No Control

Part III

“Someone Fucked Up!”

By:

RanmaNeo-37

A.K.A.

Jesse Lawrence-Hayden

A.K.A.

Ashura Ayanami

A Ranma ½ fanfic

It crawled through the muck, the primordial ooze making it hard to move. It pushed its way out of the slop of unconsciousness, groaning the entire time. It began to evolve there in the slime, now a primitive form of fish. It could move faster, but was not happy with that. Again, it evolved into some form of animal. Now it could feel its surroundings, smell the area; hear what was going on around it. The animal evolved once more, becoming a warm-blooded creature. It breathed the air, sensing that something wasn’t right with its surroundings. It had to become larger, more adept at defending itself. It evolved again, finally a primate. The being clenched its hands and grunted as its sentience developed. It was still not perfect, still primitive. Again, it evolved into something more advanced, homo erectus. Now it knew it was male, but something was wrong with his body. It wasn’t meant for a male. The male evolved into a homo sapiens, now sentient, but it was like he had amnesia. His mind raced, and after a timeless time, he found what he was looking for.

Ranma groaned as he finally woke up. He yawned loudly as he glanced at his actual surroundings. He was home again. He held a hand to his forehead and yawned again.

“What hit me?” He frowned when he noticed that his voice didn’t sound masculine at all. She scowled again as she looked down. “Damn. I thought something was off.” She tried to get up, but something was holding her legs down. “Huh?” Ranma-chan yawned as her drowsiness threatened to put her to sleep again. “Who in th- eek!” Ranma-chan was paralyzed with fear as she looked down at her lap. ‘Kasumi?!’

Kasumi smiled in her sleep. Ranma-chan’s fear grew as she took a closer look at her surroundings. The room looked awfully familiar to Ranma-chan, but she couldn’t figure out where they were. ‘Oh my.’ Ranma-chan thought as it clicked. “We’re home.” Her memory finally restored itself as she continued to be transfixed by her environment.

“Akume.” she whispered in a detestable tone. ‘Wonder where Akane is now.’ A cacophony of pans and pots caught Ranma-chan’s attention. ‘She didn’t.’

Akane walked into the room with a tiny table filled with food. Her kawaii smile lightened Ranma-chan’s mood considerably. “Ranma-kun, I see that you’re awake.”

Ranma-chan laughed nervously and looked at the assortment of food. It didn’t look like anything that Akane could cook, but Ranma-chan’s mind knew something was up. ‘Hope she tasted it before she brought it up here.’

‘As a matter of fact, I did, you jerk,’ Akane’s voice pierced the redhead’s mind. She picked up the tray and prepared to throw it in the redhead’s face.

“It didn’t come out like I meant it to, Akane! Please! Don’t!” Her pleas came too late as Akane slammed the metal tray down over Ranma-chan’s head.

Kasumi slowly opened her eyes, yawning a bit. Kyuui scowled as her silver- blue eyes switched back and forth between a seething Akane and a Ranma-chan with her head through a serving tray. ‘Honestly. you two.’

She removed the covers and slowly got out of the bed. Both girls gaped at the Guardian as she got out of the bed. She was buck-naked. Ranma-chan had to hold her nose, as her nose was threatening to hemorrhage. She had this great blush on her face.

“ACK! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?!?! WHERE THE FUCK ARE MY CLOTHES!?!?!” Ranma-chan looked under the covers again to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. She was naked as well.

Now that she had gotten a bearing on her surroundings, she realized she was in Kasumi’s room, and Akane wasn’t wearing as much as she usually did. She was in this sleeveless nightie that came up to the middle of her thighs. It had a V- neck, down to her navel, giving her much more cleavage than usual. A nice satin red negligee, something racy that she only put on for special occasions.

Kyuui smiled. “Ranma.” She grabbed the redhead from behind and squeezed her tightly. “Mother is very happy.” Kyuui nibbled on Ranma-chan’s earlobe and kissed her neck. “We were able to save you, Ranma-kun. He let you remember everything. didn’t he?”

