This one ain't mine either. Please send comments to the list or
<z_haneyrm@TITAN.SFASU.EDU>
I split it into two parts, easier to post.

Message Begins...

________________________________________________________________________

	Running, running. I have to get away - can't let it get me.  No,
NO!  I have to run, I have to hide...where, where?
	Tokugawa Natsumi ran through the woods breathlessly, trying to
keep her mind from realizing what was happening to her. She heard the
rushing of water and breathed out. Water. It must be the creek. Now I
know where I am...I can make it now. She raced down the footpath by the
creek, sharp stones cutting her tender feet as she ran blindly toward the
water. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and Natsumi bit back the pain. She
heard the footfalls behind her, but didn't bother to look back at her
pursuer. Once had been enough. Natsumi heard the heavy steps advancing
behind her, could hear the deep-throated cackle that sounded like bones
breaking. Natsumi felt her stomach rise into her throat and tried to
speed up As she ran, the tiny pebbles beneath her feet slid away, and
Natsumi tumbled forward down the hill and into the stony creek bed.  She
caught herself on her hands and knees and felt the skin slip away as she
skidded to a stop in the water.  Natsumi gasped for air, fighting back
her tears as she tried to scramble back to her feet. The water and wet
pebbles slowed her down, and as Natsumi got a hand-hold to pull herself
out of the creek bed, she came face to face with a twisted, grinning
monster. Natsumi shrieked in surprise and lost her grip, slipping back
down into the water. She turned the other way and felt a burst of energy
push her up the low hill and back into the darkness of the woods. Soon,
the aching of her chest and the sharp sticks and rocks beneath her feet
caused her pace to slow, and Natsumi could feel the hot breath of the
creature on her neck. She tried in vain to speed up, and tripped on a
branch. She tumbled to the ground, gulping in breaths of air as she
fought to get back up. The creature advanced on Natsumi, and she suddenly
knew she could run no further. The monster leaned closer, cackling, and
Natsumi crab-walked backwards.
	"No...no..." she gasped, as she tried to escape. "No!" Natsumi
looked around her and the thing was again swallowed by the darkness.
Natsumi tried to struggle back up. She took a few shaky steps before she
felt the creature grab a handful of her long black hair in its sharp
claws. It jerked her heavenward and held her up in front of its face.
Natsumi screamed at the sight and at the feeling that her scalp was on
fire. She saw the thing grin, exposing gleaming fangs.
	"No...NO!" Natsumi screamed again in horror as the monster raised
an arm. "NOOOO---" Her scream became a meaningless wail as she felt the
razor sharp claws slice through her clothes, then through the skin and
muscle of her chest. Dark blood poured from the wound and onto the soil.
Natsumi's screams faded as she passed out, and her limp body slid from
the clawed hand onto the ground.
	A young man stood at the edge of the forest glade saw the
creature stomp over to her and lean over the body, then disappear. The
young man's eyes narrowed.
	"So that's how you want to play."







_______________________________________________________________________
Hunt 1/2    Cloak of the Ogre
____________________________________________________
	
