But even so, the moon light made the man sparkle and shine like a bright, new jewel, and the sight somehow cast Akane back into deep recesses of her mind, and activated her most primitive instincts. He was innocently laid out before her, completely exposed, and was... alluring. Akane tightened her glare, and clenched her fists. Some how, even while he was a sleep, Ranma found a way to annoy her. How dare he be.. attractive! Did he know I was coming down stairs? The pervert! Then, Akane softened. Maybe I do have a tendency to over react. All he is doing is sleeping, and I get mad because I find him.... Akane hardened again. "Akane Tendo... Akane recoiled in horror at being discovered. If Ranma ever found out that she was staring at him like this, well, she would never hear the end of it. "..or the pig tailed girl. Akane Tendo, or the pig tailed girl" Kuno quietly muttered. Kuno subconscious chant took her by surprise, and then she reminded her why she came down here in the first place. But regardless, it was still laughable the way that Kuno could never link Ranma to his ever loved pig tailed girl. So laughable that it would be a tragedy to explain to him that he was enamored with his greatest foe, whom he could never beat. Then again, that was a moment she hoped she wouldn't miss. Silently, Akane tiptoed past the sleeping men, not wanting to repeat a similar discussion that she had with Shampoo and Ukyou, or to be accused of being a peeping tom. She turned a corner, and entered into the dinning room. All evidence of the meal they had the day before was gone, as well as the table cloth, and all other table settings. The fine china that they had eaten from was now proudly placed inside a glass cabinet in such a way to still keep them on display, along with other delicate or otherwise valuable artifacts that meant something significant to the Darengers. At the far end of the dinning room, was a doorway that was closed off by a pair of small half doors, just like those seen in the cowboy western movies. Indulging in the moment, she walked boldly throw the doors, pushing them open, then allowing them to swing freely closed behind her as she glared at any one who might object to her entering the tavern. Her elation was short lived, since she now found herself in a dark kitchen. Feeling around, she found the light switch. Unlike her modern kitchen back home, all the utilities looked to be ancient. The stove was a pale white color, and had that "stream lined" design to its curves, with five large knobs that adorned it's front. The walls were lined with old, white/gray painted glass cabinets that revealed their contents, from food stuffs, to dishes and pots and pans. A large peg bored panel adorned one wall where, hung with care, were all the necessary cooking utensils of varying size. There were a few dirty dishes in the sink, but not many, and a large R2D2 cookie jar placed on top of a puce green counter top that served as a book end for a long list of cook books. In the center of the kitchen, was a flimsy looking table, designed to that sixes attitude that every thing had to look as if it was moving at great speed, even though it was completely stationary. The whole place looked strange, and truly alien to her. It was both eerie and exciting, at the same time, to see exactly how different the two cultures were in an up front and personal way. But then again, it was also surprising to see how much they were similar too. After all, the refrigerator was still the refrigerator, which was still adorned with magnets and other artifices that one might see in such a household. And the milk, was still milk. It's container adorned with the picture of a smiling cow. She finally found a glass, and placed a sample of milk in the microwave. The controls were familiar enough. A minute later, and she sat down at a the table, and began to study the decor in closer detail. Along one wall was displayed a number of pictures, some of which she recognized as either the Darenger clan or of Kelley and Tarry. But most were faded photos of generations gone past, children, who had long since grown old and passed away. In the background, she also saw alien land and life, even if they memorialized things that were common in every culture. "I can hardly believe it," she said to herself, "I'm in America. I've never been so far from home. Who would have thought that working to improve the dojo would send me so far?" Finally, she took a sip of her hot milk. And gave thought to the day ahead, and whether she would find any sleep before it arrived. < + + + > Upstairs, a window to the guest room was lifted open, and Ukyou, now dressed in her familiar blue combat outfit and giant specula strapped to her back, silently moved out onto the porch eaves. Shampoo crawled out behind her, and the two quietly moved over to the neighboring window. Inside, they saw a triple bunk bed with each of the Darenger boys occupying a tier. ", he looks even more handsome laying down," Ukyou said, referring to Dusty Darenger who occupied the top bunk. "Let Shampoo see," she said as she climbed over Ukyou to get a better view