Amazon Aid
By M. Zephyr

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ Communications, and its characters have been borrowed without permission. This story was written for non-commercial purposes only.

Ranma x Akane. What would happen if Cologne were to decide, for the good of her people, that Ranma and Akane should get together?

Chapter 4. Resolution

Over at the Nekohanten, Akane stood in the street outside for some time, watching the café. She was trying to make up her mind about whether or not to risk going inside. As she watched through the windows, there was no sign of anyone other than Mousse waiting on the tables. Finally, she decided that the need to satisfy her curiosity outweighed the risk, and she went in.

"Hello, Akane Tendo," Mousse greeted her as he walked up. "May I show you to a table?"

"Actually, I would like to talk to Cologne if you don't mind."

"Well, I certainly do not mind. Let me go and see if the elder is willing to speak to you." He disappeared through a door into the kitchen, and returned a minute later. "Elder Cologne says that she would be quite willing to speak with you. Please step through that door, and you will find her in the kitchen."

Akane pushed open the door and walked in, eyes quickly scanning the room. The withered Amazon elder was perched on her staff stirring a couple of large pots. Of Shampoo, there was no sign. The old woman turned her head slightly and said, "Greetings, Akane Tendo. Please have a seat at the table, and we can talk."

Akane took the proffered seat, and asked, "Is Shampoo around?"

Cologne smiled, feeling certain that Akane was hoping that the answer was 'no.' She replied, "My great-granddaughter is upstairs in her room resting right now. She has been under a bit of a strain lately. Now what may I do for you?"

"There was a curious incident at school today," Akane began, choosing her words carefully. "It seems that Tatewaki Kuno can no longer remember who I am. Ranma mentioned that it looked like the Xi Fa Xiang Gao which was once used on me, but dismissed the possibility since he couldn't fit it in with any scheme to win him as Shampoo's husband. But I'm not as sure. It seemed such a specific memory loss, and that technique is the only one I've ever heard of that behaves like that. I also can't see why you would do it, but I have to admit that I'm rather curious whether you did. And if so, why?"

Cologne gave the girl a long look, stirred the pots once more, then hopped over to the table. Mousse came in, filled some bowls, then disappeared again. Cologne filled her pipe, carefully lit it, and started smoking it thoughtfully. "As a matter of fact, child, I did take the memory of you from the Kuno boy. Among other things that I have done recently."

Akane looked puzzled, despite the fact that she had come here half-expecting that answer. "Can you tell me why? The only person that I can see it helping is me. You've never shown any inclination to help me before, so I'm forced to wonder what's going on."

The old woman sighed, sounding the age that she looked. "I would ask that you not tell Ranma this yet, because he has been conditioned to be very suspicious of us. I am concerned that he would think it is only part of some new scheme. But the truth is that Shampoo's quest to gain him as her husband has been ended." Akane gasped in shock, her eyes going very wide. "The council of elders has given orders that we are to leave matters here in as cordial a state as possible. They would prefer not to have the warrior who defeated Saffron as an enemy. So I took steps to end the Kuno's pursuit of both you and Ranma."

Akane stared at her in enlightenment. "So you're the one who finally broke through their delusions and made them realize the truth about Ranma's curse."

Cologne nodded. "Yes, with the aid of Mousse for demonstration purposes."

"May I ask what else you are planning to do?"

Cologne looked at the ceiling thoughtfully. "You may ask anything you wish, so long as you are respectful about it. However, there are few things which I will answer. I like to keep my little secrets."

"Oh." Akane frowned. "Are you planning to continue running the café, or will you be returning home soon?"

"We will in fact be returning home, although 'soon' is a relative term. We will not be leaving in the next week or two, but I do not expect to be here for very much longer."

Akane nodded. "I'm afraid that I cannot say that I'll be sorry to see you go."

Cologne grinned. "Under the circumstances, that does not surprise me. We have not exactly made your life easier by our presence. On the other hand, there is something else which I would like to do, with regard to you, before we go."

"And what's that?" Akane asked curiously.

"I would like to train you a little," the elder admitted. "Not very much," she quickly warned, to head off the girl's enthusiasm. "After all, a few weeks of work will only do so much. But I was thinking that maybe we could get your skills to a point where you could give Ranma a ... surprise."