Recognition shined in Ranma-chan’s eyes as she shivered from Kyuui’s ministrations. The Peaceful girl scared her. Her life had been pure chaos since the day he had been born.

Akume smiled as he stirred within Ranma-chan. ‘It was very, very good, Father. I didn’t hurt either of them. I’ll tell you everything. later.’ Akume stopped shifting in Ranma-chan’s mind and went into some form of dormancy.

‘What are we?’ Ranma-chan thought.

Akane smiled, as a peaceful expression crossed her face. “Ranma, don’t worry. we aren’t bad, just a little extreme.”

Ranma-chan backed into Kyuui as she got a good look at Akane’s eyes. Their cobalt blue color scared the living crap out of her. “Kanashimi.” she whispered.

“Yes, Ranma, I am Kanashimi,” the girl with cobalt-blue eyes whispered. “Kyuui, please. don’t take him all for yourself.”

Ranma-chan shivered as she looked at Kanashimi. “I’m sorry. Akane. I can’t believe.” Ranma-chan’s eyes flashed into two different shades of blue, metallic and cobalt. “This is all my fault.”

Kyuui scowled slightly. “Ranma-san. we didn’t go through that just so you could try ‘the honorable way out.’ You should know that we love you. No matter how many times I have to drill it into your skull, I will,” she whispered as she tickled the small of Ranma-chan’s back.

“But it’s my fault. if I hadn’t. lost my temper.”

Kanashimi smiled as she walked over to the bed. “Ranma-kun, please. they almost died as well trying to save you.”

Ranma-chan frowned. “You should have just let me die.” She turned away from Kanashimi and stared into Kyuui’s eyes. “How can you love somethin’ like me? I’m not sure I’m even human anymore.” She pushed Kyuui back a little. “I don’t deserve this. my control. it’s all I’ve ever had. the control over myself. even with all of this chaos, I still controlled my emotions. It was all I had left, Kyuui! Don’t touch me, please. I don’t deserve to be cared for.”

Kyuui shook her head. “Ranma, the unloved are the people who should be cared for the most.” She touched Ranma-chan’s wet cheek. “You don’t know how much you mean to the two of us. You wanted to know what we are? What you are? We know what we are. and we will tell you, Ranma, because we love you.” Kyuui kissed Ranma-chan’s lips, flicking her tongue between the redhead’s teeth.

Ranma-chan kissed back reluctantly, and then held her arms out. She pushed Kyuui away from her gently. “I can’t. I love you too, but I can’t.”

Kanashimi grasped Ranma-chan around the waist. “We all love you, even Akume. Akane, Kasumi, Kyuui, and myself. We all love you. Let us love you, Ranma. Don’t leave us again.”

“I can’t. I won’t, Kanashimi. I don’t deserve it.” Ranma-chan’s aura flared violently as she began to get angry. “I just can’t! I can’t allow this to go on! You should have just let me die.”

Kanashimi scowled as her eyes flashed to a deep brown. Akane growled and slapped Ranma-chan. “RANMA WHAT IN THE BLUE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?!” Akane’s aura was twice the size of Ranma-chan’s. It shrunk to one-fourth its size as she cooled off. “Ranma Saotome, my husband, my life and death. How could you? To my Guardian, no less? She loves you just as much as I do. She’s a part of me, just like Akume is a part of you.” Akane laid her hand on Ranma-chan shoulder. “Ranma, look at me. Let me see your eyes.”

Ranma-chan shook her head, closing her eyes. “I can’t bear it, Akane. All the pain. I can feel it.” Ranma-chan shuddered as the feelings of depression came over her. ‘Why, Akane? How could you love something like me!?’

“Because, deep down, I know the real you,” she answered, her smile returning. Akane grabbed Ranma-chan’s chin and made her face the raven-haired girl. “Don’t be afraid of me, Ranma.” She brought her lips down to Ranma-chan’s mouth, and kissed her.

