Black Rose, Blue Thunder (part 15 of 19)

a Ranma 1/2 fanfiction by Dreiser

Back to Part 14
	"All right, it's a deal."

	Moments after saying this, Ranma delivered what 
appeared to be a devastating blow to Happosai who went 
flying into the air while shouting various obscenities about 
being defeated by a very impertinent Ranma.

	"Perfect," said Ranma with a chuckle. Giving his most 
brilliant and heroic smile which glinted in the sunlight, Ranma 
pushed his hands through his bangs then turned to Kodachi 
and said, "See, Dachi? Defeating him was easy. I was only 
teasing you by waiting to deliver the final blow."

	It was then that Ranma noticed Kodachi wasn't paying 
attention to him. That no one was paying attention to him.

	This was something that Ranma wasn't used to.

	Turning his gaze in the direction of his companions, 
Ranma looked at the figure of a fainted Nabiki who was being 
held by Kodachi. He then noticed that his brother was giving 
Ukyo a hard and threatening glare.

	"Somehow I get the feeling that I just missed 
something damn important," said Ranma under his breath.

	One could definitely say that this was Ranma's 
understatement of the month if not the entire year.

---

	Perfume was pouting.

	Or at least she was pouting before Shampoo and 
Tatewaki had appeared to sit with her on the high wall to 
Furinkan High and asked exactly why she was pouting.

	When she told them the reaction was immediate.

	Shampoo burst out into raucous laughter and 
Tatewaki frowned at her in slight disapproval.

	But once Shampoo had stopped laughing the pair 
turned their attention to Perfume. And when they did they 
proceeded to tell her that her pouting was pointless.

	This was something that Perfume already knew but it 
was still something that she didn't particularly want to hear.

	"Perfume-san," began Tatewaki slowly. "I'm afraid to 
say that I honestly don't understand what problem you have 
with your Grandmother's suggestion. It's a nominal solution for 
getting rid of the curse that you so despise."

	"Maybe," said Perfume tightly. "But if I do this then I 
be a pixie all of the time instead of some of it. I not know if I 
can stand that. Especially with my luck as one."

	"Cousin," Shampoo said with a sigh. "Since when have 
you been believing in luck? You not superstitious."

	Snorting at this, Perfume said, "You be believing in 
luck if you having as many horrible things happened to you as 
I have when in my pixie form. You can't understand."

	"But I can," Tatewaki said softly.

	The two Amazons turned to look at Tatewaki in some 
surprise and offering a small smile, he said, "I have a curse just 
like you, Perfume. Although mine leads me into situations less 
harrowing than yours, it still causes a good deal of pain and 
frustration in my life. I also find it terribly embarrassing to 
change into a phoenix that looks like a chicken. But tell me," 
Tatewaki paused to gaze at Perfume with solemn eyes. "What 
of Kasumi and your life with her? If you were to do this would 
you not gain a semblance of the normality you once had? And 
what of..." Tatewaki trailed off as he turned red then said, 
"Children? Shampoo has informed me there are ways in which 
two women in your tribe may have them but this isn't possible 
for you because of your curse. If you were to do this then--"

	"I could have babies with Kasumi," finished Perfume in 
tones of utter wonderment.

	"See, Cousin?" said Shampoo with a smile as she 
gently clasped Perfume's arm. "Maybe Grandma Siren not 
come up with such a bad idea after all. You thinking so?"

	"Perhaps," said Perfume in quiet contemplation. "But I 
still have to be thinking more on it before I decide."

	Shampoo beamed at this and was about to say 
something more when she caught sight of something flying their 
way. Or more precisely, flying into the Furinkan High campus 
and towards where Akane and her athletes stood in a large 
group talking amongst themselves.

	"Pretty ladies!" the flying thing shouted. "I'm back!"

	Seconds later, it made contact and the horrified 
shrieks of the athletes were heard. Shampoo, Perfume, and 
Tatewaki could only blink at the scene before them as the 
athletes scattered as what looked to be a dirty old man 
glomped onto all of their very luscious bodies.

	"Fiend!" Tatewaki shouted in deadly tones as he rose 
to his feet and produced his katana. "I shall teach you a lesson 
about treating ladies in such a vile manner!"

