As promised, here's Part Two.  This is, as with the previous 
Series, based heavily on events and situations from the 
preceeding stories, which are available on my Web Site:

http://www.geocities.com/coutuva

As always, C&C is anticipated, accepted, and appreciated.
All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright
Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission.

Please Enjoy.
Coutuva.




The Death of a Dream - Part Two                   <WARNING - LIME>
-------------------------------------------------------------------


	Hitomi wiped her moist forehead and puffed out a breath,
her afternoon's efforts finally showing some progress.  Smiling,
she looked proudly over the almost half-completed garden, wishing
she had the rest of the materials so she could start planting.
	Her goal was to complete the work in time for the baby to
arrive, but she had a nagging doubt that she would succeed.  Less
than two weeks remained before Kikyo's due date, and she had more 
work than that still before her.
	Packing up her tools and supplies, she cast another longing
glance over the project, able to picture its completed form in
her mind.  The thought was made even better as she pictured herself 
and Kikyo walking through it slowly arm in arm.
	Once she had put away her tools, she wandered into the
living room to find Kikyo in the wing chair, feet propped up and
reading her copy of Playboy's Bathing Beauties edition, and Shampoo
busily working away in the kitchen.  She had to smile as she
watched, remembering that the day had finally come for Phil to have
dinner with them.  It had come about after much prodding from
herself, as she had not yet even seen 'The Man That Conquered The
Amazon', despite the frequency of Shampoo's rendezvous with him.
She was anxious to finally meet him, especially since it was
apparent that Shampoo was on the verge of a more serious involvement.
	"Anata... You're done?  I didn't even hear you come in,"
Kikyo fretted, lowering her book.
	"Hai... until I pick up some more lumber, I've gone as far
as I can.  How are you feeling, 'okaasan'?  You look a bit tired,"
she responded, walking over to get a closer look.
	"I am... A bit.  Your baby seems to be practicing its
gymnastics today.  I must be black and blue in there," she smirked, 
resting her hand on her tummy.  "Watch this, Anata..." she urged, 
laying her magazine across her tummy.  A few moments later, it 
jumped up and slid off to the floor.
	"The baby did that?!?" she gasped, through a proud smile.
	"Hai...  And can I ever feel it," Kikyo acknowledged,
rolling her eyes.  "This is one strong baby," she sighed, shaking 
her head.  "So, Farmer Jane, are you planning to dress for
dinner or is that what you're wearing?" she redirected, pointing
to Hitomi's dusty jeans and flannel workshirt.
	"Hai.  Thought I'd go for the urban look.  It's in vogue 
these days," she quipped, flipping her hair over her shoulder and
striking a pose.
	Kikyo broke out laughing and tossed a magazine at her, then
shook her head in mock disgust.  "Hitomi-chan, what am I going to
do with you?"
	"Simple... just love me," she beamed back, leaning over to
kiss her girlfriend's forehead.
        "No problem there," Kikyo smiled, winking.  "So, would you
like some help getting ready?  I've already made sure all my 'toys'
are put away," she added, slowly sitting up and moving the
ottoman aside with her foot.  "I don't figure I need to be packing
tonight."
	"Iie...  You relax.  Your ankles look a bit puffy again.  I
want to shower anyway, and I already picked out a dress," she 
responded, walking over and handing her back her magazine.  "Need 
anything before I go?"
	"I'm okay."
	"Well, in that case, I'll be back in a few minutes," she
smiled, and headed off to the bath.





