The next installment. C&C welcome.
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[Tendo's. Ranma and Akane sneak into the house and up to Akane's door.
Ranma lets Akane down and she slowly opens her door. She looks up
nervously at Ranma.]
Akane: Ranma, please stay with me tonight.. I'm scared.
[Ranma looks into her eyes and can only nod, he follows her into her room,
and shuts the door behind them.]
Akane: Turn around.
Ranma: What for?
Akane: So I can change, baka.
Ranma: Oh.
[Ranma blushes and turns around. Akane changes into her yellow pajamas and
crawls into bed. Ranma hears the bed sheets being moved and strips down to
his boxers. He turns to see Akane staring at him. He blushes and sits on
the floor, setting his clothes up as a pillow.]
Akane: What are you doing?
Ranma: Going to sleep.
Akane: Umm, I'd feel a little better if you were up here with me.
[Ranma raises an eyebrow.]
Ranma: Are you s-sure?
Akane: Ranma, please.
[Ranma nods and climbs into the bed.]
Akane: Thank you, Ranma.
Ranma: No prob, Akane.
Ranma and Akane: (thinking) I love you.
(-\*/-)
[Morning at the Tendo residence. Everyone minus Soun is around the table
waiting for breakfast.]
Ranma: Hey old man, where's Mr. Tendo?
Genma: Last time I saw him was last night, playing shogi. He probably has
a head ache from all the sake. Where were *you* last night boy?
[Ranma and Akane blush quite red.]
Ranma: That ain't none of your business old man.
Genma: What did I ever do to deserve such a disrespectful boy.
Ranma: I'll make you a list.
Akane: Kasumi, I'm really worried about daddy. He's usually down here by
now.
Nabiki: Yeah, except for when Akane is cooking breakfast.
Akane: Shut up, Nabiki.
Nabiki: I'm only being honest.
Kasumi: I'll go check on him.
[Kasumi takes off her apron and walks upstairs. She knocks softly on
Soun's door and gets no answer. She knocks again and slowly opens the
door.]
Kasumi: Father?
[She pokes her head in the room. She quickly raises a hand to her mouth.]
Kasumi: Oh my..
[Kasumi collapses to the floor with a loud thud. Ranma, Akane, and Nabiki
run up the stairs. Genma takes the opportunity to steal their breakfast.
Ranma gets up the stairs first and checks Kasumi for a pulse.]
Ranma: She's cold as ice. Something scared the hell out of her..
[Nabiki pushes the door open and the three see Soun staring at the
ceiling, his bed sheets soaked in blood. Nabiki takes Akane, who is unable
to move, and walks her down stairs. Genma stops stuffing his face and runs
upstairs to see what is causing the girls tears. He see's Ranma walking into
Soun's room. Ranma stands by the bed and gently closes Soun's eyes. He
turns to see his father kneeling by the bed.]
Genma: (Whispering) What happened to him boy?
Ranma: Come on pop, I'll explain it down stairs.
[Ranma helps his father to his feet, then picks up Kasumi and joins
Nabiki, who is holding a sobbing Akane, at the table. Ranma lays Kasumi
beside them and sits beside Akane.]
Nabiki: All right Saotome, just what the hell is going on here.
Ranma: How the hell am I supposed to know. I just found out about this
thing yesterday.
Genma: What thing boy?
Akane: Why.. Ranma why?
[Ranma takes Akane's hand and holds it tightly.]
Ranma: Akane, if any one tries to touch you, they're goin' to have to kill
me first.
Nabiki: Okay.. will *someone* please fucking clue me in?
Ranma: Something is after anyone named Tendo. It has tricked Shampoo,
Ukyou, and possibly Ryoga into working for it. Anyone who works for it can
be possessed by it.
Genma: So why don't you do something about it boy?
Ranma: Like what exactly? I don't even know what it looks like.
Akane: Ranma, we have to see Cologne.
Ranma: Right.. I guess we should hurry, they're probably waiting for us.
Pop, you carry Kasumi.. maybe Cologne can help her.
[Genma picks up Kasumi and the group head towards the Nekohanten. When
they get there, everyone is standing around the outside of the cafe.]
Cologne: Ah, son-in-law. It is about time you showed up.
Ranma: Don't start with me. Akane's father was killed last night.
Ryoga: Akane..
[Ryoga's battle aura flares.]
Ryoga: I can't just stand around here and talk. Akane, I will find this
thing and make it pay.
Ukyou: Ryoga, you jackass. You can't seriously think you can fight it by
yourself.
[By the time Ukyou finishes her sentence Ryoga is already gone.]
Ukyou: Argh, that idiot.
