A/N: Hey, I'm updating again! Cool, no? And as one reviewer requested, I AM speeding up the plot a little. The next chapter should have things moving even faster! :)

DISCLAIMER: As you all know, Ranma and co. belong to their respective owners, who is NOT me.

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Chapter 11 – Prison without bars

“Welcome to my island,” said the dark figure in a low, friendly voice that echoed eerily through the cavern.

Ryouga squinted as he walked deeper in, trying to focus his eyes in the dim light. “Who’s that?” he demanded. “Are you Kulloden, the sorcerer?”

Laughter echoed through the cavern now. “It seems I’m famous,” the voice exclaimed. “It’s been my dream, I admit, but to be sought out on a deserted island…Who would have the temerity?” As the voice spoke, it got lower and angrier, until the last word was growled out with malice.

Ryouga refused to be deterred. “My name is Ryouga. I’ve come to you for help.” The sorcerer was more visible now. He perched on an outcropping of rock like a baleful crow, his shiny fall of oil-black hair disappearing into his dark robes.

“Help?” Kulloden laughed again. “I…” Then he stopped. His head came up, and he sniffed. Again, long and deeply. “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh….you have the stink of my boy about you. You’ve met my Ranma.”

Ryouga frowned. “Your Ranma? Your apprentice, you mean?”

“Of course, But so much more than that. Ranma, my hope. My…seed, you could say. Not my son, no, but he’s definitely mine.” Again that creepy intonation.

Ryouga shuddered. “Yes. I was looking for you, and I knew your damn apprentice was around. I can scent as well…in my other form.”

Kulloden grinned down at Ryouga, making the were-boar feel irritated. His fists clenched.

“You’ve been cursed by Jusenkyou, have you? But how is this possible, dear boy? The Book of Jusenkyou was lost before you were born.”

Ryouga snorted. “That’s what YOU think.”

The atmosphere in the cavern changed immediately. Kulloden sat up, all his formidable attention now focused on Ryouga who felt as though a heavy beam was weighing on him. The air grew charged, almost crackled.

“Boy,” Kulloden murmured so softly that Ryouga’s sensitive ears barely caught what he was saying. “Are you telling me you know where the Book of Jusenkyou is? If you lie about this…”

Ryouga snorted and crossed his arms. “You think I’m some dumb sapling that just grew out of the dirt? Think again, sorcerer. My Da lives on the palace grounds. I…” He cocked a thumb at his chest proudly. “…live on the royal grounds. I know what happened between you and Happosai.”

A low growl issued from the sorcerer’s pale mouth at the mention of that hated name, and his eyes grew flinty. For a moment, Ryouga felt apprehension.

“And what do you know, my fine young man?” Kulloden asked.

Ryouga looked defiant. “Well, it’s common knowledge that you and Happosai battled it out seventeen years ago right in the palace throne room. Heard you nearly killed King Soun with that book of Jusenkyou but Happosai stepped in and stopped ya. And that the Book of Jusenkyou was lost in the fight. Heard it got majicked so no one could take it off the palace grounds. But it got turned missing.”

“So the story goes,” said Kulloden, rubbing his pointed chin thoughtfully. His dark eyes fixed on Ryouga. “Then how did YOU get cursed?”

Ryouga looked away, a scowl on his face. “Guess ol’ Happosai was smarter’n you thought. He was friends with my Da, so when he found the book…”

“How?” Kulloden interrupted harshly, “HOW did he find the book?”

Ryouga shrugged. “Who knows? I wish it had stayed lost. But…” he paused, struggling to remember. “I think he…used some kind of…fishing line? He was laughin’ about it with my Da, over a mug of beer, you know…”

Kulloden was deep in thought, ignoring Ryouga’s rambling. “Fishing line? Did he? Damn him! He used a cursed subject to detect the book!”

“Yeah, something like that. Neeways, my Da’s the head groundskeeper for the palace, and our cottage is where the book were hidden. I stumbled upon it accidentally as a kid.”

Kulloden stood up and slipped off his perch, his face a mask of disbelief. “A groundskeeper’s cottage? THAT’s where the book is?”

“HEAD groundskeeper,” Ryouga muttered, offended.

Kulloden turned his head. “Then why not ask Happosai to help you?”

Ryouga snorted again. “Happosai? No way! I hate him! I wouldn’t spit on him if he were on fire! He thinks he’s so special, and that people with no talent are just dirt beneath his heel.”

“Ah, yes,” Kulloden smiled. “My colleague did have a way about him.” He began to laugh. “Unbelievable! Here I sent my most trusted lieutenant to find the Book of Jusenkyou when a groundskeeper’s son shows up with the knowledge.”

His eyes flared briefly, and Ryouga felt a spell wash over him. “You really do hate him,” Kulloden said almost wonderingly. He began laughing again.

“You sent Ranma to get the book of Jusenkyou?” Ryouga asked. “But how’s he gonna look for it with the princess Akane tagging along?”

