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Chapter Thirteen

	Ryouga ran as fast as his battered body would take him.  He hurt
everywhere, but nothing hurt more than his heart.  To see Akane stare at
him in revulsion, anger and hatred tore away at his soul.  The image
burned itself permanently into the very recesses of his conscious, but
never ceased to appear before him, mocking him.  It played over and over
in front of him, even though his eyes were closed, even though he was
barreling through walls and houses to get away, blinded by his own tears.
He'd always thought that his heart would shatter into a million pieces if
she ever told him that she never loved him.  The look on her face simply
tore his heart from his chest.  It didn't need to shatter, and it didn't
need to be there, from the way Akane looked at him; at least, if it
weren't there maybe it wouldn't have hurt so much.
	Ryouga was so lost in thought, he didn't notice he'd bowled over
someone until a very feminine voice snapped him out of his reverie.
	"Ryouga!  Why you run so fast?  You push Shampoo on ground!  Hurt
Shampoo very much!"
	Ryouga skidded to a halt and turned around.  He saw Shampoo
shakily getting to her feet.  
	"You no hear when Shampoo scream?  You scare Shampoo close to way
Mousse scare Shampoo!"
	Ryouga simply stared at a wall close to him.
	"I'm sorry, Shampoo, it won't happen again.  It really won't, I
swear to it."
	"Why Ryouga babble like little girl?" she said pointedly.
	"I don't want to talk about it," Ryouga said lamely.
	"Then why Ryouga no move away?"
	"Because I'm too tired, Shampoo."
	"Ryouga no look tired when he knock down Shampoo.  You talk and we
see if Shampoo's story make Ryouga feel better, okay?"
	"Why are you acting so nice all of the sudden?"
	"Shampoo need someone talk to Shampoo.  No have great-grandmother,
no have silly Mousse even.  Mousse say something funny, and then no more
Mousse.  Just someone look like Mousse, sound like Mousse, but no more
Mousse."
	Ryouga looked at Shampoo quizzically, his interest piqued.
	"What do you mean?"
	"Mousse not Mousse!" Shampoo said emphatically.
	"He's not himself?  He's acting strange?"
	Shampoo mulled over the point for a moment, trying hard to make
herself clear despite her horrible Japanese.
	"Look, you know Mousse fight, right?"
	"Yes, but-"
	"Mousse good at fighting, yes?"
	"Yes, but-"
	"Mousse beat Ranma, ever?"
	"Well, not really.  I mean, Mousse's never beaten Ranma flat out.
What's the point?"
	"Mousse fight people Ranma could have problem with.  Many many
people with big weapons and big armor come to Nekohanten.  Try to-"
Shampoo paused, choking back.  Ryouga could tell she was trying hard not
to vomit.  "Try to make Shampoo unclean," she finished with difficulty.
	Ryouga put a hand on her shoulder.  Shampoo was never truly a
friend, but there was a sense of comraderie and respect that he held for
the Amazon.
	"Did they-"
	"No," Shampoo said, cutting him off.  "That when Mousse start
acting funny.  Mousse say something about clan after Mousse get thrown
around like cheap stir fry; make Shampoo sad that Mousse not able to help
Shampoo when evil warriors come to do things to Shampoo.  When Mousse say
something about clan, Mousse get stronger than before.  Shampoo think
Mousse see clearly now too!  Mousse act funny, talk to strange women
funny, even act like Shampoo no exist anymore!" she said in obvious pain.
	Ryouga frowned.  It sounded like Mousse had joined a clan,
possibly even his own.
	"When Mousse fought, was he using ki attacks like me?"
	"No.  No shout funny things before hurting people."
	"Was there a lot of fire and the smell of burned things?"
	"No.  Just lot of flashing.  Mousse wear different things too.
Strange woman and Mousse all wear brown clothes."
	Ryouga paused, puzzled by the development.  Mousse must have
joined a clan, he mused.  But it isn't mine, and I doubt he'd join the
same clan as Saotome.
	"What Ryouga know that Shampoo no know?"
	Ryouga looked at the Amazon.
	"There wasn't a strange fellow that Mousse spoke to earlier was
there?"
	"Tall foreign man that wear brown too."
	"Did he make you feel uncomfortable?"
