[FFML] (no subject)

[Frederick Herriot]

And this will be it for today.  I'm a little tired.

Cheers!

Fred

**** **** ****

	"Onee-chan!  Hurry up!  It's time!"

	Ranma sighed, looking over her shoulder.  "Coming!"

	She turned to gaze at the angelic image reflected in the mirror.  Perfect.  
So perfect!  Opaque veil that covered her down to the back but could be 
easily drawn away from her face.  Holding that down was a coronet of wild 
roses and daisies hand-made by her maids of honour the night before.  White 
wedding gown that discretely flashed bare shoulders, bound in front by a red 
rose poised over her heart.  No train behind her for someone to trip over.  
Bicep-length white silk gloves and low-heeled shoes.  Result:  One VERY 
beautiful bride!

	Taking up her bouquet, she stepped out.  Karen awaited her, along with 
Negako.  The former, as one of the maids of honour, was in a veil-less, pink 
version of Ranma's wedding dress.  The latter was in a lady's tuxedo.

	"Shall we begin?" Negako asked.

	"Hai," Ranma replied with a grin, she slipping her arm around Negako's.

	Karen in the lead, they stepped into the churchyard where Ranma was to be 
wed.  A small crowd awaited them by the altar.  Karen's sisters formed the 
rest of the bridal party as they escorted Ranma to join her groom.

	As she went, the sisters sang . . .

In a country churchyard, there's a Preacher, with his people
Gathered all around, to join a man and woman.
Spring is here and turtledoves are singing from the steeple.
Bees are in the flowers growing in the graveyard.
And over the hill, where the river meets the mill,
A lovely girl is coming down
To give her hand upon her wedding day.

	As Ranma kept her eyes locked on the altar, her peripheral vision picked up 
a crowd kept away from the wedding.  To port were her beloved's "friends" 
and "family" from Tomobiki.  To starboard, her "friends" and "family" from 
Nerima.  To ensure none caused trouble, they were all bound in chains strong 
enough to resist the force of a point-blank strike from Ryouga's Perfect 
Shishi Hookoodan.

	"Oh, the shame of it all . . . "

	Ranma's eyebrow twitched.  She thought all the fools had been gagged so she 
didn't have to hear any of their words today.

	"You failed me, Ranma!  You are no man anymore!"

	Ranma glared at Nodoka.  "Well, I guess *you'll* have to commit seppuku 
then, *Mother,*" she hissed, the scorn in her voice making Nodoka turn away. 
  "What sort of *mother* were you anyway, to ABANDON me for ten whole 
years?"

	She looked away as someone came up to gag her mother before she focused on 
her awaiting groom, a glowing smile crossing her face . . .

Dressed in simple white and wearing flowers in her hair,
Music as she walks slowly to the altar,
And picking up his Bible, then the Preacher turns towards her.
"Will you take this man to be your wedded husband?
To honour and love in the eyes of God above?
Now let the people sing with me
These words to live forever in your heart."

	Negako guided Ranma into place.  Her eyes stinging with tears, the bride 
gazed on her groom as the priest, a woman with green-streaked blonde hair 
and a star tattoo by her right eye, began the ceremony.  The sisters sang . 
. .

"Let your love shine on!
For we are the stars in the sky!
Let your love shine strong!
Until the day you fly!
Fly away."

	"I do," she then declared.

	"I do," her groom echoed her.

	The veil was drawn back.  They passionately kissed as their surroundings 
changed.  Save for Negako and the sisters, all that came to the wedding 
faded, melting into a sea of headstones in a run-down graveyard in some 
wilderness village.  Pulling away from her husband's embrace, Ranma looked 
around.

Many years have fallen on that golden country morning.
The graveyard's overgrown. The church lies in ruins.
Ivy on the walls and ravens wheeling 'round above me
As I made my way towards the last remaining headstone.
I fell to my knees, read the lines beneath the leaves
And suddenly, it seemed to me,
I heard the words, like singing in the trees!

	Husband and wife walked between the markers.  Ranma's eyes picked out ones 
with names she recognised.  How befitting.  How sad.  She really tried to 
help them.  Tried to make them understand she couldn't be happy with them, 
binding her life to theirs.  Why couldn't they accept that?

	Why couldn't they just let it go and make their own lives?

	Why?

"Let your love shine on!
For we are the stars in the sky!
Let your love shine strong!
Until the day you fly!"

	She gazed on her husband.  "For Eternity, my love?"

	He returns her look.  "For Eternity, beloved."

	They kissed again as the sisters sang the chorus once more . . .

"Let your love shine on!
For we are the stars in the sky!
Let your love shine strong!
Until the day you fly!
Fly away."

	Without a backward glance, Moroboshi Ataru and Moroboshi Ranma turned away 
from the graveyard -- and all the failed lives interred within -- for the 
final time.  As the sisters followed them into the future, Ranma sighed, 
gazing fondly on the one person who truly cared for her.  Yes.  For 
Eternity, indeed.

**    **    **

	Ranma's eyes fluttered open as she found herself in a dark bedroom.  
Disorientation seized her for a moment as she absorbed the surroundings, and 
then she relaxed as the previous day's events flowed back into her mind like 
an incoming tide through the Bay of Fundy.  Shuddering as the dulled images 
of burned and broken bodies half-buried in the wing of a wrecked high school 
passed her mind's gaze, she stood, heading to a window to gaze outside.  It 
was near dawn, the full moon brightly shining in the greying sky overhead.

	The dawn of a day far different than any she'd known before.

	"Strange dream," she muttered under her breath before she headed back into 
her bedroom to get some more sleep.  After yesterday's events, she needed 
that more than anything else.  They all needed it, in fact.

	Pausing before slipping into her futon, Ranma's hand drifted up to gently 
rub her lip.  It tingled at her touch as the surging warmth of that 
dream-kiss flowed through her once more.  Odd.  Why would she feel something 
like THAT after being kissed by a man?  Hell, why was she dreaming of 
marrying a man?  And why was it a dream and not a nightmare?  If she had 
been "engaged" to Hibiki Ryouga or -- Ugh! -- Kunou Tatewaki . . .!  THAT 
would have been a nightmare ranking with the ones she had about the pit of 
c-c-c-c-cats!

	Was it because her "groom" was Ataru?

	Why?

	She shook her head as she slipped under the covers.  "Too weird."

*    *    *

	Chikage stared at her crystal ball.

	"No, Ane-kun.  Soon, it will NOT be weird at all."

**** **** ****
"Lonely Souls"
By Fred Herriot
pyeknu at hotmail.com OR fherriot at yahoo.com
**** **** ****
"In A Country Churchyard," written by Chris de Burgh.
**** **** ****
Based on "Urusei Yatsura" and "Ranma 1/2," created by Takahashi Rumiko; and 
"Sister Princess," created by Tenhiro Naoto and Kimino Sakurako.
**** **** ****

NOTE:  The writer's notes are in a separate text file.

**** **** ****

THE THIRD PART, "A" SIDE - FAMILY NO MORE

	"Oh, dear."

	"'S up, Kasumi?"

	Kasumi stared at Nabiki before her eyes turned back to the disaster zone 
that had, not last night, been a perfectly spotless kitchen.  The middle 
Tendou daughter joined her sister at the doorway to take a look.  She 
stopped brushing her teeth.  "Akane made breakfast?" she warily asked.

	"No, I think she made something to take to Ranma-kun," the elder daughter 
replied with a tired sigh, remembering that a large saucepan was missing 
from the pile of cooking cutlery she kept under the sink.

	Nabiki grimaced.  She just noticed a bottle of linseed oil and some drain 
cleaner standing by the sink.  "Oh, shit!" she then spat out.  "What the 
hell's wrong with her, Onee-chan?!  She should know by now that Ranma-kun 
ain't gonna touch anything she makes on her own!"

	Kasumi shook her head.  "This is not good."

*    *    *

	"WHY?!"

	Cologne sighed.  "Moroboshi Ataru's sister discovered that fool Genma 
manipulated certain of Son-in-Law's shiatsu points to inhibit his ability to 
learn on his own free will.  For YEARS, Son-in-Law was deprived of his free 
will to do what he might desire.  An effective form of enslavement, I 
confess."  A pause.  "Negako needs two weeks to affect repairs to 
Son-in-Law's mind.  If Son-in-Law acquires Negako's aid in eliminating his 
ailurophobia, you can add a month.  Until that has passed, you will NOT 
harass or do anything else that Son-in-Law might constitute as an attack on 
his person, Shan.  Is that understood?"

	Shampoo shuddered.  Both conversed in Mandarin, they sitting in a window 
booth in the Nekohanten before opening for the morning crowd.  
"Great-grandmother, we have the means to help fix Airen's mind ourselves," 
she then asserted.  "Even more so, we can take the chance to fully win Airen 
away from Akane and Ukyou, not to mention that honourless panda!  Why are we 
letting the Moroboshis deal with this?!  We could lose Airen . . .!"

	An eyebrow arched.  "Do we?!  Shan, you know as well as I why our tribe 
enters into alliances with clans like the Moroboshis and the McTavishes.  In 
certain areas, THEY possess the greater knowledge.  Believe me, Negako knows 
what she is doing, Shan.  Let her do her work."

	Shampoo considered that before she sighed.  "Great-grandmother, please.  I 
mean no disrespect, but I've never even HEARD of this Moroboshi Negako!  Who 
is she?!  How does she have all this knowledge in the first place?!"

	The elder sighed.  "Alright, you deserve to know that much, Shan.  Negako 
is none other than the living spirit of our allies' Art brought into 
physical form five years ago at the behest of Ataru.  Her last host."

	Silence.

	"***WAS HE OUT OF HIS MIND?!***" Shampoo shrilled, eyes wide.

	Her fear was something Cologne understood.  Nujiézú annals rebounded with 
tales of the Saikoo Jinseijitsu, a non-corporeal database of combat and 
martial arts knowledge built over many centuries by the Moroboshi Clan.  
Those annals spoke of how the Saikoo Jinseijitsu, two centuries ago, 
acquired free thought, and then began a quest to seize control of its hosts 
so it could live its own life.  The first time the Saikoo Jinseijitsu freed 
itself, in the 29th year of the reign of the Japanese emperor Kookaku, half 
of Hokkaido had been destroyed.

	"No.  He was only twelve."  Cologne shook her head.  "And in his innocent 
way, he understood something we, with our knowledge, experience and wisdom, 
couldn't accept:  The one inside him only wanted to do things those such as 
you and I take for granted.  With the help of Nagaiwakai's friends on 
Zephyrus, that happened."  A sneer crossed her lips.  "And because of that 
act of good will, Ataru's honourless parents decided to destroy not just his 
life, but Nagaiwakai's, by manipulating an equally naive Negako into erasing 
those parts of Ataru's memories which centred on the other elements of his 
family."

	Shampoo took that in, paling.  "You must be joking!"

	Cologne mournfully sighed.  "Believe me, child, I wish I was not."

	Shampoo was barely able to fight down the urge to sweep her 
great-grandmother into a comforting embrace, allow Cologne the chance to 
weep for the loss of one of her oldest and dearest friends.  But that wasn't 
done in the Nujiézú.  It was seen as a sign of weakness, something members 
of the warrior tribe didn't consider proper.  Especially when it concerned 
the honoured dead.

	"So what is Negako like?" Shampoo wondered.

	Cologne inwardly smiled, she sensing that Shampoo was still determined to 
chart her own way, analyse the new situation to determine what, if any, sort 
of advantage she could take to press her ends.  "Cold and analytical.  
Possessing a skill level all the elders in the Council COMBINED cannot 
match.  And she is also protective of Ataru for more than understandable 
reasons.  I caution you STRONGLY to not cross Negako on this matter with 
Son-in-Law.  Now is the time to wait, not advance.  Besides, the chances are 
there that Happy might decide, as is his right as the grandmaster of 
Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu, to ask Negako to become Son-in-Law's new teacher.  
You know what that means, do you?"

	Shampoo's eyes swirled.  "Aiyah!"  To have children trained in BOTH the 
millennia-old traditions of the Nujiézú AND the Path of the Supreme Life, 
daughter-school to the legendary Star of Heaven Path charted by the immortal 
Master Hosan Hirosuke over nearly five thousand years?!  That would be as 
inspiring as if one of the Nujiézú married one of the McTavishes, their 
child winning the right to wield that clan's mystic honour blade, the Sword 
of Scotia.  Much less perhaps locating one of the lost Talismans of Angus . 
. .!

	Taking a breath, Shampoo sighed.  "Alright, I'll back away," she then 
affirmed.  "Airen needs time to heal, not more pain!  CERTAINLY not from 
that honourless panda or Akane!  I can direct myself that way for now."

	"Wise choice.  Anyhow, we best prepare for the morning run."

	"Hai!" Shampoo switched to Japanese.  Moving to step into the main 
restaurant, she paused, staring back at Cologne.  "Hibaa-chan?"

	"What is it, child?"

	She took a deep breath, and then she sighed, reverting to Mandarin.  "Do 
you think that even if Airen is healed, he might still want me?  You heard 
what he said yesterday when he helped Ataru save those people at Tomobiki 
High."

	"I did."  Cologne sighed.  "It's too hard to speculate now given how much 
is up in the air concerning Son-in-law.  Don't panic.  You'll disappoint 
yourself.  And even if Son-in-Law might reject you, there are other ways to 
bring him into the tribe even if we don't have him come to the village.  You 
know how much Son-in-Law's willing to help when it comes to people in need."

	"You're right," Shampoo acknowledged that with a nod before heading out.

	Cologne watched her go.  "You may have to keep that in mind when Ranma 
finally accepts what she's become, Shan," she whispered.

*    *    *

	"Here you go.  That must've been hard work yesterday, ne?"

	Ranma grinned, accepting the plate from Yamada Fred, Nerima's hamburger 
expert.  "Hai, Fred-san, it was."  A retired Ground Self-Defence Force 
signals sergeant, Fred owned his own yatai, keeping it in Hikarigaoka Park 
to solicit customers.  To better understand his newly-chosen trade, Fred had 
spent time in the United States to learn how to create the fast-food delight 
places like McDonalds, Burger King and Wendy's made famous (that was also 
the place where he had gained his current *nom de cuisine;* Fred's actual 
name was Yamada Fujimaro).  Fred was also a martial artist, practising a 
variation of what the Kuonji family long ago perfected using spatulas and 
other kitchen tools.

	Fred got to work on Ataru's order.  "So you decided to leave Tomobiki and 
come live here, eh?"  He put a patty on the grill.  "Think it'll be a 
change?  I've heard of how crazy things in Tomobiki got when Lum was living 
there."

	Ataru shrugged.  "To be honest with you, Yamada-san, I don't know.  
Personally, I just want to put those people behind me.  I sure as hell don't 
want any of them dead, for Heaven's sake, just out of my life!"

	Fred snorted.  "You proved that yesterday, even if the papers in Tomobiki 
are giving Ranma-san sole credit for rescuing everyone."

	"How'd you learn that, Fred?" Ranma asked.