inside. It was apparently well worth the effort, when her eyes melted. "Hiya," she sighed happily. "Will you get off my head!" Ukyou snapped, and pushed her companion off. "Head make better wall than window," Shampoo snapped. "Why you..." Suddenly, one of the Darenger boys turned in their bed. Shampoo and Ukyou quickly stopped their struggling and slipped to either side of the window to escape detection. A few moments passed before they finally decided to look again, only to see that Cash Darenger had rotated to his side. In his arm, he held what at first appeared to be a teddy bear. But on closer inspection, it was actually a green stuffed bag with a dollar sign embroidered onto it. Both of them let out a sigh of relief. "Tell plan again, Shampoo enjoy hear it." Ukyou gave Shampoo a wicked smile in response. "It's sheer brilliance if you ask me. All we got to do is get Akane alone with one of the Darenger brothers. He'll flash those baby blue eyes at her, work his magic and voila, Akane gets a green card. And we get Ranma Saotome." "Hiya, Shampoo almost see Akane now. She walk in Shampoo shoes." < + + + > Akane quickly runs up to Mell's dinner, taking a break by the door, only just long enough to make sure that her pink and white uniform was neat and intact. Suddenly, two blaring honks roared out from nowhere. Once Akane had crawled back into her skin, she realized that it came from an eighteen wheel truck that was just pulling up into the parking lot. The driver gives a friendly wave to her. She only fumes at him. Then, throwing her nose up high, she walks into the dinner. As usual, the place was packed with Americans from all walks of life. And not one of them knew Japanese. Quietly, she snuck inside, hoping to evade detection from her employer. She failed. "Ho ho ho! Little Miss Asia finally arrives," Mell said tauntingly from behind the counter. He was a putrid bald man that looked like he had no business touching food, let alone owning his own diner. His apron was soiled something awful that made Akane just want to throw up, right on the spot. And the bad thing was that he was as about as intelligent as he was handsome. Japan. No Asia. Baka," Akane corrected, still struggling with her English. "Oh, soo soorye," Mell taunted, dipping into his phony accent. "Mell, you back off, you big lug. She's got enough problems settling down in a new country without you ridin' her like some cowboy in heat." Akane's coworker said. Flo was as fiery a person as she had ever met, who was garbed in a similar uniform, and wore a tall yellow colored hair do and constantly chewing a stick of gum for some reason. She possessed a strange gritty wisdom that seemed to match the frontier that was Texas, and always spoke her mind. She was one hundred percent Texan. Akane had only known her for a few months now, but already counted her among her friends. "Woo hoo, you tell him Flo!" shouted one of the truck drivers. "Yeah, don't let that big ape get to you Akane," said one of the female truck drivers, "Mell is just jealous because your cooking is better than his." The whole diner erupted into howling fits of laughter. Flo was laughing so hard that she had to lean against a dining both to keep her balance. The only two people who weren't laughing, were Mell, who was growing red with rage, and Akane, who was racking her brain to translate the word "jealous". Shifting her eyes from side to side, to see if any one was looking, she quickly pulls out her handy dandy (and well worn) English to Japanese phrase book. Suddenly, something pinched her in the behind, and Akane nearly leaped through the roof before she realized what had happened. Angrily, she spun around, and glared at the customer behind her. "No touch Akane there," she shouted. "Joey! What the heck you think your doing, grabbin' at her like that!" Flo said, snapping her bussing towel at him. "Hey hey HEY!" Mell said, quickly exiting the kitchen to intercede, glaring at Akane and Flo. "You can't talk to a paying customer like that!" "Big lug grab Akane in meatloaf!" she snapped back. She was rather proud at grasping the "big lug" slang. "Now you listen to me. He's a paying customer. He can have as much of my meatloaf as he wants," Mell shouted. "No can have you meatloaf!" Akane said. She then folded her arms, and turned her back towards him, "No through scrub floor with you meatloaf." She smiled inwardly at all the truckers instantly rolled over the floor in laughter again. "You tell him Akane!" some one shouted. "Akane one, Mell zero!" shouted another. "You dumb broad," Mell ranted, "I ought to call immigration and send you back to Mexico," Mell hissed. "Mell, you slime," Flow shouted. "Mell NO BAKA!" Akane said, "Akane from Japan, no Mexico." It was strange, but she was getting to know the English pronunciations of every country save her own. Why was that? Mell glared at Flow, who glared equally back. All the truckers and the patrons then began exchanging dollar bills to see if the two were final going to fight, and if so, who would win. Of course, the odds were five to one that Mell would back down. He usually did. "What would