Ranma-chan blushed, and then kissed her back. ‘And I thought Kyuui was good at this.’

Akane’s eyes widened as Ranma-chan’s tongue entwined with her own. The redhead’s thoughts ran past her mindsight. Her eyes widened even more. She glared at the silver-blue-eyed girl sitting behind Ranma-chan. ‘What were you three up to, anyway?’

‘That’s none of your business, Akane-obasan.’

‘Please. don’t get jealous Akane-chan,’ Ranma-chan thought. ‘What purpose would it serve.’

Akane broke the kiss, her face flushed. “Ranma. you’re good at that.”

Ranma-chan frowned. “Akane. enough. Time’s a wastin’. Let’s go get some breakfast, and Kyuui can tell me what I am.”

“Oh alright, Ranma.”

---

Ranma-chan looked down at the floor of the bath. ‘Damn. those girls are psycho sometimes. When will this crap ever end?’ She scrubbed the fluids off of her body. “How long was I gone. and how do I get Kasumi back to normal?” Ranma-chan scowled as she stared at the tile. ‘Akume. show me what you are.’

‘It’s not the right time, Father.’ Akume whispered in her mind. ‘When we are truly born, you will know.’

“Well, what the fuck!?” Ranma-chan said. “You’re supposed to protect me, and all you seem to do is fuck my life up even more!”

‘I was created from you.’ Akume whispered again. ‘Everything you pushed down for that asshole, all of the hatred you had for him. I’m what sustained you during the Neko-ken. I’m what made you continue running when your own father tied you to that train!’

‘You don’t get it, do you, Akume?’ Ranma-chan thought silently. ‘You have caused most of this to happen! Why did you hurt them?’ Ranma-chan frowned as she stared at the tile once more. “Kuso. this sucks. maybe I should try again. It would be the honorable thing to do,” Ranma-chan sulked as she scrubbed off last night’s exertions. She winced as she got to her pubic area. ‘Never again. never again.’

---

“Coward. Kyuui? How can he be like this?” Akane asked. She had been worried about her husband for a week, whenever Kanashimi let her feel the world again. Her mental shell let her heal the wounds to her psyche, but she always missed out on things whenever it happened.

Kyuui smiled as the feelings of peace rushed over her again. “Ranma will be fine. he’s too unsure about what to do,” she replied. “You have no need to worry, Akane-obasan.”

“I’m more worried about what you and my sister have been up to with *my* husband!”

“Nothing, I swear! We did nothing!” Kyuui smirked slightly. ‘Nothing that you wouldn’t do, given the right circumstances.’

“I heard that!” Akane glared at the Guardian, contemplating what she should do to her.

Kyuui continued to smirk as Akane’s glare intensified. “Akane, why can’t you control your temper?” The silver-blue of her eyes glittered as she stared Akane, her gaze burning into the girl’s soul. “Obasan, don’t get jealous.”

“Why would I be jealous?” Akane whispered as she sat down next to Kyuui. “It’s not like he doesn’t love me, he told me himself,” she said, trying to reassure herself. Kyuui’s voice startled her out of her reminiscence.

“Akane-obasan, he loves you,” she said as she moved behind Akane. “You don’t need to be jealous of your own sister.”

Akane sighed as she looked up into Kyuui’s eyes. “Please tell me it’s alright.” Tears streamed down her face as she gazed at Kyuui. “I can’t stand it. He loves me, and yet a part of him hates me. what can I do.?”

---

Ranma-kun looked down at the bottom of the furo as he soaked in its steaming waters. Over and over again, he remembered that night. He knew it was his fault. He couldn’t keep his emotions in check. That’s not to say that he ever had them under his control. In a way, he was like Nabiki, keeping a tight leash on his real feelings, especially around Akane. He knew his taunts and teases were just for show. he didn’t want Akane to get too close to him. “Akane.”