	Tatewaki then leapt off of the high wall and went 
dashing towards the fray but found himself stopping short as 
he saw that someone else was punishing the perverted old 
man for him.

	A very beautiful someone.

	A very beautiful female someone.

	A very beautiful female someone who looked vaguely 
familiar to Tatewaki.

	Then again, it was hard to really look at her features 
as she was currently occupied with thrashing the old man by 
throwing several hundred cannonballs at him and slamming a 
huge metal mallet into his head.

	Sensing that someone was watching her, the beautiful 
girl paused in her work to look up at Tatewaki and on seeing 
him, she turned deathly pale.

	Blinking at this reaction, Tatewaki took a slow step 
forward and asked, "Is something the matter? Are you feeling 
unwell, Miss? Should I call a doctor?"

	The girl didn't answer and instead began to back 
away, looking as if she was about to make a run for it. It was 
then that Shampoo's voice sounded in the air.

	"Mousse!" the Amazon Champion declared in sharp 
tones as she neared the beautiful girl. "You no try to run away! 
Not until you telling Shampoo why you here."

	"Mousse?" repeated Tatewaki. His tawny eyes 
widened as he studied the girl before him. "Shampoo, do you 
mean to say that this is the man who was bothering you back 
in China all those months ago?"

	Before Shampoo could reply, the beautiful girl who 
had now been identified as Mousse said softly, "No."

	"What you mean, 'no'?" asked Shampoo.

	"I mean that I'm no longer a man," said Mousse in 
eerily controlled tones. "I'm a woman now, Shampoo."

	"What you talking about, Mousse?" asked Shampoo 
who was now more confused than ever.

	"Mousse?" repeated Perfume as she took in the 
beautiful girl before her in certain amazement. "You mean this 
is what Mousse looking like in his cursed form?" She paused 
to look at Shampoo then said in low tones, "Why you not tell 
me he end up looking like such a pretty girl?"

	While Shampoo and Tatewaki sweatdropped at this 
Mousse sighed and shook her head a bit. She then looked at 
them with a calm gaze that made them shiver on seeing it.

	"My life as a man is over," Mousse informed them. "I 
have no interest in going back to who I once was. That 
includes both mentally and physically."

	While Shampoo, Perfume, and Tatewaki dimly stared 
at Mousse in certain shock she continued to explain the 
changes she'd made in her life.

	"I came to Japan in hopes of making up for all the 
trouble I caused you in the past, Shampoo," said Mousse. "All 
I want is for you to find the happiness that I've found."

	"Happiness you've found?" echoed Shampoo.

	"Yes," said Mousse with a nod of her beautiful head. 
"The happiness that I've found with--"

	"Chocolate! There you are!"

	Still in shock, Shampoo, Perfume, and Tatewaki 
observed from their frozen places as Akane ran towards 
Mousse and gave her a bright smile then kissed her in an all 
too passionate matter before she noticed them.

	"Hey, you guys!" exclaimed Akane happily. "I didn't 
see you here." Noticing their frozen states, she gave a kawaii 
frown then turned to Mousse. "Are they sick?"

	"No," replied Mousse nervously, who now wanted to 
get as far away from Shampoo as she could.

	What if Shampoo gave away her cursed status and 
ended up telling Akane about her really being a boy? Then all 
her newfound happiness would disappear in a puff of smoke. 
And that was something Mousse didn't know if she could 
handle right now.

	She already loved Akane far too much to lose her.

	Luckily, or unluckily, for Mousse it was right about 
now that Happosai decided it was the perfect time to show up 
and start glomping onto Shampoo's chest.

	Needless to say this served in distracting the Amazon 
Champion more than a little bit.

	And that little bit was just enough time for Mousse to 
make her escape with a very confused Akane.

	Unfortunately, Mousse couldn't hide forever.

	Especially not from a determined Shampoo.

---

	When Akari woke up she saw the naked boy 
hovering over her with a concerned look on his face.

	Correction, the semi-naked boy. He was now wearing 
a pair of turquoise colored silk Chinese style pants.

	And staring into his stormy blue eyes, Akari couldn't 
help but note that the once naked boy was drop dead 
gorgeous.