A maniacally gleeful look blossomed on Akane's face. "I would like that very much, elder."

Cologne chuckled over the girl's expression. "So be it. We will begin right away, and you will come over every evening to train out behind our restaurant. Come with me and I'll give you an outfit to change into, which you will use for the training. Mousse! Go wake Shampoo and tell her that she must take over the cooking. I'm going to be busy for a while."

Later that night, while they were working on their homework, Ranma asked, "Hey Akane, what's up? You look pretty tired. And you're moving kind of stiffly."

"Oh, nothing much, Ranma," she replied. "Just a little too much exercise I guess. I'll be fine."

A few more days passed. Kodachi was seen going out on dates with Ryu Kumon. Kuno continued avoiding Ranma, turning slightly green whenever he saw the pigtailed boy. He still could not remember who Akane was. Ukyo was speaking to Ranma very little at school, but kept giving him strange looks, as if she were trying to puzzle something out. Soun and Genma were suffering through the forced consumption of meals prepared by Akane, although they weren't getting quite as sick as she was making fewer mistakes. Akane herself was disappearing each night after dinner, refusing to say where she was going, and she returned looking tired and with stiff muscles. Ranma was starting to consider following her one night, despite her demands that he not do so.

Nabiki was having a rough time at school. Of course, with her Ice Queen persona she had never had very many friends, but people had always feared to be openly hostile toward her. That fear was now gone, and she was wilting under the constant barrage of glares and snide comments. Fortunately for her, the information had spread that Ranma would protect her and would take vengeance if necessary, provided she kept her word to pay everyone back. This had been confirmed by Ranma himself, and proved sufficient to protect her from physical expressions of hostility. She had begun the process of repayment, and had taken an afternoon job doing bookkeeping for a department store, in order to raise the additional funds she needed for this task. She was still making book on Ranma's and others' fights, and other events people liked to wager on, and she was still selling information, but she strictly avoided any acts which bordered on blackmail or extortion.

With Nabiki keeping her word to grant the young couple their privacy, and the fathers feeling too poorly at night to contemplate doing anything at all to trouble them, Akane and Ranma found themselves with the opportunity to talk honestly to one another to an unprecedented degree, without fear of being overheard or interrupted. As a result, they found that they were getting to know each other in a way that they could scarcely have contemplated even a few weeks previously. Ranma was beginning to wonder if Akane might even be willing to go on a date with him if he asked, and if they might be able to manage to do so without their fathers going completely nuts on them.

So matters stood the morning Cologne arrived at the Tendo home. The three teenagers were at school and Kasumi was out shopping, while the two fathers had snuck off somewhere for a bout of prolonged drinking, each telling the other that they needed to fortify themselves for the coming ordeal of dinner time. Thus it was Nodoka Saotome who opened the door to her. Ranma's mother looked at the frail and elderly woman, who was obviously only standing with the aid of her staff.

"May I help you?" she asked curiously.

"Nodoka Saotome?" the extremely old Chinese woman asked. On getting a nod of confirmation, she introduced herself. "I am Ku Lon of the Joketsuzoku."

"You are Cologne?" Nodoka echoed incredulously. The old woman looked so frail that a breeze might blow her away. "My son has mentioned you."

Cologne nodded. "I expect he has. There is a matter I wish to discuss with you, concerning your son."

Nodoka stepped back and, looking curious, offered, "Won't you please come in, then?"

The two of them went inside, and sat in the family room, facing one another. Cologne spoke first.

"As I am sure that you are aware, we maintain that my great-granddaughter Shampoo has a claim to Ranma Saotome as her husband. It has come to our attention that you hold a contract which, at your whim, could require my son-in-law to commit suicide. Naturally, we consider this to be unacceptable."

Nodoka looked affronted. "First, we do not recognize Shampoo's claim to Ranma. There were pre-existing engagements ..." She grimaced as she pronounced the word in the plural. "... and Ranma must fulfill one of those. By preference, the contract between the Saotome and Tendo families. As for the contract signed by my husband and son, that is a matter of our family's honor, and none of your concern."