	  Tendou Soun sat on the porch of his dojo looking out at the
world. He turned to the living room, where his daughter Nabiki sat
counting out some yen. He smiled at  Saotome Genma, who was fanning
himself on the opposite side of the porch.
	"It's a beautiful day, isn't it, Saotome-kun?"
	"Sure is, Tendou-kun. The sun is shining, the birds are
singing..." He paused as he listened to a battle cry in the distance.
"...and Akane and Ranma are fighting."
	Soun sighed, shaking his head as he heard the cries from the
dojo. He folded his arms and looked to Genma. "How can they fight so much?"
	"We have to do something to make them get along!" Genma said,
jumping up excitedly, ready for action.
	"You have an idea?" Soun asked happily, tears in his eyes.
	"Well...no."
	Soun turned around and surveyed the backyard again. Momentarily,
there was aloud cry, and Ranma came running through the yard, calling
back at Akane, making a face at her.
	"Kawaiikune!"  He yelled, as a cinderblock flew past his head.
Ranma stuck out his tongue at Akane, giving her time to throw another
cinderblock. This one connected with his face. Ranma fell into the pond
backwards, the block implanted in his face.  As he became a she, Akane
came stomping around the corner of the dojo.
	"All Right! Where is he?" She looked around the yard and spotted
Ranma-chan lying in the pond shivering, twitching and mumbling.
	Kasumi sighed and put up the laundry. "I guess I'll start boiling
the hot water." She walked into the house.
	"K-kkawaiikune..." Ranma-chan moaned, lifting the cinderblock
from her face. Akane glared and stomped away as Ranma-chan stood up
painfully.  Genma wandered over to Ranma-chan.
	"This can't go on forever, boy. You have to try and get along
with Akane sometime, you know. She is your fiancee, you know."
	"I know, I know! But how can I get along with someone who's as
masculine as her? Besides the fact that she's got no figure, she's dumb
as a rock, she's hopelessly violent, a complete tomboy, she can't even
cook, and can't tell salad oil from white wine, I don't even like her!!"
	"RANMA HOW COULD YOU?"
	Ranma-chan looked up. "Huh?" As she looked up, she saw Ryoga
Hibiki flying at her head. Ranma-chan ducked and looked at him
disinterestedly. "Hey, P-chan."
	"SHUT UP, Ranma! How could you? I cannot allow you to call
Akane-san such names! How can you treat such a beautiful fiancee so badly?"
	"I didn't pick her!" Ranma-chan yelled. "And what business is
this of yours?" She dodged one of Ryoga's kicks and landed a punch into
his face. Ryoga fell backwards and into the pond.
	"Damn you, Ranm---kweeeeeee!" P-chan bobbed up to the top,
squealing angrily. Ranma-chan ignored him as he crawled out of the pond.
Kasumi walked back onto the porch, carrying a kettle.
	"Ranma, here's a letter for you! And here's the hot water, too."
	"Hey, that's new. Hand me that hot water." Ranma-chan reached out
for the kettle and P-chan rushed at her leg, fangs bared for a good
chomping. Ranma-chan nonchalantly kicked P-chan out of the way, and he
bounced out of sight. Ranma-chan accepted the hot kettle, and poured the
hot water over her head. She became a he again, and shook off the excess
water. "Thanks Kasumi."
	"You're welcome, Ranma-kun! Now about that letter..." She pulled
the envelope from her pocket and started to hand it to Ranma. Ranma
reached out for it, but was interrupted by a whack on the back of his
head by his father.
	"I'm not finished talking to you, boy! Now, you listen to me,
son...Akane is your fiancee and I think that you need to---"
	Ranma rushed at his father and knocked him backwards into the
pond. Genma bounced into the cold water and changed instantly into a
panda. He jumped up and tried to talk to Ranma, but all that emerged were
a few assorted grumbles and grunts. Ranma laughed and shrugged.
	"We can talk later, Pop. Now how about that letter, Kasumi?"
	"Well, it's from some girl..."
	"GIRL?" Akane popped up from somewhere in the house, a large vein
standing out on her forehead. "RAAANMAAAA!"
	"Another one?!?" Ryoga gasped, coming out from around the corner
of the house, steaming and wet. "Ranma, how could you do such a thing?
Just how many women do you need, anyways?" Ryoga lunged at Ranma, who
avoided it easily, then landed a high kick into Ryoga's midsection,
knocking him into the yard.
	"Just butt out, Ryoga! This probably ain't even any of your
business anyways,
and---"
	"It's from a girl named Tokugawa Natsumi," Kasumi said, holding
up the envelope for Ranma to get. Both Ryoga and Ranma looked up at
Kasumi, wide eyed.
	"Tokugawa...Natsumi?" They asked in unison, then looked at each
other. Ranma jumped up and grabbed the letter.
	"Let me see that letter." Ranma ripped open the letter and stood
on the porch, reading it. Ryoga jumped up next to him and read over his
shoulder.
	"What does it say? Ryoga asked. He had forgotten all about
beating Ranma up in the interest of the letter in his hand.
	"It says--
        	'Dear Saotome Ranma,
	    Natsumi has suddenly become very ill, due to a very strange,
very serious injury. Due to her deteriorating condition, the doctors say
that she may not have very much time left, and she really wants to see
you. I would be honored to have you as a guest in my house while you
visit Natsumi. I have tried to contact Ryoga, but I have been unable to
locate him. If you see him, please inform him of Natsumi's condition, and
ask him to come see her as soon as possible. Please hurry.
					Tokugawa Yoriko.' "

