This is, as with the previous releases, based heavily
on events and situations from the preceeding stories,
which are available on my Web Site:

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Bay/9295

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 Best Laid Plans - Part Four of Four
----------------------------------------------------------------



	Edward and Toni sat quietly beside each other as they
drove to the hospital, each long lost in their thoughts.  Edward,
for his part, remained impressed with their strange visitor,
feeling that now that she was on the scene, he'd get the rest
of Elysse's story.
	Toni, cradling the sleeping Takara in her lap, kept
replaying the events of the last hour in her mind, trying to put
some sense to it all.  The thing that troubled her most was how
familiar this red-haired girl was with Elysse, despite Elysse
never having mentioned her.  She knew from experience that Elysse
would conveniently forget people whom she didn't get along with,
which made this scenario all the more puzzling.  It seemed as if
the two were very good friends, judging by how the redhead had
worried about Elysse.
	As well, it appeared to Toni that there was something odd
about the relationship between the redhead and Elysse's baby,
especially since she watched the two of them start glowing.  She
also noted that Takara had seemed to be very comfortable being
held by the woman, but in a markedly different way than he did
when she herself was holding him.
	Toni's brow knit with concentration as she pondered her
thoughts, and Edward, casting a chance glance toward her, noticed
it immediately.
	"What's on your mind, Toni?" he drawled, returning his
gaze to the road.
	"That girl.  There's something about her and Elysse..."
Toni responded distantly, still deep in thought.
	"I don't think you need to worry.  She's good people, and
I figure she'll fill us in,"  Edward stated, nodding.
	Toni's face fell in surprise.  "You mean you don't find
her the least bit strange?"
	"I do... but after what happened to Elysse, I don't get
excited about 'strange' anymore,"  he replied, casually.  "I want
to talk to her after all this is settled anyway... I'll make my
decision then, I suppose."
	Toni's brow furrowed slightly deeper as she turned her
gaze out the windshield. "I think she's strange, for sure.  And
I think that there's something going on over the baby, too.  I'm
getting worried for Elysse... I'm sure there's trouble brewing,
and I know that girl is part of it,"  she observed, dourly.
	"We'll be there in five minutes, Toni,"  Edward noted in
response, Toni's statement resurrecting his own deeper thoughts.
He too had sensed foreboding, but not in the same manner that
Toni apparently had.  All he was sure of was that Elysse was the
cause of whatever was coming, not the victim.



	Hitomi stood frowning in the small enclosure, greatly
disappointed at her discovery.  She couldn't read Elysse's
thoughts as she had expected she could, which left her stuck with
more conventional means of getting her information.  The problem,
however, was that since Elysse had already been very dishonest
with her, that left open the chance that she would be again.
	Thinking hard, she tried to come up with some suitable
means of getting the straight story, without resorting to what her
anger had suggested a few minutes earlier.
	After several frustrating minutes, a wicked smile parted
her face as she came up with an idea.  It was just nasty enough to
guarantee a significant impact on Elysse, and at the same time get
to the truth.
	Sweeping the area to ensure nobody was nearby, she then
cleared her mind and tried out her plan.
	"Saotome-sama... can you hear me?  It's Seirei Hitomi."



