***CHAPTER THREE***
                           ***RETRIBUTION***


     Ranma-chan jumps from rooftop to rooftop in pursuit of the crow. 
The adrenaline in Ranma's body is on overtime as she follows the bird
from roof top to roof top.  The crow suddenly swoops down and lands on
a television antenna a few buildings away.  In seconds, Ranma catches up
with the bird.

     "Well, where did you bring me?"

     The crow flaps it's wings and motions it's head down towards the
street.  Ranma peers over the building's ledge and looks down.  All she
can see from the angle is the pawn shop across the street.

     "I still don't understand why....."

     An object glimmers slightly from the pawn shop's window.  Curious,
Ranma leaps off the roof and lands in the street.  The crow leaves it's
perch, flies down and lands on Ranma's shoulder.  

     Ranma approaches the shop's window and looks in.  In the window is
a couple of televisions, some fans, and to the left of them is some
jewelry on display.  Ranma is about to leave when a certain piece of
jewelry catches her attention.  She quickly turns and looks back into
the window.  There, sitting on a small red velvet cushion, is a small
golden ring with two entwined hearts.  The diamonds in two hearts shine
brightly even in the blackness of night.

     "That's.... that's.... that's the ring I gave Akane."  Ranma looks
up at the window.  "Takei's pawn shop."  Ranma then looks back at the
window.  A faint light can be scene in the back of the store.  "It looks
like Mr. Takei is putting in a late night.  I wonder how Akane's ring
came into his possession.  Maybe I should ask."

                              **********

     Takei's bloated form is resting on a stool while he counts out the
money he made today.  When he finishes, he reaches out with a massive
hand and grabs a nearby BLT sandwich which he promptly stuffs into his
mouth.

     "Yes," grumbles Takei between bites, "Another good day."  He looks
around his cluttered shop.  "Over half of this stuff is stolen.  The
creeps steal it and then I buy it from them for a third of what it's
worth.  Then I turn around and sell it again for full market value. 
Sometimes I get twice what I paid for it."  Takei smiles as he picks up
his money and stuffs it into a large envelope.  

     He picks up the envelops and slowly lifts his fat self from the
stool.  As he reaches to turn off the light, a knocking is heard at the
store's door.


     "WE'RE CLOSED!  YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK TOMORROW!"  Yells
Takei.

     The stranger at the door begins to knock louder.

     Takei drops the envelope on the store counter as he reaches
underneath the counter and pulls out a small pistol.  "I SAID, WE'RE
CLOSED YOU BAKA!"  

     The stranger at the door just knocks louder.

     "I SAID....."

     The glass door shatters and in walks a red headed female dressed
all in black.  

     "I hope you're planning on paying for that door."  Takei looks the
female over.  "If you don't have the money then I know another way to
make up for it."  

     Ranma slowly walks up to the fat man.

     Takei cocks the pistol.  "Not a step closer sweet heart.  You may
be cute but you're not that cute."

     Ranma holds her arms out.  "Go on.  I dare you to shoot."

     "Don't tempt me."  Takei starts to perspire fiercely.

     "Oh come on."

     Takei's sweeting hand start to shake.  "I'm warning you!  One more
step and I will shoot!"  

     A smiling Ranma takes a single step forward.  

     That single step does it for Takei.  He pulls the trigger and the
pistol goes off in response.

     Ranma hunches over as the bullet strikes her in the chest. 
Laughing, Ranma stands strait up and exposes the bullet wound.  Blood
runs down the front of her shirt but soon stops as the wound quickly
heals.  Soon all that can be scene is just white skin exposed by the
hole in the shirt.  Ranma sinisterly smiles at Takei.  "Is that the best
you can do fat man!  Come on!  I dare you to try it again!"

     Takei fires the pistol over and over again.  Ranma just stands
there as the bullets tear right through her form, laughing all the
while.  Takei watches to his horror as all the wounds on the strange
female almost instantly heal back to normal.  

     Takei drops the pistol and falls to his knees.  "My god.....  What
are you?"


     Ranma grabs Takei's shirt collar.  "I'm no one you want to mess
with."  Ranma picks up Takei's plump form and tosses him behind the
store counter.  

