Killara: Thank you so much. I appreciate reviews like this! n,.,n

Psycho Pirate: But why? It's so much fun to be paranoid. ;P I know I have readers, I just like the confirmation that people are actually reading my stories. Plus, if I sulk enough I usually get one or two more reviews out of it! n.n

Chapter 25: Beginning of the End

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Dawn comes early to the city of Nerima and the fighters who will be gathered before the sun's rays turn the sky pink. The severity of their future actions weigh heavy on the four Elemental Fighters' minds, the thought of their opponents weighing equally heavy on the others'. For although Saffron is small, the level of power he can control is still visible beneath the skin.

The four stand in silent communion with each other as dawn lightens the sky in the east, compass points with their heads touching, hands clasped. Sharing one last moment of peace. That peace is broken by the sound of footsteps echoing along the streets, the chosen of the Nerima Wrecking Crew striding along in silence. In the lead are Ranma and Ryoga, grim-faced, tight-lipped.

In unison the four look up and into slate-colored eyes filled with determination. And embarrassment? "Ranma," Rei greets, "what's wrong? Besides what was wrong last night?" She blinks as a slender woman dressed in a very correct modern kimono with a long wrapped package in her arms steps around the unhappy Ranma. "Ah, Nodoka-san, I presume?"

"Quite right," the woman confirms, bobbing her head in a polite not-bow. Her hair is a reddish brown--one can see the similarity between her and 'Ranko' in that and their eyes. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"She walked up just as we were leavin'," Ranma tells the four with a kind of earnest sheepishness. "She refused to stay with Nabiki."

"Mr. Tendo, you weren't supposed to come. Or you, Nabiki." Kalerian gives the two Tendos a reproving look which they brush off.

"We may not be able to fight like you," Nabiki informs them in no uncertain terms, "hell, I can't even fight at all, but we'll be damned if we let you leave us behind."

-Of course, we didn't really expect to,- Masaya sighs to the others over their link. His statement is met with faint chuckles, all the amusement that can be afforded today. "I take you're coming with us, too, Nodoka-san?"

"Of course. When I get a feeling that my husband and my son are going off into something that may cost them their lives, I am not going to sit idly by and let them."

"We would ask no less, Nodoka-san. But where is Kasumi?"

Everyone else looks surprised. "Kasumi?" Mousse pushes his glasses up on his nose, and Rei notes that they look different from his usual pair. "Why would the eldest Tendo daughter be here?"

"Because I too, can fight," a sweet voice tells him tartly, and the half-blind cursed boy leaps aside as though stung. Kasumi, dressed as she was last night, walks past him with an enormous war-hammer slung over her shoulder. All but the four are gaping at her--with Nodoka as another exception, she's too well-bred to gape.

"Ah, Kasumi-chan," Kohaku chirps, "why so late? We nearly left without you."

That calm smile grows a shade bigger. "Sorry. I had to fetch someone. I have the feeling we'll need his help." She turns and smiles a little wider at the person directly behind her. The four just smirk at Dr. Tofu, blushing behind Kasumi.

"Looks like we're all here," Rei begins, when a pleased roar makes them look up. And makes Rei's mouth turn up in a relieved greeting. In a thunderous clap of displaced air Rin Sun the bobcat demon drops to the ground with Akane cradled safely in his arms.

"Akane!" It's hard to tell who shouted her name first, but it's Ranma's arms she runs to. Rin Sun staggers over to the Four and drops to one knee, panting from energy-consumption.

"Glad...I could...make it," he gasps with no little pride. "Afraid...I was...gonna miss you."

"You certainly cut it close, Rin Sun," Masaya sighs, dropping his voice to a whisper to add, "Didn't think you were going to arrive on schedule for a second there. With a Chaos Card's involvement, there's no guarantee this is going to go as planned."

The ginger-haired male laughs breathlessly as the stocky Earth fighter helps him back to his feet and into the house to regain his strength. As one of their agents as well as Hiei's, he knows full well what's supposed to happen today. And who he's really dealing with--Rei provides him with especially good mind-shields because of that. Mrs. Kenobishi doesn't even bat an eye at the sight of a lanky male getting plunked down at her kitchen table by a silent Masaya, who then returns to the group.