	Ranma jumped bolt upright in his futon.  He had just heard
a familiar voice, and swore it was coming from inside his head.
	"Saotome-sama?  Can you hear me?"  the voice repeated,
widening Ranma's eyes until he finally sensed who it was.
	"Hai.  Konbanwa, Hitomi-chan.  Nice to finally 'talk' to
you,"  he thought in response, feeling her happiness as she picked
up his reply.
	"It's nice to 'talk' to you, too... I just wish the
situation was a bit more pleasant,"  she stated, her sadness
flooding through with her voice.
	"Ano... I can tell.  So, what's the problem?  Something
happen to Kikyo?"
	"Ya... worse.  Can you pick up my thoughts?  If you can,
then go ahead... it'll be quicker that way."
	"Nope.  Can't do that.  We're only Spirits, Hitomi-chan.
We don't get that stuff.  The best we can do is sense empathic
responses."
	"Masaka... Nice to know I'm not the only one...  Okay,
here it is.  Do you remember someone known as Elysse Rialto?"
	"Hai... from about four years ago.  Why?" 
	"Well, she's the one who found me after the wreck, and
took me in before I met Kiko-chan.  It seems now as if she took
advantage of that situation... and me.  You see, she still
thinks I'm you, Saotome-sama... and I just found out that she
has a new baby.  A baby I didn't know about, but that I know
came from me,"  Hitomi explained, painfully.
        "Chikusho... Well, I already knew she found you,
Hitomi-chan, but I can't believe she'd take it that far... You're
quite sure of this...?"  he responded, shaking his head.
        "Hai," she confirmed, sadly.  "I... could really use your
help, Saotome-sama... I want to set her straight, but I can't do
it without you.  I hate to suggest it, but I think she's the type
who needs more than to just be told,"  Hitomi indicated resignedly,
and Ranma was surprised to discover from her emotional state that
she found the entire scenario... heartbreaking.
	"Hitomi-chan... I get the impression that you were more
than just friends with her... "  he pointed out, curious as to
her reaction.
	"Ano... Hai.  I could have loved her, Saotome-san...
if she would have wanted me to.  A part of me still does... and
that's why this hurts so bad," she admitted, softly.
	Ranma smiled at her statement.  "Okay, Hitomi-chan.
I'll be right there," he indicated, nodding.
	"Saotome-sama... why are you smiling - ?"  Hitomi
abruptly asked, suprising Ranma.
	"Because, Hitomi... had I been a single man when I first
met her, I could have too.  Unfortunately for her though, I was
already married to the love of my life,"  he responded, shaking
his head.
	"Kuso... you mean I even got *that* from you?"  Hitomi
groaned, affectedly.
	"Probably not, but I figure it helped at least,"  he
quipped, winking.
	"Baka ne...  See you when you get here,"  Hitomi sighed,
smirking to herself.
	Ranma continued to grin as he felt the connection break
in his mind, actually quite glad that Hitomi had reached out to
him, despite the reason.  He had already made plans to go visit
her, but now that this situation had arisen, it meant that he
didn't have to wait for an okay from Joy.
	Zapping out from under the covers, he winced as he heard
Akane moan softly in her sleep, he supposed from sensing his
departure.  Knowing how she would react if he simply left, he
decided to wake her and tell her his plans.
	"Akane-chan... Akane-chan.  Wake up... " he whispered,
nudging her shoulder to disturb her slumber.
	"Huhn... Ano... Ranma?!?  What...!?!"  she gasped,
jumping upright.
	"Nothing... Nothing.  I just have to tell you something,"
Ranma assured, taking hold of her shoulders and looking into her
panicked eyes.  His heart sank at the sight, but he tried not
to let it show.
	"What...?  Did something happen again?" she asked,
looking back at him fearfully.
	"No, no, Akane-chan... it's nothing like that.  I have
to go visit Hitomi for a while.  Turns out she's having a problem
with Elysse,"  he explained, as gently as possible.
	"Elysse...?"  Akane blinked, both from confusion and
trying to clear her eyes.  "Ano... You mean that girl you
found...?  What happened?"  she asked, her expression changing
to one of curiosity.
	"Hai.  Turns out that she's not quite the innocent
little girl we thought she was.  She pulled a major stunt of
some kind, and Hitomi wants me to help straighten it all out.
I'll be back in a little while.  I just wanted you to know,"
Ranma indicated, smiling slightly.
	Akane looked back at him for a few moments, then her
face darkened.
	"Right now, Ranma?  It's just after four in the
morning..." she noted, glancing at the clock.
	Ranma huffed slightly, then winked at his wife
knowingly.  "That doesn't mean anything to me, Akane-chan.  I'm
a 24 hour Spirit,"  he grinned, miming an adjustment of a tie.
	Akane considered his remark for a moment, then smiled as
her shoulders finally relaxed.  "Baka ne... just hurry back to
me... I get worried when you're not here," she insisted, reaching
up and touching his face softly.
	"Suki da yo, Akane-chan.  I'll be back soon," he assured
in response, leaning forward and hugging her tightly, then kissing
her forehead lovingly.
	"I love you too, Ranma,"  Akane indicated after the hug,
then settled back into the futon.  Ranma rose to his feet and
changed his clothes with a sweep of his hand, in turn eliciting
a predictable response from the bemused Akane.
	"Showoff."
	Smirking back at his wife, he quickly checked to make
sure he put everything in the right place and then looked back at
Akane one more time.
	"Ja Ne!" he waved, then vanished into thin air.
	Akane continued to stare at the space he had occupied for
several long seconds, then  sniffed once out loud before burying
her face in her pillow - and starting to cry.