	Phil looked at his watch and sighed.  The time had come to 
start getting ready, and for the first time since meeting Shampoo, 
he wasn't looking forward to it.  Folding up his newspaper, he 
tossed it on his coffee table and rose to his feet, deciding he had 
best get started.
	He had developed a strong, sincere affection for her in
the time they had been dating, and he knew that it wouldn't take
much for him to admit that he was falling in love.  She was 
everything that he always wanted, but had become convinced that
he'd never have.  Even now, after numerous dates and many, many 
sparring sessions, he still couldn't believe that she was real, and 
that she was actually interested in *him* -- a nobody who'd spent 
his life travelling China in the pursuit of Martial Arts, hoping 
to gain some self-esteem.  He sighed sadly at the irony of it 
happening as it had.
	The situation he now faced made him even more deeply regret
his 'moment of weakness', and the vanity and self-pity that made him 
give in to the tempting offer.  It had improved his life, but he had 
come to feel that the price he had to pay was far too high.  It also 
made him wonder, deep inside, whether it was the real reason Shampoo 
was attracted to him.  Sadly, he realized that if he carried out his 
instructions, he would probably never know.
	Walking toward the bath, he glanced up at the mirror, and 
frowned as he saw the glass distort once again, and slowly but surely 
turn black.  As he approached it, the two yellow spots appeared.
	His heart sank.
        "You have done well.  The time has come," the ominous voice
pronounced.
	"I know.  She is attracted to me, and I have gained her 
trust."
	"Then you will complete your part in our bargain, and do
what we have required of you," the voice instructed, its commanding 
tone rankling him.
	"I don't want to do this!" he snapped back, snarling at
the image.  "Not if I have to kill her!  She doesn't deserve to
die!"
	"Enough, mortal!" the voice yelled, as a wispy grayish hand 
erupted from the glass and grabbed him by the face.  The impact and 
the ensuing pain dropped him to his knees.
	"Erk!  NO!"  he gargled, clutching at the ethereal
fingers crushing his skull.
	"You have two choices, mortal...  Fulufill your bargain,
or suffer the penalty.  Speak!" the booming voice commanded, as
the powerful grip tightened.
        "Auugghhh!  I will...  I will...  The Kami help me, I will,"
he gasped, his voice strangled.
	"We expect nothing less."
	The hand then disappeared as suddenly as it appeared, leaving
him to collapse to the floor, shaking and covering his face.
	"Miserable...  Bastards...!" he croaked, glaring at the now 
stilled and normal mirrror.




	The moment had at last arrived, and Hitomi, Kikyo and
Shampoo all stood in the entry, waiting for the doorbell to ring.
Hitomi helped Shampoo with her last-minute primping and preening,
and was about to check herself again when the bell finally tolled 
for them.
	Shampoo gasped, Hitomi took a deep breath, and Kikyo
smirked.  As Shampoo finally found the nerve to step up and open the
door, Hitomi and Kikyo each stood back and smiled pleasantly.
        "Nihao, Phillip.  Please come in," Shampoo greeted in 
Mandarin, smiling brightly.
        "Thank you," he replied politely, bowing as he stepped in.  
He knew from various conversations that Hitomi and Kikyo were both 
Japanese, despite Hitomi's Chinese appearance, and was about to try 
out his usage of the language when Hitomi abruptly bowed to him and 
spoke.
        "Greetings, Phillip.  I am Seirei Hitomi and this is
Okimiyaki Kikyo, whom I believe you have met.  Welcome to our home,
and we hope you find it pleasant.  I am very pleased to finally
meet you," she stated, in flawless Mandarin.
	Kikyo, Phil and Shampoo to a person all turned and gaped at
her, who only looked back at them and shrugged.  "Ano...  I could
understand him, so I tried to talk back."
	"No fair! I'm the only one here that doesn't," Kikyo pouted, 
crossing her arms over her large tummy.
        After everyone stopped laughing, the conversation shifted
into Japanese, which made Kikyo quite happy -- and relieved.
	As everyone settled in for the exquisite meal that Shampoo
had prepared, Kikyo noticed that Hitomi seemed preoccupied when the 
conversation went around her, and her mood seemed to worsen as the 
meal went on.  She also noticed her spending a lot of time looking 
at Phil, almost as if trying to figure him out.
	After the meal, as they stood in the kitchen preparing the 
dessert course, the redhead confirmed what she'd noticed.
        "Something's not right, Kiko-chan," she stated, her voice
low and quiet.
	"Ano...  What do you mean?"
	"Phil.  Something's not quite right about him.  I've felt
uptight and edgy ever since he got here, and its been getting
worse.  And I have this sickening feeling of foreboding...  It's
really spooking me, Kiko-chan," she responded, looking back at Phil
all the while.
	"Why, Anata?  He seems like a perfect gentleman, and
it's obvious he cares for Lin-san...  What's bothering you about
him?"
	"I dunno...  Maybe that's it...  He's too perfect.  Perfect
manners, perfect clothes, perfect hair, perfect face, perfect
body..." she responded, her sapphire blues narrowing slightly.
"It's just too...  Perfect," she added, all seriousness in her tone.