"Okay, let me amend," Rei sighs, pulling out a card from the deck at her hip and glancing at it, "now we're all here. If you all would kindly scoot to stand over there please, we can get the transport set up."

"But I thought you needed a locate." That sounds like Akane. Kohaku shrugs a shoulder.

"Got one from Elder Ku Lon," she replies. That's the last thing the four says to the group as the Elemental Quartet walks over to the large section of clean grass right by the Jusenkyo-replica and stands once again at the cardinal compass-points with their hands meeting in the middle. What they do next resembles nothing so much as some odd May-pole dance that ends with the four in the same poses in which they started. If any of the Reikai Tantei were here, they'd have seen the tendrils of energy forming a temporary portal glittering from among the grass blades bedecked in gemlike dew.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please begin boarding now," Kalerian tells them in a strained voice, "And please hurry. We can't keep this stable for long. We either use it or lose it."

Silently the gathered fighters move to stand around the four, clustering as close as they can without bumping into them. The rank stands as thus at the moment: besides the Quartet, there is Ranma, Ryoga, Ukyo, Cologne, Mousse, Kasumi, Nodoka, Genma, Tofu, Akane, Soun, and Nabiki. Then the lawn is empty as the power in the portal pulls them into somewhere else.

----

There is a faint whoosh of air as the fighters appear in the clearing before the Guide's hut in China, the Quartet staggering from the amount of energy they just used. Shin Ron and Li Shon are waiting there, as are several others. Ranma goes into auto-defense at the sight of a patient Herb, Lime, and Mint standing by the hut, not to mention a smirking Taro.

"Cross-dresser."

"Pantyhose pervert."

"Don't even get started, you two," Rei tells them crankily as she turns and walks towards the springs. "I'll be back shortly. Stay put, everyone, and no fighting. Period." And with that, she vanishes into the mists wreathing the dangerous waters. With the exception of the remaining three elementals--who simply flop down and begin to meditate--the group shifts among itself uneasily due to past bad relations. Nodoka is still trying to corner Ranma and Genma into a conversation about their recent whereabouts when the sounds of faint footsteps echoes to their ears.

By now the sun has risen above the tree-tops, mist mostly burned away, so Rei's return is easily visible. And much easier to stare at. In her hands is cradled a long staff with a crescent moon attached to one end at the fattest part of the curve, with odd prongs angling out and then down about a foot down the shaft. Behind her float two ruby-hued spheres, hollow globes of ki filled almost to the brim with water.

Herb stares. "But the springs are going dry!"

Rei's eyes are serene. "Herb, do not underestimate me or my abilities to find that which is vanishing. The springs are drying, not dried. This is the last and only chance for this, believe me."

"Where did you find that staff, child??" Cologne demands, still perched on her walking stick. Rei's gaze turns amused.

"The same place I found the water, Elder. Now. To business. Ranma, step forward, please." Willingly the pig-tailed boy bounds up, practically quivering in eagerness.

"A moment, Rei?" Nodoka requests sweetly. "What is so important about these waters?"

Ranma blanches when Rei grins. "I thought you'd never ask, Nodoka-san. Long ago, a land of springs was formed here by geological activity and, I suspect, a god or two, given the unique nature of these waters. You see, Nodoka-san, these waters are cursed, that when something drowns in them, the next unfortunate to fall into them becomes that first victim whenever they are splashed with cold water. To temporarily reverse it, hot water is needed. As a matter of fact, a number of the fighters around you have been cursed by different springs, as was our errant Xian Pu."

Ranma's eyes beg her to cure him now before he is forced to kill himself with his mother, but Rei simply winks at him. "Your son and husband are among those cursed, actually. They're--" Genma splashes both Ranma and himself with the contents of a thermos, hauling the unfortunate 'girl' down by the front of her shirt as the panda begins to frantically bow with a sign repeating 'I'm sorry!' over and over again. Nodoka is, understandably, shocked, but Rei continues.