	"Make Shampoo scared, almost.  Not a good man at all."
	"Where are you going now?"
	"Go find airen.  Airen help Shampoo, like he help strange man
named, Ken."
	"What?!" Ryouga exclaimed.
	"You no know?  Great-grandmother make Ken fight you, hurt you
badly.  You no remember?"
	"Wait, are you talking about the one that tried to kill me at the
high school?"
	"Why you look so scared?"
	Pieces of a puzzle were starting to fall into place.  Things were
slowly becoming clear, now that the cloud of hate and anger, and the
intoxicating power he felt were wearing thin.
	"That was Ken?  And Ranma was helping him?"
	"Ken really good man in end.  Give life to save everyone.  Give
life to save spatula-girl.  Even help violent girl.  So sad that
great-grandmother go crazy from jewelry.  Now Ken dead.  Make everyone
that help him very sad."
	"Ranma was helping him?  That was a good thing?"
	"Of course it good thing!  Ken starting to go crazy!  Ranma try to
protect people he care about!  Even fight great-grandmother to help
Shampoo!"
	"Ranma isn't helping evil witches?"
	"Not that Shampoo know.  Shampoo see two nice women come to help
spatula-girl and take Ken away.  Even try to help Akane and family of
violent girl.  Only green woman seem bad.  She act mean and say mean
things, but Shampoo and Mousse leave after that."
	Ryouga closed his eyes, the sudden realization beginning to creep
into the back of his mind.
	"Why Ryouga look funny?"
	"I think I've been doing the wrong things for all the wrong
reasons," Ryouga said quietly.
	The sound of people approaching cut off Ryouga's train of thought.
He saw Shampoo tense dramatically.
	"Hurry to the dojo.  I'm sure you'll find help there."
	"What about Ryouga?"
	"I'll hold them off for you."
	"Why act so nice?"
	"Let's just say I'm trying to make up for lost time," he said with
a sad smile.
	Shampoo smiled and squeezed Ryouga's hand.
	"Maybe Ryouga not so bad as great-grandmother say.  Good luck.
Come eat at Nekohanten when all over?"
	Ryouga forced a smile.
	"Of course, now hurry!"
	He watched Shampoo scurry off, running as fast as her legs would
carry her.  Just as she disappeared from view, he felt an enormous weight
fall on his shoulder.  He turned to see a heavily armored warrior looking
down on him.  Ryouga recognized a good deal of the armor as old shogun
armor.  It reminded him of pictures he'd seen of the ancient samurai, only
the armor was dark, and dull.  Small skulls formed the rivets that held
the scaled armor together.  There was a horribly sinister air about it.
	"We've been looking for you," a voice said in old, accented
Japanese.
	"Who-"
	"You're the new one, aren't you?"
	Ryouga simply nodded dumbly as he saw an entire army gather around
him.
	"We're the army of Chaos.  You've joined our clan.  Come with us.
We've one last job to do."
	"Where are we going?" Ryouga asked.
	"A dojo.  We will be meeting our lord there.  We will raze the
foul place and take what is rightfully ours."
	Ryouga had little time to protest before the army swept him off
his feet, nearly dragging him back to the place that he'd wanted to leave
just a little while ago.  Ryouga could feel a chill creeping out from his
stomach.  It was unsettling, but he made no move to protest.  Despite his
old wayward sense, he'd always found his way to the dojo.  It was as if
destiny were playing a cruel trick on him.

	Ranma stared with a mixture of awe and fear as the insignia of
Doom on Ken's armor started to glow.  It was nothing more than a dull
throb, a glimmer at first, but it steadily grew in intensity until it
reached a steady pulse of light.  Faith and her sister had finished the
incanatation and left the circle, standing by his parents and the Tendos
protectively.  Only Ukyou dared to venture to the very edge of the circle
of runes, a look of painful anxiety etched into her face. 
	Darian stood by the door, looking outside for anything that might
disturb them.  He had no tricks left, just his bare hands and some
ramshackle weapons he managed to put together from the electronics in the
house.  In his hands, he held crude stun guns, limited in their use, but
enough to get by in hand to hand combat.
	Ranma snapped to attention when Andrew spoke his name.
