The birds chirped cheerfully in the crisp morning air of Nerima.  
Soft humming floated out the open kitchen window.  And in a new 
crater formed in the garden, sat a rather disgruntled pig-tailed 
boy sporting a large lump on his head.

Walking away from him, was a young girl with short, dark hair carrying
a large mallet over her shoulder.  Muttering about a "idiot", she 
walked into the house.  Ranma looked up at the disappearing Akane and 
whispered a harsh, "un-cute tomboy" under his breath.

A vehement "I heard that!" echoed in the house.  Ranma paled and jumped
out of his crater.  He dusted off his black pants and nervously eyed 
the door Akane had gone through.  With an exaggerated sigh, he hopped 
up onto the roof to watch the morning begin.  But his mind began to 
wander...

~Man! What a tomboy! All I said was that *nobody* would want to eat 
that stuff she called "food". Miso soup?! Ha!~  He inwardly shuddered at 
the memory of the strange green, bubbling creation.  He could almost 
swear that the thing was trying to talk to him!

Looking back up into the brightening sky, he sighed again.  This time 
in sadness.  ~When is my life going to get better.  I mean, of all the 
people who are either trying to marry me, date me, or kill me, I wish 
at least one person out there be willing to *help* me??~

In a nearby tree top, hidden by the green foliage, a soft giggle 
sounded.  A flutter of wings and soft whisper of wind announced the 
departure of the creature.  With a huge smile in its heart and an 
even bigger joy in its soul, the tiny butterfly flitted off to find 
its mistress.

To grant a wish for the one person in the world who needed one. Who 
earned one.

~~~

The small butterfly glided through the clouds for all her tiny body was
worth.  A small flash of light surrounded her and a glorious green 
field came into her vision.  Suddenly, a slim hand was raised before 
her.

Never one to take a gift for granted, she gently collapsed into the 
silk warm palm.  The butterfly began to suddenly change.  A small, 
fairy-like body attached to the wings.  She sat up with a gasp and 
began to chatter quickly to her mistress.

The Goddess smiled and held up a hand.  "Slow down, young one. I can 
barely make a word out.  Start again, and slowly."  The butterfly took 
a deep breath and began again.  The soft, musical language of the 
fairies drifted across the field.

The Goddess smiled softly as she listened to her messenger.  She nodded
her head in agreement.  "Yes, yes I agree with you.  I'll do all that 
I can to make sure it happens. You may return to your realm now."  The 
tiny fairy bowed and softly kissed the palm of her mistress.  In a 
bright flash of light, she disappeared.

Wind softly blew around the Goddess as she thought over her little 
one's request.  It wasn't much to ask for, but it did provide her with 
a new opportunity.  An opportunity to see how loyal her new lover 
was...how loyal indeed.

~~~

Mekar lounged in the large silk covered bed, as her lover walked about 
the room drinking from a golden goblet filled with rich wine.  His 
dark robe swirled around him.  "Have I disappointed you, love?"  The 
God looked over at the Goddess and smiled. "Never. I merely have many 
things on my mind. What is it you wish of me?"

Mekar inwardly laughed with glee. ~He was loyal indeed.~  A small, 
demure smile graced her red lips.  "I wish to ask a favor, my lord." 
Nefaro sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to caress her bare 
arm.  "What is it?"  Mekar smiled up at him and whispered, "I want 
your Shadow."

Nefaro's features turned black with anger.  He snatched his hand away 
and glared at the young woman.  "You what? Treacherous bitch! That is 
what this whole thing was about wasn't it? You wanted my Shadow."

The Goddess winced at the fury in his voice and his visage.  She had 
expected him to be reluctant but this was an all out refusal.  She 
pouted softly and glanced up at him.  "Have I not won your favor, my 
lord? Do I not own a piece of your soul as well? What I ask of is not 
what you think. I merely want to fulfill the wish of one of my most 
cherished little ones."

Nefaro's anger wavered. ~Damn the whole thing to the Seven Rings of 
Hell.~   He sighed and gritted out, "What is it?"  Mekar cheered 
inwardly at her skills in disarming him.  "There is a mortal on the 
7th Realm.  She desires to grant a wish he made.  A wish any God or 
Goddess would grant under any circumstances."

She risked another glance at him and noticed that he was now interested.
~Wonderful! Now, just have to make sure he will not deny me.~ 
Mekar patted the edge of the bed, and Nefaro reluctantly sat down.  
She allowed the blanket to fall away from her slim body.

