HERE WE GO AGAIN - a Ranma 1/2 Fanfic (continuation)
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Don't sue me, OK? I don't own these, Rumiko Takahashi and Viz do.

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Chapter 2: Horrors
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(A month has passed since chapter one)

Tenno drank his tea on the porch and watched the trio arguing outside.  Only
weeks had passed since that one night, and there was still a lot of tension
between them.  They argued a LOT.  He was giving a dour color commentary to
a giggling Nabiki, who sat drinking coffee at his side.

"Will you two stop being so stupid?!" Ryouga yelled at Akane and Ranma.
"It's so painfully clear how you two feel Tenno picked it up in hours!"
(What can I say?  I'm good.)

"It's not our fault he's another Kasumi!" Ranma yelled back.

"HEY!" Tenno yelled at them.  Ranma turned and grinned at him. (I WISH
they'd stop saying that.)

Ryouga held his hands up to forestall any further arguments.  "I don't want
to argue about this.  You two are going to have to admit it to each other
sometime, and I'm going to ride you till you do.  But that doesn't change
the fact that we still have those three girls out there to deal with." (I
take it from your shock that Ryouga being reasonable is unusual?)

Ranma scowled.  "Ucchan first.  She's the  most reasonable, and the most
willing to give me up."  (It's the incredibly inflated ego!  Run for your
lives!)

Akane frowned at Ranma, then looked worried.  "I'd say Shampoo.  We can get
Mousse's backup on her." (Isn't she the one related to the 'ghoul'?  I don't
know, Mousse might not want the living dead in the family.)

Ryouga grunted. "I'd say Kodachi.  All three of us know how to beat her."
(Three way split.  Maybe I'll play tie-breaker. I'd better get out there.)

Tenno stood up, and walked to the trio.  "Is this a private conspiracy or
can anyone join in?" he asked as he sat beside the others.  "I don't know
this Kodachi, and if what Nabiki told me was right, I don't want to.  Given
what I've been told, I agree with Ranma.  Ukyou seems to be the most
reasonable, from what I've seen, and if Mousse's fear of Shampoo's
great-grandmother is as great as I'm told, he's not going to be much help.
Besides, he might join forces with them now that he's half-female.  But we
have another problem."

The three looked at him.  A problem big enough for Tenno to mention in the
same breath as the disaster known as Ranma's romantic life must be pretty
bad.  He held up his hand, and concentrated, and they gasped at the white
glow emanating from his fingers.  "I was trying those chi exercises you two
showed me, and this has been happening."

Ranma just stared at him.  "You shouldn't be able to do that!  Not yet!
You've only been training a couple weeks!"  He frowned. "Waitasec.  White?
I've never seen white."  He looked at Akane and Ryouga.  "You guys ever seen
white before?"  They both shook their heads.  "One sec, I'm gonna go get
Pop."

He ran off and came back with his father, in panda form.  "Show my father
what you showed me."  Tenno help up his hand, concentrated, and the white
glow appeared again, faintly streaked with blue.  Genma took step back.  He
started to write on a sign, but Ranma growled in exasperation and dumped a
kettle on him.

Genma looked down at Tenno.  "Berzerker.  The boy is a berzerker," he said
bluntly.  Ryouga and Akane looked confused, and Tenno started to sweat.

"I don't like the sound of this," he began.

"You shouldn't," Genma said shortly.  "The berzerkers were an ancient group
of martial artists that were almost universally feared.  Their secret was
not in their skill, or in their power, it was in sheer determination.  When
one was triggered, he would not stop until his enemy was dead.  He would
take horrendous amounts of damage and still keep going.  They were known for
walking through walls just to kill an enemy on the other side."  As the
elder Saotome spoke, Tenno seemed to slowly crumple in on himself.  The glow
faded from his hand and he shook.

"No," he said, the self-hatred in his voice making it a whisper.  "I'm a mon
ster.  I'm a freaking monster!"  He started to sob.

Ryouga looked at the young man falling apart before him, and slowly reached
out and grabbed Tenno's arm tightly.  "Would a monster help me?"

Akane hand was in Tenno's.  "You're not a monster Tenno.  No one could care
for people that much and be a monster."

