Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Urusei Yatsura Fan Fiction / Sister Princess Fan Fiction ❯ Lonely Souls ❯ The First Part - Solitudes ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Somewhere in the Korea Strait, off Tsushima . . .

Tell me that you love me!

I cannot stand that you're never mine!

You really break my heart!

Tchajungnaego hwareul

Naedo tto nouoe misoman pomyoun

Pabo kat'eun na.

Noun nuga pwado aju yeppeugo

T'amseurou'un sagwa kat'a kkaemurou

Chugo ship'ou anajugo ship'ou

Noueui p'ingk'eu pit hwasare kkojoussou.

Noun moduege neul ch'injourae

Keuraesou ch'akkakdeul haji

Namaneui aeinin'goul ijji an'atdamyoun

Naege tou isang changnanch'ijineun ma.

Yokshimi chinach'in koulkka

Chashini oumneun koulkka

Puran'an ma'eum ppunya.

The crowd in the snack bar aboard the Ferry Pukwan laughed and clapped as the bearded traveller by the karaoke machine crooned the notes of Misoch'ounsa. Most of the crowd on this evening's run from Pusan to Shimonoseki was composed of Koreans taking advantage of winter vacation to spend time abroad. Imagine their surprise on meeting the singer, a native of Japan despite his fluency in the tongue of the Land of the Morning Calm. Given the centuries of blood hatred between the nations bordering the shores of the Tonghae -- what Japanese insisted should be called the "Nihon-kai" -- to encounter one of Japan willing to learn Korean was shocking.

As the song came to a close, the traveller smiled, handing the microphone back to the bartender. "You sing well," one of the women, an office lady from Seoul, noted with a laugh as he stood up, turning to leave.

The traveller paused, sensing that some of the women there, all in their twenties and thirties, would gladly have wanted him to continue to sing. If not engage in other activities best done behind closed doors and with the lights turned down way low. Damn, if this had been weeks before . . .!

"Kamsahamnida," he thanked her in Korean with a bow before he turned to leave. "Forgive me, but I'm travelling with my sister. She doesn't like sea voyages. I'd better check on her. Good night."

He bowed before stepping out. "Awwwwwwwwwwww . . . " some lamented.

Walking forward, he then ascended a gangway to where first class quarters were located. Drawing a key, he opened the door to one room. Glancing in, he tried not to grin on seeing a woman under the covers. Despite the aura of physical fitness that cloaked her, her skin was pale and clammy, sweat pouring from her shaggy head of chestnut hair. Her eyes, brown, were squeezed shut.

"You okay, Onee-chan?" he wondered, sitting on the bed as he gently brushed away her perspiration with his hand.

A tired breath escaped her. "Why did you insist on taking this route back to Japan?" she hissed through gritted teeth.

"You hate flying as much as travelling by boat. This was cheaper. And you didn't want to travel back through Sanctuary." He shrugged before kissing her cheek. "Relax, Onee-chan. They'll be dropping anchor outside Shimonoseki in a few hours. The waves should be calm there. And, just in case the waves pick up, all they have to do is take the ferry into the Kanmon Strait."

"What time is it?"

"About eleven-thirty."

She faintly nodded. "Nine hours," she exhaled. The ferry docked at the Shimonoseki terminal around 8:30 in the morning. She opened her eyes to gaze on him. "You seem indifferent about returning to Japan, Ataru."

"Thanks to you." He clicked his tongue, staring through the window. Points of light on the horizon indicated fishing boats plying their eternal trade. "Right now, there's nothing that'll force me back into that hellhole, especially after getting together with the girls. Nothing at all . . . "

He fell silent. Negako stared at him before closing her eyes anew. "I see you have finally dismissed Lum from your thoughts."

He tensed on hearing that name. "No sense lamenting on what no longer is." He rose to undress. Even if they were "brother" and "sister" to the public, they had become used to sharing a bed depending on circumstances. "Lum's gone. Nothing I can do will change that. If I kept weeping over her, I'd be no different than the goons who flocked around her in Tomobiki."

"I wonder if she would have been able to prepare herself to accept what has ultimately happened to you." Negako smiled as Ataru, in boxers, slipped in beside her. In deference to modesty, she wore a tank top and panties.

They embraced as Ataru drew the blankets over them. "Yeah." He cut out the lights. "Besides . . . " A faint glow illuminated his left eye. "She was not the Other. The Other is elsewhere." The glow faded as his eyes closed.

"Elsewhere . . . "

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

Lonely Souls

By Fred Herriot

pyeknu@hotmail.com OR fherriot@yahoo.com

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Misoch'ounsa, performed by Sung Si-kyung (Soung Shigyoung), lyrics by Yi Hoejin, music by Hwang Soungje

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Based on Urusei Yatsura and Ranma 1/2, created by Takahashi Rumiko; and Sister Princess, created by Tenhiro Naoto and Kimino Sakurako.

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Set in the universe of the fan-fiction series Urusei Yatsura - The Senior Year, created by Mike Smith and Fred Herriot

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NOTE: The writer's notes are in a separate text file. This part of the story begins four weeks after the end of the "R" Side of the Prologue.

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THE FIRST PART - SOLITUDES

"Ohayou, Onee-chan. Where're Ranma-kun and Akane?"

Kasumi smiled as Nabiki sat at the dinner table, she having dressed for breakfast. "Akane-chan's at school with her friends preparing for the drama class play in the spring term. I'm not too sure where Ranma-kun is, however."

Nabiki shook her head. "Those idiots just don't know when to leave it alone, eh?" she muttered, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"Unfortunately. And pretending to have Auntie Saotome's support on their side doesn't help matters, I'm afraid," Kasumi noted.

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Tell me something I don't already know."

** ** **

People in Nerima had come to call it the "Second Wedding Attempt."

In truth, no wedding was planned for that Saturday four weeks before, just a little over two weeks after the attempted wedding between Saotome Ranma and Tendou Akane. But what happened that day was just as profound, if not more so, in the eyes of those who had linked their destinies to Ranma or Akane.

Things finally settled down in the sitting room by mid-afternoon. By then, Souun, Genma and even Nodoka had been waylaid by Ranma's other would-be fiancées, with help from Kunou Tatewaki and Mousse. How those idiots learned of this, Nabiki had no idea. She soon suspected -- confirmed when she talked to Kunou about it later -- that Mousse had been spying on Shampoo the Wednesday evening prior to the big fight. That was when Nabiki met Shampoo, Ukyou and Kodachi in Hikarigaoka Park to discuss Souun, Genma and Nodoka's latest plan to get Ranma and Akane married. Once he heard what he needed to hear, Mousse sought out Kunou to give the kendou-ka a heads-up.

Regardless of which, Nabiki's plan, secretly backed by Kasumi -- to put a stop to any talk of impending weddings for Ranma and Akane -- had gone off like clockwork. No doubt, that fight had left a lot of people's feelings very raw, but that didn't bother the middle Tendou daughter. It was sheer LUNACY to force two seventeen-year-olds into something as wide reaching as marriage. For Kami-sama's sake, this was the TWENTY-FIRST century, not the FIFTEENTH! Hopefully, Nabiki thought at the time, the lessons would be learned, not just by Souun and Genma, but also by Nodoka. Nabiki didn't want to do that to Ranma's mother, but she had to be smacked out of her Tokugawa-era worldview if she was going to make any headway into forming a family with her son.

Her son . . .

Ranma.

A Ranma that, for reasons no one had yet determined, had started to change in a direction NO ONE expected, much less predicted.

A Ranma that was no longer playing by anyone's rules . . .

Save his own.

* * *

That Saturday night, it started.

The sitting room, save for dents in the walls, one wall with a man-sized hole in it (that was covered by a blanket) and a wrecked table, had been cleaned up by Kasumi. The fiancées left an hour ago, apologizing to the Tendou daughters for bringing disharmony on the household. They didn't apologise for their desires for Ranma, of course. Kasumi or Nabiki couldn't fault them for that. Shampoo and Kodachi had also apologised for Mousse's and Tatewaki's presence (the weapons-master had destroyed the wall), the latter vowing to help finance repairs as soon as Nabiki made the necessary arrangements.

Nodoka was in bed, recovering from several near misses from throwing spatulas and being winged in the head by a bonbori. Kasumi had salvaged the Saotome honour blade from the koi pond, and then she hid it. Souun was also in bed, he having got worked over nicely by the fiancées. Genma had been rushed to the hospital; he had been pounded to within an inch of his life. Akane, who returned after the other fiancées left, had gone straight to her room, having said nothing about what might have happened to Ranma.

Ranma had not been seen since after the fight began.

"Tadaima!"

"Ranma-kun!" Kasumi walked in from the kitchen, forcing herself to smile. What happened earlier hadn't been his fault, so she didn't want to project any negative feelings. "Oh, Ojii-san!" she called out on seeing who was with Ranma. "There you are! We've wondered where you've been!"

"Sorry I've been out for a while, Kasumi-chan." Happoosai smiled before giving the room a close inspection. "Whoo-ee!" he breathed out. "When you said there'd been a fight in this place, my boy, you weren't kidding!"

