WARNING: This fic contains a lot of disturbing things and should be taken with caution. We'll have bondage, rape, drugs, lots of angst, and a few other rather dark things.

DISCLAIMER: These characters do not belong to me, they belong to Rumiko Takahasi. The story is for entertainment purposes only, I am making no money off of it.

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~ Azusa's Precious Thing ~

It was an unusually nice spring morning and Nature was just starting to wake up again after a particularly difficult winter. The sunlight sparkled off of newly budding trees, collecting in jewel-like dewdrops which still adorned most surfaces, and there was a hint of early flowers in the air. It was the type of day one read about in stories, when love could happen instantly.

Ryoga Hibiki very much doubted that anything of the sort would happen to him today. In fact, he could just about predict that the warm spring morning would give way to more typical spring rainstorms by afternoon, and he would be forced to retreat into his hastily erected tent to wait them out. He didn't relish the thought of another day spent in his own company, with nothing to do but meditate on the sound of rain hitting his tent, but since he didn't know where he was, it seemed pretty unlikely that he would come upon any of the places that he knew he could take shelter.

He sighed heavily, turning a corner, wishing this neighborhood looked more familiar. If only the fates weren't so cruel, if only he could look up and find the Tendo Training Hall in front of him, waiting patiently for his arrival. But when he looked up, all he found were unfamiliar houses of nice quality, well- kept yards and freshly scrubbed white stone walls. He had no clue where he was, and he had the feeling that, when it did start to rain, these were the type of people who wouldn't look too kindly on him camping out in their backyards.

He felt his ki start to rise within him, in response to his depression, but he forced it back down. This would not be a good place to let loose with a shishi hokodan. In Nerima, no one looked twice at such occurrences anymore. Here, they would probably have him arrested. Resigned, Ryoga continued to walk. A gentle breeze ruffled his dark unruly hair, and as he predicted, it brought a hint of approaching rain with it.

Suddenly, he felt a strange tingle run down his spine and paused immediately, tensing in reaction to the as-yet unseen danger his body was alerting him to. Distantly, from behind him to the right, he heard the sound of something small and fast moving through the air. Ryoga's ears targeted the noise and he turned, swiftly, reaching out with his hand to catch the thing that was heading towards him. His fingers wrapped around a slim metal object and he plucked it out of the air just before it could embed itself into the flesh of his neck.

Ryoga opened his hand and looked at the object laying on his palm. It was a dart, made from lightweight metal and synthetic feathers. The tip gleamed wetly, and Ryoga felt a shock of recognition go through him. Poison? Growling lowly, his fangs showing plainly, Ryoga turned, looking for the source of the deadly little weapon.

A second dart, the one he'd been distracted by the first to miss, hit him square in the front of the neck.

"No . . . " he choked, stumbling backwards, fumbling for the feathered end of the cold metal violation.

The vile liquid of the dart was fast-acting, slipping into his bloodstream immediately, rushing through his body. It burned as it went, as if all of his blood ways suddenly became filled with acid, and it ruined the signals between his brain and his nerves, making it impossible for Ryoga to pull the dart free.

He fell heavily, his strangled cry cut short as his forehead hit the pavement and the world began to spin crazily.

He couldn't catch a decent breath and his entire body was on fire . . .

"Help . . . " he managed to whisper as mild convulsions took control of his muscles, rocking him where he lay on the sidewalk. "Help . . . Ranma . . . "

Someone came and stood beside him, but he couldn't look up to see who. All of the heat and fire within his body was building, roaring up into what could only end in explosion. It slammed into his head, his ears rang horribly and the inside of his skull pounded. Distantly, Ryoga was aware that he was being picked up, cradled in strong arms. Using the last of his strength and the force of his will alone, he lifted his head and made his eyes open, hoping in some screaming distant corner of his mind that he would see the one person he longed to, looking back at him.

The eyes were blue, but not the dark stormy blue Ryoga had been praying for.

They were a brilliant blue, too blue to actually be real, and they held no warmth whatsoever.

Ryoga felt tears smolder on his cheeks, and then his own vision went black. He was vaguely aware of his head falling back and then he was consumed by the fire that was eating him up from within.

**************************

I think that Azusa has finally gone insane.

There really can't be any other explanation. I mean, Charlotte was a pig, right?

In fact, he was Akane Tendo's pig, and between the two of them, they put up quite fuss over the ill-tempered little beast. Gah.

That whole affair was rather nasty, and I really don't care to think about it, but my little wench of a partner seems overly obsessed with it. As far as I'm concerned, the only good that came of that fiasco was that I was able to plant a kiss on the lips of that sweet little red-headed girl. Yes, now that is a pleasant memory.

Azusa doesn't give a damn about that, of course. My conquests are barely of passing interest to her. But ever since that fateful competition, she has not stopped going on about that damn pig. Charlotte. The spoiled little brat. Its all she'll talk about, how Charlotte is hers and she's determined to get him back and keep him forever. The whole subject has driven me nearly insane and has pounded a wedge between us that has severely affected our performance on the ice. I can't have that. Skating is almost everything to me. Azusa has her family's money, but I don't enjoy that luxury. I've had to work for everything I've got, and I'm not about to let her little insanities ruin my chances to make it.

Admittedly, agreeing to poison this poor kid probably wasn't one of my smarter moves, but I'm willing to do anything to get Azusa back on track. Well, that combined with the blackmail makes for a hell of a motivator. She's just got too much on me that I'd rather the general public not know. Okay, so I went and did the deed for her Highness. I just don't understand why she wanted me to. I mean, she's obsessed with a -pig-, not this guy, but for some reason she thinks that this Ryoga Hibiki kid is the key to her getting a hold of Charlotte. Damn it all. I don't claim to understand how she thinks, but this is far out, even for her.

I'm not even sure who this kid is. I think I've seen him around now and then, usually in the company of that damned Ranma Saotome, or dear fair Akane. He's certainly handsome enough, though not Azusa's usual type, which confuses me a bit. She's always gone for the more straight-laced fellows, and this Ryoga appears to be a bit of a ruffian. But hey, whatever floats her boat.

He's pretty strong too. That dart should have knocked him on his ass instantly, but somehow he managed to stay conscious for several minutes longer than he was suppose to. Even now, while I'm carrying him, he's only lightly unconscious and moving around a great deal. Unlucky for him. I understand that poison Azusa gave me is particularly painful and debilitating. It would probably be much better for him if he were knocked out cold. Why she'd want to use such a dangerous concoction just to get this guy to her house is beyond me. I mean, she could have just asked him and he probably would have come. He seems like a decent sort.

Wait a minute . . . now I remember. This Ryoga was that inept skater who took Ranma's place in the competition. He paired up with the sweet little pig-tailed girl. She was so upset when I kissed her . . . I wonder if she and this kid are a couple? I suppose that would make sense.

Of course, none of this explains why Azusa wants this guy, but I guess I don't really care. Any means to an end, and as long as she starts skating well again, I'd be willing to dart allthe guys in Nerima for her, if that's what it takes.

