The characters of the Ranma 1/2 universe are the sole creation
and possession of the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi. 
---------------------------------------------
Hearts of Ice
Part 6:  Lies and Dreams
by Krista Perry
---------------------------------------------


     Cologne rarely slept.  In a lifetime that extended over
three centuries, she had trained her body to replenish itself in
an amazingly short amount of time.  She knew how to conserve and
use her energy wisely and economically.  Her powerful ki
constantly recharged itself, sustaining both her ancient body and
her abilities as a master of the martial arts.  She kept herself
alive and strong through sheer will alone, defying the laws of
nature that insisted her body should have turned to dust long
ago.

     Which is why, after traveling on what should have been an
exhausting trip from China to Japan, she was awake and alert. 
She listened carefully, extending her senses through her
household.  Shampoo and Mousse were finally in their separate
rooms, sleeping restlessly after talking in to the early morning
hours.  She had eavesdropped with interest as Mousse had related
to Shampoo the events of the past two days since the blood spell
had been cast.

     So, Son-in-law had figured it out.  That was surprising,
considering how oblivious the boy usually was to the workings of
human nature, but it was not a completely unexpected turn of
events.  If they played it right, it could even work to their
advantage.  The trick would be getting Ranma calm enough to
listen to reason...

     As if on cue, her meditation was interrupted by the sound of
the Nekohanten glass door shattering under the impact of a
powerful fist.  "HEY, OLD GHOUL!"  Ranma's fury-filled voice
shouted from the dining area below.  "COME DOWN AND FACE ME!"

     Cologne's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed.  "Well
well," she muttered under her breath.  "I should have known Son-
in-law wouldn't wait until a decent hour for this confrontation." 
She reached for her staff and swung herself up to her customary
place while balancing the staff on its tip, then closed her eyes
and spent a few moments focusing herself for the upcoming battle. 
Whether the battle would be physical or otherwise had yet to be
determined, but it didn't matter.  It would be tricky either way.

     When she emerged from her room a moment later, she found
Shampoo and Mousse standing in the hallway, looking
apprehensively down the stairs where the pulsing light of Ranma's
battle aura flickered menacingly under the restaurant door.

     "Great-grandmother," Shampoo whispered, her eyes wide with
worry, "how Ranma know we home already?  We supposed to go to him
tomorrow."

     "Don't worry, Shampoo," said Mousse firmly.  "I will not
allow that vile Saotome to hurt you."

     Shampoo glared at him.  "Shampoo no need help from you,
Mousse.  Besides, husband no hurt Shampoo."  She turned away from
him then, so that he couldn't see the doubt and fear in her eyes. 
Ranma sounded so *angry*...

     "YOU HEAR ME, OLD GHOUL?  COME DOWN AND FACE ME, OR I'M
COMING UP THERE AFTER YOU!!"

     Cologne sighed.  "Well, I would have preferred to break the
news to Son-in-law under better circumstances, but I guess we
have no choice.  Come, Shampoo.  You know what we must do."

     Shampoo nodded, her heart beating in her throat, and
followed Cologne down the stairs.

     Mousse followed mutely, still smarting from Shampoo's
rebuke, and wished he were wearing his arsenal-laden robes
instead of just his black pajama bottoms.  He pushed his glasses
up the bridge of his nose with his index finger and watched
nervously as Cologne opened the door to the Nekohanten dining
area.  *If you do anything to hurt Shampoo, Saotome,* he thought
solemnly, *I swear I won't rest until you've been punished.*

     Cologne entered the dining area and faced Ranma calmly. 
Shampoo and Mousse followed close behind.

     Shampoo took one look at Ranma and felt all her hopes of
persuading him to her side as a willing husband slowly
disintegrate.  His narrowed blue eyes, so handsome even in anger,
met hers briefly when she entered the room, and the look of hurt
betrayal on his face pierced her to the heart.  In that brief
moment when she met his cold gaze, he seemed to be saying *How
could you do this to me, Shampoo?  I thought you were my friend.* 
Shampoo brought her hands up to her mouth to choke back a sob. 
*Ayia!  The plan isn't going to work.  He hates me.*  Tears began
to spill down her cheeks.  

