Book 5

All good things must come to an end

Chapter 1

'Birth of a Black Rose'

Scene: Nerima General 

Dr. Epstein woke and wished he hadn't. He hurt everywhere. 'Where am I?' He 
thought muzzily to himself. He tried to speak but only a dry croak issued 
from his throat. The doctor felt someone lift his head and a straw was placed 
in his mouth. Dr. Epstein gratefully drank the cool water.  Dr. Epstein 
recognized the mind of the person.

"Nodoka." He whispered. "What happened?"

"Oh Robert."  Sobbed Nodoka. "You had me so worried." She said. She lowered 
his head to the pillow. Nodoka pressed the emergency call button next to the 
doctors' bed. A few minutes later a nurse walked in. "He's awake." Nodoka 
told the nurse.

The nurse nodded. "That's wonderful. I'll get the doctor." She hurried out. 

"Nodoka?" Called Dr. Epstein. 

"I'm here Robert." She said.

"I know." The doctor replied in a hoarse voice but Nodoka heard the 
underlying chuckle. "Could I have some more water?"

Nodoka raised the doctor into a sitting position and placed the straw back in 
his mouth. The doctor drank greedily. "God, I hurt." He said in a more normal 
voice. Dr. Epstein took stock of his injuries. He could feel the casts on his 
legs and the bandaging around his chest. 'At least I can feel them.' He 
thought in morbid satisfaction. 'Spines okay.'

"That's good." Said a voice from the door. "Considering the alternative."

"Hi Ono." Said Dr. Epstein.

Dr. Tofu walked over to the bedside and began checking Dr. Epstein's vitals. 
"You're very lucky, you know." He said somberly. "But I think you'll be 
fine." Tofu turned to Nodoka. "Go home Nodoka." He said gently. "You need to 
get some rest."

"But." Protested Nodoka. She began to cry.

"It's okay, Nodoka." Said Dr. Epstein. "I promise I'll be here tomorrow." He 
would too. He realized. The emotions he picked up from Tofu confirmed it. 
'I'm lucky all right.'

"You'd better." Said Nodoka through her tears. Nodoka felt the doctor reach 
out with his mind and give her a mental caress. Still crying she smiled. "I'm 
going to hold you to that promise."

"Tomorrow my dear." He replied. He gave her a little push with his mind. 

Nodoka wiped her eyes and walked out of the hospital room. 'By all the kami 
in heaven.' She thought angrily. 'Someone is going to pay for this.' 

"How's he doing mom?" Asked Ranma quietly. He was wearing his usual Chinese 
clothing but now he carried the Saotome Family blade strapped to his back. 
Nodoka had declared that since she was no longer a Saotome she was no longer 
qualified to carry the family blade. Ranma had reluctantly accepted it.

Nodoka sighed with relief. "He just woke up." 

It was a good thing for the doctor that Kasumi and Dr. Ono had decided to 
arrive early. Kasumi's earlier concern had prompted both the fortunate 
arrival and Tofu's deciding to bring his medical bag.  It still had been 
touch and go for a while. The 'accident' had left Dr. Epstein with two broken 
legs, a fractured hip, three cracked ribs and a punctured lung. It would be 
several months before the doctor would walk again. If the doctor hadn't been 
wearing his helmet he would have been dead instantly. As it was, only Ono's 
quick action had prevented the doctor from bleeding to death. 

"He's not a young man anymore, you know." Added Nodoka. 'But he's still ten 
times the man Genma ever was.' She thought fiercely.

"You really like him, don't you?"

Nodoka nodded. "He's a good man, Ranma and he's been a good friend." She said 
firmly. "To all of us."

Ranma sighed. "I don't know what I feel about him right now." He said. "The 
doc has really helped me a lot but." He trailed off. "Ah, who am I kidding?" 
Ranma looked at the door to the doctor's room. "I can't believe they still 
haven't found the guy who hit him."

"Ranma, there's something you should know." Nodoka said hesitantly. "Before I 
tell you, I want your solemn oath that you will not do anything rash. That 
you'll wait for Robert to decide."

"Mom?"

Nodoka's face firmed. "Your promise Ranma."

Ranma nodded.

"It wasn't an accident, he was deliberately run over." Nodoka's voice was 
cold. "Clan leader." Nodoka suddenly stopped. "Oh! I forgot I'm not a Saotome 
anymore, am I?" Nodoka shook her head. 

Ranma took his mother's hand in his. "Maybe not, but you're still my mom." He 
said. "That's more important."

Nodoka wiped at her eyes. "Thank you, my son." She said. 

"You were gonna ask for a clan decision, what was it?" Asked Ranma.

Nodoka shook her head. "Not a decision, Ranma." She said. "Justice."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Divorce?" Screamed Genma in disbelief. "What do you mean she wants a 
divorce?" He pounded the table of the Tendo home with his fist. Soun winced 
as a large crack appeared in the table.

Nabiki smirked as she handed an official looking document to Genma. "Just 
what I said." She said. "Here it is, all nice and official." Nabiki smiled 
cruelly. "All that's missing is your signature."