Cologne smiled. "I had expected that we would not see eye to eye on these matters. However, I have a proposal. I believe that you are quite skilled in the use of the blade you bear?" Nodoka nodded confidently. "Then I propose a challenge. Let us repair to the dojo, where we shall try your blade against my staff. Should you win, then, upon my honor, Shampoo will surrender all claim to Ranma forever. However, should I win, you shall agree to destroy the seppuku contract in Ranma's presence, as soon as he comes home from school."

Had Ranma been present, he could have advised his mother about the odds of this fight going her way. Of course, given the potential outcome, it might be that he would choose to keep silent. In any event, he was not present, and despite everything she had heard Nodoka only saw a frail and elderly woman sitting across from her. The possibility of eliminating any further talk of marriage between her son and the gaijin Shampoo proved too much of a temptation to resist. "Very well," she spoke in a haughty voice, "I accept your terms. Shall we deal with this at once?"

Cologne motioned with her hand in the general direction of the dojo, and the two proceeded there. They took up stances facing one another, and Nodoka pulled her blade from its sheath, allowing the light to flash from its sharp edge. After a few moments study of one another, they closed. Their weapons blurred as they passed one another.

It was finished in that single pass, as Cologne turned and watched the other woman slide to the floor, unconscious. However, she found it necessary to pause for a moment to steady the sudden increase in heart rate she had experienced. A large lock of the elder's hair was lying on the dojo floor, and she examined a notch which had just been cut on her staff. The blow from the katana had come a good deal closer than she particularly cared to contemplate. She sat on the floor and waited.

After a couple of minutes, Nodoka began to stir. Slowly she levered herself up, until she was kneeling. She looked over at Cologne sitting there as if she had not a care in the world, and winced, sighing. For another couple of minutes no word was exchanged, but finally Nodoka spoke quietly, as if the words were forced from her. "It seems that I must admit defeat. It shall not be said that I ignore the demands of honor. I will keep my word and destroy the contract when Ranma gets home."

Cologne nodded, and rose to her feet. Without saying anything she turned and left, leaving Nodoka kneeling on the floor, reflecting bitterly on her loss and the way she had been manipulated into it. As Cologne walked along the streets, she was mentally checking off items on a list, feeling well pleased with her progress. When she returned to the café, she smiled happily upon seeing that a package had been delivered, which was addressed to her from the other elders. It was time to put another set of plans into effect.

When Akane, Nabiki and Ranma arrived home that afternoon, they were surprised to have Kasumi ask them to put on their kimonos and come out to the dojo. Although puzzled, they did as she asked, and came to the dojo to find the others inside, with everything set up for a tea ceremony. The fathers looked like they had been drinking, but were presentable, and Ranma's mother had a severe expression on her face. Kasumi had also joined them.

With some concern about what was happening they fell into their roles, and started going through the ritual. Akane kept an eye on Ranma, and helped him subtly at those points where he seemed uncertain. When the ceremony was complete, Nodoka pulled a piece of paper out and placed it on a dish in front of them. There was a hiss of indrawn breath as everyone recognized the seppuku contract, and wondered just what was going on. The Saotome matron had held her counsel about the purpose of the ceremony from everyone else present.

"M-mother?" Ranma asked nervously, hoping desperately that she was not about to ask him to kill himself. His father Genma was turning quite pale.

"Ranma, my son," his mother answered. "I have come to a decision. Despite your curse, and your unusual behavior around the females in your life, you seem to have grown to be a young man of honor, and indeed a man among men." Genma almost sagged to the floor in relief at these words. "I admit that this seems to be in spite of, rather than due to, your father's upbringing. Nonetheless, the purpose of the contract appears to me to be fulfilled." She held out a book of matches to her son. "Please feel free to do the honors."