     Ranma then turns and walks over to the front window display.  She
knocks over the televisions and reaches for the red velvet cushion and
then cautiously picks the ring up.  She holds it just mere inches away
from her face.

                              **********

     Akane takes off the Ranma's dining jacket.  A small package falls
out of it's pocket.  She notices the package and picks it up.  "What's
this Ranma?"

     "It's a....."

     "It's a what?"

     Ranma-chan puts on the jacket and puts her hands in it's pockets. 
"It's a gift for you."  Responds Ranma with a sheepish look on her face.

     Akane slowly unwraps the package and open it.  Inside is a small
gold ring with two entwined hearts on it.  The diamonds set in both of
the hearts gleam brightly in the moonlight.  Akane's eyes start to water
up.  "It's beautiful Ranma."

     "Well try it on."

     Akane takes the ring out of the box and puts it on.  "It's a
perfect fit."  Forgetting about Ranma's current form, Akane grabs Ranma
in a fierce hug.  "I love it Ranma!"

                              **********

     "This is defiantly the same ring."  Ranma moves back to the counter
as Takei manages to stand back up.  She reaches out and grabs Takei by
his hair.  "You got one chance you fat fool."  Ranma shows the ring to
Takei.  "Tell me how you came upon this ring."

     Takei takes one look at Ranma and then looks back down at the ring. 
"I.. I... don't remember."

     "LIAR!!"  In a fit of rage, Ranma takes Takei's head and smashes it
through the glass counter.  "I'll give you one more chance," she thrusts
the ring in front of his face, "How did you get this ring!"

     Takei groans as the pain really starts to kick in.  Takei looks
back up into Ranma's face.  "I said I don't remember!"

     Ranma growls and throws Takei across the room.  He hits the wall
with a sickening thud.  From his position on the floor, Takei watches as
Ranma goes on a rampage and starts smashing things left and right. 
Ranma knocks over display racks, smashes glass cases, and breaks various
objects.  Using a guitar Ranma busts huge holes in the walls.  When she
finishes, she turns her attention back to fat man sitting on the floor. 
Takei struggles to stand back up but Ranma is on him before can get a
chance.

     "I'm warnings you fat man!  I've not in a playful mood."  Ranma
grabs hold of Takei and lifts him off of his feet.  "This is you last
chance."  She looks him dead in the eyes.  "Where did you get that
ring!"

     Takei looks deeply into her eyes.  As he helplessly stares into her
eyes, something strange happens.  The pupils in her eyes slowly change
shape into the of skulls.  "Oh sweet mother of god."  

     "I'm waiting!"

     "It's slowly coming back to me now."  Ranma lets go of Takei and he
lands on the floor with a thud.  "I bought it off of someone."

     "Who?"

     "It was one of Skull's gang."

     "Which one?"

     "It was the one they call Patch."

     "Let me guess, he had a eye-patch over his right eye."

     "That's right."

     "Give me the names of the rest of them."

     "Let's see.......  There is this guy who has glasses.  I think I
heard Patch call him Glasses or something along those lines.  Then
there's Scar, he's a frequent here."  Takei tries to smile but his
busted lip won't let him.  "Scar was here not less than an hour ago.  If
you hurry, you can probably catch him."

     Ranma smiles as she looks down at the broken man.  "That I will." 
She turns around and proceeds to leave the shop.  When she reaches the
door, she stops and picks up a lighter and a small package off of the
floor.  She tears open the package to pulls out some firecrackers.  She
looks at the firecrackers and then turns around.  "Is it just me or do
you smell gas too?"

     Takei detects a hissing sound and looks into one of the holes Ranma
made during her rampage.  Takei spots a broken pipe spewing out gas. 
Takei tilts his head to read the writing on the pipe.  "Natural gas
heating pipe."  Takei turns around and looks at the smiling female.  

     Ranma holds out the firecracker's fuse and light the lighter.  


     Takei quickly turns and runs for the rear exit.  

     The fuse on the firecrackers catches and begins to burn.  Still
smiling, Ranma drops the lit firecrackers and leaves the shop.  