	"What happened to her, Hitomi-chan?"  Ranma asked as he
took stock of Elysse's condition.
	"She got hit by a tractor when she was in her cursed
form... she did it shoving her father out of its path,"  Hitomi
explained, brushing a few errant locks of Elysse's hair away from
her still closed eyes.
	Ranma noted the tenderness in Hitomi's gesture and smiled
to himself.  "Are you sure about this, Hitomi-chan?  It won't work
unless you mean it,"  he advised, shooting the redhead a look.
	"Hai.  I feel sorry for her, but I'm very angry about what
I think she did... I don't intend to let her get away with it,"
Hitomi abruptly glowered, the flash in her eyes leaving no room
for doubt.
	"Then let's do it... We don't have much time."
	"Hai.  Ready?"  Hitomi warned, reaching for Elysse's forehead
once more.
	As soon as her hand made contact, Elysse's eyes flew open
and she gasped a huge breath of air.  Her first sight was of
Hitomi looking down on her with a scowl firmly in place.
	"Ah... Hitomi-chan...?  What - How...?"  she stammered,
too shocked to even form the question.
	"I met your son, Rialto-san.  Handsome little guy, I must
admit."  Hitomi began, sarcasm edging her voice.
	Elysse gulped audibly.  "You did...?"  she ventured, her
eyes widening.
	"Hai... I did,"  Hitomi followed, her eyes narrowing as
her anger simmered behind them.  Elysse broke out in a sweat,
never having seen this side of Hitomi before.  "Who is the father,
Rialto-san?" she asked pointedly, giving Elysse one chance to
come clean.
	Elysse felt her heart stop.  Her mouth opened, but
nothing came out save a dry squeak.
	Hitomi was incensed.  "Tell me, Rialto-san!  Who is the
father?!?"  she snarled, grabbing Elysse by the front of her gown
and lifting her upper body from the bed.
	"You!  It's you, Hitomi... He's your son!" she finally
blurted, eyes fixed on Hitomi's hands as they suddenly flared blue.
	Hitomi glared back at her for a long moment, then her lip
curled in an expression of utter disgust.  "Chikusho... I thought
so,"  she snapped, dropping Elysse to her bed.  "I can't believe
that you'd do this... How did you pull it off...?  When you got
me drunk the night you left?" she added, her voice low and even.
	Elysse nodded rapidly, too frightened to do anything else.
She became even more worried when she noted the beginnings of an
aura building around Hitomi, evidently in response to her answer.
Hitomi only closed her eyes and drew a breath, trying to calm
herself.
	"I loved you, Rialto-san... I felt I also owed you my
life.  It sickens me to think that someone I cared about that
much would do such a thing to me,"  the redhead stated, anger,
disappointment and heartbreak all evident in her flat tone.
Abruptly, she opened her eyes and turned to glare at Elysse once
more.  "Why did you do it, Rialto-san?  Why did you take a child
from me, and then run away?  Why?!?" she suddenly shouted, her
large blue eyes filling with tears.
	Elysse shrank into her bed at the outburst, unable to
avoid noticing the flare in Hitomi's nascent aura.  She tried to
rein in her panic-stricken thoughts to respond, but again words
failed her.
	"Answer me, damn you!!"  Hitomi shreiked, again grabbing
Elysse's gown.
	"I wanted Ranma's baby!!  Elysse suddenly shouted,
bursting out in tears.  "I... just.. wanted... your baby."  she
sobbed, defeatedly.  "I loved you..." she added a heartbeat later,
her words almost lost in her sobs.
	Hitomi's eyes widened as she let Elysse slip from her
grasp.  "Masaka... so that's it..." she breathed, glancing up at
the heretofore silent Ranma, who looked back at her shaking his
head sadly.
	"Hai... " Elysse finally answered, fighting to control her
tears as she sat up slowly.  "Forgive me, Ranma... I still love
you... like I did from the moment I first met you.  When I found
you wandering on the highway, it was like a dream come true...
I had you all to myself... and you had no memory of your old life,"
she snuffed, looking up at Hitomi sadly.  "I thought that we
would eventually be together, but you became a woman instead...
so I did the only thing I could think of to have a part of you
with me for the rest of my life... I got you drunk and made
myself pregnant," she continued, brokenly.
	"You mean you raped me..."  Hitomi growled, her aura
flaring once more.  "I should fry you where you *sit* for that..."
she snapped angrily, waving her fist before Elysse's face and
charging it up.
	Elysse's eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat.
This was not the Hitomi she knew at all.  Glancing to her side,
she spotted the call button for the nursing staff, and started to
slide her hand toward it.
	"No way, koneko..."   Hitomi snapped, gesturing toward
Elysse's hand and shattering the call button to bits.  Elysse
yelped in shock and pulled her hand back quickly, starting to shake
visibly.
	Hitomi leaned toward the quivering Elysse, staring into
her eyes with a gaze that Elysse could feel to the very core of her
soul.  "The game is over, Rialto-san," she whispered, sending a
chill down Elysse's back.
	Somehow, despite the numbing fear that gripped her chest,
Elysse managed to get her mouth to work.  "It wasn't a game!  I
loved you... and you ran off with that other girl and turned your
back on me...!  I wasn't going to let you walk out of my life a
second time!" she protested, her tears returning with a vengeance.
	"I've heard enough.  You were right, Hitomi-chan... she
just doesn't get it,"  A familiar and very male voice stated from
the corner of the enclosure above Elysse's head.
	"R - Ranma...?"  Elysse sputtered, her face draining
instantly as she turned toward the voice.  "But you... she..."
she babbled, rapidly looking back and forth between them.
	"No, Elysse... That's Seirei Hitomi, *not* me.  Short
version; because of that accident, she has my body, and we're now
two seperate people,"  Ranma stated, still shaking his head sadly.
"I'm very disappointed, Elysse... I had thought much better of
you until now," he added, frowning deeply.
	Elysse could only stare gape-mouthed at Ranma, unable to
do anything else.  Ranma, noticing her stunned state, walked to
the end of her bed and turned to regard her coldly.
	"You really had me fooled, Rialto-san... and my family,
too.  If I'd have known you were so cold and dishonest, I'd have
left you as a horse.  You don't deserve to have your life back,
if this is how you plan on using it,"  he frowned, his voice
echoing his anger.  "You know, Akane really liked you... and so
did I.  We were so happy for you when we were able to get you
back home again... but when it came time for you to return the
favor, you didn't even try, did you?  You never even bothered
to contact Akane to let her know what happened," he added,
continuing to glare at her until he slowly turned his gaze away.
"Rialto-san... I guess I have to thank you... " he abruptly
noted, glancing back at her levelly.  "Because of all this,
I've had the unique experience of meeting someone totally
honorless,"  he added, looking her over with  disgust on his
face.  "And it's not something I ever want to do again."
	Shaking his head, he turned and took a few steps away
from her bed, then flashed her a condemning look over his shoulder.
"Feh... I'm outta here,"  he spat, then stepped through the
curtains in a huff.
	Elysse felt her entire body go numb.  Her mind couldn't
form a coherent thought, lost in a tailspin of panic, confusion
and heartbreak.  Finally, in a desperate act of self-preservation,
it shut down completely.  With a long swoon, Elysse slumped to
the mattress.
	Huffing at Elysse's unconscious form, Hitomi shook her
head condescendingly.  "Cheater..." she spat, then vanished
from sight.