	"Tampopo-san told me."  Fred's apartment was a half-block from Kamekichi 
Tampopo's restaurant and the two, after getting to know each other, had come 
to exchange cooking tips.  "Papers outside Tomobiki got everything dead on.  
Why'd they do that, anyway?" he then asked as he stared at Ataru.

	Ataru snorted.  "Typical Tomobiki mentality when it comes to me, Fred-san.  
If I do something wrong, it's in every newspaper from Naha right up to 
Wakkanai.  If I do something right, it's not reported or someone else gets 
credit.  I guess I'm used to it.  Besides, most of those who tried to play 
volleyball with my life are dead thanks to whoever blew up the school 
yesterday."

	"Pretty raw thing to say, isn't it?" Fred mused as he placed Ataru's order 
on a plate before sliding that before his customer.

	"That it is," Ataru acknowledged with a smile.  "Itadakimasu!"

	The two demolished their orders in rapid succession.

*    *    *

	After paying Fred, Ataru and Ranma headed for a walk around the park.  "So 
the girls want me to come visit them on the Island, eh?" she mused before 
slurping the milkshake she got with her burger.  "Is that gonna be a 
problem?"

	"The family finances the House.  It'll be okay.  'Sides, we'll only be 
there until Sunday."  He stared at her.  "School starts next Monday, 
remember?"

	She sighed.  "I forgot.  I just hope I can continue modelling.  It feels 
good to have my own money, instead o' borrowin' it from Nabiki all the 
time."

	He shook his head.  "Not to mention being on the lookout for her and a 
camera wanting to snap photos of you *au natural,* ne?"

	"How'd you know?"

	"Rinrin-chan found a site on the Internet that splashes some pics Nabiki 
took of you to anyone who logs in.  I told her to whip up a virus to destroy 
it, plus any hard copies whoever set it up might have in reserve.  If you 
want her to, she'll try to trace down the name of whoever it was that set up 
that site."

	"Good.  I'll pound the creep when I get the chance."  Ranma then blinked on 
sensing someone coming into close range.  "Oh, no . . . "

	"What . . .?"

	"Ohayou, Ran-chan!  There you are!"

	Ataru turned as a brown-haired girl in an okonomiyaki-ka's gi walks up, a 
covered plate of hot food in hand.  "Ukyou, I assume?"

	"Yeah."  Ranma then called out, "Ohayou, Ukyou-san.  Is there a problem?"

	The chef shuddered before she calmed down and shook her head.  "No, there's 
no problem, Ran-chan!  I just brought you some breakfast!  I bet after what 
happened yesterday, you really worked up an appetite . . .!"

	"No, thanks.  I just ate," Ranma reported.

	"So I made you your . . .!"  Ukyou stopped.  "What did you just say?"

	Ranma gazed levelly at her.  "I said, 'No, thanks.  I just ate.'"

	Silence fell as Ukyou's mind tried to absorb what had just been said to 
her.  Her jaw then dropped in shocked disbelief.  Ranma?  Her Ran-chan?  
REFUSING to eat her cooking?  What the HELL was THIS?!  "R-r-Ran-chan . . 
.?"

	Ranma slurped down the rest of her milkshake.  Tossing the cup away in a 
nearby garbage can, she reached into her pocket to draw out a wallet.  
Ukyou's eyes went wide on seeing it was bursting with 10,000-yen bills.  
Ranma paused as she did a quick mental calculation.  She then sighed, 
reaching into her wallet to draw out all the large bills she then had in her 
possession.  "Hey, Ataru, can you spare me about twenty man-en now?" she 
asked.  "I'll pay you back when I hit the ATM later on today before we head 
off."

	"Sure."

	Ataru drew out his own cash-filled wallet, pulling out 200,000 yen.  
"Thanks," Ranma replied as she took that.  She then counted off fifty 
10,000-yen bills before handing them to Ukyou.  "There you go, Ukyou-san."

	"I . . .!" Ukyou stammered.  "What the hell's this?" she spat out.

	"That's to pay for the okonomiyaki I ate while I visited your shop.  I'm 
sorry for not having considered paying for your services before.  That will 
not happen again."  Ranma slipped the bills into Ukyou's pants pocket before 
the latter could refuse.  "If it's not enough, I'll get you the rest of it 
as soon as I can.  In the meantime, I want to spend the day with my friend." 
  She then bowed to the chef.  "Have a good day, Ukyou-san."

	She headed off.  Ukyou remained in place, unsure of what to say.  She then 
jolted as Ranma called out, "One other thing, Ukyou-san."

	Ukyou stared at her.  "Friend or fiancée.  Not both."  Ranma held up a 
finger before she vanished under the cloak of the Umisen-ken.

	The chef shuddered before she dropped to her knees, sobbing.  Ataru gazed 
at her.  His eyes narrowed as he turned around, his ki senses quickly 
picking up the disturbed ki patterns marking an Umisen-ken-cloaked martial 
artist.  Noting where Ranma was going, he knelt beside Ukyou.  "Hey, you 
okay?"

	Ukyou stared helplessly at him.  "What do you think?" she muttered.  She 
then reached into her pocket to draw out the cash.  "Here!  Give it back to 
him . . .!"  She stopped as Ataru shook his head.  "Wha- . . .?!"

	"I'm Ranma's friend, Kuonji-san.  Believe me, I don't want to get dragged 
into your fight over who ends up getting to go to the altar with her.  
Besides, she's right.  From what I've heard, you're a very successful 
businesswoman.  Much that I do understand your reasons for being so 
sentimental, so forgiving, when it comes to Ranma, it IS an unwise thing to 
be giving away freebies."

	"I have no choice!" she hissed.  "If I don't marry Ran-chan . . . "

	"You'll be thrown out of your family.  Yes, I happen to know about that, 
too.  Believe it or not, there's a way around it."

	She stopped, blinking.  "What do you mean?"

	"Let's just say there are families who have, for a very long time, strove 
to care for near-orphans like you.  Give them a home, a family who would 
truly love them, a base to work from to keep their lives in order.  My 
family's one of them.  If you really want to keep your family name, plus 
continue on in your chosen field of work, we can help."  He reached into his 
wallet, drawing a business card.  "If you feel you want to do that, go speak 
to this person.  My uncle Komeru's his legal guardian.  He can tell you 
more."  He handed her the card before standing and turning to leave.  
"Ukyou-san, you're a bright person.  You feel you're doing the right thing, 
trying to honour your father's wishes.  But in my eyes, what happened to you 
is called 'child abuse.'  And on certain planets I know of, child abuse is a 
capital crime.  Have a good day."

	He walked off.  Ukyou watched him go before staring nowhere in particular.  
"'Child abuse is a capital crime,'" she whispered.

*    *    *

	Nearby, Ranma sighed, she sitting near a fountain.  Shaking her head as she 
remembered what Ukyou just tried to do, she took a deep breath.  "Damn you, 
Oyaji . . . " she hissed.  "And damn me for listening to you . . . "

	"Ranma!  There you are!"

	Ranma perked, she turning to look left as Akane walked up.  Cradled in her 
right hand was a large saucepan covered with a tablecloth.  Tucked in her 
left arm was P-chan, a snickering look etched on the piglet's face.  Seeing 
that, Ranma tensed, a chill warping through her body.  "Ohayou, Akane-san," 
she hailed.  "What brings you about this part of Nerima this morning?"

	Akane stopped, she placing the pot on the seat.  She cradled P-chan close 
to her as she sat beside the breakfast she made.  "I came looking for you, 
silly!" she answered, trying not to shiver at Ranma's addressing her so 
formally.  "I made some beef stroganoff for you today!  After what you did 
yesterday in Tomobiki, you deserve something special!"

	Ranma stared warily at the pot.  Her nose was quick to pick up the odour of 
linseed oil, an agent that, for some inexplicable reason, almost ALWAYS 
wound up in Akane's cooking.  Plus there was the faint scent of a bleaching 
agent.  Odd.  Kasumi didn't keep bleach in the kitchen . . . unless Akane 
had got her hands on drain cleaner instead?  "Aren't you going to try it?" 
Akane wondered.

	In her arms, the transformed Ryouga grinned.  Oh, here we go . . .

	Ranma gazed at her.  "Akane-san, have you tried it yet?"

	Tee-hee-haw!  Can't run from this now, Ranma . . .

	"I made it for you, you dummy!"

	Oh, yes!  Open mouth and insert foot time . . .

	"Did you get Kasumi's help?  Or Mom's for that matter?"

	Keep digging your grave, you bastard . . .

	"Hey, I can cook!  I don't need their help!"

	Yes!  Yes, let it come . . .

	"No, Akane-san.  You cannot cook."

	P-chan jolted.  Ranma's last words had been delivered in a neutral tone, 
one that froze everything around them in place.  A glance up to Akane sent a 
chill down his back; she was staring at Ranma as if the slime was about to 
unleash Souun's Demon Head attack.  "B-but you s-said . . . " she sputtered.

	"I told you once that you were *improving,*" Ranma barked as she bolted to 
her feet, that movement causing Akane to duck away.  "I said NOTHING about 
you being able to cook.  Don't put words into my mouth!  I'm tired of that, 
atop many other things you've done to me.  Besides, I've already had 
breakfast over at Yamada Fred's yatai.  And since you don't seem to trust 
your own cooking, why the hell do you think *I* should trust it?  Hell, 
would P-chan want to eat it?!"

	She contemptuously indicated the piglet in Akane's arms.  Akane shuddered 
as a familiar, almost welcome, rage billowed inside her.  "Fine!  I'll show 
you how good I've become!"  She grabbed a pair of chopsticks from her skirt. 
  Flipping the tablecloth off the pot, she grabbed some of the contents 
between the chopsticks.  Cradling P-chan in her hand, Akane waved the morsel 
before him.  "Here you go, P-chan!" she then cooed.  "Open up!"

	P-chan opened his mouth, not realising the danger.  As he swallowed the 
food, his whole body locked up.  His fur morphed into a psychedelic array 
before a pained "Bweee . . . " escaped him, his strength failing.  As his 
consciousness faded, his last thought was, *I'll get you for this, Ranma . . 
.!*

	"P-chan!" Akane gasped.

	She then cried out as Ranma snared the piglet.  She watched as her 
transformed fiancé drew out a packet of some powdery substance, and then she 
dumped that into P-chan's mouth.  Scooping up water from the pool, Ranma 
poured that down the piglet's throat.  Instantly, the transformed Ryouga's 
fur colour reverted to normal black, a weak "Bwee . . . " escaping him as 
Ranma handed him back to Akane.  She gazed at P-chan as he tried to move 
again before staring at Ranma.  "Ranma . . . " she whispered, unsure of what 
to say.

	Ranma held up the empty packet.  "I got this from a friend of mine.  It's a 
universal antitoxin that can protect people from very bad cooking, like what 
you just created.  Let P-chan rest for the remainder of the day.  He should 
be back to normal by tomorrow."

	Hearing that, P-chan blinked as a pained moan escaped him.  *Damn you, 
Ranma!  WHY do you keep doing these things . . .?* he mentally railed.  *How 
can I keep on hating you after you keep doing THIS to me, you bastard . . 
.?*

	"Ranma . . . "

	Akane shuddered.  Staring at P-chan before she sets him on the bench, she 
stood up.  Slowly approaching her transformed fiancé, Akane seemed to bow 
her head, burying her eyes under the bangs of her hair.  Ranma gazed 
neutrally at her, her arms crossed.  Akane stopped before her, she glaring 
into the false girl's eyes.  Ranma did nothing.  Seeing that, Akane screamed 
out, "YOU JERK!"

	Her fist lashed out at Ranma's cheek.  Before it could come close, Ranma's 
hand caught it, and then she twisted it violently to one side.  Akane's 
scream of rage turned into a shocked cry of pain as Ranma's free hand lanced 
at her right elbow.  A solid *CRACK!* was heard as the fist slammed into the 
lower part of the upper arm bone, shattering it.  Akane howled in pain, her 
eyes widening in disbelief and stunned horror as Ranma tilted herself to her 
side, cupping her free hand to form a ball of ki.  A GREEN ball of ki.

	"R-r-Ranma . . . " she sputtered.

	"Good-bye, Tendou-san.  We're no longer engaged.  And you're a stranger to 
me," Ranma announced.  "***SHISHI HOOKOODAN!***"

*    *    *

	In another part of the park, a silent Kuonji Ukyou sat on a bench, her mind 
rolling over what Ataru just said to her.  She then perked on hearing the 
quasi-sonic boom that normally accompanied a high-intensity ki attack.  Her 
eyes picked up something flying away from the park.  Watching it, the chef 
was quick to notice that the hapless victim -- it sounded like the poor 
sucker got nailed by Ryouga's Shishi Hookoodan attack -- was female.  Then 
she got another quick look before the victim began to descend somewhere in 
the distance.

	Wait a minute.

	That wasn't Ran-chan at all!

	That looked like . . .!

	Akane?

	No WAY!

	What the HELL just happened?!

	Standing, she raced to the part of the park where she assumed the blast 
originated.  No matter what, she had to find out.

*    *    *

	"Damn her . . . damn her . . . "

	P-chan stared at Ranma.  Even though his body was recovering from Akane's 
cooking, he had just watched what his rival did to his fiancée.  Or was that 
now EX-fiancée?  Ranma shuddered as she lowered her head, tears streaming 
down her cheeks.  Seeing that, the transformed Ryouga's eyes went wide.  No! 
  It wasn't possible!  NOT possible!  Ranma NEVER cried, especially in 
public . . .!

	"So why aren't you attacking me now, Ryouga?"

	The piglet stared at Ranma.  She looked at him with pained eyes.  "Well?" 
she wondered.  "What's wrong, *friend?*"  A sneer twisted her lips as the 
scorn poured like Niagara Falls from her lips.  "Too shocked to believe I 
could master something only YOU could do?  Shocked to see me hit Akane after 
all the times she hit me?  Shocked that I told her the engagement was off?"

	"Ran-chan!  What happened?!"

	Ranma tensed as Ukyou ran up.  The chef slowed down as she analysed the 
scene.  Uh-huh.  Pot of SOMETHING there on the bench.  No doubt, Akane had 
the same idea Ukyou had after what went down yesterday in Tomobiki . . . 
wait a minute!  Ran-chan could do the Shishi Hookoodan these days.  She 
doubted Ryouga could do that when he was in his cursed form.  Then that . . 
. that meant . . .!

	Oh, no!

	No WAY!

	Her jaw dropped in shock.  "Ran-chan?"

	Ranma relaxed before she gazed at the chef.  "Ukyou-san, feel free to tell 
anyone who might be interested that I no longer recognise my 'engagement' 
with Tendou Akane.  Nor will I pursue an engagement with Tendou Kasumi or 
Tendou Nabiki.  I no longer desire to associate with that family."

	Ukyou took that in before she grimaced.  "What happened?"

	"Simple," a voice echoed from behind her as footsteps heralded Ataru's 
arrival on the scene as he moved to stand beside Ranma.  "It appears 
Tendou-san didn't appreciate having her culinary shortcomings shoved into 
her face, even after her 'pet' nearly died because of those shortcomings."