	Forming a slow smile, the boy said, "Feeling any 
better? You've been passed out for quite awhile now."

	"I'm fine," said Akari a bit nervously as she felt her 
heart race on seeing his smile. "But I'm still a bit confused. 
How can you possibly be the Clefairy I just battled?"

	"I have a curse," said the boy simply. "When I'm 
splashed with cold water I turn into a Clefairy but hot water 
can change me back into my human form."

	"A curse?" Akari repeated slowly.

	Smiling again at Akari's shock, the boy gave an 
amiable shrug then said, "Yeah, I know it's sort of strange to 
think that magical curses actually exist. I guess because I've 
had my curse for so long I'm just used to it. In fact, it doesn't 
seem like a curse to me at all. Because of it I can talk to all of 
my friends, something no one else can do."

	"Your friends?" asked Akari curiously.

	"Yeah," said the boy. "Like Tauros here."

	As if on cue, the hulking figure of Tauros appeared at 
the boy's side and when it did, the boy smiled and lifted a 
hand up to scratch the Pokemon behind its ears. Tauros made 
a contented noise at this and nuzzled the boy.

	"You mean to say that you can talk to Pokemon in 
their own language?" asked Akari in certain shock.

	"Sure," said the boy easily. "And not just in my 
Clefairy form either. I can talk to them anytime I want and just 
like I can understand them they can understand me. For as 
long as I can remember Pokemon have been my only friends. 
They're always there for me and I'm always there for them. 
That's why I want to be a trainer." He then paused to study 
Akari and asked, "How about you? Are you a trainer as well? 
You must be. It's easy for me to see how much you care for 
your friend Gyarados."

	"I was, I mean, I guess I still am a trainer," said Akari 
slowly. "But I'm heading for Nerima because I've been asked 
to be the new Pokemon gym leader there."

	"A gym leader?" said the boy in slight awe. "That's 
great! I wish that I was that high up in the ranks."

	"Why aren't you?" asked Akari in confusion. "The way 
you defeated me in battle shows that you're a talented trainer 
and Tauros loyalty to you reflects your skill also."

	The boy formed a frown and his features seemed to 
darken as he looked off into the distance. "It's because that in 
order for me to join the Pokemon league I'd have to do 
something that for years I've feared doing."

	"Something you fear?" echoed Akari. "What is it?"

	"It's horrible," the boy shuddered. "Even now just 
thinking of it makes me want to bury myself alive and die."

	"But what is it that you fear?" asked Akari in tones of 
concern. "I'm sure that it can't possibly be that bad."

	"It is," said the boy solemnly. A dark aura seemed to 
surround him and as it did the boy locked his gaze with Akari 
and said in grave tones, "In order for me to join the Pokemon 
league they would make me write down my full name."

	A long moment of silence passed before Akari blinked 
then asked dimly, "That's it?"

	"That's it?!" the boy repeated in an outraged scream 
as he leapt to his feet. "You can't imagine the pain and 
suffering that I've had to endure because of my full name! And 
if I join the league under it every time that I go into battle in an 
official competition it would have to be called out! Oh, the 
horror! Oh, the agony! Oh, the searing embarrassment of it 
all!"

	The boy then dropped to his knees and began sobbing 
and as he did so, the Tauros crossed to his side and began 
nuzzling him as it talked to him softly.

	"Tauros, tauros," said the Tauros in gentle tones that 
reflected obvious concern.

	His cries quieting, the boy wiped his tears away and 
looked up at the Pokemon. "I'll be okay, Tauros," he said 
after a moment as he gave a wan smile. "I know what I have 
to do to make everything right for me."

	"What are you going to do?" asked Akari.

	Turning to face Akari, the boy rose to his feet and 
gave a slow and confident smile as he said, "I'm going to have 
my name changed before I join the league. In fact, that's why 
I'm headed for Nerima. I can't change my name without the 
signature of the man who originally gave it to me and I've been 
told that's where he's living these days."

	"I'm sure that he'll agree to help you," said Akari 
encouragingly. "I mean, why wouldn't he?"

	"I don't know," said the boy skeptically. "When I 
consider the fact that he was the one who gave me such a 
horrible name in the first place I have to wonder about just 
what sort of person he really must be."