“Yes, I’ve been keeping an eye on them,” Kulloden’s expression turned thoughtful. “It’s not a well developed process. I can only spot them from afar, and see the path they are on. I didn’t know they had met you.”

“Yeah, I pretended not to recognize her. She didn’t know me.” Ryouga shuddered as he recounted the story of their meeting. “I nearly ate her.”

Kulloden laughed. “That would have been a great pity. I have new plans for Akane, since she survived her first kidnapping.”

He continued. “But you’re wrong, Ryouga. Ranma is my emissary. He is going to the palace on a completely different errand. One even he does not know.”

“Huh? What does that mean? So you’ve got someone else at the palace?”

“Yes, a doppelganger of the princess. She’s there to find the book. In fact, I will now inform her of where the book is. And I suppose you want me to release you from your curse.”

“Yes!” Ryouga’s eyes lit up. “I’ll do anything. I’ll serve you for seven years if I have to. Just cure me!”

“It’s not that easy, boy,” Kulloden murmured. His eyes lit up. “Conversely it’s quite easy after all. Well, I’ll see what I can do to help you. For now, I must talk to Shampoo.”

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Akane stared up at her home with tears in her eyes. It had only been some days since she’d seen the palace, but many times on her journey, she’d feared she’d never see the high, shining white walls again.

Mindful of her earlier conversation with Ranma, and also of the invisible apprentice hovering beside her, she turned to Kasumi.

“I’ll find my way from here, Kasumi. Thank you so much for your help.”

Kasumi smiled. “It was certainly pleasant having you to walk with on my way to work. Are you sure you wouldn’t like me to show you where your friend Ukyou lives? The palace is very large, and strangers find it confusing.”

Akane hesitated. There was a sharp pull on her chest.

“No, that’s quite all right,” she choked out, glaring up at Ranma. “I…would like to walk around the palace first. Just to have a look, you see.”

Get rid of Kasumi, Ranma had said to her. If you want to see her safe.

She could be your sister! Akane had hissed from the safety of her bath barrel.

Ranma snorted. No way! They could be anybody’s family. My only family is Kulloden.

Even if he stole you from them? Akane wanted to know. But Ranma turned away

Kasum smiled. “All right then. As I said, this is the wing where the princess lives, so Ukyou will be close by somewhere. I’ll see you later.”

Akane watched Kasumi leave quite sadly. There went her last ally, and now she was stuck with Ranma again. Ranma- sorcerer’s apprentice, her jailor and tormentor.

Just when Akane thought she might be starting to understand him, or even get through to him somehow, that cold façade would come up again. Yet her body responded to him. She shoved the memory away forcefully.

Ranma was looking around, trying to catch a glimpse of Mousse. Once he spotted the boy, he would forcibly, finally, get this geas taken off him. The palace was busy, and people walked around them, intent on their various tasks and destinations. No one recognized the princess Akane in the tattered, shorn form of the young girl seemingly standing by herself, plotting how to escape.

I’m here! Akane told herself. But I’m more a prisoner now than I was at Kulloden’s island. She wondered what to do. She was in a prison without bars.

Behind Akane, Ranma’s eyes lit on a figure hurrying past them. He reached out and grabbed an arm.

“Shampoo!” he hissed.

Wide brown eyes turned, startled. ‘Princess Akane’ stood before him in her royal glory, astonished at hearing her true name spoken out loud. She saw nothing but the ragged Akane, who glared at her.

Then Ranma reappeared.

“Ranma?” she asked, astonished. “How did you…? Are you with Kulloden? Is he here? I found the book! It’ was exactly where he told me it would be.”

Ranma grabbed her and pulled her behind a pillar. “Shut up and listen, fool!” he said. Akane was startled to hear him use the same tone he used so frequently on herself.

“I’m in a big mess thanks to Happosai’s meddling apprentice! I have to find him.”

“Is this the princess?” Shampoo asked, peering at Akane with astonishment. “I thought she’d be dead. What on earth is she doing here? Why did you bring her to the palace of all…?”

Ranma clamped a hand over her mouth. “I don’t have time for your foolish questions! Mousse placed a geas on the princess and me, bynding us together. I need him to take it off. Now where is he?”

“Mousse?” Shampoo hesitated as she digested what she’d heard. She didn’t want to take Ranma to Mousse. She’d enjoyed the past few days she’d spent exploring magic in Mousse’s company. Now, their façade would come apart. Ranma would kill or imprison Mousse.

“Yes, Mousse! Now take me to him before our master gets here!” Ranma grabbed Akane by the wrist and pulled her behind him, as Shampoo began to lead the way deeper into the palace.

“Mousse thinks I’m her, of course,” Shampoo said, pointing her chin at Akane. The princess looked very different from the last time Shampoo had seen her. Her fine clothes were torn, and her soft skin was bruised and scratched. Her shorn hair curled in to her jawline. Also, there was something different in her eyes. It looked strangely like defiance.

Akane in turn watched Shampoo. She hadn’t had much opportunity to examine her before, when things had happened so fast. It was amazing how exactly like Akane she looked, and sounded. Akane stared enviously at Shampoo’s long dark hair, tresses she’d stolen from Akane, just as she’d stolen her life.

