CONTINUED FROM PART 4 PAGE 2 OF 4
THE UTCHAN
5:15 P.M.
Ranma thanked the customer for the tip as he walked out the
door. The dinner rush was already underway and Ranma was having
trouble keeping up with all of the orders for Okonomiyaki.
"At least that's the only thing she serves here so it easy not
to mix up any orders!" Ranma though to himself as he went back
behind the counter to cook up another four orders.
Even though it was hard work, Ranma found it was easier
for him to not think about his problems so much. But as time passed,
Ranma knew eventually he would have to go to the Nekohanten....and
then tomorrow....he shuddered at what Nabiki could put him through
in a month's time....
"Ranchan!" A sing-song voice rang out. Ranma looked over
at the door to see Ukyou walk up to the counter, a big smile on her
face. She held one of her hands behind her back as Ranma turned to
greet her.
"Hey Ucchan. Where'd you go?" Ranma wondered.
"Ranchan...." Ukyou said in a sweet voice dripping with
sugar. "If I were to tell you I've solved your troubles for you, what
would it be worth?"
"W....What do you mean?" Ranma asked, curious.
She held out her hand in front of her with her fist clenched.
"Close your eyes and hold out your hands."
"But why...." Ranma asked.
"Just trust me on this Ranchan." Ukyou replied.
Ranma sighed, closed his eyes and held out his hands. Then
he felt something small and plastic fall onto them, followed by several
more. Ranma couldn't stand it and opened his eyes to see several
rolls of film. Ranma looked up at Ukyou.
"Ucchan...." Ranma whispered.
Ukyou held her breath, waiting to see how Ranma would
thank her.
"....what are these?" Ranma finished.
Ukyou face-faulted. Then leapt back up and gestured
frantically at his hands. "There're rolls of film Ranchan! The same
rolls Nabiki took of you. Don't you see you're home free! Nabiki
hasn't got any proof you showered with Shampoo at all so you don't
have to be her slave anymore!
Ranma glanced down at his hands in shock, the full impact
of Ukyou's statement hitting him like a brick. Then he looked at
Ukyou again.
"Ucchan...." Ranma whispered.
Ukyou braced herself again, certain Ranma would thank
her this time.
"You didn't hurt Nabiki to get these did you?" Ranma
finished.
Ukyou face faulted again. Then she grabbed Ranma by the
collar and lifted him off his feet, causing him to drop the rolls of
film behind her counter. A red haze filled her vision as rage and
frustration warred with her feelings for Ranma, vying for control of
the cute okonomiyaki chef, and she shook Ranma back and forth like
a rag doll.
NO, I DIDN'T HURT ANYONE YOU JACKASS!!!
DON'T YOU GET IT?!? I SAVED YOU FROM NABIKI AND
NOW I WANT YOU TO THANK ME LIKE A FIANCEE
SHOULD!!!! Ukyou screamed at the top of her lungs. Then she
grabbed Ranma and kissed him passionately. The entire restaurant
oohs and ahhs. Ranma blushes a deep crimson as he tries to break
free of the kiss only to have Ukyou grip him tighter. Then after a
few moments, Ukyou released Ranma and he collapsed to the floor
in a heap while Ukyou struggled to calm herself down. She blushed
bright pink as she realized what she just did in front of so many
people.
"R...Ranchan....I'm so sorry....I didn't mean to...." Ukyou
stammered.
Ranma quickly rose to his feet. "Um....sorry about
that Ucchan. I guess I didn't realize what you did for me. I do
now though. Ranma remarked as he brushed his lips with his
fingers for a moment. "Wow...." he remarked.
"I just....I needed that....god, I needed that....I shouldn't
have been so selfish though. Please don't think of me like
Shampoo or Kodachi! I'm not like them! Please don't be mad at
me!" Tears began to form in Ukyou's eyes.
"Mad....?" Ranma said as he saw Ukyou's face. "Why
would I be mad?" Ranma wondered.
"I kissed you in front of all these people! I shouldn't
have!" Ukyou was babbling and bowing her head in apology.