	There was another moment of silence before Akari 
said very hesitantly, "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly 
is your full name anyway?"

	His stormy eyes locking on her own, the boy stared 
hard at Akari as he said in dark tones, "Pantyhose Taro."

---

	Only moments had passed since Ukyo announced to 
Nabiki, and everyone else in the general vicinity, that he was 
falling in love with her and wanted her for himself.

	It was only moments but it felt like an eternity.

	At least to everyone who was staring at Ryoga who 
was getting more red faced by the second. Just when it 
appeared as if smoke might start curling out of his ears, the 
lost boy chose to speak in tight and controlled tones.

	"How could you?" Ryoga said with a growl.

	"How could I what?" asked Ukyo, who wasn't 
expressing a hint of worry at Ryoga's attitude.

	"How could you do this? Don't you have any honor at 
all, Kuonji?" asked Ryoga in a snarl. "You know that Nabiki-
chan is my iinazuke and still, you do this!"

	"All is far in love and war," Ukyo replied with a casual 
shrug. "And don't start acting like honor is really a high priority 
for you. It certainly never was in the past."

	"What are you talking about?" Ryoga asked in tones 
of both annoyance and anger. "I've always acted in an 
honorable manner, just like my Mother taught me!"

	Snorting derisively at this, Ukyo retorted, "Liar. You 
can't even admit what you are. That makes you worse than I 
ever thought you to be. Taking Nabiki honey away from you 
is going to be more than just the honorable thing for me to do. 
It's going to be the fun thing to do as well."

	The world seemed to freeze at these words.

	Or at least, it seemed to freeze for everyone who 
happened to be looking at Hibiki Ryoga.

	The air around him darkened and seemed to crackle 
with electricity. His dark brown hair was flying upwards in the 
wind and eyes that were normally kind in manner were filled 
with a sort of insane fury.

	All in all, it made for a pretty scary scene.

	"Ukyo-kun?" Kodachi was the first to speak. "I think 
that it might be wise for you to start running now."

	But Ukyo didn't run. Instead, he stood in his place and 
steadily met Ryoga's enraged gaze.

	And giving a short chuckle of amusement, Ukyo 
remarked, "That's the Ryoga I know. How about it? Are you 
finally ready to come out and play, old buddy?"

	Ryoga's only response was to narrow his gaze and 
hold his right hand up in the air so his palm was facing upward. 
Seconds after he did so, a fiercely glowing ball of dark energy 
appeared and everyone who was in range of the lost boy 
could feel the power emanating from it.

	On seeing the ball of energy, Genma pig released a 
high pitched squeal of terror and immediately started to fly as 
far away from the Tendo dojo as he could get.

	Watching his father's departure, Ranma said, "For 
once the old man has the right idea."

	Ranma then leapt down to the ground with his usual 
agility and swept Kodachi up so she was resting on one of his 
shoulders with Nabiki draped over the other.

	"Darling," said Kodachi in certain confusion as the 
wind whipped in her face as Ranma leapt from rooftop to 
rooftop in order to put some distance between them and the 
dojo. "As much as I often fantasize about you doing this to 
me, I still feel that I must ask why you're doing it."

	"Simple, Dachi," said Ranma as he leapt onto another 
rooftop. "I don't want me, you, or anyone else I care about 
anywhere near my big bro right now."

	"But why?" asked Kodachi perplexed. "Surely Ryoga-
kun isn't that dangerous. He seems to be a very amiable 
person, I'm sure he'll calm down soon enough."

	Ranma wanted to chuckle at this but couldn't because 
of the sheer enormity of the situation. "I wish it was that 
simple, Dachi," he said solemnly. "Ryoga is a nice guy, yeah, 
that's true but he's also a berserker. One worse than our own 
Mom and that's pretty damn bad."

	"Berserker?" Kodachi echoed.

	"Yeah," said Ranma who finally paused on a rooftop 
at least a mile away from the dojo. "It takes a lot for Ryoga to 
get mad, thanks to Mother's training, but when he does it's 
something to be feared. Back home in Juuban nobody messes 
with him or Mom because of the few times they've lost their 
tempers. When they're angry they become a force of nature 
that's almost unstoppable."