Finally, Shampoo stopped before a small wooden door, and knocked twice.

A head popped out, and examined them shortsightedly.

“Princess?” Mousse said, beginning to smile, and then Ranma released Akane’s wrist, shoved Shampoo aside and strode through the entrance, catching Mousse up in a chokehold.

“You,” he growled. “You and your inept magic! Fix me! Now!”

“Who? Wha…?” Mousse struggled to understand what was going on, even as he fought for breath. A tall young man with furious blue eyes was throttling the life out of him, while Princess Akane stood to the side, watching anxiously but not lifting a finger to help Mousse. And another girl stood behind them, her gaze intent on him.

Finally Shampoo intervened. “Listen, Ranma, he won’t be much help if you kill him! Stop that!”

“Princess, what’s going on?” A bewildered Mousse asked Shampoo.

He was staring at the second girl now. She looked hauntingly familiar. She raised her face defiantly, and with a sick jolt, he saw that she was a twin of the Princess Akane.

“Who…?”

“I’m the real princess,” she said. “Please, help me.”

Stunned, Mousse looked from face to face. Finally, he recognized Ranma as well. “You’re the sorcerer’s apprentice!” He shouted. “From the cave! I killed you!”

“No,” Ranma said. “You bound me to the closest person to me. That happened to be Princess Akane here.”

The young man glanced at the ragged Akane, not the royal one. Mousse felt another sick jolt. With a heavy heart, he turned to Shampoo.

“Then, who are you?”

Shampoo looked away.

“You ain’t got time to think about that, loverboy,” Ranma snarled. “Break the geas or die.”

Mousse stared at the real Akane, unable to believe it. Still, if it was true, being bound to this man wouldn’t help her, and it seemed to have harmed her already.

He closed his eyes, and in his mind began to feel for the blue cord.

His eyes snapped open. “There are two geas,” he said to Ranma.

“Yes yes, the second one ties me to my master. It’s temporary,” Ranma said impatiently.

Mousse shut his eyes and concentrated on the blue line tying Ranma and Akane together. Slowly, he began to unravel the strands, murmuring the words.

Within her, Akane felt a loosening, and finally something dissolved within her. It was a relief. Ranma felt the same, and could have crowed when it was done. Finally!!

Immediately, he was hit with a ball of green flame, and thrown across the room. He opened his eyes. Mousse had his hands up, and was forming another ball of fire.

Shampoo raised her hand and zapped him. “I’m sorry,” she murmured.

Ranma shook off the pain and grabbed Akane’s ankle as she ran for the door. “And where do you think you’re going, princess?”

Akane tried to shake him off, but he pulled her to the floor and casually anchored her there with magic.

He shook his wrist. “Damn! It feels good to be able to do magic again!”

“Ranma!” Akane addressed him directly for the first time, and he turned to her. “Please, don’t do this! You’re a better person than your master! You don’t have to do this. Please, leave me and my family alone!”

Staring down at her, something in Ranma softened and clenched for a second. But he hardened his heart. He bent down and grasped her chin with his fingers.

“Don’t worry, princess. I won’t kill you if you behave. When Kulloden takes over Nerima, I’ll make sure I get to keep you. There are a few more lessons you could learn.” He leered at her, and Akane wrenched her face away.

“Mousse will be missed if we do anything to him,” Shampoo said in worried tone.

“Don’t worry, your loverboy just needs the right motivation. Do you know any unused rooms?”

They secured Mousse. Ranma dragged Akane behind him as Shampoo led the way down steep, winding stairs. Finally, they came to a small locked wooden door. Shampoo muttered a word, and the door swung open.

Ranma pushed Akane inside, and followed. Within, the room was small and cramped, with only a tiny arrowslit for a window that allowed a small amount of light in. There was no way anyone could escape from there.

Ranma grunted with satisfaction. “This will do. We can’t have two of you wandering around the palace.”

With a spoken word, he produced rope and swiftly bound Akane’s hands and feet.

“Let’s go, Shampoo,” he said. Then he winked. “I mean, Akane.”

Shampoo gave Akane a last look, and followed Ranma out the door, leaving the true princess in tears, bound in captivity.

Back in the laboratory, they quickly wakened Mousse.

“Akane is our prisoner,” Ranma told him coldly. “We can’t afford to have you go missing right now, but say anything to anyone about us, and you will be responsible for her death. I also wouldn’t suggest attacking us with magic. Shampoo and I are strongly shielded.”

Mousse gulped. “I understand,” he said, and raised himself from the floor, all the while eyeing the fake princess. Who was she? Her real name was Shampoo? What did she look like? Obviously, she was evil, he decided with regret. He’d really enjoyed her company.

Just then, a servant knocked hurriedly and burst in the door, barely noticing the other occupants. “Master! Master!”

“What is it?” Mousse asked tiredly.

“Great news, sir! Master Happosai has returned to the palace!”

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Okay, I think that was one of the longer chapters, so it deserves a good review! ;)