Ranma felt the eyes of the restaurant upon them both and
he blushed again. "It's....It's okay Ucchan. It was my fault. I
should have realized you wouldn't hurt Nabiki." Ranma reassured
her as he tried to concentrate on something else. He glanced at the
grill to see that the four Okonomiyaki he had placed on the grill
had been over-cooked, by Ukyou's standards anyway and were now
useless. He turned back to face Ukyou. "Thank you for helping me
out with Nabiki, I owe you one." Ranma said as he placed a quick
peck on her cheek. Ukyou blushed and then quickly got behind the
counter while Ranma sat back down on his stool, grateful for the
break.
"I don't know how you do it Ucchan. Running this place
without any help. Haven't you ever considered hiring some help?"
Ranma wondered.
Ukyou dumped Ranma's Okonomiyaki and and poured a new
batch of okonomiyaki batter on the hot grill. "It's not usually this
busy till around six." she replied. "Maybe the Nekohanten is having
trouble and their regulars are coming over here instead." She
remarked as she placed her ingredients on the top of the cooking
batter.
"The Nekohanten....Aw, shoot." Ranma groaned as he was
reminded of his promise to Shampoo. "I've gotta get down there
soon for my date. I sure ain't looking forward to this...."
But Ukyou had been thinking of a way to solve this problem
as well. "Maybe you can't get out of it but you might be able to
discourage her from glomping on to you all night." Ukyou offered
as she flipped the pancakes with practiced ease..
"R....Really!" Ranma sounded excited. "How? Tell me!"
"Well you promised Shampoo you'd take her on a date and
I know you're too honorable to break your word....but I'll bet you
never said you'd take her out as "Ranma." Ukyou slyly remarked.
"What do you mean?" Ranma was confused.
"I mean....take Shampoo out on a date....as a girl." Ukyou
suggested with a sly grin. "Shampoo prefers you as a man, right?
Well she may tolerate you being a girl once in a while but even I can't
see Shampoo wanting to hug and kiss you a lot when you're a girl,
right?"
"I dunno. Shampoo might be willing to do it anyway.
Besides that she'll toss hot water on me at the first opportunity."
Ranma sighed in exasperation.
"Not if you temporarily stay as a girl...." Ukyou trailed off
as Ranma's eyes grew wide.
"Y...You don't mean...." Ranma stuttered with fear. "The
Chisuiton?"
"Why not?" Ukyou inquired.
Ranma thought about it for a moment then shook his head.
�It�s all the way back in China with Herb. Even there was enough
time, I don't think I have a chance in hell of ever getting it back."
Ranma sadly replied.
"Well then....What about Dr. Tofu? Maybe he can
recommend something. A pressure point maybe? Ukyou offered.
"Maybe...." Ranma said, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
"That's all I can suggest, Ranchan." Ukyou said in a
sympathetic tone of voice. "If Doctor Tofu doesn't have it you'll just
have to try and avoid hot water....or bring some cold water of your
own....� She suggested helpfully.
"Okay." Ranma stood up and smiled. "Thanks for all your
help Ucchan. I'm really lucky to have a friend like you."
"Tell you what. There's a new Jackie Chan film coming
out this week...." Ukyou spoke up.
"I know!" Ranma said with a grin. "I've been looking
forward to it for months now!"
"Me too. It brings back a lot of childhood memories."
Ukyou said. "I was....that is....I wondered if you wanted to go with
me when it comes out....that is if you want to...." Ukyou said while
twiddling her fingers.
"Sure!" Ranma's enthusiastic response surprised her. "It's
the least I can do for your help!" Ranma walked towards the door
and then waved good-bye.
"See ya later Ucchan!" Ranma said cheerfully, his mood
tremendously improved...as he walked out the door and towards
Dr. Tofu's clinic. Ukyou smiled as she saw him leave and
then turned her attention back to the grill when she noticed the
rolls of film on the floor behind her counter. Ukyou decided to play
it safe and using her heel, she smashed every roll of film flat before
throwing the now useless pieces of plastic away in the garbage.
* * *
DR. TOFU'S CLINIC
4:49 P.M.
*RING* *RIN....click*
"Hello, Dr. Tofu's Clinic. Dr. Tofu speaking.
"Hello, Dr, Tofu." Akane replied.
"Oh, hello Akane! What's up?" said the doctor in a
cheerful voice.
"I heard you brought Ryouga in for heat stroke, I just
wondered how he's doing?" Akane asked.
"He's sleeping right now. He was asleep for three hours and
then he woke up, asked me a few questions, walked out into the rain,
fell to his knees and started to laugh uncontrollably for some reason
before he finally passed out again from exhaustion." Dr. Tofu said.
