Ranma continued to hold onto his head his eyes almost hurting. Genma and Soun dropped their guard and Ryoga and Ukyo ran forward.
"Ranma?" Ryoga replied as he fell to his knees and finally opened his eyes. As they came into focus he blinked his eyes, like he couldn't before.
"Ranma honey" Ukyo said in concern making him look up.
"Ukyo? Ryoga?" he turned to the other face that was staring at him.
"Are you all right?" she asked him.
"What's going on?" he began a series of questions, "What am I wearing?" he asked in a scowl as he saw the tuxedo, "And where am I?"
"Take it easy Ranma" Ryoga held up his hands gently, "What can you remember?"
"Akane?" he mumbled.
"Yes Ranma" she replied moving forward.
Ukyo immediately got nervous and started to stammer as Ranma stood up. "No don't listen to her Ranma," she said, "She's not Akane."
"Don't be ridiculous" Akane replied, "I am Akane" she looked directly at him, "And we just got married."
"What?" Ranma practically shouted, "We just got married?" he repeated.
"That's right Ranma. You said, "I do" to me."
"I don't remember that?" Ranma said in disbelief as Genma, Nadoka, Kasumi, and Soun moved even closer.
"You wouldn't Ranma" Ryoga replied angrily, "You were under a spell."
"Under a spell?" Ranma started to question but then he stopped, his eyes becoming wider as he remembered, "Wait a minute. That's right" he said turning his eyes on the imposter, "You're not Akane."
"Ranma. What are you" Genma began to protest but Ranma shouted back at him.
"Shut up Pop!" he once more stared angrily at the girl, "Where is she?"
"Why Ranma. Why do you talk to me like that?" she asked feigning that she was hurt.
"Don't give me that crap!" he spat, "I want to know where she is and I want to know now!" he demanded.
"What does it matter? We're married now."
"No we're not. I may have said s..something but I never meant it."
"Of course you meant it."
"No I didn't. I don't even remember saying it."
"But you did say it my dear boy and now the poor girl's heart is broken."
"What do you mean?" he asked his eyebrows furrowed over his eyes.
"Once you said those two little words Ranma, how can I put it? Akane lost the will to live."
"What?"
"That's right. As we speak at this very moment she's becoming weaker. Heartbroken. Because her so-called fiancée has promised himself to another."
"You're lying" he shook his head, "Where is she?" he demanded again, "Tell me now!"
"You really want to know where she is?" she asked a bit surprised at his anger.
"Yes" he nodded, "I haven't been looking for her like crazy for nothing you know."
"So you were doing that?" her eyes began to glow once more. Then her body began to glow making the whole room illuminate with a bright light, so bright that everyone including Ranma, shielded their eyes.
When the light began to fade Ranma moved his hand from his face and saw before him not Akane but the figure of the woman he had met many months before.
"It's you," he whispered.
"It's been a long time Ranma Saotome" she replied.
"That isn't Akane!" Genma shouted as Nadoka put a hand to her mouth in shock.
"No kidding Saotome" Soun shook his head, "What gave you that idea?"
"I kept up quite the pretense" Kiana said, "I suppose. But it's time to shed that ordinary disguise."
"Ordinary?" Ranma spat again.
"Why Ranma. By that face you're giving me I would say that you're angry."
"Oh I am way past angry. Now for one last time. Where is Akane? Where is my fiancée?" he demanded holding out his fist as Cologne appeared with Mousse, who was carrying the unconscious fake Shampoo, and with Kuno and Kodachi in tow.
"I tell you what Ranma I am a fairly generous person so I will give you a sporting chance."
"Huh?"
"I am going to issue you a challenge" Kiana said, "Akane at this very moment is on the brink of death. True" she rolled her eyes, "You didn't of your own free will say I do. So she's not officially dead."
"You mean Akane is still alive?" Ukyo replied.
"That's what it means by not officially dead dear," she said to her smugly making Ukyo frown and cross her arms.
"What's your challenge?" Ranma interrupted.
Kiana turned to him with a smile. "My challenge is this. You have two hours until Akane has officially given up hope. I'm sure you can find the place with your pathetic friend's help" she sneered at them, "By then. I will give you the next part of your challenge when you arrive. And hurry Ranma" she added as shebegan to fade away stroking his cheek in the process, to which he brushed her hand aside, "Akane doesn't have much time" she chuckled as she completely disappeared.