Cripes, I hope that's not what it takes. Hopefully, Ryoga Hibiki will be enough for her.

Ryoga woke to pain. More physical pain than he'd ever known in his life.

His stomach was constricting, twisting tightly in on itself in an effort to fight against whatever poisons had been introduced into his body, and there was a tight spasm in his chest in the vicinity of his heart. His legs were tingling hard, as if a thousand needles were being repeatedly plunged into his flesh. He tried to move them, to escape the agonizing feeling, but he found that he couldn't. They weren't responding to him. Nor were his arms. Though he could feel the blood pounding in every vein, throbbing and burning in every artery, he could not make his arms move. Heavy weights were wrapped around his wrists, pulling him in uncomfortable directions, matched by an iron feel around his throat that was just tight enough to prevent him drawing a good firm breath.

Panic fired through him as he realized he was slowly strangling. His body jerked in response, and he distantly heard the rattle of metal on metal. He tried to cry out, call for help, but was horrified to find that he couldn't move his mouth either. Consciousness now being driven into him by fear, Ryoga's deep brown eyes snapped open.

The ceiling that slowly spun above him was pink.

"Good morning Charlotte!" a cheery sugary voice close to him sang out, jarring him completely to his core. Ryoga tried to turn and look, but whatever had the strangle-hold on his neck prevented that. A pillow propped his head up to an extent, so that he could see down the length of his body, and was shocked to find himself nude and laying on a large bed of pink and white lace. Manacles and chains bound each of his four extremities to the posts of the bed, stretching him out just a little further than his body was meant to go. He could only assume that the weight around his neck was some sort of collar, and out of the corner of his eye he saw the chains that attached that to the bed as well. His mouth was firmly covered by a thick wide piece of tape.

Little Azusa was sitting beside him, smiling prettily, her large beautiful eyes sparkling with happiness. For some reason, the sight caused far more dread in Ryoga than a dozen thugs or other nefarious characters could have. He shivered from deep within, the pain of the poison mixing badly with the chemicals of fear. His heart skipped a couple of beats, and he jerked against the pain, a small pleading sound rising in his throat.

It hurt! Oh, Kami-sama . . . he had never felt anything as bad as this . . .

"Calm down, Charlotte," Azusa said lightly, laying her petite hand on Ryoga's chest. "It only hurts when you struggle, and there's no reason why you should. You're with Azusa now, and Azusa will take good care of you."

She stood, the soft sweet smile never leaving her face, and disappeared out of Ryoga's line of sight for a moment. He heard the sound of a lock clicking into place, and soon Azusa reappeared, looking rather pleased.

"There. Azusa made sure that Miki won't come in and interrupt. He's busy watching figure skating on TV, but Azusa doesn't want to take any chances. Azusa has waited a long time to be alone with her Charlotte."

Ryoga's eyes widened. Miki? Did she mean . . . Mikado? Mikado was here? Did he have any idea that Ryoga was bound up in Azusa's bedroom, in severe pain? Ryoga drew in a strained breath through his nose and tried to scream, to alert the young man that he was trapped and needed help, but all he could manage was a weak muffled cry that was drowned by the tape over his mouth. Azusa looked amused. She leaned down over him and brushed back his thick black bangs, her slender fingers gentle and caring.

"Its all right, Charlotte," she assured lovingly. "Azusa won't hurt you."

Won't hurt him? He was already in pain! His insides were twisting and grinding in reaction to the drugs he's been subjected to, and his heart was skipping every few beats. His head pounded furiously and his vision kept darkening in and out. He was suffering horribly, and he tried to tell her this, murffling urgently and letting the look in his eyes beg her. He needed a doctor. He needed help!

And he wasn't her damn Charlotte!!

Azusa straightened, but kept her steady gaze on Ryoga's face. "Azusa has dreamed of this day, when she would finally have you all to herself," the girl told him, raising her hands to the top button of her blouse. Carefully, a twinkling look of anticipation in her eyes, she undid the button and moved down to those below, slowly pulling open the garment as she went. The soft lacy white bra she wore was gradually revealed, as well as the twin mounds of her small but well-rounded breasts.

Ryoga shut his eyes quickly, but not before he felt a rush of heat to his face. Blood filled his nose and trailed down his esophagus, causing him to choke and his throat to spasm. He moaned lowly at the heavy weight of fluid in his throat and the blood that now blocked one of his nostrils, making it that much more difficult for him to breathe.

Azusa didn't seem to notice or care. She pulled off her blouse and tossed it aside, then shimmied out of her little skirt, letting it fall into a pile of pink on the floor. It didn't matter to her that Charlotte had his lovely eyes closed, or that he was pale and shaking. She didn't see that. In her mind's eye, she saw only the lovely dark-haired boy that she had fallen for the moment she realized that he was her sweet little Charlotte. She saw him laying on her bed, abyssal eyes filled with love and excitement at seeing her shapely strong body for the first time. He loved her as much as she loved him, and wanted her as much as well. This was going to be beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Azusa slipped out of her under-things, letting them fall away, and stood before the bed, purring down at her captive with eyes that saw only what she wanted.

"Azusa has saved herself for you, Charlotte. Don't you think that Azusa is beautiful?"

Ryoga was fighting for breath. Dizzy and unsure, his eyes fluttered open, only to see little Azusa standing over him, nude and pretty, a hopeful expression on her face. Ryoga's mind did a flip, and turned over on itself, as he fought to keep a fresh wave of blood out of his nose.

"Azusa is glad," she beamed, apparently replying to words only she could hear.

Ryoga's entire body tensed as her soft warm form slid over his, the sound of clinking chains startling to his ears. He could feel every inch of her skin, as if Azusa was blazing even hotter then he already felt, burning like the sun. He knew exactly where her hands lay on his face as she held him and gently kissed the tape that covered his mouth, seemingly oblivious to the blood that ran down his face. He felt where her firm little breasts pressed against his chest, where her soft furry sex lay across his stomach as she straddled his bound body, legs on either side. He tried to buck against her, hoping to dislodge her, but the binding did not allow him that much movement and the collar strangled him whenever he tried. Ryoga kept his eyes tightly shut, knowing that looking at her would probably be his death, for if any more blood went down his throat, he would choke. His heart began to pump erratically, each beat bringing a sharp pain to his chest. From beneath the gag, he whined pleadingly.

Kami-sama! Please don't let this be happening . . . please . . . someone please help me!!

Her hands and body were moving on him now, feather-light touches teasing and tantalizing. For some reason, probably due to the poisons he had been injected with, he found himself especially sensitive, and though he tried not to react, tensing himself against the feelings, his body was beyond his control. Each press of her fingers sent a jolt of pleasure/pain into his head, overloading him. Each wiggle of her body caused his to roar with heat in response. But, though he was outwardly reacting, Ryoga's mind was reeling in horror. He mentally cringed at every touch, wanting nothing more than throw her off, rip the chains from his arms and legs, and release the mother of all shishi hokodans to cleanse himself of the pain and the feeling of filth. He tried to summon one, but found his ki wandering without direction, confused and weakened by the drugs. He was helpless, he could not move and this perverted little psycho was . . . was . . .