"I won't sign it." Replied Genma angrily.

"Fine." Said Nabiki. "Then we will take it to arbitration." Nabiki grinned. 
"I wonder what everyone will say when they find that Auntie prefers the 
company of a man nearly twenty years your senior." Mused Nabiki. "Some may 
question your." Nabiki grinned wickedly. "Manliness."

"She wouldn't dare." Genma was in shock. 'I'll be the laughingstock of all 
Tokyo, if she claimed that.'

"Try her." Smirked Nabiki. "Besides Ranma has already granted the divorce. As 
head of the Saotome clan, his decision is going to have a lot of weight in 
the court." 

Nabiki had requested, begged actually, to be the one to deliver the news. 
Someone was going to pay for what she almost had to do. Nabiki still shivered 
whenever she thought about it. 'This is just a down-payment.' She thought 
viciously.  'Panda-man.' She didn't blame the doctor in fact she felt 
somewhat grateful for what the doctor had done to her. She looked at Genma. 
'That should have been you and I'd volunteer to be your second without the 
doctor.'

"He can't do this to me." Screamed Genma. He grabbed his head in shock.

"Well it was that or Auntie committing seppuku." Nabiki's smile was 
frightening. "Guess which Ranma preferred?" She laughed at Genma. "Oh don't 
fret 'Uncle'." She said. "Daddy will still allow you to stay here and Ranma 
has authorized me to give you an allowance." Her smile grew colder. "If you 
sign that is." Nabiki's smile vanished. "It will be a very small allowance."

"That ungrateful brat." Snarled Genma. "After all I've done for him."

"Don't you mean 'to him'?" Replied Nabiki coldly."If it were up to the rest 
of us, you'd be out on the street." She said. "Be thankful that Ranma is so 
soft hearted." She put the paper in front of Genma. "I'll make it easy for 
you, Uncle." She said. "Sign it or leave."

"But." Protested Genma.

Nabiki waved a hand to cut him off. "I'd sign if I were you." She said. "It's 
your choice." Nabiki rose. "Kasumi said she'll be by later to make dinner for 
you Daddy." Nabiki emphasized the word 'You' which made Genma flinch.

"She's coming home, isn't she?" Asked Soun nervously.

Nabiki shook her head. "She didn't say, Daddy." She walked to her room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Akane and Ukyo were in the apartment waiting for Ranma to return. The phone 
rang. Ukyo went to pick it up. "Oh hi Nabiki." Ukyo started to snicker. "Oh 
you have got to tell us all about it." She said. "Feel like coming over for 
dinner?" She listened. She cupped her hand over the mouthpiece and spoke 
softly into it. "Don't worry, I'm cooking."  Ukyo listened some more. "Sure 
you can bring Muu Tse." She said in normal tones. "Why don't you ask Xian Pu 
if she wants to come over as well." Ukyo heard the door open. "Gotta go, 
Ranma is home." She hung up the phone.

Ukyo ran out to the main part of the apartment. Akane was already there. "How 
is he?" She heard Akane say.

Ranma smiled slightly. "He woke up." He said. Then his expression turned 
grim. "Guys, it was Principal Kuno." 

"What?" Screamed Akane. "I didn't think he was that crazy."

Ranma nodded. "He was trying to blackmail the doc into letting Tatewaki and 
Kodachi out. When that failed." Ranma shrugged. "He didn't know mom had 
picked up the phone. Not that it matters, I doubt the Doc would have given in 
to blackmail anyway." 

"That cold-blooded bastard." Growled Ukyo. She went to the closet to retrieve 
her battle spatula. 

"Put that away, Ukyo." Ranma said evenly. "We got no proof other than Mom's 
say so."

"You're not going to let him get away with it, are you?" Protested Ukyo. 

Ranma shook his head. "Believe me Uk-chan, I want to hurt him just as much as 
you do, but I wont."

Akane and Ukyo cocked their heads at Ranma. "Why not?" Akane asked finally.

"Mom asked that we wait until the doc is better." He replied. "The doc was 
the one that was hurt, she wants to leave it up to him." Ranma shrugged 
unhappily. "I don't like it, but she's right."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Well it took you long enough to get us out of there, Father." Sniffed 
Tatewaki. "Not that they could break my indomitable spirit."

"That the spirit, Boy." Laughed Principal Kuno. "Nothing keep a Kuno down."

Kodachi looked moodily out of the tinted windows of the limo, watching the 
houses flash by. She had been moody for days. Not even her being able to 
create a simple sleeping compound had cheered her.  She had done it out of 
habit, not for any real attempt to escape.

Her mind flashed back to the day of her and Tatewaki's defeat. She was still 
a little blurry on the details. One moment she was all set to unleash an 
attack and the next, Kodachi shuddered. It was like someone had opened a door 
to her memories and let all the bad ones, the ones she never thought about, 
come out. Kodachi looked at her brother and shuddered again. Even those 
memories came out.

"By the way, Father." Asked Tatewaki. "Were you able to retrieve my Katana? I 
don't feel whole without it."