you say if I was to tell you to get out'a here." "Mell, I'd say.. kiss my grits," Flo respond. Again, every one burst out in laughter. Every one except Mell, and Akane, who could never figure out what "grits" meant. Last she heard, it was an item on the menu. "Grit? What meant by grit!" Akane shouted. Mell was the first one to respond, by turning his back to her, and then patting his hideous behind. "This is what a grit is, you dumb broad!" he shouted at her over his shoulder. The entire dinner was suddenly stunned into silence. A rather large and beefy looking trucker, with a donut in one hand, and a cup of coffee in the other suddenly turned a pale white, and dropped the donut into his coffee. Akane glared with piercing lasers at Mell. Her clenched fists shook angrily by her sides, her shoulders were hunched to her neck. "Look out fellas," Flo warned, "the dumb jerk has just already made Akane mad at him." "Run for it!" another trucker said, bolting for the door. A few managed to screened the curare to do just that, but most were petrified in their place, lest their movements might draw Akane's wrath towards them. Mell, despite the warnings of the others, seemed ignorant of the fact that Akane was now becoming redder and redder, black smoke began to blast from her ears, as if a raging fire was burning behind her gnashing teeth. And then... Mell now lay as little more than a smashed protrusion of goo at the bottom of a ten foot crater, underneath a giant sized mallet that Akane had somehow produced from the ether. < + + + > Shampoo sat transfixed on the eave, a wicked distorted smile on her face as she peered into her own imagination. "He he he," she quietly said. Meanwhile, Ukyou had recoiled away in fear, her eyes wide open, as if death might strike her any minute. Finally, Ukyou managed to relax, and looked Shampoo directly in the eyes. A moment passed before Shampoo noticed that she was being stared at. "Neha?" she said softly, as if Ukyou was a woman whom she had never met before, and had only now appeared to her. "Shampoo honey, did any one ever tell you that you really need serious psychiatric attention?" Shampoo glared at Ukyou for a moment, then folded her arms at her partner. "No mind that now. Shampoo want know, what do next?" Ukyou continued to spy on the brothers, with a sly, evil smile. "What we do is jump down, and while you lure Akane out of the kitchen, I will throw a rock at the Darenger boy's window, and lure one of them out. And then all we do is stand back and let nature take its course." "That whole plan? Stupid spatula girl! Plan never work!" "Hey, I don't hear you come up with anything better," Ukyou said, folding her arms in front of her. "Shampoo have better plan. First, drop spatula girl into river. Then Shampoo take Ranma." "You just try it, sister," Ukyou said. Suddenly, they heard something from inside. They turned around and looked in the window, just in time to see one of the Darenger boys get up and approach them. < + + + > "Huh?" Akane looked up from her half empty cup of warm milk, and found herself staring out the back door. "Who's there?" she said. There was no reply. Not that she was expecting one. Already, she was dismissing it as a figment of her imagination. Or perhaps she heard Kuno calling her name from the other room. She was about to take another sip of her hot milk. "..Akane..." She looked up again. She hadn't imagined it. But it was easy to see how she might think that. The voice sounded to be little more than the wind playing against the house outside. But the fact that she also felt it, as well, removed that possibility. She looked at yet another doorway that she had not explored. It was a heavier door, with thick coats of cracked paint, and a white curtain drawn over what appeared to be a window to the room beyond. It was easy to see that it was an outside door, designed to retard the weather and cold. "..Akane...." She stood up, moved over to the back door, and looked through the window. It led to, what seemed to be another back porch, one that was surrounded by screens to keep out the bugs. The floor was uneven and there was old junk and boxes strewn about. It was pitch dark, and there was clearly a lot of hiding places. She reached up to the front of her neck, just to make sure that her translating pendant was still there. She then opened the door and stepped out. The only other exit, was a rickety screen door that was barely held closed against the wind by a rusted spring. She could feel the breeze from the outside brush against her night gown. The wind picked up a little bit, and she heard it again. "..Akane..." It sounded distant, and weak, as if it was coming from a woman who was dying just beyond the ranch. But the voice didn't sound distressed at all. It sounded... beckoning. "Who's there?" she said again. Her only answer came when the wind repeated its call to her. She didn't know why, but she stepped over to the screen door. With a springy screech, she pushed it open, and allowed it to thwack itself closed as she stepped out into the cool Texas night. < + + + > Ukyou and Shampoo each hid on either side