"Wow....Is he going to be okay?" Akane sounded worried.
"He'll be fine with a little rest. I'll send him over to get his
clothes from Kasumi when he's strong enough. He said he walked
from China all the way here without stopping to rest."
"Poor guy. I wonder why he didn't take the time to rest?"
she wondered to herself.
"I think it has something to do with you." Dr. Tofu
suddenly said.
"Me?" Akane voice was full of surprise.
"Since he passed out again, he's been murmuring in his
sleep. Most of it is gibberish but at one point he yelled out "Akane,
don't fall sleep now!" Tofu paused. "He said it like it was a matter
of life and death."
Akane paused as she considered Tofu's words. If Ryouga
had come to see her, what could possibly be worth risking his life
over? Whatever it was, it had to be important.
"Can I speak to him?" Akane asked cautiously.
"He's sleeping right now and he really needs it. Maybe
tomorrow would be a better idea." Dr. Tofu recommended.
"Okay I will. Thanks a lot for helping him Doctor Tofu.
Good-bye." Akane said as she hung up the phone.
*click*
Dr. Tofu replaced the phone on the cradle as he glanced over
at his stubborn patient. "You sure are lucky to have a friend like her,
Ryouga."
Ryouga shifted slightly and then began to talk in his sleep
again. Most of it was unintelligible until Dr. Tofu heard something
that made him sit up and take notice.
"What was that? What did you say?" Dr. Tofu whispered
softly, trying to coax it out of Ryouga without waking him up.
"Akane...." Ryouga moaned softly and then.... "I love
you so much...."
Dr. Tofu stared at Ryouga, surprise lighting up his
features. "Love Akane? You love Akane? But she's
engaged....ah....so that's why you two hate each other so much."
Dr. Tofu couldn't help but grin. "Ah, youth....I remember when I
had a crush on somebody's fiancee once. I never told her the truth
and it broke my heart when she got married to someone else. That's
when I moved here, to get away and start over. That's when I met...."
Dr. Tofu's eyes fog over once again as visions of Kasumi
drifted before his eyes. He had met her when she was thirteen in
high school, she had frequently visited the clinic in order to have
him heal her ten year old sister Akane for fighting in school. It had
been love at first sight for the twenty year old Dr. Tofu. But of
course she was far too young to even consider asking her for a date.
As the years passed and she matured to the age of eighteen, she grew
to be even more beautiful and Dr. Tofu found that his senses failed
him and he couldn't even focus long enough to say what he had
wanted to say for the past five years. Now she was a year older and
he still hadn't made any real progress in trying to tell her how he
felt. If only he knew for sure that she felt the same way about him!
In his dreams he imagined them both admitting their love for each
other and getting married soon afterwards....
But in the real world, he couldn't even talk to her without
acting like a blind fool. She considered him a wacky friend that she
could count on, but nothing more....
Dr. Tofu sighed and tried to get his mind off Kasumi by
concentrating on his patient. He turned around to face Ryouga....
....Only Ryouga wasn't there anymore.
"Ryouga?" Dr. Tofu said blankly before he realized he
was gone. He glanced at the door and found it shut, likewise the
window. Had he been so lost in thought, he completely missed
Ryouga leaving the clinic?
Dr. Tofu sighed and took a seat on the bed where Ryouga
once lay, only to be startled when he felt something underneath
him. "What the...." Dr. Tofu yelped, startled as he glanced under
him to see Ryouga had returned. "How did you...." Dr. Tofu never
finished his thought as Ryouga suddenly disappeared before his
eyes, then reappeared again a few moments later. Ryouga's arms
were outstretched and his face was a mask of concentration as he
vanished again. Dr. Tofu had had enough of this and when Ryouga
reappeared again, he shook him gently.
"Ryouga....Ryouga! Wake up!"
* * *
Ryouga had to remain still. If he didn't remain still he
would never be able to master this technique. He tried to clear his
mind, tried to open his six senses but a strange chant continued to
echo in his mind's eye. A chant that almost sounded like...."
"RYOUGA!!!"
Ryouga's eyes snapped open as he looked into the worried
face of Dr. Tofu. "Doc....?" Ryouga muttered weakly.
"I'm sorry I had to wake you but you were vanishing and
reappearing over and over again on me. How did you do that?" The
doctor asked, his face a mixture of curiosity and worry.