Ranma gently held Tenno's shoulder.  "Tenno, I haven't known you a long
time.  But I'd like to think of you as my friend.  No friend of mine is ever
a monster to me."

A voice came from behind them.  "You're not a monster."  Tenno turned and
saw Nabiki behind him.  She pulled back her sleeve, where the scars from the
burn could still be seen.  "I would never do this for a monster.  Believe
it."  She turned and walked back into the house.

Tenno numbly watched her walk away.

***

Akane walked down the stairs from the bedrooms and went to the table, where
everyone but Tenno sat. "He's resting," she told them.  Nabiki let out the
breath she had been holding.  Kasumi glanced at her and made a little "ah"
sound.  Akane smiled a weary smile at Kasumi.  "I now know how you felt all
those times when I cried in your arms.  You feel so helpless, and want to do
so much, and can do so little."  She shook her head, growing angry.  "It's
not fair!  He's such a caring person!  Why should he have to suffer like
this?"

Ranma turned and grabbed his father's gi.  "Talk, old man."

Genma cleared his throat.  "He should be fine as long as he's not triggered.
If what I remember is correct, the more training he gets, the more control
he'll have.  We'll have to really work on him."  He turned to Soun, who
looked ready to burst into tears.  "Tendo, old friend, you know any more?"

"Very little, Saotome.  But I know Tenno is a fine young man, and I'd find
it impossible to believe he'd do any harm to anyone.  I almost wish the
master was here, he could tell us more."

"Bite your tongue, Tendo."

"Indeed, Saotome."

"Well, we'll just have to make sure I never go berserk," Tenno said, his
voice hoarse from crying.  Everyone turned to the stairs in surprise, as
Tenno came down them slowly.  He smiled wanly at the group. "Weren't we
having a war conference?"

Ranma a looked at his new friend, and slowly nodded.  "Right," he said.  "So
how should we go about breaking the news to Ukyou?" he asked the group as
Tenno sat down.

Ryouga was the first to speak.  "I think you, me, Akane, and Tenno should go
see her."  Tenno started and shook his head.  Ranma nodded in agreement.

"I don't think she likes me," Tenno began, "she told me last time if I got
in her way she'd kill me."

Akane laughed.  "You get used to it." She began ticking names off on her
fingers. "Ukyou.  Shampoo.  Cologne.  Kodachi."  She made a fist.  "Just
stay out of the fighting.  I think I understand what Ryouga is thinking.
You're there to listen.  It's what you do best.  You're like another
Kasumi."  Everyone at the table chuckled, and Kasumi smiled.

Tenno gave Akane a pained expression, but smiled faintly.  "I WISH you
people would STOP saying that."

***

The group stopped outside Ucchan's.

Ranma grimaced.  "I'm REALLY gonna hate this."  He looked at his friends.
"Let's go."

"Welcome to Ucchan's!" Ukyou sang out.  "What can I..." Her voice dropped
off as she saw the four people who entered, and the grim expression on their
faces.  "No!" she cried, as she picked up her fighting spatula and grabbed
one of the throwing ones.  She started to advance.  "I'm not going to let
you have him!"

Ryouga stepped forward.  "Ukyou, don't!  Don't make this harder.  Let it
go."

"Ukyou, don't do this," Akane pleaded with her.  Ukyou slowed, and looked at
Ranma.  Tears glistened in her eyes, and she had a desperate expression.
Ranma shook his head.

"Ucchan," Ranma said softly.  "I care about you.  As a friend.  But I won't
marry you."

Ranma's words stopped Ukyou like a brick wall.  She looked into Ranma's
face, and saw determination and a little pain.  She saw much the same in
Akane's.  Ryouga's face showed pain and compassion.  Ukyou felt a little
hope.  "Ryouga, help me.  You can have Akane, I'll have Ranchan.  We'll all
be happy."

Ryouga shook his head. "No, Ukyou.  Akane and Ranma belong together.
Anything else would be wrong."