Azusa moved down his body, delicate hands feeling, touching, invading wherever they could. She talked to him, but the rushing sound in his ears was drowning out whatever words she was trying to soothe him with. He strained against the bindings, jerking as she touched his member, firing it with feverish heat. Dizziness plowed into him as the blood rushed from his head, concentrating itself beneath her hands and small hot mouth. She sucked him, bit him, drove him into a state of shuttering want. The shackles around his wrists and ankles sawed into his flesh as he trembled violently.

No . . . not this way! Please! Not with her . . . Ranma . . .

Ryoga was hard, so very painfully hard. In his head he was screaming, desperate to shut down and curl away, fold in on himself until he was nothing and the pain went away. But it didn't go away, it increased. As Azusa's moist inferno depths closed around his manhood, her internal muscles squeezing and playing with him, Ryoga fought back in the only way that he was able.

Tensing his entire body, he tipped his head back, feeling the metal collar around his neck dig in tightly. Pain flowered up from his lungs and chest, spreading out in agonizing spider-web pattern through his nerves and blood vessels, up his arms and down his legs. But he held out against it, purposely strangling himself with the collar, praying that it would all end soon and he could succumb to the darkness.

Somewhere, distantly, he came with Azusa, and Ryoga heard her small yelp of pleasure as his member, buried deeply within her, spasmed and shot. He was also aware that he was sobbing, that desperate noises where coming from his throat. But the sounds slowly began to fade away as he increased the pressure on his neck, visualizing the cold metal of the collar digging into his trachea, crushing it, releasing him. The blackness engulfed him, wrapped around him, cradled him, and he welcomed it gladly. Anything to escape the pain, the dishonor, the shame . . .

***************************************

To say that I'm shocked would be an understatement. Horrified would be a more appropriate word. Sickened would be another.

I stand with my ear pressed to her bedroom door, listening. Right, like I would sit out in the livingroom and watch TV while all this was going on? Azusa can be rather dim at times. But the longer I listen, the more I realize that she's not stupid, not the brainless little air head I always thought she was.

She's insane.

Does she actually think that poor Ryoga kid is her little Charlotte?! What the hell is going through her head? Charlotte is a -pig-. But that's what she keeps calling him, over and over. She's talking non-stop, telling him how much she loves him, how good it feels to be in his arms, how wonderful their love-making is. But all I can hear from him are muffled noises and what sounds like sobbing. I know he's not holding her, after all, I chained him down myself. And I'm sure he's not enjoying this, judging by the sounds he's making. The drugs alone are probably eating him up inside, Azusa's butler warned me about spilling any of the mixture when I was preparing the darts, saying something about there being a lot of acids in the concoction. Yeah, that's bad enough, but to be subjected to . . . -that- . . . at that same time? Its disgusting.

Damn it all. I'm trying to keep the skating in mind, I really am. That's the only thing that's truly important to me, that Azusa be happy enough to do her best on the ice. I mean, without her as my partner I would not have gotten this far, and I intend to go all the way. But . . . but can I stand by at let her do whatever she's doing to another human being simply for the sake of my career?

Kami, it's a hard decision to make, but I walk away from the door, going back to the livingroom, leaving that miserable young man to his fate. The rest of the house seems abnormally quiet compared to the sounds I heard emanating from Azusa's bedroom. I sit on the couch, cross my arms, and wonder why I don't just go home. After all, its really none of my business. As long as she shows up for practice tomorrow, I really shouldn't care what she does.

But as I sit there, the memory of the pig tailed girl arrives unbidden in my mind. This isn't terribly unusual, as she is one of my favorite fantasies. She's so fresh and pretty, and of all my conquests, she was one of the few that I was really attracted to. I picture her perfectly and relive our kiss, smiling to myself as I remember how upset she was, how she ran away. Only minutes later, Ranma came to challenge me. Strange that I had never thought about it before, but they do look rather alike, she and Ranma. Perhaps he's her . . . brother? Yes, that was probably it. That would explain why he was so angry at me, for violating his sister. Oh well, he certainly wasn't the first irrate brother I've had to deal with.

I remember how sweet that flame-haired beauty looked as she stood ready on the ice in her cute little costume. She appeared so determined with that large pink flower adorning her hair and blue eyes snapping angrily. Then . . . then I remember who was standing beside her. Wearing green with a defiant expression on his admittedly handsome face. He was a lousy skater, but he tried, and I'll give him that.

Ryoga Hibiki.

I think about my earlier speculation. Were Ryoga and the pig tailed girl an item? It's certainly a possibility. And I guess its rather too bad, since she's obviously never going to see him again. I mean, there's no way that Azusa would be stupid enough to let Hibiki go after what she's done with him. If he went to the police, she'd be facing some very nasty charges. Damn, so would I! I was the one who shot him and brought him here, after all.

I hadn't thought about that before. Of course, now I have to make sure Azusa disposes of him after she's had her fun. That's not a very appealing thought, but what else can I do? I need that little twit to skate with. But . . . oh Kami, how could I ever see the pig tailed girl on the street again without throwing up at the very thought of what Azusa's doing to Ryoga? If they are a couple . . . that flame-headed beauty is going to be devastated . . .

What the hell am I gong to do? Man, this sucks. Why does Azusa have to be such a little psycho anyway?

He swam in a blackened sea of confusion and pain. That's all there was to his existence. No up or down, no awake or asleep, and no peaceful death to take him fully into the dark night. There was only pain, hurt and agony that mushroomed from his chest in tight ever-widening waves. Something was wrong with his heart, and that was as far as he could think in that direction. There was also disappointment. He had hoped to be dead by now, but obviously he wasn't. He could hear her talking, her trill little voice rising and falling as she chatted about this or that, things he couldn't possibly care about. This was all he knew, all he was aware of.

Beyond that, there existed only torture. Only the games of a sick and lonely mind that had decided to make him into her plaything.

As soon as she saw that he was nearly dead from strangling on the collar around his neck, Azusa removed it. It was a big ugly black thing anyway, and she didn't like it. Letting him sleep, she gently fastened a small delicate pink collar in its place, very similar to the one she had given him before. This one also said "Charlotte" in scrolled fancy characters, and it locked with a key which she tucked away for safe-keeping. She had also unchained his legs as she devotedly cleaned him up from their lovemaking. She left his arms bound, and changed the messy bloody tape that covered his mouth, replacing it with a fresh piece. Azusa liked it better when he didn't talk, because the only things she'd ever heard him say were negative, and she wasn't interested in listening.

She took a quick bath, so that she would be nice and fresh when he woke, but he was asleep for far too long, so she took it upon herself to wake him. He was so precious, with the lost expression in his dark eyes as they fluttered open, and the soft moan of pain that somehow escaped from beneath the tape on his mouth. Azusa was very happy to finally have him all to herself. He was everything she had dreamed he would be, and she knew that they would be very happy together.