"Yeah, you can say that again, Jijii," Ranma, in female form, replied before she stared at Kasumi. "Where's everyone?"

"Your mother and my father are in bed now. Akane's in her room, as is Nabiki. Your father . . . " Kasumi's smile slipped from her face. "He's in the hospital now. Your other suitors were not kind to him."

Ranma sighed. "Don't blame them. Can you get Nabiki? I've an announcement to make and I want to make it just to you two."

Kasumi blinked. "I . . . why not Akane-chan?"

"Forgive me, Kasumi, but since she is one of my 'fiancées' . . . " -- one could coat the floor with the scorn that word produced from Ranma's lips, Kasumi mused -- "She has no right to hear this. Just you and Nabiki."

"I . . . yes, of course."

She headed upstairs. Ranma watched her go before turning to the grandmaster of Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu. "You sure this won't be any problem with you, Jijii?" she asked as they sat down where the table once was.

"Oh, relax, son." Happoosai waved her down. "It'd do those two morons good to face some REAL humility for once in their lives!"

"Yeah, ya got a point." Ranma winked at him, and then she perked as Nabiki and Kasumi came down the stairs. "Hey, Nabiki!"

"Hey, Ranma-kun, welcome back," the middle Tendou daughter hailed. "You don't have to worry about Akane. She's asleep right now."

"Good." Ranma sighed as they sat before her. "I've some announcements to make. I ask you both to give me the benefit of the doubt, since that seems to elude everyone that lives here. If you feel my ideas have no place here, I'll look upon that as your family formally breaking the engagement between Akane and I. If that's the way you want it, I'll leave and never return."

Kasumi's eyes widened in shock. "Ranma . . .!"

"What the hell brought THAT out?!" Nabiki demanded.

Ranma glared the middle Tendou daughter down. "After all the times you took advantage of me, you have the nerve to ask me THAT?!"

Nabiki moved to reply, but was rendered silent by a wave of Kasumi's hand. "Ranma-kun has a right to say that," the elder sister declared before staring at her would-be sibling. "Ranma-kun, if you feel right now that none of us ever gave you respect, I am sorry you've come to feel this way. Please, I DO want to know what you're feeling and what you want to do with yourself."

"Alright, then." Ranma sighed. "Had I the right ta do this, I'd put an end to the engagements right here and now. And yes, that includes the one to your sister. Why? 'Cause I believe your sister looks on me the very same way Ukyou and Shanpú do. Not as a person with his own feelings and dreams. But as a puppet, a prize for her to win and hold onto at any cost. It certainly explains much of her behaviour when she tried to force my other fiancées away from me despite all her words about not caring a bit for the engagement. Therefore, until the time comes that she decides to respect me as a person, I'll treat her the same way I now treat Ukyou and Shanpú. And if either of you believe that because of that decision, I don't deserve to remain here, I'll respect your desire and leave. Again, never to return."

Kasumi and Nabiki exchanged a look. The former then sighed. "No, you don't have to go, Ranma-kun. But . . . " She blinked back tears. "Several weeks ago, you sacrificed so much to save my sister's life. I can't begin to thank you enough for that. But please, tell us what made you come to think THAT about Akane-chan?" A pause, and then her eyebrow arched. "Is it because of the Nanniichuan water that was sent from Jusenkyou for the wedding?"

Happoosai perked. "Nanniichuan water? What Nanniichuan water?"

"The cask you drank, Ojii-chan," Nabiki provided.

He blinked, and then he breathed out, "Oh, ye gods! I can't believe that!" He slapped his forehead, and then he paused. Odd! If that WAS Nanniichuan water, why didn't I sense it . . .? he wondered before shrugging. Guess I drank too much before the party started . . . he then lamented.

"Don't worry about it, Jijii." Ranma waved him down before turning to Kasumi. "And yes, that's where it started. If that cask was a present to ME, who the HELL gave your father the right to take it away from me? And if your sister really DID love me, why the hell didn't she give him a kick in the ass and take the cask from him? Hell, why didn't she tell me your father was using that cask as a bribe to make me marry her? You all KNOW how much I wanted to be rid of this curse! Didn't Akane understand? Or did she even care?"

"She did!" Kasumi replied, shuddering. "Ranma-kun, she told me that she didn't think about telling you ahead of time. But it wasn't out of malice, not one bit. She . . . " She paused. "She felt that because you confessed your love for her in China, it didn't really matter. To her, the Nanniichuan was . . . " Here, she bowed her head ashamedly. "Icing on the cake."

Ranma nodded. "I see."

"What do you feel about her now?" Nabiki asked.

"I dunno. Back in China, I thought I loved her. Even with the cold feet I got at the wedding, I thought I loved her. But for some reason, I can't bring myself ta say it, ta admit it to myself, now. And that's one of the reasons I haveta leave this place for a bit. For the next couple of weeks, I'll be on a training trip. I won't tell you where I'm goin'. I hope no one . . . " -- her eyes locked on Nabiki -- "Will try to follow me. If that DOES happen and if I get wind it originated from this house, I'll forever renounce the agreement between our families. If it becomes necessary, I'll renounce all ties to my family if that's what it takes to drive the point home."

The sisters' eyes went wide. Nabiki gaped. "You'd actually become roonin? Ranma-kun, for heaven's sake, I'd never thought that . . . "

"What? That I'd finally get tired of taking this crap from all of you?!" Ranma glared at her. "Well, too bad! I AM tired of it!"

Nabiki ducked his look. "I can't blame you, Ranma-kun," Kasumi mused. "I'm also getting very tired of this. Please, go on."

Ranma sighed. "I've asked Jijii to help," she continued with a wave to the man beside her. "To make him answer for all the crap he's brought onto this household, I've decided Oyaji will be subject to BOTH the strength-sapping moxibustion AND the full-body cat tongue. It won't be permanent; Jijii's got a Phoenix Pill ready when we feel Oyaji's learned his lesson. I leave the time he'll be stuck, however, to you." She waved to the sisters.

Kasumi and Nabiki blinked as they considered that. The latter then nodded. "Well, we could send him to the zoo for a while," she mused. "I talked this over with the curator at the Ueno Zoo. I could have your dad shipped there for a few weeks for the right price. Probably enough that we could do some serious remodelling. The savings in food costs alone . . .!"

"Fine. Decide what you want to do with the fool. Then make sure your father can't interfere," Ranma declared. She then closed her eyes. "Much that I'd wish I didn't have ta say this, I'm gonna." The eyes opened again as she glared at Kasumi. "I hold no respect for your father now. He broke his word to me. He deliberately prevented me from receiving something that was meant for me. Please feel free to tell him this if you wish. If he decides that he doesn't want me to marry any of you because of that, that's fair enough. It solves some of my problems right then and there."

Kasumi nodded. "I can't blame you for that, Ranma-kun."

"Alright, then." Ranma moved to head upstairs. "I'm gonna pack and head out tonight. I'll see you in a couple weeks, Jijii."

"Fair enough, my boy! Have fun," Happoosai declared.

* * *

Souun and Nodoka stayed in bed throughout the next day. Akane left first thing in the morning to spend the day with her friends, she not once asking about Ranma. That allowed Kasumi, Nabiki and Happoosai to make preparations.

Like his son, Genma could heal rapidly, so his hospital stay was brief. It didn't do him any good when Happoosai ambushed him just as he was escorted through the front doors, he nailing him with cold water, and then the cat tongue and moxibustion attacks. Once done, he was trucked to the zoo. Kasumi and Nabiki decided to keep him trapped there for three weeks.

Monday revealed the changes to the remaining adults in the house. Naturally, Souun didn't take to what happened to Genma at ALL. Neither did Nodoka, but after Nabiki laid down the facts about how much the "lazy panda" drained the family budget with his appetite, Ranma's mother relented. Then came the second bombshell. Souun railed at Ranma's "failure" to fulfil his duty, but Kasumi cut him off: "Father, what would happen if Ranma-kun decided he didn't want to marry Akane? After all, you deceived him. You went back on a promise you made to him. You took away his PROPERTY to force him to marry Akane-chan. Right now, Ranma-kun doesn't care about what you might want."

Another Niagara Falls-scale wail resulted from her words.

Kasumi's comments caught Nodoka short. Sometime after, they spoke about what had happened. Hearing how angry her son had become, Nodoka fell silent. That night, she announced that, while she supported Ranma's fulfilling the pledge to the Tendous, she wouldn't press him into marriage until such time as he felt ready. Souun launched into another "Now the schools will NEVER be joined!" fit. Happoosai silenced that by flipping him into the koi pond.

"That, Father, you had coming to you!" Kasumi scolded.

* * *

The remainder of the week was filled with a series of remodelling days. With the money from the Kunous to pay for the damage to the sitting room (plus some "hush" money to repay the Tendous over Tatewaki's drawing a sword at the first wedding attempt), added to the "rental" money on Genma from the Ueno Zoo plus money pitched in by Happoosai, the house was quickly refurbished.

The changes were like a fresh wind.

