All C&C welcome. (Unless you start insulting me and 
say I should never write fanfiction again.) If you were
to write something like that... well... I could get 
violent. But, other than that... I should be fine :)


---------------------- 
THE GAME
By: Angela Jewell
----------------------

Based on the trilogy, The Forbidden Game by L.J. Smith

	Ranma 1/2 is the property and creation of Rumiko Takahashi, and 
whoever else owns it. I'm not making any money off of this so don't sue me. 
Besides, good luck if you tried. I'm broke.

***
Volume 1:
Spellbound
***

  Across the mists of time, 
  through the doors of age,
  Through the song of rhyme, 
  flipping past the page,
  Over mounds of laughter, 
  through the sea of hate,
  Connecting all there after, 
  placing all our fate.

  Dancing through the snow storm, 
  skipping through the rain,
  Past the pages torn, 
  past the page of pain,
  Doing all we can, 
  living all we lost,
  Walking through the land, 
  connecting all the cost.

    -Angela Horton

***
Chapter 4
***

	The room for once was silent.

	Everyone stood frozen in place. The anger on their faces warring
with the uncertainty that everyone was feeling. They didn't know what
to think, or what to say. 

	What do you say to a guy who sucks you into some Game and says
you have to play it for real? The fact that Akane was the prize, only made
matters worse.

	"What do you mean, 'winner take all?' " Ryoga demanded, his
hands clenched into tight fists at his side. "If you think I'm going to 
allow you to take Akane, you've got another thing coming!"

	"Yeah!" Ukyo shouted, moving to stand beside Ryoga.

	They may both be rivals for Ranma's heart, even if 
Akane didn't realize it, but she still considered Akane a friend. 
She couldn't stand the thought of her being forced into something 
by this Shadow Man character. Of course... if it were Shampoo... 
	
	"We're not going to play your stupid Game!" Ukyo shouted, 
determination clear on her face.

	"Yeah." Ranma quickly agreed. "And even if we DID agree to play, 
you wouldn't stand a chance." he jeered.

	Gabriel smiled. "All of you have already agreed to play." he 
replied, meeting the gaze of each individual in the room. His eyes lingered 
on Akane a little too long for Ranma's comfort. "You don't have a choice."  

	Ranma shrugged casually as Akane glared. "Like I said before," he 
bragged. "You still don't stand a chance. We," he replied, gesturing 
towards the small group scattered around him. "never lose."

	Gabriel laughed, a hard bitter sound like glass breaking. 
"My, my aren't we cocky." he replied, turning his gaze directly on Ranma. 
"Don't think you can win so easily." he threatened. "You're in my world 
now."  

	Ranma scowled back, unfazed. "Yeah. Whatever." 

	Shampoo fought back a smile, her head filled with countless 
possibilities. This was her chance! After all this time she could 
finally get rid of Akane! With Akane out of the picture, Ranma would be 
finally be hers! "Is Akane all Shadow Man really want?" 

	Gabriel turned his gaze once more on Akane, his eyes penetrating
into hers. "She's the prize I've waited eleven years for." he replied. 
"I'll have her no matter what the cost."
	
	Shampoo breathed a sigh of relief, and moved to stand behind Akane.
"Well... if Gabriel want Akane, Shampoo give Akane gladly to Gabriel!" 

	"WHAT?!" Ranma and Akane yelled out simultaneously, their
voices raised in anger. "Are you crazy?"

	Shampoo ignored them as she quickly pushed Akane towards the
Shadow Man, a satisfied smirk on her face. 

	Akane's eyes widened and she gasped in surprise as she found 
herself stumbling towards Gabriel. She tried to make herself stop... but 
she _couldn't_ stop. It was almost as if some invisible force was 
pulling her towards him...

	 Ranma caught Akane's wrist in his hand and brought her to an 
abrupt halt, stopping her before she could reach Gabriel. He silently
berated himself; he should have known Shampoo would try something like 
that.

	"Now, Shampoo. That wasn't a very nice thing to do." Kasumi gently 
chided.

	"Yeah, really Shampoo." Nabiki chastised. 

	"What the hell were you thinking?!" Ranma yelled angrily, releasing
Akane's wrist.