of the window, each remaining perfectly still, save for their nervous shivering as they saw a shadow approach from the inside. The window was lifted, and young Redd Darenger poked his head out the window. At any moment, he would turn his head and discover them spying. But then, he withdrew back inside and closed the window, leaving both girls at a loss for an explanation. It was Ukyou who finally mustered the courage to look into the window, and she did so, just in time to see one of the Darenger boys, the youngest, step out into the hall, and close the door behind him. "That's weird," Ukyou said. Suddenly, they heard a thwack below them. "Who's out there!" It was Akane! Ukyou and Shampoo again hid along either side of the window, but now also crouching as low to the porch eave as possible. Then, they saw Akane, wondering further out from the main house, along a dirt trail that led away to some unknown area of the ranch. "What she do?" Shampoo said. It was then that they heard that thwack again, and saw Redd Darenger step outside, and start along the same path as Akane. But unlike Akane, he was armed with a flashlight. "What do you know? They had this all figured out themselves. This may work after all?" Ukyou said with a smile. "No thanks to you stupid plan," Shampoo snapped. "The Americans have a saying you know, don't look a gift horse in the mouth." "Chines Amazon also have saying. Trojan horse of Troy not happen if they had looked gift horse in mouth," Shampoo said, "Shampoo watch, make sure every thing go Okay." With that, Shampoo jumped from the house eave, and onto the dirt path that led away from the house leaving Ukyou to blink in confusion. "Now how did the Chinese Amazons come across the Legend of Troy?" she said to herself. She shrugged, deciding that Shampoo's actions were more important than her proverb, and went after her. < + + + > Akane had found herself drawn all the way to the edge of the ranch, where a lonely barbed wire fence barred any further progress. She didn't dare go any further for risk of getting lost, so the only thing that she could do was stare into the woods that lay just beyond the fence, shrouded in darkness. "..Akane...." Still, the wind beckoned to her. "What do you want?" she shouted into the darkness. "Who's there?" some one said behind her. Akane turned around to see some one approaching her, wielding a flash light, and shining the light into her eyes. "You're Tendo Akane, right? It's Redd, Redd Darenger. What are you doing out here?" "I could ask you the same question. How do I know that this isn't some sort of plot on the part of Ukyou and Shampoo?" "I don't know what you mean?" Redd said, finally joining her. "But if you're worried how it might look, you shouldn't be." "And why is that?" Akane said, folding her arms and staring at Redd with doubt, "And you had better not tell me that you're falling in love with me. Every time I leave home, some prince falls in love with me." Redd only seemed to stare out into the woods that lay past the barbed wire fence. "Well, for one thing, I'm not a prince. And for another... I... I think I love Tarry instead." "With Tarry? Well that's great!" Akane said. For once, she was relieved that some foreigner hadn't fallen for her. "Is it? There are some... difficulties between us," Redd said. "Like what?" Akane said. "Well, for one, Tarry, being a martial artist and all, want's a man who is more... manly. I don't think she wants to date a homemaker." "That's weird, I always had the same fear with Ranma. As if I wasn't cute enough, or a good enough cook," Akane said. She paused for a moment, wondering how she came to confess her true feeling about her arranged marriage with Ranma to a total stranger. "I would make a terrible wife," she confessed. She then realized that she had involuntarily bowed before Redd in apology. "Wife? For Ranma?" Redd said, "I mean, I know very little about your country, but surely even you are too young to get married." "Well, it's an arranged marriage, between our fathers," Akane said. "Oh, I see. And you're mad at you dad for forcing this on you, right?" Redd said. "No, that's not it at all," Akane said. "Then you want to marry Ranma?" Redd said. "Me?! Marry that pervert! No way," Akane shouted. Her anger then melted away, leaving her just as confused as before. "I mean... I don't know what I mean," she continued, "I mean, sometimes, he can be such a jerk, and I can't picture myself being his wife. Even if it is for the dojo. But it's strange, I... can't seem to imagine a life without him ether." Akane finally decided to look up from the ground, and at Redd Darenger. "I'm probably not making any sense to you. I know I'm not to me," Akane admitted. Redd then turned away, and moved to look out over the barbed wire fence. "Actually, it makes perfect sense. Even if I don't understand it. Tarry can be such a pervert herself, and sexiest too. She tells me that she wants nothing to do with me. And she insults my manhood at every turn," Redd said. His expression then grew sadder, if not more confused, "But then she dues things for me. She puts her life on the line for