Ceilings, walls and floors without temporary patches installed after people were smashed by Akane's mallet. Windows no longer cracked by vibrations from fights inside and out. A replanted lawn, lush with fresh grass. Save for the doojou itself (which still bore some scars from the first wedding attempt), everything in the Tendou home was practically as good as new.

"A new beginning for us all," Kasumi mused to Nabiki afterward.

* * *

The first indication of anything concerning Ranma came the Friday after the fight. At school, Akane and her classmates were informed that someone -- who exactly, no one had ANY idea! -- had delivered Ranma's make-up assignments to the school. To Ninomiya Hinako's shock, the assignments had been done correctly and it appeared he might even get a decent mark. Hinako also announced that in a note attached to those assignments, Ranma had a private tutor who was volunteering her time to help him catch up on his schoolwork.

Hearing the "her" didn't sit well with Akane or Ukyou. Later, both confronted Nabiki about sending out some search party to locate Ranma. The middle Tendou daughter refused to do anything even when Ukyou offered to pay for her services. "Don't you want Ranma around so you can go make some money off him like you've always done?!" Akane then snidely growled.

Nabiki responded to that with a slap to her sister's cheek before she stormed off. Akane, stunned that her sister had responded THAT way, ran home crying. She wouldn't speak to Nabiki again all weekend.

"What was THAT all about?" Ukyou wondered after seeing that.

* * *

On Saturday, a mysterious courier left an envelope in the Tendou mailbox, addressed to Nabiki. Opening it, she was stunned to see that it contained a banker's cheque for ten million yen. With it was a note from Ranma. Details were sparse. Ranma had earned the money. Nothing illegal was involved in the earning of that money. It was to repay the Tendous for anything he might have caused in their home since he came. No, he wasn't going to pay a single yen for what Genma's expenses were. Nabiki was free to use the money in what way she felt proper. The only condition: Souun could NOT touch the money.

Hearing that, Souun bewailed that Ranma had become so disrespectful of his elders after all they had done for him. "After what you did, what did you expect my son to do?" Nodoka frostily asked on hearing that. Naturally, the Tendou patriarch cried some more at how much Ranma was ruining relations between the families and threatening the union of the schools.

"What schools?" Happoosai muttered on hearing that.

Nabiki used the money to pay off Ranma's debt, and then she put the rest into a fund for herself and Kasumi. When Souun demanded to know when money would be used for the doojou, Nabiki warned that since Ranma put a condition on the money not being meant for Souun -- which included any expenses concerning the doojou -- why, she couldn't think of using Ranma's money for THAT!

He was treated for dehydration in the wake of that announcement.

* * *

School shut down for winter vacation to allow the teachers the chance to rest for three weeks. Life at the Tendou home became very quiet, almost too quiet. Souun would sit at the shoogi board, staring blankly at it. No one would play a game with him, not even Happoosai. The aged grandmaster would be off on his many panty raids, but he didn't drag any "admirers" to the doojou determined to recover their "silky darlings." Kasumi would keep the house clean and even try to do some repairs on the doojou. Nodoka helped out in the house if she wasn't off supervising the repairs of the Saotome home, which were progressing slowly but steadily. Nabiki would handle any financial problems. Akane, who didn't seem to say anything about Ranma's prolonged absence, spent most of her time with her best friends, Asano Sayuri and Tokoro Yuka.

The second Wednesday after the big fight saw Hibiki Ryouga in Nerima for the first time in three weeks. He had made it to Unryuu Akari's farm. The young sumotori pig farmer sent her best to everyone in Nerima. He talked with Akane, soon learning of what happened with Ranma. Hearing that Ranma had, in effect, rejected Akane sent Ryouga over the edge. He stormed out, vowing to find Ranma and upbraid him for what he did to "hurt" Akane.

While he was there, Akane forgot to ask Ryouga why he joined the fight with Mousse and Genma over the Nanniichuan cask.

Two days later, Nabiki got a call from one of her friends with news: Ranma was back in town. Even better, he came bearing a gift.

* * *

"Here it is, Ukyou-san."

Ukyou was speechless as her eyes danced over the cleaned yatai, folded up and ready to be taken somewhere to be put to use. Walking around it, she bent down to give the equipment a close visual inspection. Then staring at the noren hanging off the roof, she asked, "Ran-chan, where did you find this?!"

"It was buried near Osaka," he replied. "I figured Oyaji must've put it there after we got done eating the supplies that were left in it. The stoves needed replacing, the wiring had to get fixed and the noren was rotted right through because it was low, wet soil that Oyaji buried it in. But, as you can now see, it's all in working order." He waved to the yatai in emphasis.

Ukyou took that in, and then she got to work unfolding the yatai. As soon as everything was in place, she stepped in behind the stove. She then got to work getting equipment ready to start cooking. Once it was in place, she took a deep breath before staring at Ranma. "Ran-chan . . .?"

He sighed. "If you need to call your father about the problem between us, I'll come here for your answer tomorrow at noon."

With that, he left. Ukyou screamed for him to stay. It was to no avail.

* * *

Saturday came. No one had any idea where Ranma had stayed overnight. Sure enough, when he came to Okonomiyaki U-chan's, others showed up, too: The Tendous and Nodoka. Seeing Ranma, Souun launched into his Demon Head. Ranma answered with a Shishi Hookoodan, sending him flying into a telephone pole! Everyone else was stunned; Ranma had rarely been able to muster the necessary depression ki to make use of what many saw as Hibiki Ryouga's signature attack. Realising that Ranma was in NO MOOD to deal with them, the others fell silent.

He then stared at Ukyou. "What's your answer?"

Shuddering, the chef asked in turn, "Do you love me, Ran-chan?"

"No, Kuonji-san, I don't," Ranma responded. "What's your answer?"

Ukyou winced at the double-blow of his formal mode of address to her, plus his answer. "I can't renounce it, Ran-chan. I'm sorry."

Nodoka decided to step in at that time. "I do not recognise your engagement to my son, young lady . . . "

"I do," Ranma instantly cut her off.

Nodoka spun on him. "You don't have a say in this matter, Ranma."

"If that is your opinion, you will be childless."

Nodoka gasped, she faltering away from her son. Ukyou sighed. "I spoke to my father about your mother's attitude towards our engagement." She glared at the mother in question as she added, "For one who supposedly prides herself on being honourable, she's as selective about it as your dad."

Hearing that, Nodoka winced. "Yes, she does seem that way, doesn't she?" Ranma mused, his words making his mother pale in stunned shock.

Ukyou smirked on seeing how much Ranma's words were hurting Nodoka. Time to go for the kill. "My dad says if you're forced out of your family, you can be adopted into ours. Given how much he hates Genma, I'm sure Happoosai won't make you stop practising your Art. As to what our relationship will be . . . " -- a pained look then flashed in her eyes -- "Well, it'll be up to us. If you refuse me, I won't be as lucky as you might be."

Ranma took a moment to consider that before he asked, "What if I adopted you as my sister and you become part of the Saotome family? What happens?"

"I'd be forced to stop being an okonomiyaki chef unless I became an apprentice under a new teacher. But given that I'd be renouncing my Art if I tried to side-step our engagement THAT way, the chances of my getting a new teacher are slim to nil," Ukyou reported, shaking her head. "And I can't give it up, Ran-chan." She shrugged. "Just like you can't give up your Art."

"Understandable," Ranma conceded with a nod, and then he perked. "What if we actually did get married? Would your family allow me to continue in my Art without any interference if I married you, Ukyou-san?"

Ukyou sighed. "I know how much the Art means to you, Ran-chan. I'd certainly want you to be comfortable with your life. But I'd also want you to remain close to me, not pull jackass stunts like your old man did! And I wouldn't want you to pull any of that crap on any children we might have."

"What about all the strange things that tend to fly my way?" Ranma then asked. "Would you be willing to tolerate anything like that? Would you be willing to tolerate things like that around any children we would have?"

"I . . .!" Ukyou stuttered.

Ranma sighed, a tired look crossing his face. "That's the problem. You've automatically assumed that if I married you, I'd fit into the world you've envisioned for us -- in truth, for yourself -- like a hand into a glove. It doesn't work that way. Not with me. And while I don't love you, Ukyou-san, I do happen to care for you very much. I also happen to know that you wouldn't ultimately want to deal with all the disruptions that tend to haunt my life. And to be frank, what you envision for me rather makes me sick, Ukyou-san."

The chef jolted, and then her eyes blazed. "Now, hold on here . . .!"

"No, YOU hold on here!" Ranma snapped as he bolted to his feet, glaring her down. "That's the reason I say that I don't love you, Ukyou-san. Because you don't give a DAMN about what I might want!" He thumbed himself. "Yes, I want to help you out of this mess! I want you to be able to keep doing what you want to do! But NO, I don't want to marry you! I really don't want to think about marriage, not after what I've been through!"

"Then leave them!" Ukyou pointed to Nodoka and the Tendous. "Walk away from them, Ran-chan! If you don't want to marry anyone, let alone Akane, why the HELL are you still staying with these people?!"