His mind raced into the emotions he had felt that night. The pain, the anger, all was like a tidal wave within his psyche that night. Akume had resurfaced within him, that much was for certain. He had no idea where to go from here.

---

Sayuri was doing what she normally did these days. She was sealed in her room, crying her eyes out. She had seen into the depths of Hell itself when she had picked up on their thoughts. Her friends were both in trouble, one in a coma, and the other in something worse than anything she could ever think of. Akane’s strange behavior reached a pinnacle when Sayuri was still in the Infirmary that fateful day a week ago. Sayuri could feel the sorrow pouring from her friend’s mind as she washed the blood from Yuka’s head. She silently wept for her friends, cursing the Saotome name. She knew it was Ranma who had nearly killed himself, because her mother told her. Having the district gossip as a mother came in handy at times. But, Sayuri felt odd. Something about this wasn’t right. She knew something was wrong. It was almost like.

“NO! Not them too!! You couldn’t have!!”

---

Ranma winced as someone screamed in his mind. The voice was familiar. He knew it from somewhere, but he knew it wasn’t Akane, Kasumi, or their alternates. He could feel Akume scratching at the barrier he had erected, trying to find a weakness in it.

“Ranma!” Akane yelled from the other side of the door. “I want to take a bath! Are you finished yet?!”

Ranma chuckled slightly, happy that Akane was at least acting a little like her old self. He knew he had shattered her pride and self- esteem. “Akane-san, I’ll be out in a few minutes. hold yer horses.” he said nonchalantly, trying to hide the fear that Akume would break down the barriers he had placed in his own mind.

‘Akane.’ he thought. ‘What have I done to us all..?’

---

It was about 10:00 when Ranma-kun came into the dining area. He frowned as he sat at the table.

“Where’s Pops?” he said gruffly. “Akane-chan, where’s Mr. Tendo? Where is everyone?”

Akane looked down, scared he would snap again. She looked up slightly, just so that her husband could see her eyes. “Um, Ranma-kun. They went out. something how they were getting soft.”

“Yeah, right.” Ranma scoffed. “That old fool was probably scared that we’d kill him.”

“Ranma..” a voice called from the kitchen. Ranma was immediately on edge.

“EEK! She-she didn’t, change back yet?!” Ranma’s gaze switched to the kitchen doorway, and he freaked when he saw Kyuui standing there, a pot in her hand. The substance in the pot was not on par with Kasumi’s regular consumables, to say the least. It looked like Akane had been cooking. Ranma fell on his face, his muscles clenched around his arms and shoulders. Ranma slowly got back to his feet, looking like the lamb lead to the slaughterhouse.

Kyuui’s metallic-blue eyes glittered spectacularly, a stark contrast to the substance burned to the bottom of the pot in her hand. The top of it was wiggling around, almost as if it were alive. “Ranma-kun, Akane-chan. here’s some food. we’re out of plates because I haven’t had the chance to wash anything,” she said, a lecherous smirk on her face.

Akane had found out how bad a cook her sister’s alter personality really was about 2 days ago. Kanashimi had released her from the shell, wondering if Akane had healed completely. Unfortunately, Kyuui’s cooking sent her back into remission. Kanashimi also got a taste of it went she was sent back into action. She didn’t have the heart to tell her Cousin the truth. So, Kyuui had been cooking for both Akume and Kanashimi for the past two days. Until, Ranma had woken up that is.

“Uh. did y-you mm-m-make that, A-Akane?” Ranma said, as his foot was jammed down the back of his throat. Akane’s aura blazed to life for an instant, but calmed as she looked the boy over. The anger in her eyes decreased as she continued to look at Ranma.

“Ranma, you blockhead.” was all she could mutter, as she silently tasted Kyuui’s cooking. Akane gagged a little, but swallowed the bite of food. She now knew what her own cooking tasted like, and she swore to herself that she would never cook ever again. Not if it was this painful to Ranma.