	Pushing aside the curtain, Mavis breathed a sigh of
relief as she saw that Elysse was still sleeping soundly.
Quietly, she stepped over to her chair and settled into it,
leaning over to put her purse beside her on the floor.  As
she did, she glanced across at Elysse, who had her face
turned toward the chair as she slept.
	Just as she was about to turn away, Mavis thought she
noticed something and leaned toward Elysse for a closer look.
Her brow knit in confusion as she determined that she hadn't
been seeing things - there was indeed a single tear running
down her daughter's face.



	On the roof of the hospital, Hitomi sat perched on the
edge with her feet dangling over, tears running down her cheeks.
Her own shock at Elysse's words had caught up to her, and she
couldn't figure out what to do.  One side of her wanted to make
Elysse pay for violating her, but another wouldn't let her harm
the mother of her child.
	As well, she had already fallen in love with the baby,
which complicated matters even more.  Her first impulse was to
bring the child home with her, but she realized how well that
would go over.  In fact, she dreaded telling Kikyo, especially
since Kikyo had wanted *their* child to be something truly special
and unique between them.  Elysse's selfish act had tainted that
gesture, and she could only hope that Kikyo would be understanding.
	As she sat motionless and sniffling on the roof, her tears
forming widening spots on her skirt, she didn't notice Ranma
appear behind her.  Nor did she notice him walk up and stand near
her shoulder.  Ranma, for his part, could both see and feel how
Hitomi was handling things, and his heart went out to her.
	"Sorta cheapens everything you hold dear, doesn't it?" he
commented sadly, startling her.
	"Saotome-sama..." Hitomi gasped, quickly wiping her tears.
	"Don't be afraid to cry, Hitomi-chan... " he stated gently,
flashing her a sympathetic smile.  "What she did was reprehensible.
She hurt you, me, Akane and Kikyo all in one stupid move.
Personally, I'm mad as hell," he indicated, his face darkening
momentarily.
	"Ano... so what do we do?  What do I do...?"  she sniffed,
looking over at him imploringly.
	"Feh... nothing much we can do... the damage is already
done,"  Ranma grumbled, moving to sit beside the still miserable
redhead.  "You were right about her though, Hitomi-chan... she
needed more than to just be told.  Fact is, if I remember it right
from the half-semester of Psych I took, she's a classic case of
obsessive-compulsive disorder."
        Hitomi looked back at him like he was speaking Tibetan.
"Which means what, in plain Japanese?"  she responded, blinking.
	"In her case, I figure it's like this... once she becomes
obsessed with something,  she does anything she can to keep it,
no matter the consequences.  She doesn't even stop to think about
it... she just acts.  Tell you the truth, I think it came from
being trapped as a horse for two years... that would be enough to
make anyone a little crazy,"  he explained, sadly.
	"Trapped?  How?  The curses don't work like that..."  she
blinked in surprise, only to see Ranma shake his head knowingly.
	"She became cursed and then panicked, running off into
the bush before anyone could tell her how to change back... she
spent two years as a horse in China and Japan before I changed
her back.  That's when she got hung up on me, and I see now that
it was more than just a simple 'Florence Nightingale' thing,"
he sighed, massaging his temples.  "Kuso, if I had a body, I'd
have a headache right now."
	"Hai.  I have both..." Hitomi groaned, puffing out a
breath.  Ranma looked over at her and smiled, then winked and
rose to his feet.
	"I have to get home Hitomi-chan... I'm very glad we
finally met," he smiled, taking a few steps around behind her.
Hitomi suddenly got the feeling that she was being examined,
and turned to face the now thoughtful looking Ranma.
        "I like the hair... I wouldn't have thought to wear it
like that, but it's a good look."  he abruptly commented,
noticing her braid curled on the roof behind her.
        "Arigato... Kikyo does it for me.  She's wonderful
at it."  Hitomi responded, flashing a small smile.  Ranma nodded,
then shook his head abruptly.
        "This is so weird... sitting and having a heart to heart
with my girl-side.  And for once, I actually like her,"  he
indicated, shaking his head in mock disbelief.  "Ano... I mean,
I like you, Hitomi-chan,"  he corrected sheepishly, skritching
his head.
	Hitomi flushed despite her sadness, his words filling
her with an unexpected flood of emotion.  The man that she had
been created from just said he liked her... and it felt as if
he had just validated her entire existance.
	"Ar... Arigato, Saotome-sama." she responded waveringly,
her eyes shimmering.  "If I could, I'd hug you... and I don't
hug men,"  she added, rising to her feet and bowing respectfully.
	"Heh... I don't think Akane would appreciate it either,"
he smirked, flushing slightly himself as he returned the bow.
"As far as Elysse goes, give her a few days to let it sink in,
then pay her another visit.  She'll be in better shape to 'talk'
then,"  he suggested, plaintively.  "And she'll need a reminder
that this wasn't just a bad dream,"  he intoned, levelly.
	"Hai... she'll get it.  And she better have the right
answers for me,"  the redhead replied, glowering at the thought.
	"Well, it's time for me to get back... I'm looking
forward to our next meeting, Hitomi-chan... we need to get
together on things,"  he smiled, taking a step back.
	"I am too, Saotome-sama... I have a lot to talk to you
about, too,"  Hitomi acknowledged, seriously.
	"Good.  Give me a shout if you need anything else...
Ja!"  he said, then faded away.  Standing alone on the roof,
Hitomi looked out over the horizon and scowled, her thoughts
immediately returning to the pain of Elysse's betrayal.  Within
moments, she could feel her anger building up within her, and
considered going back inside and making Elysse suffer.  Almost
as suddenly, her protective instincts rose up and chided her
for even thinking it.
	Abruptly, her hands balled into fists and flared blue,
her intense anger and frustration finally overcoming her guard.
"DAMN YOU ELYSSE!!!" she shrieked at the top of her lungs,
lining her fists up on an abandoned car a half-mile away and
launching an incredible blast at it.
	The energy charge obliterated the old wreck with a
deafening explosion, shaking the ground and rattling windows all
around the hospital.
	Hitomi, however, didn't see the results, having dropped
to her kness and covered her face again, trying to fight back
her tears.  The battle waged within her for a few long moments,
but finally a loud, shuddering sob broke free.
	Just before she succumbed completely to the inevitable,
she felt a sudden aching need wash over her being.  "Kiko-chan..."
she sniffed, then abruptly vanished.