"If they want me to leave, I'll leave," Ranma flatly replied. "I've told them that. But even if I did, I won't come here. I don't feel welcome here anymore. Why? Because my oldest, dearest friend U-chan, the one I felt safe confiding my problems to . . .!" He shrugged before carrying on, a derisive tone in his voice, "Well, she just turned out to be yet another fiancée my stupid father stuck me with. And I've had my fill of fiancées. If you can't respect that, I don't want anything to do with you. And if it comes to that, whatever happens to you will not bother me at all. That's the way it is."

Before anyone could say anything, Ranma vanished behind the null-chi cloak of the Umisen-ken. Everyone remained still for a moment before Nodoka stared wide-eyed at Ukyou. "Would your father really do that? Banish you from your family? Strip you of everything you worked so hard to achieve?"

Ukyou glared at her. "Yes. See what your husband did? Not just to me, but to who knows HOW many other people he ran across while he was tryin' to make your 'man above men?'" She pointed accusingly at Nodoka. "Before you start saying I'm not worthy to be Ran-chan's wife, you better realise that thing you married has no right to think of himself as a father to your son. And you really better ask yourself if you're worthy to be his mother."

Nodoka blinked as the chef's accusation struck home, and then she tried to smile. "I'm wondering that now," she then confessed.

The chef stared at her for a moment, and then she sighed. "Mrs. Saotome, I know that Ran-chan doesn't hate you. He wants to be with you again, be a son to you again instead of a near stranger. But . . . " She took a deep breath, waving to the spot where Ranma had stood. "As we just learned, he doesn't want to be pushed around. I . . . " She shrugged. "I can delay it, but I can't escape it. I'm not at the point of desperation, but I'm sliding towards it."

Nodoka placed a reassuring hand on Ukyou's shoulder. "Then we have time to determine what we can do for everyone's benefit."

* * *

Later, everyone returned to the Tendou doojou. Stepping through the gates, they stopped on seeing Ranma standing there. On seeing him, Souun went into Demon Head mode. "RANMA, YOU WILL MARRY AKANE AND THAT'S FINAL!"

He then screamed when Ranma responded with his own Demon Head, one that had a mixture of horns, blazing suns and hissing cats! "SHUT UP AND MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS FOR ONCE IN YOUR USELESS LIFE, YOU COWARDLY WHOREMONGER!" he roared, making Nodoka and the Tendou sisters scramble for the darkest corner of the property and turning Souun into a babbling wreck at Ranma's feet.

Ranma relaxed before turning as the Tendou sisters approached him anew. "R-Ranma, wh-when did you l-learn THAT?!" Akane stuttered.

Ranma crossed his hands behind his back. "Oh, a friend taught me. Always wanted to give your ol' man a taste of his own medicine."

"Alright, WHO are you?!" Nabiki growled, though there was a playful tone to her voice. "What have you done to the real Ranma?!"

"Oh, I trapped him as a girl and sold him off to the House of Jade in Hong Kong," Ranma immediately confessed. He then sighed, scratching the side of his mouth. "Funny. He actually liked me doing that."

Nabiki and Kasumi gawked, and then they giggled. Akane snorted. "Figures a pervert like you would say something like that."

"Akane!" her older sisters gasped.

Ranma sighed. "Very well, Tendou-san, if that's the way you feel about me, there is no engagement between us anymore."

Silence.

Akane blinked, her eyes wide at his icy assertion. "R-Ranma . . . "

With a shriek, she ran into the house. Seconds later, the sound of her slamming her bedroom door shut echoed from the second floor. Seeing what he had just done to his little baby, Souun launched into another Demon Head. "HOW DARE YOU MAKE AKANE CRY, RANMA?! APOLOGIZE TO HER NOW!"

"No."

A sputter floated from Souun's lips. The Demon Head vanished, leaving him staring wide-eyed at the man who would have been his son-in-law. "Ranma . . .?" he whispered before wordlessly walking into the house.

Ranma watched him go, shaking his head. "Don't you think you're being a little too harsh with him, my son?" Nodoka asked.

He gazed at her. "No. I don't respect him anymore, Mother. I don't fear him anymore. Hell, I don't LIKE him now. He's a coward . . .! Hell, worse than that!" A growl entered his voice. "He's a PIMP, Mom! A real pimp! Acting like he's king of the world and selling off his flesh-and-blood so he could enjoy a cosy retirement, just like Oyaji's done to me!"

Hearing that, Kasumi and Nabiki gaped at him. "Ranma-kun . . . "

Ranma shook his head. "I'm sorry if that offended you, but it's true. At first, I tried to respect him given that he's a widower and that he put so much into uniting the schools. But with him grovelling to Jijii all the time, ignoring the garbage I've been through because of Oyaji and saying that the other engagements don't count -- while he LIES and STEALS from me . . . and THEN he has the audacity to DEMAND I give him respect?!" He stared at his mother, an eyebrow arching. "Would you respect him, Mom?" he then asked.

Nodoka said nothing in response. Ranma sighed before reaching into his pocket to draw a pair of cushioned envelopes, handing them to the Tendou sisters. "I believe the saying is, 'Beware Greeks bearing gifts.'"

They take them, and then they opened them. Inside are account books from the Koshin Bank, in their names. The amounts cause both of them to gape in stunned disbelief. "Five million yen?" they whispered, awe-struck.

"Ranma, where did you GET this money?!" Nodoka demanded.

Ranma winked. "That, Mom, is a secret."

Nodoka huffed, though there was a flash of amusement in her eyes. He waved his hands. "It's alright. Nothin' illegal about this money whatsoever. I earned it fair and square, but I'm not gonna say how I got it, not yet. Besides, given how their lives were badly affected by what Oyaji and I brought on them, it's only fair." He then stared at the Tendou sisters. "Here's your chance to get away from this place once and for all. Go to university and make something out of your lives. Hell, with the amount there, Nabiki, you could probably go abroad, say to America, to get your degree. I squared it with the bank to make sure your dad doesn't have the power to touch this money."

"I . . .!" Kasumi blinked as her mind wrapped around what just happened. She stared at Ranma. "I can't accept this!" She flustered. "What about the ten million you sent? Unless you want that to go to Akane . . .?!"

"Well, if that's what you want to do with it, Kasumi-san, I can understand that. But I hope you'll still adhere to what I said about your dad not touchin' that money." Ranma held up a finger before staring at the doojou. "But if you want to use the money to fix THAT up, maybe you should get control of the property. Then I wouldn't mind it so much."

"Ranma, you have no right to demand THAT!" Nodoka objected.

"Mother, I didn't demand a thing from them. I merely made a suggestion based on what my views of their father are," Ranma icily retorted. "That's what a friend is supposed to do for his friends, isn't it?"

Kasumi and Nabiki's cheeks suddenly reddened. "Ranma-kun . . . "

Nodoka nodded. "Yes, my son. You are in the right. I apologise. Though I hope you're not giving all the money you've earned away."

"No, but I'm not gonna say how much I've got in front of Nabiki here." He gazed in amusement at Nabiki, who gave him an annoyed look. "My present commitments will keep me from Nerima until the early evening of the second Friday from today. That's when I'll come back. If, however, I am no longer welcome in this house, please send me a warning note to this address. It's a post office box." He drew out a folded sheet of paper to hand to Kasumi. "I will respect whatever decision you make in that regard."

Kasumi smiled. "You'll always be welcome here, Ranma-kun."

"Hopefully, your father and sister will agree to that." Ranma sighed before turning to leave. "I'll see you all later. Ja!"

He lunged for the nearest telephone pole, and then he raced off. They watched him go, and then Nabiki stared at Nodoka. "You didn't try to stop him or say anything to him, Auntie. You're not angry at him, are you?"

"I . . . no, I'm not angry at him. I just believe that, deep down, he doesn't trust me anymore. If he ever did." Nodoka shook her head before she sighed, adding in a mutter, "That is another thing my husband will have to answer for in the long run. I confess that divorce seems a wonderful option to me now. Nabiki-chan, will you make sure that Genma remains where he is now until the night my son returns from wherever he's gone off to?"

"No problem."

** ** **

Least Auntie's on Ranma-kun's side no matter what that dork Genma says, Nabiki mused with a sneer. "Where's the newspaper?"

Kasumi pointed. "It's over by the television."

Nabiki nodded, rising to pick up a copy of the Yomiuri Shimbun. She sat as Kasumi headed into the kitchen to prepare tea. Flipping through the pages, she then stopped as her eyes locked on a headline from the local news:

ALIEN PRINCESS DEAD! TOMOBIKI IN MOURNING!

Knowing the Yomiuri Shimbun didn't do flashy tabloid headlines, Nabiki plunged into the article. 'It has today been confirmed by the principal of Tomobiki High School that the Oni princess Lum, who resided in that town for the past eighteen months, was killed three weeks ago by enemies of the Oni race,' she read. Oh, shit! This isn't going to do me many favours. 'Lum, who was well liked among people in Tomobiki despite the "Second Tag Race" of two months ago, was forced to leave Earth, along with other alien residents of Tomobiki, when reports came of the Oni race's war with another race, known to United Nations authorities as the Noukiites. While exact circumstances of Lum's death still remain unclear, it is presently rumoured that she may have been assassinated because of her high standing in Oni society.