Ranma looked up at Ryoga, raising his eyebrows. "A strange injury? What
does that mean, I wonder?"
	Ryoga shook his head. "I don't know. But it sounds really bad,
Ranma. I think we ought to go see her. After all, I mean...Natsumi..."
	"I know. She may not have long left. But maybe there's something
that can be done for her. And...if there isn't..." Ryoga nodded. Ranma
sighed heavily and started up the stairs. Akane followed him.
	"Where do you think you're going, Ranma" She asked, grabbing his
arm. Ranma turned to her.
	"I'm going to pack, Akane. I would think that even you could
understand that." Ranma turned and started up the stairs again. Akane
stood at the foot.
"Ranma, you mean to tell me that some girl sends you one letter and you
just rush off to see her...just like that?"Ranma turned to her, his face
serious and hard.
	"Yes."
	"But..." Akane was interrupted as Genma grabbed her arm. He shook
his head and pulled her back. Ranma disappeared upstairs and Akane looked
around. Ryoga was sitting on the porch silently, hand on his backpack.
Akane looked back at Genma. "Mr. Saotome, what's all this about? I've
never seen Ranma or Ryoga like this!"
	"Well, as you know, Ranma and Ryoga used to live near each other.
When they were going to that all boys school together, they got into that
bread feud, you know. Well, somehow one day while they were fighting,
Tokugawa Natsumi came along. I guess you could say they both had kind of
a crush on her. That was just one more thing for them to fight about.
Somehow, though, they always managed to get along whenever she was
around. But pretty soon, Ranma and I went training, and then to Jusenkyo,
and well...you know this part of the story. But when we came back,
Natsumi had moved to Hakone. I guess she meant a lot more to them than I
thought."
	"I guess so." Akane said softly, thinking about what Genma had
said. She looked over at Ryoga, then up the stairs at Ranma, who was
stepping out of his room with a backpack. They both looked deathly
serious. "Ranma..." Akane said, touching his arm as he started away.
Ranma looked at Akane.
	"What?"
	"Good luck."
	Ranma looked at Akane, and for once her face seemed soft and
feminine, and almost worried about him. Ranma gave her a half-smile.
	"Thanks, Akane." He turned to Ryoga. "Are you ready, Ryoga?"
	Ryoga stood up and hoisted his backpack onto his shoulder. "I
guess so."  The two walked out the door and onto the sidewalk. Akane
watched them go. Ryoga turned to her and waved.
	"Goodbye, Akane-san."
	"Goodbye, Ryoga-kun!" She waved, then stopped as he turned and
walked away with Ranma. "Good luck," she whispered.