Cologne: No time to worry about him now. He is under the spell too
correct?
Ukyou: Most likely.
Cologne: Next time we see him he may be possessed.
Ranma: All right, so what do you know about this thing anyway?
Cologne: Well from what I have been told, it seems it is a vengeful
spirit. It can possess anyone who agrees to side with her, in return it
grants a wish of sorts.
Shampoo: How you get rid of it?
Cologne: It leaves after it fulfills its purpose and the wishes.
Ukyou: Is there anyway to keep it from possessing those who have agreed to
help it?
Cologne: Yes, but I do not know the technique. I will have to do some
research.
Ranma: What do we do until then?
Cologne: Well anyone who is a Tendo, must drop that name.
Nabiki: How are we supposed to do that?
Cologne: By getting married, child.
Akane: What??
Cologne: The spirit is after Tendo's correct? So if you are married, you
are no longer a Tendo.
[Nabiki walks over to Hiroshi and Daisuke.]
Nabiki: Okay boys, I'll let one of you marry me for 5000 yen.
Hiroshi: Umm, how much for Akane?
Nabiki: 10,000
Ranma and Akane: What?!?
Daisuke: 7,500
Ranma: If anyone is marryin' Akane it's going to be me.
Shampoo: But Ranma Shampoo's husband.
Ranma: No Ranma isn't. I can't let Akane die.
Akane: Ranma..
Daisuke: Well this sucks. Thanks a lot Ranma, you could have picked a
better time to admit your feelings.
[Hiroshi hands Nabiki some Yen.]
Nabiki: Well that settles that.
Daisuke: Hey! You jerk that wasn't fair.
[Daisuke shoves Hiroshi.]
Nabiki: Calm down boys, maybe we can work out a time share.
Genma: Well we better go start this wedding. Your father would be so proud
Akane.
[Kasumi starts to come around.]
Daisuke: Hey, Nabiki..
Nabiki: Hmm?
Daisuke: What about Kasumi?
Nabiki: How much you got?
[Daisuke pulls out his wallet and counts.]
Daisuke: Umm, 4,375
Nabiki: Works for me.
Cologne: Enough, you need to hurry. I'll come to you all when I find a way
to exercise the spirit.
Kasumi: Father?
Genma: It's okay Kasumi.. we'll find some way to stop this thing.
(-\*/-)
[Ryoga wanders down the streets of Nerima. He feels a presence behind him.
He turns but nothing is there.]
Ryoga: Come out, I know you are there.
[A cloud of purple smoke comes up behind him and engulfs him. He falls to
his knees and the smoke enters his ears. Ryoga stands up and dusts himself
off.]
Ryoga: (Devil's voice thinking) Time to finish off the job.
[A familiar looking boy walks towards Ryoga carrying a bouquet of red
roses, deep in thought.]
Kuno: The pig-tailed girl, or Akane Tendo. The pig-tailed girl, or Akane
Tendo.
[Lost in thought, Kuno bumps into Ryoga.]
Kuno: Step aside peasant.
Ryoga: (Devils voice thinking) Kuno eh? This could be fun. (Ryoga) Perhaps
you and I could help each other.
Kuno: And what would I, the noble Tatewaki Kuno need from someone such as
you?
Ryoga: Well what would you like more than anything in this world?
Kuno: To rid this world of that cur, Saotome. What is it to you?
Ryoga: If you agree to help me, I will destroy him.
Kuno: Speak you the truth?
Ryoga: Yes..
[Kuno goes into a dream sequence where the pig-tailed girl and Akane throw
themselves onto him. He begins to drool when Ryoga slaps him.]
Ryoga: Snap out of it, do we have a deal.
Kuno: Of course. What shall I do for you?
Ryoga: You will soon find out.
[Cologne watches the smoke leave Ryoga and pass into Kuno on her way to
the Tendo's. Kuno picks himself up off the ground and walks towards the
Nekohanten. Cologne bounces out of her hiding space and wakes Ryoga]
Cologne: We don't have much time.
Ryoga: Ugh, what happened?
Cologne: You ran off, got possessed, then passed it on to Kuno.
Ryoga: What use would that idiot be?
Cologne: No matter, we have to hurry.
[Cologne pulls out a book and places a hand on Ryoga's head. She utters a
few unintelligable phrases and her hand begins to glow. Ryoga stiffens
then collapses to the ground.]
Ryoga: That felt.. weird.
Cologne: You were being returned to normal, as if you never met the
spirit.
Ryoga: That means I'm cursed again?
Cologne: If she cured it, yes.
Ryoga: Damn..
Cologne: Come child, that Kuno boy is headed towards the my store.
(-\*/-)