'When news of Lum's death reached Tomobiki, the resulting expression of grief at her tragic loss, especially among the high school-age population, was unprecedented. Already, there is a movement to erect a memorial to Lum at Tomobiki High School, financed by the Mendou Conglomerate at the behest of Mendou Shuutarou, heir to the Conglomerate's leadership and a close friend of the late Oni princess. A special memorial service in Lum's honour will be held on Monday morning around 12:00 PM at Tomobiki High School.

'Furthermore, Moroboshi Ataru, Lum's common-law husband, has been missing from Tomobiki for the past six weeks, his disappearance coinciding with Lum's expulsion from Earth. His whereabouts, much less the circumstances surrounding his leaving Tomobiki, remain a mystery.'

Nabiki put the paper down. She had invested in parts of the Mendou family empire for some years now, those investments growing considerably thanks to a sizeable chunk of the ten million yen Ranma sent her some weeks ago. Further, her intelligence network was fully linked into the Tomobiki student grapevine. She had learned right away about Lum's departure, along with that of the Oni's cousin, Ten, and a former junior high classmate of Lum's, Ran. She also knew of Ataru's disappearance. The latter concerned her to an extent; like Ranma, Moroboshi Ataru seemed to be a magnet for trouble.

Trouble, Nabiki long ago learned, generated profits.

The middle Tendou daughter headed into her bedroom. Picking up her cell phone, she dialled a number. A second later, a young woman's voice called back, "Moshi-moshi, Marubeya residence."

"Momoe-san, it's Nabiki."

"Oh, Nabiki-san!" Marubeya Momoe then laughed. "I didn't do it."

Nabiki snorted. "Funny, funny! Listen, you got any more titbits about why Moroboshi skipped town six weeks back?"

A sigh. "He renounced his parents."

Nabiki gaped, wide-eyed. "What?!"

"Truth. Turns out that it's because of THAT, Lum got thrown off the planet. When he said adios to his parents, he said adios to whatever agreement they made with Lum's parents about their getting married. When the United Nations got wind of it, they decided Lum no longer had any reason to stay. With the crap with these Noukiites starting at the same time . . . "

"No shit!"

"Got that right."

"People around town know about this?"

"Nope. And before you ask, I'm sitting on this one. I don't care about what Megane might do, but if Mendou-san found out . . . "

Hearing that, Nabiki grinned. Momoe, like most girls attending Tomobiki High (to say anything of almost all of the girls attending the five other high schools in town, Butsumetsu, Butsumetsu Girl's, Shakkou, Sanrinbou and Taian), harboured a long, deep crush on Mendou Shuutarou. That she clearly wanted to look out for Mendou's "better" interests was understandable. Despite his middle-class extraction, Ataru had proven to be a formidable class rival to Mendou. What could happen now, with Lum dead, with so much in Tomobiki now in question, was debatable. Best to err on the side of caution.

"Yeah, I hear you. All right, keep me up to date. How's the mood?"

"It . . . " Momoe paused as she considered that question. "Hard to say, Nabiki-san. I mean, regardless of how you feel about her, Lum left her mark on this place. Most of the guys are . . .!" Another pause. "Shit! It's starting to get scary! I think we're gonna see some suicides out of this!"

"Run a pool on that one. My money's on Megane."

"I'll have to keep it quiet," Momoe warned. "And well . . . " Another pause. "Look, I hate the idiot for the crap he's stirred up because of Lum, but I don't want to wish him dead! He's a jerk in the long run, but . . . "

"Yeah, I gotcha. What about the girls?"

"Well, the biggest impact's been on Shinobu, but I told you that."

Nabiki nodded. Immediately after Lum left Earth and Ataru vanished from Tomobiki, Miyake Shinobu's strange ability to summon vast levels of strength in times of great stress also vanished. "I guess with Lum gone, she might think of trying to get back together with Ataru-kun again," Momoe added.

"Really hard to predict that one. The guy's been gone for six weeks. Besides, thanks to him, Lum got the boot off the planet. If he's smart, he won't show his face around town for a while. Still . . . " Nabiki then trilled as something came to her. "Look, run a wager to see if he shows up at the memorial on Monday." It was Saturday. "Usual odds and fees, okay?"

"Hai, gotcha," Momoe replied.

* * *

"Shit! They sure got that wrong AGAIN!"

Negako glanced over her brother's shoulder to read the article that caught Ataru's attention. She then turned to gaze out the window as the RailStar whipped through the countryside at three hundred kilometres per hour, it now an hour out of Shin-oosaka station. "Unless you make a public statement about what happened between you, Kinshou and Muchi and how that affected Lum, they will continue to make that mistake," the grandmaster then noted.

Ataru folded the paper. "No, not yet. Now that someone's broke the news to those idiots in Tomobiki, I won't be able to say a thing without it being twisted and turned every which way possible." He then paused before turning to gaze on his sister. "By the way, did you sense who brought the news to Earth?"

"Oyuki," Negako confirmed after her mind took a moment to focus on the "ghost ki" emanating from various dragon lines flowing into, out of and around Tomobiki. Given what she had once planned to do while she had inhabited Ataru's body, her ability to sense past and present events -- as well as predicting future events -- around that town was deadly accurate. "Benten can be easily stopped by the Zephyrites if need be. Jariten also, IF his parents would allow him to come to Earth now that Lum is dead. And as long as Rei is engaged in combat against the Noukiites, Ran will remain close to him."

His eyes narrowed. "Yeah, the Zephyrites might be loath to try to stop a princess from visiting that zoo. Too many diplomatic implications. Besides, if we close Earth off to the Federation, Triton's going to be in a spot."

"They may try to seek you out," Negako warned. "You know very well that none of Lum's friends have really liked you."

He crossed his arms. "As of now, the feeling's very mutual. And you're right, Onee-chan. They may try to seek me out." An icy smile crossed Ataru's face, his eyes narrowing. "Will they succeed in doing whatever they might want to me in 'punishment' over what happened to Lum? That's another story."

"Indeed." Negako perked as a buzzing sound echoed from her pants pocket. Sitting up, she drew out a BlackBerry palm-top. Gazing at the notation on the screen, she announced, "Tampopo just sent me some electronic mail."

Ataru blinked. "Tampopo-chan? What does she want?"

"I will ascertain that." She rose, slipping past Ataru to head to the washroom. "You best contact our siblings."

"Hai, hai."

As Negako left, Ataru reached into his backpack and drew out his personal laptop computer. Built by Rinrin five weeks ago, she christened it the "Aniki Special." As laptops came, it was quite unique. Atop the standard Internet connections, wireless modem and all the other bells and whistles, the Aniki Special also had a real-time wireless audio-visual link to the Rinrin Viewer in Welcome House's rotunda dining room. Tapping controls to access the Viewer's central processor, he waited for a response. A minute later, a synthetic version of Rinrin's voice called out, "No one's answering the Rinrin Viewer right now, Aniki. Would you like to leave a message?"

"Yes. Record message, mark." He tapped ENTER. "'Hi, girls. We just got back. Onee-chan had me blitz through the DMZ on the way to Pusan, then we took the ferry to Shimonoseki. Sorry we've been gone so long, but a lot of things happened while I was in Sanctuary. Right now . . . '" He took a deep breath. "'I need to feel my sisters' hugs. Onee-chan and I are on the Shin-kansen right now, west of Osaka. I'll tell you where we'll be as soon as we get close to Tokyo.'" ENTER was tapped again. "Mark, end message."

"Message transmitted, Aniki," the computer announced.

* * *

"The Viewer's beeping. Someone left a message."

"I hope it's Onii-sama or Onee-sama," Sakuya muttered as she and Karen stepped into the dining room. The former tapped controls to flick on the television. "Viewer, mark my voiceprint. Who just called?"

"Aniki just called, Sakuya-chan. There is a message."

"Play it."

The screen flicked fully on, revealing their beloved brother sitting in the passenger cabin of what appeared to be a Shin-kansen train. Surprised to see his beard, moustache and much longer hair (tied in a ponytail), Sakuya and Karen exchanged a look. Both then tensed on hearing him say "I really need to feel my sisters' hugs." "Onii-chan," Karen whispered, her eyes misting.

"What happened to him?!" Sakuya wondered.

The dining room doors opened, revealing Haruka and Shirayuki. "Oh, Sakuya-chan! Did Nii-sama call?" the young chef asked.

"Hai, he did. Get everyone rounded up, Haruka-chan. And someone find Chikage-chan! We're going to the mainland . . . "

"You need not shout my name, Sakuya-chan. I'm right here."

Everyone cried out at a certain sorceress' entrance. Sakuya put fists to hips as she tried to glare Chikage down. "Damn you, Chikage-chan!" the elder sister shrilled. "Will you QUIT doing that finally?! What are you trying to do?! Give us all heart attacks, for Heaven's sake?!"