	Ukyou stared at him before turning to Ranma.  "So even after you save that 
jackass' life . . . "  She indicated the transformed Ryouga, who perked on 
realising the okonomiyaki chef knew about his secret.  "Akane tried to hit 
you?" she asked.  "What the hell did you do to her?"

	"Broke her arm and ki-blasted her home," Ranma replied before she stared at 
Ataru.  "Can you get Negako to work a little faster on fixing me up, Ataru?"

	Ataru shrugged.  "I'll try."

	Ukyou tensed.  "Fix you up for what?  What happened?"

	Ataru gazed quizzically at Ranma.  The latter blinked before shaking her 
head.  "No," she announced.  "If you want to get the story, Ukyou-san, talk 
to Elder Kelun or Jijii about it.  I'm not in the mood to talk about it 
now."

	She headed off.  Ukyou turned to pursue.  "Hey, wait a minute . . .!"

	Demon Head.  "***LEAVE ME ALONE!***"

	Ukyou screamed before she ran off in a cloud of dust.  Watching her go, 
Ranma muttered something under his breath before she turned and stormed off. 
  Ataru watched her, and then he gazed on the pot of "beef stroganoff" Akane 
had made.  Taking a deep breath, he concentrated his chi into his hand.  
"Kontou!" he whispered as the soulsword blade formed, and then he thrust it 
into the pot.

	As soon as the blade made contact, a wailing shriek escaped from the pot as 
SOMETHING tried to break free.  Once the cut was made, the object sank 
lifelessly into the pot.  He straightened himself, allowing the burning 
killer energy blade to rest on his shoulder.  "'It's aliiiiiiive!'  NOT!" he 
drawled before laughing, waving nonchalantly at P-chan.  "Have a nice day, 
Hibiki-san!"

	Ataru headed off, dispersing the blade.  P-chan watched him before his eyes 
swirled, a pained "Bweeee . . .!" escaping him.  *It's the end of the 
world!* echoed deep in the transformed Ryouga's mind before he fainted.

*    *    *

	"OH, MY!"

	"What is it, Kasumi . . . eh?!  MY LITTLE GIRL!"

	Hearing that, Nabiki, Genma and Nodoka charged downstairs, they looking out 
onto the front lawn to see Kasumi tending to a bruised and burnt Akane.  She 
had just smashed through the cherry blossom tree to crash into the rocks 
beside the koi pond.  Souun knelt beside his unconscious child, jets of 
tears dousing everything as he bewailed how badly his precious little baby 
had been hurt.

	"What on Earth happened to her?!" Nodoka demanded as she moved to help 
Kasumi carry Akane into the doojou, they laying her down on the floor.

	"I . . . "  Kasumi then fell silent as she scanned the wounds, immediately 
noticing the bruising around Akane's right elbow.  A gentle touch with her 
finger caused Akane to moan as she automatically rolled onto her side.  A 
glance to the youngest Tendou's eyes revealed a semi-lucid look.  Too dazed 
to answer questions.  Sighing, Kasumi raced into the kitchen.  "Don't move 
that, Akane!" she warned.  "It's broken!"  She soon returned with a splint 
in hand.  The others watched as the arm was properly bandaged and tied 
against Akane's side to restrict motion.  "Nabiki, summon the ambulance, 
please!  We need to get her to a hospital to have X-rays done on the arm 
just in case!"

	"Right!" Nabiki said before she raced off to make a call.

	Akane was eased onto her back, that movement accompanied by another moan.  
By then, Genma was examining the wounds.  "A skilled martial artist did 
this," he reported with a shudder.  "No doubt, it was a surprise attack of 
some sort."

	Nodoka gasped.  "What sort of monster could do this to her?!  WHY would she 
be attacked this way?!  Akane-chan's such a nice girl!"

	"My little baby . . . " Souun burbled from the front lawn.

*    *    *

	An ambulance's siren soon echoed through the neighbourhood.  Kasumi rushed 
out to guide the paramedics in, they carrying a stretcher.  Akane was 
quickly taken away, Souun and Kasumi accompanying her.  The Saotomes stood 
at the front porch.  As soon as their hosts had left, Nodoka sighed.  "Come, 
Genma.  We best get to the hospital to ensure Akane-chan is well.  
Nabiki-chan!"

	"What?!" Nabiki called down from her room.

	"Are you coming with us?!"

	"Tell Dad and Nee-chan I'll be there in a while!" Nabiki assured them.  "I 
gotta check out the health insurance and all that!"

	"Alright!  We're heading out now!"

	They departed.  Nabiki relaxed by her phone, she dialling a number to 
contact the family's medical insurance agent.  Once arrangements were made, 
she hung up before sitting back in her chair.  "Who the hell attacked her, 
anyway . . .?" she whispered before perking as the phone rings.  
"Moshi-moshi, Tendou residence, Nabiki here," she replied after picking it 
up.  She then perked on recognising the caller.  "Ukyou?  What's wrong?!" 
she demanded before her eyes widened on hearing the chef's answer.  "What . 
. .?"

	"It's true," Ukyou replied.  "Put simply, Akane just blew her last chance 
with Ran-chan.  And he said he wasn't gonna marry you OR Kasumi for that 
matter.  I don't know why it led all the way to THAT happening, but Ran-chan 
said Happoosai or Cologne would know the answer.  He . . . "  She paused.  
"He didn't want to talk to me about it.  Heck, he used a Demon Head to chase 
me away."

	Nabiki sighed.  "Akane, you idiot . . .!"

	"Got that right," Ukyou affirmed, and then she sighed.  "Look, I didn't 
like the idea of Ran-chan doing *that,* but I won't say Akane didn't deserve 
something like it for all the crap she's pulled on him in the past."

	"Right.  Thanks for calling."

	She hung up.  Rising, she marched into the room where Happoosai resided.  
The grandmaster of Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu was ironing his latest 
acquisitions.  Nabiki sat, crossing her arms.  "I need to talk to you.  It's 
about Ranma-kun."

	"I've been expecting that," he replied, smiling as he set the iron aside 
before staring at her.  He then declared with a held-up finger, "Before you 
judge Ranma-chan for what he just did to Akane-chan, you better listen to 
this."

	"I'm listening."

*    *    *

	"Want to talk about it?"

	Ranma looked up as Ataru placed a cup of tea before her.  Both were 
relaxing in the living room of the Moroboshi home.  There was a lost look 
etched on the former's face.  As if she was wondering how did she get to 
this place in her life, was there a way to go back to the way things were 
before this -- and most of all, did she really WANT to return to the way 
things were!

	"Thanks," she said as she took up the cup, sipping the tea before an absent 
look focused her eyes on the liquid inside.  "I can't believe I just did 
that to her, Ataru," she then confessed.

	"What part?"

	"All of it.  I . . . up to this point, I never really thought of standing 
up to Akane like that.  But . . .!"  Her lips twisted into a sneer.  "Damn 
it all, I've saved her life gods only knows HOW many times!  I KILLED for 
her once!  I gave up a cure to save her from being cursed on Toma's island!  
And THIS is the way she treats me, even NOW?!  What the HELL did I do to 
deserve THIS?!"

	Ataru remained silent as Ranma stormed to her feet, she moving to pace.  
"And you wanna know what's gonna happen now?!" she demanded.  "The instant 
they get wind of what happened . . . oh, hell, NO!  That's not right at all! 
  No!  No!  No!  No!  NO!  Ranma doesn't HAVE the right to object to 
anything they say or do against him!  If it isn't gonna be Mom sayin' I'm 
not manly 'cause I hit a girl, it's gonna be Kasumi tryin' ta lay a friggin' 
guilt trip on me for hurtin' her sister!"  She slipped into a faux-Kasumi 
accent.  "'Oh, Akane's really sweet!  She's just a violent maniac at 
times!'"  Back to her normal voice.  "Then there's Nabiki, who's fuckin' 
prostituted every person she met just to earn a quick buck or two 'cause her 
father's so fuckin' LAZY, he can't start teaching classes!  And PLEASE, 
don't get me started on those slimebags Akane and I have to call fathers!  
And that's JUST my so-called 'immediate family!'"

	She shook her head, tears flowing down her cheeks.  "I'm tired of this 
shit, Ataru!" she whispered.  "I'm tired of it!  I never really realised it 
until now, but I'm TIRED!  I . . . "  She sniffed before sitting.  "I want 
it to end!  But I want to do it right for everyone, so there'd be no hard 
feelings!  But I can't DO that 'cause everyone's bein' a pack of fuckin' 
assholes, sayin' their problems matter first and the rest can all go 
straight to hell!  Well, fine then!  If that's what they think, they can ALL 
go to hell!"

	She looked away, shaking her head.  Ataru sipped his tea before sighing.  
"Now you know why I left Tomobiki," he then declared.

	Ranma looked quizzically at him.  "What do you mean?"

	He returned that with a tired look.  "For a long time, I pretty much 
accepted all the crap that was happening around me.  Even now, all this time 
after I stopped doing it, I still don't understand WHY I did what I did when 
I was living in that place.  I just basically ignored everything everyone 
was saying about me, from Muchi and Kinshou to Lum to everyone else in the 
whole damned town.  I liked the idea of girl hunting.  Hell, believe it or 
not, I liked the idea of girl hunting with Lum howling up my backside trying 
to make me stop!  I . . . "  He looked nowhere in particular.  "What was I 
back then, Ranma?  Right now . . . I can't answer that.  I really can't 
answer that."

	He sipped his tea before carrying on, "Then one night, Onee-chan comes back 
and I find out that for five years, I lived a virtual lie.  And that lie 
came about all because Kinshou really cared for nothing more than getting 
her hands on Grandma's money.  She never cared for ME.  She never REALLY 
cared for ME!  What's worse, she bullied Muchi into going along with it!  
What did it lead to?  It led to Grandma dying ALONE, that's what!  And 
because of that, everything I did, good or bad, was stained!  My whole life 
was a LIE, Ranma!

	"So I decided I was going to take a serious look at what happened from the 
day Onee-chan got taken out of my head to the day she came back.  And I was 
going to decide what I wanted to keep and what I wanted to let go.  And you 
know what, Ranma?  When I got done with that, I realised that I didn't want 
to have ANYTHING to do with the people in Tomobiki anymore.  I really 
didn't.  Hell, I know none of them really wanted to have anything to do with 
me.  After all I did to them, I don't blame them for feeling that way.  I . 
. . "  He paused.  "In the end, Lum was the only thing that I had in 
Tomobiki that I DID like.  But I couldn't have her.  Soon after I realised 
that, she died.  So I have nothing binding me to Tomobiki.  That suits me 
fine.  Problem is . . . "

	Ranma nodded understandingly.  "Are they gonna leave you be?"

	"Yeah.  Excluding Onee-chan, I've got twelve sisters I gotta worry about, 
Ranma.  Chikage can protect herself.  Haruka's skilled in her own right.  
The rest of them, however, are vulnerable, VERY vulnerable.  Now, some of 
the potential problems got vaporised yesterday, but some of them are still 
here.  And I don't know what the reaction will be if those dorks DO find out 
about my sisters.  I really don't.  I don't trust ANY of those clowns.  I 
don't want to drag my sisters into this.  I really don't.  They're all I've 
got left in the way of immediate family and I'll not have that taken from 
me.  Onee-chan, for all her knowledge, does have some weaknesses that could 
be exploited.  So I need help.  A guarantee that I won't be doing this 
totally on my own."

	They gazed on each other before Ranma nodded.  "I'd be happy to help you.  
Believe me, if half the garbage you've been through is anything like what 
I've lived through, I wouldn't want to put kids like Hinako and Aria through 
that!"

	Ataru nodded.  "Alright.  Then I promise you this, Ranma.  If, in any way, 
you feel you have to cut ties with the people here, my family and I can 
help.  If you're made roonin, I can see to it you're adopted into our 
family.  Any threats your mother and father makes would be meaningless.  And 
if Nodoka tries to press things because of that seppuku contract you told me 
about, I'll make DAMN sure hers and Genma's lives become a living HELL!  
Ditto with the Tendous!  Ukyou can be dealt with afterward.  Kodachi has no 
claim on you.  And if you ARE adopted into my family, Shanpú can no longer 
seek your hand in marriage since my clan, as allies to the Nujiézú, is 
exempt from the Kiss of Marriage laws."

	"Really?!"  Ranma gaped before she smirked.  "I rather like that!"

	"I suspected you would.  And if she sits back and thinks it through, Elder 
Kelun would like it, too."  Here, Ataru winked at her.  "Frankly put, Ranma, 
you're not the type to marry into a clan like that one."

	They laughed.  "Good point," she replied with a held-up finger.  "Well, 
shall we wait until the storm comes down on us?"

	They hooked fingers.  "Let's."

*    *    *

	"Please tell me this is some insane joke!"

	"No joke."

	Nabiki sighed.  "How long has what Genma did been affecting Ranma-kun?"

	"Since he was five," Happoosai replied.  "On the one hand, I'm impressed 
Genma managed to do THAT to Ranma-chan without me noticing it.  Hell, 
without Cologne-chan noticing it, either?!  Whoo!  On the other hand . . . "

	"Your hopes for your 'heir' would go up in smoke if he was turned into a 
mental vegetable thanks to my sister and everyone else."

	Happoosai nodded.  "Exactly."

	"So what do you plan now?"

	"Ranma-chan needs a chance to heal from what he's been subjected to.  What 
Genma did before he took Ranma-chan away from Nodoka, plus the Neko-ken, 
then tack on the things Akane-chan's done . . . THOSE are the worst 
problems.  Ataru-kun and Negako-chan will help.  Once that's done, we'll 
decide what to do next."

	"'We?'"

	"Of course!  Don't you want to get back into the Art, Nabiki-chan?"

	Silence.  Nabiki stared wide-eyed at Happoosai before shaking her head.  
"How the HELL did you know about that, Ojii-chan?!"

	"I see it in your ki signature," he replied with a chuckle before sighing.  
"I take it Akane had something to do with what happened to your arms five 
years ago, right?  That's what made you stop practising the Art?"

	Nabiki nodded.  "Yes."

	"Well, maybe Negako-chan might help you recover from that."

	Her eyes widened.  "But Toofuu-sensei said . . . "

	"Nabiki, I told you what Negako-chan is," he warned with a raised hand to 
stop her protest.  "She has access to medicines and medical knowledge 
Cologne-chan and I can't touch.  You go talk to her about this and she'll 
help you.  What she might demand of you won't be so bad in the long term."

	"Which would be?"

	Happoosai reached into his personal hyperspace pocket, drawing out a 
picture to show it to Nabiki.  "Look for yourself."

	Nabiki looked.  Ataru and a girl that was probably Negako, both surrounded 
by twelve girls, they appearing as if they belonged at the Moroboshi 
siblings' side.  She stared at Happoosai.  "These are Ataru-kun's younger 
sisters, right?"

