I don't own Ranma 1/2 or it's characters. For reference, see Chapters 1 through 15...

Epilogue

Ranma came to when there was a knock on his door. He sat up, but felt a sharp pain in his head. He attempted to rub the spot, and felt a large lump.

"Ow…" he groaned. "Come in…" The door opened and Akane slipped inside. She was carrying a dinner tray loaded with a glass of water, a teacup, and a steaming teapot. She closed the door behind her with her hip. The young Tendo looked at Ranma, apologetically.

"Hey, Ranma…How're you feeling?" she said. "Sorry I hit you so hard…" The girl looked down at the ground.

Suddenly, Ranma began to recall what had happened earlier that day. During the chase, guilt had finally managed to catch up to his prideful brain. He turned around to apologize to his angry fiancé, but before he could open his mouth, a mallet swing had sent him rocketing skyward. That was all he could remember, but the rest was pretty easy for him to piece together.

Akane sat down next to him, sitting the tray in her lap. "I still need to work on that…" she said. Ranma sighed.

"Yeah…well…I do too, obviously." He glanced away from the girl. "Sorry about my taunting…it was a kneejerk reaction…" Akane sighed, too.

"I know…" she responded. Ranma looked over at the tray.

"So what's with all that?" he asked. Akane shrugged.

"Well…you've been out for a few hours, so I thought that you might be thirsty." She pointed to the glass of water. "I was just going to bring you some water…But Kasumi insisted some tea might do you some good." The youngest Tendo cocked an eyebrow. "Y'know…she can be very forceful when she wants to be…" Ranma scratched his sore head.

"Thanks, but I'm okay…" he responded. Akane nodded. The two sat there, letting the awkward silence take over. Finally, Akane spoke up again.

"Look, Ranma…We never finished our conversation earlier…" She made a gesture with her hand. "I think we should…" Her gesture caused the water glass to knock over, spilling the cool liquid onto the pig-tailed martial artist. "Oops!" She exclaimed as Ranma's form changed. Akane leapt up and rushed over to the dresser in the corner. She reached into one of the drawers and pulled out a towel. The girl turned back around to hand the towel to the now female form sitting before her.

"Here you go! Sorry!" Akane said. But she paused a second when she saw her fiancé make no response. "Ranma?" she asked. Ranma was sitting there, arms limp at her sides. Her mouth was slightly agape, and her eyes were almost glossy.

Akane waved the towel frantically in her face. "Hello! Earth to Ranma!" However, she still got no response. Ranma just sat there, blankly staring into space. "C'mon Ranma…say something!" Akane said, crossing her arms in frustration.

"Something." Ranma responded. Her tone was robotic. Akane felt her heart sink inside her chest. It couldn't be…

"Ranma, raise your right arm." the youngest Tendo commanded, a hint of panic in her voice. To her horror, the pig-tailed girl's arm flew into the air.

"Yes, Mistress…" she said. Akane shook her head.

"Ranma, stop joking around! Just be yourself!" Ranma's expression remained blank.

"I do not understand your command, Mistress. I am not joking." she emotionlessly returned. "I am Ranma Saotome, obedient slave to my mistress, Akane Tendo. If my mistress wishes, my identity can be altered or forgotten."

"Oh no…" Akane mouthed. Thinking fast, she grabbed the teapot from the tray and splashed its boiling contents all over the red-haired girl.

"Owwww!" A suddenly male Ranma yelped. "What the hell'd you do that for, Akane!" His anger dissipated as he saw the terrified look on his fiancé's face. "Akane?" he asked. Her face was white. He grabbed her by the shoulders.

"We have a problem…" she said.

Two figures, one male, the other female, stood at the edge of a dark pool. Both were clad in brown cloaks that hid their visages from any onlookers…not that there was any chance of that being an issue. The pair stared into the pool, which did not showcase their own reflections. Instead, as if on a television screen, the pool displayed a moving image…that of a frantic Ranma Saotome as he fled his three fiancés down the Nerima streets. The male figure turned to his counterpart.

"Hmmm…Can it really be true? Has Ku Lon really decided to back-off from the boy's life?" He said in Mandarin. Upon getting no response, he turned his attention back to the pool. He decided to continue. "I mean, she's worked for so long now…Protecting him, grooming him, channeling his power… And that air-headed great granddaughter of hers still believes that she only wanted the boy so that he could marry her…." He shook his hooded head. "It just strikes me as odd." The female let out a light chuckle.

"Perhaps she feels there's nothing more she can teach him." she said, coolly. The male figure turned to her once more.

"Yes, and that's what worries me…the boy did kill a god, after all…"

"He merely restarted a reincarnation cycle." the female sneered. "It's one thing to end an immortal LIFE…It's another, entirely, to kill that which is already dead." The female turned and began to walk away from the pool. The male figure clicked his tongue.

"Still…I don't like it…I'm almost certain that Ku Lon is up to something…" The female snorted in response.

"That old ghoul doesn't concern me," she scoffed. "Let her do as she will…" The male glanced over at his companion.

"Mistress…Are you sure this is the right time to strike? I know you've been patient already, but…" She held up her hand, silencing him. She slowly removed her hood and spun to face the other figure. Her long crimson hair almost lit up the darkness like fire.

"The boy stole my body, Tso Pu…" she retorted. "I think it's high time I return the favor…"

THE END…..

Final A/N: I know you probably all hate me…another cliff-hanger! I swear, I had always meant to end the story where I did in the last chapter…but then all of the sudden I got this idea in my head, and I just couldn't let it go! While I hope to continue this thought line in a sequel…Well, life has already delayed this story years beyond where I meant it to…so I cannot make any promises…I can only hope that you all enjoyed the journey. If it weren't for all of the positive response, I would never have kept coming back again and again, so thank you all so much for allowing me to finish (sort of) what I started!

For those of you who've just discovered this story…Welcome aboard! For those of you who have followed the development of this tale across these 8 years…thank you so much for being here, loving it so much, and being patient. For those of you who've gotten this far and didn't enjoy it…thank you for giving it a shot and seeing it through to the end!

I hope that you all had as much of as a blast as I did, and I hope to see you all in another story.

Until then, take it easy!

-Whatthechuck3