Principal Kuno smiled and pulled a bundle from under the seat. "Heah it is 
Boy." He said happily. "All safe and sound."

"And what about the barbarian doctor?" Asked Tatewaki.

"Now, you doan worry about him." said Principal Kuno with a satisfied smile. 
"He not be no problem no more."

"Pity." Replied Tatewaki. "I had hoped to show him the wrath of Tatewaki 
Kuno."

Kodachi looked at her father and brother in disgust."Driver, stop the car." 
She commanded. The car stopped and Kodachi got out. "I will see you at home 
brother." She said. "And you too, as well, father." And Kodachi leaped to the 
rooftops. 

Kodachi raced along the Nerima skyline until she came to St. Hebereke school. 
She jumped to the ground and made her way to the gym.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ranma was going through a kata on the roof of their apartment. Doing a kata 
wasn't unusual What was unusual about the kata was that he was using a sword. 
Ranma hated using weapons but if he was going to carry around the family 
sword he was going to make sure he knew how to use it properly. He had 
already learned the basics many years before and was busy trying to remember 
them. 

"Your holding the sword too high." Ukyo remarked. "It's leaving your side 
unprotected."

Ranma grunted an acknowledgment and adjusted his movements accordingly. Ukyo 
had a point. Ukyo was a weapons user so her opinion and judgement had meaning 
to Ranma. 

"Keep the point lower." Added Akane. Ranma nodded. Akane was proficient in 
the katana, Ranma remembered, and had once nearly defeated Kuno.  "Wait a 
minute, I'll be right back." Said Akane and  raced off the roof while Ranma 
took a breather. 

"Not bad for someone who hates weapons." Ukyo said in admiration.

"I don't hate weapons, Uk-chan." He replied. "I just hate depending on them." 
Ranma looked at the sword. "And I hate what they represent." He looked at the 
sword grimly. "These are for killing."

"You can kill with your hands, honey." Said Ukyo seriously. "We all can."

"I know." Said Ranma quietly. He raised the katana a little. "But that's all 
this can do."  He looked at Ukyo. "Akane ever tell you about Jusendo?"

Ukyo shook her head. "Only that it was bad."

Ranma nodded. "It was." He said in the same quiet tones. "I. I killed 
someone, Uk-chan." He looked at his hand, turning it over and examining it as 
if he had never seen it before. "I had to, to save Akane's life." Ranma shook 
his head. "To save all our lives." He looked up at Ukyo. "I hate myself for 
doing it, but I'd do it again if it meant saving Akane's life." He said. "Or 
yours." 

Ukyo had moved over as Ranma talked. She was holding Ranma in her arms when 
he finished. She cradled his head against her shoulder as he cried. "Shh." 
Whispered Ukyo soothingly. "I'm here, sugar, I'm here." She sensed someone 
nearby and looked up. Akane was holding a pair of bokken. There was a  
worried look on her face.  "Jusendo." She mouthed.

Akane dropped the bokken from suddenly nerveless fingers and closed her eyes 
for a moment in remembered pain. She put an arm around Ranma and leaned into 
him. The events of the passed couple years crashing through Akane's mind and 
her own tears began to mingle with Ranma's. She felt an arm wrap around her 
and Akane buried her face in Ukyo's shoulder. "I was so scared." Whispered 
Akane brokenly.

"Me too." Whispered Ranma from Ukyo's other shoulder.

Ukyo stood there with an arm around each of her loves and let them both cry 
on her shoulders. 
"Don't worry you two." Ukyo said softly. "I'm here." She said. "I'll always 
be here." She whispered. "I promise."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kodachi danced across the gymnasium floor of St. Hebereke High School  trying 
to lose herself in a rhythmic gymnastics routine. Her favorite ribbon 
sequence. Normally her command of the flexible ribbon would be a source of 
delight for her. Today it held no delight. Nothing seemed to stop the 
relentless flood of memories. 

Kodachi remembered when the abuse started. She had been maybe seven or eight. 
Mother had just left her father. She never learned why, only that one day she 
was there and the next she watched her mother get into the limo with several 
trunks and suitcases. Her father started drinking soon after. 

She had always liked animals and plants. Her childhood dream was to be a 
veterinarian. When her pets began to suddenly die, her father blamed her. Of 
all the pets she had only Midorigami, her alligator, was still alive. It 
wasn't until much later that she learned that her brother, she spat at the 
ground, her brother had been responsible and her father had known all along.

Kodachi remembered when she was twelve and had just discovered gymnastics. 
She found she could get the praise she lacked at home from a group of 
faceless judges. From that day she vowed to be the best. Being twelve was a 
wonderful time for Kodachi, unfortunately thirteen follows twelve and being 
thirteen was not wonderful. 

Kodachi remembered that day. Tatewaki had just come home from school in 
another foul mood. Another girl had turned down his attempts at getting a 
date. Kodachi delighted in being able to finally get back at her older 
brother. She should have remembered a fourteen year old boy is stronger than 
a thirteen year old girl.