Kyuui scowled as she read Akane’s thoughts. She grabbed the pot and disappeared into the kitchen, grumbling to herself. Soon, the sounds of a pot dropping, and a body hitting the floor resounded through the Tendo household. Ranma looked up, and rushed into the kitchen. He gasped as he found the body of Kasumi lying on the floor, shaking her head.

“Kasumi-san, Are you all right?” he asked as he helped her to her feet. The girl opened her eyes, revealing the same brown eyes as Akane.

“T-thank you, Ranma-kun,” she whispered. “Y-you can let go now. I- I’ll be fine.” Kasumi sighed as she fell into a chair. “What have you been doing to my house!?” she exclaimed as she looked around. Piles of dirty laundry and dishes were piled high around them, almost as if no one had cared to do anything to help clean up.

Ranma stuttered while Akane just looked at the floor, shame written all over her face. It seemed Kyuui was irresponsible, while Kanashimi was the epitome of what Kasumi could hope to be. But they were both busy, trying to heal Ranma’s psychological scars, (excluding the Neko-ken and the mental training he had undergone to control his darker side.) and having fun while doing it. For the past week or so, all three had stayed home, helping to repair Ranma’s soul.

Kasumi sighed, knowing she would get no answers. The sound of rumbling stomachs got her full attention. She sighed again as she got out of the chair. “You two-” She blushed as her own stomach growled. Akane and Ranma snickered, then laughed outright as they stared at Kasumi. Soon enough, she was laughing too, and they all fell to the floor laughing, wiping tears from their eyes.

---

Sayuri cursed as she burst out the door, tears streaming from her eyes. Akane was in deep shit, she could feel it. She blasted down the street, cursing again as she tripped over some unknown object or person. She didn’t care. She had to get to the Tendo home before it was too late. Her eyes flashed suddenly, to a dark black. She growled as her battle aura kicked up around her, a silver color. She continued to run, unknowing of her change. “Akane-chan, I’ll save you!!!” she screamed as she neared the Tendo Dojo.

---

“So, what are we?” Ranma asked while Kasumi was doing her best to catch up to the chores she was going to have to do since Kanashimi was resting. She raced about the house, cleaning this, washing that, wiping down other various objects. Luckily for everyone that was left in the house, there was enough food left to make a halfway decent meal for the three of them. Of course, Ranma ate like a pig, but he finished his food quickly so that all three could talk. Unfortunately, Kasumi had been watching Ranma and his father sparring everyday, and was learning to eat just as quickly. About a second after Ranma had finished, Kasumi was done as well.

Akane gasped as she watched both her fiancé and her sister finish at the same time. She was about a quarter of the way done with her food at the time. “Nante?! How?!” was all she could say.

Kasumi got up and started a routine procedure done every spring. Ranma frowned as Kasumi started cleaning at lightning speed.

“How does she do that?” he wondered aloud. In his mind, he wondered why they weren’t using the powers they seemed to have been cursed with. ‘They must be as scared as I am about using these stupid powers,’ he thought to himself. Akane had disappeared to her room when she had finished her breakfast.

Kasumi sighed as she heard Ranma’s question. ‘I knew it.’ she thought

“Kasumi? Please?”

“Alright, Ranma-kun,” she said as she put down the broom she was using to sweep the floor. It amazed Ranma that Kasumi could clean the house so quickly, getting everything back in order in only a couple of hours, when it had taken a week to dirty the place up. He was about to ask how she did it when Kasumi started speaking.

“Ranma-kun, I, myself have no real idea what we are,” she said as she sipped some water from a convenient glass. “I guess, we can call our alternate personalities our Guardians.”

“Gaurdians? Why in the hell would I need a Guardian?” Ranma snorted as he thought it over. ‘Guardians, indeed. I ain’t never needed protection before, why the fuck would I need it now,’ he thought stubbornly. He wondered why he was cursing so much in his mind as well.

‘It’s because you’ve been hurt, Ranma-kun,’ Kasumi thought to him.