     Ranma is only a few meters away when the pawn shop explodes.  Takei
was only halfway out of the rear exit when it did.  The flames singed
his body as the explosion helped him the rest of the way out. 
Exhausted, Takei collapses in the street and watches helplessly as his
shop burns down.

                              **********

     Detective Takada is sitting in a booth at his favorite all night
donut shop.  He is busy milling over the information he gathered earlier
today.  

     "How can," he takes a bite out of a donut, "someone have so many
enemies."  Takada finishes off the donut and downs it with some lukewarm
coffee.  "What's even more strange is what their families told me."

     Detective Takada thinks back to when he was at the Tendo's.  At the
time he didn't know who crazier.  The family for telling him about
Ranma's curse, or him for actually believing the story.

     "It sounds like something straight from some silly manga that kids
are reading today."  He looks down at his notes.  "The funny thing is
that all this makes sense after what they told me."

     Suddenly an explosion is heard from down the street.  Takada
quickly get up and rushes out the door.  About a block down the street
he can see a store on fire.  The detective turns to the shopkeeper who
came out with him.  "Call the police and fire department."

     The shopkeeper nods and rushes back inside.  Takada reaches into
his jacket and pulls out his revolver as he run downs the street.  As
Takada gets to the shop he spots a lone figure walking away.  He raises
his gun and takes aim.  "Freeze!  Police officer!"

     The figure stops and raises it's arm.  

     "Turn around!"

     The figure slowly turns around to face Detective Takada.  Takada
tightens his grip his revolver when he spots the makeup on the woman's
face.  His eyes slowly travel down to examine the female.  He spots
several holes in the figure's shirt, exposing her pale white skin
underneath.  

     "Are you responsible what happened?"  Asks the Takada.

     "The man was making a living off of other people's misery.  The fat
fool deserved it."

     "Whether or not he deserved it was not the question."

     "Then yes, I did."

     "Move over to the curb.  I'm going to keep you here till my backup
gets here."  Something stirs inside Takada's mind.  "Hey, don't I know
you from somewhere?"

     "Maybe you do and maybe you don't."

     "Stop playing mind games with me girl!"

     "Can I play mind games with them instead."  Ranma motions towards
the store.

     Detective Takada turns his head slightly and spots several people
looting the store.  "Hey, hold it right there!"  Takada suddenly
remembers about Ranma returns his attention to her.  To Takada's
surprise Ranma is gone.  He rapidly looks around but he cannot find her
or those looters.

     "Damn!"  Curses Takada to himself.  As he puts away his revolver he
spots a crow perched on a stop sign.  The bird stares at him for a
moment before it takes off into the night sky.

                              **********

     Scar walks down the dark alley counting the money he made tonight. 
"God damn Takei.  I should have stuffed that VCR down his throat for
what he paid me for it."  Scar grudgingly folds up the money and stuffs
the wad in his back pocket.

     Scar opens his vest and exposes several large knives held inside. 
He reaches into a pocket, pulls out a pack of cigarettes and places one
in his mouth.  He then starts searching the pocket for some matches. 
Failing to find any he starts searching his other pockets.  Out of the
corner of his eye he catches some movement.  He looks up and spots a
crow sitting on a dumpster.

     "What the hell do you want bird!"  Scar picks up a discarded bottle
and tosses it at the bird.  

     The bottle misses and the bird takes off.

     "Stupid bird."  Mumbles Scar as he continues to search his pockets.

     "What's the matter," Asks a mysterious voice, "Need a light?"

     Scar reaches into his vest, pulls out a knife, and turns to face
the owner of the voice.  Leaning against the wall, holding out a
lighter, is a female clad in all black.  The shadows guard her face. 


     "Well do you need a light or don't you."  


     With his free hand, Scar reaches out and snatches the lighter from
her hand.  After he lights up, he tosses the lighter back to it's owner. 
"You shouldn't sneak up on people like me."  Scar waves the knife
around.  "You could have gotten hurt."

     "If you say so.  By the way, are you the one they call Scar?"

     "Yeah."

     "Do you work with a man named Skull?"

     A concerned look emerges on Scar's face.  "Maybe I do and maybe I
don't.  What's it to you?"

     "I have business with the man.  You wouldn't perchance know where
he's at?"