Ranma took the matches with a trembling hand. Everyone was watching wide-eyed, with growing expressions of happiness, as he slowly pulled one of the matches out of the book. However, his hands proved to be trembling too much to manage the task. He cast a pleading look to the girl beside him, and Akane gently took the match and lit it. She then placed it in his fingers, and held onto his hand to still the trembling. Gently she guided his hand to the table, where Ranma held the flame to the paper on the dish, and watched spellbound as it caught, and quickly took fire. For a brief moment, the ink which formed the small handprints of a child flared brightly, then burned down into nothingness. Within moments, it was gone, and the flames disappeared. It felt like a vast weight which had been crushing him for many months had disappeared, reduced to the small pile of ashes in front of him. He reached forward tentatively, still unable to believe that this moment had come, and stirred the ashes with a finger. He looked once more at the girl beside him, a light of joy growing in his eyes, and suddenly he was hugging her, not caring that all of the family members were staring at him, stunned. Akane looked around at everyone a little worriedly, but hugged him back. The only people inclined to make a commotion at this display were their fathers, and at a motion from Nodoka's katana they wisely decided to remain silent.

After a few minutes Ranma pulled back, and Akane released him. There was a suspicious glistening about his eyes, but everyone chose to ignore it. He whispered, "Thank you, mother."

She nodded in acknowledgment of his thanks, and responded, "I am proud to have you as my son, Ranma. Now why don't you children run off and deal with your homework or whatever, while we clean up in here."

He smiled at her, then stood and left, with Akane by his side. He felt like he was walking on air rather than the floor of the dojo, and had no idea if he would be able to concentrate on homework when he felt like this. He turned to his fiancée and said, "Akane, we can get to our homework later. Right now I need to celebrate. After we change, what d'ya say we go out and get some ice cream?"

She smiled at him happily and replied, "I think it sounds like a great idea. I'll meet you back downstairs in a few minutes."

When they got to the ice cream shop, they were startled to see Ukyo and Konatsu leaving it together. They drew back quickly to avoid being seen, while turning to give one another puzzled looks, before turning back once more to watch the pair walk out of sight. Not knowing what to make of it, they shrugged it off then went inside to enjoy their treat. For once, Akane was able to enjoy the experience of eating ice cream with Ranma in his male form, who was so exhilarated that he didn't even think of changing into a female this time.

That evening during training, Shampoo got a hit in which Akane should have easily been able to block, and Cologne called a halt. ‹That one's going to leave a nasty bruise on her ribs,› she thought to herself. Aloud she declared, "Fool girl! A beginner could have stopped that one! What has you so distracted tonight?"

Akane was rubbing her side, muttering worse insults about herself than Cologne was saying. "I guess I was just remembering supper this evening. Ranma helped me to make a perfectly good tempura, but our fathers acted like it was poisonous. They were making all of these stupid faces while they were eating it."

"Has Ranma been helping teach you to cook recently?" the elder asked. "And I thought he was the one who usually had to try your food first."

Akane blushed. "Yes, he's been helping me with my cooking lately. And, um ... we have an agreement where our fathers are supposed to be the ... um ... guinea pigs."

Cologne chuckled, and even the perpetually sad Shampoo smiled at this. The elder thought back to the time some six years ago when she had started teaching Shampoo to cook, and the disasters which had originally come from her efforts. "If you'd like, child, after our training sessions I could attempt to give you a few pointers in the kitchen as well."

Akane looked at her hopefully. "Would you? Ranma's trying hard, and I'm making progress, but it seems to be going pretty slowly."

Cologne answered, "I offered, and I will. But it will take you time to learn, just as it does to learn anything. You must console yourself to patience." Her voice turned sharper. "For now, get your mind back to the present! Shampoo, please turn it up a notch. Let's see if a greater threat of bruising will bring about a greater concentration."

More time passed. Nabiki had paid off most of the people necessary, and was only awaiting raising the additional funds necessary to pay off the rest. The most overt hostility toward her was declining, though still present, and Ranma had been forced to have little "talks" with a few people about it. Kodachi Kuno was regularly seen out and about town with Ryu Kumon, and Ukyo had finally acknowledged that she and Konatsu were dating. She and Ranma had had a long and very private conversation on the subject, from which Ukyo had emerged looking very embarrassed and Ranma looking quietly satisfied. Ukyo had withheld the information about Cologne's potion from Ranma, as she was still a bit embarrassed about how she had been tricked. Graduation day was fast approaching for Nabiki and Tatewaki, and both were looking forward eagerly to leaving Furinkan, each for their own reasons.

