This Our Last Fight



        Here I lie in this hospital bed, with all these devices hooked
to me as my life slowly passes.  At the other end of the hospital my
adversary is in a similar situation. In the time that has been our
lives he and I have been friends, foes, sometimes both at the same
time. He has yet to truly beat me in anything as far back as I can
remember and I refuse to let him win now, this, our final fight. 
Suddenly I feel my heart start to slowing, trying to stop.  I focus a
little of my remaining chi inward, jumpstarting my failing organ.  I
will not let go till I know I have won.

        As time slides slowly past like the sands in a hour glass I
think of the first time he and I met on the field combat.  Even though
it was over something as simple as pan bread we both gave it our all. 
That was I think when we knew we were two sides of the same coin. 
Later, he gave me some of the most difficult fights of my life as we
battled over the woman we both loved.  He eventually wound up loving
another but still we both battled on.  There have been very few to
come close to him and it's only now in the twilight of our last fight
that I can finally admit that he's nearly my equal.

        I open my bleary eyes as I hear someone come into my room.  I
see that it is the nurse that has been seeing to my welfare.  She has
something in her hand that looks like a note and there are tears in
her eyes.  She walks over to me and sits in the chair next to my bed. 
I smile at her as she sits and if I use my minds eye she looks like my
beloved.  She gives me a small smile and hands me my glasses along
with the note.  The note reads; 'You win again Ranma.  I'll see you on
the other side, Ryoga.....' the signature scrawls off the edge of the
paper. The nurse informs me that he died while writing it.  She also
tells me that just before he went his last words were 'Ranma, why
can't I win once...'.  I smile to myself knowing that I had beat him
one last time. I know I can finally let go and let my soul go to where
my friends and loved ones are.  Ryoga and I were the last two now it
is only me.  The nurse has gotten up and left leaving me once again
unto myself.  Again I feel my heart wanting to stop and this time I do
nothing.  I have won my last fight and now it is time for me to go. 
Everything is going hazy. I see myself no longer in bed but standing
on a field covered in flowers of all sizes and varietys.  I see in the
distance all who went before me, Mousse, Shampoo, Ukyou, Kuno,
Kodachi, Mother, Father, the Tendo's, and yes, there was Ryoga with
his beloved Akari in his arms.  I then notice the one I love more than
life itself.  She has her arms open waiting for me as I run into her
arms and embrace my beloved Akane in the Elysian fields of our youth.

Epiloge
Nerima Obituaries
Name: Hibiki,Ryoga               Name:Saotome,Ranma
Time of Death: 11:30 am        Time of Death: 11:40 am
Age: 350                                  Age: 350