He wasn't awake very long before he passed out - - no, before he fell asleep again. Azusa felt a bit irritated that he didn't seem very interested in paying attention to her, but that was okay too. Very soon, Azusa knew that he'd fall asleep and never wake again, and then he would truly be hers forever. Humming softly to herself, she slipped one of her pretty dresses and danced into the next room, the lovely place where she kept all of her cute things. She'd keep Charlotte here too, as soon as he fell asleep for good. He would like being with all of her other precious treasures, she just knew that he would.

********************************************

Ranma had been feeling rather uneasy all day, but he couldn't pinpoint why.

In all respects, things had been pretty typical. He'd argued with Akane, gone to school, fought with Kuno, argued with Akane some more, and avoided two late afternoon rain showers. Akane snubbed him to go shop with her friends, which was more than fine with him. She'd been in a snit ever since Ranma had privately told her that he thought he was gay.

Boy, that had been a mistake. Still, at least she'd kept her promise and hadn't leaked the information to any one yet. Ranma knew that he'd disappointed her badly, but she had actually surprised him with her restraint and acceptance. Now, things were strained between them, but at least there were no more pretenses. She knew, he knew, and separately they were both already exploring other possibilities. Of course, neither of them were too keen on breaking the news to their respective fathers yet. By mutual unspoken agreement, things around the Tendo house remained the same.

Except for the tension. That had melted away, and Ranma had the feeling that, once she got over her initial shock and requisite annoyance, he and Akane might actually become friends. That was kind of a nice feeling, though today it was quashed by the unsettled fluttering in his stomach.

He decided to chalk it up to hunger and stopped at one of the neighborhood restaurant before heading home. Knowing better than to risk his luck with either of his other iinazuke's establishments, Ranma strolled instead into a little sushi shop that he often frequented.

The chef greeted him as he took a seat, and got to work right away on Ranma's usual. While he waited, Ranma flipped idly through some magazines that another customer had left, resting his hand against his cheek. Some spectacular shots of the Himalayan Mountains, tucked away in the pages of a

travel publication made Ranma think unexpectedly of Ryoga.

Ryoga . . . now I wonder where he's gotten himself lost at? Been awhile since I've seen him. I'd like to talk to him, and I think he'll be the next one I come out to. Heh, the news will probably give him an aneurysm, but wouldn't it be great if . . . damn . . . if he were gay too? Fat chance, but its nice to think about, anyway. I'm sure that the next time he shows up, Akane will attach herself to him like a leech. I mean, she's not into Kuno, that's for sure. And who the hell else is there?

"Saotome-san?"

Ranma blinked his way out of his thoughts, looking up to find Mikado Sanzenin standing beside him. Eh, now there was a guy he simply was not attracted to. But he grinned widely. "Hey, Mikado the Molester! How are ya?"

Mikado smirked in his usual superior way, giving his sandy-colored bangs a light toss so that he could see Ranma better. He was dressed impeccably, wearing a lightly colored casual suit and a striking black shirt beneath it. "The name is Sanzenin, Saotome," he replied in a good-natured way.

"I know. Where's your rabid little pink shadow?"

Mikado smiled slightly, apparently taking well to the description of his partner. "Ah, Azusa. Actually, she's what I need to talk to you about. Well, not you really. I'd like to talk to your sister."

Ranma frowned, puzzled. "My sister? I ain't got a sister."

"The red-headed pig tailed girl isn't your sister?" It was Mikado's turn to frown.

Ranma looked lost for a few seconds, then laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Ooooh! You mean -that- sister! Yeah, right. That sounds good. She's my sister. Heh."

Mikado eyed him dubiously for a moment. "Well, do you know where I can find her? It's a matter of some urgency, concerning her boyfriend."

Ranma derailed again. "Um . . . boyfriend?"

"C'mon, Saotome," Mikado said, obviously getting irritated. "Where is she? There really isn't time to play around here."

Ranma picked up on the stressed undertone to Mikado's words, and for the first time he noticed that the handsome young skater looked a little tired. There were faint circles of unrest beneath his striking blue eyes and tiny lines of gravity on his face. Something serious was wrong. Something about Ranma-chan's boyfriend? That didn't make any sense. Ranma decided that the quickest way to get to the bottom of this was to play along.

"Look, Mikado, Ranko's not around right now. She's . . . ah . . . visiting relatives. If there's a problem that concerns her, I'll help. Tell me what's wrong."

Mikado pressed his lips together tightly, glaring down at Ranma for a long moment. Did he dare trust Saotome with this? Well, one thing was for sure, after listening to Azusa torture that poor kid, he certainly couldn't stand by idly anymore. His conscious had gotten the better of him, and Mikado knew something had to be done. Ranma had proven himself an excellent martial artist. Chances are, he would need every bit of his skill if he faced off against Azusa. She was small, but much stronger than most people gave her credit for. Coming to a decision, Mikado nodded.

"Come with me, Saotome-san," he said, lowering his voice so that other customers in the restaurant wouldn't overhear. "If you value your sister's happiness, then please come with me. Her loved one is in danger."

Ranma stood, but plastered a frown on his face as he followed. "Hold on there, Mikado. I'll help, but you gotta tell me who I'm helping. Just who do you think Ranko's boyfriend is? As far as I know, she doesn't have one." And cripes, he -should- know.

Mikado paused. Had he read the situation wrong? The pig tailed girl and Hibiki weren't a couple? He glanced back at Ranma, sliding the door of the restaurant open as he did. "Ryoga Hibiki? The boy with the fangs?"

He was startled to see Ranma turn several shades paler, and stop in stunned surprise. After a few brief seconds of shock, Ranma's eyes narrowed, and their blue color adopted the same stormy traits as the rain clouds that had darkened Nerima that afternoon. He tightened his hands into a firm fists, and Mikado could have sworn that a blue battle aura rose from Ranma for just an instant, testimony of his sudden rage.

"Ryoga's in trouble?" Ranma hissed lowly. "Take me to him, Mikado. Right now."

************************************************

Well, at least I now have Saotome, and he seems eager to help, especially now that he knows that its Hibiki in trouble. I wonder why that is? I think perhaps I have misinterpreted the situation between Ranma, his sister and Ryoga, though I'm not entirely sure how. Well, that's a mystery for another time.

As we sprint across town, I fill him in on what's going on. Well, not entirely. I hesitate to tell him exactly how far Azusa's taken her little obsession, for some reason still feeling some sense of loyalty to my misguided little partner. After all, she and I have been together for many years now, both as friends and a skating couple. The skating will undoubtedly come to an end now, but I find myself grieving for our friendship. Maybe . . well, maybe I can get her some help.