	"But if no one can stop them then what do you do 
when they get angry?" asked Kodachi.

	"Well, normally, Mother would stop them," said 
Ranma rather sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head.

	"And she isn't here now," Kodachi said with a sigh. 
"There's little time to call her as it is." Turning to look in the 
direction of the dojo, she murmured, "It seemed as if Ukyo-
kun knew what he was doing when he made Ryoga angry. But 
why would Ukyo-kun purposefully make Ryoga angry if he 
knew that he was a berserker? What's the point of it?"

	"I don't know," said Ranma softly. "But whatever 
Ucchan's planning it's one hell of a dangerous scheme."

---

	"Oh my," said Kasumi. "Perfume-chan really took 
your news of how she can cure her curse that badly?

	Moments after arriving at the newly opened sorcery 
shop in search of her Amazon iinazuke, Kasumi heard the 
explanation for Perfume's absence.

	And frankly, the other girl's actions confused her.

	"Goodness," Kasumi murmured as her light brown 
eyes turned thoughtful. "I knew that she didn't enjoy being in 
her pixie form but I had thought that she'd consider any option 
available to rid herself of her Jusenkyo curse."

	"That's what I thought too," said Siren with a sigh. The 
normally carefree Mage wore a troubled expression on her 
lovely features. "But apparently Perfume is against the idea. 
She simply hates her pixie form that much."

	"Well, it is her decision," said Kasumi slowly. 
"Although I myself think that she's making a mistake."

	On hearing this, both Siren and Cologne turned their 
attention to Kasumi and said, "You do?"

	"I do," replied Kasumi as she looked at the two 
Amazons. "Perfume-chan hasn't even given herself the chance 
to even think this over. She simply came to a rash decision 
caused by purely emotional reactions. What she really needs 
to do is to think this over rationally."

	"Kasumi dear," said Siren after a moment of silence. 
"Would you consider repeating those exact words to Perfume 
the next time that you happen to see her?"

	Tilting her head slightly, Kasumi gave a warm smile of 
understanding and said, "Certainly."

	And with that one word, the future suddenly seemed a 
whole lot brighter for both Siren and Cologne.

---

	Nabiki woke up to the sound of distant explosions.

	Distant explosions and Ranma ranting.

	"Dachi, I'm not kidding here!" Ranma was saying as 
he paced back and forth. "My big bro isn't about to be 
stopped right about now. If I tried I would just get myself 
stomped in the process and I'm not letting that happen."

	"Darling, you exaggerate. You've told me of the many 
instances in which you've bested Ryoga--"

	"But not when he was like this! He's not even himself 
right now, Dachi! He's like some kinda demon!"

	There was a slight pause and as Nabiki pushed herself 
up slightly she saw Kodachi walk towards the edge of the 
building and gaze off into the distance where smoke was 
curling into the air in massive waves.

	"If he's truly that bad then why did Ukyo-kun incite 
Ryoga's anger? And how can he hope to win this battle?"

	It was by this time that Nabiki had heard enough and 
clearing her throat she gazed into the shocked faces of Ranma 
and Kodachi then asked tightly, "What's going on?"

	The look of dread that appeared on the couple's faces 
along with another monstrous explosion sounding in the 
background was all the answer that Nabiki needed.

---

	"He's not dead yet. The boy must not be as mad as I 
had thought. That's lucky for Kuonji."

	Turning to stare at the now human form of Genma, 
who was huddled next to him in some bushes, Soun said in 
tones of extreme disbelief, "You call this lucky?"

	Looking over the half destroyed Tendo dojo, the 
toppled abandoned mitten factory, and not to mention all of 
the gaping craters in the street, Genma nodded sagely.

	"Very lucky," said Genma as he pushed his glasses up 
the bridge of his nose. "Ryoga could do much worse." Genma 
then looked Soun hard in the eyes and said, "He is his 
mother's son, after all."

	Swallowing the lump in his throat, Soun gave a 
nervous nod of his head before he turned back to the battle 
which was still going on. Somehow Ukyo was holding his own 
against Ryoga who hadn't said a word since the actual fight 
had began.