	"Shan Pu, that was indeed a wonderful meal.  You have the
gift when it comes to food," he complimented genuinely, never
having experienced such a delight before, even in China.
	"You flatter me Phillip.  I am glad you enjoyed it, but
it was no big thing.  I cook like that all the time here,"
Shampoo flushed, despite deflecting the praise.  "I am also glad 
you could make it tonight.  My friends have been anxious to meet 
you, and they seem to like you well enough."
	"And I like them.  They are charming, wonderful people,
and I'm glad I did finally meet them.  So, tell me about
Kikyo-san.  I see she's very pregnant.  I take it that she will
have the baby soon?" he noted, glancing over at the object of his
curiosity.
	"Yes.  She's due any time.  They are both very excited
about becoming parents." 
	"I see... " he responded, looking back at her, only to see
a knowing grin.  "I won't ask."
	She shot him a wink, then met his eyes.  "Would you like 
to go for a walk?  I feel like I should do something after eating 
like that, and it's a warm, pleasant night," she suggested, her 
eyes sparkling a bit more than usual.
	"Agreed," he replied, pleased at the prospect.  "I could 
use it too."
	"Good," she nodded, then rose from the couch, extending a 
hand.  The two of them made their way to the door, and as he put 
on his shoes, she leaned over the bar counter and called to the 
other girls.
	"We are going for a short walk...  Hold everything for us!"
	"Hai, Lin-san...  See you in a few minutes," Kikyo 
responded, smiling.
	As the pair closed the door behind them, Kikyo shot a 
knowing glance at Hitomi, who was watching the door worriedly.
        "What's that look for?" the redhead asked, eyeing her
suspiciously.
	"Lin-san...  I think she's going to set the hook," she
replied, wagging a thumb towards the door.
	"Kuso..." Hitomi responded, biting her knuckle.




	A wide smile on his face, he walked with Shampoo
along the beach in the quiet twilight, a respectable distance 
between them.  They engaged in idle pleasantries about the 
weather, the other girls et al, until Shampoo surprised him
completely.
	"Phillip...  I have something I'd like to give you," she
abruptly stated, stepping into his path.
        "Oh...?  And what would that be?" he replied, eyebrows
raised.  He felt his heart rate double as he noticed the look in
her large, simmering eyes.
	"This!" she announced, then stepped forward and planted a
passionate kiss, wrapping herself around him before he knew what 
hit him.
	His mind exploded in total euphoria, his wildest dream 
suddenly coming to life.  The passion in Shampoo's kiss reached to
the very depths of his conscious, sending a warm, powerul rush 
through his entire body.  His arms instinctively encircled the 
Amazon's soft, warm form, drawing her to him as tightly as they 
could.  
	She semed to take the act as a hint and turned up the heat,
driving him to within a heartbeat of passing out.
	Finally, she broke the empassioned kiss and snuggled into
his broad chest, sighing.  "Phil...  I love you," she breathed at 
length, tightening her hug for emphasis.
	He instantly forgot his pact, his fears and his doubts,
and responded from his pounding heart.  "Lin Shan Pu...  I am in
love with you, too.  More than I have loved anything in my entire, 
miserable life," he whispered, placing his hand on her head and 
holding it to his chest.
	"I have prayed for this moment..." she smiled, lifting her
head and again to meet his lips with her own.