So, I just tell Saotome the basics, that Azusa has kidnaped Hibiki and is holding him in her room. I tell him that she seems to think the boy is her Charlotte, and Ranma reacts strangely to that. Its like I just crossed a barrier into a forbidden subject, because he stops asking questions and clamps his mouth shut. He doesn't say another word until I finish giving him the details. Of course, I don't mention my part in all of this. There's no reason why he has to know that I was the one who drugged Ryoga in the first place. I tell him that he's probably going to have to be the one to fight Azusa. As angry as I've been at her occasionally, I've never been able to lift a finger against her. She's my friend, my partner.

I can see that Saotome isn't keen on fighting a girl. That's a credit to him and his honor, and my estimation of him is raised considerably. But he tells me that he'll do what he has to help Ryoga, and I can tell he's sincere by the sound of his voice and the determination in his eyes. He must consider Hibiki a very good friend. Just the same, I ask him for a promise, that he try not to hurt Azusa too much. I'll get her help.

Ranma agrees, and then I feel secure enough to take him to the Shiratori home. I hope its not too late for Ryoga. And I pray that Ranma can keep his promise once he discovers just what Azusa has done to his friend.

Charlotte wasn't waking up anymore.

With a soft smile, Azusa leaned down and kissed his cheek, which was still moist from previously shed tears. Though he hadn't stirred in a long time, when she bent close she could sense his labored breathing and knew that he was still . . . well, he hadn't gone to sleep completely for good yet. But he was almost there, and soon it would be time for him to join all of her other cute things. She ruffled her hand through his thick hair, absently teasing the unruly strands back into place. He looked perfect, a sleeping angel.

Azusa didn't care to notice the pallor to Charlotte's skin, or the heavy black circles beneath his eyes. She didn't want to see that the sticky tape was tearing into the skin on his face, or that his body temperature was soaring wildly in a fearsome fever. She ignored the nasty open wound around his neck that the iron collar had gouged into his flesh as he attempted to strangle himself. As far as she was concerned, he was still the same lovely young man she had met on the ice many months ago. Her dear little Charlotte. She traced her finger along the line of his tight pink collar, which was quickly making the neck wound even worse. He was hers forever.

The petite girl rose and danced lightly into the next room, smiling with happiness. Gleefully, she explained to all of the other items in her collection that it was almost time for Charlotte to join them, and that she had to make room for him. Humming the theme to one of the cartoons she loved to watch, Azusa carefully rearranged her collection, taking great care with each treasure as she moved it, clearing space on a low ornate laquer table. Each item received special attention as it was moved, everything from stuffed animals to road signs were subjected to tight hugs and gushing love from the demonstrative young woman. Upon the table, Azusa carefully laid a small pillow of soft satin pink, fussing over its exact placement and smoothing out the shimmering surface so that there were no wrinkles. She sat back and smiled at her work, and knew that Charlotte would be pleased with her final resting place.

"Its just beautiful, isn't it Mirabella?" Azusa asked, picking up a nearby stuffed cat and holding it close to her chest. "Charlotte will be so happy," she tittered and held the cat up to eye-level. "You'll make him feel at home, won't you Mirabella?"

The cat's dusty synthetic fur gleamed dully under the bright lights of the room. Azusa carefully placed Mirabella beside the satin cushion reserved for Charlotte, and skipped back out into her bedroom.

It had taken her a great deal of time and spying to discover the secret of how he changed into a such a cute black piglet, but it had been worth it. Now, Azusa carefully unlocked the chains still binding Charlotte to the bed, ignoring how his arms fell limp once they were released, not seeing the raw bleeding cuts around his wrists. Retrieving a pretty pink watering can that she had filled with ice water earlier, Azusa giggled as she tipped the spout over the young man lying on her bed.

The change was fascinating to watch, and her soft blue-grey eyes shimmered with delight as Charlotte's form shrank and twisted. When the transformation was complete, Azusa squealed and clapped her hands. Charlotte still wore the sweet little pink collar, and the strip of tape remained wrapped around his muzzle. Cooing lovingly, Azusa picked up the limp body, cradling it in her arms.

She made her way into the next room, talking sweetly as she went. "Azusa's dearest, sweetest Charlotte. Azusa loves you so much, yes she does. She adored being in your strong wonderful arms and feeling you within her. It was like heaven for Azusa, and now she wants to give you heaven in return." The small girl looked up as she stepped slowly through her lovely room, filled with all of its cute treasures. "Hello everyone!" she purred. "Azusa has finally brought Charlotte to stay with us forever and ever. Say hello, make Charlotte feel welcome."

The piles of miscellany sparkled beneath the hot lights of the room.

Azusa knelt before the little space she had cleared. Gently, she placed her beloved pig on the pillow and sat back on her heels to admire how fine his small black body looked against the lighter color of the satin. Smiling, she reached out and lovingly stroked his head, running her fingers around his ears and down the line of his neck. She adjusted the collar so that she could see the engraved name, a soft caring light in her large eyes. She took no notice of the drops of blood which fell upon the pink satin, spreading quickly through the fabric into watery-looking dark stains.

"Sleep well, dearest Charlotte," she whispered reverently, her fingers dancing lightly over his form, the tips of each picking up rusty spots of blood. "Sleep well. Azusa loves you. Azusa loves her . . . her Ryoga . . . "

*********************************

Azusa returned to her bedroom, smiling dreamily with two sparkling tears in her eyes. The bed was a rumpled bloody mess, but she would take care of that later. Humming once again, she picked up the watering can and, intending to return it to the conservatory garden, opened her bedroom door and stepped out into the hallway.

She nearly ran into Mikado, who was reaching for the door on the other side, obviously intending to come in. Azusa yelped in alarm, dropping the watering can and putting her hands to her mouth.

"Azusa . . . " he began, his brilliant blue eyes shining sadly.

"Miki! Azusa thought you went home! Why are you here and trying to come into Azusa's bedroom?" she demanded, then noticed another young man standing slightly behind her skating partner. She frowned heavily.

Azusa recognized him, of course. He was one of Charlotte's friends, the young martial artist who had skated with Akane Tendo. She wondered briefly what he would be doing here in her home, then noticed the angry look in his eyes. He was mad, and his fury was directed towards her! All at once, Azusa realized why he had come.

"No!" she shrieked, her sudden emotional explosion catching both of the young men off guard. "You're not taking Azusa's Charlotte away this time!!"

Ranma didn't waste any time. He jumped forward, grabbing the girl by the arms and shaking her a bit. "He's not yours! Now, where is he?"

She pursed her lips in a determined and fierce pout, an instant before bringing her leg up to deliver a devastating and unexpected kick to his mid-section. Ranma went down to his knees, all of the air knocked clean out of him.

"You can't have him! He belongs to Azusa!" she hissed, looking for all the world like a vicious cat ready to claw. She stood protectively in front of her bedroom door, glaring at them both, obviously upset and hurt by this intrusion into her home and private fantasy. "Miki, how could you do this? He wants to take Charlotte away! How could you bring him here to Azusa's house?!"