Ranma stared at the spot where she had been only seconds ago and then turned to Ukyo and Ryoga. "Please tell me you know how to get there?" he asked them.
"We do Ranma" Ukyo said as Ryoga nodded.
"I recognize that woman" Cologne replied hopping forward.
"What?" Ranma said.
"I could have sworn I have seen her before. Her story is very famous in China."
"Look I'd love to listen to your story granny" Ranma replied a bit rudely, "But I don't have much time," he said in a hurry throwing off his tie and rushing forward. However Kuno blocked his path.
"Not so fast Saotome" he replied holding out his wooden sword.
"Kuno what are you doing?" Ranma asked irritated.
"If anyone is going to rescue Akane Tendo then it shall be me."
"Yes Ranma darling" Kodachi added taking his arm, "No that you're not marrying that little hussy you can stay with me."
"What? Let me go!"
"All right that does it!" Ukyo ran forward, "Get your grimy hands off him sister. He's got to go get Akane."
"Ukyo. Ryoga" Cologne came forward with some rope to wrap up the struggling siblings, "You get Ranma to Akane and help rescue that great granddaughter of mine."
"Right" Ukyo nodded but then stopped making Ryoga look back at her quizzically.
"What?"
"We almost forgot someone" she replied walking up the fake Nabiki as Mousse and Ryoga watched, "Forgive me Mr. Tendo" she said as she hit Nabiki on the head and she passed out.
"What are you doing?" he demanded appalled.
"This isn't your daughter either" Ukyo answered chuckling a little nervously, "We have to go rescue her too. Ryoga give me a hand."
"Oh right" he nodded coming forward to carry the fake on his back, "We'll be back soon."
"But. But" Soun said over and over.
"It's all right father" Kasumi replied patting his shoulder, "Let them go."
"Let's go you guys!" Ranma appeared in his regular clothes, "Lead the way" he said determined holding out his fist.
They all dashed after them as Genma and Soun cheered.
"Go for it son!" Soun said a still bit confused by everything.
"That's my boy" Genma chuckled proudly and a bit pompously.
(Next Scene)
Kiana watched the progress of the little rescue troupe as she waited patiently in the mirror. Nearby her two henchmen waited for her next instructions.
"Well he's on his way" she replied smiling.
"What do you want us to do mistress? " the brunette asked, "Stop him?"
"Oh no. I want you to let him pass. But don't make it too easy. As for the others stop them at all costs. A good obstacle would be to take the cage with you. It will be distracting. Then again I could simply stretch the mirror so they would already be in the mirror world. But they won't know it. Let Ranma pass and do what you can to make sure he has no help."
"Yes mistress" he nodded, as did the other before they departed.
Kiana held out her hand and Akane appeared suspended in midair, her eyes squeezing tightly as if she was having a painful dream.
"Don't worry sweetie pie," Kiana said to her as she sat down on a throne made of solid stone, "He's on his way. Whether or not if he leaves this place is entirely up to him," she added cynically.
(Next Scene)
Ukyo led Ranma throughout the streets of Nerima, while Mousse and Ryoga followed trying to part the crowd as much as they could. When they got closer to the alley Mousse suddenly shouted making them all stop and look back. The fake Shampoo had awoken and was beating up on Mousse quite ferociously. Ukyo ran forward with her spatula to attack her.
"Ukyo!" Ranma shouted as she and Mousse tried to stop the fake Shampoo.
"Hurry up Ranma! Get to Akane!" she yelled back as she ducked an attack.
Ranma was about to dash off but the fake Nabiki had also awoken, pushed herself off of Ryoga's back, and had jumped in to help the other duplicate. Ryoga fell on his back in surprise as Ukyo and Mousse struggled with the two duplicates.
"Hurry Ryoga!" Ukyo shouted.
"Huh?" Ryoga blinked.
"You have to take Ranma the rest of the way!"
"Me? But I can't. I don't know the way."
"But you do Ryoga. You found me remember?"
"But I" he protested standing up.
"You can do it Ryoga" she looked at him directly, "I believe in you. Go!"
Ryoga saw the seriousness in her eyes and nodded. "Let's go Ranma!" he said running forward.
"I'm supposed to trust You?" Ranma replied a little doubtful.
"You're gonna have to. I am the only one who can get you to Akane on time."
"Let's do it then" Ranma finally nodded and followed Ryoga down the correct alleyway.
"Good luck Ryoga" Ukyo thought as she continued to fight, "Ranma. I hope you find Akane in time."