Akane and Ranma had also been seen doing more and more things together, as a couple, although they still avoided referring to any of these outings as dates. Still, they were seen with each other regularly at the ice cream shop, the mall, ice skating, and other such venues. Shortly after the destruction of the seppuku contract, Ranma had told Akane one night that he would like to ask her out on an official date, but was still afraid of what their fathers might do. She had responded warmly, telling him shyly that she would like that too, but agreed with the need to be wary of their parents.

One Friday evening, Genma and Soun announced that they had received word from a shrine in another city which needed their help, and was promising them a reward in exchange. They said that they felt it was their duty as martial artists to respond, and that they should return after the weekend. Everyone was suspicious that there was more to the story, but could get nothing else out of them, and the two of them disappeared early Saturday morning.

That Saturday afternoon, Akane showed up in the family room wearing her gi. Ranma was lying on the couch reading a manga, but paused and looked over at her, noting that she was watching him with an anticipatory look.

"Hi, Ranma," she practically cooed. "How about coming out to the dojo and sparring with me?"

Ranma thought it over, then shrugged. "Sure," he replied. He got up and followed her out.

Once they were out there, Akane turned to him and asked, "Ranma? Am I or am I not a martial artist?"

Ranma looked at her in confusion. "Well, yeah, you are. You're not exactly in my league, but sure, you're a martial artist."

The girl looked at him with a fire burning in her eyes. "Am I not in your league because I'm just not good enough, or because no one has been willing to train me to that level?"

Ranma was feeling uncomfortable with this conversation. "Well, look, Akane. I'll admit that you're not bad, and sure, you're really strong. But your speed doesn't come close to mine, your balance ain't the best, and in general you just got a long way to go. I mean, look how easily I can dodge you. Maybe you should recognize your limitations."

Akane felt her temper flare, but mercilessly ground it down. She could not afford it today. "If I could manage to knock you down while sparring, just once, would you agree that I have sufficient potential to be worth training? Would you agree to train me no matter how much you don't like the idea of hitting me?"

Ranma was starting to feel his own temper fray. "Why are you pushing this Akane? You know how I feel about it! I can't stand the thought of hurting you! It just ain't worth it!"

Akane shouted back at him. "I'm a martial artist too! I love the art just as much as you! Why should I have to put up with being told that I'm not worth training! What will it take to convince you! Are you so scared that I might actually be able to knock you down!"

"I ain't scared of nothing!" he yelled back. "You haven't got a chance of knocking me down, and you know it!"

"Big words Ranma! Do you dare to back it up? Would you give me your word that if I can knock you down, that you'd train me properly?"

Ranma felt his anger turning cold as he looked at her. They'd had this sort of argument before, why did she have to keep on about it? "Fine! If that's the way you want it, I will, but this is the last time! If you can manage to take me down, I swear that I'll train you properly! If you don't, then you don't ever bring it up again!"

Akane hesitated, but then firmed up her resolve. "Okay! Are you ready?"

"Bring it on, tomboy!"

They closed and Ranma started dodging Akane's punches and kicks as he always did. He watched her carefully, but there was nothing new here. Her speed, her moves, it was all exactly what he was used to, and he knew that there was no way that she would even be able to land a single hit, let alone knock him down.

Even as he completed this thought he realized in astonishment, and much too late, that the punch aimed at his chest was just a feint. It caught him in his upper arm and numbed it, leaving the entire arm hanging uselessly. He shifted to remove the need to use that arm for blocking, and concentrated on watching for any further unexpected tricks, while wondering where she had learned that move. Not that it was going to do her a lot of good; feeling was already starting to return to the arm, and he'd have use of it back shortly.

He dodged another kick, not realizing that she had expected him to dodge in exactly the way he had, as it set him up for her next move. She came in fast with a two punch combo, and even as Ranma moved to dodge the first punch, he realized with renewed amazement that the second one was coming in too fast to dodge, and he was going to have to block it. He moved to do so, still confident, and his ears simply did not process with sufficient speed the words he had never expected to hear from her. "Kachuu Tenshin Amiguriken!" In shock he watched the fist blur and slip right past his block, followed immediately by a hundred more punches to which he did not react in his shock. Finally, after far too long, he got his arms moving and matched her speed, blocking her punches, but the damage had already been done. He was falling, and his back slammed into the floor heavily.