Ryouga sighed inwardly. He had hoped to keep this
technique a secret for a while, especially from Ranma, but now he
had gone and unveiled it to Dr. Tofu while he was sleeping.
"It's a long story, Doc." Ryouga replied. "Can I trust you
to keep this between us?" he added.
"Of course." Dr. Tofu's voice reassured him.
"Well, it all began when I found myself in China by accident.
I started looking for the cursed springs when I...." Ryouga began.
"Cursed springs? You mean Jusenkyou?" Dr. Tofu remarked.
"The same." Ryouga said.
"Why would you want to look there? You don't have a
curse...." Dr. Tofu paused as he remembered Ryouga kneeling in the
cold rain, laughing his head off. He had dismissed the unusual act as
exhaustion and stress overwhelming him temporarily but now....
"You mean...."
"I had a curse of Jusenkyou once." Ryouga replied.
"Once?" the doctor inquired.
"Let me tell my story....It all started when I wandered into
this strange forest in the mountains of China....
(FLASHBACK)
APRIL 18
SOMEWHERE IN CHINA
5:10 P.M.
Ryouga gingerly made his way from stone to stone across
the stream. The last thing he needed was to turn into P-Chan and
end up being washed away to who knows where. Ryouga had almost
made it across the stream when he noticed a rabbit nearby. Not having
eaten for the past six days had given Ryouga one hell of an appitite.
Ryouga's mouth watered as he finished crossing the stream and
prepared to catch him some dinner when he accidentally stepped on
a twig, alerting the rabbit to his presence and it took off like
lightning. Ryouga stomach growled loudly, encouraging him to try
and pursue the rabbit before it got out of his sight. He chased the
rabbit for a good ten minutes before he lost sight of it by tripping
over a tree root, landing face first into the dirt.
Ryouga spit dirt from his mouth and inwardly cursed. He
had blown his chance for a much-needed meal and his stomach
growled with disapproval. Ryouga rose to a kneeling position and
sighed as he reached behind him and pulled out a box of buckwheat
noodles and stared at it guiltily.
"Forgive me Akane, but if I don't eat something soon
I'll be too weak to find my way back to you." Ryouga sighed as
he tore open the box meant for Akane and began to stuff his face.
He looked up at the setting sun and knew he should stop and rest
now before it became too dark to see anything. He finished the
entire box and stuffed it back in his backpack as he began to look
for a suitable spot to make camp. Then he spotted a clearing nearby
a full sized tree. Ryouga walked over to the clearing and then took off
his
backpack, stretching out his tired muscles as he dropped the backpack
to the ground. He massaged his neck as he looked up to see a clear sky.
"Good thing it doesn't rain around here nearly as much as it does
around Nerima." Ryouga thought to himself as he walked towards
the tree, intending to climb it and get an idea of where he was. He
had almost reached it when he was startled to hear the tree speak to
him.
"Are you one with the forest?" the tree said, sounding very
much like a young woman.
"W...What?" Ryouga stammered, caught off guard by a
tree capable of human speech.
The tree seemed to change form slightly and a young woman,
made completely out of the center of the tree stepped forward, her
back still attached to the tree as she spoke again.
"Forgive my sudden appearance. My name is Julunar. And
you are...?
"H....Hibiki Ryouga." Ryouga replied.
"Hibiki Ryouga, I ask again, are you one with the forest?" the
tree woman asked.
"I....I don't know what you mean." Ryouga stammered.
"Are you a friend to animals and appreciative of nature." she
clarified.
"Uh....I guess so...." Ryouga replied with a shrug.
The tree woman smiled. "I am happy. It has been a long
time since one of your kind had ventured into these woods." She
opened her hands to reveal a small yellow seed. "I have here this
single seed from an extinct flower. A flower that must not be
allowed to die out for the sake of our forest. I need someone who
can leave the forest and plant this where it may grow without fear
of becoming extinct again." The tree woman leaned close, her face
a mask of fear and concern. "Do you plan to leave these woods ever
again?" the tree woman asked.
"Huh....yeah, of course....I'm only looking for the...."
"If you truly mean that, then I beg you to take this seed and
plant it somewhere where it can grow and flourish. This is the last of
it's kind and if it dies, everything it was, everything it was meant to
become, will be lost forever. Promise me you'll plant the seed in a
safe place." The tree woman's eyes pleaded to him.