	"Right.  Remember what happened yesterday.  Imagine what some of those 
lunkheads in Tomobiki might be thinking right now.  Do you REALLY want to 
see these girls, especially these three . . . " -- he pointed to Hinako, 
Aria and Kaho -- "Hurt by the likes of Mendou?"

	Nabiki shook her head.  "No, of course not!  But right now, Ojii-chan, I 
don't think Ranma-kun's gonna think very highly of any of us in this house.  
Not after what just happened between him and Akane."

	"I know.  Humour an old man for a second, Nabiki-chan."  Happoosai sighed.  
"I'm not gonna be long for this world.  I know I've done some nasty things 
in my time.  But I tried to make a few lives better in my own way.  I want 
to leave something good for people to learn from when I go.  Genma and your 
father wasted their chances to do something good with what I gave them.  
It's a damned miracle that Ranma's come out the way he has!  A MIRACLE, 
Nabiki!  But . . . "

	"He's just one person."

	"Right.  Now, Akane's got potential, but she's got to learn how to bring 
that temper of hers under control.  And that's not to mention take 
responsibility for all her faults.  However, you have the greater potential. 
  And all it needs for you to get back into gear is to get your arms fixed.  
Negako-chan can help you.  And the price for that help isn't really so bad.  
In fact, if you help do that, you'll probably go far in regaining some trust 
and respect with Ranma-chan.  And in both of you, Kurumi and Natsume (AND 
Akane when she finally grows up a bit), I want to place the future of the 
Art."  He puffed his pipe.  "Does that sound alright with you, Nabiki-chan?"

	She sighed.  "I'd have to think about it.  I have to admit, I AM tempted.  
I've missed working out like I did before the accident.  And . . . "  A 
pause.  "Maybe if I get back in gear, Dad might decide to get off his butt 
and make our doojou viable!  I know that after my accident -- adding that to 
Mom's death -- whatever heart he had in teaching was wiped out!  Maybe I can 
bring it back."

	"That's good," Happoosai acknowledged that with a nod, he drawing out a 
folded scrap of paper to hand to her.  "Here.  That's where Ataru-kun and 
Negako-chan live.  If you hurry, you can arrange some things with Ranma-chan 
before she heads off with Ataru-kun to visit his sisters."  He then winked.  
"Then you'll have to deal with the rest of the people in this house."

	"That's not going to be a treat, Ojii-chan."

	He cackled.  "Life never is, Nabiki-chan."

*    *    *

	"Please tell me this is some insane joke!"

	"It's no joke, Ukyou.  It's the truth."

	Ukyou stared at Shampoo.  Both were relaxing in the Nekohanten.  The former 
shuddered.  "Right now, I'm very tempted to make some panda steak 
okonomiyaki!  Fuck!  You'd think that after all the shit that jackass has 
put everyone through, I'd believe ANYTHIN' he was said to have done to 
Ran-chan!  But something like THAT . . .?!"  Her voice trailed off, she 
shaking her head.  "Damn it all," she whispered before gazing quizzically at 
her rival.  "Why aren't you or your great-grandmother helping fix Ran-chan 
up?"

	"It's being done by a person of an allied clan to the Nujiézú," her host 
reported.  "She's the adopted sister of Moroboshi Ataru.  She's also the 
grandmaster of the Tiger-Spirit Clan's Art:  the Path of the Supreme Life."

	"Saikoo Jinseijitsu-ryuu?  Never heard of it.  Then again, I never heard of 
Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu until I met Ran-chan."  A pause.  "Then again, it's 
still shocking to me to see Moroboshi Ataru of all people as a martial 
artist!"

	"Hai, this one thought the same way until Hibaa-chan explained what Ataru's 
honourless mother did to him," Shampoo replied.  On seeing the chef's 
confused look, the warrior-maiden then told her what Cologne told her 
earlier.

	Hearing that, Ukyou winced.  "Shit!" she spat out.  "No wonder he said 
yesterday that he was glad his parents were dead!"

	"This one agrees . . .!  Oh, Hibaa-chan!"

	Cologne pogo-sticked over to their table.  "If you two girls are interested 
in visiting Son-in-Law today . . . "  She held up a folded sheet of paper 
with a wry smile.  "Though I DO hope you'll both exercise some caution given 
what his mood might be right now after his encounter with Tendou Akane this 
morning . . . "  With that, she handed the paper to Shampoo.  "That is where 
Moroboshi Ataru and Moroboshi Negako presently live."

	Shampoo opened the note, scanning it before showing it to Ukyou.  The chef 
took the information displayed there in.  "Kasuga-chou, huh?  That's not too 
far away.  Let's get some things made up and take them over for lunch."

	Shampoo rose.  "Hai!"

	"Before you go, Ukyou . . . "  Cologne reached into her jersey, and then 
she tossed a small bottle at the chef.  "Put that into your batter mix."

	Ukyou caught it.  "What's this stuff?"  She glanced into the bottle, noting 
that it was filled with a reddish-orange powder.

	"It's an herbal mix that's meant to help heal severe brain trauma or other 
sorts of lasting neural damage," Cologne explained as she gave the chef a 
knowing look.  "I'm sure Negako's already giving Son-in-Law something to 
help him heal.  The more he takes in, the faster the healing process will 
be."

	"Sounds pretty logical.  Why give this to me, then?  And how can I trust 
this IS what you say it is?  For all I know, this could be some sort of 
poison that might make me look bad in front of Ran-chan."

	Cologne smirked.  "My dear, it's simple.  He knows you're not the type of 
use poisons or any other sort of drug.  Besides, if Son-in-Law ISN'T healed, 
he won't be of use to ANY of us.  Wouldn't you agree?"

	Ukyou nodded.  "Good point."

*    *    *

	"We're moving to Tokyo?!  Why, Mom?!"

	Yoshino Mai gazed serenely on her daughter.  "Tomomi-chan, you saw what 
happened on the television yesterday, didn't you?"

	Tomomi, a blue-eyed girl with long brown hair tied in a high ponytail and a 
body that just made most men's mouths water, considered her mother's 
question.  Both were relaxing in the Yoshino home in Kita-Hiroshima, a 
suburb of Sapporo.  "Hai, I did.  But what makes you think Moroboshi Ataru 
or Saotome Ranma can help us?  It's been years since you or any of the 
others had any contact with the factory, much less those Niphentaxians who 
sent you here . . . "

	"The factory's here, Tomomi-chan."

	Silence fell like a guillotine as Tomomi stared wide-eyed at Mai.  Tears 
instantly sprang in her eyes as the potential implications of THAT statement 
sank in.  "No . . . n-no . . . they're gonna take you away . . . n-n-no . . 
.!"

	She flew into Mai's arms.  The older woman cradled her child -- something 
no Avalonian could have ever truly contemplated having since the Great 
Awakening and their enslavement by the Invaders -- close.  "Hush, dear!  
Hush!" she cooed to quiet Tomomi's sobbing.  "Hush!  It's all right, dear!  
You know I've no link to the factory!  That happened the day you were born, 
Tomomi-chan!  Hush!"

	Tomomi shuddered before she pulled away, staring hopefully in her mother's 
eyes.  "A-are y-y-you sure, M-mom . . .?"

	"Hai, I'm quite sure."  Mai allowed Tomomi to compose herself.  "Now, we've 
arranged with the Fujikis for us to live at one of their apartment 
complexes.  They own one in the outskirts of Tomobiki, so it'd be alright 
for you to attend classes at Tomobiki High."  She patted Tomomi's hand.  
"And you won't be alone, Tomomi-chan.  Minako-chan and Kyooko-chan will be 
there."

	Tomomi's eyes instinctively fell on a picture of her and two other girls -- 
her closest friends -- taken in a Tokyo park; that sat on a side table 
beside the couch.  Ikusawa Kyooko, a native of Mito, northeast of Tokyo, was 
an aspiring fashion model.  Sawada Minako, a native of Maizuru, north of 
Kyoto, was a sports fanatic who specialized in kendou and other martial 
arts; she had won several prefecture championships to date.

	And like Tomomi, Kyooko and Minako were half-Avalonians.  Daughters of 
specially grown bioroids, by-products of a giant factory constructed 
fourteen millennia ago by an extinct race known as the Sagussans, and then 
discovered eight decades ago by another race, the Niphentaxians.  For the 
"Invaders" (as the Niphentaxians came to be called by the Avalonians), 
discovering the factory created a mass market for cheap slave labour, 
especially of the sexual kind.  But unlike slave societies elsewhere, the 
Niphentaxians vigilantly kept the existence of their beautiful bioroids a 
top secret from the galaxy at large.

	To the day Mai and her sisters were sent to Earth, that state of affairs 
had not changed.  For good reason.  Like their mothers (dispatched to Earth 
over twenty years before by a pro-Avalonian sect seeking to finally 
emancipate the bioroids), Tomomi and her friends were blessed with great 
physical and psionic ability.  That helped them when dealing with the many 
problems plaguing teenage girls their age.  In a positive way, of course; 
Tomomi, Kyooko and Minako were quite popular at their high schools, both 
among their peers and their teachers.  They didn't take advantage of that, 
of course; atop it being not right, it would ultimately attract all sorts of 
unwelcome attention.  Something that, given events in Tomobiki, bode ill for 
them AND their mothers.

	Tomomi's eyebrow arched.  "So when we get there, you want us to . . .?"

	A nod.  "Ataru-kun would be preferable.  If you can coerce both Ataru-kun 
and Ranma-chan to our cause, that would be all the better.  None of us know 
why the factory is here, but it's in synchronous orbit over Tomobiki High.  
Sayuri-chan's, Masumi-chan's and Seina-chan's mothers confirmed that late 
last night.  As to the 'why' . . .?"  Her voice trailed off as Mai gave her 
daughter a shrug.

	Tomomi nodded understandingly.  "Right."

*    *    *

	"Toofuu-sensei, is that you?!  Where've you been all this time?!"

	A bespectacled chiropractor turned from hanging up his office shingle, 
grinning.  "Busy learning new things, Nabiki-chan."  Ono Toofuu then turned 
to draw Nabiki into a warm embrace.  "For the medical profession, much like 
martial arts, learning never stops.  How is everyone right now?"

	Nabiki pulled away, sighing.  "Good and not-so-good, depending on who 
you're talking about, Sensei.  A lot of things have changed."

	Toofuu sighed.  "I'd suspect the primary changes would concern what's 
happening between Ranma-kun and Akane-chan.  How are they?"

	"Hard to say," her voice dropped.  "Six weeks ago, they were within a 
hair's breadth of getting married.  I had to stop that because . . .!"  She 
stopped.  "You know how it is, Sensei!  They're way too young to get 
married!"

	"In that, I agree, but you know how much your father's pinned his hopes on 
uniting the schools of your Art," he reminded her.

	"Yes, I know.  And if they were given the chance, I'm sure they'd have been 
happy to get married sometime in the future.  But guess what happened?  Not 
two weeks after the first attempt, Father and Uncle tried to railroad them 
into another wedding ceremony, completely ignoring the fact that Ranma-kun's 
got two other official suitors plus a third would-be suitor in Kunou 
Kodachi!  Well, after that fight, Ranma-kun just went ballistic!  And today 
. . . "  Here, she stopped again, shaking her head.  "Akane pushed him over 
the edge."

	He tensed.  "And?"

	"According to Kuonji Ukyou, Ranma-kun no longer wishes to have anything to 
do with our family," Nabiki reported.  "And according to Onee-chan, 
Ranma-kun's finally reached his limit when it comes to tolerating Akane 
hitting him.  This morning, Akane learned that the hard way.  She's in 
hospital."

	Silence.

	"Ranma would NEVER hit a girl!" Toofuu stated.

	"Oh?  I take it you didn't see what happened yesterday on the TV."

	"I did see that.  And I can understand why Ranma-kun might've lost his 
temper, especially after hearing how many people were killed in that blast," 
he noted before blinking as something came to him.  "Wait a minute."  He 
closed his eyes for a second before staring at Nabiki.  "How long ago did 
Ranma-kun meet Moroboshi Ataru?  Has Ranma-kun met Ataru's adopted sister 
Negako yet?"

	Nabiki's jaw dropped.  "You know Negako?!"

	"Yes, I do.  By the tone of your voice, I think you know exactly WHAT she 
is, too.  Has Master Happoosai told you anything?"

	"Told us yesterday after the fireworks at Tomobiki High stopped," she 
admitted.  "Matter of fact, Ojii-chan told me today Negako-san discovered 
that Ranma-kun's been taking on heavy damage in his brain from all of 
Akane's mallet strikes and everything else that's hit his head over the last 
while.  To make sure he can heal, she manipulated his shiatsu lines to break 
his inhibitions when it comes to hitting people, especially those he cares 
for.  And . . . "

	"How badly was Akane-chan hurt?"

	"Shattered right upper arm bone and ki-burns on her right side when 
Ranma-kun sent her from Hikarigaoka to the house with a Shishi Hookoodan," 
she stated before chuckling.  "Damn, the others are going to freak when they 
find out."

	"Unless they're told the right way."

	"Right," Nabiki affirmed with a nod.  "I'll do that with Onee-chan and 
Ranma-kun's mom before dropping the boom on Dad and Uncle.  I think when 
Auntie learns about that, not to mention another thing Uncle pulled on 
Ranma-kun, any protests from him or Dad will be a lot of hot air."

	"I thought Ranma-kun's mother was . . .!  Oh, hello, Elder!  Shanpú!  
Mùsi!"  Toofuu glanced past Nabiki as footfalls heralded the arrival of 
three Nujiézú warriors.  "What brings you about these parts?"

	"You of course!  It's good to see you," Cologne replied with a grin as 
Shampoo and Mousse bowed respectfully to the chiropractor.  The 
warrior-maiden had a take-out box in hand for when she saw Ranma.  "I trust 
your trip went well," the elder then noted.  "You seem to have learned a 
lot."

	"Indeed I did, Elder," Toofuu admitted.

	"What of your problem with Tendou Kasumi, Doctor?" Mousse asked.

	"Hopefully, the 'love madness' that clicked in when someone spoke of Kasumi 
or whenever I saw her won't affect me while in her presence.  I can't be a 
doctor to anyone if I lose total control of myself like that around your 
sister, Nabiki-chan.  However, it does not mean I'm rid of it, though."

	"What do you mean?" Nabiki asked before looking past Toofuu as a *toot!* 
echoed through the streets.  "What the hell's THAT?!"

	Hearing that noise, Toofuu jerked, sweat pouring down his face as his 
glasses started to fog.  "Oh, no . . .!" he whispered, his fingernails then 
under dire threat from chattering teeth.  "Why am I hearing THAT sound 
HERE?!"

	Everyone looked quizzically at the chiropractor as the road train from the 
Toranoseishin Tower slowed down.  "Eh?!"

	"Ah!  Ono-sensei!  What're you doing here?!"

	Toofuu jolted before turning, a chuckle escaping him as he waved at the 
sisters.  "Mamoru-chan, everyone!  Hello!"  He scratched the back of his 
head as his eyes scanned the passenger compartment for a particular face.  
*Odd!  The others are there.  And I know their brother and sister are both 
in Nerima; I've sensed Negako-san since I came back here!  But where on 
Earth's . . .?*

	"Ya, Toofuu-kun."