	And that was what had Soun so worried.

	Ryoga's eyes had an almost dead look in them as he 
fought Ukyo. They were the eyes of a man without a soul.

	The eyes of a machine.

	A machine that appeared bent on destroying Ukyo 
and in order to do this he'd use anything at hand.

	Mercy didn't even seem to be an option.

	And why was he doing this? Because of Soun's little 
girl, because of Nabiki.

	Because Soun made her his chosen iinazuke and as 
such Ryoga had to defend the honor of their bond.

	That and because Ryoga liked her. Perhaps even 
loved her even after such a short time of acquaintance.

	It was right about now that Soun was left wondering 
why all the decisions in his life that regarded his little girls 
always turned out so damned complicated.

	Perhaps it was the fate of all fathers.

	Or at his fate as one, at least.

---

	"Not bad," Ukyo pronounced in between deep 
breaths. "Not bad at all. I guess you have been keeping up 
with the art these past years, Ryoga. That's nice to see."

	Ryoga didn't answer, and instead a glint surfaced in his 
dark brown eyes. In a decisive but somehow still rather 
animalistic dive, the lost boy swung at Ukyo who captured 
Ryoga's fist in his hand and held it in a tight grip.

	Releasing a mix between a grunt and a growl, Ryoga 
glared into sandalwood eyes that burned with a fierce 
combination of arrogance and bitterness.

	He didn't know how but Ukyo was holding him at 
bay. As hard as he tried, Ryoga couldn't manage to free 
himself from the grip that the other boy had on him. Nor could 
he move his fist forward to connect in a punch.

	"Surprised?" asked Ukyo with a harsh grin. "Lets just 
say that I'm the new and improved Kuonji Ukyo."

	"How?" Ryoga ground out.

	"Like I'd really tell you," Ukyo said in mocking tones. 
Tightening his grip on Ryoga's hand he smirked as he saw the 
lost boy wince under the pressure. "All that you really need to 
know is that now I'm more than a match for you. In fact," said 
Ukyo in a slow drawl. "Once Nabiki's mine I'm going to prove 
once and for all that I'm your superior."

	After Ukyo said this, all was silent and a cold wind 
blew across the frozen boys as their gazes locked.

	Then slowly, a fire emerged in Ryoga's eyes.

	One that made Ukyo smile as his gaze focused on not 
Ryoga but something in the background. It was almost as if 
he'd been waiting for this moment to arrive all along.

	Releasing a low and ferocious growl from his throat, 
Ryoga broke free of Ukyo's grasp and landed a solid punch to 
the Kung Fu star's chin which sent Ukyo flying several feet 
back and into a nearby soundproofing wall which crumbled 
from the impact.

	The air was silent again, except for the sound of the 
toppling rubble. Then slowly, it was pushed aside and the top 
of Ukyo's dusty head was revealed. He was smiling yet again 
and had a taunting look in his eyes.

	"That it?" asked Ukyo with a smirk. "I'm disappointed, 
Ryoga. I really am. And here I thought you'd be a somewhat 
tough opponent in a fight at least. If you're this easy now then 
taking Nabiki from you is going to be a snap. Especially since 
we both very well know how much she already wants me."

	Ukyo didn't even see Ryoga move.

	That was how fast he had been. That was how fast the 
attack had hit him. That was how fast he had fallen.

	But he did see the fist descend on his face. And he did 
see the homicidal rage in Ryoga's eyes. And he did see him 
freeze in utter horror only mere seconds later.

	And why did Ryoga freeze?

	Not because of what he was doing. No, Ryoga was 
far too gone in berserker mode to be horrified about that.

	It took a lot to snap a berserker out of their rage. 
Usually the strength of an opposing emotion to block the rage 
out. And that emotion was most often love.

	Because do remember, love conquers all.

	And in this particular case, love caused Ryoga to snap 
out of his berserker rage. All because he heard the person that 
he loved call out to him. Call out to him to stop his attack on 
Ukyo.

	So he stopped.

	Just like she asked. And as he slowly returned to 
himself, Ryoga looked down at the badly beaten figure of 
Ukyo who appeared to be drifting into unconsciousness he felt 
his stomach tighten. What had he done?