*  *  *


	"Ryoga, do you have any earthly idea where we are?"  Ranma looked
around at the unfamiliar buildings around them and Ryoga took out his
map, turning it around sideways. Ranma shook his head as he saw that
Ryoga was holding the map upside down. Ranma rubbed his temples. Ryoga
looked at the map and pointed at a random spot.
	"I think we're...right here!" He poked a spot on the map and
Ranma shook his head in disbelief.
	"Ryoga...I don't think so."
	"Ranma, I am absolutely sure we are here!" Ryoga tapped his
finger on the map angrily, poking a hole in the map.
	"If you are absolutely sure we're right there... that means we
must be on Okinawa right now." He took the map from Ryoga's hands, and
turned the map right side up. Ryoga looked at it.
	"Maybe not."
	Ranma exhaled hard. "Fine...so now we're lost! Great! Natsumi
could very well be dying, and we are wandering around in the streets of
God only knows where!" He turned to a young man in a high school uniform
with a wrapped package slung over his shoulder. For a moment Ranma was
reminded of his mother. "Excuse me, but do you know where we are?"
	"Sure." The young man smiled. "You're in Hakone." He smiled, and
Ranma noticed that there was a strange sound being emitted from the
wrapped package.  Ryoga looked accusingly at Ranma.
	"See, Hakone! Natsumi lives in Hakone! I knew we were in the
right place!" Ryoga turned to the young man. "Do you know where Tokugawa
Natsumi lives?"
	"As a matter of fact I do. I'm headed there myself. Just go
straight down this road, then turn left on Yuraka Street. Her house is
the first on Tanaka."
	Ryoga looked at Ranma and nodded. "See?" He turned back to the
young man. "Thanks. Hey, are you a friend of Natsumi's?"
	"I guess you call me that." The young man smiled mysteriously,
and Ranma looked at him suspiciously.
	"Are you Natsumi's boyfriend?" Ranma asked. The young man laughed
and shook his head at the two.
	"No, I'm not. In fact, I haven't even met her yet." He turned
around and started walking down the road, calmly. Ranma yelled after him.
	"Hey! Just who are you anyways?"
	The young man turned his head and tossed a secretive smile over
his shoulder to Ranma and Ryoga.
	"Have you ever heard of Ogre Slayer?"
	"Ogre Slayer?" Ranma asked, looking at Ryoga. "Who the heck is
the Ogre Slayer?" Ranma looked back at the young man, who had already
walked off. He turned back to Ryoga, who nodded and folded his arms.
	"Ranma, you mean to tell me you've never heard of Ogre Slayer?
It's one of the oldest fairy tales in the book." He shook his head at
Ranma, who shrugged.
	"Pop never told me any dumb ol' fairy tales while we were in
training. "
	"Well, the way my grandmother told me, ogre babies are born from
the corpses of humans, and Ogre Slayer was born from the corpse of an
ogre. But instead of a horn on his head, he carries a sword made of
ogre's horn. It's the only thing that can slay ogres."
	Ranma looked confused. "So the boy who kills ogres is Ogre
Slayer?" Ryoga shook his head.
	"He isn't a human. He's an ogre himself, and he doesn't have a
name. The legend said that he believes once he kills all the other ogres
in the world, he can become a human being, and own a name for himself."
Ryoga looked thoughtfully down the road where the young man had walked
away. Ranma looked at Ryoga, his brow furrowing.
	"I thought his name was Ogre Slayer."
	Ryoga shook his head as he slung the backpack higher on his
shoulders and started down the same path as the young man. "Ogre Slayer
was the name of his sword." Ranma looked at him strangely.
	"Ryoga, where are you going?"
	"That guy was headed to Natsumi's house, too. I don't know about
you, but I'd like to know just what he wants with Natsumi, and what he
meant about Ogre Slayer." He continued down the road, and Ranma nodded,
running after him.
	"For once in my life I agree with you, Ryoga."	

*  *  *

	The young man walked along down the road to the Tokugawa home. He
smiled to himself. I don't want to get those two involved in this, but
they involved themselves by coming after her. Hmmph. Stupid human
emotions. They always get in the way and lead you into trouble. He
sighed. I wish I could afford them.
	There was a humming sound emanating from the package on his back.
The young man patted it and smiled again.
	"Can you feel it, Ogre Slayer? I  know the ogre has taken that
young girl, but I can only hope that she hasn't responded to it. I can
still distinguish her scent from the ogre's, so I suspect she hasn't
regained consciousness long enough to kill anyone. Especially not with
that wound---" He stopped suddenly. Someone's following me. I can feel
it. It must be those two guys. Oh well. They're no concern of mine right
now. I hope the ogre doesn't make them my concern.
	