	Kikyo stared at the words in her book, but they weren't
making any sense.  She was too worried about why Hitomi was
taking so long, and her absence was all she could think about.
Closing the book with a huff of disgust, she was about to turn
on the TV when she heard what sounded like sobbing coming from
their bedroom.
	Levering her large form out of her chair, she waddled to
the bedroom and opened the door, there to find Hitomi stretched
out on the bed, crying her eyes out into her pillow.
	"Anata...!  What happened?!?" she blurted, moving to the
bed and rolling herself onto it.
	Hitomi sniffed back her tears and turned to face Kikyo,
her bright sapphire blues puffed and reddened.
	"Kiko-chan... hug me..." she sobbed, burying her face in
Kikyo's shoulder.
	"Anata... tell me.  What happened with Elysse?"  she
prodded gently, stroking the back of Hitomi's head.
	Hitomi stunned Kikyo with her wavering response.  "She
raped me...!"  the redhead blurted, crying even harder at the
sound of the words.



	Kikyo sat alone at the dining table, carefully cleaning
her .45 and thinking about Hitomi's words from the previous night.
She had always wondered why Elysse had decided to vanish so
quickly, but would never have imagineed that it was to hide such
a heinous act.
	The thought that Elysse had treated Hitomi so horribly
burned in her mind, and the reasons why she did it only made the
situation more detestible.  Raising her partially assembled weapon,
she aimed it toward the wall, imagining Elysse right in her
sights and begging for her life.
	Smirking evilly as she lowered the gun, Kikyo thought to
herself how good it would feel to watch Elysse squirm.  She knew,
however, that despite how angry she was at her, Hitomi would
never allow it.  As she had pointed out during their long,
emotional talk, Elysse was the mother of her child, and her
instincts would not let her give the woman what she so richly
deserved.
        Kikyo's brow furrowed at that as well, still feeling
jealous, angry and cheated.  The child that she carried was the
result of their love for each other, while Elysse's child was the
result of cold, calculated trickery.  She knew, however, that
Hitomi would love them both the same, since they were both her
children.  Kikyo didn't think that was fair, but that same
unselfishness was one of the things she loved about Hitomi.
	Hitomi's extreme reaction to how Elysse decieved her had
another effect on Kikyo as well, rekindling her long-buried guilt
over her own actions.  It still struck her odd that Hitomi, upon
hearing the truth, hadn't been nearly as upset.  In view of
Hitomi's current dilemma about a course of action, she caught
herself wondering what might have occured had she not been
carrying their child.
        She abruptly shook her head to change her thoughts, not
even wanting to consider the possibilities.
	Sighing, she finished reassembling her gun and slipped it
back into her shoulder holster, then packed up her cleaning
supplies to put them away.  Just as she went to stand up, a
warm, soft hand touched her shoulder.
	"Want some help with that?"  Hitomi smiled, stepping
around and picking up the supplies.
        "Hai... You seem to be feeling better..." she noted
smiling herself.
	"I am... I think I've figured out a way to settle the
score."  Hitomi responded, smiling confidently.