"You....You have my word. I'll plant your seed for you."
Ryouga said in a shaky voice.
She held out the seed for Ryouga to take. He does so and
then carefully placed it in the empty box of buckwheat noodles,
closing it up and placing it carefully in his backpack.
"You have a kind soul Ryouga Hibiki." She frowned. "But
it has seen great pain and suffering as well. I offer to teach you a
way to escape from such torments."
"What do you mean?" Ryouga asked.
"There is a technique that can be used by members of your
species that can dull all six senses of those around you, thus making
you invisible to almost all forms of detection. I offer this technique
as a gift to you for fulfilling your part of the bargain. I trust you
will not fail me and so I will teach you the technique now. But
beware...." her gaze became intense. "If you do not plant the
seed and allow it to decay, you will become what you failed to save,
you will become a flower to replace the one you lost....forever. Do
you understand?"
"I understand. You can count on me." Ryouga said firmly.
"Very well....I will now teach you the basics of this
technique. Listen closely...."
(END OF FLASHBACK....)
"So I spent a week in those woods learning this technique by
clearing my mind and opening every one of my senses: smell, taste,
sound, sight, touch and my mind to everything around me. Then I
turn invisible."
"Wow, that's quite a story Ryouga! You should write this
stuff down and make a book out of it." Dr. Tofu marveled.
"My story isn't over yet. Anyway, after I learned the basics
of the technique, I left to resume my search for Jusenkyou. I was
about to give up and go home when I met this little creature named
Taimak."
"Another talking creature that wasn't human?" Dr. Tofu
asked, fascinated.
"Yeah, I saved him from an animal trap and he repaid me
by giving me a single wish. Anything I wanted."
"You're kidding?!" Dr. Tofu exclaimed with excitement.
"Nope. So while he started suggesting things for me to
wish for, I starting wondering what I wanted most in life."
Dr. Tofu's excitement abruptly drops as he remembers what
Ryouga had murmured in his sleep. "Ryouga, you didn't wish for
Akane's love did you?" Dr. Tofu asked with a worried expression.
Ryouga turned pale. "How did you....I mean....Who told
you I....!"
"You said *I love you so much Akane.* in your sleep." the
doctor noted.
Ryouga groaned. Yet another little secret his sleeping self
had revealed. He had to trust Dr. Tofu now, he had little other
choice. "Okay, just keep to yourself okay?" he pleaded to Dr. Tofu.
"No, I didn't wish for Akane's love, tempted as I was to do so....nor
did I wish for my curse to be removed or for Ranma to be killed.
I'd been thinking about this for a long time now, way before I met
Taimak, and I decided to wish for the one thing that always eluded
me in the past....
(ANOTHER FLASHBACK)
MAY 2
SOMEWHERE IN CHINA
5:35 A.M.
"I....I think I know what I want to wish for." Ryouga
interrupted as Taimak was suggesting numerous wishes for him
to use, wishes that he truly didn't care about.
Taimak cocked an eyebrow, or at least made the same
motion with his forehead. "Already?" "My!" "That was quick!"
"Are you certain young man?" Taimak asked with a note of worry
in his voice. "Remember, once you've made the wish you can't take
it back!"
"I know." Ryouga said confidently "I know what I want."
"Very well." Taimak gazed into Ryouga's eyes. "What is
your wish?" "Be specific and precise now!" he admonished.
"And you're sure I can wish for ANYTHING I want?"
Ryouga asked, excitement creeping into his voice again.
"Ask me again and I'll tell you the same." Taimak replied
matter-of-factly.
"Okay then."
Ryouga mulled over the wish in his mind. While he was
tempted to make at least two other wishes that would guarantee his
happiness, he remembered what Taimak said about
misunderstandings and having only one chance at this. And if this
creature could truly grant him this....
Ryouga took a deep breath and made his wish....
"I wish I had a perfect sense of direction so I can go where
I want, without ever getting lost again." Ryouga proclaimed.
Taimak stared blankly at him. "A sense of direction? You
must be joking? Why would you need a sense of direction?"
Ryouga blushed, embarrassed to admit his weakness to
anybody. "Because I can't walk 500 yards without getting
hopelessly lost. If I could get to where I wanted to go all the time, I
could find Jusenkyou and be cured, I could be with Akane without
having to worry about wandering off again, which also means I can
finally tell her how I feel about her. So please grant my wish so I
can end my misery once and for all! Please!" Ryouga begged.