     But Ranma didn't see her tears.  His attention was already
focused on Cologne, his battle ki burning red-gold with fury,
casting flickering shadows among the rows of stacked tables and
chairs in the dark dining area.  He stood tensed in a battle
stance, his hands at the ready.  Shampoo winced when she saw a
thin trickle of blood dripping unheeded from his knuckles where
the splintering glass of the shattered Nekohanten door had cut
deep.  

     "All right, ghoul," Ranma said, his voice low and dangerous. 
"I'm gonna give you one chance to undo what you did to Akane and
me.  You'd better break this blood spell if you know what's good
for you."

     Cologne met his gaze unflinching.  "I'm afraid I can't do
that," she answered.

     Ranma growled in frustration, and clenched his fists.  "Aw
man, I just knew you were gonna say that," he said.  "Have it
your way then.  I challenge you, old ghoul.  If I win, you bring
Akane back from wherever you sent her.  And you get these voices
out of my head," he added as the spell-voices swelled up in his
mind, insisting that he would never see Akane again.  He glared
at Cologne, and waited for her standard 'If I win, you marry
Shampoo' reply.

     *So,* Cologne thought.  *Even though we've torn his life
asunder, the boy still has honor enough to extend a formal
challenge rather than attack blindly.*  The old crone chuckled
inwardly, yet kept her expression neutral.  If they engaged in
physical combat, she knew Ranma would give her a run for her
money, and she would run the risk of losing everything that she
and Shampoo had worked so hard for.  She had learned more than
once that it was unwise to underestimate Ranma's physical prowess
and sheer stubborn refusal to lose.  But now...  *This is going
to be easier than I thought.*  

     She gazed at Ranma levelly, her wrinkled face betraying no
expression.  "I refuse the challenge," she said.

     "Fine, let's get to it," Ranma said, dropping into an attack
crouch.  "There's no way I'm gonna let you..."  Suddenly
Cologne's response penetrated his brain, and he blinked, stunned. 
"What did you say?"

     "I said I refuse the challenge.  I will not fight you."

     "But you...  I..." Ranma stuttered, his battle aura
flickering out and plunging the restaurant into darkness as his
anger faltered into flustered confusion.  She couldn't refuse his
challenge, could she?  To refuse a challenge...  It just wasn't
*done!*  He *had* to fight Cologne.  Otherwise, how was he going
to force her to bring Akane back?

     "Ranma, I think we should sit down and talk for a moment. 
Shampoo and I have something to tell you."

     Ranma blinked again.  Talk?  They wanted to talk?  This
wasn't the way it was supposed to go.  He'd been psyching himself
up for a battle royal for the past two days, and they wanted to
*talk?*  Something was not right here.  

     "There's nothing to talk about," he snapped, trying to
regain his mental footing.  "I know you cast a blood spell on me
and Akane, and I'm not gonna rest until you break it."

     "You are wrong, Ranma.  We did not cast the blood spell."

     Ranma laughed, short and harsh.  "Yeah, right.  You expect
me to believe that?"

     "Actually... no," Cologne said softly.  She spoke slowly,
annunciating each word carefully.  "We *don't* expect you to
believe us.  Because the purpose of the spell was for you to hate
Shampoo.  And if the spell is working like we think it is, you
probably believe that Shampoo and I cast the spell to get rid of
Akane.  Isn't that right?"

     Ranma stared at Cologne, just barely able to see her
diminutive form in the pale light that shone through the windows
from outside.  "Well... yeah," he managed finally.  "I mean, why
else..."  He trailed off uncertainly.  Did she just say that the
spell was supposed to make him hate Shampoo?  If that was the
case, it sure was working.  But why on earth would they cast a
spell like that?  Unless... unless the old ghoul was telling the
truth, and they *didn't* cast the spell.  But then who would...

     Cologne smiled inwardly, sensing rather than seeing the
confusion on Ranma's face in the darkness.  *Time to appeal to
Son-in-law's considerable ego.*  "You are strong, Ranma," she
said gravely.  "You have it within you to fight off the effects
of anger and hatred that the spell has placed in you, and listen
calmly to our explanation."

     Ranma was silent a moment.  Shampoo stood frozen in the deep
shadows and looked at his tense figure, framed by the shattered
door and backlit from the street lamps outside.  Her silent tears
had ceased, mostly out of amazement as she watched how adeptly
her great-grandmother handled Ranma.

     "Okay," Ranma said finally.  Reluctantly.  "I'm listening."