	As the group sat around the dining room table, it was
obvious to Kikyo that something was different, especially with 
Shampoo.  Hitomi, meantime, looked entirely crestfallen, despite 
her efforts to cover it.
	"So...  Tell me, Lin-san!  What's going on?  Ever since 
you got back, you've been just buzzing.  It's driving me crazy,"
Kikyo prodded, having finally caught the Amazon alone in the 
kitchen.
	"Ano...  Nothing too big.  He just told me he loves me," 
she replied, casually.
	"He did?  Lin-san!  That's wonderful!  If I could reach
you, I'd hug you!" she gushed, breaking out in a wide smile.
        "Hai!!  It *is* wonderful to be told that...  Especially 
by someone who really does!" the Amazon almost squealed, her own 
excitement escaping her guard.
	"Tell me how it happened!" she pressed, taking the 
Amazon's hands and leading her back toward a chair.
	Shampoo giggled and settled in, all too pleased to tell 
her story.
        Hitomi, meantime, sat alone at the dining room table,
finishing the last of her dessert.  She already suspected what 
had transpired, based on Shampoo's euphoria and Phil's silly 
grin.  Her face darkened as sighed, unable to shake the feeling 
that something about this Phil was just wrong.
	Meantime, in the washroom, Phil wiped his flushed face
with a damp cloth, then looked up at himself in the vanity 
mirror.  His mission had been simple...  And it should have been, 
given the tools he had to work with.  However, now there was an 
entirely unforseen complication.  He was completely in love with 
Shampoo, and knew that he was no longer able to willingly carry 
out his instructions.
	Almost as if in reaction to that thought, his eyes 
widened as she felt the urge to complete his task suddenly 
becoming more and more pronounced.  He fought the urge with 
everything he had, but could feel himself starting to lose 
control.
	"I must..  Get out...  Of here..." he gasped aloud, 
realizing that getting out of the house and away from the girls 
was his only chance.  Turning, he took one step toward the 
bathroom door, only to freeze in his tracks.  A deep, angry 
voice suddenly filled his mind, driving out any other thoughts.
	"Useless mortal!  The time has come to pay the price for
your weakness!" the voice snarled, as he felt his world growing 
black.
	Hitomi shuddered as she felt a powerful chill run her 
spine.  It was a cold, clammy shock that seemed to reach into her 
soul, filling her with an overpowering feeling of horror.  
Sensing that the source was in the direction of the bathroom, 
she leapt from her chair and raced off down the hall.  
	She braked to a halt when she came face to face with a 
very innocent looking Phil, just closing the bathroom door 
behind him.
	"Seirei-san?  Is something wrong?"
	She frowned.  "I was just gonna ask you the same thing.  
I just sensed something really bad coming from here, and I can 
still feel it.  Is everything okay...?"
	"No problems that I can see...  Are you sure?"
        "Hai...  It's really strong," she noted, looking past 
him down the hall, then back up at his eyes.
	"Well, I didn't notice anything, Seirei-san.  Shall we go?"
he smiled, gesturing for her to precede him up the hallway.  She
lowered her eyebrows for a moment, then slowly turned and started
away.  She noticed, however, that Phil didn't.
	Sensing something wrong, she stopped and started to turn, 
but it was too late.  Phil grabbed her viciously by the base of her 
neck, fingers sinking into her flesh.  She screamed in agony, 
grabbing at his hand.  As the scream echoed down the hallway, she 
felt her entire body go limp.
	Smiling, Phil lifted her to his face and sneered.  "Now 
there's nothing to stand in our way...  With your death, so dies 
the key to our only obstacle!" he sneered, in a voice not his own.  
"And since I had to come all this way, I'll take your two friends, 
too!" he hissed, turning to drag her up the hall toward the living 
room.
	Kikyo was already racing toward the scream when she saw him 
dragging Hitomi's limp, twitching body into the room.  Without a 
thought, she reached behind her back and pulled out her .45, 
levelling it on the advancing Phil.
	"Let her go!  NOW!" she screamed, fighting down her rising 
panic.
	"Begone, Human!" he snarled back, launching a bolt of energy 
at her, narrowly missing.  She dropped behind her chair and squeezed 
off a shot, catching him in the shoulder.
	Stunned, he reeled back from the impact, growling his anger
and losing his connection to Hitomi, whose still-limp body rolled
off to the side.  Turning, he glared at Kikyo with wild, angry eyes
and launched another bolt, this time sending both Kikyo and the 
chair sailing across the room.  As she crashed into the wall behind 
her, Shampoo raced out of the kitchen.  When Phil spotted her, his 
face became soft and pleading, freezing her in her tracks.  