Ukyou began to cry, shaking her head.  She looked at Ranma again.
"Ranchan..." Ranma sadly shook his head.  She looked at Tenno. "YOU!" she
hissed.  "This is all your fault!  You ruined everything!  I'll kill you!"
She threw a spatula at him.  Tenno could do nothing as it flew straight
towards his face....and was snatched out of the air by Ranma, who bent the
spatula into a twisted mess.

"You want to kill someone, fight me," he said, standing in front of her and
dropping the mangled spatula to the ground.  "I won't have my friends
killing each other."  Ukyou raised her fighting spatula to strike...and let
it drop to the ground with a clang.

"I can't," she gasped.  "Not you."  She turned and ran into the back of the
store.

Tenno slowed his racing heart.  "My turn," he said as he followed her.
Please let her remember the code, he prayed.

***

The war party reconvened, minus Tenno, who was still over at Ukyou's.
"Mousse is our best bet." Ryouga said.  "He's infatuated with Shampoo, that
we know.  Whether it's enough for him to disobey the ghoul is another
question."

"Where's Tenno?" Nabiki asked worriedly.

"With Ukyou.  She needs someone to talk to," Akane said softly.  "I think we
all just needed someone to talk to."

Ranma looked at Akane for a moment, then shook his head.  "No, the best we
can hope for now is that the three of us can handle the three of them.  I
expect now that Mousse has a girl form, the ghoul's probably going to use it
to control him more."

Ryouga looked at Ranma.  "We better wait. If we have Ukyou's help we might
have a chance."

Ranma sighed.  "I know.  This really, really sucks."

Ryouga looked at Akane, then Ranma.  "You two need to talk," he said in an
awfully good imitation of Tenno.

Ranma sighed.  Ryouga had been a pain when he was an enemy.  As a friend he
could be worse.  He glanced at Akane, who was looking at him with wide eyes.
He thought about Ukyou, and Shampoo, and Kodachi.  He thought about all the
pain he had caused, and sighed again.  "Yes, I think we do."

***

At the Nekohanten, Cologne was making plans of her own. "Son-in-law has
finally decided," she told Shampoo.  "When they come to tell you, it will be
your last chance.  We must kill Tendo Akane then.  Prepare yourself."

Shampoo nodded and went to gather her weapons.  Mousse sighed and followed
her.  "Where are you going, duck-boy?  Or maybe I should say, girl-boy now,"
Cologne asked him coldly.

Mousse turned to her, his face like stone.  "You should know by now, ghoul.
If Shampoo fights, so do I."  The vehemence in his voice shocked her.  He
turned and walked away.

***

Tenno's time with Ukyou was sheer torture.  He didn't know why people opened
up to him.  He sighed.  *A second Kasumi is right,* he thought.

"Ukyou..." he began, but she put her hand over his mouth.

"No, Ryouga told you his story, let me tell you mine."  She sobbed a bit,
and took a deep breath.  "When I was six, I met Ranma and we became instant
friends.  Everyday he used to run up and fight me for some okonomiyaki.  He
won almost every time.  Don't get me wrong, it was a game between us.  I
knew he'd win, so I would draw funny pictures in the sauce for him.  I loved
every day of it.  Then my father engaged me to Ranm..Ranchan."  Tenno
relaxed a bit.  That was a good sign.  She still thought of Ranma as a
friend.  "Ranchan's father stole the cart, and ran off, leaving me behind.
I was disgraced, my father was disgraced, and we were ruined.  The other
kids mocked me so much, I tried to hide my hurt behind a mask of
masculinity.  I became everything I thought a man was.  I trained for nearly
a decade in my own brand of fighting.  Then, I came to Tokyo for my
revenge."  She sighed.

"Genma was easy.  Too easy.  I soon discovered Ranchan was innocent, he
didn't know what his father had done.  He even thought I was a guy.  I
didn't care, and still fought him." She paused.  "Ranchan defeated me
easily, despite all my training.  He didn't want to hurt me, even then.  He
found out the truth, and got through all my anger by calling me cute.  He
wanted to be friends with me again.  I think I loved him then."  She paused
again, and took a deep breath.