        Elysse had been totally silent since returning from the
hospital, her eyes bearing a faraway, almost vacant look.  The
only person she would acknowledge was her son, keeping him near
her almost constantly.  Her mother and father were at a loss,
having no idea what had transpired, and even Bill was unable to
get a rise out of her, much to his disappointment.
        Elysse, for her part, was utterly shattered.  The idea
that she had Hitomi's baby and not Ranma's had hit her harder
than her father had, so she had so far utterly refused to accept
the thought.  As well, she desperately clung to the hope that
if nobody else knew how she really got pregnant, her secrets
were still safe.  However, deep down inside of her the truth
gnawed at her resolve, Hitomi's rage and Ranma's face leaving
impressions she couldn't forget.
        Physically, she was still in rough shape, her shoulder
still useless and her leg hurting like hell, but compared to the
pain in her heart, they were minor inconveniences.
	Late in the afternoon on her third day home, she still
had not spoken to anyone, and her mother was on the verge of
calling in professional help.  Abruptly, the doorbell chimed
into the thick atmosphere of the family room, promising a break
from the tension.
	Mavis rose quickly from her chair and went to the door,
breaking out in a wide smile when she saw who was on the verandah.
	"Toni...!  Am I ever glad to see you!"  she gushed,
overwhelming the surprised girl.
	"Mavis... what?" she gasped, recovering from the greeting.
	"Elysse has been acting strange ever since she got back
from the hospital... won't talk to us, won't come out of her room
except to be with her son, and she's got me scared to death."
the woman blurted, grabbing Toni's hands.  "Could you try to
talk to her...?  You might be able to get though," she implored,
breathlessly.
	Toni had to shake her head to think straight.  "Since she
got home...?  It must have something to do with that red-haired
girl.  After she looked at Takara, she said she had to go see
Elysse right away... yet none of us saw her at the hospital."
she pointed out, her brow furrowing thoughtfully.  "Okay, Mavis,
I'll go talk to her."  she indicated, her face darkening.
	In her room, Elysse sat in her rocking chair with her
back to the door, cradling a bubbling Takara in her arms.  She
was staring out her window silently, looking very much lost in
thought.
	"Lee...?"  Toni asked carefully as she poked her head
in the door.
	Elysse stopped rocking at the sound, but didn't acknowledge.
	"Lee... what's wrong?"  Toni pressed worriedly, never
having seen her friend in anything near her current state.
	Elysse only sighed in response, then lowered her head
slightly.
	Frowning, Toni stepped into the room and walked right up
to Elysse's chair, tired of the subtle approach.  Moving around in
front of the chair, she was about to unload a blast when she
caught sight of Elysse's face.
	Her eyes were closed tightly and tears trailed down her
cheeks, dripping from her clenched jaw.  Her upper body shuddered
as she gradually lost the battle with her overstressed emotions.
	"Elysse... what the hell...?" Toni stammered, stunned by
the sight.  Elysse gasped a breath of air and raised her head
slightly, then tried to open her eyes.  As they were too full of
tears for her to see, she tried to wipe them on her sleeve, but
in the process started to lose her grip on her son.  Toni snapped
out of her gaping trance and took the baby from her, placing him
in his crib.
	As she stood up to go back to Elysse, she was greeted by
her friend standing in front of her.  Before she could even react,
Elysse threw her good arm around her and hugged her for dear life.
"Toni... help me..." she sobbed, then burst out crying as she
buried her face in Toni's shirt.
	"It's okay, Lee... just let it all out..."  Toni soothed
quietly, reaching up to stroke Elysse's head gently.  "I'm here
for you..."  she added, sniffing back her own tears.
	Half an hour later, Toni appeared out of Elysse's room
and headed for the bathroom, a grim look on her face.  Mavis
spotted her and immediately ran over to her.
	"Mavis... I still don't know what happened to her, but
whatever it was hit her pretty hard.  All the time I've been in
there she's been crying into my shirt... I just now got her calmed
down enough to let go of me."  Toni indicated evenly, rinsing a
cloth in warm water.
	"Oh my lord... do you think...?"  Mavis began, but was
interrupted by the look on Toni's face.
	"I don't know... I just don't know, Mavis..." Toni
reiterated, sadly.  "I'm going to get her a drink of something
and then go back in to try to find out...if she'll tell me."
	"You're the only one that's even had a response from her,
Toni... she trusts you."  Mavis noted, taking Toni's hands and
looking into her sienna eyes expectantly.  "Good luck."  she
added, patting the girl's hands.