	"You're in a very delicate situation, Ranma.  Leave the circle and
Ken's soul will be lost.  Your soul will serve as the support that will
keep Ken's chaotic soul in place.  From there we will try to force Doom to
bond to you.  After that, it will be up to you to straighten things out
with the Ethereals."
	"So what now?" Ranma asked nervously.
	"Now we wait and hope that the Ethereals are smart enough to move
from Ken's dead body to yours.  There's nothing for Doom to lose in the
transfer.  We're just encouraging things by putting Ken's soul out in the
open, and away from a physical body," Andrew replied.
	Ranma watched, enraptured, as the incense seemed to slowly waft
into a small sphere above Ken's chest.  Ranma thought he could see images
playing in the haze of smoke and light as the sphere floated above Ken's
body.  He reached a shaking hand out to the sphere, only to pull it back
suddenly as the smoke churned.  It formed a wolf's head, teeth bared, and
snapped at Ranma's retreating hand.
	"That's not good, Andrew murmured.
	"I can see that," Ranma said, shaken by the sudden outburst from
the sphere.
	"I don't know why Doom won't go.  This has never happened before."
	"Doom not making the move?"
	"Yes."
	"How many times have you done this before?"
	"Before this?"
	"Yes," Ranma said, beginning to feel uneasy.
	"Never."
	"This is your first time," Ranma asked in a whisper.
	"I've never had the need," Andrew said tersely.
	Ranma was about to fire a poignant remark, but was cut off by a
sudden blur of lavender that collapsed at the edge of the runes.
	"Shampoo!  What are you doing here?!"
	Shampoo looked up at Ranma with fear in her eyes.
	"Airen!  Shampoo not know what to do!"
	She made an attempt to cross the circle to latch onto Ranma, but
was cut off.
	"Don't cross the line!"
	Shampoo looked up to see a woman in green glaring at her.
	"Cross the line and you'll ruin everything!  Stand back if you
know what's good for you!" she hissed.
	A lady in white walked over to guide Shampoo over towards them.
	"I apologize for Angela's outburst.  This is a very tense time for
all of us.  Please, come with me."  
	"Who you?"
	"My name is Faith.  You might have seen me when my husband first
came to help his brother, Ken."
	Shampoo nodded.
	"Shampoo see three women after big fight."
	"Well, that's who we are.  We might have changed our clothes but
we're the same people."
	"What going on?" Shampoo said to Akane, as she stepped next to
her.
	"Don't ask me," Akane replied tersely.
	"Shampoo know violent girl know what going on."
	Akane glared at Shampoo.
	"I don't have time for your games or your insults, Shampoo.
There's a lot at stake now."
	"Ranma do strange magic?"
	"No, he's just doing something dangerous, like usual.  I'm just
worried something's going to happen again."
	"Ranma act funny?"
	"No, but I'm afraid he will."
	"Everybody act funny now.  Lost boy act funny.  Mousse act funny.
Ranma look same, but Shampoo worried airen act funny too."
	Akane looked at Shampoo with genuine surprise.
	"What?"
	"Everyone act funny.  Mousse act very funny.  No act like silly
love-sick puppy no more.  Even ignore Shampoo."
	"Just because he ignores you doesn't mean he's acting out of the
ordinary.  Give him some credibility, Shampoo."
	"No!  Mousse act like he big macho man.  Act like he better than
everyone else.  He get stronger and even see things normally!  Fight like
Ranma; that not normal!"
	"Well," Akane mused, "Mousse being able to fight isn't that
abnormal, but being able to see clearly is."
	"Mousse make things light up and blow up like airen and Ryouga."
	"That isn't normal.  Cologne never taught Mousse how to do those
things, did she?"
	"No!  Great-grandmother say Mousse too stupid to use right."
	Faith turned about and looked at the two girls.
	"What exactly is going on?"
	Akane looked at the Aspect with a hint of anxiety.
	"Shampoo says people we know are acting strange."
	"These are strange times," she replied.  "Nevertheless, it could
be Cassius or Judas."
	"Shampoo not know what you talking about."
	"Are they fighting better, using powers you've never seen, or
saying silly things?"
	Shampoo nodded.
	"Well then, I'm willing to bet someone's interfered then."
	"That's all you need to know?" Akane asked quizzically.
