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Disclaimer: All the characters used in this fic are the property of some other people. The people with the *real* talent. I wish that I could say that the whole idea was mine, but I can't. There is one thing that I can say though; I came up with the plot. *Sigh* However, I do not make any money from this, I do this all for fun! ^-^

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~*~Hidden Soul~*~

~*~Prologue~*~

By: Me (Ryoko)

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It was a pretty average day at the Tendo Training Hall, Ranma as usual, had found himself falling to the mercy of yet another one of Akane's deadly blows with her discreetly hidden mallet.

"Nnn..." Ranma moaned as he rubbed his throbbing head. "What'd I do now?" He wasn't sure just what it could have been this time, and for a brief moment he thought either he didn't know, or Akane hit him extra hard this time. Well, either way it hurt.

"Don't play innocent with me all of a sudden! You know exactly what you did!" Akane said as she quickly turned her back towards the pig-tailed boy.

Obviously puzzled, Ranma thought as hard as he could. *It couldn't have been anything that I said, because, well, I haven't really said anything to her yet and well...*

"Ranma..."

"Yeah?"

"Why are you doing this?" Akane gently asked, a single tear streaming down her cheek.

"What am I doing?"

Akane sighed, as she slid a piece of paper out of her pocket and held it just over her shoulder for Ranma to see. "See this?"

"Yeah, but I don't see what that has to do with me?" He was cut off as he noticed Akane began to slowly unfold the piece of paper. Then she read it out loud.

"To my Dearest most Adorable Ranma, I must say that I have once again come through for you my love, and have prepared a feast in your honor, come to me my darling, as soon as soon as possible. Love, The Black Rose. PS. We must let the world know just what we mean to each other, I expect you'll be ready for me, for I am ready for you." Ranma tried to deny it, not with words, but with actions, which really didn't work. Then out of the blue he heard the ripping of paper.

"Huh?" He said out loud as he quickly turned to see shredded paper falling gently to the ground. *Where's Akane? And why did that bother her so much? She usually hates me. *

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In another part of town, a certain someone, makes a delicate negotiation, about a certain item for sale.

"Are you sure that this is the very finest one you have?" Tatewaki 'Blue Thunder' Kuno asked as he leaned over the counter. "I do need the finest of camera's in order to take the most excellent of pictures. Don't you agree?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course you do. And at the moment that's the best one that I have!" The sales guy said as he rolled his eyes.

"You're lying! I can tell man! Spit it out! You have a better camera than this, I can tell! So do you or do you not!?" Kuno stated in his usual fashion. But before he could go on any further a man stepped out from behind a black curtain.

"Ah, good sir, you here for new camera, right?" The man said as he slightly bowed to Kuno.

Kuno's tone lightened a bit but he wouldn't be happier until he saw the other choice of cameras. "Why, yes, I am, and naturally nothing less than the very finest one shall do!" He said as he rubbed his hand through his hair.

"Ah, of course sir, I have very finest camera in back, if you wait one minute, I get it."

"Yes, yes, good man, but remember, I haven't got all day!" Kuno said as visions of all of the pictures that he could get crossed through his mind. Suddenly interrupted the man stepped out from behind the black curtain with a black box in his hands.

"Patience. In box is very priceless camera, very important camera, take care of it." The older man said as he gently pushed the box in Kuno's direction. Opening the box, Kuno was speechless.

"What is this???" Kuno said as he took the camera out of the box. It was a very old looking camera, one of which looked like it would turn out black and white photo's. "How can this be, such an ancient relic can turn out good pictures?"

"Ah, that is the secret sir, very old outside, very good inside. Pictures, they turn out almost lifelike. You see when you use it."

"And you're sure you're not swindling me into anything? I hate con-men."

"Sir, I no con-man. I just sell good stuff. You see. I just want tell you one thing though."

"What's that?" Kuno asked as he turned to look at the older man.

"When you develop those pictures, you bring them here! Half off!"

"Ah, yes, my good man, I shall return!"

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Kuno smiled inwardly. He was happy about his most recent purchase and he was happy how he talked the man into the best camera they had. Now all he had left to do was to try his new camera out. "Hmmm...I wonder if Akane Tendo is home." He thought as he passed the Tendo Dojo. Just as he began walking passed the door however it flung open and Ranma-chan came running out followed by a large bucket.

"And don't come back until you learn some manners!" Akane's voice rang out. Breathing heavily, Ranma tried to catch her breath.

"Oh pig-tailed girl! Oh how I've missed you!" Kuno said, flinging his arms open wide. Suddenly he recalled that he had so conveniently hung his camera around his neck. Holding it up, he quickly aimed and shouted, "smile!" Catching Ranma off guard, the camera flashed sending Ranma collapsing and falling to the ground. Not noticing, Kuno quickly made a run for it, camera in hand.

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Akane sighed as she sat down at the dinner table. "Gee, Ranma usually would have come back in by now...I wonder if something's wrong..." Akane sat quietly for a moment, just thinking.

"Akane, is there something bothering you?" Kasumi asked as she served up dinner. "Oh, and where's Ranma?"

Akane's stomach sunk. What if he isn't coming back? "I'll be right back!" Akane said as she quickly stood up and headed for the door, leaving everyone speechless. When Akane opened the front door, she immediately noticed something wasn't right. Ranma, was on the ground? Bending over she quickly picked Ranma up and brought her inside. As she lay, Ranma on the ground she noticed that Ranma was shivering all over. "I wonder why she's so cold." Akane thought to herself as she brushed her hand against Ranma's cheek. By then everyone else had made their way to where Ranma and Akane were.