 	He never could understand why Shampoo and Ukyo always felt 
so threatened by Akane, or why they always went to such great lengths to 
try and get rid of her. I mean, it's not like he _liked_ her or nothin. 
She was uncute most of the time, and always hitting him with that
damn mallet of hers. Not to mention the constant threats on his life
whenever she tried to force some of her so called cooking down
his throat. What difference did it make if she was actually cute once 
and a while... or nice when she wanted to be... or helped him when he 
needed it the most...

	Well... maybe he _did_ like her a little... he smiled. 

	Come to think of it she *had* gotten a little better at cooking
too... by the time they actually got married-- not that he wanted to marry
that uncute tomboy-- she might actually be able to cook something that 
wouldn't make him fear for his life or send him to the hospital. 

	Well... he could hope anyway...

	"Shampoo, have you gone crazy?" Akane yelled angrily, snapping
Ranma out of his train of thought. "Just WHAT were you thinking?"

	Shampoo smiled innocently, pretending to be oblivious to the hard 
looks she was receiving from the people gathered around her. 

	They didn't understand. They _couldn't_. She *had* to marry Ranma. 
She couldn't break 3000 years of Amazon tradition! Her honor. Her 
beliefs. Her entire life, were at stake! But more than that... she 
_wanted_ to marry Ranma. She loved him, it was as simple as that. She 
would do anything she had to do, to get what she wanted, and what she 
wanted was Ranma. If that meant sacrificing Akane, then so be it. 

	Besides, she had been doing Akane a *favor* by trying to give her to 
Gabriel. She was actually saving her life in the long run. She knew that if
it came down to it, her Amazon law would force her to kill Akane. One of
the most important things she had learned growing up was that obstacles 
were made for one thing. Killing.

	Smiling innocently, Shampoo turned and faced Akane. "Shampoo only
try to help." she shrugged.

	"How could giving me to some psychopath help me?" 

	Gabriel's smile hardened. "Careful, Akane." he warned.

	Akane quickly shut her mouth. She wasn't sure what Gabriel was
capable of, but if he had the power to suck them all into some
game, she was sure he could do much worst. He was definitely someone you 
didn't want to make angry.

	Nabiki turned towards Gabriel, her expression firm and determined. 
She couldn't believe her luck! To think; she actually thought Ranma's party 
had been a total failure! It looked like she might make a little profit out 
of it yet. "I might have a little proposition for you." she grinned.

	Gabriel turned to Nabiki. "I don't make deals." he deadpanned.

	Nabiki's expression hardened. "Oh? But I believe this one 
will interest you." 

	Gabriel met Nabiki's gaze and held it, impressed when she didn't 
back away. He knew stubbornness ran in the Tendo family. Well, in the
Tendo women anyway. "OK. What kind of deal?"

	Nabiki smiled. "I'd be willing to give you Akane." she deadpanned.
"For a slight fee of course." 

	"Oh, my."

	"NABIKI?!" Akane shouted, her voice mixed with anger and disbelief. 
"Just WHAT do you think you're doing?!"

	Nabiki tore her gaze away from Gabriel's and met Akane's angry
glare head on. "Well, gee Akane. I have to make up for the money I lost 
tonight _somehow_!" she replied with a smirk.

	Ryoga's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he had just heard!
Nabiki was willing to sell her own sister?! Was she crazy?

	 "Nabiki! You can't be serious about selling that man Akane!" 
Kasumi replied, a disapproving frown on her face.

	Nabiki laughed nervously. "Well, even if I did, Ranma would rescue 
her eventually, and I'd already be paid and..."

	Kasumi's frown deepened.

	"Of course not sis." 

	Ranma stared at Nabiki with disgust. Trying to sell her own sister,
was low, even for her. 

	'Well, guess it's all up ta me.' he told himself with false cheer, 
turning to face Gabriel. Even though he would never admit it to anyone, he 
didn't really mind having to bail Akane out of trouble. Besides, it was his 
duty-- she _was_ his fiancée after all. 

	Ranma smiled, an idea beginning to form. Maybe he could make it so 
Gabriel wouldn't _want_ Akane. That shouldn't be too hard. "Why would 
you want Akane anyway?" he asked. "She's ugly, violent, crazy, _and_ a 
sexless tomboy!"

	"Yeah." Ukyo agreed. "And she can't swim, cook, or do
anything else that's feminine."

	"Plus she's ALWAYS hitting me with that damn mallet of hers. She
never listens and jumps to conclusions."