Chikage chuckled as she turned to head out the door. "The travelling rainbow will be ready in one hour. We'll go to the Toranoseishin Finances tower in Tomobiki, and then proceed to meet Ani-kun and Ane-kun from there."

She left. "Hime better get some bentou boxes ready for Nii-sama and Nee-sama," Shirayuki reported before racing into the kitchen.

"I'll call Onii-chan and ask him where we'll meet," Karen added.

"Alright." Sakuya waved Haruka with her. "C'mon."

"Hai!" The martial artist ran out after her half-sister.

* * *

"Nerima?!"

Ataru stared confusedly at Negako. "Tampopo has relocated her business to Kasuga-chou," the grandmaster announced. "It is over eight kilometres from the border with Tomobiki and twelve from Tomobiki High School. I do not foresee problems from your former classmates, especially given Lum's demise."

He sighed. "Onee-chan, it's not just those dorks I have to worry about. There're all the martial arts loons in Nerima, too!"

"You may benefit from dealing with them," she reported with a smile. "Besides, Tampopo has taken one of them under her wing."

"She has?! Which one?"

"The 'cream of the crop,' so to speak: Saotome Ranma."

Ataru blinked as he recalled the name. Even with the problems he had to deal with in Tomobiki over the last year and more, he had been somewhat aware of events in bordering towns and districts. "The guy with all the beautiful fiancées, the Niángniquán curse from Zhòuquán-xiang in China, the one who has to deal with more martial arts challengers than you could shake a stick at?"

"The very same."

"Oh, man! Tampopo-chan's reaching far, isn't she?"

"Perhaps. Tampopo desires me to consult with her on matters afflicting Ranma. Given her raw talent alone, I would certainly desire to meet her . . . " Negako's voice trailed as the Aniki Special buzzed. "The sisters."

Ataru flipped up the screen, tapping controls. A sea of warm faces stared at him from Welcome House. "BIG BROTHER!"

He waved at them. "Hi, girls!"

"Onii-chan, are you alright?!" Karen probed. "Why didn't you come back on Monday?! We've been worried sick about you!"

"And what's this about you blitzing through the Korean DMZ of all places, Anii?!" Mamoru demanded before looking at Negako as she leaned into viewing range. "What're you trying to do, Anee?! Get him killed?!"

"If I did not have confidence in Ataru, Mamoru, I would not have allowed it," Negako reported. "In the meantime, we have been summoned to Nerima in Tokyo by Kamekichi Tampopo concerning a new friend of hers, Saotome Ranma. I believe Ranma will benefit greatly from making your acquaintances as well as Ataru's." Her eyebrow then arched. "Will you be there?"

Stunned silence fell as the sisters took that in. Marie leaned close to the screen. "You mean THE Saotome Ranma, Aneue-sama?! I . . . oh, my!"

"Kaho would LOVE to cheer Ranma-san!" Kaho shook her pom-poms before she blushed. "But Kaho will always cheer Onii-chama and Onee-chama first!"

"Oh, it would be an HONOUR to meet a martial artist of his calibre! P-poh!" Haruka drew her gunsen, fanning herself as she stared apologetically at Ataru. "N-not that I wouldn't demean your own skills, Anigimi-sama!"

Ataru waved her down. "Relax! Ranma can have all the credit he wants. From what I've heard, he seems to thrive on it!"

The sisters laughed. Rinrin turned to Shirayuki. "Hey! We can get the spare tractor with the mobile kitchen out of the tower in Tomobiki. You can cook up a big feast there for Aniki, Aneki and Ranma-san!"

The chef shuddered. "Oh, Hime would LOVE to do that!" She then sobered. "But Hime doesn't want to insult Nii-sama's friend . . . "

He waved her down. "Relax. I'm sure Tampopo-chan would love to get help in a picnic like that. Look, when you girls get the tractor and mobile kitchen from Reigi-kun, DON'T spend any more time in Tomobiki than you have to, okay? I don't want any of those guys to learn of your connection to me. ESPECIALLY with the news about Lum's death getting out and about now. You understand?"

Sakuya nodded. "We'll be careful. I'm really sorry about what happened to her, Onii-sama. I hoped she could've come back."

He sadly nodded. "So did I, Sakuya-chan. But as they said it in that one TV show, there are two rules in war. And that applies everywhere."

The sisters then jolted on hearing a weak "Kusun" from the back of the crowd. Ataru paled. "A-a-Aria-chan, wh-what's wrong?!" he stuttered.

The young Parisian gazed at him. Even if there were no tears, the instant you heard "Kusun," you KNEW Aria was upset. And no one, not even Chikage, liked to deal with an upset Aria. "Aria doesn't like Nii-ya's beard."

"How long DID you stay in Sanctuary anyway, Aniki?" Rinrin asked.

Ataru sighed. "Hopefully long enough. We'll see you soon, okay?"

"Hai!" the sisters chimed together.

The link was soon cut. Negako slipped back into her seat. Ataru sighed, leaning back in his own chair as he stretched himself. "We'll have to let them learn of things very slowly and carefully, Onee-chan."

"Agreed. What of them?"

"Your discretion, Onee-chan."

"Very well, then."

* * *

Located in the heart of Tomobiki were triple towers, twenty floors high each, arrayed in a triangular formation pointing to the north. All the floor space of the northern tower was rented by the Toranoseishin Financial Group, Japan's largest banking company that was not allied with an industrial group (though the company was part of a larger conglomerate of businesses known as the Inshin Group, headquartered in Sendai). In this age, with the traditional links between big business, the banks and the government being called into question, Toranoseishin was often quick to capitalize on fiscal uncertainty to wedge itself deep into the national economy. Companies that had in the past taken questionable loans from Toranoseishin automatically faced bankruptcy if they defaulted. The company was not, in the words of its operations chief, "In the business of propping up useless, wasteful companies whose existence cannot be justified by economic logic." Because of that approach to business, Toranoseishin had recently attracted much in the way of foreign investment, ensuring it would remain near the top of its game for a long time to come.

Yumoa Reigi sighed as he looked through the monthly balance reports from various banks affiliated with Toranoseishin. A knock echoed from the doorway. "Yes?" The orphaned half-American twenty-something looked up, smiling on seeing his senior secretary. "What is it, Yumi-san?" he asked.

"Sorry to bother you, Reigi-san. Sakuya-sama just called. She and her sisters will be arriving at the tower shortly. They'll be taking the tractor and mobile kitchen to meet Ataru-sama and Negako-sama at Nerima station."

Reigi blinked. "I thought Ataru-kun didn't want any of the girls to come anywhere close to Tomobiki, especially after Lum left," he mused before he nodded. "Oh, alright, then. Get the duty driver down to the garage, and then notify the police about what's going to happen."

"Hai, right away."

Reigi watched her leave, and then he opened a side drawer to draw out a file. Opening that, he gazed on the pictures posted on the first page. Twelve girls, blood daughters of Moroboshi Nagaiwakai's youngest son even if they all were technically born out of wedlock. In their hands, especially in the hands of the woman born Sukeyama Sakuya, would rest the dreams, hopes and destiny of the Moroboshi Clan. "How ironic." He shook his head. "Other clans allowed themselves to die because Bushido forbade them from strengthening their numbers with new blood. How stupid can people be at times? Even now . . . "

He put the file back in its drawer. Standing, he walked to the window to gaze on the cityscape. A glance south revealed a slender beam of white light heading in the direction of the tower. Yumoa Reigi had been quite lucky to be taken on as one of Moroboshi Komeru's wards. He couldn't be directly adopted into the Clan; only married members could do that and Komeru, a man born near-sterile thanks to the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, never really wanted to marry. But still, being a "son" in all but name to Komeru had done wonders for Reigi. What might have happened if he had languished in that orphanage in Ishikawa?

He shuddered. He didn't want to think about that!

The beam passed overhead. As the aft end of Chikage's travelling rainbow caught up with the prow, Reigi left his office, heading to the stairwell leading to the roof. Once there, he smiled as the sisters dusted themselves off. He hadn't made use of the sorceress' travelling rainbow before, but from what others told him, it was loads of fun. "Hi, girls!" he hailed with a wave.

"Oh, Reigi-san, hi!" Rinrin waved as Hinako, Kaho and Aria swamped the financier with warm hugs. "Got the tractor set up for us?"

"It's being readied . . . awk! Hey, Kaho-chan! Go easy!" Reigi gasped as Kaho nearly bowled him over with her running tackle embrace. As soon as the younger sisters pulled away from him, he stared at Sakuya. "How's Ataru-kun?"

"We're not sure." The eldest sister -- Sakuya was born on the twentieth of December after Ataru's birth, with Chikage, Marie, Haruka and Karen being born on the following sixth of March, fourth of April, sixteenth of May and twenty-third of September -- shook her head. "When he called us, he was on the Shin-kansen to Osaka. Onee-sama had him go through the DMZ in Korea."

"He didn't seem well," Karen added before she stopped and considered something. "Reigi-san, do you know what's going on here? Could it have been something they . . . " -- her normally timid voice became Arctic ice for a second as she glanced towards Ataru's old home -- "Could've done?"