Mikado winced at the light of betrayal in her huge eyes. He hadn't realized until that moment how difficult this would be to stomach. Azusa was his friend, his partner. He wanted to give her anything she desired, to keep her happy and skating. For so many years, he had overlooked her kleptomania, for the sake of their art, turning a blind eye to her little obsessions. It took every but of his will-power not to give in to her now.

But he knew, deep down, she needed help. "Azu-chan," he said carefully, taking a step forward. "This is wrong. Your obsession with that pig has caused you to hurt someone, someone who has no part in this."

"Shows what you know," she pouted at him. "He is Azusa's Charlotte."

"That's impossible, Azusa."

Ranma got to his feet, holding his stomach. For such a small thing, Azusa packed quite a kick. He growled lowly, eyes narrowed dangerously. "Look, Azusa. I don't know how you found out about Ryoga, but I want him back, right now. I'm not interested in fighting a girl, but I will go through you to get him if I have to."

"No!" Charlotte is Azusa's!" she spit at him. "You can't have him!" With those words, she turned and fled into her bedroom.

Ranma pursued, chasing her through the main part of the suites, intending to run her down if he had to. But suddenly, he caught sight of something that made his entire body go cold. Ranma came to a dead stop beside Azusa's large four poster bed.

The shackles attached to each post and the blood stains on the top comforter told a story that Ranma wasn't prepared to hear. He felt his stomach lurch wildly. Kami-sama, just what had happened here?! This was obviously far more than just a simple kidnaping, as Mikado had led him to believe. Though he hadn't known exactly what to expect, something this horrific had been the furthest thing from his mind. He had always regarded Azusa as creepy, but essentially harmless.

Mikado came in behind him and turned pale at the sight of the bed. "Oh Azusa . . . " he whispered, fighting down his revulsion.

"He'd better not be dead, Mikado!" Ranma regained his head, snarling, as this time his battle aura sprung into existence full blown. He tore through the bedroom, heading straight into the room Azusa had disappeared into, leaving fury in his wake.

He found himself in a maze of old junk, dolls, stuffed animals and rotting bits of food under glass. Pausing for a moment to get his bearings and look around, Ranma spotted Azusa crouched near the back of the room, peeking at him over the piles of clutter. Grinding his teeth together, flexing his hands repeatedly into fists, Ranma approached her, carefully stepping around the larger items which littered the floor. Traffic lights, barber poles, bicycles . . . Ranma shook his head. She was crazy. There was simply no other explaination.

"Where is he, you little wench? Where's Ryoga?!" Ranma crouched into a more defensive position, edging around an old roll-top desk that was covered with glass-blown figurines.

Azusa has him," she replied calmly. She was sitting on a table, and in her lap rested a little stained pink pillow. On that pillow, P-Chan lay on his side, still as death, with taped wrapped so tightly around his muzzle that blood was seeping out along the edges. Smiling vacantly, Azusa held a deadly little ornate knife directly over the pig's neck, its needle sharp tip pressed hard into black flesh.

Ranma came to a skidding halt, eyes widening. "Azusa . . . "

"Charlotte belongs to Azusa," she insisted again. "She won't let you take him!"

"No, please don't," Ranma pleaded, swallowing hard, trying to fight down his anger and keep control. If he attacked her, she'd kill P-Chan, and he didn't doubt for one second that she wasn't entirely capable of it. His heart freezing in his chest, Ranma lowered his fists and crouched low before her.

"Please . . . " he whispered.

************************************

I come in behind Saotome and see what's happening. Somehow, Azusa has gotten a hold of that stupid pig and is now holding a knife on it, like she's about to sacrifice it, or something. I really don't understand, especially when I hear Ranma beg her not to kill the thing. I thought he was here to save Ryoga, not that dumb beast. But, I don't see Hibiki anywhere.

Obviously I'm missing something, and I don't like that. I glance at Ranma, see the desperate light in his eyes. He looks like he's about to lose something that means the world to him, that if Azusa were to use that knife, an important part of Ranma would die along with that infernal pig. But . . . how can that be . . . ? Its just a stupid pig, certainly not worth this kind of fuss, let alone the hassle of that entire inane Charlotte Cup nonsense a few months back. What on earth is Ranma doing? We should be trying to find Ryoga! If he's not already dead, then he undoubtedly needs immediate medical help . . .

Then I remember Azusa's insistence that Hibiki is her Charlotte, and Ranma's words in the hallway come racing back to me as well.

"I don't know how you found out about Ryoga . . . "

Great Kami-sama! No! That's not possible!

Still crouched, Ranma inched forward ever so slightly, his heart pounding hard in his throat. His eyes were glued to P-Chan's still form, to the knife point that was drawing blood from his neck as Azusa tensed in response to Ranma's advance. P-Chan was so still! Ranma couldn't even be sure that he was breathing, and the thought that he might be too late sent stabs of pain through Ranma's chest.

Irreverently, all the young martial artist could think of in that moment was Ryoga's eyes, how large and quiet and dimensional they were. He couldn't remember ever actually looking into those eyes, but somehow he knew them regardless. He knew how they shimmered when Ryoga was sad, how they snapped hotly when he was angry, and to face the fact that he might never see those eyes again was something Ranma simply was not prepared to do.

Seeing P-Chan's pitiful bloody body in Azusa's lap drove home something that Ranma realized he must have known on some level for years - - Ryoga was special. He was a good friend, and he was important to Ranma.

Love? It might be, though it would take some time and exploring to discover that for sure.

Time was something that Ryoga might not have.

"Azusa," Ranma whispered, crouching even lower in front of her, moving slowly. He wanted nothing more than to spring forward and wrap his hands around her thin delicate neck, but knew instinctively how much of a mistake that would be. She was dangerous, and she could probably plunge that knife much faster than Ranma could move. Instead, he resorted to words, uncomfortable with their use, but knowing that Ryoga's life depended on his caution now. "Please don't. Don't kill Ryoga."

"Charlotte is already asleep forever," she told him in a strangely sensible tone. "You can't save him now, even if Azusa wanted to give him to you."

Her words cut him like the knife she held. Already asleep? Did that mean he was too far gone to save? No, that couldn't be! Ranma wouldn't accept it. He shook his head, closing his eyes for a brief moment. He couldn't help it, even though he knew it was the wrong thing to do, he felt the rise of his ki and battle aura and his fingers tingled with the desire to unleash energy. Ryoga's attack, the one that Ranma could never quite perfect as the Lost Boy did. Shishi hokodan. It would be fitting, but Ranma fought against the urge. If P-Chan wasn't already dead, a blast like the one building in Ranma would kill him, and probably Azusa too. Despite what she had done, Ranma simply couldn't . . . wouldn't . . . kill a girl.

"Azu-chan," Mikado interrupted from where he stood behind Ranma, his voice urgent. He could see the rage that was building in the young martial artist, and hoped to temper it. If he could reason with her . . . MIkado looked confused and uncertain, biting his lower lip. "Azusa, how can you do this? How can you let something that you claim to love so much die?"