     Scar nervously grips his knife.  "Are you some sort of cop?"

     "Nope."  The female emerges from the shadows and walk over to Scar. 
"I just have a few questions to ask him."  Scar nervously notices the
white makeup on her face.  "I ask again, where's Skull?"

     "Go to hell bitch!"

     "Been there, done that."

     Scar swings his blade but Ranma easily ducks the attack.  In
response, she shoulder slams Scar to the ground.  Before Scar can get
back to his feet.  Ranma grabs hold of his shirt collar and tosses him
across the alley like a rag doll.  Scar crashes into the alley wall and
drops his knife.  

     Scar staggers to his feet as Ranma approaches him.  With surprising
speed Scar punches Ranma in the face but Ranma just grins it off.  Scar
attacks again but Ranma blocks the blow and counters with a punch to the
mid-section.  Scar stumbles back a few steps and as Ranma approaches, he
kicks out and nails her in the stomach.  Scar attempts a follow up kick
but Ranma blocks it and counters with another punch.  She then grabs him
again and throws him across the alley again.

     Ranma races over to Scar and pins him to the wall.  

     "What the hell do you want girl!"  Cries out Scar.  "I ain't done
nothing to you!"

     "You cold blooded killer!"

     "What the hell are you talking about girl!"

     "Listen carefully, cause I'm going to tell you a story."

     "What are you talking about?"


     Ranma slaps Scar across the face.  "Listen to me!  About a month
ago two people walking through Nerima park.  While in the park, four men
approached them and did horrible things to them."

     "Yeah I remember that night.  I still remember how fine that red
headed girl was."

                              **********

     Scar walks up to Ranma and looks down at her.  With the side of his
hand, he wipes the blood away from his bloodied lip.  Then he spits on
Ranma-chan.  "Stupid bitch!"  Scar cocks his leg back and kick Ranma in
the stomach.  "You made me lose a tooth!"  Scar continues to kick Ranma.

     Specks walks up to Scar and put a hand on his shoulder.  "Scar, try
not to damage her to much.  We might want to have fun with her later."

     Scar stops kicking.  "I get your point Specks.  She is kinda cute." 
Scar starts to undo his belt.  "Bitch, you're about to be had like
you've never been had before."  

                              **********

     Scar looks up at Ranma's painted face.  "You can't be her, we
killed you."

     "You did."

     "No!"  Scar head butts Ranma, causing her to lose her gripe.  Scar
reaches over and grabs a discarded metal pipe and hits Ranma in the head
with it.  Ranma crashes to the ground as Scar get back to his feet. 
Scar strikes Ranma again with the pipe.  Then again, and again and
again.

     "Killer....."  Cries out Ranma as she tries to get up.

     Scar tosses the pipe aside and pulls out two knives from his vest. 
"Let me tell you something about killing.  It's fun, it's easy and
you're going to learn all about it all over again."  Scar begins
snickering to himself as he walks away from Ranma.  When he gets about
a dozen meters away he turns and faces Ranma as she finally gets back to
her feet.

     "Let me introduce two buddies of mine," Mocks Scar.  "We never
miss."  Scar takes the first knife and throws it at Ranma.  Ranma duck
as the knife flies overhead.  Scar tosses the second knife but Ranma 
slaps it out of the air as she advances towards him.  

     "Try harder!"  Cries out Ranma.

     With a mighty cry, Scar pulls out another knife and tosses it. 
Ranma catches it as it flies at her and tosses it back at Scar.  The
knife embeds itself deeply into Scar's shoulder.  Ranma reaches out and
grabs him by his throat.  She reaches into his vest and pulls out one of
his knives.  

     "Victims."  Ranma raises the knife above her head.  "Aren't we
all."  She then brings the knife crashing down.

                              ***********

     "Here's the drinks that you ordered."  Chirps the waitress as she
places two bottles of beer on the table.  

     Patch glares at the pretty waitress with his good eye.  "Just put
them on his bill."  Patch motions towards Specks.  

     Grudgingly, Specks nods and the waitress disappears into the
crowded bar.  "God damn it Patch!  When are you going to pay for your
own beer!"