	"Don't forget jealous and possessive." Nabiki added.

	"And what about moody, and unpredictable?" Kasumi asked sweetly.

	Akane silently fumed. "You guys aren't helping." 

	Gabriel watched with amusement. "My, my." he said with a smile.
"I never realized what great friends and family you have, Akane. They must 
love you a lot to put into words all your many faults."

	"Oh, we all love Akane very much." Kasumi assured him.

	Gabriel smiled coldly. "Yeah. Your love for her shines 
through." 

	"Just what does _that_ mean?" Nabiki demanded.

	"Nothing." Gabriel shrugged. "But, I have a little proposition for 
all of you." he replied, glancing around the room. "If Akane stays here,
with me, you can all go free."

	Ranma glared angrily at Gabriel. "No way you jerk!"	

	Nabiki opened her mouth as if to protest but quickly shut it,
silenced by the looks she was receiving from Akane and Kasumi.
	
	"Don't even think about it, Nabiki." Akane hissed.

	"Gee, Akane."  she muttered. "It was just a joke."	

	Gabriel turned towards Ranma. "And what do you care for Akane 
anyway?" he asked, his eyebrows raised. "You're always insulting her, 
you act like you can't stand her, and you've even come close to getting her 
killed!"

	Ranma look devastated. "But... how did you..."

	"I've been watching her for eleven years. I know everything there
is to know about her." he shrugged. "and of course, everything there is to 
know about you."

	Akane's head snapped up in surprise. "What do you mean you've been 
watching me for eleven years?" she demanded angrily, pushing all her fears 
to the back of her mind. "What are you? Some kind of pervert?"

	"No more of a pervert than your loving fiancée, or your little
friend over there." he replied, motioning towards Ranma and Ryoga.

	"Hey! What does that mean?!" Ryoga shouted.

	Gabriel ignored him. "It really does hurt her, you know." he went 
on, pausing to glance at Akane. "But then, what would you care? You're 
just stringing her along with the rest of your fiancées."

	"That's not true!" Ranma blurted out before he could stop 
himself. "I mean, um, I'm not just stringing her along." Ranma looked
sheepishly over at Akane who was staring at him curiously. "And I never 
meant to hurt her." 

	Gabriel sniffed. "All you've done to her since you met was hurt 
her."

	"That's not true!" Akane insisted, tearing her gaze away from
Ranma's. "It's true that he can be an insensitive jerk sometimes, and
that he blurts things out without thinking and that he can be arrogant, 
and selfish... not to mention lazy, rude, and short tempered..." 

	"Don't forget opinionated, and cheap." Nabiki added.

	"And what about moody, and gluttonous?" Kasumi asked sweetly.

	Ukyo shook her head in disbelief. "If that's your way of defending
him Akane, I'd use a different strategy." 
	
	Akane blushed.

	"Well... my point is, he's done a lot to help me too. He always
rescues me when I'm in trouble, he can be sweet and thoughtful when he
wants to be. And he's almost always there when I need him..."

	Ranma met Akane's eyes. "Akane..."

	Shampoo noticed the look passing between them and began to panic.
Why doesn't that stupid Shadow Man just take Akane? Didn't he see what
was happening? "We start game now, yes?"

	Gabriel lifted an eyebrow, surprised. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't 
realize you were in such a hurry." he smiled.

	Ranma glared at Shampoo, then shifted his attention to Gabriel.
"Look, buddy. I'm not letting you take Akane, alright." he stated 
angrily. "So, you might as well just let us go, or fight me now."

	Gabriel's expression became thoughtful as he pondered 
Ranma's choices. "Well, since I'm not going to let you go, I guess
we'll have to fight."	

	Ranma didn't waste a minute. As soon as the words left Gabriel's
mouth he launched himself across the room to where Gabriel stood... and
stopped.

	Ranma's eyes grew wild, and his breathing began to quicken. 
"C- CATS!" Ranma kicked out, trying to ward off the imaginary cats 
that attacked him. "GET THEM OFF'A ME!"

	"R- Ranma honey. There's nothing there..." 

	Gabriel laughed. "Of course there is. In the Game you have to face
your nightmare. This is just a free sample of Ranma's." 

	Akane glared angrily at Gabriel. "What do you mean? There's 
no cats around here!" Akane glanced at Shampoo who was still human
to confirm her suspicions.