She blinked slowly, suddenly seeming unsure of herself. Her eyes quivered as she gazed up at her skating partner, and her grip around the handle of the knife tightened. "Miki, Azusa can't let him take her Charlotte away."

"That's not a Charlotte!" Mikado snapped suddenly, pain in his words and expression. "That's not even a pig! It's a man, Azu-chan! Another human being! You're committing murder!"

"No, Azusa is not!" she wailed, tears coming suddenly in a furious little storm. "Azusa just wants her Char - - "

Her words were cut short as Ranma took the opportunity, while the crying girl was distracted and had her attention on Mikado, to spring forward and grab for the hand that was holding the knife. He wrapped his fingers around her wrist and squeezed tightly, grimacing as he did, pinching the nerve so that she was forced to release the weapon. It fell away, clattering to the floor.

Azusa squealed in pain and anger, retaliating with a punch that connected with the side of Ranma's head. There was far more power behind it than the young man expected, and it hit with the same strength of one of Akane's mallets. Even as she nailed him, however, he tried to grab for P-Chan. Azusa hopped backwards away from his reach, and his fingers just barely brushed the wiry fur of the pig's head. She clutched him to her chest protectively, shrieking, "No! You can't have him!"

Ranma shook his head to clear it of the ringing and went after her again. He was still angry, but had gotten a hold of himself enough to temper his attack. Though he really wanted to release a blast of ki at her, he settled instead for making sure he was well blocked and simply grabbing for her again. He missed as she twisted out of his hands, replying with a firm kick to his chest that somehow slipped through his block. Stumbling backwards, his hands went to his sternum as pain lanced up the bone. Damn, she was strong! Grinding his teeth, he prepared to go after her once more.

A sudden crash froze them both. They looked up to see Mikado, a lost and hurt expression on his handsome face, standing stiffly with a spattering of glass at his feet. At first, Ranma didn't really understand the significance of the broken pieces, but Azusa obviously did.

"Francois!" she screamed, her eyes going wide with horror. "No! Miki! What are you doing?!"

"Stop it, Azusa. Let Ranma have Ryoga," Mikado requested, his voice low and gentle.

She clutched the limp body roughly. "Never!"

"Then, I'm sorry." Mikado turned and retrieved a china doll from one of the many shelves lining the room. He held it for a long moment, gazing at Azusa, then dashed it to the floor. It broke loudly, the head shattering into dozens of flying pieces.

"Geraldine!" Azusa howled, tears flowing freely. "Mikado! Please stop!"

Mikado ignored her, picking up an expensive-looking mantle clock and a small unicorn figurine. He threw both to the floor, and the sound of their breaking was echoed by Azusa's scream of sympathetic agony. A framed picture of a mushroom and three brightly colored pokemon toys followed. He turned sharply and swept his arm over the roll-top desk, sending all of the blown-glass treasures to their shattering end on the floor.

The girl began to cry out a frantic jumble of names, her slight body trembling violently. Pushing past Ranma, she rushed over and threw herself at Mikado's feet, begging that he stop, her words collapsing into uncontrollable sobs quickly. She clutched at his legs, fingers digging into the material of his pants. "Mikado!!" she sobbed wildly. "Please! Please stop!!"

Face twisting with grief, the young skater crouched down and took her by the shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "Ryoga begged you to stop, Azusa," he told her tightly, tears standing in his own eyes. "Did you? Did you even hear him? Did you even see the pain you were causing him?"

She lowered her head, tears splashing against the body of the pig she still held in her arms. "Azusa . . . " she choked on her sobs, "Azusa just wanted . . . " With a strange little noise of defeat and sudden understanding, the girl slowly fluttered into a small shuttering heap against Mikado's legs. Her arms loosened limply, and she let Charlotte fall from her embrace.

Ranma caught the pig before he could hit the floor, using every bit of his speed to do so. Without sparing a glance at Azusa, the young martial artist scrambled to his feet, dashing away immediately in the direction of the bath.

Mikado barely registered the fact that he was gone. Tears making their way slowly down his face, he simply gathered his partner into the strong safe fold of his arms, and held her as she herself shattered into hundreds of unretrievable pieces, as easily as one of her pretty little treasures.

****************************************

Hang on, Ryoga! Hang on, please!

Ranma repeated the words over and over in his head as he carefully held P-Chan's frighteningly slack and battered body in one arm and turned the hot water in the bath on with his free hand. He blinked against the steam that began to rise, filling the still air rapidly as the temperature of the water increased. Grabbing a small bucket, Ranma filled it, and then carefully poured the contents over P-Chan, oblivious to the hot water soaking his own clothes. He had to shift his hold to accommodate Ryoga's true form, as the young man transformed in his arms.

Tears sprang to Ranma's dark blue eyes as he felt the immediate rise of fever from Ryoga's body and saw the wounds around the young man's wrists and neck and the deathly white color of his skin. Fighting to keep himself under control, Ranma trembled as he carefully peeled the tape from his friend's mouth, wincing at the skin which the adhesive pulled away with it, and the fresh blood that welled up. He saw Ryoga's eyelids flutter in response.

"Ryoga? C'mon, man! Wake up!" Ranma urged softly, shifting so that Ryoga's head was cradled in the fold of his arm. He brushed back the blood stiffened bangs which fell across the Lost Boy's face, searching eagerly for any sign of consciousness. He knew that he should be calling for an ambulance, that Ryoga desperately needed medical attention, but he just couldn't bear to release Ryoga from his arms until he was sure that the boy knew he was there. That he was safe. That it was all over. "Ryoga! Ryoga, please!"

A small gasping sound came from Ryoga's throat and his mouth opened slightly. Ranma was relieved when the Lost Boy weakly raised his right hand, fingers fumbling for the pink collar that was still digging into his neck. Ranma took his hand and squeezed it. "You're gonna be okay, buddy," he said to assure himself as much as Ryoga. "I'll get it off of you, you're all right now."

Those soft brown eyes opened just a bit. "Rrrmmm . . . " Ryoga moaned lowly.

"I'm here. Don't try to talk, okay? You don't have to worry, I'm here and I'm gonna take care of you," Ranma told him softly, squeezing his hand again. He leaned close and pressed his lips carefully to Ryoga's forehead, feeling the fever beneath the other young man's skin. "I'm gonna take care of you," he repeated, delivering his words with the tone of a promise.

Ryoga let his eyes close, but his torn lips curled ever so slightly into a faint smile and he weakly returned the squeeze to Ranma's hand, even as unconsciousness claimed him once more.

****************************************
****************************************

Its so hard to believe that its only been a year. Just a year. Sometimes it feels like the whole fiasco only just happened, then I look back and see how far things have come and I have to wonder that ten years haven't passed. So much changed for me in the course of only a single day and long night, it still seems so unreal at times.