     "You already know that I took Shampoo to China for a
training mission," Cologne said.  "We went to a secret training
area in the mountains that we Amazons use for its perilous
landscapes and dangerous animal inhabitants to improve our
survival skills.  Only the most advanced warriors are able to
train in these mountains.  I knew that it would be risky, but I
felt confident that Shampoo was up to the challenge.  What I
didn't realize, and what I regret discovering too late, was that
those mountains are now inhabited by a very powerful, very evil
dragon."

     "A... dragon?"  Ranma's voice lost some of its angry edge. 
Ranma had come across a dragon or two in his training, and had
been lucky to come out of the encounters alive.  "You went up
against a dragon?"

     "Actually, Shampoo went up against a dragon."

     Ranma looked up to where Shampoo stood in the dark, the pale
light from the street lamps outside outlining her features.  "You
fought a dragon, Shampoo?"

     Shampoo blinked and shook herself mentally.  It was time,
and Cologne was waiting for her to tell her own story.  Her own
lie.

     "Shampoo not have much choice," she said, her voice shaking. 
"Dragon kidnap me when I sleep.  Dragon want to make Shampoo his
bride.  But I tell dragon I rather die than marry him.  I tell
him I already have good husband..."

     Shampoo saw Ranma flinch at this, but she continued.  She
couldn't seem to steady her voice.  "Dragon use his magic to find
out about you.  He say he make you hate me so that I no have
husband.  He say he do worse thing possible to you and make it... 
make it look like my fault..."  Her tears were flowing again
uncontrollably; her face was pale mask of grief. 

      Ranma stood numb with shock, trying to absorb her story. 
So the old ghoul *didn't* cast the blood spell.  And Shampoo was
an innocent victim, just like he was.  Looking at her, he could
see the glistening tear tracks course down her cheeks in the
darkness, and felt something unidentifiable tremble in his chest. 
He had lots of experience with getting blamed for something he
had no control over.  His brow creased in sympathy, and he
unconsciously reached out his hand.  "Shampoo..."

     "He use own blood to cast spell," Shampoo continued.  "I...
I try to stop him but..."  Her voice choked off, and she
swallowed hard against the tears and the bile that rose in her
throat with the lie.  "P-please, Ranma.  Don't h-hate Shampoo.  I
help you.  I help you find Akane.  I help you find a way to break
spell."

     Ranma hated to see Shampoo, or any girl, cry.  It made him
feel all panicky and helpless inside.  "It's okay, Shampoo. 
Don't cry, please.  I...  I don't hate you."

     Oddly enough, that only made Shampoo cry harder.  Ranma
waved his arms in helpless agitation.  "Auggh!  What did I say? 
I'm sorry, don't cry!"

     "Oh Ranma!"   Shampoo flung herself at Ranma, wrapping her
arms around his torso and sobbing into his chest.  "Shampoo so
glad you no hate her."

     "Uhhh."  Ranma gulped loudly and glanced around quickly,
half expecting to see Akane appear to mallet him into the floor. 
Then he remembered, and a wave of sadness swept over him.  He
carefully extricated himself from Shampoo's grip and looked into
her face.  "Did you mean that, Shampoo?  Will you help me get
Akane back?"

     Shampoo nodded, blinking tears from her eyes.

     "Ranma?" Cologne came over to him.  At that moment,  he
realized that the old ghoul had called him by name; that she had
been calling him by name since he first arrived.  No infuriating
"son-in-law" or condescending "sonny boy."  Just Ranma.  It was
odd.  She knew how much he hated it when she called him by those
other "titles."   Why had she stopped?  She wasn't actually
giving up her claim on him...  was she?  Did the old ghoul really
feel that bad about what had happened?

     "I too will do whatever I can to help you break the blood
spell," she said.  "You should know, Ranma, that when I arrived
at the dragon's lair to rescue Shampoo, I managed to disrupt the
blood spell while Shampoo distracted the beast.  I believe the
spell was originally meant to kill Akane.  I was able to prevent
that, however, through my interference.  I only wish I had the
time to do more, but it was impossible under the circumstances. 
The dragon wasn't too pleased with my meddling.  We were lucky to
escape with our lives."

     Ranma's eyes widened in shock as he faced Cologne in the
darkness.  The spell was supposed to kill Akane?  He didn't want
to think about what he might have done had the spell succeeded. 
Probably fulfilled the dragon's expectations, no doubt.  But
Cologne... Cologne had actually *saved* Akane.  And was offering
to help him find a way to break the spell to get her back.