"Akane, I hated at the start.  I thought she and Ranchan were awful for each
other.  They always fought.  But I soon grew to like her, and we had a
tentative friendship.  I couldn't bring myself to really hurt her.  Until
the wedding.  I just couldn't accept it.  I did everything I could to stop
the wedding, including teaming up with Shampoo.  I nearly killed Akane, for
real." She swallowed.  "After the wedding, things were starting to return to
normal.  They didn't get married, and it was back to the same old way things
were before."

"And then you showed up, and destroyed all their hopes for a cure.  I found
Ryouga after that day, and he looked so lost, so lonely.  I just couldn't
let him walk away.  I did what I could for him.  I liked him even then. I
mean, if he won Akane, I had a WAY better chance at Ranchan." She looked at
her hands.  "And then, when talking to you, Ryouga admitted he was wrong.  I
couldn't believe it.  Here was the one guy who we all thought would never
give up, who would hate Ranma forever.  Giving up.  And you, just sitting
there, listening, until you asked how we all were so blind to not see
Ranchan and Akane loved each other."

She paused.  Tenno could see the tears in her eyes.  "Then Ryouga agreed
with you.  And I just saw red.  I wanted to kill Ranchan, kill Akane, kill
Ryouga, but I wanted to kill you the most.  You were the cause.  But I
remembered how you weren't an fighter like the rest of us, and how it would
just be murder.  So I just threw you two out."  She smiled sadly.  "And
Ryouga called me his friend. But as I thought more about it, I think I
realized he was right.  I just didn't accept it till today."  She looked at
Tenno, and there was hope in her eyes.  "Do..do you think Ranchan will still
let me be his friend?  And Ryouga?  And...Akane?"

"Yes, Ukyou, I think they will.  Come on."  He helped her up, and they
started to walk over to the Tendo's.

*So much pain and anguish,* he thought.  *How could they let this go on?*

***

Ranma and Akane sat on the roof, staring at the stars.

"Akane," Ranma began, then faltered.  He swallowed, and continued.  "I don't
know how to say this.  But please try to hear me out.  Every time I see you
unhappy, I hurt.  I just have to try to make the hurt go away. Whenever I
see another man go after you, I see red.  I get so angry.  I don't know why,
but all I want to do is get you away from them.  When you're in danger, I go
crazy until I know you're safe.  When I thought you died, I was ready to
kill myself." Akane just stared at him, her eyes wide.  "I never wanted to
hurt you, or make you angry with me, I just couldn't help my mouth at times.
I didn't even want all those fiancées.  All I knew is that if I could delay
our marriage, you wouldn't have to be married to some half-woman freak.
That kept me going for a very long time."  He realized he was babbling and
forced himself to clam down.  "But now, what I care about the most is you."
Ranma took his hands, and looked into her
eyes. "Akane, I..I love you."

Akane gasped again.  She had waited to hear those words for so long, and
here they were.  "Ranma..I..I love you too!" she whispered fiercely, and
hugged him for all she was worth.  She began to weakly beat his chest as  he
held her.  "Ranma, you jerk, I've been waiting to hear that for ages." She
looked up at him.  "Was it really that hard to say?"

"Akane, it was the hardest thing I ever said.  I was never more afraid of
anything in my entire life, because I was so afraid you didn't love me
back."  He smiled down at her.  "It's easier now though, even though I mean
it just as much.  I love you.  I have always loved you, and I always will."

She smiled.  She liked hearing those three words very much.  "I love you
Ranma.  I never doubted you'd come for me every time." She giggled.  "Every
time you pulled some stupid plan to ruin some romantic scene I felt so much
joy under the anger, because I knew you cared."  She held him tighter.  They
were silent for a moment.

"Akane, I can't ask you to never get mad at me again, but I hope you'll
always trust me.  I'll never purposefully do anything to hurt you.  EVER.
And I don't care what Shampoo or the ghoul, or Kodachi does.  You are MINE."
He held her tightly for a moment.  And then turned his faced to hers, and
tentatively kissed her.  It was awkward, but there was so much love.

"Yes, Ranma, and you are mine," she said as he pulled his face away.  She
grabbed the back of his head and fiercely kissed him again.  Ranma
stiffened, but soon relaxed and enjoyed the kiss.  Ages seemed to pass
before the broke apart.

