Chapter 8: Ranma Makes a Deal~

There were screams, and shouts of outrage, as suddenly ,into the village, astride cursed flaming wolves, rode a Fire Witch that was none other than the false goddess Din, along with all of her henchmen.

Nabiki gave a cry, and came running outside, waving her arms.

"What are you doing here?I don't recall having any business with you?" she screamed, enraged.

Din laughed..."No, Mercenary Girl. I would not do business with one so clever. It was Saotome Genma that made deals with me." she held up Cologne's magic ring.

The old amazon gave a shriek. "My ring! How...did you come by it? It was set aside for Kasumi, to be a special birthday present!"

"Oh yes, all you of put aside your differences, and shape up your manners, for Tendo Soun's precious eldest daughter , don't you? And no wonder...The girl's life is charmed from the moment of her birth, when my sister, Queen Nayru of the Sky,bestowed her falling star upon her...It is this star...that I have come for. I know you to be a race of warriors, and anything goes with you. So then, I know that I don't have to mince my words. Stand aside, all of you. I am going to roast the bones of Tendo Kasumi on the Altar of Fire, and so rid the earth of Nayru's light! If you think you can stop me, you may try. But this fire is so hot, it consumes dragons in a moment, unless I command it to burn everlasting. You will not prevail!"

Two of Soun's students leaped forward to stop her, but she blasted them with a fistful of fire, and just as she said, they lay thrashing on the ground in a flame so hot, it caught the buildings behind them on fire. A few people ran screaming out of that place,and came to stand in the center of the town.

"No, you witch! As the son of Ganon,King of Hylia, I have right to speak!" Link shouted. All of the towns people fell silent. Ranma held his breath, trying to think of any other way out of this than the one Zelda had just come up with.

"As a Servant of Nayru, I will go into the fire ,in place of Tendo Kasumi, and so appease your rage,...You will take your fire far away from here, and it will never touch this place again. I make this agreement with you in the name of the Golden Power!"

"Oh, precious little king!" Din chuckled, cracking her fire whip across the sky. "A Golden Power oath I am obliged to answer, this is true. But I'm afraid your sacrifice is futile. See the spell of fire I have cast requires a girl's body to go into the blaze..."

Ryoga shook his head, and struck a fighting pose, "Ah, c'mon! A whole mountain can fall on me and not hurt me...Let's fight this out, you and me, witch!" he cried.

"My spell must be appeased. No matter of force can stop it now." Din laughed, as if this was all gold.

"Bring forth Tendo Kasumi, or all of your friends die."

Soun was crying buckets now, and Nabki was tearing at her hair. Akane was crying ,and clenching her fists, wanting to fight. Dr. Tofu had reached out, and taken Kasumi's hand protectively. Gently she tried to shake him off.

"Father, let me."

"Oh, Kasumi! We appreciate your sacrifice...but...I can't!" Soun cried.

"Pl-please...Kasumi...N-NO!" Akane pleaded.

The fear and pain in Akane's voice. The looks of terror on the people's faces. Knowing Ryoga was no match for this goddess, (heck look what happened when the Phoenix god came around!) Knowing this brave guy Link couldn't do it because he was only a guy...Ranma knew what he had to do now. Knew there wasn't any other way. It wasn't his first instinct, but he had honor to maintain, it was his DAD that had gotten them into this mess after all. That and he had promised himself Akane would never be put at risk again. Ever.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he thought to Zelda.

"Tracking with you all the way, son of Genma." she replied.

"Don't worry, Kasumi. I've got this!" he laughed, taking a few strides forward.

He reached and took the cool wet rag supposed to treat his injuries that Link had draped over his shoulders, and he slapped himself with it. Instantly transforming into his girl form.

"Yo' Blue Blazes!" he cried, and Din looked at him, mouth falling open.

"Princess Zelda? I thought I had already taught you my lesson, foolish girl."

Zelda's voice spoke out of Ranma's girl form just then,

"By the power of the Golden Power, I swear you to an oath. That you will accept me, a Servant of Nayru, as sufficient payment for your spell, and will burn my maiden flesh in place of Tendo Kasumi!"

"RANMA!" Akane shrieked in horror.

Kasumi shook her head, and that was the first time anyone ever remembered a single tear form in her eyes. She placed a hand over her mouth, and her dad came and hugged her.

"Ranma! What the HECK are you doing?" Ryoga shouted, never one to allow Ranma to be endangered, despite trying to kill him all the time.

" Don't get me wrong, everybody! I could take this witch! I could take this witch and all her little gargoyle friends, trapped under six feet of concrete,with my hands and feet tied up_it wouldn't even slow me down! But I made myself a promise! Akane and her family will never be put at risk again. EVER again." Ranma cried, fists clenching, wanting to fight, but for once he knew he must not.

He turned defiantly to the witch.

"It's gonna take more than a little bonfire to do me in. Hey, does anybody have any marshmallows? Now might be a good time to break them out."

"Ranma?" Akane asked, suddenly in tears.

But Ranma wasn't about to budge.

He turned around and saw Link, whose mouth had fallen open in absolute horror.

And somehow he knew that he had earned the eternal respect of the boy with the white yew bow in that same hour...