	"No," Faith replied, "but I'm guessing that's the case.  It's
always been that way with Judas, at least.  I'm not so sure about
Cassius."
	"Shampoo hear Mousse say something about clans."
	Faith looked at Shampoo evenly.
	"Clans?  As in he joined one?"
	Shampoo nodded slowly.
	"That sound like what Shampoo hear."
	"Then it's definitely interference.  Either Judas or Cassius has
given powers to someone who shouldn't have had them," Faith replied with a
grimace.  She moved to talk with her sister, but stopped short.
	"We've got a small problem," Darian suddenly called out.
	"Can you take care of it?" Faith asked as she peered out into the
night.  She thought she could see movement outside.
	"Well, I could try, but something tells me I won't do much good,"
Darian replied as he backed away from the doors of the dojo.
	Andrew looked up from his place by the body to see an armored foot
step into the dojo, a loud metallic "clang" punctuating the move.
	Judas grinned at everyone inside.
	"Good evening," he said with a sick smile.  "I'll just takes
what's mine and leave."
	"You're not going anywhere, and you're not taking anything,"
Darian said firmly.
	"Yes I will be," Judas replied flatly.
	"You and what army?"
	Judas stepped aside with a smile.  Ryouga stepped into the light,
followed by an entire legion of troops.
	"This one."

	Cassius looked up from a plate of food.  He idly twirled some of
the noodles at the tips of his chopsticks as he watched Vice walk in with
Mousse in tow.
	"I assume you've done what I asked?"
	Vice let out a shaky breath before shaking her head.
	"I'm not sure.  They killed Sin, but I managed to cast them into a
gorge," she replied.
	Cassius's face darkened.
	"I'm sorry to hear that," he replied.  "I'm sure they'll get what
they deserve when we get what I need."
	Vice looked at Cassius with vengeance burning in her eyes.
	"They killed my sister.  I want them to suffer for it!"
	"And they will.  These things take time."
	Cassius turned to look at Mousse.
	"Mousse, I'm quite pleased with your performance.  You've been an
outstanding asset to the clan.  You'll be rewarded as soon as you take
care of a few small issues.  Right now, wait for me outside.  We'll be
leaving shortly."
	Mousse nodded and left the room.
	"You've got him under your influence?" Cassius asked idly as he
returned to his food.
	Vice sighed and sat heavily in a chair adjacent to him.
	"Yes, it wasn't much of a problem to twist him around my little
finger.  The poor boy has so many repressed emotions, it's almost
amusing."
	"Really?"
	"Well, most of them happen to concern the girl I saw him with.
He's got quite a few repressed emotions.  He's got a lot of memories of
her beating him too."
	"Sounds like something your sister would enjoy."
	Vice winced visibly.
	"I apologize," Cassius said quietly.
	"Don't worry about it too much.  As long as the bastard Avatar of
Death is dead, I'll at least have an even exchange," she replied.
	"You use this boy's feelings to your advantage then?"
	"Well, it looks like Mousse has always wanted someone to
reciprocate his emotions.  It wasn't too hard to fulfill his little
fantasies and keep him in line."
	"Just remember it's business-"
	"And not pleasure," Vice added with a smirk.  "Jealous, aren't
we?"
	Cassius grunted a reply.
	"You're such a softie," Vice said with a laugh.
	"Well, it should be pointedly clear.  Becoming emotionally
attached to any subject you control is detrimental.  Believe me, I've had
more experience than I've ever wanted," he replied flatly.
	Vice raised an eyebrow.
	"I see," she replied with a grin.
	Cassius pushed the plate of fried noodles away and handed his
chopsticks to the Avatar.
	"If you want any, go ahead.  Eat your fill and then we'll get
going."
	"Where are we going?" Vice asked as she daintily tucked into the
food.
	"The Tendo dojo.  We have a few issues to resolve before we can
finish our business here."
	"Loose ends to tie up?"
	Cassius smirked.
	"Nothing we can't simply cut away.  It's so much easier, don't you
think so?"


*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Ethan Tsai
1 N. College Street
Northfield, MN 55057

TSAIE@Gridley.ACNS.Carleton.edu
http://public.carleton.edu/~tsaie/ethan.html

Quote of the day:
"You'd win if you stopped hitting my foot with your head."
	-The Amazing Spider-man