"In all my years in this forest, I have never been asked to
grate a wish such as this to anybody....However if it is truly what
you want....?" Taimak peered intently at Ryouga.
"It is." Ryouga replied firmly.
"As you wish, so shall it be done!"
Taimak seemed to shimmer slightly as a strange feeling
washed over Ryouga's entire body and then dissipated just as
quickly. "It is done." said Taimak.
"That's it?" Ryouga was surprised.
"That's it." Taimak replied. "I certainly hope you know
what you're doing young man. First you want to leave this
wonderful place behind and then you wish for something you
should already have...." Taimak trailed off as he realized how
much he sounded like his own mother. "Never mind, it's your
wish to do with as you see fit and if you're happy, then I'm happy for
you.
"Thanks. Now If I can only get directions to Jusenkyou...."
Ryouga wondered aloud to himself.
"I wish I could help but I will never leave the comfort of
this woodland paradise! I wish you luck, Ryouga."
"Thanks again....for everything, Taimak. Maybe I'll see
you again someday."
"Doubtful" replied Taimak sadly. "No one who has ever
left these woods has ever returned."
"I hope you're wrong. Farewell!" Ryouga bowed to
Taimak deeply as he began packing his stuff. Taimak stared at
Ryouga for a long moment, his thoughts unknown to all as he took
off from Ryouga's backpack and flew away into the morning sky....
(END OF FLASHBACK)
"And then I came to Jusenkyou, found the chinese guide, had
him point out the correct spring and I cured myself. Then I walked
straight here from China and you found me on the streets." Ryouga
finished with a smile. "That's my story."
"Very nice!" Dr. Tofu actually clapped, bringing an
embarrassed flush to Ryouga's cheeks. "But I still have one
question....What were you cursed as before you got cured?"
Ryouga swallowed. While he had told Dr. Tofu most of the
truth, he had omitted a few details that could make things difficult if
they were brought to light.
"Uh....I was a girl. Just like Ranma." Ryouga replied
quickly, trying not to show his reluctance to open up.
"Oh, that's strange, I never saw you as a girl...." Dr. Tofu
curiously replied.
"I avoided water at all costs. I was....embarrassed. Ranma
was responsible for me being cursed in the first place and that's
why I hate him so much." Ryouga said, feeling comfortable that
most of what he said is the truth.
"And here I thought it was because of Akane...." Dr. Tofu
remarked. Ryouga blushed again as Dr. Tofu chuckled out loud.
"I understand what you're going through, Ryouga. I went through
the same thing when I was your age."
"You did?" Ryouga tried to picture Dr. Tofu going through
a tenth of the hell he had already suffered.
"Yep, and trust me, one day you'll get over Akane and find
someone else, just like I did." Dr. Tofu said reassuringly.
Ryouga frowned and was VERY tempted at that moment to
tell Dr. Tofu in no uncertain terms that he would never give up on
Akane and leave her to a jerk like Ranma. He struggled to keep his
battle aura under control, not waiting to destroy the doctor�s clinic
after he had been healed. Ryouga was beginning to flare up
involuntarily when the doctor suddenly mentioned....
"You know, Akane called here while you were asleep...."
"She did?!?" Ryouga's face instantly became blissful. "She
cares about my welfare! She cares about me!" he thought excitedly
to himself, his previous anger forgotten as his battle aura faded
away.
"Yes, I told her you would be down to pick up your clothes
when you felt a little better. Would you like to give her a call?" Dr.
Tofu offered.
"Um....not right now thanks....I've....got a few things to do
before I talk to her and time is of the essence."
"Well if you...." Dr. Tofu's voice is interrupted by a loud
knocking at the door. "Wait here, I'll be right back." said the doctor
as he walked over to the door and opened it up to admit Ranma.
"Could I talk to ya for a sec? I need some help." Ranma
asked in a polite voice.
"Sure thing, come on in! Ryouga and I were just having a
great conversation...."
"Ryouga?" Ranma came to a halt as he came face to face
with his arch rival.....
CONTINUED IN PART 4 PAGE 4 of 4....
This part was a little too large to fit the whole thing so I made a
fourth page. Sorry about that.