	Elysse lay on her bed quietly, still sniffing occasionally
from her marathon cryfest.  Hearing a movement from behind her,
she raised her head and looked toward it.  What she saw almost
stopped her heart.
	"Konnichiwa, Rialto-san,"  Hitomi greeted, rising from
the chair she appeared in.  "Dare I think this is an attack of
conscience?  Or is that too much to hope for?"  she continued
flatly, walking up to Elysse's bedside.
	"Hitomi..." Elysse gasped, her chest tightening.
	"Hai.  I came back because we have some unfinished
business... " the redhead grinned, holding her open hand out
before her.  "When we last spoke, you passed out before Ranma and
I could tell you the rest of the story,"  she added, glancing
down at her palm.  As the shocked Elysse watched, she generated
a hardball-sized sphere of energy in her palm and then smiled
wickedly.  "You see, Rialto-san... I'm not completely human,"
she stated, elevating the sphere from her palm and circling it
around her.
	"Oh, God..."  Elysse choked, her mind starting to spin.
	"Figured it out yet...?"  Hitomi asked, a taunting tone
threaded through her voice.  "I've *never* been Ranma.  I have
his body, but that's where the resemblance ends," she emphasized,
lowering the sphere of energy to hover just below her chin.
It's radiance cast an eerie glow over her face, drawing a fearful
gasp from Elysse.
	Hitomi noticed her reaction and smiled evilly.  "Just so
you can truly appreciate your position, I'll tell you my story.
I was created by the Fates, and draw my life energy from the
Realm of Light,"  she continued, eyeing Elysse levelly as she
settled the sphere back to her palm.  "And as I told someone else
recently, there are two things you don't mess with - The spirit
of Love..." she indicated, vanishing into thin air.  "...and the
Spirit World,"  she concluded, reappearing on the bed right
beside Elysse.
	Elysse yelped out loud and jumped away from Hitomi,
ending up wedged against the wall.  "P - Please... don't hurt
me..."  she whimpered, genuinely in fear for her life.
	"It's too late for that now, Rialto-san,"  the redhead
stated, dissipating the ball in her hand and then looking at
her fingernails distantly.  "Like I said, the game's over.  Right
now, you have a choice to make.  Come clean with your family,
Steve and your cute little friend, *immediately*, or I'll see to
it that you'll spend the rest of your days wondering who's going
to clean your stall!"  she threatened, eyeing the terrified
Elysse narrowly.
	Elysse's face drained as Hitomi's words sank in, and her
head instantly began to shake vigorously.  "No... No!  Not
that... Please..." she begged brokenly, grabbing at Hitomi's
shoulder.
	"Bet on it." Hitomi confirmed, the lightning in her eyes
leaving no room for doubt.
	Elysse opened her mouth to speak, but didn't get the
chance as Toni stepped through the door and gasped out loud, the
sight of the redhead on her friend's bed catching her totally
unprepared.
	Hitomi, annoyed at the interruption, opened her hand and
generated a tiny sphere of energy in it, then flipped over and
flicked the sphere at Toni.  Before the stunned girl could even
move, it struck her square in the chest, making her shudder
from head to toe and then freeze in place.
	"Hrmph," Hitomi nodded, then slid off the bed and walked
over to Toni's frozen form.  "That'll teach her to interrupt
people,"  she deadpanned, looking her over intently.
	"What the hell did you do to her?!?"  Elysse abruptly
demanded, eliciting a cold glare from Hitomi that shrank her back
against the wall.
        "Yell at *me* again, and you'll find out first hand!" the
redhead snarled, then returned her gaze to Toni.  Her face
softened slightly as she looked over the taller, mousey-blonde
haired girl, noticing for the first time how nice she really
looked.
        At their previous meeting, Toni had been dressed in an
oversized shirt and old loose jeans, which belied her trim
athletic build.  The girl's current form-fitting western shirt and
knee-length denim skirt did her curvey figure far more justice,
and worked well with her tanned, girl-next-door looks.
        "You're not going to... hurt her, are you?"  Elysse
cautiously stammered, eyes riveted on Hitomi's hands.
	"No.  I just put her on 'pause'... she won't even notice.
Why so concerned?  Trying to get something from her, too?"
	Elysse flinched slightly, then lowered her eyes.  "She's
my best friend, Hitomi..."  she began, but Hitomi cut her off with
a snort.
	"Then she's better off staying like this.  It'll hurt less
in the long run, if how you treated me is any indication," she
snapped, anger simmering in her eyes once more.
	Elysse couldn't respond, her jaw starting to tremble as
she fought back more tears.
	Hitomi huffed and shook her head.  "It's just too damned
bad I can't make that choice for her," she grumbled, turning
toward Toni once more.  "She looks like such a 'real' person...
and she *is* cute; can't fault your tastes, I guess," she added
sarcastically, and reached up to touch Toni's forehead.  
	Toni instantly reanimated, then jumped as she saw Hitomi
standing beside her.  "What the hell...?  How did...?" she
stammered, glancing at Elysse questioningly.  As she noticed
how upset her friend was, Toni's expression instantly changed
to a level glare.  "What did you do to her...?"  she growled,
eyeing Hitomi suspiciously.  Hitomi only looked over at the
tearful Elysse and smirked deliberately.
	"Nothing she didn't need,"  she remarked, firmly.
	Toni's eyes flashed momentarily, setting Hitomi on alert.
Elysse also picked up on her anger and instantly panicked.  "No,
Toni... she's a...!"
	The warning came too late.  Toni's arm had already been
drawn back and was on its way to unloading a punch at Hitomi's
bemused face.
	Knowing she had enough time to read War and Peace, Hitomi
considered a few different responses to the swing before finally
settling on the least painful choice.  She knew that Toni was
defending her friend, and couldn't fault her for that.  In a
blur, she deftly blocked the swing and caught Toni's arm,
redirecting it behind the hapless girl and spinning her into a
locking hold.
	Toni growled her outrage and tried to break free, but
Hitomi's grip held like iron.  She craned her neck around and
tried to glare her contempt at the Chinese girl, but was stunned
to note the redhead looking up at her sadly.
	"Just like I thought.  Rialto-san, you don't deserve a
friend as good as she is.  Especially since you're probably
treating her almost as bad as you did me," she began, releasing
the girl gently and turning her around.  "Don't worry, Toni-san.
We just had a little talk, and I think she's going to have
something to tell you." she indicated, flashing a smug smile as
she looked into Toni's eyes.  "Right, Rialto-san?"  she
redirected, turning Toni so she could see Elysse nodding
defeatedly.
	"Good.  Then my work here is done... but be warned,
Rialto-san... I'm watching you, and you owe me bigtime," Hitomi
noted, scowling.  Stepping toward the bed, she leaned down and
glared into Elysse's puffy, reddened eyes, making sure she was
paying attention.  "And you damned-well better take good care
of my son," she threatened, to a gasp from Toni.  "I'm outta
here."  she added, flashing a pixie-grin at Elysse then
vanishing instantly.
	"Lee...?  Is that... true?" Toni asked in amazement,
blinking at Elysse.
	Elysse dropped her head and sighed resignedly, then
cleared her throat. "Toni... please bring my mom and dad in
here... and call County Memorial and see if you can get Steve
to come, too," she asked quietly, not raising her eyes.
	"O - Okay, Lee... "  Toni replied, moving toward the
door uncertainly.  Elysse looked up at her and flashed a
weak smile, then nodded an acknowledgement.




