Prologue:

The womanly figure walked softly down the hallway, her foot falls too light to hear. She hummed a tune to her self, haunting and surreal. The words long forgotten, and she brushed her raven black hair away from cold blue eyes. The woman wore a night gown, silken and black, that ran down to just above the floor. She climbed the stairs one step at a time, a smile gracing her lips, and soon she was in the upstairs hallway. Pictures lining the wall, pictures of this unusual woman with three young girls and a man. "My how long ago that was..." she stated with wonder, even a little awe in her voice so soft, anyone who heard her wouldn't be sure if they heard her at all.
She turned to the first door on her right. "Akane..." her hand moved across the shimmering air to the door knob, and passed right through. She froze, and with a forlorn sigh she stepped through the door, appearing on the other side. Pale moonlight shone through the open window, curtains pulled back. She approached the sleeping girl, so young and innocent.
"Akane... the burden is in your hands now. Please... don't you ever forget..."
She reached down, touching her eight year old daughter's forehead. She danced her fingers through Akane's dark hair, touching her dreams. She probed deeper into her daughters soul, saw Akane being cheered on as she stood in the ring. The first woman ever to enter 'The Ultimate Fighting Challenge'. The man lying broken at her feet looked suspiciously like the Kuno boy that had bullied Akane since her first day of school. A tear came to her eye, as she felt a part of herself enter into her daughter. A piece of her own soul for Akane to hold and cherish forever, long after she'd become nothing more than a distant memory to her youngest daughter. They'd be having her funeral tomorrow, Soun never was one to put things off, even in his darkest of hours. Turning, she silently left the room, she had so little time... If only she could have said good-bye in life.

Ranma stared down at his hands where he sat on the ground, not quite seeing that what was right before his very eyes. There was just so much blood. Where was father? "Oyaji?" he whispered. He'd been playing in the field with Ucchan, arguing actually over an imaginary role playing game. And then the man came. The breeze had billowed the long black cloak. Ranma didn't see the man's face, the hood had hidden him from view.

He'd touched Ucchan with his hands of jagged, ivory bone. Ucchan screamed louder then Ranma had ever heard anyone scream, and now... Ranma looked down at his friend slumped lifelessly in the tall grass with glassy eyes wide open. His face was twisted into a horrid look of shock and betrayal.

"Wake up Ucchan... you can be the Ninja this time... I promise..." Ranma pleaded.
The sky darkened to a listless grey, storm clouds gathering.

"Ranma!" Oyaji's voice shouted as he rose over the hill. His eyes scanning the area, looking for danger in the tall grass, that was swaying in the breeze. His eyes fell to Ucchan, "Oh god boy! What did you do..."
Ranma could see the fear in his fathers eyes, and felt his chest tighten up.

"What the fuck did you do to your hands!?"

Ranma looked down, most of the flesh had already fallen away. The crimson bones glistened in the midday sun.

"UKYOU!" both Ranma and Genma turned to see Ucchan's father approaching fast. Genma looked from his boy to Ukyou, then grabbed up Ranma and ran.

Ryouga Hibiki smiled and felt like jumping for joy as he walked across the front lawn... HIS front lawn. Despite his cursed sense of direction he had finally made it home. The eight year old boy hadn't been home in months, and hadn't seen his parents for years. He was covered from head to toe in mud that had dried quite some time ago, his black shirt and pants completely covered. At the front door Ryouga reached for the door knob, this was the moment he waited for, the moment he dreamed of every night. Sometimes he'd just lie awake and think to himself of what he'd do first when he got home. Ryouga smiled, he'd have a bath first, then change, check for any letters his parents may have left him and finally he'd find something to eat.

Ryouga opened the front door, unlocked of course, seeing as how no one ever used the front door to leave, or did so unknowingly. Sometimes the Hibiki family curse could be a real pain. In the foyer he took off his muddy shoes and put on the house slippers. Maybe if I don't get lost tonight I can actually go to school tomorrow? Ryouga thought.

He began wandering aimlessly, wondering where the family dog checkers was. He opened the door labeled kitchen, and saw his father with that ever thoughtful expression on his rounded face, hanging from a rope tied to the wooden roof support. He dangled by his neck, which was oddly twisted. His features so very pale, and lips blue. The smell was horrible... Ryouga gagged, not believing the site before him. There was an open letter on the kitchen table, he walked over to the letter and picked it up.

I don't know what to say. Ryoko...,
Ryouga, forgive me, but I just don't
want to be alone anymore...

Sincerely Hiro Hibiki.

Ryouga put the note back on the table with numb fingers, his face emotionless and eyes hardened. Slowly he turned and left. The next room he entered was the bathroom, he looked to the furo. His mother was lying there naked, covered in dry blood. He looked down on her, seeing the razor blade in her hand.