	"This isn't your nightmare." Gabriel explained with a smile.
"There's no reason for any of you to be involved. Yet." he added.

	Ranma continued to scream, trying to tear cats that only he could
see, off of him. Akane looked on helplessly, unsure of what to do. She
couldn't stand seeing him this way.

	"STOP IT!" Ukyo yelled, watching Ranma. "JUST STOP THIS! RAN-CHAN
DOESN'T DESERVE THIS!"

	"One person can end it now." he replied, looking at Akane.

	Akane began to speak, but was interrupted my Ranma's voice. 
His breathing shallow and strained.
	
	"No-- no way you bastard!" 

	Gabriel smirked. "Suit yourself." he shrugged. "It'll be a lot
more fun this way anyway."

	Akane looked at the floor where Ranma had once stood, only to
be confronted with empty air. He was gone! He had just disappeared!

	 Akane glanced around in shock, realizing that Ranma wasn't the
only one gone. Everyone else had disappeared too. Except Gabriel.

	"What have you done to them?! Where are they?" she demanded.

	Gabriel smiled whimsically. "They're scattered throughout the house 
waiting to face their nightmares. Waiting for you. You'll find them as you
go through the Game."

	"As I go?" Akane asked angrily. "Look, I don't know what--"

	"You're the main player here, you know." he interrupted, gently
chiding. "The door back to your world is at the top of the house, and
open. Get there and you can go. Bring your... friends... and they
can leave too."

	"Where's Ranma?" Akane demanded. She couldn't get the image of 
him fighting imaginary cats out of her mind.

	"Your _fiancée_ is at the top." He pronounced the word fiancée
as if it were a bad taste he had to get out of his mouth. "I'll be 
giving him my _special_ attention. You can see him when you get to the 
top. _If_ you get to the top."

	"Look. I don't want to play your stupid game." Akane replied
angrily, staring down at the floor to avoid his eyes. "There must be some 
kind of mistake. I don't know what you're thinking, but--"

	He interrupted again. "And if you don't get there, then I win. 
And you stay here, with me."

	"What do you mean with you?" Akane asked sharply.

	He smiled. "I mean that you stay in this place, my world. With 
me-- as mine."

	Akane stared at him-- and then was on her feet, her composure 
shattering. Akane launched a spin kick in the air, hoping to hit Gabriel 
beneath the chin, but was caught of balance when he caught her leg in 
midair, stopping it before it could connect.	

	"Careful Akane."

	She stopped, frightened by what she sensed in him. Looking into
his eyes she saw something so terrifying, so alien, that she unconsciously
took a step back. It was then-- at that moment, that she *believed* what was
happening. Full realization of what this boy had done, of everything that
had happened to her today, came crashing down on her. 

	"Oh, no." she whispered. "Who are you?"

	Akane stared at the boy standing before her, his hair shining in
the moonlight. All her violence had drained away, replaced by a fear older 
and deeper than anything she'd ever experienced. 

	"Don't you know yet?"

	Akane shook her head.

	"Don't worry. You will before the Game's over."

	Akane tried to regain her calm. "You were at the Game store..."

	"I was waiting for you."

	"So this was all-- set up? But why _me_? Why are you doing this
to me?" Akane could feel hysteria tugging at her. She wasn't sure how
to handle this situation without using violence. She definitely couldn't 
beat him in a fight. 

	Then he said it, looking at her with eyes like the sky 
at twilight, one corner of his mouth turned up. He spoke gravely and a
little formally.
	
	"Because," he said, "I've fallen in love with you." 

	Akane stared at him.

	"Surprised? You shouldn't be. I first saw you when you were
just five years old. You were such a pretty little girl. Do you know
the story of Hades?"

	"Hades? He was the Greek god of the Underworld." Akane replied 
softly. "But what does that have to do with anything."

	"Hades lived in the world of shadows and was very lonely because
of it. One day he looked up at the earth's surface and saw Persephone, 
laughing and picking wild flowers. He fell in love with her the first
minute he saw her. He wanted to make her his queen, but he knew she 
wouldn't go willingly. So..."

	"So?" Akane got out.

	"So," Gabriel shrugged carelessly. "He split the earth open in 
front of Persephone's feet, and took her back to the underworld with him.
You're luckier than Persephone, Akane. I could just take you, but I'm 
giving you a chance."  