	Sensing her hesitation, he smirked and spun around, grabbing 
the groggy Hitomi once more.  The redhead's painful scream snapped 
Shampoo out of her trance, and she instantly went into full attack 
mode.  Gathering herself, she leapt into the air with a fearsome 
battle cry, both swords drawn.
	Seeing the flashing blades descending toward him, he leapt 
into the air just as her swords sliced the carpet, lurching the 
helpless Hitomi with him.  Just as he reached the apex of his jump, 
he screamed in pain as three bullets tore through his chest and 
abdomen.  
	His control gone, he crashed into the wall of the living 
room, then landed in a crumpled heap beside the fireplace, the 
hard landing jarring Hitomi free of his grip.
	While his body lay still beside Hitomi, Kikyo approached 
it first, keeping her gun trained just in case.  Waving Shampoo 
forward, she pointed to Hitomi and had the Amazon move in and drag
her back a short distance.
	Joining Shampoo a few seconds later, she immediately set
her gun down and knelt beside the ravaged redhead.
	"Hitomi!  Can you hear me?" she almost cried, lifting the
Chinese woman's head into her lap.
	"H...  Hai..."  Hitomi responded, despite her weakened 
state.  "Not hurt...  Just...  Very weak..." she breathed, every 
word forced.  "He's...  Trying to...  Kill me...  Stealing...  My 
life force..." she gasped, closing her eyes.
	"Why?  Why would he do that?" she cried, wiping at her 
face.
	"Not Phil...  Demon.  Realm...  Of the Dark..."  she 
responded, to the chorussed gasps of the other girls.  "Wants me 
dead...  Don't know why..."
	"Kuso...  Not if I have anything to say about it.  It's 
okay now, Hitomi-chan...  He's down for the count," Kikyo tried to
assure, forcing a smile over her worried visage.
	"Ano...  You're hurt..." she gasped, apparently noticing 
the slight trickle of blood from the corner of Kikyo's mouth.
        "Nah -- this is nothing," she dismissed, wiping her face.  
Glancing at the red streak on her hand, she puffed.  "I've taken 
worse than this."
	Shampoo meantime, sat gape mouthed and completely stunned,
arms hanging at her sides.  She was utterly shattered to think
that her wonderful Phil had actually been a demon, and had used
her to gain access to Hitomi.  And not only had he tricked her, but
he tried to kill her best friend.  As the reality sank in, her 
large eyes began to tear up and her head slowly turned from side 
to side.
	Neither of the girls, however, noticed the greenish glow
that had begun emanating from Phil's body, soon rising like a wisp
of smoke to take on the shape of something inhuman.  Silently, it
coalesced into a strange half-man, half-monster looking creature,
and the creature itself then glared down at the girls.
	"Lets get you out of here, Hitomi-chan...  I'm scared for
you..." Kikyo suggested, extending a hand to help Hitomi rise.  
Just as Hitomi reached toward it, Kikyo shreiked as she was 
grabbed from behind and yanked into the air.
        "Bitch...!  You interefered in things beyond your
comprehension, and for that you will pay...  With your miserable
life!!" the demon snarled, as Kikyo screamed again.  "Haahhhh... 
There are two lives within you...  How much more fitting!"
	"Let her GO!" Shampoo shouted, again drawing her swords
and launching herself at the creature.  Without so much as a
thought, the demon simply swatted her aside, sending her crashing
through the half-wall and into the kitchen.
	"KIKYO!!" Hitomi yelled, seeing her girlfriend fall limp
in the creature's claw-like hand.  That was all it took.  Instantly,
her body flared a brilliant blue and she raised her arm, pointing 
her fist at the creature.  Before the Demon noticed, she fired a 
blast of solid energy that tore its arm from its shoulder, and 
sent the demon itself flying across the room.  Kikyo and its 
arm fell to the floor.
	Raising her other arm, Hitomi, enraged beyond reason,
traced out the image of the dragon's head and encircled it with her
opened hands.  Sighting in the crumpled demon, her arms seemed to
catch fire.
	"NOBODY HURTS MY FAMILY!!" she shrieked, her thundering 
blast vaporizing the demon and obliterating the side wall of the 
house.
	The battle lust still quaking her body, she dove to where 
Kikyo lay in a heap, chest tightening in fear.
	"Kikyo!" she cried out, dropping to her knees beside her 
and reaching for her face.
	Relief flooded over her as she determined her girlfriend
was only unconscious, and set about trying to remove the remains
of the demon from her back and neck.  Unable to simply pull it off,
she grabbed hold of the distasteful appendage and sent a pulse of
energy through it, disintegrating it.  Finally, upon watching the
last of it vanish into mist, she gently touched her girlfriend's 
forehead, trying to determine the extent of her injuries.
	As soon as her hand made contact, her heart clenched as 
her heightened senses confirmed her fears.  Her girlfriend had