Hibiki . . . Ryoga, I'm comfortable enough with him now to use his given name on a regular basis . . . Ryoga had suffered a heart attack, brought on by the poisons I shot him with. He was in the hospital for a long time, and at first there was some question as to whether or not he'd pull through. I had to marvel at Ranma's loyalty, he stayed with Ryoga almost constantly, leaving only when one of us, Akane or I, would force him to. It was funny, because when I asked him about it at that time, he told me that he didn't love Ryoga, but it sure seemed that way to me. And I'm positive that Ryoga wouldn't have recovered as quickly as he did without Ranma at his side.

He's going to be all right, for the most part. The poisons destroyed some of his nerves and ruined his fine motor control. Tofu-sama said something about mild brain damages as well, but we've really seen no positive evidence of that, aside from some memory problems. Things like phone numbers and people's names don't stick in his head anymore. He has difficulty picking up small objects and drops things a lot. We can tell this frustrates him a great deal, and he does lose his temper easily, but Ranma has been working him hard, sparring with him, forcing him to use his skills and get his strength back up. The martial arts helps him, and he's recovered a lot of what he lost. I join them sometimes, though I've always felt far more comfortable practicing the art on the ice. But Ranma says its good for Ryoga to have different sparring partners, so that he can practice his skills in variable situations. Akane helps, as does that Ukyo girl. And I promised that I would teach him (and Ranma) to ice skate once he's regained a little more of his hand-eye coordination.

I look forward to it actually. It seemed at first that the ice was a very lonely place without Azusa, until Akane decided to practice with me. She has been a great friend during all of this, which really surprised me at first, because I didn't think any of them would ever want to have anything to do with me again. Ryoga especially. Once he had recovered enough, the police naturally encouraged him to press charges against me for aiding in the kidnaping, but he didn't. I remember him just looking at me for a long moment, as he sat there in his hospital bed with the IV stuck in his arm and the oxygen cannula in his nose. Then he shook his head slowly and told the officers to forget it. They really tried to change his mind, but Ryoga is pretty stubborn when he wants to be. Someday I would like to ask him why he didn't press charges, after all, I certainly deserved it. But right now, I get the feeling he wants to think about the whole incident as little as possible, so I'm not going to bring the subject up. Akane says that Ryoga will only talk to Ranma about it if he really presses, and Ranma is keeping everything strictly confidential. I guess that's as it should be.

Anyway, they've all been far better to me than I deserve. I think its probably because of Azusa. She was my friend, one of my only friends before this all happened, and to watch them take her out of my arms, knowing what was likely to happen to her, was devastating. Kami, it was like someone had torn me in two and was taking half of me away. All I really remember about the entire long night that followed was facing Azusa's parents at the police station when the authorities tracked them down at some night club or another. They had never really been around much for Azusa, because they were young and rich and trendy. It was more important for them to be out where they could be seen. I'm sure their inattention has more than just a little to do with Azusa's problems.

But they tried to blame me for it all! They said that I had corrupted their innocent daughter, that I had been badly influencing her for years with my womanizing and all my other little quirky habits. And when I didn't pan out as a decent scape-goat, they blamed Ryoga. Even though Azusa has told the entire story accurately, they twisted her words around a great deal to suit their own comfort. Somehow they've gotten it into their heads that Ryoga was the aggressor and that Azusa was simply defending herself. The morons have actually filed counter-charges against him. Though any sane judge would toss that case right out the window, the Shiratoris are very wealthy and have a lot of influence and friends in the justice system. They haven't actually set a hearing date yet, but I'm sure its only a matter of time. This is another subject that Ryoga doesn't like to discuss, and I can't say that I blame him. Its only going to get worse before it gets better.

When I visit Azusa, as I do at least once a week, if not more often, she tells me that she's very against what her parents are trying to do to Ryoga. She knows that it was all her fault, and I guess has tried to tell them this repeatedly, but they're not interested in listening. I think she's given up trying to argue with them about it . . . actually, I can tell that she's given up on a lot of things since she went to the hospital. It hurts me to see her acting so different from how she used to, even though I know its for the better. Though her room is filled with lots of cute (and safe) stuffed toys and dolls, she doesn't talk to them as she once would have. When I asked what their names were, she just sort of stared at me like I was the one who had gone crazy. She still smiles and giggles at things that amuse her (like when I told her about Ranma's Jusenkyo curse, that seemed to really delight her), but that spark is no longer there. Her doctor says that she had submerged herself for years in the fantasy of being a little girl, and that now she's finally growing up.

She also doesn't refer to herself in the third person anymore.

Not too long after Ryoga was released from the hospital, Azusa asked me if I could get him to come see her. I wasn't too keen on the idea, and neither was anyone else, especially not all the legal-types involved. But surprisingly enough, Ryoga agreed to go. Akane tells me that its because Ryoga has a very good heart at the core, and I guess that must be true. Ranma tried to talk him out of it, but as I said, Ryoga can be stubborn. Maybe he was thinking that smoothing things over with Azusa would help the bad situation with her parents, and maybe she was thinking the same thing. It didn't help, unfortunately, at least not with the Shiratoris. But I think it did a great deal for both Ryoga and Azusa.

Under the watchful eyes of a myriad of doctors and security personnel, Azusa was allowed to meet with Ryoga in a private room at the hospital. I was there, as was Ranma, both of us ready to deal with any explosions or fall-out that might occur. But we were surprised at what happened. Azusa stared at Ryoga for a long time, then began to cry. She said that she was sorry, and to everyone's amazement . . . Ryoga hugged her. He held her while she let it all out and in the end he whispered that he forgave her.

The doctors told me that was exactly what Azusa needed to hear.

Ranma told me, in confidence, that he spent that evening comforting Ryoga.

I still find it strange how adversity brings people together. Akane and I are going to be skating in our first non-school competition in just two weeks. When she first volunteered to practice with me, I remember that I didn't like the idea. I guess I felt like I was betraying Azusa, or something. But I mentioned it to my former partner, and she urged me to take Akane up on her offer. After all, she said, it wasn't likely that she would be skating again anytime soon, and she didn't want to see me stagnating because of her. So, I followed her advice and its turned out to be a very good thing.

Akane doesn't have Azusa's sparkling personality on the ice, but she's a good solid skater and knows the moves well. We seemed to click, and Ranma says that we look pretty good together. Aside from seeing her at practice, though, I seem to be spending more and more time at the Tendo Training Hall. Now that all of the unpleasantness surrounding Ranma's coming-out has smoothed over, Soun Tendo seems pleased to see me whenever I show up. Apparently he's been making comments about my qualifications as an heir to the School, at least that's what Ranma's told me. That makes me a bit uncomfortable, but when I'm skating with Akane . . . well, I'll just say that Tendo-san's hopes don't seem too far-fetched.

Our competition isn't going to be televised, but Nabiki Tendo is going to come along with Ranma and Ryoga, and bring one of her video cameras to tape it. Azusa says that she wants to see it.

And of course, I'll always be willing to do anything to make her happy.

______________________________________

C&C and all that. And thanks to those who have given me feedback. *big squishy hug*