He rolled away from her quickly, ending up still lying on the floor but propped up on one elbow. He was staring at her, wheezing, trying to get his diaphragm working properly again. Akane was moving toward him again, at high speed, and with chagrin he held a hand up, requesting a moment's grace. In doing so, he knew that he was admitting defeat, at least insofar as their challenge was concerned. As Akane backed away, the glowing look in her eyes said that she realized it also.

It was only seconds before he had himself fully under control again, and he climbed to his feet, eyeing her speculatively. "Okay, I'll admit, I sure wasn't expecting that. And I guess it serves me right, underestimating any opponent, even if it is one with which I thought I was familiar. I suppose that you were holding back at the beginning to set me up?" He nodded after she did. "You did it beautifully, I gotta admit. Care to tell me how you learned that move?" His eyebrows had risen with the question, as he struggled to figure out the answer for himself and failed.

Akane shook her head. "Not yet. I promise though, you'll find out soon. The important thing right now is, are you going to keep your word?" The look in her eyes turned pleading, hoping not to be hurt by his rejection of her skills yet again.

Ranma saw that look and sighed, knowing there was only one answer that he could give, and how much it was going to cost his nerves in the months to come. At least she was probably going to be pretty happy, except for the times when she was groaning over how sore she was. "Of course, tomboy. I said I would, and I always keep my word. I'll train you, and I promise I'll do my best to make you as good as I possibly can."

Akane jumped at him and threw her arms around him. "Thank you, Ranma! Thank you! You won't be sorry. I'll make you proud of me, you'll see."

"Yeah, well, we'll see how ecstatic you are once you see what some of the advanced training our school requires is like. No time like the present to begin, either. I'm guessing that you've been training in secret during those evening disappearances, right?" She nodded mischievously. "Okay, I'm going to put you through your paces right now to see where you're really at, and what we need to focus on next."

Later, while Akane was soaking in the furo and regarding the masses of bruises adorning her body, she thought over her recent training. ‹I thought that Cologne was a hard taskmaster. Huh. If this afternoon was any indication, I'm going to be looking back with fond memories over how relaxing it was to train under her.› She smiled to herself, realizing that she wouldn't have it any other way.

On Monday the fathers returned while their children were at school. Nodoka and Kasumi both noted with concern that they were acting like little children with a secret. They were grinning at one another constantly, nearly giggling, unable to keep still. When questioned, all they would say is, "We have something for Akane and Ranma when they get home."

The day dragged on, but the afternoon finally arrived, and the teenagers in question walked into the house to find their fathers waiting for them. "We need to talk to the two of you," Genma declared.

The pair regarded their fathers with extreme wariness, and glanced at one another worriedly. Nonetheless, they followed the two men into the family room, and Nabiki joined them. Nodoka was already there, wondering what her husband was up to, and Kasumi trailed in from the kitchen, following everyone else.

Akane looked around the room, glad to see that at least there wasn't a priest present. "What's up, daddy?" she wanted to know.

"This," her father replied. He pulled out what appeared to be some sort of bottle or vase, made of a dark blue glass, but with a stopper in the top. It had a globular shape near the bottom, and a narrow neck. It did not look in the least bit arcane or mysterious, but everyone there was well aware that this meant nothing.

"What's that?" Ranma asked hesitantly.

Genma answered him. "According to the scroll which accompanied it, this is a genie's bottle. When we pull out the stopper, we will be permitted to make one wish. Naturally, we intend to wish that the two of you will be married immediately."

Akane's and Ranma's faces both turned red in anger. "Dammit pop, what the hell do you gotta go and pull stunts like this for? Can't you just leave us be?"

Akane started to shout, "Daddy, if you do this, I swear ..."