	He spun to see an amused Chikage gazing at him.  "Chi-chi-chi-CHIKAGE!" he 
screamed, nearly leaping out of his clothes at the sorceress' appearance -- 
not that the others who had been speaking to the chiropractor weren't ALSO 
taken aback by Chikage popping out of NOWHERE! -- and then he feebly waved.  
"Ah, h-h-hello, Chi-Chikage-san!  You're l-l-looking well, t-today."

	"Chikage-chan, SHAME on you!" Sakuya declared with a chuckle as the road 
train stopped, the sisters disembarking to join their sibling and the 
chiropractor.  "Honestly!  Flirting around with a man twice your age!"  She 
wagged her finger at the sorceress, smirking.  "What would Onii-sama say?!"

	"Sakuya."  Chikage's voice was thicker than molasses in its sweetness.  
That single word made Toofuu shudder as his glasses fogged over.  "It's not 
my fault that Toofuu-kun happens to be a fan of occult studies and spent 
some of his training journey with both Ane-kun and my grandfather learning 
all that he could learn from them."  She looked at him.  "Ne, Toofuu-kun?"

	"Ah . . .!"  The chiropractor sputtered before gazing confusedly at the 
sorceress.  "Why, Marie-chan.  Your complexion is almost gone!" he declared, 
ignoring the fact that Marie was standing BEHIND him.  "You should get out 
in the sun more often!  It's only healthy!  Oh, hello, Michael!" he spoke to 
Shampoo.  "My, you've grown.  There's no need for you to sit up on your hind 
legs like that, young man!  I have no snacks to give you . . .!"

	"CHECKY!"

	A huge eye loomed before him, causing Toofuu to scream out as he collapsed 
on his backside.  Seeing him freak out at Yotsuba appearing before him with 
her spyglass, the other sisters laughed.  "Toofuu-sensei's so funny!" Hinako 
said.

	Yotsuba hummed before sighing as she lowered her spyglass.  "It appears 
that no matter how much Ane-chama tried to help him get over this, Yotsuba 
can only conclude that Ono-sensei is still under his love-curse."

	"Ah . . . ha . . .!" Toofuu breathed out before relaxing.  "Oh, THANK you, 
Yotsuba-chan!  I thought I'd never recover from that!"

	Chikage shook her head before heading off.  "Poor man."

	The chiropractor warily watched her walk back to the road train.  He then 
blinked as Nabiki gave him a knowing look.  "Nabiki, it's not what it seems, 
for heaven's sake!" he immediately protested, waving his arms in 
reassurance.

	"Suuuuuuuuure, Sensei," Nabiki slurred.  "I'm sure Onee-chan will be 
impressed when I tell her this one."

	She turned to head off.  "Yotsuba will have to tell Kasumi-san that 
Ono-sensei fell in love with Chikage-chan's previous incarnation," Yotsuba 
then reported, she remembering what Ranma told her about the middle Tendou 
daughter.

	Everyone gazed at the would-be detective.  "EH?!"

	The London-raised sister nodded.  "It's checky!  Yotsuba heard Ono-sensei 
crying about his beautiful Princess (who looks like an older Chikage-chan) 
one day and how he had a nightmare about him not being able to save her from 
some mean death-spirit in a castle.  Yotsuba found out Chikage-chan's 
grandfather sent Ono-sensei into some spirit dimension where he could learn 
to fight all sorts of bad ghosts."  She pointed to a pendant hung around 
Chikage's neck.  "It was so easy to check, especially since Chikage-chan's 
little golden cross is the same as the cross Ono-sensei's beautiful Princess 
had!"

	Hinako cheered.  "Waaai!  Toofuu-sensei can fight ghosts!"

	"YOTSUBA!" Toofuu screamed out, totally mortified.

	Marie swooned, clapping her hands.  "Oh, it's SO romantic!  To actually 
love someone even after they've died!  Such devotion!"

	"Marie-chan . . .!" Toofuu moaned.

	Everyone living in Nerima sweated.  "Those girls are cruel," Nabiki 
whispered.  "I wonder if they treat Ataru-kun the same way!"

	Shampoo nodded.  "This one's not sure she wants to find out."

	"Hey, Doc!  What're you doing back here?!" a voice then hailed.

	"Hello, Ukyou-san."  Toofuu waved as the chef came up.  Grateful someone 
had arrived to divert his attention from his Princ- . . .! -- er, Chikage! 
-- he noted the take-out box.  "Oh!  Did you make that for Ranma-kun?"

	"Yeah, I did!  I'm sure Ran-chan will definitely be glad to see you back!  
So when did you get back, anyway?!  Where'd you go?!"

	"Toofuu-sensei came to Promised Island last year to meet Hina and Hina's 
sisters," Hinako answered before Toofuu could respond.  "That's when 
Toofuu-sensei trained with Onee-tama and fell in love with Chikage-chan!"

	"Hinako-chan!" Karen gently scolded before the chiropractor could descend 
into another bout of hysterics concerning the sorceress.

	Hinako gazed innocently at her.  "But it's true!"

	Toofuu moaned.  Sakuya smiled.  "Well, if you're all looking to see 
Onee-sama, we're heading there right now.  She's staying with Onii-sama and 
Negako-oneesama over at their new place.  Hopefully, we'll try to coax 
Onee-sama to take the travelling rainbow back to Promised Island tonight."

	Nabiki blinked.  "'Travelling rainbow?'"

	"Yes, it's a pretty fascinating way to travel . . . urk!" Toofuu gargled on 
seeing Chikage glance his way.  "Ah, ha-ha-ha-ha . . .!"

	"Unfortunately, the normal ferry to the island's out of commission because 
of engine troubles," Sakuya provided before waving the sisters back to the 
road train.  "Whoever wants to come visit Onii-sama, hop aboard!"

	"Aiyah!  This one wants to come!"

	"Wait for me!  I gotta see Ran-chan, too!"

	"Shampoo, why must you go to . . . *Quack!*"

	Haruka quickly covered Aria's eyes.  "Don't look, Aria-chan!"

	The young Parisian blinked.  "Did something happen, Haruka-chan?"

	Cologne stowed the empty canteen of cold water she kept on her person for 
emergencies like this before she grabbed the duck by the throat.  "Forget 
it, Mister Part-time.  You're not going to make a bad situation even worse 
with your presence.  Besides, you need to clean up the kitchen before the 
lunch rush comes in.  Let's go."  She pogo-sticked away, Mousse honking as 
she dragged him off.

	Nabiki looked at Toofuu.  "I'll fill you in on some details later, Sensei.  
I have to speak to Ranma-kun myself!  Hey, girls!  Hold up!"

	She ran off to hop onto the road train.  As it headed off towards 
Kasuga-chou, Toofuu ducked behind a bush to avoid Chikage's glancing his 
way.  Seeing that exchange, Haruka shook her head.  "Chikage-chan, really!" 
she scolded.  "Must you do that to the poor man?"

	The sorceress shrugged.  "He makes me laugh."

	Some of the sisters snickered.  Seated together by the left-side door, 
Nabiki, Ukyou and Shampoo exchanged a confused look.  "Are ALL these girls 
REALLY Ataru's sisters, Nabiki?" the okonomiyaki chef whispered.

	"Half-sisters.  Same father, different mothers," Nabiki replied.

	"Eh?!  How did that happen?" Shampoo wondered.

	"Search me . . . "

	"Ah!  Onee-tama!  Everyone, it's Onee-tama!  Onee-tama!"

	Everyone jolted before they crowded the side of the road train, following 
Hinako's stare with their eyes to fell on a figure standing by a telephone 
pole ten metres ahead.  Sure enough, this girl was dressed in the usual red 
Mandarin tang and jogging pants Ranma often preferred.  A large backpack 
with all the necessary camping supplies sat on the ground beside her.  And 
yes, she had the same body build and blue eyes that Ranma had.  However, her 
bright crimson hair was styled in a graceful taper with long bangs and a 
bandanna holding it away from her face.  She was clearly missing a trademark 
pigtail.

	"That's not Onee-chan, Hinako-chan," Karen noted.

	"Sure looks like Ran-chan . . . " Ukyou mused, blinking.  "Unless . . . "  
She gasped before calling out, "Hey!  To-chan!  Is that you?!"

	The girl jolted, looking up.  At that moment, a raven-haired girl, looking 
almost exactly the same as the redhead, stepped out of a side alley, a 
backpack no different from the first girl's slung over her shoulders.  
"Huh?!  Onee-tama has two sisters?"  Hinako blinked confusedly before 
jolting on hearing Ukyou's shocked gasp.  "What's wrong?" she asked, staring 
up at the okonomiyaki chef.

	Both looked their way, their eyes widening on seeing Ukyou.  "Hey, stop 
this thing!" Ukyou called out to the driver.  As the train braked, she 
looked down as the two twins of Ranma's female self came up.  "Hey, To-chan! 
  What the heck are you doing in Nerima?!  And what the heck happened to 
you, Ko-chan?!"

	"Looking for Ranma, U-chan!" the redhead replied before sending a mildly 
annoyed look at her twin.  "As for dumdum here, she decided to have an 
accident at Jusenkyou when we tried to get some Nanniichuan water for 
Ranma!"  She then looked back at Ukyou.  "Are you going to see him?!"

	"You betcha!  I think he'll be damned pleased to see you two!"  Ukyou then 
gazed at Sakuya.  "You mind them coming with us?!"

	The eldest of Ataru's half-sisters winked knowingly at the chef.  "I take 
it they're the magic mirror-twins Onee-sama told us about."

	"WHAT?!" Nabiki snapped, she staring in shock at the two girls by the road 
train before she turned back to Ukyou.  "Wait a minute!  How the hell did 
they get free of that damned compact?!  I put them there . . .!"

	Ukyou opened the door for the mirror-twins before helping them aboard.  
"Well, I'm afraid Ran-chan and Happoosai didn't agree."

	"Thanks."  The redhead grunted as she set her pack on the floor before she 
gave Nabiki a knowing look.  "And yes, you are right, U-chan.  Ranma and 
Jijii DIDN'T like what you did to Kumiko-chan and I.  Neither did we."

	Nabiki shuddered, remembering that as a woman, this love-starved, would-be 
slut would not be bound by the "no hit girls" rule Ranma followed then.  
Ukyou jolted, staring at the brunette.  "'Kumiko?!'  I thought you were 
gonna . . .?"

	"Call myself 'Komakichi' like you proposed, U-chan?" she finished before 
she shrugged.  "Well, unfortunately, unlike Ranma, I can't change back into 
a man with hot water.  I'm stuck this way for the rest of my life."

	The chef gaped.  "Oh, man!  That sucks!"

	"How awful!" Karen gasped.

	The redhead shrugged as she faced the sisters.  "Not really.  In her case, 
the curse mixed perfectly with the spirit that saw us created.  After all, 
the person whose spirit enchanted that mirror WAS a woman."  She noticed the 
others staring at her.  "Oh, dear!  I'm sorry.  We didn't introduce 
ourselves!  I'm Saotome Toshiko and this is my . . .!"

	"Brother-turned-sister, Saotome Kumiko.  Pleased to meet you all."  The 
brunette bowed respectfully.  "So, U-chan, when exactly did Ranma meet a 
yummy hunk-meister like Ata- . . . hey!" she gasped as Hinako hugged her 
legs.

	"Waaaaaa!  Onee-tama has sisters!" Hinako gushed.

	Everyone laughed, save Nabiki.  She was busy staring at Toshiko and Kumiko, 
her eyebrows twitching.  *Ranma-kun, I'm gonna KILL you for this!* she vowed 
before jolting as the image of a wounded Akane lying on the front lawn on 
the Tendou home flashed through her mind.  *Er, on second thought . . .!*

*    *    *

	The road train soon come to a stop before the Moroboshi home.  Ranma had 
been waiting by the main gates.  Quickly noting who had joined the sisters, 
her eyes widened.  "Toshiko!  Komakichi!  Hey, what're . . .?!  Oh, MAN!  
What happened to you?!" she demanded on seeing the transformation that had 
fallen on the woman born a man named Saotome Komakichi.

	"Permanent curse courtesy of Jusenkyou!" Kumiko said with an embarrassed 
chuckle.  "Not that it bugs me in the long term!  And it's 'Kumiko' now, 
Ranma.  I . . . "  She bowed her head apologetically.  "I'm sorry, but we 
couldn't get any Nanniichuan water for you.  After what happened to me, I . 
. . "

	Kumiko shrugged.  Ranma gazed on her before opening her arms, allowing her 
mirror-twins to embrace her.  The sisters discretely passed by to give the 
Saotome siblings privacy.  "It's okay!" Ranma assured them.  "I don't mind 
this as much as I did before.  But are you sure about this?!"

	Ranma stared at Kumiko.  "I'm sure!  Relax!" she assured her with a laugh 
as she and Toshiko pulled away from her, the former swatting Ranma's 
shoulder.  She then indicated Ukyou, who, with Shampoo and Nabiki, had 
stayed back so they could chat with Ranma.  "So what's this U-chan just told 
us about the panda mucking with your mind before he dragged you off on your 
training trip?!"

	"And what happened between you and that mallet-happy lunatic, anyway?" 
Toshiko asked, she indicating Nabiki.  "Miss Yen-on-the-Brain here just told 
me you got into one big fight with Miss Mallets and that you broke the 
engagement."

	Ranma sighed.  "It's a long story.  I'll tell you guys later.  Look, why 
don't you head on inside?  I'll talk to these three alone."

	Kumiko waved as they headed into the compound.  "Okay."

	Ranma watched them go before noticing Nabiki staring at her.  "Why?" the 
middle Tendou daughter wondered.  "Damn it, Saotome, you know how much 
trouble those two caused, especially Toshiko!  I wasn't going to . . . "

	"Just because they were made by a magic mirror enchanted by the soul of a 
girl who never knew real love doesn't mean they have no feelings," Ranma 
replied before staring on her would-be suitors.  "So what brings you here to 
see me?" she then demanded.  "Who told you where I was?"

	"Um, Hibaa-chan did."  Shampoo then tensed on sensing a storm of anger, 
resentment and mistrust boil deep in Ranma's eyes.  "Airen, please!  Don't 
hate this one for only wanting what's best for you!"  She bowed her eyes in 
shame.  "This one was told what that honourless panda did to you!  This one 
. . . "  She paused.  "This one's glad that clan-sister Negako can help you 
heal."

	Ukyou bit her lip.  "Y-yeah.  Look, Ran-chan, I know this mess is makin' 
you feel trapped, but . . . "  Her voice trailed off.  "Please, don't hate 
me, Ran-chan.  I only just want you to feel happy!  What's wrong with 
that?!"

	Ranma stared at them.  Reaching into her jersey, she pulled out a thick 
envelope to hand to Shampoo.  "Give that to your great-grandmother.  That's 
to pay for the food you've given to me since you came here.  Don't worry; 
I've repaid the Tendous for all the new doors you blasted into their house."