He didn't rape her, not quite. It was only due to the fact that, in his 
excitement, Tatewaki had ejaculated several times as he ripped off her 
clothes and violated her with his fingers that prevented it. Unfortunately 
that had only served to enrage Tatewaki further. She remembered screaming. In 
desperation, Kodachi seized on to the nearest object to defend herself. Her 
ribbon. Kodachi used it to restrain her brother and then used one of her 
Indian Clubs to knock him unconscious. When she told her father, HE beat her. 
Several weeks later, her father had left for Hawaii leaving Kodachi alone 
with her brother. 

After that Kodachi never walked around the house without her ribbon. Later 
her experiments with plant compounds were added to her arsenal. Tatewaki 
began to fear Kodachi and the attempted assaults stopped.

She changed from that day, slowly becoming the Kodachi of today. The Black 
Rose. It was a cold comfort to her to realize that she had retained her 
virginity at the price of her sanity. 

Kodachi stopped her routine. "How odd, that I had forgotten all that." She 
murmured softly. 

Kodachi walked into the locker room and took her cell phone from her locker.  
She dialed a number. "Mr. Yamato please." She waited a moment. "This is 
Kodachi Kuno. I need you to find someone for me." Pause. "No I don't know his 
name. That's why I'm calling you." She said impatiently. "An older man, 
foreigner. A doctor I believe practicing somewhere in Nerima" Pause. "Yes, 
white." Pause. "He is a friend of the Tendo and Saotome families here as 
well." Another pause. "I don't know if he lives in Nerima, but I think he 
does." Kodachi nodded into the phone. "I just want to know who he is and his 
whereabouts."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It took a while but Ukyo finally was able to calm Ranma and Akane down.  They 
eventually collected all their equipment and went into the apartment. Ukyo 
went into the kitchen to start dinner. While she cooked she thought about 
some of the things Ranma and Akane had told her about Jusendo. 'I missed so 
much of their life.' She thought sadly. 'Ranma killed someone and Akane 
almost died.' Her hands gripped the counter as she choked back a sob. 'And I 
thought the past year was bad. She looked at the closed door to the kitchen. 
'You weren't kidding, were you Akane?' For a moment Ukyo felt overwhelmed. 
Then her face firmed. 'Whatever it takes.' She thought fiercely. 'It's worth 
it.' She wiped her eyes and went back to her cooking.

A quiet Ranma and Akane set the table. Ranma glanced over at Akane. He could 
see her eyes were still a bit red. "You okay?" He asked quietly.

Akane nodded. She looked up at Ranma. She smiled a weak smile. "Nothing like 
a good cry to get it out of your system."

Ranma nodded. "I know what you mean." Ranma sighed. "I feel better, but I 
also feel kinda bad, dumping it all on Uk-chan like that."

Akane nodded. "Ranma?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you feel about Ukyo?" She said quietly. "If I had died at Jusendo, 
would you have picked her?"

"Why do you want to bring that up?" Protested Ranma. "It didn't happen."

"Just answer me, okay?" Akane pleaded.

Ranma closed his eyes for a moment before answering. He didn't say anything 
for a long time. Finally he opened his eyes. "It probably would have taken a 
while, but if she still wanted me, Yeah." Ranma shrugged. "It would have 
taken a long time."

Akane smiled softly. "I know Ranma." She said. "Promise you'll always take 
care of her?"

Ranma nodded. He cocked his head at Akane in consideration. "Will you promise 
the same?" He asked.

"Of course I will Ranma." She said seriously.  "I love her too, you know." 
The doorbell to the apartment rang. "They're here." She said. Akane ran to 
open the door. "Hi big sister, hi Muu Tse." She said. Akane looked around. 
"Where's Xian Pu?"

"Hi sis." Said Nabiki. "Xian Pu couldn't make it, she has a date."

"D-date?" Stuttered Akane.

"Yeah." Replied Nabiki. "She and Ryu decided to see a movie."

"Ryu?" Said Akane in disbelief. "Ryu Kumon?"

Nabiki nodded.

"Ukyo!" Screamed Akane. "Get out here."

Ukyo ran out from the kitchen. A cleaver held high ready to attack. "Akane, 
what's wrong?" She said. She started scanning the room for threats.

Akane ran over and picked Ukyo up and started spinning her around. "Nothings 
wrong." She said. "Xian Pu has a date."

Muu Tse walked over to Ranma. "Did you forget to tell them about Ryu?"

"Oops." Said Ranma. He rubbed the back of his head. "Things have been kind of 
busy recently." He watched Akane and Ukyo bounce around the apartment like a 
couple of hyperactive puppies.

"Ranma!" Growled Akane. Ranma recognized the look and cringed. Had someone 
looked closely, however, they would have seen a small smile on his face. 'The 
Tomboy is back.' He thought happily.

An obviously grinning Muu Tse backed away from Ranma. "Sorry man, you're on 
your own."  Muu Tse quickly retreated to Nabiki.

"Sorry Akane." Stammered Ranma. "I meant to tell you about Ryu. Honest."