me, without hesitation or regret. I mean, her life, and even more than her life. For me." Akane's eye's suddenly snapped open with realization, recalling that Ranma had did the same for her on more than one occasion. He even gave up his best chance to regain his full manhood. She still remembered that fateful day on Toma's floating island. Feeling the wind whip into her hair as she free fell with Ranma towards his best, and perhaps only cure for his Jyusenkyo curse. The goal that he had fought so hard for. And she was happy for him. The thought that she would turn into a man never even occurred to her. At that moment, all she knew was that she could cure him, once and for all. But Ranma turned it down. For her. Without hesitation or doubt. He... he sacrificed his manhood for me that day. How could he have done that, if he didn't love me. Akane then sighed to herself. How could I have been so blind about what could have happened. That I could have been turned into a man, if I didn't love him? Of course, since then, it was as if the incident never happened. Even she chose to forget Ranma's undeniable gesture. "..Akane..." "Huh?" Akane said, suddenly looking into the forest. "..Redd..." "There it is again," Redd said. "I heard it too. Could it be the wind or something?" Redd paused. "Or something," Redd said. His voice began to shake slightly, "Maybe we should go back." "Don't tell me you're a weenie too," Akane said, snatching the flashlight from him. "Well, no... I." "Then come on," Akane said, and she neatly jumped over the barbed wire fence, leaving Redd behind. Redd looked around, growing more nervous by the minute. "Hey, Akane, wait for me!" he said as he climbed over the fence after her. < + + +> "What the..," Ukyou said as she watched what happened. "They said something about hearing voices, and then took off past the fence." "Hiya, where two go?" Shampoo asked. "I don't know, Shampoo. But I got a funny feeling we should follow them." "For once, Shampoo agree with spatula girl." The two of them appeared out from behind the barn, and rushed over the fence. But they had no more than reached the edge of the woods, when they were stopped at the perimeter by a thick fog bank. "Hiya, where fog come from?" "I don't know!" Ukyou said, "It's like it swallowed them up. And I can feel it too, like something isn't right here." "Shampoo feel odd thing too. Have bad feeling." "We better go after them and bring them back," Ukyou said, "Come on, they couldn't have gone far." "Shampoo follow." The two of them marched into the fog, not noticing a pair of red slits that opened into existence behind Eyes, glaring in the fog, just as their shadowy owner lay immersed in a thin swirling pool of white smoke from some distant place. "Yes," the figure hissed, "Brave souls from the land of the rising sun. Search for your companions, because you will not find them. They are indeed, much further than you imagine. They are well beyond your reach, and finally within my grasp. Now.... Akane Tendo, Redd Darenger, please, come to us. Hear our cries........" < + + + > "...please, Akane Tendo, Redd Darenger, hurry, please, save us....." Akane and Redd continued to push through the thick fog. At one point, it was so thick that they lost sight of each other. But the strange, wind like voice continued to call them, beckoning with a sadness that only the wind could express. "Akane?" Redd said, nervously looking this way and that, "Maybe we should go back. You know, to get help." "Why? Your not scared, are you?" Akane said. "Sc-sc-scared? N-no. It's just that... what ever it is... it might be dangerous." With that, Akane turned to face her reluctant partner, and smiled. "Then it's a good thing that you have me along too, isn't it." Akane Tendo, Redd Darenger.... please...." "Huh? That's odd," Akane said, turning around to look towards the source of the wind, "It almost sounds like two voices now." "It dues," Redd said, "A man... and a woman." The two of them continued their exploration into the fog, after what seemed to be in pursuit of the wind itself. Then, they reached to foot of a small hill. "That's funny. I don't remember this being out here," Redd said. "...Akane... Redd..." "Well, what ever it is, it's coming from up there," Akane said, shining the flashlight upwards. The beam sliced through the fog like a great sword, only to be slowed into nothing but a white haze. "Come on," Akane said as she started up the hill. Redd looked around once more, even more nervous than before, but eventually he followed up the hill after her. Akane began to rise above the fog as she approached the top of the hill and was met by an awesome sight. At the top of the mound, the fog had been swelled into a miniature tornado, slowly orbiting the peak of the hill, like a galaxy spinning upon it's axis at a barely noticeable pace. "Incredible," Redd said, "It's like looking up from the bottom of a whirlpool, only more beautiful." Akane and Redd continued to stare at the slowing swirling wisps of fog, mesmerized by the gentle movements, and slowly they began to notice the dark gaps in the fog. A gust of wind caused