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Nabiki said "Then begin!" Ukyou and Shampoo rushed forward together, launching an attack from either side of Mika. Mika stood still until the last second, then ducked, rolled forward and lashed out a double kick at the both of them. Ukyou barely managed to put up a defense and Shampoo dodged it narrowly. Mika stood up before them both and opened up, seemingly surrendering. Ukyou's spatula flashed in the light as she swung it down on her. But with incredible speed, Mika dodged and kicked the weapon as it came down, sending Ukyou off balance. Shampoo, seeing what she thought was an opening, dove in but instead received a reverse roundhouse kick to her head, sending her reeling and unconscious through the wall. Ukyou, still off balance, threw several small spatulas, but Mika jumped over them and landed with her heels on Ukyou's chest, knocking the wind and the fight out of her. By this time Soun was weeping and imploring "Why me, why me?" And Genma was turned into a panda bear and pretended not to notice the fight at all. Kasumi went to the kitchen to get some water and cloths that would be needed to treat the losers. Akane still stood motionless and facing Mika. Mika turned once the two other girls were out of the match and stood as well. A rather weak and shaken looking Ranma appeared in the hallway where Kasumi was watching, but no one noticed. The two remaining girls faced each other. Akane's look had not changed and most people under that gaze would have ran or turned to stone, but Mika returned the gaze without flinching. The silence was tangible. Tension hung in the air like a blanket, almost stifling the observers. Then with a ripple in the fabric of reality, or so it seemed, Akane attacked. It was beyond human, that attack, beyond anything anyone in that room had seen. Akane blurred in speed, the air pushed away from her in a wave from her power and sparks seemed to fly from her incredible spirit. A wave of pressure seemed to fill the room, spilling out from Akane as she moved. Soun forgot to cry in that moment, the panda could no longer ignore the fight, and Nabiki gaped quite uncharacteristically. Ranma's eyes widened unbelieving. Akane was weeping as she attacked but her face was twisted into a gruesome mask of pain and anger, her eyes like agates. Mika was stunned as she saw the face of death approaching. She knew Akane would not stop at merely knocking her out. Then it was over. Akane's form was crumpled on the ground and Mika stood virtually unperturbed over her, her hand still glowing eerily with the power she harnessed to defend against Akane. Soun had toppled over from the power released when the two had met and the panda was face first through a wall. Nabiki, shaken and frazzled said "Win: Mika" and then collapsed. With a cry, Ranma burst from his sheltered cove and ran to Akane's side. "You big dummy," he wept. "Dummy, dummy, dummy. You didn't have to do that." Akane opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Goodbye... Ranma" she said, and then lay still and breathed no more. Ranma wept openly over the inert body of Akane. "Why?" He asked the butterfly, who landed on the ground in front of him. It looked at him quizzically as if to ask "Why not?" and then flew away. Mika knelt down beside her love. "I'm sorry" she said simply and put an arm around him. He buried his face in his childhood love and cried. Later that day, Three figures walked slowly through the streets of Tokyo. A huge panda a boy and a girl. "I guess we're on that training mission you said I needed, eh Pop?" Ranma said. The panda held up a sign that read. "Shut up boy... just shut up." Mika put an arm around Ranma. "Everything will be all right! It will all be all right..." Ranma looked back for the last time at the Tendo residence and the black hearse parked out front. He stopped and turned as the world sank to nothingness around him and his eyes welled up with new tears. And he screamed his loss to the world, to the uncaring clouds, to the indifferent streets and to the black abyss that is his life. And the butterfly flew past and laughed. Ranma sat bolt upright in bed, a scream still on his lips and his body bathed in a cold sweat. He looked around, at the room he was in, the Tendo house.... at his Pop beside him who only turned away grumbling at his son's scream.... and at the butterfly on the ledge of his window, opening and closing its wings in the new dawn light. Ranma rushed out of his room and down the hall a wild grin on his face. He ran into Kasumi and gave her a bear hug, swinging her around a few time despite her shocked objections. Then he ran into the dining room and found Akane setting the table there. He walked up to her and quite purposefully planted a huge kiss on her lips. She yelled "Ranma, you pervert!!!" but couldn't find the strength to lash out at him. Ranma just grinned impishly and ran outside into the early morning sunshine and laughed. The butterfly flew past him and over the wall and out of sight. Ranma suddenly felt a pain in the back of his head and went flying face first into the pond. He emerged a soaking girl and rubbing the back of her head. "What did you do that for?" Genma was there behind him. "Foolish boy, how do you hope to continue the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts if you can't even defend yourself!" Ranma just smiled. Genma looked at his son quizzically but Ranma just smiled, then leaped in the air and kicked her Pop in the back as she flew over him, sending Genma into the pond and back into pandahood. "Look who needs to defend themselves now, Pop!" There was a knock at the door. Nabiki walked over to answer it. "Hello, how can I help you?" A dirty, but still incredibly beautiful girl asked, "Is this where Ranma Saotome lives?" - THE END by: Mike Schouten aka Tselsebar |