Reigi shook his head. "Not those two. Kinshou stopped coming by to harass us a week ago. She hasn't talked to anyone else who might want to cause Ataru-kun or any of you trouble, at least as far as I know."

"Let's just hope the fools learn to mind their place from now on," Haruka noted, wishing that Sakuya was of legal age so, as the properly acknowledged Matriarch of the Clan, she could expel them both and be done with it finally.

Rinrin shook her head. "Never mind them. C'mon, girls! Let's get to the tractor and go see Aniki and Aneki!"

"Hai!" the others chimed as they headed for the stairs.

* * *

Mendou Ryooko was bored.

Boredom for THIS lady, the younger child of the Mendous of Musashino (the pre-Meiji name for Tomobiki), often spelt trouble for many, chief of which would be Ton-chan and her Onii-san. But neither was available for her to play with. Mizunokooji Tobimaro was on another wild training journey in Shikoku. Shuutarou was at Tomobiki High, preparing for Lum's memorial service on Monday.

Remembering Lum, Ryooko sighed. She currently was sitting in her own private command car, a birthday present from her Onii-san, heading towards Butsumetsu Girl's High School. Like Shuutarou, Ryooko had been sent to a normal school, but her mother insisted she attend an all-girl's institution. That was all right. Within the walls of Butsumetsu Girl's, she could drop the mask she presented to others and try to be normal. She had help to that end thanks to the Kuroko, a group of Kabuki and Noh actors and stagehands who had been transformed into her personal troupe of bodyguards and servants.

"Are you alright, Young Mistress?" the driver, a Kuroko in his full black stagehand's uniform with tubular facemask, asked.

Ryooko perked, and then she sighed. "There are times I wish we were still using the palanquin," she lamented, tracing her finger on the windowsill.

"Your father and mother were quite adamant about remaining in a car, ma'am," the driver reminded her. "Especially given the outpouring of grief being felt by many in town because of Lum-sama's death."

"True." Ryooko then perked. "Any news of Moroboshi-sama?"

"None, Young Mistress. I am sorry about that."

"It's alright . . . eh?!"

Both perked as the driver stopped by a red light. Driving by along the main street leading from Tomobiki into Nerima was what looked like a mix of old-style railroad engine and farm tractor. That pulled a trailer shaped like a streetcar, that pulling a mobile kitchen. Ryooko blinked as the road train passed by. She blinked again as her eyes picked up a flag flying from the smokestack. A black flag emblazoned with a curled, snarling tiger over a nest of exploding stars, its forepaws grasping the Imperial chrysanthemum. "The Toranoseishin Finances flag," she whispered on recognising it before peering into the passenger compartment. A group of people, all clearly female, were relaxing there. "Strange," she trilled before ordering, "Follow them."

"Hai."

The command car peeled into the left-turn lane. When the lights changed, it made the turn and fell in several cars behind the road train. It was easy to keep them in sight; the kitchen's chimney stabbed into the air over the cars using the road. "Who might they be, Mistress?" the driver asked.

"I don't know, but given what we've just learned about Moroboshi-sama's connections to Toranoseishin, the chances are that those ladies might know where he is," Ryooko replied. "Try to not attract attention."

"Hai."

The heiress to the Mendou fortune relaxed, a mirthless smile crossing her face. It amused her that Shuutarou had not ONCE picked up the all-too obvious connection between his classroom rival and the company whose numerous loans helped the Mendous keep their paramilitary forces in tip-top shape. Even now, with he hovering on the edge of despair over never trying to challenge Moroboshi Ataru again, he had yet to send someone to the latter's home to determine what exactly happened the nights before Lum was exiled from Earth.

Ryooko HAD done that. And what she had learned from that reconnaissance disturbed her. Supposedly, five years ago, Ataru's mother did something that forced a type of amnesia on him. Details were scant, but it appeared that some kami or other bodiless spirit had inhabited parts of Ataru's mind since he was six. When said spirit was discovered, he wanted it to have its own life. That spirit now lived as a woman named Moroboshi Negako, who acted in public as Ataru's elder sister and was listed as such on the Moroboshi Clan register.

How THAT happened, Ryooko's agents had yet to discover.

Angered at his parents' betrayal, Ataru left the house, vowing he would wait until he was of legal age, then, as a potential heir to his grandmother's seat as leader of the Moroboshi Clan, he would make his parents roonin. After Lum was sent home, Ataru and Negako simply vanished without a trace.

Ryooko's agents soon discovered that Ataru had transferred out of school. The Education Ministry, pending the time when he would choose a new school to finish off his high school education, was holding his records. One of Ryooko's agents overheard two of the Ministry staffers indicating Ataru might transfer to an all-grade "ladder school" named Stargazer West College. That was located on an island in the Sagami Sea known as Oomure-jima, though it was always called by the English phrase "Promised Island" by natives and visitors alike.

One of Ryooko's agents was dispatched to Promised Island to look in on Ataru. Not that she wanted to disturb him, much less have information about him leaked to Shuutarou -- but just to ensure he was all right. While she, like most in Tomobiki, didn't like Ataru's lecherous behaviour, Ryooko did like him as a person. Any boy who could stand up to Shuutarou, especially when it came to interfering in Shuutarou's desire to win a girl, was okay in her books.

Reports poured in. And they were baffling to say the LEAST of it. Ataru and Negako were residing in the island's hostel, Welcome House. They were often seen interacting with twelve female residents of the House, ranging in age from eight to seventeen. Even stranger, Ataru had not ONCE made any pass with them. The girls didn't do anything harsh to him in return. And strangest of all, when the girls' backgrounds were investigated, NONE were reported to have a father. Yes, they had stepfathers. But on the birth records in the Health Ministry, the FATHER'S NAME entry for all of them was blank.

What did it all mean?

* * *

"And that's it! Okay, Ranma! You can relax now!"

Ranma breathed out. "About damned time," she muttered, reaching over to slip a housecoat over the bathing suit she was wearing for this photo shoot. "Is that all the shots you need, Kenji?" she then asked.

"Yeah, that should do it for this month's issue." Seijou Kenji nodded as he rewound his camera. "Usual payment plan, Ranma?"

"Yeah." She tied her housecoat down, moving to head into the washroom to change back into her normal clothing and her normal gender. "Make sure you use my Korean name there when you sell those pictures off, Kenji. I don't want some dork connecting me to what you're putting out. Okay?"

He winked at her, laughing. "Sure thing, 'Yeo-san!'"

Ranma headed into the washroom before slipping off the housecoat and bathing suit. She tied her hair in the normal pigtail she preferred; acting as "Yeo Lanja" (as a girl) or "Nam Lanma" (as a boy), she wore her hair loose or in a ponytail. Once the Dragon's Whisker was in place, she got a glass of hot water to change into a man. He quickly dried himself off before dressing in a white tang and black trousers. Once again projecting the image of the invincible martial artist, he slipped his belongings into a duffle bag before heading to the basement studio Kenji used. "When will you need me next time?"

"I'll contact Tampopo-chan and tell her since you still haven't told your folks or the Tendous about it," the photographer replied with a smile, his eyes taking in all the changes Jusenkyou unleashed in Ranma. "Damn!"

"What's wrong?" Ranma asked.

Kenji smirked. "I'm NEVER gonna get used to seeing how much you change when you switch from guy to girl! It's a wonder to me how you've been able to adjust to switching around like that at ALL."

Ranma laughed. "Wonder to me, too! See you later!"

"Take care!"

With that, Ranma stepped out of the Seijou home, and then he made his way to the Fuji-gaidou, which would take him to Tampopo's. He'd have lunch there before heading back to the Tendou doojou. Hopefully by the time he arrived there, Akane might have calmed down from last night (if she still wasn't off spending the day with Sayuri and Yuka to avoid facing her would-be fiancé).

** ** **

Truthfully, Ranma hadn't wanted to return to the Tendou doojou. Thanks to Kamekichi Tampopo and arrangements she made to help him earn some money, he had become used to travelling around Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore and the Philippines, seeing the sights while he was working, catching up on naps on the flights taking him from one place to the next.

And what had he done?

Musing on that as he walked to the Tendou compound last night from his new friend's restaurant, Ranma could only tip his hat to Nabiki and the things she did with a camera to earn money for the doojou. To believe being a fashion model was so EASY. Yeah, it wasn't martial arts, but when Tampopo explained that models had to display a discipline before the camera that was no different from the Soul of Ice Ranma used in battle, it became a challenge. And no matter what else had happened to Ranma during the month he stayed away from the Tendou home, THAT had not changed. He delighted to be challenged and Tampopo was, as a friend, challenging him to be truly something different for a change.

Besides, the people Ranma had worked with were also Tampopo's friends, or their relatives. How a ramen shop chef got to know SO many people, Ranma had yet to figure out. And in truth, he avoided thinking about it. He wanted to keep Tampopo's trust and probing into her past was a good way of destroying that. Even more so, with Tampopo keeping an eye on things to ensure he wasn't being taken advantage of, it was lucrative. To the order of forty million yen to date. And best of all, thanks to the in-house rules of the bank he used, that money was HIS, sealed away from any embezzlement by Genma or Nodoka.