	"That's just a story," Akane said, trying to keep her voice 
steady. "It's just a myth. Hades wasn't a real person, none of the
Greek gods were."

	"Are you sure?" He looked at Akane with eyes like liquid sapphires,
wild eyes that she couldn't seem to look away from.

	"Who are you?" she whispered again.

	"Who do you want me to be? I love you, Akane. I came from the
Shadow World to get you. I'll do anything you want me to do, give you
anything your heart desires. Do you like jewels? Emeralds? Diamonds?"
He reached outspread fingers toward her throat, not quite touching.
"Ask me for something, something you thought you could never have. Quick; 
I might not make the offer again."

	Akane stared into Gabriel's impossibly blue eyes and stated in
a calm voice, "What I want more than anything is to get my fia-- friends, 
and my sisters and go home. If you really loved me, like you 
say you do, then you'd let us all go."

	Gabriel shook his head. "No. I've waited to long for this. Just
say yes now, while I'm feeling generous. Later, things could get unpleasant. 
I don't want to hurt you Akane, but I will if it's necessary. Save 
yourself a lot of pain and bother and give into me now. It's going to 
happen eventually, anyway."

	"Oh, really?" Akane replied, her anger returning. "What makes
you think that?"

	"Simple. I never lose."

	"And I'll never give in to you." Akane told him angrily. "I'll die 
first."

	"It won't come to that. You'll change your mind eventually. Maybe 
not now, but something will change your mind later, once you start playing 
the Game. Your friends will be the ones to suffer."

	"What? How?"

	He shook his head at her. "Akane, don't you understand anything
that's going on? They all agreed to play the game. Now they'll have to
pay the consequences." Gabriel turned and began to walk away.

	"No-- wait!"

	"It's too late, Akane. I gave you your chance and you refused it. 
From now on, we'll be playing the Game for real."

	"But..."

	"You can start with this riddle." Turning back, head tilted 
slightly, he recited:

	"I am just two and two. I am hot. I am cold.
	I'm the parent of numbers that cannot be told.
	I'm a gift beyond measure, a matter of course,
	And I'm yielded with pleasure --when taken by force."

	Akane shook her head. "And that riddle tells me who you are?"

	Gabriel laughed. "No. That tells what I want from you. Give 
me the answer and I'll let one of your friends go."

	Akane pushed the riddle to the back of her mind. It didn't make
any sense, and it was impossible to concentrate on anything with Gabriel
in the room. He was obviously loving this Game and having a great time.
The jerk.

	"That's all." he said. "Let the Game begin. By the way, if one
of you gets hurt in the Game, you get hurt for real. If you die, you
die. And I can guarantee you right now, that one of you probably
won't make it out alive."

	Akane's head jerked up. "Who?"

	"That would be telling. Lets just say that one of you probably 
doesn't have the strength to make it through your nightmare. Oh, and
did I mention the time limit? The door at the top of the house-- the
door back to your world-- is going to close at dawn. Which is at 
exactly six-eleven. If you can't get to it by then, you're stuck here. So, 
don't waste your time. Here's something to remind you."

	Far away an unseen clock, signaled the hour. It's clear chimes
ringing out. Akane turned towards the sound, counting unconsciously as it 
struck. It was ten.

	Akane opened her mouth to speak, but when she turned back
around, Gabriel was gone.


***
End of Chapter 4
***


Authors Notes
_____________

	Questions? Comments? Flames? 
	Um... don't bother with the Flames though, I'll just ignore them. 
I'm not very good with insults.
	Now to give credit where credit is due: Thanks go to Rumiko 
Takahashi, (for creating the Ranmaverse and all the wonderful characters in
it) and to L.J. Smith (for being one of my favorite authors and for writing 
so many wonderful books!)	
	The riddle that Gabriel used is from L.J. Smith's book. I tried 
to find another riddle with the same answer but didn't have much luck...
	Um... Chapter 5 coming eventually. 
        Thanks to Melissa who offered her comments and suggestions...

Ja!
____________

			_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

	     
	             "God defends me from my friends;
                   from my enemies I can defend myself."

			_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 



         		T    *    *    *   G
My email/ ICQ:
jewellangela@hotmail.com
26382915

Homepage:
http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/ranma/Game.html
http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/ranma/index.html

           		T    *    *    *   G

CHAPTER 5