     "I..."  Ranma didn't know what to say.  He had come
expecting a fight and instead had received an offer of help.  So
what if Cologne didn't know how to break the spell at the moment. 
If anyone could figure it out, she could.  He bowed.  "Arigato,"
he said, unable to think of anything else to say.  Then, looking
at the floor, he saw that he was standing on pieces of shattered
glass.  "Uhh... Sorry about your door," he said sheepishly.

     Cologne chuckled.  "It's no problem.  This place has seen a
lot worse."

     Without warning, the lights flipped on, and the group
squinted against the sudden brightness.  They turned, surprised
to see Mousse standing by the light switch.  They had forgotten
that he was there.

     Mousse clenched his jaw tightly, fighting to hold off the
despair that was settling in his heart.  Although he initially
had reservations, he had secretly hoped that Ranma would attack
so that he could defend and protect Shampoo, showing her once and
for all that he was the better man.  Instead, he watched with
sinking hopes as Ranma once again wound his cords of womanizing
treachery around Shampoo's heart.  And now, not even Akane was
around to temper Saotome's hold on his beloved.

     There was only one thing to do.  "Ranma, I too will do
whatever I can to help you find Akane," he said, peering intently
through his glasses at his rival.

     Ranma smiled.  "Hey, thanks, Mousse," he said sincerely.  "I
really appreciate it."

     "Oh Ranma!"  Shampoo grabbed his injured hand and held it up
to examine it.  "You bleeding.  I go get bandages."

     Ranma looked at the cut he'd sustained while smashing the
door, noticing it for the first time.  "Aw man, how'd *that*
happen?"

     Shampoo came back and began cleaning the cut.  Ranma sat and
allowed her to fuss over him, trying not to squirm as she applied
some healing herbs to the wound.

     Cologne watched and smiled.

     Everything was going according to plan.

--------------------

     Ukyo ran, sprinting with athletic grace from rooftop to
rooftop, her long chestnut brown hair, tied with a white ribbon,
flowing out behind her.  To a casual observer she might have
appeared to be a wind sprite or some other ethereal creature.  A
closer examination would have shattered that illusion.  Most
ethereal creatures don't have giant battle spatulas strapped to
their backs.

     She scowled, her face creasing with anger and worry. 
"Ranchan, you jackass," she muttered.  "Why couldn't you have
waited, instead of running off half-cocked to face Shampoo and
Cologne?  If they've gone so far as to cast this so-called blood
spell on you, who knows what other tricks they've got up their
sleeves?"

     The thought made her increase her speed a few notches.  She
had to get there, before that Chinese bimbo and that old mummy
did anything to Ranchan.  Her mind was so focused on this thought
that she didn't notice a figure in her peripheral vision, leaping
over the rooftops, closing in on her with astonishing speed...

     ... until she collided with it full force in mid air.

     "Aaaahhh!"  Ukyo fell to the ground below, flipping just in
time to land awkwardly on her feet.  She lost her balance and sat
hard on her rump on the sidewalk.  "Ite!"  She rubbed the side of
her face, feeling a small lump at her temple where something hard
had impacted.  "What..?!"

     "Ungghh..." 

     Ukyo looked over to see a figure hunched over on the grass. 
She staggered to her feet and cautiously drew closer, pulling a
few of her sharp mini-spatulas from her bandolier and holding
them at the ready.  "Who..?"

     The figure looked up, holding a hand to his bleeding nose. 
"U... Ukyo?!"

     Ukyo gasped.  "Ryoga?!  What are you doing here?"

     "I'b on by way to the Dekohaden to fight Colode!" he
snapped, pinching his nose to stop the blood flow.  "Ad least I
was udtil you rad idto be!"

     "You jackass!" Ukyo responded, replacing her spatulas and
grabbing Ryoga's arm to pull him to his feet.  "You ran into
*me!*  And besides, if you were headed to the Nekohanten, you
were going the wrong way!  The Nekohanten," she said, pointing,
"is *that* way.  Now come on!  Ranchan's probably been there a
few minutes already."  She leaped to the rooftop again.

     Ryoga scowled, probing his nose carefully to make sure the
bleeding had stopped, then followed her on her gravity-defying
run.  "That fool Ranma!" he snarled.  "How dare he leave to fight
Cologne without me?"