"That was VERY nice," Ranma said, then sighed. "Come on, we've got two more
things to worry about."  They moved to hop down, but Ranma stopped.  "One
second."

Akane watched as Ranma went to the top of the roof, and turned to face as
much of the city as he could.  "I LOVE TENDO AKANE!" he yelled at the top of
his voice.  "DO YOU HEAR ME, NERIMA?  I SAID IT! I LOVE TENDO AKANE!!!!"

***

Ranma and Akane returned to see Ukyou and Tenno sitting at the table.
Everyone's eyes were on Ranma and Akane, though.

Ranma blushed furiously. "Uh," he said.

Ryouga snorted.  "He just proclaims his love to Akane to all of Nerima, and
the best he can say is 'Uh'."  Ryouga shook his head and stood up.  "Ranma,
Akane, I have one thing to say to you two," he said angrily as he walked
over to them.  He suddenly grinned, his fangs gleaming.  "About damned
time!"  Ranma and Akane both blushed this time, and the room erupted in
laughter.  "Come on, sit, Ukyou has something to say."

Ukyou's face was still a bit puffy from crying.  "Ranchan, Akane, I...I'm
happy for you both.  I'm ... sorry for what I've done to hurt you." She
paused.  "I hope we can still be friends?" She asked, smiling hopefully.

Ranma let out the breath he had been holding and grinned.  "Always, Ucchan.
Always."

Akane also smiled.  "Yes, Ukyou."

Ranma smiled for a moment, then sighed.  Back to business.  "I think we
agree Shampoo is next.  Kodachi might get one of us with one of her brews,
and we'd need to be our strongest to take on Shampoo's crew."  He scowled.
"You realize we'll probably have to hurt that ghoul pretty badly to make her
give up.  Maybe even kill her.  I'd better take her on, I'm the only one
fast enough to have a chance."

"I should probably take on Shampoo," Ryouga offered.  She's never fought me
before, so my style might confuse her.  Ukyou and Akane should take on
Mousse."  He looked at the two girls in turn.  "No offense, but Ranma is the
best fighter here, and I'm the only one who comes even close to him.
Shampoo is a better fighter than Mousse, and he'd have no chance against two
targets." The two girls scowled, but nodded.

"I'd better stay out of this one," Tenno volunteered.  "I'd only be in the
way or a target for them to strike at you with."

"No, Tenno.  You're going.  You're the most insightful man I've met, they'll
need you," Nabiki insisted.

Akane's eyes grew wide.  Her face betrayed nothing, but her eyes shone with
mirth.  *Nabiki, I would never have believed it,* she thought.  She and
Kasumi exchanged a knowing glance.

Kasumi stood up, and smiled.  "Come on father, Nabiki.  Lets leave them
alone."  Nabiki reluctantly stood and followed her sister and father.  Genma
stood, poured come cold water on himself, and trundled up the stairs in
panda form.

As they left the room, tension seemed to flow out of Tenno.  Ukyou looked at
him in askance.  Tenno blushed.  "She gives me the creeps," he muttered.

"Who, Nabiki?" Ukyou asked. "I can see that."

"No, Kasumi," he admitted, embarrassed.

"KASUMI?" All eyes turned to him.  Most of the table were horrified, all of
them were surprised.

Tenno shuddered. "Just don't ask."

***

They began their assault in the mid-afternoon, when the Cat Cafe would be
empty.  Ranma waited for the others to give him the go ahead before heading
in.  Inside, Shampoo and the others waited, ready.

"I still don't see why we can't talk to them," Tenno complained.

"They probably know we're coming," Akane replied. "Cologne will punch first,
and give orders later."

Tenno sighed and nodded to Ranma.  "Fine, let's go."  Ranma looked around at
the street once last time and swore.  Nabiki and Kasumi stood across the
street, buying groceries.  He grabbed Tenno and pointed them out to him.

"Tenno, you better not go in after all.  Get them out of here.  This may go
into the streets."  Tenno nodded and ran to them.  Ranma looked to the
others and saw what he needed.  They entered.