	Shampoo jolted, shaking her head.  "No, it's not . . . "

	"No, Shanpú," Ranma snapped.  "That's the way it's gonna be.  I told you I 
was going to make this a level playing field for all.  I've repaid the 
Tendous for their hospitality.  I've also repaid Ukyou-san, so now it's your 
turn.  Take the money.  And I'll be gone until Sunday, so don't come by here 
looking for me hoping I'd go on a date with you, alright?"  She turned away. 
  "Good day."

	She headed to the house.  Ukyou and Shampoo watched her go, both clearly 
unsure as to what to do in the wake of this morning's events in Hikarigaoka 
Park, and then they exchanged a stunned look.  "I'll give those to him," 
Nabiki offered.  After the fiancées handed her the wrapped lunches, she 
nodded down the road.  "You guys better go before he does to you what he did 
to Akane earlier."

	"Yeah, I guess so . . . " Ukyou hoarsely whispered before she stared at the 
middle Tendou daughter.  "Watch yourself, Nabiki," she warned as she turned 
to head home.  "Ran-chan's got no real reason to like you, remember?"

	"You better remember what Ukyou just said," Shampoo added.

	They departed.  Nabiki watched them, shaking her head before she headed 
into the compound.  Ranma stood by the door, arms crossed.  The sounds of 
laughter and chatter echoed from the living room.  "So what do you want to 
see me about, Tendou-san?" she then asked as Nabiki stopped before her.

	Nabiki set the lunch boxes aside before she took a breath.  "Ranma, look.  
I happen to know what happened between you and Akane today.  I also happen 
to know WHY it happened.  I . . . "  She stopped, lowering her head.  "I'm 
sorry."

	"Why are you apologizing for something your sister did?  I'm through with 
all the excuses about her, Nabiki.  I'm through with bending myself 
backwards to accommodate her.  Hell, I WAS willing to give her a chance, the 
same chance I'm giving Ukyou and Shanpú.  Who the FUCK does she think she 
is, believing I'll keep on taking that CRAP from her just to make her 
happy?!  Huh?!"

	Nabiki balked before an incensed shudder ran through her.  "She's my 
sister!  Yeah, what she did to you was wrong, but her happiness mattered 
more to me, to all of us!  What the hell were we supposed to do anyway, 
huh?!"

	"Maybe instead of playing your stupid games with me, you could've come up 
to me and explained a few things about what was going on!  Did you ever 
think of that or did you feel that was below you?  Hell, I'd think you 
would've realised from the start I'd be willing to help you out if you 
needed it!  But no!"  She shook her head, her voice picking up in volume as 
she made a dismissive wave of her hand.  "You just went off and acted like I 
was a totally brainless moron, completely fuck up whatever chances I 
could've got to make some real friends and maybe try to settle my problems 
ahead of time!  Even better, I just MIGHT have spared your family some of 
the fallout that came with the crap Oyaji pulled on me!  And you STILL 
expect me to honour that worthless agreement Oyaji made with that asshole 
you call a father?!  Get real, Nabiki!  It ain't gonna happen!"

	Before Nabiki could protest, Ranma jabbed a finger into her breastbone.  
"And I've got an idea what you might do now that I put Akane into the 
hospital.  You'll march over to where your family and my parents are, let 
loose the fact that *I* was the one who put Akane into intensive care and 
let them freak out just to see me squirm.  Well, it ain't gonna happen this 
time!  I don't CARE what your father thinks!  I don't CARE what Kasumi 
thinks, either!  And I've got plans in place for Oyaji!  I can deal with 
Mom, too!  They don't frighten me!  They don't hold my respect!  They don't 
have a right to dictate how I live my life anymore!!"  She leaned close to 
Nabiki, her battle aura starting to burn.  "In fact, I want you to remember 
to tell Mom this:  'Honour is a sword shattered on a rock!'"  She pulled 
back from Nabiki.  Taking the lunch boxes Ukyou and Shampoo made, she tossed 
them into a garbage can.  "Now get off the property or I might decide to 
have the cops go after you for child pornography!  As a professional model 
in both my forms, I have a right to do that!  Ja!"

	She headed inside.  Nabiki watched her go, her eyes wide with shock and 
disbelief.  "'P-professional m-model' . . .?" she sputtered before jolting 
on feeling a powerful *presence* behind her.  "Wh-who . . .?"

	She turned around.  "Walk with me, Nabiki," Moroboshi Negako ordered.

	Without question, the middle Tendou daughter fell in beside the ninjutsu 
grandmaster as they headed away from the house.  Still stunned by Ranma's 
words, Nabiki was unsure as to what she should say when Negako gazed on her. 
  "Perhaps simply asking his assistance in helping maintain your family's 
finances would have served everyone better, Nabiki."

	Nabiki returned her gaze.   "I a-a-assume you m-must be Negako."

	"I am."  A pause then followed, as if she desired to let Nabiki hang there 
in anticipation for a week.  "Threats against someone do not always have to 
be physical, Nabiki.  Psychological threats, emotional threats, even simple 
invasions of one's private space, can also injure someone.  And unlike 
Akane, whom Ranma has always tried to forgive for her assumptions concerning 
him, you have been a constant, consistent threat since the day he learned of 
your hobby of selling compromising pictures of his female form to Kunou 
Tatewaki.

	"If you had approached Ranma honestly from the start, explaining the 
situation concerning your family finances, he would have been pleased to 
assist," Negako added.  "Within reason, of course.  If he did, he might have 
discovered your own interest in Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu.  Perhaps even 
learned of what Akane did to you which forced you to cease practising the 
martial arts."

	Nabiki blinked, her face paling as Negako's eyes seemed to bore through her 
defences, leaving her soul open for the grandmaster to scrutinize to her 
heart's -- did this creature HAVE a heart?! -- content.  "H-how . . .?"

	"Your body's ki patterns are an open book to me, Nabiki," Negako reported.  
"It is as easy for me to perceive your entire life's story by analysing that 
alone, though I possess other means of comprehending what happened to you 
throughout your life.  As Happy told you earlier, I can easily repair the 
damage to your nervous system, thus giving your arms full range of motion.  
If you so desire it, of course.  In fact, the process by which I am helping 
Ranma heal can also be used by you.  And since the wounds to your nervous 
system are far less than Ranma's, I can easily deal with your problem in 
three days."  She gazed tranquilly at her companion.  "Again, if this is 
what you would desire, Nabiki."

	Nabiki considered that before turning away, she taking several steps as her 
mind rolled through what Negako just said.  She then gazed intently at the 
latter.  "So what's your price if I agree to let you do that?"

	Negako's lips curled into a smile.  "You are cautious.  An admirable trait. 
  That is good."  Closing her eyes, she then moved to stand beside the 
middle Tendou daughter.  "Nabiki, you love your family very much, do you 
not?"

	Nabiki nodded, blinking.  "Yes."  Where was she going with this?

	"Then you realise that if Akane is allowed to continue being seen as 
Souun's 'heir' to your branch of Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu, your family's 
legacy could be lost IF Akane does not learn how to curb her temper, plus 
dedicate herself into studying the Art more than she does now.  Correct?"

	"Yes."

	"Very well, then.  Given your considerable skill in business, plus your 
knowledge in your family's branch of Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu -- which can be 
augmented once your body is healed -- what do you think your chances of 
allowing the Tendou doojou to expand would be in the long term?"

	Nabiki slowly nodded.  "I'd say pretty good."

	"Would you want to do that?"

	"I . . . "  Here, she paused before answering, "It depends."  Taking a deep 
breath, Nabiki turned away.  "If you'd come three years ago offering what 
you have, Negako-san, I would have jumped at the chance to carry on with the 
Art.  You're right.  Akane was the one who hurt me.  Everyone from 
Toofuu-sensei on down said it was a training accident.  But seeing how Akane 
acted afterward, I think she didn't mind my turning away from the Art . . . 
"

	"Deep down, she loathed you for your skill and self-control," Negako cut 
in.  "Indeed, if you had trained as long and as intensely as Ranma, you 
would be his equal in every way, perhaps even his superior.  Akane did not 
appreciate how good you were, so -- deep inside her -- she felt it all right 
to cast aside considerations of safety during training.  Your injuries 
resulted from that."

	"I suspected that," Nabiki mused before she stared anew at Negako.  "Look, 
Negako-san, I'd be the first to agree that Akane's always been a spoiled 
princess at heart, but I care for her.  I can forgive her.  Hell, she was 
only twelve then.  She didn't understand what she did to me!"

	Negako returned her gaze.  "Then it is time for her TO understand many 
things.  If she is to be what she states she is, she has to confront all her 
limitations.  If she does not, she dooms herself.  Do you want that?"

	"Hell, no!" Nabiki barked.

	"I did not believe so."

	They continued to walk for a minute before Nabiki sighed.  "Alright, then." 
  She gazed on Negako.  "I'd welcome your help in getting me back in gear.  
What do you want me to do in return, Negako-san?"

	"You may feel free to reveal who injured Akane to your family and Ranma's 
parents," Negako announced.  "But as Ranma, in effect, asked you to do, tell 
them EVERYTHING.  I'm sure you know many ways to do that."

	Nabiki considered that, and then she nodded.  "I do."

	Negako's light smile suddenly returned.  "Splendid.  In addition, feel free 
to tell them that since Genma's demonstrated incompetence as a martial arts 
instructor and a father has led to the majority of Ranma's problems, I will 
be speaking to Happy, as is my right as the grandmaster of Saikoo 
Jinseijitsu-ryuu, about taking over as Ranma's instructor.  And should Happy 
agree -- which he will -- Genma will have to defeat ME to win that right 
back.  He will not win against me.  And should he try to perform any 
underhanded manoeuvres . . . "

	Nabiki smirked.  "You'll kill him, right?"

	A cold smile crossed Negako's face.  "No, I will do much worse.  I will see 
to it that every illicit act Genma has performed since Ranma's birth will be 
brought to the attention of the police.  Given the thievery ALONE he 
performed, he will be on the run for the rest of his life.  Since I, as a 
responsible teacher, will endeavour to ensure Ranma remains free of such an 
unhealthy influence, Genma will not be able to . . . "  Here, she paused as 
Negako sought the right wording, "Slouch off the consequences of his avarice 
on his child."

	"Cruel."  Damn, she LIKED this girl/woman/whatever!  "I'll do that, 
Negako-san.  I'll be back sometime later today or tomorrow."

	She bowed before racing to the nearest bus stop.  Negako watched her go, a 
light smile crossing her face before she headed home.

*    *    *

	"This can't be . . . "

	Mendou Shuutarou shuddered as he watched the replay of yesterday's events 
-- as reported by NHK -- on the wide-screen television in his private study. 
  On the screen, a person whom he found it IMPOSSIBLE to believe was 
Moroboshi Ataru was busy shattering large sections of the roof of Tomobiki 
High School, working swiftly to dig out those who had been trapped in the 
wrecked northwest wing.  The fact that this man was working in concert with 
Saotome Ranma, one of Nerima's infamous legion of teenage master martial 
artists, didn't concern Mendou one bit.  Given Saotome's legendary adherence 
to a strict code of honour which demanded his presence at times of great 
tragedy, that he -- yes, Mendou did know of Ranma's magical gender-bending 
curse -- had come all the way to Tomobiki to help with the recovery efforts 
was simply par for the course.

	But Moroboshi . . .?

	Moroboshi?!

	MOROBOSHI?!

	Quivering, the bandaged scion of the Mendou fortune clicked the PLAY button 
on his remote.  The scene switched to Moroboshi's vocal confrontation with 
the Tomobiki High principal and two of the teachers.  Hearing him assert his 
pleasure that both his parents -- parents he no longer considered his -- 
were dead, Mendou grimaced.  He didn't know whether to feel pity or disgust 
at his rival's assertions.  Mendou's own parents were an odd lot, a state of 
affairs he personally lamented on from time to time.  And he HAD often heard 
Moroboshi's mother assert right to her son's face, "I wish I never had you!"

	But to publicly welcome their deaths?

	Why?

	Eh . . .?

	He didn't wish to come back?

	He wouldn't come back?!

	NEVER?!

	Mendou shuddered, and then he blinked as he watched Moroboshi leave the 
scene.  Before Saotome could follow, an NHK reporter cornered him.  Ah, poor 
fool, to be mistaken for a girl.  Didn't that reporter realise the truth . . 
.?

	Eh?

	Mendou blinked before laughing on seeing Saotome fluster at being asked if 
"she" was Moroboshi's new girlfriend.  Poor fool . . .

	WHAT?!

	Moroboshi thought THAT about Lum-san?  AND Shinobu-san?!

	How DARE he . . .?

	What . . .?

	What was Yumoa Reigi doing there?

	Eh?!

	Moroboshi was getting an inheritance from his grandmother . . .?

	Eh?!

	Moroboshi's parents were now considered roonin?

	What was going on here . . .?

	Huh?  What . . .?!

	So Saotome now saw himself as Moroboshi's friend, eh . . .?

	What?!

	How DARE Saotome side with Moroboshi . . .?

	WHAT?!

	Mendou stared wide-eyed as Saotome used his special ki attack to destroy 
that beautiful statue of Lum.  How . . . damn him, how DARE he do that?!  
How dare he SAY that?!  Lum-san was the one who mattered, not . . .!

	A knock.  "Young Master?"

	Mendou shut off the television, calling out, "Come!"

	The door to his study opened, revealing a Kuromegane.  "Forgive me, sir, 
but your father and mother wish to speak to you immediately."

	Mendou nodded.  "Of course."

*    *    *

	"But, Otou-san . . .!"

	Mendou Hajime puffed his pipe.  "No, Shuutarou.  Our minds are made up."

	Shuutarou was now seated across from his parents in their private lounge.  
As typical for the old-fashioned, technophobic matriarch of the Mendou Clan, 
Haruka, she was presently accompanied by her personal assistant/human 
parrot.  "Reigi-san is, as the guardian of Ataru-san's inheritance, well 
within his rights to demand you leave the lad alone from now on.  The Mendou 
Conglomerate has maintained good relations with Toranoseishin Finances and 
the Inshin Group for thirty years.  I do not wish to see those relations 
soured because of your unwanted -- and now unnecessary! -- obsession with 
Lum-san."

	"Otou-san . . .!"

	Hajime sent a piercing gaze at his son.  "That is enough!"

	Hearing the sharpness in his father's voice, Shuutarou paled.  It was VERY 
rare to hear Mendou Hajime speak with strong emotion.  "Shuutarou, whatever 
your feelings for Ataru-san are is not the issue," the elder Mendou 
declared.  "What happened between Ataru-san and Lum-san is ALSO not the 
issue, especially now that Lum-san is dead and Ataru-san is moving to get on 
with his life.  You, Shuutarou, have a profound obligation, to both your 
family and the Conglomerate.  And your mother and I, along with Asuka-san's 
parents, believe it is time for you to see that obligation through to the 
proper conclusion."