     "Less talk, more running," Ukyo snapped back.  Just a little
further...

     She jumped from the rooftop to the ground, landing in front
of the Nekohanten.  Ryoga landed next to her a moment later. 
Together, they stared at the store front.

     The door was shattered, and the lights were on.  They
listened carefully.  The sounds of a desperate battle failed to
reach their ears.  It was eerily quiet.  Ukyo and Ryoga looked at
each other in baffled apprehension.

     "Uhh, do you think we missed it?" Ryoga asked hesitantly.

     Ukyo's expression hardened.  If those two had done anything
to Ranchan...  "Only one way to find out," she said, and she
stepped through the broken door.

     Ranma sat at a table, looking at Shampoo with amazement as
she wrapped his right hand in a white gauze bandage.  "No
kidding?  The dragon sent *twelve* demon guards after you?  How'd
you get away?"

     "Great-grandmother, she know many warding spells that keep
them back."  That wasn't a complete lie.  But then she'd been
trying to get *to* the dragon, not trying to get away.

     Ranma frowned.  "Aren't you worried that the dragon will
come looking for you?  I mean, since he seemed so determined to
marry you and all..."

     Shampoo giggled nervously.  "Oh, no worry about that. 
Dragon not follow me all the way to Japan from China."

     "Hmm."  Ranma's mouth twitched in skepticism as he thought
about all the things -- and people -- that had followed *him*
home from China.

     "A-hem."

     Ranma looked up at the sound of Ryoga clearing his throat to
see the Lost Boy scowling at him and Ukyo staring at him with
wide eyes and a slack jaw.  "Ucchan!  Ryoga!" he exclaimed, his
face lighting up in a pleased, but puzzled expression.  "What are
you doing here?"

     Ukyo stared at him, dumbfounded.  "Ranchan...  I... we...
came to help, but..."

     "What the hell is going on here?" Ryoga demanded, glaring at
Ranma.  Trust him to foul up Akane's rescue.  "What happened to
the big battle that was supposed to take place?"

     Just then, Cologne entered the dining area balanced on her
staff and carrying two bowls of ramen.  Ryoga turned on her
angrily.  "You!  Have you agreed to bring back Akane?"

     Cologne ignored him and set the bowls down in front of Ranma
and Shampoo.  Ranma looked at his bowl suspiciously for a moment,
but then noticed Shampoo looking at him with a strange, sad
expression on her face, and he felt guilty.  Surely they wouldn't
try anything like that after what had happened, especially after
they'd offered to help him.  Besides, it wasn't like she was
Kodachi or anything.  He smiled a little at Shampoo and began to
devour the ramen.

     Ryoga's temper simmered, and he was about to yell something
along the lines of 'how dare you ignore me,' when Cologne turned
suddenly and *whapped* him over the head with her staff.  "*I*
didn't send Akane anywhere in the first place," she said, as
Ryoga clutched his head in pain.  "But to answer your question,
impertinent boy, yes.  I have offered to help Ranma find a way to
break the blood spell."

     Ryoga blinked as the pain in his head receded, and looked
back and forth between Ranma and Cologne.  "You didn't..?  You
mean--"

     Ranma slurped up the last of his ramen and wiped his mouth
on his sleeve.  "She means that they didn't do it, Ryoga," he
said.  "It was some dragon in China that wanted to marry Shampoo. 
She wouldn't marry him because,"  Ranma swallowed, still
uncomfortable with the idea, "because of me.  So he cast the
spell to make me hate her.  But don't worry," he said, smiling. 
"If anyone can lift this spell, Cologne can."

     "Oh my," said a new voice.  "Isn't this a sight to warm the
heart.  And here I came expecting to see the place torn to
pieces."

     Everyone turned to see Nabiki standing in the doorway, her
arms folded across her chest, looking at the group with a cool
expression.  She dropped her arms to her sides and stepped
carefully through the broken glass.  "So, looks like I missed the
party.  Ranma?  Care to fill me in on what's going on?  That is
unless you're too influenced by whatever dubious concoctions
these two witches have managed to shove down your throat."

     Shampoo bristled in anger and stood to face Nabiki.  "We no
use anything like that, sneaky girl!  We want to help Ranma!"

     Nabiki raised an eyebrow.  "Is that so."