Ranma growled, indignant. “I never lose. Plain and simple,” he said aloud, his brow furrowed. Ranma looked away, his eyes changing to black for a second. “Oh brother. it’s just a nut-case festival.”

Kasumi’s eyes widened as she, too, sensed the presence of someone, similar to the three of them. “S-Sayuri?”

---

At that point, Sayuri had reached the front gate of the perimeter of the Tendo home and dojo. Her black eyes shined as the light from the sun glinted off of her dark orbs. The silver aura surrounding her body blazed to life as she broke through the gate, tearing the hinges clear off of the perimeter wall.

“AKANE-CHAN!!!” she screamed as she rushed into the yard, only to be confronted by the accursed one himself, Ranma Saotome. Sayuri skidded to a stop, a trail of upturned dirt of debris left in her wake. “Where is she, you son of a bitch!!!” she shouted into Ranma’s face.

Ranma, had put his hand out in front of his body, hoping to slow the girl down before she tore up the entire yard. “Sayuri! What the hell are you doing here?” he shouted back, ignoring her remark about his lineage.

“Protecting my friend from you!” she yelled, slowly pushing Ranma backwards, her aura blazing.

“Sayuri, calm down,” Kasumi said as she walked up to Ranma’s left side. “Akane-imoutochan is fine.” Kasumi scowled slightly as she looked the girl over. She remembered Sayuri because she stayed at the Tendo home whenever Akane decided to have a sleepover, or whenever Akane needed help with homework. Of course, she had never seen the girl like this before.

“How can I be calm when that-that rapist is walking the streets!!”

Ranma winced upon hearing the comment as memories of what Akume had done to Akane that night returned to his mind. ‘Leave it to a woman to bring this up again.’ he thought as a new wave of depression ran through him once more.

Sayuri glared at Ranma again, hatred burning in her eyes. She brought a hand up to Ranma’s chest, a ball of silver energy forming in her palm.

“Ranma Saotome, You’ll pay for hurting my friend!!” Sayuri shouted, her black eyes hinting at the evil intentions she had. “I’ll make sure you feel every ounce of her pain!”

Ranma, frowned, not wanting to fight the enraged woman. “Sayuri, back off, or you’ll get hurt,” he said calmly, his breathing slowing.

“I want you to DIE!!!!!” she screamed as she fired the silver ball of ki at his chest. The pigtailed martial artist disappeared, moving to fast for the normal human eye. He had jumped away from the ki blast, and then realized almost too late that Kasumi was at his side. Sayuri’s aim wasn’t perfect, and it veered off to the right, heading right at Kasumi’s head. Ranma fixed his mistake by jumping in front of his wife’s sister, bringing his arms up in front of him as he braced for the impact. He winced as the ki blast struck his arms, flinging them outwards and reflecting the energy ball into the air to harmlessly explode in the atmosphere.

The angry girl charged Ranma while he was distracted, punching at his head wildly, unsure of whether or not she had actually hit him, or his defenses. Fortunately for Ranma, her punches were weak even with the build- up of anger. He was struck in the head at least fifteen times, and almost hit in the family jewels thirty. He blocked by closing his legs tightly, protecting himself from a lot of pain.

Ranma frowned, knowing that only defending would get him nowhere, and since this girl wanted to kill him out of grief, he knew it would be unjustified if he struck her. ‘What do I do?’ he thought, sending his message to Kasumi only. He continued to block Sayuri’s strikes, his mind racing in frustration. Then, all of a sudden, an idea came to mind. He remembered something Happosai had done to him when they had first met.

Sayuri growled, her anger growing when none of her strikes seemed to affect Ranma. “Why won’t you die!?” she screamed as she continued her onslaught. She gasped as Ranma tapped her wrist as she tried to punch him again, flying into the Tendo home.

Kasumi cursed uncharacteristically, thinking about the mess she’d have to clean up.