the gaps to tumble and spin, and to rotate. Then, it became obvious what they were, as if they had begun to take form before their eyes. The gaps in the fog began to take on the form of two dancers, that were gently and erotically swaying in an orbit about the peek. One was male, and the other female, each on ether side of a dense knot of fog that began to look more and more like a fire, spitting white puffs of embers into the sky. It was all just the fog, that much was obvious, but, clearly, Akane and Redd were not alone. The figures continued to dance opposite each other, then stopped. They each stood on either side of the cold fire, then turned to look at them. Their sadness seemed to drift upon the fog itself, and dripped with the dew. The man and woman then stepped forward, approaching them, the female towards Akane and the male towards Redd. "...help us... Akane.... please..," the graceful female shadow said. "...Redd.... your courage... your bravery... please..," the male said to Redd, with a tall and proud stature. "We're here," Akane said. "How can we help?" Redd said. ".... we were once young lovers, as you two are now to your beloved Ranma and Tarry...," the woman shadow said. "... we pledged our love to the great spirit... and they heard our hearts...," the male said. "... then... the men attacked.... skin.... hard as stone.... shiny as the river...," the female said. ".... I charged the stranger... but I was slain by bows of fire... I died upon the battle field....," the male shadow said. ".... I could not run away.... the hut began to burn.... I died within the flames...," the female shadow said. ".... our lives were taken from us...," the both said in chorus, "....our bodies were destroyed.... but our love..... our sprits..... only grew stronger..... where there is life.... there is love.... where there is no life..... there can be no love..... we are dying....." The two shadows then seemed to grow thinner, the fog, pushing into them. The shadowy hollow forms then drifted to the ground. The ghosts began to wilt away. "Ho no! How can we help?" Akane said. "Yes, we will do what we can," Redd said. "..... approach the fire....," the female sprite said, her voice, growing week. ".... search within the embers....," the male said. Akane and Redd slowly stepped towards the strange fog like fire, lest their movements send out a gust that would blow out the cold fog, or further injure the hollow forms. They exchanged glances, then knelt down to reach into the drifting tongues of white flame. They found something, and their hands returned with a pair of small corn husk dolls sewn together by black thread and clothed in crude cloth. Akane held a male figure, and Redd held a female figure. The only exception that was sewn on their faces, were a pair of dot like eyes made from the thread. "... Akane Tendo...," the female sprite said, ".....you feel in your heart that you are not fair enough for Ranma.... that you will dishonor yourself as his wife.... allow your soul.... your love.... to guide your spirit into his heart.... treat the doll tenderly.... with passion and gentleness that you would show your love in your dreams..... and your spirit will reward you....." "....Redd Darenger...," the male sprite began, ".... guard the figure with your courage.... defend it as a hound would defend its master..... protect it from prying eyes.... and from mocking souls..... and the courage within your spirit will overcome your doubts as a flood overcomes the banks...." "But how will this help you?" Akane said. The two spirits were in dire shape now. Their forms lay flat upon the ground, without strength to even defy the wind. Their limbs, impossibly thin and pale as the fog, intrude even further. ".... they were exchanged as symbols of our love.... " the male said, barely a whisper now. ".... share them with your mate.... and our love will recover.... love your mate with all your might....." "....please.... your lives are nothing.... without.... loveeeee.............." Suddenly, the wind rose, and the leaves of the trees began to rustle in the breeze and press into Akane's and Redd's backs. The shadowy forms were instantly crushed out of existence, and the flames of the fire were blown into the sky. A moment later, and the fog itself was brushed away from the hill, and the only sound that could be heard was the wind without voice. Akane raised the male doll and looked into its threaded eyes. "Ranma," she heard herself say, her voice quivered, as if she were beckoning to him with a whisper. --To be continued in act III: The Cosmic Twin-- _________Closing Credits_________________________ -->Insert the them song for Get Smart here..<----- -------------------------------------------------- Story by: Douglas E. Kulp Based on stuff by: Rumiko Takahashi Edited by: Deric Wilson Transportation and lodging by: Code Name D. No officer. Akane and Ranma normally act like that. __/\/\___________________________________ _(_ )_ Code Name D \__\/__/ Beware of the spy http://www.geocities.com/Code_Name_D code_name_d@my-deja.com Ranma 1/2: The Curse of the Ghost Dance Act II: A Soul's Unrest