* * *

	Ranma and Ryoga stood before the Tokugawa house, looking up.
Ryoga pointed at the nameplate on the gate.
	"Here it is, Ranma. You want to go in first?"
	"Nah, I think I'll let you. You knew her better than I did."
Ranma looked around. "I don't see that guy anywhere around here."
	"Maybe he's already inside the house. " Ryoga started up the
stairs, and Ranma followed after him, looking all around the porch for
the young man. "Ranma, what the hell are you doing?"
	"I'm looking for that guy. I did not like the looks of him. He
was really weird, and all that talk about ogres and Ogre Slayer. I don't
know if I want him anywhere near Natsumi. And if he starts worrying her..."
	Ryoga opened the heavy oak door, and he and Ranma walked in. They
looked around the house for any sign of Natsumi.
	"Hello?" Ryoga called.
	"Ranma! Ryoga! Oh, thank goodness you're here!" Natsumi's mother
came running down the hall. "Natsumi's really bad now. The last time she
woke up she was asking for you. I'm really worried about her."
	"So were we when we got the letter." Ranma said as he and Ryoga
slipped off their shoes and stepped up onto the wooden floor.
	"I'm glad you two decided to come. But I'm afraid you really
won't get to see her. Natsumi hardly ever wakes up anymore. And when she
does, she acts so...strangely."
	Ranma looked up. "Strangely?"
	"If she's so bad, then why isn't she at the hospital?" Ryoga
looked up at Natsumi's mother, who sighed and looked down at the floor.
	"We had her in the hospital until two days ago, when the doctors
figured they couldn't do any more for her there." Natsumi's mother walked
them up the stairs and stopped at Natsumi's door, where she looked at
Ranma and Ryoga. "We thought that if she was going to die, we wanted her
to be at home."
	"That's understandable." Ranma looked in the door. "That's her?"
	"Yes. I'll leave you and Ryoga alone with her for a few minutes
while I go to get her medicine, okay?"
	"Sure," Ranma said. "But what do you mean, about her acting
strangely when she's awake? What has she been doing?"
	"Well, she seems to be having hallucinations, and some sort of
convulsions, sort of like she's trying to get out of her bed."
	"Really? Hallucinations?" Ranma looked interested and her mother nodded.
	"Yes, and vocalizing what she sees too. She screams weird things
about ogres and feeling like she's burning and being torn open, and---"
	"Ogres?" Ryoga interrupted, looking away from Natsumi's room, and
Natsumi on her futon. "Did you say she was talking about ogres?"
	"Yes. The doctor said it may be a result of a fever brought on by
that wound." Her mother's eyes started to fill with tears as she turned
away and started down the stairs. "I...have to go get the medicine." She
hurried down the stairs. Ranma and Ryoga looked at each other.
	"Ogres?"
	They walked into Natsumi's room softly. Ryoga walked over to her
futon and kneeled next to it. He brushed her forehead.
	"This can't be Natsumi...she's so pale! Nothing like last time I
saw her..." Ryoga brushed her forehead again and shook his head. "She
doesn't feel like she has a fever."
	"She doesn't."
	The voice came out of nowhere, and Ranma and Ryoga looked up at
the same time to see the mysterious young man stepping out of the shadows
in the corner of Natsumi's room. He was carrying the wrapped package and
shaking his head.	
	"Her only illness is the creature inside her," he said, standing
over her. "But she is lucky. It's only using her as a shell...she hasn't
absorbed it."
	"Absorbed what?" Ranma asked, looking at the dark figure
confusedly. The young man smiled reassuringly at him.
	"The ogre, of course."
	"That's absurd!" Ryoga yelled, standing up. "There's no way an
ogre could get inside her! She would never answer an ogre!"
	"She didn't have to...some people answer the ogre's words and
absorb them into their bodies, minds and souls. But your friend did not
have the choice." The young man knelt beside her and pulled the blanket
off her. He started to unbutton her nightshirt, and Ranma and Ryoga both
descended on him.
	"What do you think you're doing?" Ranma asked, kneeling beside
Natsumi and grabbing the young man's hand.
	"Showing you how the ogre took her." He pulled the shirt away
from her chest, and Ryoga covered his eyes in a panic.
	"Stop that! Put her shirt back on! Don't look at those, she's not
even awake! You can't just do that without even asking her, and---"
	"Oh, my God!" Ranma gasped, examining Natsumi's chest. "Ryoga,
you have to look at this! It's terrible!"
	"No! No way! There is no way I'll look at her while she can't
even open her eyes!" Ryoga was waving a hand in protest as he covered his
eyes with an arm. Ranma grabbed his arm and pulled him down next to
Natsumi's bed.
	"Quit being such an idiot and look at her chest! You were never
so shy when you were sleeping in Akane's bed or peeking into her shower!"
Ranma grabbed Ryoga's arm and pulled it away from his face. Ryoga
squeezed his eyes shut.