Akane pretended to relent. "I'll let it pass." She said. "This time." She 
grinned. "Ryu is perfect."

"Who is this Ryu?" Asked Ukyo. She walked up besides Akane and wrapped an arm 
around her waist. Akane leaned her head on Ukyo's shoulder. 

Nabiki looked at her sister and Ukyo together. 'It's that way huh?' She 
thought. She watched as Ukyo pulled Akane a little closer. 'Looks like I was 
right.' She thought. "Auntie and Kasumi wont have a problem, but Daddy is 
going to have a fit.'

"Ryu Kumon" Answered Ranma. "He pretended to be me when he first showed up." 
Ranma looked sour. 

"You're kidding."

"Nope." Replied Ranma. He snorted. "Mom liked him."

"Ooh." Breathed Ukyo."Manly huh?" She laughed. "He any good?"

Ranma waggled a hand. "Not bad." He said. "Pops" Ranma winced a little. 
"Pops, taught his dad a few things. Seems he's added on to them since then." 
Ranma's stomach growled. "Sorry."

Akane and Ukyo laughed. Akane turned to Nabiki and Muu Tse. "Sit down you 
two." She said. "It seems we have a lot to talk about."

During dinner Nabiki filled the family in on all that had been happening 
recently. Muu Tse would fill in on any gaps regarding the progressing 
relationship between Ryu Kumon and Xian Pu.

"I don't know how serious it is." Said Muu Tse. "But I'm happy for her."

"Well even if Ryu is getting Xian Pu on the rebound and it doesn't last." 
Said Nabiki. "He's just what the doctor ordered." She turned to Ranma. 
"Speaking of doctors. How's Doc. E.?

"He'll be okay." Replied Ranma. "I'm glad you brought it up." He said. 

"It wasn't an accident, was it?" Said Nabiki. Ranma's look confirmed her 
suspicion. "Who was it?"

"It was that pineapple tree headed maniac." Spat Akane. "That's who." The 
chopsticks she was holding snapped. "And before you ask, we're waiting for 
Doctor Epstein before we do anything." 

"Good." Said Nabiki firmly. She tapped her chin with a finger. "I want to 
talk to the doc about a couple things first." She looked at Ranma. "Are you 
still mad at him?"

Ranma nodded reluctantly. "I know I shouldn't blame him for what he and mom 
did." He said. Ranma reached out to take one of Akane and Ukyo's hands. "Even 
if he didn't use his mind powers it wasn't right." Ranma looked at the hands 
held in his own. "Still."

 Muu Tse cleared his throat to get everyones attention. "I know I'm not 
family and don't have a right to say anything." He began. "But I think you 
should forgive him." Seeing as no one said anything, Muu Tse continued. "I 
owe him a lot and, I think, so do you."

Ranma nodded as Akane and Ukyo scooted closer to him. "I know, but I feel 
betrayed."

"I understand that." Said Muu Tse. He laughed. "Boy do I understand." He 
shook his head. "I guess the question is does the betrayal outweigh the 
gratitude? Or the love?"

"You're not talking about just the doctor now are you Muu Muu?" Asked Nabiki 
softly. She didn't even notice she used his pet name and no one else 
commented on it even if they did.

Muu Tse nodded. "Fits for a lot of people."

Ranma nodded as well. "Yeah." He agreed. " I guess that is the question isn't 
it?"

Ukyo disengaged her hand from Ranma's. "I'll be right back." She said. She 
hurried into the kitchen. A few minutes later she returned with a bottle and 
a tray of glasses. Ukyo hefted the bottle and saluted Nabiki with it. "Thanks 
for the gift." She said. "It's a bit more expensive than what you drank."

Nabiki took Muu Tse's hand in hers. "I added in the use of the apartment." 
She said with a satisfied smile. Muu Tse blushed slightly and squeezed 
Nabiki's hand gently.

Ukyo poured drinks for everyone and passed out the glasses. 

Ranma took the glass and sniffed. 'Scotch.' He thought. He looked down at the 
glass in his hand. He slowly swirled the liquid around in the glass."You know 
you're wrong about one thing Muu Tse." He said with a hint of humor.

"Oh?" Asked Muu Tse curiously. "About what?"

"You." Replied Ranma. He raised the glass to Muu Tse. "Are family." Ranma 
cocked his eyebrow at everyone. "Wouldn't you all agree." 

"Thanks Ranma." Said Muu Tse He took a sip of the drink. "Whoa." He breathed. 
"That's strong."

Everyone laughed and took a sip from their glasses. 

"Whoa is right." Said Akane.

"It doesn't you know." Stated Ukyo solemnly.

"What's that Uk-chan?" Asked Ranma.

"When I thought the doc had messed with my mind, I wanted to kill him." She 
said quietly. "But he saved my life." Ukyo sat down between and slightly 
behind Ranma and Akane. She put an arm around their shoulders and squeezed 
them to her.  "And he gave me you two." She kissed them both on the cheek. 
Akane responded by wrapping an arm around Ukyo and pulling her closer. 