	"No," said Ryoga softly as he let go of Ukyo, causing 
the Kung Fu star to fall into the rubble with a loud crash. 
"No... no... I didn't mean to..."

	Turning around with a helpless look of desperation in 
his dark brown eyes, Ryoga looked into his love's eyes and 
pleaded with what that he saw lurking there.

	"Nabiki," he whispered on seeing her. "I..." 
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Ryoga blinked back the 
tears he felt coming on and cried out, "I'm sorry!"

	And moments later, he ran away.

	From Nabiki and from that look in her eyes. A look 
that he knew all too well and never wanted to see from her. 
Never wanted to see from anyone that he loved.

	Because it was a look of utter fear.

---

	"Damn! That stings!"

	She shot him a disapproving look as she gently took 
hold of his chin and murmured, "You're lucky that I can fix 
this. I doubt that your fans would favor this new beat up and 
battered look."

	"Hey, you're the one who helped me come up with 
this whole plan, sugar," Ukyo said as he winced. "And might I 
also remind you that you're the reason that I was even able to 
find Ryoga in the first place."

	Releasing a soft sigh, she favored him with a look of 
dry humor then said, "I plead guilty. But I have to say I didn't 
think you'd test your new skills so violently at first."

	"It's all part of the plan," said Ukyo smoothly. "If you 
could've seen the look on Nabiki's face when she saw him 
pounding me... well. It was all worth it. My revenge is in the 
bag for sure. I'll see Ryoga crushed if it's the last thing I do."

	"I can't say how happy it makes me to hear that," she 
replied with a smile. With one last touch to his tender cheek 
she looked over her work then said, "There. You're as good 
as new and as handsome looking as ever."

	With a chuckle, Ukyo's sandalwood eyes crinkled up 
and dipping his head, he then said, "I thank you kindly."

	"Tease," she replied with a smirk as she languidly rose 
to her feet and crossed the room. Pausing to look back at him 
she asked, "So what will you do now?"

	"Win Nabiki's love, of course," Ukyo said. His 
sandalwood eyes followed her across the room and as he 
pushed himself up in his bed he murmured, "But I think it's 
time for me to ask you a few questions, sugar. Like why 
you're helping me. I can deal with not knowing exactly what or 
who you are but I'd still like to know why you seem so 
interested in helping me." He formed a slow smile and said, 
"It's gotta be something steep. Am I right?"

	Forming a smile to match his own, her dark brown 
eyes that glinted with scarlet seemed to glow in the light of the 
afternoon as she tossed her curly blonde hair over one 
shoulder. To Ukyo, and anyone else, she made for an all 
together enticing and dangerous looking picture.

	"Lets just say that I enjoy making trouble for Ryoga 
because of his unfortunate happenstance in what relatives he 
has," she said with a revealing smirk. "It just happens to be the 
most entertaining part of my job."

	Narrowing his eyes a bit, Ukyo finally gave a careless 
shrug and said, "Whatever. Just remember that this is my gig, 
Mara. But I am glad that you're helping me with it."

	"So am I, my dear Ukyo," said the demon known as 
Mara with a sensual purr. "So am I."

To be continued...

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

I'd like to thank Jim 
Robert Bader, Red Death, and my brother Patrick for listening 
to my goofy ideas. Also special thanks to Wade Tritschler for 
allowing me to be a part of his Altered Destinies project.

Author's Comment: Ack! Forshame! BRBT has gotten <gasp, 
shock, infamy> dark! Yeesh. Anyway, I know it got serious 
towards the end with Ryoga and Ucchan's battle but black is 
in the title of this fic so I guess that it had to happen eventually.

Chat with me on ICQ! My ICQ # is: 37674780 

Thanks to Red Death all of my fanfics are archived at:
http://www.lvdi.net/~reddeath/dreiser.htm

Next up: Now that a real demon has hit town things in Nerima 
get even more weird. If that's really possible.

A RANDOM AND RATHER KAWAII SCENE FROM 
EVA:

ASUKA: Lets be good friends!
REI: What for?
ASUKA: Because it would be convenient. You 
know what I mean.
REI: If I am ordered to, I will do it.

Onwards to Part 16


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