severe internal injuries and was dangerously weak, but their child
had fared far worse.  The unborn baby's life energy was all but 
gone, only the merest spark remaining.
	Eyes streaming with tears, she lifted Kikyo's unconscious
body to her breast, sobbing openly and unashamedly.  Tenderly, she
brushed aside a few stray locks of her girlfriend's hair and
gently kissed her forehead.
	"Suki da yo, Kiko-chan... Gomen nasai..." she whispered
waveringly, hugging Kikyo once more before glancing down at her
stomach sadly.  She touched the unborn child reverently, her lower
lip trembling as her fingers gently traced its outline.  Finally, 
her grief completely overwhelmed her and she buried her face in 
Kikyo's chest.
	As her tears dampened the material of Kikyo's blouse, the
air around her began to fog over, slowly thickening until nothing 
could be seen.
	Suddenly, she felt a presence near her and looked up, only
to gasp aloud at who she saw.
	"Joy-sama?"
	"Hai, Hitomi-chan.  Looks like it's finally started, ne?"
the Spirit Child remarked, glancing at Kikyo's ashen form.
	"Started...?  You mean...?" she gasped again, her eyes
widening despite how much they stung.
	"Hai.  This is far from over, Hitomi-chan.  It's just the
beginning.  I'll tell you more in a little while, though...  First,
we have to look after Kikyo," she deflected urgently, walking up
and kneeling beside them.
	"How, Joy-sama?  That 'thing'' stole her life energy... And
the baby's," she blurted, starting to sob again, but stopped
short as she noticed the knowing smirk on Joy's face.
	"She's only going to die if you let her.  You see,
Hitomi-chan, real humans can't regenerate like we can.  The only
way to help her now is to give her back her energy," Joy indicated, 
touching Kikyo's stilled face.  "The tricky part is that she's 
pregnant.  Because the baby draws its life from her, this needs to 
be done very carefully," she explained, the look on her face bringing
a knot to Hitomi's already tight stomach.
	"And that means?" 
	"That means we have to put her in a special kind of
suspension.  The process takes time, and she'll have to stay in
it until both her life force and that of the baby's are normalized.
If it's done too fast, the cure would be worse than the condition.
And don't worry.  Her physical injuries will be healed at the same
time," she noted, flashing a small smile.
	Hitomi looked back expressionlessly, then turned her gaze down
toward her girlfriend's still form.  Lifting her into a loving hug, 
she kissed her forehead.
        "Kiko-chan...  I miss you already," she breathed, feeling
moisture gathering in her eyes once more.  Sniffing back the tears,
she gently laid Kikyo down and then crossed the woman's arms over
her tummy.  
	"Ready, Hitomi-chan?" Joy inquired, softly.
        "Hai...  As I'll ever be," she sighed, touching Kikyo's 
shoulder one last time.
	Joy smiled, then nodded.  "Take my hand.  I need to use some 
of your energy for this," she instructed, extending her small hand.
	"Like this?"
	"Good.  Now, raise your other hand over her, and think about
her getting healthy.  I'll do the rest."
	Hitomi only nodded, her eyes not leaving Kikyo's stilled face.
	"Here we go... " Joy announced, and as Hitomi watched, a 
bluish, wispy cloud began to emanate from their hands, forming a 
cocoon-like aura around Kikyo's body.  She could feel a slight drain
on her energy, which continued until the coccoon had finished forming.
She also felt a strange sensation wash over her, which resembled the
feeling she got when she snuggled up to her girlfriend in bed at 
night.  It felt so real she couldn't help but smile.
	"There.  She'll be okay in there while her life force
regenerates, then it will tell you that she's ready to be released.
She'll stay in this little dimension until then, so she'll be safe,"
Joy smiled, releasing Hitomi's hand and rising to her feet.
	Hitomi nodded her acknowledgement numbly, still staring at
the actively pulsing bluish coccoon.  She couldn't bear the thought
of leaving the love of her life in such a state, and had to fight
the urge to reach into the cocoon and hold her tight.
	"Kiko-chan... I love you.  And I promise...  I'll be back for
you -- no matter what," she breathed, closing her eyes against the 
pain in her heart.  
	"Hitomi-chan..." Joy prodded, her voice gentle.  "Time to go.
She'll be safe here.  And whenever you want, you can come see how 
she's doing," she assured, stepping over and placing her hand on the
redhead's slumped shoulder.
	"I know, Joy-sama.  But...  I don't want to leave her.  I
don't think...  I'm strong enough to be without her," she sobbed, 
dropping her head to her chest.  "I need her..."
	"Hai.  You certainly do.  But you'll be surprised at how
strong you really are, Hitomi-chan.  Especially after we get where
we're going."
	"Going?  Where are we going?"
	"Back where it all began.  Tokyo."
	