     "When I use up your money."  Mocks Patch as be grabs the beer
bottle.  Specks grumbles a bit under his breath  "What was that Specks?"

     "Nothing."

     "Thought so."

     Specks reaches out and grabs the other bottle.  As he drinks,
Specks looks around the bar.  It was a low class bar that dealt with
people of their type of morals.  Different types of chairs and stools
where scattered about the establishment.  They were all different mainly
because of all the fights that broke out here.  Occasionally someone
would pick up a chair or stool and use them as weapons.  Which meant
that new chairs and stools were always being bought to replace the
broken ones.  A thin layer of sawdust covered the floor to soak up the
beer or blood that was always being spilt.

     The bar was popular with Specks for several reasons.  It was close
by to his place, the beer was cheap and the atmosphere was good.  Patch
on the other hand liked it for a whole different reason.  He liked it
mainly because of the "well endowed" waitress that worked there.  One
could say that was what perked his interest in the place.

     Specks sips his beer and watches Patch as he tries to pick up some
chick at a nearby table.  He watches on as the woman eventfully slaps
Patch and storms off into the crowd.   

     "Damn bitch must have been a dyke if she wasn't interested in me."

     Specks smiles because Patch always seems to have that effect on
women.  "Patch my friend, your problem is that you just don't have any
style in the way you work."

     "Piss off Specks."

     "Whatever."  Specks glances around the bar.  "Hey Patch."


     "What."

     "Have you scene Scar lately?"

     "Haven't scene him since we split up early tonight.  Why do you
ask?"

     "Just wondering.  Normally he's here by now."

     "He's probably still haggling with Takei."

     "You're probably right."  Specks finishes off his beer and stands
up.  "I'm calling it a night."  He reaches into his pocket and pulls out
some cash.  He hands the waitress the money as she passes by.  "I'm
gohng to head back to my garage."

     "Don't forget the meeting tomorrow night."

     "Unlike you Patch, I don't forget."  Specks leaves the bar.  

     "Asshole."  Patch downs the rest of his beer and hassles the
waitress to bring him another.

                              ***********

     The lights of the police cars fill the once desolate alley. 
Detective Takada moves around the police barricade and walks up to his
old partner, Homicide Detective Koohei.  Takada taps Koohei on the
shoulder.  She turns around and greets him with a smile.

     "Detective Takada, to what do I owe the honor."

     Returning the smile.  "I was several blocks down the street
checking out an arson and heard about this.  Thought it might be related
to it."

     "Well I don't know how, but you're free to look around."

     "Where's the body."

     "Over there."  Detective Koohei points over towards her right. 
Several feet away rests the body covered with a white sheet.  Takada
walks over to the body and jneels down next to it.  He slowly lifts up
the white sheet.  Underneath is a male with a half dozen large knifes
sticking out of his chest.  Koohei walks up behind Takada.  "It happened
only a short while ago.  The medics say that each of those knives where
stuck in a major organ.  He must have suffered terribly before he died. 
We're running a check now on who use to be."  

     "Don't bother, I know who he is."  Takada stands back up and
reaches into his pocket.

     "Who is he?"


     Takada pulls out a cigarette and lights it.  "His name was Torao
Arai, or as Scar among his friends.  I was investigating a double murder
that might have involved him and his friends."

     "What's that have to do with the arson?"

     "Takei's pawn shop just blown up by some wacko chick.  Before she
blew the place, she was asking Takei about Scar and his friends.  Takei
told her that Scar had left shortly before she arrived."

     "You think that after she blew the place, she went looking for
Scar?"

     "Yeap, and apparently found him to."  

     "Got any ideas on who she might be."

     Takada rubs his chin.  "I happen to be nearby when the shop 
blew.  When I got there, I caught a quick glimpse of her before she
disappeared.  I know I've scene her somewhere before but for the life of
me I can't remember where."  

     "Before you leave there's one more thing I like to show you." 
Koohei motions towards the wall behind Takada.  Takada turns around and
before him, drawn in blood, is a large rough sketch of what looks like
a bird.  "It appears to be a drawing of a bird of some sort."

     Takada takes a long drag on his cigarette.  "I have a feeling that
it's suppose to be a crow."

                        ***END CHAPTER THREE***