"Honestly, the suicide pact Ranma told me about seems to be a bunch of utter nonsense. Despite his current form, your son has performed more heroic deeds than anyone else I know, not to mention the fact that every time he turns around some new girl seems to be throwing herself at his feet."

Nodoka blinks. "I can understand your point, dear, but..." The older woman trails off, reviewing Rei's last few sentences. Instant, furious attention on Genma. "What suicide pact??"

It's Rei and Ranma's turn to blink, as Rei mentally runs over Nodoka's Thread to check a memory. "I'll be damned," she whispers to herself in glee, "it was just a promise to keep Ranma safe and happy, and for Genma to be a good parent!" Extremely smug, she watches as a verbal and physical round of Genma-bashing takes place. The smell of crisped fur is floating on the air when she finally figures this is enough and clears her throat. "If you are all finished abusing one of our less-than-able fighters, I might resume what I was doing?"

Instant silence as an eager Ranma takes her place in front of Rei. The staff is placed in her hands with a gentle smile. "This is the gekkaja, the twin and opposite to the staff Sa Fu Lon holds. It's power is making things cold, which will be useful for any technique relying on the Soul of Ice. Sa Fu Lon's is the kinjakan, which is of heat and flight. Use your weapon wisely, Ranma, you'll need it to win today."

Ranma nods solemnly as Rei gestures the larger of the two globes above him. A small hole irises open at the bottom and closes just as quickly, releasing a measured amount onto the pig-tailed martial artist. Ranma shivers from the cold, sweeping sodden black bangs away from his eyes. Double-take. Black. It's actually black. Rei watches as Ranma checks all over himself, including a peek into his shirt, finding that he is once again fully male.

"Spring of drowned man?" he asks, making certain. Rei nods.

"Spring of drowned man." She steps closer, cupping her hands under his jaw and using that hold to pull him down to her level, laying a gentle kiss on his forehead. A small point of heat blossoms where her lips had been a moment ago as Ranma pulls back, startled. "One last gift for thee, chosen of the Meddler, and my seal to make it last."

As Ranma reverses to rejoin the group, he looks at Rei as though expecting her to burst into prose in an imitation of Kuno, but when she merely shares a knowing look with him he relaxes. "This is a day for confessions," Rei says into the expectant silence. "The price to pay for your cures. It doesn't have to be a big confession, only something that the others do not know. I do not do this because I want to, but because there must be some kind of sacrifice in order to make the cures stick. Be glad I chose this instead of goats."

Mousse is the next one to step forward, happiness radiating from the Master of Hidden Weapons. "Mu Tsu, we all know your feelings for Xian Pu. They are hardly a confession."

"It's not that," the boy beams, taking off the thick lenses resting on his nose, "I don't need my glasses anymore. I have contacts." Rei's laughter peals through the area as she christens the Amazon boy, giving him a seal just like Ranma in the shape of a stylized flame.

Taro steps up and mumbles something. Rei tilts her head and gives him a questioning look. "A little louder, beloved."

"I said I don't care if these people call me Pantyhose!" he yells, blushing bright red. "You never call me that, and that's all that matters." The dazzling, happy smile suddenly shining on Rei's face seems to be all the reward he needs, for he almost walks away without getting doused. Laughing, Rei pulls him back into place and adds an extra kiss on the lips when she grants him her seal.

When Herb comes up, Rei just cocks her head to one side. "Herb, what on earth would you have to confess?"

"Maybe that he likes being a girl with tits," Ranma mutters audibly from his place, earning him a double-whammy from Akane and Ryoga. Herb shoots a good-natured glare at his once-enemy before replying with, "I collect manga."

Amazement. "How do you get it all the way out here??"

"Internet!" Face-fault, Rei giggling as she performs her self-appointed task.

Genma is next, and the battered panda holds up a sign admitting, /I knew about Jusenkyo./ Rei waits until the renewed session of Bash-the-Panda is over with before she douses him. He doesn't get a seal--let him get cursed again for all anyone else cared.