"Didn't you love me anymore?" Ryouga whispered... "mom.... dad?"
Ryouga felt a presence all around him, then another. He shivered... why was he so cold? His breath appeared in puffs of smoke before him, and he thought he saw something from the corner of his eye.

They'd been running through the valley... the amazons had been close on their tail and he'd fallen. Oyaji hadn't stopped and he could still feel the hot breath on his neck, what the hell was it? He'd turned, staring into the maw of ivory teeth, and beady black eyes. He'd raised his hands to defend himself... so much blood, there was just so much blood.

"Drip..."
Ranma looked up, the beast looming over him.

"Drip..." The blood and blackish fluid dripping from the creatures jaws.

"Drip..." It stood a giant ten feet tall on four legs, the needle like teeth barred. It's fur was a greasy black, with bloody, bald patches scattered across it's hide. Ranma looked closely, and saw holes in the creatures porous skin, inside the holes were some kind of white grub, like big fat maggots. "Drip..."

Ranma stood, the creature was just staring at him with its soulless black eyes, twin pools of darkness. The beast snarled, the stale breath blowing into the mutilated boys face. Ranma looked up, way up at the creature towering over him. He felt himself become distant, and impulsive. "No one beats Saotome Ranma..." he said without realizing he'd even opened his mouth.

The creature let out a shriek, like that of a giant murderous bird. Ranma felt his ear drums grow warm from the blast of sound, and suddenly he was moving forward in furious motion. His actions decisive and powerful, Ranma found it very frightening that he had no control of his own movements. He was a train wreck in motion and nothing in the world could stop him now. It felt so very good.

Ranma jumped awake, breathing heavy and heart pounding. Where am I? he wondered looking around the dark room. Slowly the memories came back to him. He was at the Tendou's house. He and his father had arrived late at night, that Kasumi girl had been kind enough to help them settle into the guest room for the night. Ranma looked to the window, it was still dark outside. For as long as he could remember, the dreams always plagued him every time he slept.

Ranma dreaded the morning, when he'd have to reveal his curse to everyone. He looked down at his current form and shuddered. He didn't know why The Cursed Springs of Jusenkyou thought fit to make him wear this female body when splashed with cold water. There were so many other useful curses he would have rather had. He felt the sudden urge to seek out hot water, it would be so easy. Just to stand up and walk to the bathroom, turn the faucet on and then splash his face with hot water. So very easy... then he could sleep in peace. Ranma looked to the guest room door. Truth be told he'd rather not be wandering through a strangers house in the middle of the night looking for a bathroom. It may cause one of those awkward situations that he always found himself happening into. Ranma sighed, finally just standing up.

Kasumi stood in the kitchen, still in her light pink, cotton, nightie. The only sound was the ticking of the clock that proclaimed the time to be 5:30 am. She leaned against the counter sleepily with eyes half lidded. In her hands she held an opened notice letter, addressed to her father, and was currently reading it.

Dear Mr. Soun Tendou. It is our solemn duty to inform you that due to construction the body of your wife will be moved to another burial ground. We will inform you of Kumiko Tendou's new resting place after an acceptable location has been chosen.

"Oh my..." Kasumi stated, her eyes widening. In a shuddering sigh she set the letter down and left the kitchen. I... I do hope mother doesn't mind... Kasumi thought as she headed on her way to the bath.

Ranma looked at the already filled furo, steam rising into the air. He breathed in the scent of warmed wood and exhaled. So tempting he thought as he debated whether to jump in for a soak or not. Why the hell not? He finally decided as he striped off his clothes, leaving on only the black leather gloves. Ranma filled the rinsing bucket with frigid water and sat on the washing stool. He dumped the bucket over himself, inhaling his breath sharply as the cold stabbed at him. He then lathered up and rinsed off with another bucket of freezing water. Then he swung his leg over the baths side and into the hot water, relaxing more completely then he had in a long while. Ranma pulled at the leather gloves, slowly removing them. It was weird how he couldn't feel his hands anymore, if you could still call them that anyway. He set the gloves on the furo's edge and looked at the skeleton hands. A curse he had decided, much like Ryouga's. Ranma thought back to his old friend and greatest rival. He wondered how his lost friend was holding up these days, and when they would next meet in battle. Ranma clenched his bony fists, Ryouga it seemed was the only person he couldn't kill whether he wanted to or not. It was the way the lost boy threw himself into battle so recklessly, much like the demon's he'd encountered in China.

The sliding bath door slid open and Ranma found himself staring at a very beautiful woman. "Kasumi?" he asked questionably---