	The knot in Elysse's stomach grew tighter by the moment
as she sat with her face down and hands together in her lap.
The assemblage gathered before her was also silent, each
considering their reactions to her story.
	Having looked at each of their faces as she related her
sad tale, Elysse knew full well that there were no bridges left,
and the best she could hope for now was to at least be allowed
enough time to find a decent room somewhere.
	The deafening silence hung in the room for what felt like
forever, until Elysse finally straightened and sighed heavilly.
Casting a last look at each of the faces before her, she felt her
heart sink as each one in turn averted their eyes.
	Huffing in resignation, she knew what her next move had
to be.  Rising, she walked to Takara's crib and carefully scooped
him up, grimacing as she had to use her bad arm to assist the
effort.  Once she had him nestled into her chest, she turned to
face her family and friends once more and cleared her throat.
"I'll be out of here as soon as I can... I'm sorry, everyone -
for everything.  I know that's not saying much, but if it's any
consolation... I really do mean it."  she stated quietly, then
turned and walked out of her room.
	Arriving on the verandah, she sat heavilly in the porch
swing and began to slowly nudge it into motion.  Her mind was
calm for the first time in months, but her heart thudded
painfully against her ribs.  Nestling her son into her chest,
she slowly figured out the reason.
	The world that had looked so promising only a week ago
was suddenly gone... replaced by one that was so vastly
different that it scared her to death.
	Just at that moment, Takara began to fuss in her arms, and
a quick glance at her watch told her why.  It was his supper time,
and he didn't take kindly to missing meals.
	"Shhh, little one...  Give me a minute." she soothed,
opening her blouse and shifting him into position.  As she felt
him start to feed, she was glad she hadn't worn a bra.
	Looking down at her son as he nursed, she felt a rush of
warmth fill her chest and heart, thankful that there was at least
one person left that she hadn't managed to alienate.   A serene
smile crossed her face as she decided that she really didn't care
who his father was... he was still beautiful, and he was still
hers, and that was all that mattered.  Still, given his apparent
birthright, she had to wonder what effect it would have on his
life.
	Lost in the moment, Elysse didn't notice the figure
standing just behind the screen door, watching her intently as
she fed her son.  After a few more moments, the figure stepped
out onto the verandah and smiled at her.
        "I didn't think you'd even want to see me again," Elysse
stated, looking up and smiling, glad to see what looked like a
friendly face.
	"Well... I guess it's because I'm a glutton for punishment,"
Steve replied, shrugging.  "So you're really leaving?  Any idea
where to?"  he asked, leaning against an adjacent post.
	"No... haven't had time to even think about it yet,"  she
replied, sadly.  "I guess it'll depend on how fast they want me
out,"  she noted, running her fingers through Takara's unruly hair.
	"Hm.  Your dad hasn't said anything yet... and your mother
just walked out right after you did.  Your friend Toni went home,
though.  She looked pretty upset,"  he indicated, raising his
eyebrows as he spoke.
	Elysse huffed as she looked up at Steve, then closed her
eyes slowly and lowered her face.  "Doesn't surprise me," she
stated, shaking her head.  "Can't say I blame Toni, I guess... she
believed in me.  Like a lot of people did,"  she sighed, quietly.
	Steve's forehead furrowed at her reaction.  Drawing a deep
breath, he suddenly spoke.  "Elysse... I don't understand a lot of
this 'curse' stuff..." he began, looking very much like he was
choosing his words carefully.  "...and I still can't figure out
what the deal is with that redhead.  I do know this, though... I
don't want to lose track of you," he stated, straightening and
looking her right in the eyes.
	Elysse had to blink at least twice before his statement
sank in.  "Even... after all that?"  she asked, shocked.
	"Yeah.  Somehow, I get the feeling that you're... how can
I say this... well, you grew up,"  he stammered, grimacing at his
choice of words.
	Elysse regarded him for a moment, then lowered her eyes
again and laughed humourlessly.  Looking at Takara again, she
smiled a small smile and raised her gaze to the nervous Steve.
"I guess that's what you'd call it,"  she finally said, waving
him toward her.


====================================================================
END - The Best Laid Plans               A Ranma1/2 Fanfic by Coutuva

Comments Welcomed, Flames Extinguished!
coutuva@vecdev.com