     Ranma stood, flexing his hand in the bandage, and placing
himself between the two girls.  "Hey, Nabiki, it's okay.  They
explained everything to me.  They weren't the ones who cast the
spell, but they're going to help me find a way to break it."

     "Hmm."  Nabiki walked up to Ranma and peered clinically into
his eyes, looking for any sign of the drugged blankness that
usually accompanied some of his fiancees' attempts to chemically
induce his cooperation.  Aside from the tiny bloodshot lines that
told of his lack of sleep the past few days, his eyes were
remarkably clear.

     She sighed and shook her head.  She could feel Cologne's
piercing eyes on her, but she ignored the old ghoul and focused
her attention on Ranma.  If the old woman tried anything against
her, that in itself would make Ranma doubt the veracity of the
story he'd been told.  She smiled slightly, knowing Cologne could
do nothing.

     "Oh yes, that's right,"   she said, rolling her eyes in
disgust.  "I heard you mention this Chinese dragon who
*supposedly* cast this spell when I came in."  She fixed Ranma
with a look that would have made Einstein feel dumb.  "You're not
really going to fall for that, are you?  You actually believe
that some dragon all the way in China away just *happened* to
cast a spell that completely eliminated Shampoo's competition in
the fiancee department?"

     "Hey!"  Ukyo fumed.  "What am I, chopped liver?"

     "It's not like that at all." Ranma glared at Nabiki angrily. 
"You don't know what Shampoo went through, Nabiki.  Look at her! 
Look at the battle scars on her.  You think she made that up? 
Look at her arm.  The dragon pierced right through it with his
claw when she was trying to escape.  I don't think she did that
to herself!"

     Nabiki looked at Shampoo.  She had to admit, the Amazon girl
did look like she'd recently seen a nasty battle.  Her body was
covered with nasty cuts and bruises.

     Still, Ranma may be able to accept such a story, but the
whole thing was a little too convenient for her liking.  She had
a sense for these things, for feeling out people, and knowing
what motivated them.  And most of all, for sensing when someone
was trying to pull a fast one.  It was a very... profitable
talent.

     Mostly, though, she didn't like the well-disguised
predatorial look Cologne was giving Ranma.  The untrained
observer would have missed the subtle expression on the old
crone's face completely.  But Nabiki had worn the expression
herself too many times to be fooled.

     *So, *that's* your game,* she thought, keeping her own
expression neutral.  *The manipulation, blackmail, and the phoney
cure bribes haven't worked, so you get rid of my little sister
and then ingratiate yourself to Ranma with the pretense of
selflessly helping him get her back.  Very clever.  I'm just
afraid I can't allow you to get away with this.*

     She looked at Ranma, who was still full of righteous
indignation.  Just below the surface of his ire, though, she
could see in him signs of exhaustion and despair.  For a moment,
she felt a twinge of pity for him.  It was obvious that he was
suffering; that Akane's disappearance was eating away at him. 
But then it almost served him right.  She had always been
slightly annoyed that the stupid jerk would never come out and
admit that he loved her little sister.  Still...

     She sighed.  Fine.  He may be too soft-hearted and soft-
headed to recognize the trap he was in at the moment, but she'd
find a way to expose this scam soon enough.

     "I'm sorry, Ranma," she said smoothly.  "Perhaps I was
jumping to conclusions."

     "I'll say," snapped Ukyo, still steamed at Nabiki.  "If
Shampoo wanted to get rid of fiancees, she would have gotten rid
of me too."

     Nabiki gave the okonomiyaki cook a thin smile.  "Well, I
stand corrected," she said.  As she turned back to Ranma, she
noticed Cologne peering at her intently.  She pretended not to
notice.

     Ranma slumped back into his seat, glad that everything was
straightened out, sort of.  The adrenaline and anger that had
kept him going for the past few days was wearing off, and he was
having a hard time keeping his eyes open.

     Nabiki tugged on his sleeve.  "Come on, Ranma.  We'd better
get you home so you can get some decent sleep."

     Cologne surprised Nabiki by agreeing.  "Quite right," she
said.  "I have a feeling you'll need all your strength for what
we'll have to do to break this spell."

     Ranma protested, but only half-heartedly.  The only rest
he'd had was his short nap on the roof, and that sleep had been
so full of strange nightmares about Akane that he'd felt more
drained than rested when he awoke.