(Next Scene)
Thanks to Ukyo's encouragement Ryoga was able to find the door to the mysterious place. "This is it?" he said in relief.
"Are you sure?" Ranma asked.
"Yes. I'm positive. I remember this creepy place" he opened the door, "Let's go."
Ranma nodded and followed him inside. Once inside they saw that it was very misty. Ranma coughed a little and then gazed around him.
"How are we going to find her in all this mess?" he grumbled.
"It wasn't like this before" Ryoga replied, "Someone must be expecting you?"
Ranma looked at him with a sarcastic frown.
"Oh right" Ryoga chuckled sheepishly, "Someone is expecting you."
"You think? Akane!" Ranma shouted.
"Akane!" Ryoga yelled.
Suddenly from the mist two dark figures appeared. Ranma and Ryoga stared at them with scowls on their faces.
"You recognize them?" Ryoga replied.
"Oh yea. They're the guys from the bookshop.
Suddenly Ukyo and Mousse appeared with the fakes once more unconscious.
"Where's Shampoo?" Mousse demanded of the two men.
"And Akane?" Ranma added.
"You want your friends back" the brunette replied, "You'll have to get through us first."
"Not a problem" Ranma said running forward and beginning to fight the two of them.
Mousse and Ryoga also rushed forward and began to fight. Ukyo propped up the fakes against the wall as the mist began to disappear because of all the fighting. As Ukyo rushed over to help she finally noticed the golden cage of the girls in the corner of the room she ran over. She saw Shampoo and began to call out her name.
"Hey Shampoo! Shampoo! Yo Amazon Queen!" she shouted even louder.
"Hmm?" she finally woke up, "Ukyo? What going on?"
"How did you get in there?"
"Shampoo don't know" Shampoo shook her head as she sat up.
"Well hang on. I'll get you out."
Before she could decipher the lock however a spatula was swung down at her, she jumped out of the way, and she turned just in time to see her duplicate trying to hit her.
"What in the?" she replied, "I thought we got rid of you?"
"Don't be ridiculous" the fake Ukyo grinned menacingly holding onto her spatula, "Do you think I would let You get your claws into my sweet Ryoga."
"Your what?" Ukyo dodged another attack, "Please tell me you're kidding."
Meanwhile Ranma was doing everything he could to fight the brunette. "This. Is. Getting. Us No. Where!" he shouted, "And I am running out of time. Where is Akane?"
"Ranma honey!" Ukyo yelled as she fought her duplicate, "The mirror!"
"What!"
"The mirror!" she and Ryoga called together and Ranma looked behind him as the piece of glass that appeared. So with one backward leap he jumped back and then ran up to the mirror while Ryoga took his place in fighting the brunette. He placed his hand on the glass and saw to his surprise that his hand went through. So with that he took a deep breath before entering in.
(Next Scene)
Ranma found himself in another place filled with mist, which began to clear as he moved forward. When the mist at last disappeared completely, he saw the throne and looked up to his right at the figure floating in midair.
"Akane!" he shouted when he saw her and began to run forward.
"Stop!" Kiana appeared sitting on her throne, making him stop in his tracks, "Congratulations Ranma. You managed to get past the first part of the challenge."
"Yea I did. Now give her back!"
"Not so fast Ranma. There is another part of my challenge for you to complete."
"What is it?"
"It's really a choice actually. A choice on your part."
"Choice?"
"That's right" she stood up from the throne and moved slightly forward, her long dark hair flowing behind her, "The question is this" she said as she moved over to a large barrel, "What decision will you make?"
"Ask your question?" he demanded quite irritated by this point.
"All right Ranma" she pulled out a bottle that was clear blue, "In my hand I hold a bottle. A very special bottle. This bottle contains the very substance you have been searching for half your life."
"Jusenkyo water?" his eyes became wide, "The Spring of Drowned Man" he moved forward slightly.
"That's correct," she said, "I know how desperately you want this. You would do practically anything for it. This is your choice. You can have this water and come be with me forever a man and Akane will die or she can live and you will take her place in death. Basically all I am saying is" she replied when she saw the apparent pain on his face, "Is it Akane, your so-called beloved fiancée or the Spring of Drowned man, the cure for your curse? What is your choice?"
(Till Next Time)
Authors Note: Hey guys! I promise that all three chapters will be done today; therefore the story will be complete today so keep reading!
Next Chapter: I Like You The Way You Are!
Ranma answers Kiana's posing question from the last chapter! Don't miss a minute of it!