	Shuutarou gulped, bowing his head.  "I . . .!"

	Trapped.

	For so long, giri had been an important part, if not THE most important 
part, of Mendou Shuutarou's whole life.  To deny that would be, in effect, 
denying a large part of his very being.  Yes, some could say he had often 
acted in a questionable way when it came to his classmates at Tomobiki High. 
  But in comparison to his overall life, matters in school had been trivial.

	Until now.

	Shuutarou bowed his head again.  "Hai, Otou-san.  I understand."

	"Splendid."  Hajime exchanged a look with Haruka, who smiled.  "We shall 
make an announcement about your engagement to Asuka-san sometime AFTER the 
furore over yesterday's events has died down.  Given the interest your 
female classmates have expressed to you, we don't need to shock them TOO 
much, do we?"

	"Hai."

*    *    *

	Unseen by them, a Kuroko nodded before slipping away to speak to Ryooko.  
*The Young Mistress should be pleased to hear this.*

*    *    *

	"WHAT?!"

	Nodoka and Kasumi sat with Nabiki in the main cafeteria at Nerima General 
Hospital.  Akane was in stable condition, though still unconscious.  Souun 
had insisted on staying at her side.  Because of his crying fits, Genma had 
to remain with him.  To Nabiki, that was fair enough.  She needed the idiots 
to stay away while she was dropping some bombs.

	"My son . . .?!"  Nodoka gaped.  "HE hit Akane?!"

	"He was MADE to hit Akane, Auntie Saotome," Nabiki repeated.

	"By WHO?!"

	Nabiki sighed.  She HOPED Nodoka might be calm enough to take this.  Oh, 
well, press on ahead . . .!  "Moroboshi Negako."

	"Why?!" Kasumi cut in, placing a hand on Nodoka's to help calm her.

	"Brain damage."

	Silence.

	"My son?!" Nodoka gasped, nearly choking on her words.

	Nabiki sighed.  "Yeah.  Now, here's the story . . . "

	It took five minutes to reiterate.  Sadly, the words Nabiki spoke weren't 
enough.  "I . . . " Nodoka breathed out.  "Much that I appreciate 
Moroboshi-sensei's concern for my son, I can't accept a situation where 
Ranma is made to deliberately attack his fiancée, Nabiki-chan.  It is wrong! 
  I demand to see this woman immediately to have this stopped . . . "

	Nabiki shook her head.  "I'm afraid that's now impossible."

	"Why?!"

	"Because with the way this has been rigged, EVERYONE who has threatened 
Ranma anytime in the past -- even verbally -- is now seen as a threat and 
will be dealt with accordingly," Nabiki explained before she pointed to the 
wrapped katana in Nodoka's arms.  "If you march into Negako-san's house 
carrying THAT around, I can guarantee that not only will Ranma-kun see YOU 
as a threat, Auntie Saotome, he'd gladly renounce you once and for all."

	Hearing that, Nodoka keeled over.  "N-no . . . h-he wouldn't . . . "

	Nabiki glared at her.  "Yes, he would.  You want to know what he just told 
me?  He said that he doesn't CARE a whit about what I might think, what 
Onee-chan might think . . . hell, you know how he feels about Dad now!  And 
he says he's prepared to deal with you AND your husband!  And if you don't 
think that's true, here's a message Ranma told me to tell you."  A pause.  
"'Honour is a sword shattered on a rock.'  Guess what?  The katana doesn't 
scare him anymore."

	"Oh, my!" Kasumi gasped.

	Silence fell as Nodoka stared wide-eyed at Nabiki.  She then began to 
quake, pained sobs stealing her voice as the honour blade was dropped to the 
floor.  Kasumi moved to comfort her, but was swatted away by Nodoka.  The 
eldest Tendou cringed before she got an apologetic look from Ranma's mother. 
  Nabiki sighed, she giving Nodoka a neutral look.  "I've lost my son," 
Nodoka moaned.

	"No, Auntie, you haven't."

	Nodoka gazed wearily at Kasumi.  "Why . . .?"

	Kasumi sighed.  "Because I believe I understand where Ranma-kun's coming 
from.  Auntie, please don't think your son has failed you.  And don't think 
you've failed your son.  In truth, it is my family who has failed your son."

	Nabiki blinked.  "Onee-chan . . .?"

	Kasumi gazed at her.  "Don't you understand, Nabiki-chan?  Why Ranma-kun's 
so angry?  It's not just because of Akane-chan's abuse.  It's not just 
because of what you've done.  Or what Father's tried to force him into 
doing.  And it's not just because of my attempts at ignoring the problem, 
either.  It's ALL of that put together, Nabiki-chan.  And I think there's 
something else, too . . . "

	"Being?" Nodoka gently prodded, wiping her cheek.

	Kasumi gazed on her.  "It's the fact that we've not lived up to what Father 
promised your husband, Auntie.  Don't you remember?  Ranma-kun gave us all 
that money, but he expressly FORBADE Father from touching it and he stated 
that none of that money was to go into repairing the doojou.  Why?  Because 
I believe Ranma-kun doesn't want to shoulder the responsibilities of a 
united Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu ALONE!  And by all rights, he shouldn't!  
After all the things he's done for us, he shouldn't have to try to support a 
doojou that has no real future in it!"  She gazed on Nabiki.  "I've never 
been interested in the Art.  And after Mother died, I had no chance to 
really practice it even if I wanted to.  You were forced away from it 
because of that training accident five years ago.  And Ranma-kun can easily 
accuse Akane-chan of not being a serious student in the Art.  And what's 
worse, he'd be RIGHT to do that!  I . . .!"

	Nodoka considered that before staring at Nabiki.  "Is this true?"

	"About me and the Art?"  Nabiki nodded.  "Yeah.  I made it up to sixth-kyuu 
before I had a bad accident with Akane-chan in the doojou.  It damaged the 
brachial plexus in both my shoulders.  Toofuu-sensei told me afterward that 
if I didn't stop practising the Art, I might end up losing use of my arms.  
It . . . "  She closed her eyes.  "That hurt me, Auntie.  It hurt Dad, too."

	"Are you implying that Akane-chan intentionally hurt you?"

	Nabiki jolted before shaking her head.  "NO!  Of course not!  But . . . "  
She paused to take a deep breath.  "I've always had the better skill in the 
Art, Auntie.  Akane's always been jealous of that!  And while she did . . . 
well, might've got out of hand when it happened . . . "  Her voice trailed 
off before she sighed.  "I will admit that after I was forced out of the 
doojou, she tried to take my place.  But Dad had a lot of hopes pinned on 
me, so he might've . . . well, I don't know."  She threw up her hands as she 
shook her head.

	Nodoka sighed.  "I see.  And this statement about Akane-chan's abuse of my 
son leading to his current state.  Is that true?  I know Akane-chan and my 
son have fought, but to believe it went THAT far . . . "

	Kasumi nodded.  "Yes, Auntie.  It's true."

	"I see."  The older woman took a deep breath before reaching down to pick 
the honour blade off the floor.  "So, in effect, you are saying that my son 
may have some justification in ending the engagement between our families."

	The younger women exchanged a look before slowly nodding.  "Very well."  
Nodoka rose.  "I desire to speak to both my son and Moroboshi-sensei about 
this first, but I also want a full recounting of what Akane-chan has done to 
my son since the day they first met.  I'll obtain that as soon as possible." 
  She gazed on Nabiki.  "Nabiki-chan, could you tell me where 
Moroboshi-sensei now lives?"

	"Are you sure you want to confront Ranma-kun now?" Nabiki wondered.  
"Remember what I told you about what he said . . . "

	Nodoka nodded.  "I know, dear.  All that tells me is that my fool husband 
has succeeded in destroying what rapport I could have tried to develop with 
my son.  I've no intention of just standing by and allowing that to remain."

	Nabiki rose.  "Okay.  Look, let me walk you over.  It's not so far away; 
Negako-san and her brother live in Kasuga-chou now."

	"Alright, fair enough," Nodoka agreed before she gazed on Kasumi.  "We'll 
be back as soon as possible, Kasumi-chan.  Please don't say anything to your 
father or my husband about this.  Is that alright?"

	"Of course, Auntie."

*    *    *

	"Hajime!"

	Haruka stepped back, clearing the field for Ranma and Toshiko to grapple.  
As the sisters, Ataru, Negako and Kumiko watched from the front porch of the 
shrine, the two fiery redheads slammed together in a pair of flying 
roundhouse kicks.  The front gate opened as Nabiki slipped in, followed by 
Nodoka.  Both stop, their eyes focusing on Ranma and her mirror-twin as they 
lashed out at each other with variations of the Chestnut Fist.  The only 
thing missing from this was the koi pond, Nabiki whistled.  *Not to mention 
a certain lazy-ass panda,* she wryly added as she crossed her arms.

	Ranma and Toshiko remained locked on each other, but Ataru was quick to 
notice who just arrived.  Rising, he headed over with Sakuya.  "Mrs. 
Saotome, it's a pleasure to meet you."  He bowed his head.  "I take it 
you're here to speak to your child.  Or . . . "  His eyes then turned 
towards Toshiko and Kumiko.  "Should I phrase that 'children?'" he then 
added.

	"Yes, Ataru-kun.  Nabiki-chan just told me about my son's 'mirror-twins,'" 
Nodoka responded with a nod, and then she blinked as the fighting stopped.  
Ranma gazed her way.  "Ohayou, Ranma.  How are you today?"

	Ranma curtly nodded.  "Mother."

	The chill in her voice quickly got everyone's attention.  "Why's Onee-tama 
mad at her mama, Karen-chan?" Hinako whispered to Karen.

	Karen shrugged.  "I don't know, Hinako-chan."

	"I think you need a chance to speak to your mother, Ranma."  Ataru gazed on 
his friend before turning to his sisters.  "Girls?"

	Quickly, they headed inside.  Negako remained in place.  As Ataru moved to 
head in, he paused, his eyes narrowing.  "Mrs. Saotome?"

	Nodoka quickly noted the ice in his voice.  "Y-yes, Ataru-kun?"

	"Do not presume to draw that sword on this property, especially when it 
concerns my friend," he warned before heading in with Sakuya.

	Negako remained in place.  Toshiko and Kumiko also remained silent, as did 
Nabiki.  Nodoka sighed before gazing on Ranma.  The latter did not return 
her look.  "I take it you've been told about what happened this morning," 
she said.

	Nodoka paled as Ranma's gaze raked over her.  "I . . . y-yes, I have."  She 
then sighed.  "It is not your fault, Ranma.  I've already been told by 
Nabiki-chan about what Moroboshi-sensei was forced to do with you and why."

	Ranma blinked before gazing curiously at Nabiki.  "Well, well, well.  She 
doesn't try to provoke a new fight.  Shocking," she quipped.

	Nabiki ducked that look.  Nodoka sighed.  "I also support your decision to 
end whatever engagement might exist between yourself and the Tendou family," 
she added.  "Believe it or not, Kasumi-chan and Nabiki-chan also support 
that."

	"Really?  Well, their opinions no longer matter."  Ranma shook her head.  
"Personally, I should add that any attempts at apologies by them . . . "  
She paused.  "I shall not accept."  She glared at Nabiki.  "Leave.  Don't 
stick around to listen in on what we say.  Negako will sense you right 
away."

	Nabiki wordlessly nodded as she heads out.  Nodoka watched her go before 
she turned back to gaze on her child.  "Don't you believe that was too 
harsh?"

	"Oh?"  Ranma's eyebrow arched.  "And is taking nearly-nude pictures of me 
when I least suspect it happening 'harsh?'  Is putting up with a selfish 
brat with delusions of grandeur 'harsh?'  Is putting up with two lazy-ass 
fools who only want to live off the products of my hard work, especially 
when they want me to marry someone who's an insult to her own school, 
'harsh?'  Mother, I don't deny for a second that I've got my shortcomings.  
But I am SICK and TIRED of all of you whining and crying about me being the 
only one to do the right thing while the rest of you dance away in your 
petty little fantasy worlds, thinking it'll be alright in the end!"  Before 
Nodoka could protest, Ranma pointed to the bundled sword.  "By all rights, I 
should take that away from you and destroy it!"  She ignored Nodoka's 
shocked look as she continued, "Why?  Because thanks to that thing you call 
a husband, Mother, our family honour has been dragged into the friggin' 
dungheap because he was too selfish to look out for anyone but himself!  And 
if you think that I'm wrong, I got a BIG news flash!"  She pointed to her 
head.  "How'd you like to know all the interesting crap Oyaji did to me 
BEFORE he tricked me into puttin' my palm-print on that stupid seppuku 
pledge?!"

	Nodoka's skin began to pale.  "What . . .?"

	"It is true."

	Eyes turned as Negako walked up.  "You want to do this, Negako?" Ranma 
asked the grandmaster of Saikoo Jinseijitsu-ryuu.

	"If you wish."  Negako gazed on her before turning to Nodoka.  "Permit me 
to explain about Genma's attempt to dull your child's thinking processes so 
that Ranma was forced to concentrate ONLY on the martial arts . . . "

*    *    *

	Two minutes later, a shrieking "***HE DID WHAT?!***" echoed through the 
streets of Nerima, causing many to instinctively duck.

	Not fifty metres from the Moroboshi home, Nabiki jolted before she glanced 
at where she came.  "That fool's in for it now."

*    *    *

	"AH-CHOO!"

	Genma moaned as he rubs his nose before staring at Souun, he dozing beside 
Akane's bed.  *Someone's thinking about me.*

*    *    *

	Nodoka was sheet-white.  "My son . . .?!" she gasped, staring at Ranma.

	Negako nodded.  "Quite correct.  It was blind luck, if you will, that Ranma 
was able to develop to the point where he could manipulate his own ki to 
create the Mooko Takabisha, much less master the Shishi Hookoodan, the Demon 
Head and several forms the Nujiézú practice.  But he was, since well before 
the day he first came to Nerima, forced to look on EVERYTHING as a fight.  
He could not conceive of trying to rationalize his way out of situations.  
It is clearly Genma's overall intention to force Ranma to remain locked in 
such a state so he would never break free of his father's control.  An 
effective enslavement, as Kelun put it this morning."  An eyebrow arched.  
"Tell me, Nodoka:  Is THAT state of affairs conducive to creating your 'man 
above men?'"

	"I . . . "  Nodoka winced, sensing the scowl crossing her transformed 
child's face on hearing that phrase.  She bowed her head.  "No."

	"I did not believe so.  Ranma's problem first came to the attention of a 
friend of the family, Kamekichi Tampopo.  She is the one who aided Ranma in 
securing a job as a model during his last 'training trip' before he met 
Ataru and myself.  It was during that trip that Tampopo took notice of some 
anomalies in Ranma's ki signature.  That is when I was called in to consult 
on this.  Ataru also noticed something amiss with your child.  After I 
examined him, I put the safeguards into place that affected Akane this 
morning, then began the necessary repairs.  That will take two weeks.  But 
as you might suspect, Genma, not to mention several others, will not welcome 
this.  Thus, for the remainder of this week, Ranma will spend time with 
Ataru and his sisters elsewhere.  Ataru will be able to continue the 
treatment."  A chilly look then flashed in her eyes.  "Any attempt to 
interrupt that will not be tolerated, Nodoka."