'I can't believe they're so open about it.' She thought. 'Oh well.' Nabiki 
cleared her throat. "Could you three at least wait until we leave." She said 
dryly. 

"Jealous?" Teased Akane. 

"You're just greedy." Smirked Nabiki then she punched Muu Tse on the arm. 
"And don't you get any ideas."

Muu Tse laughed. "Don't worry one Tendo girl is enough for me." He said. "But 
you're right, it is getting late."  Muu Tse rose and offered his hand to 
Nabiki. When she accepted he pulled her to her feet. 

Nabiki pressed herself against Muu Tse. "What time did Xian Pu say she was 
coming home?" She purred.

Muu Tse picked Nabiki up and cradled her in his arms. "Thanks everybody." Muu 
Tse said quickly. "We had a great time, see ya."  He babbled as Nabiki waved 
cheerfully from the cradle of his arms. "Bye." She said. "Hurry Muu Muu."

A laughing Muu Tse raced out the door, just as Akane opened it. Akane stared 
out the door for a few minutes, shaking her head, before she closed the door 
and returned to Ranma and Ukyo. "Want to skip school tomorrow?" She said.

"You know I'll never say no to that." Replied Ranma with a grin. "What did 
you have in mind?" Ukyo nodded in agreement.

She pulled a familiar packet out of her pocket. "I was thinking that, maybe, 
this could be considered a special occasion." Akane blushed bright red. 

"Akane!" Laughed Ukyo. "Nabiki is right, you are greedy." She giggled.  Then 
she put on a mock frown. "And if I remember correctly the last time the two 
of you wore yourselves out before you got to me."

"Well that's easily solved, Uk-chan." Akane said with an evil grin. 

"Oh?" Asked Ukyo. "And how do you plan to solve it?"

"Ranma will be a boy tonight." 

Ukyo blushed even brighter that Akane. 'Both of them?' She thought nervously. 
Her thighs started to rub together involuntarily.

"Wipe the drool off your mouth Uk-chan." Laughed Akane. She looked over at 
Ranma. She noticed a slight pout on his face. "Well maybe you don't have to 
be a boy the whole night." She said.

"Oh good." Replied Ranma. He laughed. "I get the shower first." He raced off. 

"Rats." Grumbled Akane. "I was hoping he'd wash my back for me." Akane sighed 
theatrically. "I guess you'll have to be the one to wash my back then."

"Well I don't know." Countered Ukyo playfully. "What's in it for me?"

Akane grinned. "Oh, I'm sure we can think of something."

Ukyo  laughed. "Deal." She said. Akane and Ukyo cleared the table and 
starting setting up the futons. By the time they were finished Ranma was out 
of the shower and walked back into the main room toweling his hair. 

Akane took Ukyo's hand and they walked into the bathing area together. Ukyo 
filled a bucket with cold water and taking the packet of Instant Nannichuan 
from Akane poured it into the bucket. She let the water settle. 

Akane removed her clothes and stepped into the shower. Turned on the water 
and adjusted the temperture to her liking. A second later a naked Ukyo 
entered the shower. They took a quick shower. Too quick as far as Akane was 
concerned.. Though Ukyo did indeed wash her back with a couple side trips to 
other places. The sounds of giggling filled the bath area. Akane finally 
turned the water off and the two of them exited the shower. Ukyo wrapped a 
towel around herself while Akane went back into the shower with the bucket. 
"Stay back, Ukyo, I don't want any of this to splash on you." Ukyo retreated 
to the door and watched in fascination as Akane upended the enchanted water 
and poured it over herself. 

Akane felt her body tingle and she grew. He grabbed a towel and quickly wiped 
himself off. The sense of disorientation was less this time and Akane quickly 
readapted to his new center of gravity and changed mass. He heard the shower 
door open and Ukyo walked back into the shower.

Ukyo wrapped her arms around Akane from behind. She reached down and gently 
held onto Akane's rapidly swelling member. She smiled when she heard Akane 
gasp in pleasure. "Feel good baby?" She asked teasingly. Akane nodded 
jerkily. "I know what will feel even better." Continued Ukyo. She turned 
Akane around and then knelt in the shower in front of him. Ukyo opened her 
mouth and swallowed the erect organ taking it deep into her throat until her 
nose was bumping up against Akane's body. "Heee." Gasped Akane.

Ukyo started to bob her head up and down slowly on Akane's shaft. 

"Oh kami, Ukyo." Gasped Akane. "You have no idea how good that feels." 

Ukyo released the hard organ. She giggled. "Maybe one day, I'll find out." 
She kissed the head. "But not today." She stood up and placed her arms around 
Akane's neck and climbed up his body. She felt Akane's hands slide under her 
buttocks to keep her in place. Ukyo raised one leg and reached down and guide 
Akane into her. "Lower me down, a little more, a little more." Ukyo's eyes 
closed involuntarily as she felt the hard shaft enter her. "Oh baby." 
Whispered Ukyo. "That feels so good." She began to gyrate her hips around the 
intruding member. 