Now only Ryoga remains, and the fanged boy is shaking at what might happen next. He flinches when Rei calls his name, but goes anyway. To his surprise, he receives only a sisterly kiss on the cheek and, "The strength you need to admit what you would, and say what you must." Rei adds in a wicked whisper, "And you don't get the rest until you do, for added incentive." Those not privy to his curse are looking confused, especially Akane, as he takes a deep breath and the plunge.

"Akane, I love you." Even those who weren't before stare at the most tongue-tied of their lot, the one who is finally saying it right. "I know I should have told you sooner, but I could never work up the courage to. I tried--a lot!--by actually saying it or writing it, but every time I tried I 't do it. And now someone already has a claim on your heart, and I'm too late. I really just want you to be happy, Akane, from the bottom of my heart. But there's one more thing you should know. Rei?"

"Good choice, anii-kun," the red-head tells him affectionately as she proceeds to dump the contents of a second thermos on him. Akane stares numbly at the sight of her pet pig P-chan sitting in the middle of Ryoga's empty clothes. A ball of warmed tap-water sitting in Rei's palm quickly reverses the effect, Ryoga managing to get his pants back on as he changes so that he doesn't add 'flasher' to his list of transgressions.

Taking a deep breath, he waits for the beating to come. Several long seconds pass by with nothing happening, so he risks opening his eyes. Akane's battle aura is flaring like hell, but she doesn't seem about ready to strike him like a vengeful god.

"Why?" Akane finally manages. "Why didn't you just tell me??"

"I didn't have the courage to admit my feelings, Akane. I had too much pride to admit this."

"You slept in my bed!"

"Actually," Ryoga rubs a fading lump on the back of his skull, "that's not as pleasant as it sounds. You thrash in your sleep. A lot." An odd squeak escapes the girl, uncertain whether to take it as fact or insult or both. A warm hand rests against Ryoga's spine, a silent assurance that no matter what, Rei would still be there. "Tendo-san, the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you. And if you'd please remember, I never watched while you were changing, and I always, always slept on top of the covers. I didn't want to be in the bed at all, but I couldn't bear the thought of you waking up in the morning to find your beloved pet pig gone. That thought was just too painful, Tendo-san." By now the hand had grown into a full body, leaning against him in warm support. "So, please, hate me if you must, but don't blame yourself. And don't blame Ranma, either. I made him swear not to tell you the night he found out."

"Who else knew?" Hands go up--the only exceptions this time being Kasumi, Nabiki and Nodoka. There had been too many times that Ryoga had hopped into Soun's bath as P-chan and emerged as Ryoga not to have figured it out. Why he never said anything we'll never know.

"Please, Tendo-san," Ryoga whispered, "please."

Silence grows, until the air hums with tension, and then..."You can still call me Akane. And I don't hate you." Ryoga straightens as though the entire world has been lifted from his shoulders, Rei choosing that moment to christen him.

"Congratulations, anii-kun," Rei murmurs, turning him around. "No more P-chan, and you have relieved yourself of the smirches on your honor. And now," she adds as she kisses his forehead, "you won't get lost so much anymore." Ryoga touches the places where she'd kissed him on each cheek, the three seals different for him. A stylized rose's petals glow on his forehead, two small flames just below his eyes, fading quickly into his skin. "I have that kind of power, I can do that."

"I believe you," Ryoga whispers back, brimming with all the brighter emotions, nary a sign of the depression that so often crushes his spirit. "There's nothing you can't do."

"Oh, there are some things," Rei tells him as they join the group and start walking into the forest. "And those are the things I wish I could do most."

Surprised at the yearning in his sister's voice, Ryoga jolts as Akane comes up beside them. "Hello, Akane-san. I truly am sorry for not telling you anything sooner."

"You lied to me," Akane says quietly. "How can I ever trust you again?"

Kalerian pipes up, eyes wide. "Oh, but you must trust him, Akane, we have to trust everyone. The entire battle ahead hinges on it."

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Whee! Another chapter done. The next one might take me a while, at least until they actually get to Saffron through all those damned traps, but it will be up soon!!

Reikai Tantei: Spirit World Detectives

Anii-ku: Big brother, affectionate suffix.

I don't know what the staff's names mean. So sue me. You won't get anything. ;)