"What happened Akane?" Genma asked as he stepped ever closer to his son.

"I don't know..." Akane answered as she checked for a heartbeat. "Well, she's still a live, but she's freezing. Can someone get me a blanket?" Kasumi left for a moment to get a blanket, when suddenly there was a knock at the front entranceway.

"I'll get it." Kasumi said as she made her way to the door. Opening the door she saw that it was Kuno. "Oh, hi Kuno, we're having dinner right now, but you can come in if you like..." She said, as cheerful and welcoming as possible.

"Why thank-you dear Kasumi. If you don't mind." Kuno made his way through the dojo until he came upon the room where everyone was. "Hmmm...I wonder what the fuss is all about." Kuno thought to himself as he stepped inside. Walking over to the group he saw that all the fuss was over none other than, the pig-tailed girl! "Oh, hast an illness befallen my pig-tailed goddess?" He asked as he tried to make his way closer to Ranma. "Oh pig-tailed girl, your skin is oh so cold. But yet you are so fair. Thus I shall kiss thee..."

"Oh no you don't!" Akane shouted into Kuno's ear. But from the look on Kuno's face, he didn't seem to mind the shouting.

"Ah, Akane Tendo. You are yet so fair too! I bid thee! Please, do not be jealous! For I love you as do I love the pig-tailed girl!"

Akane growled silently to herself, then she looked around. "Huh? Where did everyone go?" She thought to herself. "Mr. Saotome? Aren't you worried?" She asked, concern in her voice.

"Nah! He's probably faking!" He said very coldly. You would think that if something were wrong with your only son you would at least be a little worried. But not Mr. Saotome.

"Akane Tendo! What is wrong with the pig-tailed girl?" He asked concerned dripping from his voice.

"I don't know. But I wish I could figure it out." She said, wishing that Kuno would leave her alone, while at the same time she was actually impressed with his kindness. "Kuno? Did you see her around anywhere earlier?" Akane asked, after suddenly being struck with the idea that maybe this was her fault.

"Why...yes, I did!" Kuno answered as he reached into the inner pocket of his kimono and produced a picture. "I took this picture of her, when I had the pleasure of running into her." Kuno showed the picture to Akane. It was a picture of Ranma all right, but there was one thing about the picture that bothered her so. It was the fact that it was so real looking. The colors were perfect. The picture seemed to have a life all of it's own. Akane, after seeing this was chilled to the bone. What a strange thing. That must be some camera.

Akane noticed that the family was finished eating, so she called Nabiki over. Handing the picture to Nabiki she asked her, her thoughts about it. "Wow, that is good. I couldn't have done better myself." Nabiki said as she took a closer examination of the picture in question. "Who took this picture?" She asked looking at Kuno than Akane.

"I did." Kuno finally answered beginning to cry his tears of joy. "I certainly took that picture in which you hold. It is of the pig-tailed girl. Who is a goddess among all of her peers, she compares to no one, in beauty and health. Oh how I envy her..."

"So you took this picture?" Nabiki stated, cutting Kuno completely off. "You know, a simple 'yes' or 'no' would have been fine with me. Anyway, can I see the camera?" She asked setting the picture aside. Kuno did as he was told, and took the camera out for Nabiki to see. The question now is, is there something up with that camera, or is it just an ordinary camera? No one really knows. Nabiki opened the back of the camera, and to her surprise a piece of paper fell out. Nabiki picked it up and began reading.

"Dear Sir or Ma'am, if you are reading this, you probably have already learned the secret of the camera, and the dangers within its rusty frames. I write this to you because I too have learned of it's strange mystery, and powerful curse that this thing possesses. This is my warning to you that now that you know of the power behind the camera that you should never use it again. If you still have the film you should be fine, but if you have not, than you shall be doomed. For the soul is captured in the film and the picture is complete. You can return the soul to the person, but, not without paying a price. You must be prepared to journey through difficult places. Here is a map to guide you, use it well and to your advantage. Remember the soul is a special thing that must be held in the most sacred of ways and it can never be copied or replaced. And you must treasure it. Good-bye and good-luck on your journey if you choose to take it. signed, Anonymous."

"Wow, that was weird." Akane said as she looked down at Ranma, feeling just a little stunned. "So you mean that thing took Ranma's soul?" She asked as she sat down next to Ranma's prone form. "Then that means, that there's nothing left for us to do, but follow the map." Though everyone was thinking it, no one really mentioned the fact that it was Kuno's fault. More or less because the only thing that mattered now, was getting Ranma's soul back.

"Akane Tendo, I can't help to feel that I am responsible! Let me be your guide and I shall help you return the pig-tailed girls soul safe and sound!"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever Kuno. Just go home and get your stuff, this could take a while." Nabiki said as she took one last glance at the picture, than back up at Kuno.

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Hi! This is one of my first attempts at writing a Ranma fic...well, I did kinda start writing one before this one, but it never made it...Well, anyway, here's how it is, since this is my first fic that I'm posting at least, any and all comments, questions, or suggestions are welcome. You can e-mail me at Ryoko_Saotome@Yahoo.com...ok?

Now as for the story...well, I haven't really had time lately to get going on it...I may or may not continue on with this story, depending on how well it goes over. So if you want to see more...well, I guess the only thing that I can say right now is, e-mail me and tell me what you think. Ok? ^-^;;

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