"Oh." Gasped Akane a couple minutes later. "I can't hold it." She said. "Oh 
Ukyo, I'm coming." She wailed. Ukyo's shuddered as her own orgasm answered 
Akane's. It was only an act of pure will that kept both of them on their 
feet. When his breathing calmed, Akane shakily opened the shower door and 
half led half carried Ukyo out. He wrapped Ukyo in a towel and then got one 
for himself.

"Tsk,tsk." Said a voice from the door. "Couldn't wait, huh?"

Ukyo looked at Ranma. "Nope." She said with a grin. "Gonna make something of 
it?"

Ranma laughed. "Um Hmm." He said. He walked over and picked Ukyo up. He 
turned around. "I'll try not to wear her out too much." He smirked. Ranma 
carried Ukyo out of the bathroom. "Any last words?" He asked.

"Help?" Whispered Ukyo as Ranma lay her on the futon. She was smiling when 
she said it.

"What?" Asked Ranma in mock surprise. "Second thoughts already?" He started 
to caress Ukyo's breasts causing Ukyo arch her back. Ranma captured a nipple 
with his mouth. "You know there is one really, really, good thing about being 
able to turn into a girl." He said quietly a few moments later.
"What's" Ukyo gasped as Ranma's fingers trailed fire along her body. "That?"

"I know what feels good." He answered. His tongue began to leave a trail of 
saliva down her body.  Ranma sensed Akane entering the room and shifted on 
the futon to make room. Akane lay down on the other side of Ukyo.

Ukyo began to whimper in ecstacy as two pairs of hands and two mouths began 
to assault different parts of her body.  She felt a finger began to play with 
her opening. "Ooh, someone is very, very wet." She heard Ranma say. 

"Tease." Groaned Ukyo. 

"Say please." Ranma replied. He slowly pushed a finger into her.

"Please." Whimpered Ukyo. "Please, please, please, please, PLEASE." She 
screamed as Ranma's fingers quickly brought her to an orgasm.

"Turn over." Commanded Ranma. Ukyo quickly complied and pushed her butt into 
the air. She felt Ranma get behind her and then gasped as the head of his 
manhood began to slowly penetrate her. 

"Oh.  Oh.  Oh." Gasped Ukyo in time with Ranma's thrusts. She felt something 
press hotly against her cheek. She looked and saw Akane was kneeling in front 
of her.. Ukyo opened her mouth and swallowed his partially erect organ. It 
quickly began to stiffen under her ministrations.

"By all the kami in heaven, that feels so good." Murmured Akane. Ukyo moaned 
around the hardness in her mouth as she felt Ranma thrust deeply into her. 
'So good.' She thought. It seemed to go on forever and Ukyo lost herself in 
the sensation. 

When Ranma came in her, A distant part of Ukyo panicked for a moment when she 
realized they had forgot to use a condom. Then realized that Akane hadn't 
used one either.. 'Too late now.' She thought. Then gasped when she felt 
herself being entered again. This time Akane was behind her and thrusting 
into her already wet opening. 'Oh lord, they're tag teaming me.' She thought 
in a haze of sensation.  Ukyo screamed as another orgasm hit her. Akane 
collapsed on top of her a few seconds later and faded away with the 
sensation.

Akane purred as he felt a pair of lips kissing her just below his ear while a 
hand caressed his back and sides. A large hand. A male hand. 'Mmm, feels 
good.' Akane lost herself in the sensation until he felt a stirring between 
his legs. He felt a hand caress her hardening organ. Akane's eyes flew open 
in shock. "Ranma?"

"Who'd ya expect?" He purred into Akane's ear. "Ryoga?" He kissed the back of 
Akane's neck.

Akane rolled away from Ranma is shock. "What do you think you're doing?" She 
hissed. "We're both guys."

Laughter, coming from the floor, broke Akane's tirade. It was Ukyo. "I hate 
to break it to you honey." Gasped Ukyo. She rolled over on to her back. "But 
you're a girl."

"Well yeah." Responded Akane in exasperation. "But not right now."

Ukyo snorted. "Like that makes a big difference."  She said. "Right Ranma 
honey?"

Ranma nodded. "What was it that the doc asked you at our first session." 
Mused Ranma. "Oh yeah, am I straight of gay?" He looked at Akane with one 
raised eyebrow. "What are you Akane?"

Akane looked at the floor. "I'm such a jerk." He said mournfully. "Sorry." He 
looked at Ranma. "You must be very disappointed in me right now." He said. "I 
was just surprised." A faint grin started to appear on his face. "Are you 
going to let me make it up to you?"

"Oh this is gonna be fun." Commented Ukyo with a laugh. "I think I'm gonna 
enjoy this." She beckoned Ranma over. "Come here sugar." Ranma smiled and lay 
on his back pillowing his head on Ukyo's arm.

Ukyo waved her other hand imperiously. "What are you waiting for?" She asked 
with an evil smile. "Start apologizing."