Akane, was right, Ranma realized.  Shampoo and the ghoul WERE expecting
them.  Even Mousse was there, his glasses actually on his face for once.  As
they entered, Cologne threw a handful of darts at Akane.  Ranma cursed and
shoved her out of the way.  Most flew through the open door into the street.
They squared off like they had planned.  Ranma on Cologne, Ryouga on
Shampoo, and the two girls on Mousse.

"So, son-in-law, you come to tell the Amazon who you will marry.  I don't
think so."  Ranma started the chestnuts technique he had learned so long
ago.  Cologne cackled as she returned the favor. "Use my own technique on
me?  You're a 100 years to young for that-urk!" Ranma smiled grimly.  He had
gotten a punch through, but he had been hit once himself. Would he get
another hit?

Ryouga was having an easier time with Shampoo than he expected.  She was
just nothing compared to Ranma.  He battered her about for a minute, and
then used a Shishi Hokodan, knocking her out.  He frowned at the sudden
weakness of the attack.

Mousse lost almost instantly after Shampoo.  As she fell, all the fight went
out of him.  He sat on the floor, and surrendered.

Cologne was not pleased.  "Mousse, you traitor!  I'll see you die for
thi-urk!"

Mousse was unperturbed.  "I said if Shampoo fights, so do I.  She's not
fighting, so neither am I.  Besides, you seem to have other things to worry
about," he smirked.

Ranma was beginning to grow tired.  He couldn't keep this up forever, and
already the ghoul had gotten more punches on him than he had on her.  He
began another volley of punches, and was swept off his feet as the door flew
off its hinges inward and hit him.

Everyone stared at the entryway.  In it, framed in a white aura almost as
bright as the sun, was Tenno.  He held two of Cologne's darts, and they were
covered in blood.  The most horrible thing about it was the expression on
Tenno's face.  It was pure loss.

"Who...threw...these?" Even his voice dripped pure desolation.  Everyone
looked at Cologne.  So did Tenno.  "YOU."  Tenno started his way towards
her.  "You KILLED her."  Cologne looked amused.

"Oh, how pretty, I've never seen white before.  Good, my son-in-law needed a
break."

Tenno reached her, and started to swing at her.  He cried as he did so, his
voice pure sorrow.  Cologne easily dodged the punches he threw, but found
her punches seemed to have no effect.

"You OK, Ranma?" Ryouga asked, lifting the door off him.  Ranma got up and
watched the battle.

"Jeez, Pop wasn't kidding," he replied.

"She's going to win, you know.  He has no chance," Ryouga told him.

Ranma shook his head.  "She can't stop him.  Remember what Pop said?
Berzerkers wouldn't stop for anything.  There's nothing she can do but run.
He's going to kill her."

"Ranma, you're not making any sense."  They watched Tenno swing wildly at
Cologne and her furious counterattack.  Once again, there was no effect.
She seemed very confused.

"Look at him.  He's taken hundreds of punches, and nothing's changed.  The
ghoul just tired herself out."  Just then one of Tenno's wild swings grazed
Cologne and she screamed.  She jumped away and looked at Tenno in horror.

"What kind of monster are you?  I've never felt such pain."  Tenno reeled as
if struck, and then stalked after her, beginning the battle again.

Ryouga whistled in awe.  "His touch brings agony, and she can't do anything
to stop him.  You're right Ranma, he's going to kill her.  We'd better stop
him if it gets out of hand."

Ranma nodded and looked around.  Shampoo had woken, and sat watching the
battle.  Mousse stood with Ukyou behind her.  "Hey, where's Akane?" Ranma
asked. She was nowhere to be seen.  "Watch them, I have to find her!"

He dashed out the door.  It was then he saw what had triggered Tenno.
Nabiki lay on the ground, covered in blood.  Kasumi sat beside her, holding
her sister's head in her lap.  Akane was holding Nabiki's hand, crying.
Ranma ran to them.  "Is she..."

Kasumi shook her head.  "She'll be fine. The darts hit her in the shoulder.
It looks much worse than it is."  She looked at Ranma.  "Why was he
glowing?"