	I can't....I just can't...Oh, God, I feel a nosebleed coming on.
Ryoga opened his eyes and looked at Natsumi's chest. All thoughts of the
two firm ivory mounds on either side of her chest disappeared as he
looked at the angry red gash that ran straight down the middle of her
chest from stem to sternum.
	"Oh, no...Natsumi..." Ryoga breathed, reaching out and touching
the schism in her chest without even realizing what he was doing. He
could see blood pooled beneath her skin in the form of bruises running in
blue and purple trails down her chest, surrounding the cut itself. The
edges of the cut were warm and pink where she was beginning to heal. But
aside from the edges of the gash that looked torn, the cut was straight
from top to bottom, and seemed almost surgical. Ryoga shook his head.
"How...how did this happen?"
	The young man looked into his eyes. "I witnessed the whole thing.
She ran away from it, and tried everything to escape...but the ogre was
faster. It overpowered her quickly, and ripped her open. Then it was
inside her before I could stop it."
	"In--inside her?" Ryoga blanched, touching the cut again, and
Ranma jumped up, grabbing the young man by the shirt and hauling him off
the ground.
	"If you saw the whole thing, why the hell didn't you do something
to stop it? Why didn't you help her at all?" The young man remained calm.
Ranma shook him. "Well?"
	Suddenly, the sword on the young man's back started to hum,
taking on a life of its own as Ranma watched. Ranma dropped the young man
in disbelief.
	That thing...it's humming! How can that be? What the hell is in
that package, anyways? Ranma drew back, and the young man looked down at
Natsumi. Ryoga's hand was still resting on her chest, and he suddenly
felt movement under his hand. Ryoga pulled away in revulsion as the gash
began to pulse. The young man whipped the cord from around the package
and threw off the wrapping. In his hand he held a long sword, which
hummed loudly with every rise of her chest.
	"Come on, ogre!" The young man yelled. "Come on out and play!"
	Natsumi's body sat up and grinned at Ryoga with long fangs. Ryoga
jumped back and screamed in surprise.
	"What the hell is that thing?"
	"'That thing' is your friend Natsumi! The ogre has taken her
over, but not possessed her completely. I have to get that thing out of
her so I can slay it!"
	"And how do you plan to get it out of her?" Ranma asked as
Natsumi's body stood up, eyes blank and gleaming. She grinned and rushed
at the young man with her hands outstretched. Her soft hands had curled
into razor sharp claws, and she snarled at the young man, who raised his
sword. Ranma and Ryoga stood back and watched her in horror.
	"I'm going to get it out of her the same way it got in!" The
sword hummed and gleamed in the light of the setting sun.
	"You don't mean to cut it out of her, do you?" Ranma yelled, horrified.
	"There's no other way!" The young man rushed at her with the
sword held out like a spear. Ranma shook his head.
	"NO!"
	The young man slashed with his sword, and a puddle of blood
dripped onto the floor as an energy burst flashed though the room. The
young man pulled back and shook his head.
	"You fool!"
 	Ranma stood in front of Natsumi, who was behind him, protecting
her as she crouched panting and snarling at the dark figure with the
sword. Ranma's arm dripped blood onto the floor from a cut on his arm as
he stood between the young man and the shell that was Natsumi.
	"I'm not going to let you kill Natsumi." Ranma stared at the
young man with hard blue eyes, and Ryoga joined him.
	"You'll have to kill me first," Ryoga said, folding his arms. The
young man shook his head.
	"I was afraid of this...I knew the ogre would involve you. You
have to let me get it out of her before it forces her to take a life!
Then they will be inseparable!" The young man shook his head. "You can't
let your emotions get in the way like this!"
	There was a slam downstairs, and Natsumi started, running back to
her futon as they heard her mother call out to her.
	"I'm home, guys!"
    	 Natsumi fell into the bed again, and immediately turned from the
snarling animal to a comatose young woman in a futon. The young man
turned a pair of flashing eyes onto Ranma and Ryoga.
	"If you don't help me, you will have no choice. The ogre will
absorb her, and I'll have to kill them both."  He wrapped his sword again
and walked toward the window. Natsumi's mother walked up the stairs and
stuck her head into the doorway.
	"I 'm back, you guys. I don't guess he woke up and talked to you,
did she?"
	Ranma and Ryoga looked at one another and then at Natsumi's
mother and shook their heads. Natsumi's mother noticed Ranma's arm.
	"Oh, Ranma, what happened?"
	Ranma gasped. "Oh, this? I was trying to open the window for
Natsumi and I slipped a little. It's just a scrape."
	"I'll get you some iodine for it." She disappeared and Ranma and
Ryoga looked to Natsumi, and then to the open window. The young man was
gone.