Nefaro didn't bother glancing at the body he had adored not long ago.
He was disgusted to the edge of his soul with her trickery.  ~She may 
be the Goddess of Light, and Lady of the Fairies, but I am still the 
God of Blood and Lord of War.  She will regret this.~


~~~

A dark figure walked into the brightly-lit room.  A large golden throne
thrust high on a dais was the only feature.  A large imposing man was 
currently lounging in it.  His dark red robes contrasting with the 
shine of the metal.  His dark black hair was spread out about his face.
Cold gray eyes surveyed the crowd before him.

Few servants and muses lounged about around him.  The man looked up as
the figure came to a stop before him.  Appearing more like a patch of 
dark mist, it spoke in a voice that was neither male nor female.  "You 
called for me, my lord?"

The God on the throne looked down in contempt at the still standing 
figure.  "Will you not bow to show homage to your God?"  The dark 
figure smirked and suddenly appeared more solid.  A black cloak covered
most of the features, but what was shown lead no detail.

Black leather boots and dark pants covered the visible parts of the 
figure.  A dark black hood hid its face from view.  "As I recall, I 
bow to no one, save my Master."  The God sighed and waved his hand 
dismissivley.  "I do not recall asking a Shadow to enter my Domain.  
Leave now, lest I lose my temper."

Two hands appeared from inside the cloak and reached up.  The hood was 
pushed back a cascade of dark maroon hair spilled down.  The figure 
looked up.  Strange cat-shaped gray eyes bored into him.  A smooth 
black mask covered a small part of the right side of its face.  
Covering from the top of its eye to its jaw.

Nefaro stood up from his throne.  The servants and muses immediately 
parted to create a path for him.  Walking down the steps, he stood 
before the figure and stared down.  A shaking hand reached out and 
caressed the unmasked left cheek.

"Kai?"  The young Goddess smiled and her eyes twinkled up at him.  
"Hello father."  Nefaro softly smiled and touched the edge of the 
black mask.  "When did you finish your training?"

"A year ago," a shoulder shrugged, "I needed to test my new abilities 
to the extreme.  Took me over five months to get back up to full 
strength."  He nodded and then snapped his fingers.  In quiet bursts 
of gray sparkles, all the others in the room vanished.

"Will you show me your badge of strength?"  Kai laughed and gently 
removed the black mask.  A soft blue glow reflected off of Nefaro's 
proud features.  The mask was quickly placed back on.  Soft gray eyes 
looked down at the black marble floor.

Small shivers coursed down her back.  "Was the trai-" "I'd rather not 
talk about it.  There's another reason I'm here," she interrupted him.
Before she had to dredge up memories better left in the past...

Nefaro stepped back and frowned.  "What?"  Kai pushed back her cloak 
and it dissolved into a fine black mist that settled around her feet.
She looked around at the shadows in the room before she spoke.

"I heard you were looking for me.  That you threatened to take the 
throne from away if I refused to show.  What is so important that you
had to send Kiva searching for me?"

Nefaro smirked and relaxed his tense body.  ~She doesn't know. Good.~ 
"There is a mortal down on the 7th Realm.  Planet Earth.  I want you 
to go down to help him out.  Of course, you will not do this alone.  
Another will be along to help you-"

"Why? What good has the 7th Realm been to us since the End of Tragus? 
I know what you speak of and whom you want me to help.  Question is, 
will they let me?"  Nefaro sighed wearily and glared at her.  ~She is
still wary, perhaps a threat will hasten her.~

"The throne.  I can-" "You can do nothing, Father.  The throne is already
mine.  Do not dare to say that you gave it to me. I earned it.  And 
with me becoming a Shadow, I have sealed my fate."

Nefaro's anger rose to a boiling point.  He visibly shook as he tried 
to reign it in.  "Remember your place, female.  I am still God of Blood 
and Lord of War.  Do not defy me-"

Kai's eyes grew cold as icy mist.  The mist swirled up and formed the 
dark cloak once again.  Near her neck, a strange flash of color floated
by.  Again.  Then again.  Till finally it settled and the glaring eyes 
of a sapphire dragon were seen.

"Remember, Father.  I am still the Goddess of Vengeance and the 1st 
Lady of War.  I will help your precious little mortal puppet.  But 
remember this, Ranma means 'wild horse.'  You never tamed me, Father.  
And you expect to control the strongest and most powerful mortal ever 
to grace the 7th Realm?"

Nefaro's breath grew to a halt. ~Oh, by the gods.  She knows 
everything.~  He tried to reply but Kai held up her hand to silence 
him.  "I know of my duties.  I am only help to the girl.  But know 
this as well, it is through the female that all his true power is opened.
Farewell...Father."

A swirl of dark mist rose before him then dies away, taking the Goddess
with it.

A lonely God, who had last the one thing left in all the Realms that he
could've claimed as his own, had left him..again...

A soft whisper echoed in the now dark room, "Farewell..."

~~~~

The sunny morning of Nerima affected the two teenagers little.  Ranma 
still ran on top of his fence.  Akane still ran along the sidewalk.  
Mid-way through his run however, a strange prickle went down the back 
of his neck.  Danger. Danger on four legs. Danger of four furry legs.

Risking the chance, he stopped and glanced around the surroundings.  
Nothing new seemed to be happening.  People still bustled around in 
the early morning air.  All oblivious to the world around them.  Then 
as he turned to face the canal, he saw what it was.

A dark shadow that clung to the sidewall.  A shadow that by all means 
of science, shouldn't be there.  Suddenly, the shadow shifted.  It 
became almost human shaped.  A pair of pale gray eyes peered over at 
Ranma.  He felt chills run down his spine.  Those eyes were so 
familiar.  Too familiar for his liking.

Turning on his heel, he jumped down and softly landed next Akane.  Not 
caring about what people thought, but more about getting away from the 
strange shadow, he grabbed her hand and tore down the street.

"Wwaaaaaiiiittttt!" Akane's scream was heard down the street.  A large 
dust cloud was left in their wake.  The shadow shifted again and stood 
up taller.  It leapt up to the top of the fence where Ranma had just 
vacated.  Smiling softly, it let out a small laugh.

"Yes, very strong indeed."  A small wind blew by and the shadow 
dissolved with it.  Floating away on the morning breeze.