	Shampoo awoke groggily, her back aching and arm bleeding from
a large cut, apparently inflicted by her landing on her own sword.
As she tried to get her eyes to focus, she gasped aloud at the
devastation around her.
	The entire livingroom had been destroyed, one wall completely
gone.  All that remained of the kitchen was the small rear section 
where she currently sat.  Her eyes widened in horror as she realized 
what that meant.
	"Hitomi-san...  Kikyo-san!" she called out, dragging herself
to her feet.  "Are you there?" she followed, stumbling through the 
rubble to get a look down toward the scene.  As she approached the 
debris-covered steps that led down to what used to be the entry hall, 
her heart sank as she looked out over the empty floor before her.
	Nothing remained of either of her friends, or the demon
that had brought this devastation to them.  Her large eyes began 
to tear up as she surveyed the area, still hoping for some signs 
of life.
	Stepping down onto the flooring, she staggered toward the
center of the room, the very spot once occupied by the huge, plush
couch.  For a fleeting second, she could see Hitomi perched in the
middle of it, looking back at her with her trademark wide smile.  
Glancing to her left, she saw the place where Kikyo had spent much 
of the last few weeks, her advanced pregnancy forcing her to spend 
a lot of time in her favorite chair.
	Her heart started to feel like a lump of lead in her chest
as her hopes began to dim, until her roaming gaze caught sight of
the hallway leading to the bedrooms.  Excitedly, she pushed her
aching body toward the hall, hoping to find at least one of her
friends alive.
	Upon checking all of the remaining rooms, however, the last
of her optimism drained away.  They were gone.  Absolutely nothing
remained, leading her to assume that they had been obliterated by 
whatever had blown out the wall.
	Staggering back out to the livingroom, she noticed a heap on
the floor near where the large fireplace used to be.  Her heart
started to beat again as she moved toward it, recognizing it as
Phil's body.  However, once she arrived beside it, her heart again
sank.  It was all too apparent that he had not survived.
	For a brief moment, she stared at the mangled corpse, the 
realization that she was the only survivor crashing home like that
fateful first hit from Ranma.  
	Suddenly, a powerful sob burst from her chest, her knees 
collapsing beneath her.  In one terrible moment, she had lost 
everything she held dear; her two best friends, whom she cherished
as sisters, and the only man who'd had a chance of replacing Ranma 
in her heart.
	Even for an Amazon, it was too much to bear.
	Wiping her tears, she forced herself to stop crying and
calmed herself as much as her shattered heart would let her.  
Rising to her feet, she tore a strip of material from her skirt 
and made up a crude tourniquet, affixing it as best she could above 
her wound.
	That done, she headed for her bedroom and rummaged through
what few posessions she had, locating and then pulling out a
carefully wrapped package.  Gazing at its contents almost made her 
break down again, as she remembered her purpose in having prepared 
it.
	Setting it on her bed, she sat beside it and lifted out its
carefully stored items one by one.  A wad of Chinese currency and
a smaller one of Canadian, two changes of clothes and an open plane
ticket.  Sniffing, she put them behind her back, then gathered
a few more personal effects and did the same with them.
	Sitting back on the bed, she looked over at the phone on 
the nightstand, wondering if it even worked.  She was almost 
surprised when she found that it did, and immediately called a cab 
to come pick her up - and take her to the airport.
	Upon hanging up, she stared at the device for several
minutes before her gaze happened on the photograph standing
behind it.  Numbly, she reached over and picked it up.  It was a
shot of herself, Kikyo and Hitomi, taken by a tourist at the
CN Tower when the three of them were celebrating the news of the
baby.
	A small smile came to her face as she remembered that
night, followed immediately by a painful realization.  The picture
was likely all that remained of the two incredible women she had 
come to respect, honor and even love.
	As her fingers rose toward the smiling faces, she was 
startled by a sloppy, wet splat on the glass of the picture.
	That was all it took.




==================================================================
END - The Death of a Dream Part Two   A Ranma1/2 Fanfic By Coutuva


Comments Welcomed, Flames Extinguished!
coutuva@gmail.com