	Nodoka gazed on her before nodding.  "I can agree with that."

	"You have no choice in that matter," the grandmaster warned before perking 
as something came to her.  "Would you wish to know about the Neko-ken 
training?  I sense no one has told you about that act of lunacy on Genma's 
part."

	"'Cat Fist?!'" Nodoka tensed, noticing Ranma slightly quivering on hearing 
that phrase.  "What is that?" she demanded.

	Negako explained.  Soon, another shriek echoed through Nerima.

*    *    *

	"AH-CHOO!"

*    *    *

	"***HE DID THAT TO MY SON?!***"

	Negako nodded.  "Yes."

	Nodoka shuddered before staring at her child.  "Ranma, I . . . "

	Ranma returned her look, sighing.  "It's not your fault."

	Hearing that, Nodoka brightened before she turned to Negako.  "Can you 
repair what happened to him?  Help my son overcome his fear?"

	"That will take an additional four weeks beyond what has to happen now," 
Negako reported.  "Happy and I have discussed the possibility of my taking 
over Ranma's training from Genma.  Simply put, the direction of Ranma's 
training leads away from the basic tenets of your family's Art.  Musabetsu 
Kakutou-ryuu demands its practitioners become as self-sufficient as 
possible.  Genma clearly does not desire Ranma to be that way.  You may 
understand why."  She then crossed her arms.  "So what would you desire, 
Nodoka?  A child that cannot truly think on his own, cannot conceive of ANY 
life beyond the martial arts, thus forever live in a sea of uncontrolled 
chaos?  Or a child who can think on his own, learn and understand what the 
consequences of his actions are, appreciate there are other things in life 
than martial arts?"

	Nodoka shuddered, unsure as to what to say.  "I believe," Negako carried 
on, "That what Ranma SHOULD strive to become is not a 'man above men,' but a 
'gentle man.'  As my family would define such a term, a gentle man is one 
who is, in the end, as much master of his destiny AND respectful of other 
people's destinies as Fate will allow.  You and I, Nodoka, will agree there 
are certain matters that are beyond anyone's control.  Would THAT be to your 
satisfaction?"

	Silence fell as Nodoka considered that.  "Yes, I think that would be 
desirable."  Her eyes fell on Ranma.  "If that is what you want.  Ranma?"

	Ranma sighed.  "I really don't know what I want out of life now, Mom."  She 
gazed on Nodoka, the anger and hostility gone from her eyes, that replaced 
by a weary sadness.  "I used to think that the martial arts were everything 
in my life.  Now, I'm not sure.  And knowing how much Oyaji lied to me, used 
me like that . . . "  Her teeth gnashed before she looked nowhere in 
particular.  "I have to find out who and what I am now, Mom.  And I can't do 
that with Oyaji hanging over my head, with the fiancées snapping up my tail 
and everything else.  I just can't.  It's not fair to Ukyou or to Shan or to 
Akane, Nabiki and Kasumi, either.  And it's really not fair to me.  Or to 
you.  As for Oyaji . . . "

	"I can understand that."  Nodoka nodded.  "Certainly, you could do with a 
lot less violence haunting your life."  She turned to Negako.  "After seeing 
what I have seen, not to mention what Kasumi-chan, Nabiki-chan and you have 
told me, Sensei, my son deserves a chance to learn how to live his own life. 
  For that to begin, there is something I must do."  She bowed to the 
grandmaster.  "Thank you for what you've told me.  It was informative . . . 
"

	"Onee-tama?"

	Everyone turned to see Hinako standing nearby, a worried look on the 
younger girl's face.  "What is it, Hinako-chan?" Ranma asked.

	"Onee-tama, why are you so mad at your mama?" Hinako pleaded.

	Hearing that, Ranma sighed.  "No, Hinako-chan, I'm not mad at my mom.  I'm 
actually mad at my dad and a few other people right now, but not my mom.  
It's okay," she assured her as she gently ruffled Hinako's hair.

	Nodoka gazed on the young girl.  "Hinako-chan, do you think I can count on 
you and your sisters to stay close to my son?  Er . . . "  She gazed at 
Toshiko and Kumiko, an apologetic look crossing her face.  "My children, 
that is?"

	"Hai!" Hinako gushed.

	Ranma grinned.  Nodoka then turned to the mirror-twins.  "I've been told of 
how you came into this world.  I hope . . . "  She bowed her eyes.  "That I 
will get a chance to know you as I've long wanted to know Ranma."

	Toshiko sighed.  "That depends on you, Saotome-san."

	"And what you do with your husband," Kumiko added.

*    *    *

	"Oh . . . wh-where am I . . .?"

	"Akane!"

	Akane's eyes fluttered.  She then gasped as Souun's tears nearly drown her. 
  "D-dad!" she cried out, and then yelped as a jolt of hot pain shot up her 
right arm to nearly overwhelm her.  "Hurts . . . " she groaned.

	Before Souun could collapse into yet ANOTHER crying fit, a nurse came in.  
"Please, Tendou-san!  Calm down!" she urged him before staring hopefully at 
Genma.  "Sir, could you please escort him outside?"

	"I . . . "

	"Husband."

	Genma jolted, spinning around to see Nodoka glaring at him from the 
doorway, her honour blade unwrapped.  Nabiki and Kasumi stood behind his 
wife, both with guarded looks on their faces.  Seeing the outrage in 
Nodoka's eyes, he winced, glancing around quickly to find a cup of cold 
water so he could transform into a panda and duck whatever angry tirade his 
wife was about to unleash.  Before he could escape, Nodoka glanced at the 
nurse.  "Please leave us alone for a while, miss.  We'll see to it 
Akane-chan isn't harmed."

	The nurse nodded before heading out.  "I . . . h-hai."

	Kasumi closed the door.  Nabiki poised herself by the sink, taking the cup 
there in hand.  Seeing that, Genma turned to his wife.  "Nodoka!  What are . 
. . URK!" he yelped as the tip of her katana touched the flesh under his 
jaw.

	"Nodoka, put that away!" Souun pleaded.

	"QUIET, Father!" Kasumi snapped.

	He dropped to his knees as tears exploded from his eyes in twin jets.  
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!  My daughter yelled at me!  
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

	"SOUUN!  STOP ACTING LIKE A BABY!  ACT YOUR AGE!" Nodoka shrilled, causing 
Souun to scramble away, he staring wide-eyed at her.

	"What's the meaning of this?!" Genma thundered before gulping as the 
katana's tip pressed against his throat.  "N-n-n-Nodoka . . .!"

	"'What's the meaning of this?' you may ask?" Nodoka growled.  "Very well.  
I will explain it to you in two words:  Neko-ken."

	He paled.  "B-b-but . . . "

	"Silence!" Nodoka snapped.  "I've ALSO been told about what you did to our 
son BEFORE you took him away from me!  RETARDING him to the point where he 
was not able to take interest in ANYTHING beyond the martial arts?!"

	"But, that was to e-ensure he would r-remain devoted to the A-Art!"

	"At the expense of his happiness?!  At the expense of trying to enjoy a 
normal life, have friends and a relationship of equals?!" Nodoka snarled 
before she sighed.  "Very well, then!  If you are so narrow-minded that you 
cannot think of anything but yourself, I will speak to the Master about 
having Moroboshi Negako-sensei take over our -- MY -- son's training!  You 
have lost ALL rights to consider yourself Ranma's sensei, Genma!  And if you 
so much as THINK of doing something to sabotage my child's life further, 
remember that I can still hold the oath of seppuku over YOU if I feel it 
necessary!  And this time, you will NOT be able to weasel your way out of 
THAT, Genma!"

	Genma gagged.  "N-n-n-Nodoka . . . y-y-you don't u-u-understand . . .!"

	"What about joining the schools?!" Souun pleaded.

	She glared at the Tendou patriarch.  "What schools are we talking about, 
Souun?" Nodoka demanded, the ice in her voice making him duck her glare.  
"As far as *I* can see, as far as my *son* can see, there IS no 
Tendou-ryuu!"

	Hearing that, he started to weep.  "How can you say that?!"

	"How can I?!" Nodoka growled.  "What were you thinking?!  That my poor son 
would have to do all the work maintaining YOUR doojou while Akane here would 
do NOTHING to support her end of the agreement?!  While you and this 
imbecile I married here lived off Ranma's efforts?!  How DARE you presume 
such a thing of my son?!  How DARE you force all that on him?!  YOU HAD NO 
RIGHT TO DO THAT!"

	"But I . . . " a weak voice rasped from the bed.

	"SHUT UP!" Nodoka snapped at Akane.

	"How DARE you yell at Akane-chan . . .?" Souun wailed.

	"SHUT UP!" Nodoka screamed him down.

	Souun collapsed into a heap of tears.  "Nodoka . . . " Genma pleaded.

	She spun on him, her hand pushing the katana tip more against his throat.  
"Yes, Ranma wants a challenge!  In that, you WERE right!  But you were WRONG 
to assume you could limit his opportunities to the Art!  And you will no 
longer be given the chance to limit his opportunities in the future!  
Understood?!"

	"H-h-hai!" he sputtered.

	"Good."  She nodded before glaring on Souun, she keeping her katana in 
place to ensure Genma didn't do anything.  "Now, as for you, Tendou-san.  I 
find your hospitality to be stifling, so I will take my leave.  Furthermore, 
if you desire so much for one of your daughters to marry my son, you will 
ensure she is trained to AT LEAST my son's standards!  And that does NOT 
include the use of ki-mallets to give my son brain damage!  DO I MAKE MYSELF 
CLEAR?!"

	Souun burbled.  "I . . . I . . . I . . .!"

	"Nodoka . . .!" Genma pleaded.

	"SHUT UP!" Nodoka barked her husband down before turning to leave.  "As of 
this moment, your agreement with the Tendous has no validity.  If my son 
wants to marry someone, let him marry for love, not your twisted concepts of 
honour!  If you have problems with that, too bad, Genma!  You've wasted all 
your chances with him!"  She turned her back on him.  "And with me!"

	She marched out, slamming the door behind her.  Genma blinked before 
dropping to his knees in stunned disbelief.  Souun shuddered, and then he 
wailed, "NOW THE SCHOOLS WILL NEVER BE JOINED!  WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA . . 
.!"

	"***THAT'S ENOUGH!***"

	Both fathers ducked Kasumi's shout.  "Leave now!"  The eldest daughter 
waved to the door.  "If I had half a mind, I'd see YOU . . . "  She glared 
at Genma.  "Thrown back into the zoo where you belong!  At least THERE, you 
won't cause mischief!  As for YOU, Father, Auntie is right!  It's time for 
you to start acting your age!  And if it wasn't in part for you, Akane-chan 
might have BECOME the type of martial artist that Ranma-kun COULD respect!  
Now, get out of here!"  She pointed.  They scrambled out as fast as they 
could go.  Kasumi slammed the door shut, and then took a breath as the anger 
drained from her.

	"Way to go, Onee-chan!" Nabiki applauded her as she clapped her hands.  "I 
haven't seen you do something like THAT in years!"

	"Got that right, Nabiki . . . " a weak voice echoed from the bed.

	Both gazed on Akane.  Though still drugged by heavy painkillers, there was 
a quirky smile on the youngest Tendou's face.  "Hey, how are you doing?" 
Nabiki wondered as she and Kasumi walked up to stand beside her.

	"Not good," Akane moaned.  "I really screwed up this morning, didn't I?"

	"Pretty much so," Nabiki replied.  "You better get used to the fact that 
things aren't going to happen between you two, Akane-chan."

	Hearing that, Akane shuddered.  "No . . . it can't end like this . . . "

	"It doesn't mean Ranma hates you, Akane-chan."  Kasumi placed a comforting 
hand on Akane's forehead as she continued, "Right now, he needs time to 
himself.  Time to learn who and what he wants to be.  Most of all, he needs 
time to undo all the damage Uncle's done to his life.  If you ever hope to 
be at least his friend, Akane-chan, you must respect that."

	"But I DO respect it, Onee-chan . . . "

	Nabiki shook her head.  "Not if it came to the point where you wanted to 
slug him for only trying to save P-chan, Akane."

	Hearing that, Akane quaked as tears welled up in her eyes.  "He hates me."

	"No, he doesn't," Kasumi assured her.  "Akane-chan, there's something 
that's just been discovered about Ranma-kun.  And it's because of that 
something that you wound up here.  Listen closely . . . "

*    *    *

	"So you want to stay here?  Go to school here?"

	"Hai."  Inu Chigaiko nodded, she sitting with Ataru in the living room.  
Save for Shirayuki, the sisters were out shopping.  The young chef was hard 
at work in the kitchen preparing for an early supper so that everyone can 
make it back to Welcome House before sunset.  Ranma was with Toshiko and 
Kumiko at Tampopo's; she wanted to introduce the mirror-twins to her new 
friend.  Toshiko and Kumiko would travel with the others to Promised Island. 
  Negako was off somewhere.  Ataru had no idea where.  Due to the ninjitsu 
grandmaster's acute hydrophobia, she would remain in Nerima.  "Let's just 
say after what happened yesterday, I don't feel really safe in Tomobiki 
anymore."

	"Did the staff find out you were absent yesterday?" he asked.

	She scowled.  "Onsen."  Like Ataru, Chigaiko held no respect for Onsen 
Mark, much less any of the other teachers at Tomobiki High.  "Incredible, 
isn't it?  They all but ignore me in class.  They don't bother to try to 
remember my NAME, for Buddha's sake!  Yet, when it comes to 'special' events 
like that, they tear half the town apart to track me down!  Would you 
believe he came to our house this morning to scream at me in front of my 
parents and Onee-chan about not being there for Lum's memorial?  After ten 
people got killed by that nut, all because of that Oni and what she did?!  
Dad threw him out, then stormed down to the school and got me de-registered! 
  But the problem is . . . "

	She shrugged.  "Going to any of the other schools in town isn't a wise 
choice?" he finished for her, an amused smirk crossing his face.

	"Not really."

	"How's the mood there after yesterday?"

	Chigaiko sighed.  "Shock, mostly.  You'd think after what that Oni and her 
friends did, we'd be used to that sort of thing.  But . . . "  She paused 
before nodding as something came to her.  "And there's a lot of anger, too."

	"At me?"

	She shook her head.  "No!  That's the crazy part!"  A sigh then escaped 
her.  "I guess they're sort of angry at the outside world, especially the 
news media like CNN and all that.  I mean, what happened got prime-time news 
coverage on NHK, but it didn't show up elsewhere!  It's like the rest of the 
world was saying, 'So the school in Tomobiki got blown up again?  What else 
is new?!'"

	He sipped his tea.  "So they just learned the whole world doesn't revolve 
around Tomobiki, have they?  It's about damned time!"

	"Yeah, I guess so."

	"What about relatives of the dead?  Any news on them?"

	"The Bodyguards