Fortunately for Sayuri, her punch didn’t have much force behind it, or she would have been seriously injured by the technique. Ranma slowly stepped into the house, and screamed when Sayuri tried to spear-tackle him in the torso. He quickly ducked, wincing as Sayuri slammed into the perimeter wall. She fell to the ground in a heap, having hit the wall head- first.

Ranma frowned, walking over to her body. He picked her up off of the ground, and carried her into the house. Kasumi followed Ranma, somehow knowing that medical attention was needed.

Blood oozed from the top of her head, dripping down onto the tatami mats around the house. Ranma frowned as he laid her down on the couch, touching the top of her head. He pulled his hand away, eyes locked on the blood upon his fingers.

Kasumi pushed Ranma away as she came into the living room with a bunch of rags, and some water. “Ranma, go check on Ryoga,” she said. “We haven’t had the time to check on Ryoga-san for a while.”

Ranma’s eyes widened as he thought of his friend and nemesis. “R- Ryoga. Sayuri.. and Akane.. Who else am I going to hurt?”

---

Ranma slowly made his way up to the second guest room, his depression growing with every step.

“Why.. What are these Guadians for.. all they do is cause pain to those who have them,” he whispered to himself as he walked past Akane’s door.

Akane stuck her head out of the door, watching Ranma walk towards the guest rooms. “Ranma.” she whimpered, feeling his depression through their link.

---

Sayuri screamed as she woke up, the pain at the back of her head almost unbearable. Her eyes had returned to their normal color. “Ka-Kasumi- san?” she whispered as she fell back against the pillows. “Di-Did I k-kill R-R-Ranma?”

Kasumi’s uncharacteristic scowl frightened Sayuri. “No, you didn’t. If you had, you would have killed Akane,” she said in a dark voice, anger apparent in her brown eyes.

“B-but-” she began before being interrupted.

“But nothing,” Akane said as she walked down the stair, glaring at Sayuri. “You may have the Guardian’s strength, but you don’t have our true power, Sayuri.”

Sayuri backed away from the girl at the staircase, staring at her eyes. Her cobalt-blue eyes. “Wh-what? N-No! It can’t be!”

Kanashimi stared at Sayuri, her cobalt eyes blazing. “It is, Keibo! Why don’t you show me your true form, sister?”

Sayuri’s eyes changed to black as she looked up at the raven-haired Guardian. “Sister. Why. why can’t I kill him?” She stared into Kanashimi’s cold cobalt eyes, tears slowly streaking her eyes.

All the while the wound on her head was healing much more quickly than a normal human would if inflicted with the same injury. It completely healed over in as few seconds, leaving nary a scar.

“Kei-chan, it’s simple. You can’t kill him, because it is not his fault,” Kanashimi whispered into her Sister’s ear. “You wouldn’t be able to kill him anyway, even if it was.”

“B-but, Kana-chan.. please! Let me kill that bastard!”

Kanashimi growled, her aura flaring around her body. “Keibo, you will not touch Mother’s husband,” the cobalt-eyed one stated. “Nor will you come near Akume, for I forbid it. You wouldn’t stand a chance against either one of them in either state of mind.”

Kasumi frowned, holding a washcloth in her hand. ‘How rude,’ she thought. Keibo and Kanashimi turned their heads to Kasumi, shock on their faces.

“Well, I can’t take this anymore,” Kyuui stated as Kasumi’s eyes changed to metallic blue.

Keibo gasped, her fear growing. If this was happening, what was really going to happen when all hell broke loose?

---

Ranma cursed under his breath as he looked down at Ryoga. He really had done a number on his long time arch-rival. His wounds were horrifyingly grotesque, especially his arm. Ranma took a closer look at the torn meat of his arm, and winced. The only things keeping his arm attached were blood vessels. A lot of them were stretched, almost torn, but still functioning. Ryoga should have been taken to a hospital, but no one was thinking clearly at the time.