					* * *

	The young man walked outside around the back of Natsumi's house,
clenching his fists. The humming sound rising from the package on his
back told him that Ogre Slayer was awake, and unhappy.
	"Yes, I know, Ogre Slayer. I should have done the job then,
despite those two. I'll have to do it tonight, when it returns to it's
home in the woods."
	The sword continued to hum, and the young man shook his head,
walking deep into the woods, seemingly unmindful of the noise it was
making. He bowed his head solemnly as the sun continued to set.

* * *

	Ranma and Ryoga walked out of Natsumi's house. Her mother
followed them out,  looking worried.
	"Are you sure you two have a place to sleep tonight?"
	Ranma shrugged, grinning. "No problem! We brought our tents with
us.  We can just pitch them in the woods behind your house."
	Natsumi's mother looked worried as she stared out at the woods.
"I don't know if that's a good idea, guys. At night I hear such strange
noises coming from the woods. Almost like screams, you might say."
	"Screams?" Ryoga asked, looking at Ranma, who nodded, understanding.
	"I'd feel much more comfortable if you two would just stay here
in the house tonight. Since my husband is away on business, I'd also feel
safer with two men in the house. If that's not a problem?" Yoriko
Tokugawa looked pleadingly at Ranma and Ryoga, who both could never
refuse a lady, hospitality or a free room. They both nodded in unison,
and Natsumi's mother hugged both of them rather tightly. "Thank you so
much. I knew you two would help!"  She led them back into the house, and
as Ranma led the way, he heard Natsumi's mother talking to Ryoga.
           	" Thank you, Ryoga. I just knew you wouldn't forget
Natsumi, especially after last summer."	
	Ranma whipped around to see Ryoga blushing bright red as he
stammered to answer Natsumi's mother.
	"Well, I...uhh...that is I...I mean, I couldn't just forget about
her..." He was scratching the back of his head furiously. Ranma crossed
his arms angrily.
	What's that jerk getting all red for? It's not like he and
Natsumi ever went out or anything! But what was that about last summer?
Natsumi wouldn't ever...not with Ryoga! Would she?
	Ranma followed Natsumi's mother into the house and back up the
stairs looking angrily at Ryoga. Ryoga saw the daggers Ranma was shooting
at him and frowned.
	What's that jerk's problem, anyways? I haven't done a thing to
him, and he's giving me a look like I just punched him in the face! I
have half a mind to do that anyways.
	"Well, here's the guest room!" Natsumi's mother smiled cheerfully
at them. "The futons are in the closet! Have you two eaten?"
	"Not really, but we were planning to go buy some food, so I
wouldn't want to put you out," Ranma said, smiling.
	"It's no trouble, guys. I kind of like having someone to cook for
again. You can take a bath while I'm making it, if you like. Ryoga, you
remember where the bathroom is?"
	Ryoga laughed sheepishly. "Not really!"
	"He couldn't find the closet without a map," Ranma remarked
sullenly, folding his arms again. Natsumi's mother laughed as Ryoga
blushed again.
	"Poor Ryoga. Okay, the bath is downstairs to the left. Can you
two remember that?" She smiled as she said it, and Ranma and Ryoga nodded
together. "Good! I guess I'll go start on dinner!" Natsumi's mother left,
and Ranma opened his pack. He dug out his washbasin and silently gathered
his toiletries. Ryoga walked over and kicked him in the back mildly.
	"What's your problem, Ranma? You've been acting like a jerk ever
since Tokugawa-san asked us to stay here."
	"It's nothin'," Ranma said, starting out the door. Ryoga grabbed
his shoulder, pulling him back into the room.
	"You're damn right it's nothing! But why are you acting like such
an ass all of a sudden?" Ryoga held tight to Ranma's shirt, and Ranma
jerked away.