She was interrupted as a short and elderly martial artist dropped from the ceiling and grabbed the bottle from Soun's hand. He was chortling as he looked at it. "Woo-hoo! A little bird told me you boys had found this, and I see it was right! Just think of the things I could do with this wish! I could make all of the girls in the world willing to give me their pretties!" He jumped out of the way of the two men who dove at him, and sent them crashing into the floor with seemingly light taps. Ranma and Akane both grabbed for him, but he dodged them as well, ending up on the other side of the room.

"Happosai, don't do it!" Ranma shouted as he leaped back up.

"Too late my boy!" Happosai laughed as he pulled out the stopper.

Everyone watched, startled, as he faded from sight. Kasumi was the first to point and say, "Look! He's in the bottle!" Everyone stared at the bottle and saw that, indeed, a miniature Happosai was staring furiously at them through the glass. They could just barely hear the tiny sounds of his voice, and everyone blushed as they made out the profanities he was shouting.

At that same moment, an equally elderly woman walked through the doorway, picked up the stopper, and shoved it onto the bottle. Lifting the bottle up to her eye, Cologne said, "Hello there Happi! I do hope you like your new home." She then turned to Soun and Genma. "I and the rest of the Amazons thank you, Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome. Your plan worked perfectly. We are indebted to you for your aid in helping us to capture this old pervert who has been our enemy for so long." She slid the bottle into a pocket and hopped out of the room, while everyone stared after her in bewilderment, the two men more confused by this strange turn of events than anyone else. As she left, it was just barely possible to make out Happosai's promises of vengeance on his two former pupils.

"But ... but ..." Soun Tendo found his voice only after she was gone. "But that wasn't our plan. We didn't know it would do that."

Genma was looking equally puzzled, but his eyes cleared and he slapped his friend on the back. "No matter, Tendo. We may not have gotten what we wanted, but this is hardly an outcome to disappoint! We are free of our hated master at last!"

Soun turned to him joyfully. "You are quite right, Saotome! Come, let us celebrate this wonderful event!" The two men left the room, in search of sake.

Nabiki looked around at everyone who was left. "Okay. What just happened?"

Two weeks later, Cologne showed up at the door of the Tendo home just as they finished their dinner. The school year had ended a few days before, and Nabiki was starting preparations to leave to attend university, while Akane and Ranma were starting to think about their senior year. Although it seemed rather soon to most people, Ryu Kumon had proposed to Kodachi Kuno and she had accepted. When Ryu had stopped by the Tendo home to tell everyone the news, he had seemed surprised that Ranma did not appear to be more upset.

Akane had continued to train with Cologne and Shampoo for a short time after winning her challenge to Ranma, but had stopped a week before. She had decided that the training she was getting from Ranma, in both martial arts and cooking, was proving sufficient, and she no longer needed the additional help from the Amazons. The two fathers might have disagreed with her opinion that her cooking was improving, but they were clearly biased, given that they were the ones suffering from her education. As a matter of fact, she was getting better, although she still had a long way to go.

Cologne accepted the invitation to join them at the table, and then dropped the bombshell, "Shampoo, Mousse and I will be leaving tomorrow to return to our village." Everyone other than Akane and Kasumi stared at her open-mouthed.

Ranma asked tentatively, "And when will you be back?"

She smirked at him. "We won't be coming back, sonny. I know this will break your heart, Ranma, but you're not married to my granddaughter anymore. The Kisses of Marriage and Death have been voided, and we're going home for good. We'll be leaving you in peace."

The two fathers were starting to get joyful looks on their faces, but Ranma was still eyeing her suspiciously. "This is a bit sudden, old ghoul."

"Actually, it's not sudden at all," she replied. "We've been working toward this for the last several weeks. I didn't tell you earlier because you would have been suspicious, just as you are now, and you might have interfered in our plans." Cologne smirked even more infuriatingly. "However, Akane here has known for a while. I'm the one who trained her for your little match."

Ranma turned and looked, stunned, at the girl beside him. She smiled at him and nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?" he wanted to know.

"Cologne already told you why. Would you have believed it, if you had been told? Or would you have thought that they were up to something else, and been running around trying to figure out what it was? Besides, I figured you would have objected to her training me, and I wasn't going to risk that."

"You're darn right I would have objected!" he responded heatedly. "They could have killed you! You can't trust them! You know that!" He paused, wrestling himself back under control, and grew thoughtful. Then he continued, "Still, if they really do leave, I suppose there's no harm done."