The Lost Boy’s eyes snapped open and Ranma jumped back. A scream of pain echoed throughout the house from his mouth as he looked down at his arm, then up at Ranma. He backpedaled, screamed as his arm began to tear out of the socket, then stopped moving, his eyes frantic as he looked at the pigtailed one.

“Ranma,” said Ryoga, as he controlled his breathing, “What do you want?” His face was a mask of pain, his teeth clenched as he spoke.

“My enemy.” Ranma whispered. “My friend. I’m sorry for what I’ve done to you.” He kneeled in front of his nemesis, his head bowed. “I couldn’t protect you or anyone else. I’m going to kill myself later today. I want you to be my second.”

Ryoga gasped, staring at him in disbelief. Ranma, his enemy, his archrival, the one who had beaten him over and over, the one who never gave up until he won, was going to commit seppuku. He grasped Ranma’s arm with his good hand, scowling.

“Ranma Saotome,” he whispered, “the greatest martial artist of all time, is a coward.” He started laughing, forcing it out in a great belly laugh. He watched Ranma’s expression.

“You’re right, Ryoga.” he whispered back, tears trailing down his cheeks. “I am. But they won’t let me die. I want you to hold them off for me. That’s how you can be my second.” He handed Ryoga the tanto he had been planning on using earlier. “DO it now, before I change back, back into that monster!!”

Ryoga laughed again, looking him in the eye. “I don’t have time for your games, Ranma. I can barely move my good arm!” he squeezed Ranma’s arm again, with all of his might. It was barely as strong as a babies’ limb. “Man, you kicked my ass good this time, Ranma. Maybe I’ll take your advice and back off of Akane.” A tear formed in his eye as he said those words, his heart breaking as he looked at his long-time enemy. “She’s yours, Ranma. You won. my friend.”

As Ranma stared at what was left of Ryoga’s arm, he whimpered slightly. “R-Ryoga. I c-can’t take it anymore. I can’t take living with this monstrosity in my head. He’s ruining my life,” he murmured softly as his eyes moved away from Ryoga’s arm and to his face. “You must kill me.”

Hibiki sat up, gritting his teeth in pain. “Y-you’re an i-idiot, R- Ranma. How can you repay for your sins if you’re dead? What you’ve done can’t be fixed by your death. A-Aka-kane l-loves you, Ranma. Would you want her to be your widow so soon?”

Ranma shakes his head, the tears beginning to flow. “R-Ryoga, I c- can’t. I can’t live like this. I’m going to hurt you all.” Ranma looked away, wiping the tears away hastily. “Y-You tell anyone w-what you s-saw, and I’ll m-make s-sure you’re dead, R-Ryoga.” Saotome muttered as he punched Ryoga lightly in his good arm. “Y’ understand me, Bacon-breath?”

“Yeah, I understand ya, Ranma-chan,” he chuckled softly as he wrapped his arm around Ranma’s shoulders.. “H-Help me u-up, would you? I c-can’t do it m-myself.”

Ranma started to laugh, holding Ryoga’s good arm over his shoulders. “Y’ got a sling ‘er somethin’ for that?” he asked.

“N-No. T-Tofu-sensei did- a g-good job numbing out th-the pain,” he murmured.

“Yeah, right.” Ranma scowled slightly as he centered his feet beneath him. “Damn, Ryoga, you’re heavy.” He smirks as he half-drags his enemy, his archrival, his friend down the stairs.

---

Keibo growled as she looked towards the stairs as Ranma brought Ryoga down with him. “YOU!!!!!!” she screamed as she hopped to her feet and ran straight at our favorite pigtailed martial artist. Ranma frowned, tapping her wrist once again, sending Sayuri flying head-first into the cushions of the couch.

“RANMA!! How dare you hit a girl!” Ryoga shouted right in his ear. Ofcourse, he couldn’t do anything, given his condition. Ryoga tried to throw a punch, but ended up spinning and hitting the ground, landing on the good arm. He got lucky. If he had landed on the messed up one, it would have ripped clean off.