     "Hey," said Ukyo as Nabiki herded both Ranma and a baffled
Ryoga out the door.  "Wait, I'm coming with you."  When Nabiki
gave her a reproachful look, she smiled sheepishly.  "I... I
mean, if that's okay with you, Nabiki, since it's your house,"
she said.  "I just don't want to get left out of the action
again, and if I stay with you guys, I can be there to help out."

     Nabiki's expression softened.  Ukyo may be annoying with her
constant claims that she was Ranma's fiancee, but she was a good
person, and not even close to approaching Shampoo's level of
annoyance and possessiveness.  "It's alright.  You can stay with
us."  She didn't miss the look of triumph that Ukyo cast at
Shampoo.  Shampoo stuck out her tongue, making a face back, but
then her expression dissolved into a sulk as she watched them
leave.

     Nabiki was suddenly very glad she allowed Ukyo to stay.

--------------------

     Ranma dreamed.

     This time there were no dreams about deathly pale Akanes
come to suck the life out of him, much to his relief.  Instead,
he found himself standing in the middle of a vast, snow-covered
plain, stretching forever in all directions.  The night sky above
him was clear and sparkling with billions of cold bright stars. 

     Cold.  It was bitter cold.  Ranma found himself shivering,
and he wrapped his arms around himself.

     Then he tensed, his eyes widening in fear.  Two familiar
voices, each thick and black as tar, came whispering across the
plain, softly at first, but increasing in intensity as they grew
closer.

     "No," he mouthed silently.  "No, why can't you leave me
alone?"  He turned around in a circle, looking for a way to
escape, but there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide on the flat
expanse of snowy landscape.  Then, the voices were upon him,
swirling around him, tearing and biting at his skin like a cold
wind.  He clutched his head and moaned.  "No!" he shouted, as the
voices grew increasingly louder.  "Go away, leave me alone!  I
won't let you stop me, I'll find her, you hear?!"

     But the voices were relentless.  They increased in volume
and speed until his mind was full of an insane, screeching
babble.  He sank to his knees in the snow, clutching his head,
his eyes clenched shut, squeezing out tears of anguish.  "Stop
it!" he screamed, to be heard over the voices raging in his head. 
"Stop it!  I'm not going to give up!  So just leave me alone!  I
don't care how loud you yell, I'm not going to listen!  I'm not
going to listen!!"  He kept chanting that over and over...

     ...and then the voices stopped abruptly, as if a stereo cord
had just been cut, leaving Ranma is sudden silence, his ears and
head ringing with the echo.

     Ranma knelt for a few minutes, his eyes firmly closed, and
took deep breaths.  Then, when he was sure the voices had really
disappeared, he slowly, carefully opened his eyes.  He was
surprised to realize that the bitter edge of cold was gone.  It
was still cold, but not unpleasantly so.  He staggered to his
feet and turned around.

     His eyes widened as he found himself staring into the face
of... of...
     
     "I wondered how long you were going to sit there." said the
strange red creature, who looked for all the world like... like
an overgrown, humanoid mutant sparrow.

     "Gahh!"  Ranma staggered back a step, startled.  He was not
expecting to hear words come out of such an inhuman... er, beak.

     "Uhh... Wh-who... What are you?" he asked finally, as the
strange bird-like creature stared at him with twinkling,
mischievous black eyes.

     "Funny," said Masakazu, "your fiancee said almost the exact
same thing when she first saw me."

     Ranma blinked.  "Fiancee?  You... You mean that you've seen
Akane?!"

     The tengu nodded.  Ranma grabbed him by the shoulders. 
"Where?  Where is she?  Is she okay?  You've got to take me to
her!"

     Masakazu reached up and gently removed Ranma's hands. 
"Akane is fine, for the moment," he said.  "She is a strong girl. 
It's easy to see why you love her."

     Ranma's jaw sagged.  

     How did he..?  He never said...  

     *Had* he? 

     Then he remembered his other dream.  He *had* said those
three little words that had terrified him for so long.  But... it
was just a dream, right?  And how did this thing know?

     *Duh,* he realized.  **This* is a dream too.  Of course
something you dream about would know.*

     "I think you've got it wrong, Ranma.  You are dreaming, yes,
but you are also here."

     "Huh?"

     "We are on the outskirts of Yuki-onna's domain.  Akane is
here, staying with Yuki-onna.  She is safe, but she cannot leave,
and you cannot see her.  For now."