Ranma shook his head.  "I'll explain later, Kasumi."  Just then, he heard
another scream.  "Oh, no.  Tenno!  He's going to kill Cologne!  I've got to
stop him!"  Ranma ran back through into the restaurant.  Tenno stood over
Cologne, who cowered on the ground.  He held one of Shampoo's maces and was
about to smash Cologne with it.  "Tenno, STOP!  Nabiki's OK!  She's not
dead!  Don't kill Cologne!"  Tenno didn't seem to hear him.  He merely
raised the mace higher.  "Tenno!  You have to stop!  You're not a killer!
Nabiki believed in you.  Don't become the monster you were so afraid of
being! Nabiki's alive!" Those last words seemed to reach Tenno.  He stopped,
and turned to Ranma.

"Not dead?" he asked.  His voice was full of pain, still, but there was
hope.  He frowned, and turned back to Cologne.  "KILL!"

"NO!" Ranma screamed.

Tenno held the mace to strike, but didn't. "She HURT her," he growled.
"She must DIE."

"No, Tenno.  Let it go.  You're not a monster.  Don't become one."  Tenno
whirled, and saw Nabiki in Akane's arms.  She seemed to be fighting to stay
awake with every ounce of her strength.  "Let it go.  I'm alive.  Just it
go.  She doesn't have to die."  As she continued talking to him, the glow
around Tenno slowly faded.  When it was gone, he collapsed.  Nabiki looked
at him with sadness in her eyes, and more than a little love.  "Don't let
him die, Sis.  I need him too," she whispered, and fainted.

Akane gasped.  Kasumi looked at her wounded sister closely, and sighed in
relief.  "She'll be fine, Akane.  The exertion was too much for her."  She
turned to the prone Tenno. "Oh my, he's hurt too!."  She went to work on the
battered man.

Ranma looked at Cologne.  The old woman was cowering on the floor beside
Tenno, trying to crawl away.  "Great-grandmother get what she deserve,"
Shampoo said coldly.  "She not true amazon.  No true amazon bows to man."

Cologne seemed to snap at this.  A horrible sound came from her. "NO!"  She
slowly stood up, and then ran out of the restaurant.  "It's not over!  Not
yet!"

Ranma and Shampoo watched her leave.  Ranma turned to Shampoo, who had tears
in her eyes.

"Ranma no want marry Shampoo," she said hollowly.

Ranma looked at Shampoo sadly.  "I'm sorry, Shampoo.  I love Akane. I won't
marry you."

Shampoo fell to her knees and cried.  Ranma merely stood there silently,
wishing it hadn't come to this.  After a few moments she stood,
determination on her face.  She angrily wiped her tears away and whirled on
Ranma.

Shampoo sniffed.  "Ranma no want Shampoo, so Shampoo no want Ranma.  Violent
Akane can have.  Shampoo want Ryouga.  He beat her in FAIR fight.  Ranma
only beat with tricks."  She went and hugged Ryouga.

Ranma looked at her shocked.  Then he looked at Ryouga, who was standing
like a statue.  He started to chuckle.  He looked over at Akane, and saw her
smiling at a different sight.  Ukyou was staring at Ryouga and Shampoo, a
faint blue glow around her.  Ranma caught Akane's eye, and they were both
exploded into gales of hysterical laughter.

Mousse sighed.  "Oh Shampoo...."

***

Notes:  (from the first version of this story)

*sigh* Yes, Tenno is a berzerker of sorts.  You can all groan later.  I
decided to make him my berzerker, my way.  It's a variant of the way the
guy from Record of the Lodoss War goes berserk, with some fun abilities
popped in.

The reason I needed to explain this was I read the Bitter End and then
Berzerker, and after the nightmares wore off (those are some SICK fics) I
got worried of people's mis-reading the way Tenno goes berserk.  He's a NICE
berzerker, kids.  I mean, the only reason went after Cologne that way is he
thought Nabiki was DEAD.  I'd freak if someone killed someone I loved too.

All I can say is it's not as bad as it looks.  I'll admit sometimes this
fanfic gets away from me (that entire Akane/Ranma 'I love you' scene was a
good example - I like it though) and they turn out WAY differently than I
plan them, but I don't plan on doing anything that sick if I can help it.
Besides, things aren't always as they seem. (Notice: blatant teaser
detected)



End Chapter 2