	"Just leave me alone, okay, Ryoga?" Ranma stalked down the
stairs, and Ryoga followed him.
	"No, I will not! Tell me what your damn problem is!"
	Ranma spun around and picked up a vase of flowers that was
sitting on the hall table. He nonchalantly threw it on Ryoga, the vase
breaking over his head before the water poured over his head, turning him
instantly into P-chan.
	"I don't have a problem," Ranma said, turning and walking down
the stairs. P-chan squealed angrily after Ranma as he started down the
stairs after him. But then he heard Ranma's voice come back up the stairs.
	"Hey! Tokugawa-san! Ryoga broke a vase upstairs!!"
	P-chan squealed in surprise and raced into the first room he saw,
dragging his clothing. It happened to be Natsumi's room, and as he heard
Natsumi's mother outside cleaning up the mess, he sighed, looking up at
Natsumi. She lay on the futon looking pale and quiet. P-chan almost could
have believed that she was actually ill if he hadn't witnessed the scene
earlier with his own eyes. He shook his head and nuzzled his snout
against Natsumi's cheek before walking out and towards the bathroom.
	Ranma sat in the bathroom on the stool. He scrubbed his hair
furiously as he thought about Natsumi. In his head was implanted an image
of Ryoga with his arm around Natsumi, and he growled.
	Stupid jerk. He couldn't ever get a girl anyways. He ain't even
man enough to ask Akane out himself...always has to get Ukyo to help him.
Whatever made me think that he could go out with Natsumi?
	The bathroom door slid open, and P-chan stalked in, giving Ranma
a dirty look.
 	"Hey, pig, what're you doin' here?"
	 Ranma casually threw a wooden basin at him. It slammed into
P-chan's face and slid him across the tile floor. P-chan stood back up
and shook off the goose egg on his head before he hopped up onto the
bathtub and jumped into the steaming water. Ranma watched the air bubbles
rise for a moment, then Ryoga popped up out of the hot water, leaning
sullenly on the rim of the tub.
	"Ranma, I don't know what your problem is, and right now I could
care less, but I think what we should really be thinking about is this
problem with Natsumi. I don't want to hurt her any more than you do, but
maybe that guy was right."
	"So what's the deal with you and Natsumi anyways?" Ranma asked,
trying to be casual. Ryoga looked up, understanding suddenly.
	"Hey! I get it! Ranma, you're jealous, aren't you?" Ryoga was
ginning, and Ranma jumped up from the stool.
	"Shut up! I am not jealous of you!" Ranma stood over Ryoga, who
looked nonplused by the outburst.
	"So you're jealous of me now? Just because Natsumi and I went out
once or twice and I never told you about it? Poor Ranma, you're just not
the Casanova you used to be." Ryoga smiled at Ranma tauntingly, and Ranma
clenched his fists at the calm Ryoga, who was sitting and smiling at
Ranma.  "Oh, Ranma. Seems like you get every girl but the one you want
these days!"
	"Okay, that's it, Ryoga, now you're dead! You want a fight, you
got it!!" Ranma rushed at Ryoga, who was still just sitting there.  Ranma
flew at Ryoga, fist outstretched, and Ryoga put a hand up to Ranma's face
just as he was about to connect with his own face. Ranma's face crumpled
onto Ryoga's hand, and Ranma fell like a stone into the steaming water of
the black tile bathtub. Ryoga looked down at Ranma.
	"Calm down Ranma. You shouldn't let your jealousy get in the way
of what we really should be worrying about." Ryoga stood up and walked
out of the bathroom, smiling smugly. Ranma looked out the door after
Ryoga and slapped the water angrily.
	That...jackass! How dare he say that? How could Ryoga imply that
I'm losing sight of the problem! I ain't jealous of him! ...am I?

* * *

(Continued in Part 2)

************  
Mark Doherty  -  mdoherty@mailbox.uq.edu.au
My fanfics are at http://www.uq.edu.au/~zzhdoher

"Kawaii must die."