     Ranma eyes lit with excitement, his brain missing everything
the tengu said after "Akane is here."

     "She's here?!" he asked anxiously.  "Where?  Can you take me
to her?"

     The tengu looked at Ranma gravely.  "Listen, boy," he said
sharply, getting Ranma's attention.  "We don't have much time
here.  Normally, I would not be allowed to interfere with a
mortal life in such a way, but because the Snow Woman tried to
take your life unfairly, I have... decided to take this brief
moment to talk with you."

     Ranma blinked, not understanding half of what the strange
creature was talking about, but he nodded mutely, realizing the
seriousness of the situation.

     "You cannot see Akane now because you are merely a dream
presence that I summoned, and that I alone can interact within
the Kami realm, whereas Akane is a real, physical presence here. 
You would not be able to see her, nor would she be able to see
you, even if you were standing right next to each other."

     "Oh," said Ranma.  A wave of bitter disappointment washed
over him.  To be so close, and yet fail..!

     "Stop it," the tengu snapped, his black eyes sparking
fiercely.  "What are you trying to do, unleash the voices again? 
I've locked them away from your mind temporarily, but even as we
speak, the blood spell is eating away at my barrier, and when it
breaks through, you will have to be strong enough, and *positive*
enough to withstand their tauntings.  Otherwise, when Akane
finally comes home, you won't even be sane enough to appreciate
her.  Do you understand me?"

     Ranma gulped and nodded.

     "Now listen carefully.  You two are linked.  You both love
each other, in spite of your mutual ineptness at expressing your
true feelings.  That, combined with the ki blasts you released on
the spell, which weakened it before it reached you, has created
some interesting side effects not originally intended, not the
least of which is a transdimensional link in the blood spell
between you and Akane.  This is good because, were it not for
that link, Akane's memory of the mortal world would gradually
fade, as well as would your memory of her.  It is the nature of
the Kami realm to affect mortal minds in such a manner.

     "Even so, there is a danger.  The link is weak.  It was
never meant to exist.  If by some chance it should fail, *you
must not forget Akane.*  If you do, she will surely forget her
home, and remain forever in the Kami realm.  Do you understand? 
The best thing you can do for her now is remember her."

     Ranma looked at the tengu, askance.  "There's no way I'd
forget Akane," he said.  "How could I forget all those times that
violent tomboy has pounded me into the pavement or sent me
through the roof?"  *Or those times when she smiles and looks so
cute, or those times when she's done something really nice for
me, or when she's scared me to half to death when something's
happened to her, and I'm afraid that I won't be able to save her
in time...*

     *...in time...*

     The tengu watched Ranma silently, his black eyes calm and
unblinking.

     Ranma slowly came out of his reverie, his fists clenching at
his sides.  He looked the tengu in the face.  "I won't forget
Akane," he said firmly.

     "Good.  Because you're not going to remember this dream."

     "What?!"  Ranma looked around at the snowy landscape and
realized that it was fading away, as was the strange bird
creature in front of him.  "Wait," he said in frustration.  "I
*need* to remember!  Why would you go through all the trouble of
telling me this only to make me forget?!"

     "You'll be allowed to retain this conversation
subconsciously," said the fading tengu, "but to allow you to have
conscious access to this memory would break our already seriously
bent rules."

     "But...  but I..."  The landscape had almost completely
melted away.

     "Don't worry, Ranma."  The tengu had disappeared, leaving
only his voice behind.  "You can do it.  I wouldn't have made the
effort to contact you if I didn't think you could succeed."

     "Wait, please!"  Ranma pleaded.  He could feel himself
rising to consciousness, waking up.  He gritted his teeth,
fighting to stay where he was, willing the creature to come back. 
"I have so many questions!"

     "Goodbye Ranma."  The voice faded to a slightly indignant,
yet amused mutter...  "Mutant sparrow indeed..." ...and was gone.

     Ranma gasped awake, sitting straight up on his futon.  His
father in panda form snored loudly beside him and rolled over.

     "Damn," he muttered, wiping the cold sweat from his
forehead.  "What a weird dream."  He thought about it and
frowned.  What was it about?  Something about snow and... red
feathers?

     He shrugged and sighed.  His body ached with exhaustion. 
Without preamble, he collapsed back onto his pillow, and in
moments was snoring louder than the panda.

     This time, he didn't dream.

--------------------

End of Part Six