"Yes Ukyo." Grinned Akane. "Right away, Ukyo."  He moved forward and lay his 
body between theirs, his head even with their hips. Akane snaked one arm 
between each of their legs until he held Ranma's manhood in one hand and 
caressed Ukyo's lightly furred mound with the other.

"I think you're right Uk-chan." Ranma moaned as Akane started to stroke his 
erect organ. "This is gonna be fun."

Akane lifted Ranma's leg and wiggled under it. 'They're right.' He mused. His 
hand recaptured Ranma's hardness and began sucking on the head, the way he 
knew Ranma liked. 'What does it matter.' He thought in realization. 'To us?'

Ukyo rolled over slightly. "Does it feel good, sugar?" She whispered into his 
ear. She began to run her hands over his chest. Ranma moaned. "Now if we 
could just figure out how to make you a girl from the waist up." She giggled 
softly. "You'd be perfect." She pinched his nipples. Ranma's body jerked .

Akane pulled away from Ranma and coughed. "Hey warn me next time." He 
complained. "You're the deep throat expert around here, not me." He 
recaptured Ranma's sex with his mouth.

"Sorry honey." Giggled Ukyo. "Speaking of which, I think I want something to 
play with too." She said. "Get up here."

"What is this?" Grumbled Akane as he repositioned his body to Ukyo's 
specifications.. "The Saotome School of Anything Goes Sexual Arts?" He 
chuckled. "Think we can get students?" Akane swallowed as much of Ranma's 
manhood as he could. Ranma started to pant from sensory overload.

Ukyo squeezed the sack under Akane's engorged member causing him to gasp. 
"Don't even think it." She warned. "There are some techniques too dangerous 
to teach." She intoned. She then demonstrated exactly how 'expert' she was 
much to Akane's delight. 'Besides.' Thought Ukyo. 'I'm not sharing you two 
with anyone.' 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Authors Notes: Heh. If you were pissedoff  at the events of Book 3 Chapter 3 
Lemon version, as some of you were,  this one should put you over the top. 
Face it, sex and love have nothing to do with the outer form. I am not 
advocating homosexuality or bisexuality. But neither am I condemning it. It's 
between the people involved.

I think I mentioned this once before in an earlier AN but a boy who can turn 
into a girl is going to redefine the concept of gender confusion. Add to that 
the idea that Akane can now turn into a boy. Gender identities fly out the 
window.

One reader left a review very concerned that Ranma would end up becoming 
Akane and Ukyo's bitch. At least that's how he described it. I guess that's 
how it would happen if one considers sex a power game. Sex is not about 
power. Nor is sex about love. But sex can be the demonstration of either. But 
it can never be the demonstration of both simultaneously.

If you ever denied someone sex because you were mad at them, then you should 
understand what I mean by this. If you still don't understand, then read 
Aristophene's Lysistrata. 

We're funny about sex. Hell it's even part of the Ten Commandments. Which has 
TWO sex related Commandments. The seventh and tenth.

7th. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

10th. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt 'not covet thy 
neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant', nor his ox, nor 
his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Well maybe I'm stretching it on the manservant and maidservant, but the main 
reason you'd be coveting the neighbors wife is because you wanted to boink 
her. Yeah, yeah I know that the commandment is really about not desiring 
someone else's property. Operative word there, 'property'. Women at that time 
did not own property, they were property.  They had no value other than 
themselves and their ability to have children. A dowry, if there was one, was 
usually irrevocable. Woman had no power at all. 

Covet: The yearn to possess. To lust after. It comes from the word, name 
really, Cupid. It's about sex.

What does that have to do with this particular lemon scene. Not a damn thing, 
but it does have to do with an assumption the reviewer made. Sex is either a 
demonstration of love and has no gender, or sex is a demonstration of power 
based on gender. It calls back my comment on prostitution; there we have sex 
as power. The power to push the blame, and responsibility, on women.

If a woman gets raped, it's her fault. If a woman is a prostitute, it's her 
fault. If a woman gets pregnant, it's her fault. 

Actually, I think I'm wrong about the responsibility aspect. Responsibility 
without options or choice is not responsibility at all. Do you know where the 
term 'whipping boy' comes from? Some of the slave owners in the American 
South, and in some other areas as well, had the practice of assigning a slave 
to be 'responsible' for the misbehavior of their children. If the child 
misbehaved the SLAVE was punished. They didn't have a choice in the matter.

Sex can be an expression of power. It is in our language. Something 'sucks'. 
You get 'screwed'. Sorry to be a ball buster about the whole thing. In both 
cases something bad happened to you. Hmm, I wonder what the doctor would make 
of the obvious Freudian connotations here?

For Ranma, Akane and Ukyo gender is quickly losing meaning and sex becomes a 
demonstration of their love. No power games. No dominance.   There is no 
'center' to their relationship. Rather it is an equilateral triangle. Three 
equal sides.  It is not polygamy. Ranma doesn't have multiple wives. Ranma 
doesn't HAVE anyone. Akane is not SHARING Ranma WITH Ukyo. Ukyo wasn't MADE 
second wife. 

Sorry for the long rant, but my ethics button got pressed. 





End Chapter 1