Cologne chuckled. "I promise Ranma, we really are leaving. Everything's been done that I intended to do, so we're ready to go. Akane here learned the truth about Ryoga and P-chan - I can't promise he won't be back, but the truth is out now. Neither Ukyo nor either of the Kuno's is after either of you anymore. You've agreed to train Akane, which, frankly, you needed to do if the two of you are to have any hope of being true partners. The seppuku contract is no longer hanging over your head. I shipped Happosai back to our village, where he is still imprisoned in that bottle, which happens to be an ancient Amazon artifact. Pantyhose Taro was invited to our village after Happosai arrived, and under threat of what we could do to him inside that bottle, Happosai agreed to give him a new name. So you shouldn't need to worry about that boy coming around anymore either."

Ranma was staring at her, all his innate hostility toward her confused by the long litany of what she claimed she had done. The matter-of-fact way she spoke seemed to leave no doubt that she had done it. "But why? I mean, okay, you decided to give up on me being Shampoo's husband, and I'm happy about that and won't rock the boat by asking questions. But why not just leave, then? Why do all of these other things for us? Why take on the role of my ... fairy ghoul-mother?"

Cologne winced at this description, tempted to whack him over the head, then gazed at the ceiling thoughtfully before answering. "You might say that what happened at Jusendo was a bit of a wake-up call for us. Relations had become somewhat strained. When we decided it was time to go home, we also decided we wanted to depart peacefully. We didn't want to run the risk of having you consider us to be enemies. No, we felt it worthwhile to ... make amends, particularly as the cost was not really very high for us."

Ranma looked down, hating the reminder of what had happened at Jusendo, and the implied suggestion that he might consider doing something like that to the Amazons. Still, he understood their point of view, and accepted her statement. He bowed to her from his position at the table. "Then I thank you for what you have done, and promise that for my part I hold no enmity, provided that you leave us in peace henceforth."

Cologne bowed back. "Agreed."

The two fathers were bubbling over in rapture. Genma was crying, "This means that there are no impediments left. Our two children can get married at once!"

"Indeed Saotome," Soun cried, "let us call a priest immediately!"

At that, Akane and Ranma turned twin expressions of both rage and fear onto their fathers. Cologne cleared her throat. "Oh, there is one more thing," she said. The two men paused in their celebration, and all eyes turned to her once more.

"There are people here in Nerima with whom I will continue to correspond. I have asked them to keep an eye on things, and to keep me informed. If these two youngsters decide for themselves that they want to get married, or have any other sort of relationship, well, that's fine with me. However, if you two gentlemen attempt to force them into anything ..." She grinned at them malevolently. "... anything at all, then we will release Happosai. You know, he's been saying some pretty dreadful things about what he's planning to do to the two of you, in return for betraying him."

Akane and Ranma grinned in manic glee. Soun and Genma wailed, "But we didn't know anything about it!"

Cologne looked them over and smirked. "I know that. And you know that. Too bad that Happosai doesn't know it."

The two men looked at one another and shuddered in terror. "Saotome ..." Soun cried. "I know Tendo, I know!" Genma wept. "I guess we'll just have to hope they decide on their own!" Soun bawled, and the two men collapsed on each others' shoulders, crying.

Cologne rose to her feet. "I'm afraid that I must be going, children. I have some packing left to do tonight. I wish you well." Everyone other than the fathers stood and bowed to her, and then she left.

Ranma turned to the girl beside him, gave a glance at their fathers, and then looked her in the eyes smiling. He took her hands in his. "So, Akane, how'd you like to go on a date with me tomorrow night? Maybe dinner, and a movie afterward?"

"Mmmm," she purred. "I'd really like that. Just one more thing though, that I've been wanting to do for a long time now." With that, she put her arms over his shoulders, and pressed her lips into his. After a startled moment he kissed her back. From this point on they were in control of their own relationship, and they forgot everyone else in the room as they lost themselves in that thought.

THE END

Author's note:

I'd like to thank borg rabbit for the phrase "fairy ghoul-mother," and permission to work it into the story.