Still, given the feelings everyone must have held towards him these days, Ranma had more than enough reason to be cautious. He wasn't worried about Oyaji or Souun. By learning how to do the Demon's Head, he had a weapon to keep Souun in his place. With Nodoka around, Genma could be kept in line. If that failed, Happoosai was available to teach his students respect. And if all else failed, Ranma could challenge both of the idiots for control of their respective schools. If they refused him, Happoosai could damn them as cowards and strip them of their teaching licenses. Not even a visit by a Doojou Destroyer could be as final to one's career in the Art as THAT!

Even more, Ranma had won over Kasumi and Nabiki. While he didn't trust Nabiki when it came to keeping his personal life personal, Ranma knew she valued independence. Thanks to the money he gave her, she had the ability to seek that without being tied to the doojou. With that, she could break free of anything Souun might try to keep her around in case he needed her to be Ranma's fiancée. Ditto with Kasumi. Given how much the elder daughter had slaved on her family's behalf, it was only proper. Hopefully soon, she'll take it.

No, the problem was Akane, along with Ukyou, Shampoo and (to a much lesser extent) Kodachi. If what happened at the failed wedding and the family meeting two weeks after that didn't hint at how much they were determined to keep fighting over him, nothing would. And he didn't want that anymore. He was just sick and tired of it all. Tired of all the assumptions, the demands for attention, the petty bickering and everything else. What was worse, they didn't seem to care a whit about what he might want.

Oh, no! No! No!

That just wasn't RIGHT after all.

Saotome Ranma wasn't supposed to think for himself, it seemed.

It just went against all the laws of the Universe.

* * *

Reaching the gate, he tapped at the door. It soon opened, revealing a smiling Kasumi. "Welcome back, Ranma-kun!" She embraced him.

"It's good to be home, Kasumi." He pecked her cheek before he gave her a curious stare. "If this STILL is a home to me, of course."

"Yes, it is," Kasumi declared. "Your father was brought back from the zoo today. He's with Father in the sitting room. Your mother and Ojii-san are keeping an eye on them just in case they do something foolish."

"What of Akane and Nabiki?"

"Akane prepared dinner. I kept an eye on her." Kasumi waved her hands in reassurance before she gestured to follow her inside. "It looked alright. Nabiki's been using the money you gave the family to invest it in several places so it could generate some interest for us to live on until we head out."

He grinned. "So you ARE planning to go to college, aren't you?"

Her eyes turned down. "I'm still uncomfortable leaving the house like that, Ranma-kun. I've worked so long to keep it together."

"I know. I guess because I've been on the move most of my life, I don't fear shifting to a new place as much as you might."

"True. Oh, Ukyou, Shampoo and Elder Cologne will be here soon."

"Your dad or Oyaji know?"

"No, not yet."

Ranma laughed. "You're cruel, Kasumi! Let's go in."

They stepped into the sitting room. Awaiting them were Nodoka and Happoosai. "Welcome back, my son." The former rose to warmly embrace him before she gave him an appraising gaze. "You're looking quite well right now."

"Thank you, Mother. How are you, Jijii?" Ranma asked.

"Pretty good, boy. Seems you got in some decent training while you were away," Happoosai stated before he gazed on Souun on Genma.

Staring at them, Ranma inwardly winced on seeing the drawn look on his father's face. No doubt, being stuck as a panda in a zoo for nearly four weeks -- that tacked to experiencing the strength-sapping moxibustion AND the full-body cat tongue at the same time -- had hit hard. Souun didn't look better; without Genma present to back him, the Tendou patriarch had quickly learned that he had no real power or influence over Ranma. "Yes, welcome back, Ranma-kun," Souun then said. "We're just about to have dinner."

"Yes, come sit, boy," Genma grumbled, failing to hide the wounded rage -- no doubt at his son's "betrayal" -- flashing in his eyes.

Ranma exchanged a look with Nodoka, and then he placed himself by the table. The kitchen door opened, revealing Akane, she carrying a tray of food. "Dinner's on . . . oh!" she gasped on seeing who was there. "Hello, Ranma."

Ranma nodded back. "Akane-san."

Souun and Genma paled on hearing such a formal mode of address. Akane tried not to drop the tray and run off. Cautiously, she placed the tray on the table. "It looks good!" Kasumi mused. "We'll just wait for the others."

Souun and Genma jolted. "'Others?!'" the former demanded.

"Yes, my boy," Happoosai declared, the stern look in his eyes warning his students that no disagreements would be tolerated from either of them this evening. "Cologne-chan, Shampoo-chan and Ukyou-chan will be coming by since they wanted to see my heir as soon as he was back in town."

Souun sputtered. He then paled on seeing his teacher's eyes narrow. As he wisely shut up, a voice called out, "Hey! Is anyone inside?!"

"Come in, Ukyou!" Kasumi called back, her smile broadening on seeing who had come with the chef. "Oh, Elder! Shampoo! Hello."

* * *

The dinner passed under a tense atmosphere. To Ranma's surprise and delight, Nodoka readily engaged in very meaningful conversation with Shampoo and Ukyou, not to mention Cologne. A glance at Souun and Genma revealed that neither man approved whatsoever, but Ranma knew they wouldn't upbraid Nodoka about it. No, they would come straight to him in hopes of forcing him to not recognise the others' interest in him, affirming his love to Akane instead.

Speaking of which, the fiancées had done their best to be civil while, at the same time, engaged in the one-upmanship they got into whenever it involved him. Ranma tried not to scream about it. He would save that until when he got them alone. Given the fates Ukyou and Shampoo faced if they chose to forego their claims on him, he could understand why they were determined to succeed.

And Akane?

Akane . . .

Once dinner was done, Ranma turned to her. "That was really good, Akane-san. You've been improving a lot lately."

"I . . .?" The youngest Tendou daughter's cheeks flushed. "Um, th-thanks! Onee-chan helped me tonight."

"I know. It takes time and practice. That's where Kasumi has it over you. It's nothing to be ashamed of." He turned to his other fiancées. "And the okonomiyaki and the nikuman were really enjoyable, Ukyou-san, Shanpú."

They both looked down. To Ukyou, having Ranma address her so formally still hurt. Shampoo was shocked that her Airen addressed her by her proper name, not by the Japanese bastardization most people in Nerima regularly used.

"So what did you do over the last month, boy?" Genma cut in to ensure Ranma didn't pay too much attention to Ukyou or Shampoo.

A level stared responded. "None of your business. Since you chose never to tell me about things you did supposedly on my 'behalf' during the training trip, I choose not to speak to you about my recent activities."

"Ridiculous! I'm your father! I demand to know . . . urk!"

Everyone blinked on seeing Genma grasp his throat. The others quickly noted that Ranma's fingers were curled around a small marble; another one just like it was clattering on the floor near Genma. "Saotome-kun, what's wrong?!" Souun demanded before spinning on Ranma. "What did you do to him?" he barked.

Ranma glared at the Tendou patriarch. "Oh, just a little shiatsu I used to shut him up. I'm not in his presence for more than an hour and I'm already tired of listening to him." He sighed. "In the meantime, I wish to speak to my suitors ALONE. Jijii, Elder, can you make sure they don't interfere?"

"No problem." Happoosai winked before glaring at the fathers. "Let's go, boys. If I'm nice, I'll unlock your throat, Genma."

"But Master . . .!" Souun wailed.

Happoosai's battle aura clicked in. "MOVE, YOU IDIOTS!"

The fathers ran out, Happoosai following them. Cologne watched that, smirking, before she turned to gaze on Ranma. "I'll make sure Mùsi remains where he is for the time being, Son-in-law."

She left. Quickly, Nodoka, Kasumi and Nabiki headed into the kitchen. Once they were alone -- though Ranma was quick to sense that his mother and the elder daughters were trying to listen through the door -- Ranma shifted so he could face the others. Seeing the neutral look on his face, Akane shuddered. No matter what, she had to stake her position with him. "Ranma?"

"Yes, Akane-san, what is it?"

"I . . .!" The youngest Tendou daughter took a breath before bowing. "I want to apologise. For not telling you about what Dad did with the Nanniichuan water. He had no right to do that with something meant for you. And I . . . " She paused before looking at him, her eyes misting. "I didn't intend anything malicious about that. You . . . said what you felt about me on Mount Phoenix. I was prepared to go through with the wedding, Nanniichuan cask or no."

Ranma nodded. "I can accept that, Akane-san."

"Ran-chan, will ya quit being so formal, for Heaven's sake?!" Ukyou demanded. "You're spooking the hell out of us both, you know!"

His eyes narrowed. "I have to be, Ukyou-san. If you or Akane-san happen to have a problem with that, that's just too damned bad."

They shuddered, shocked he would say THAT. "Further, I've grown sick and tired of the assumptions you've all made about me," he frostily added. "If I had the power, I'd end this farce once and for all, then take a long vacation from ALL of you! Unfortunately, I can't do that. You, Ukyou-san, would be made roonin because of it. You, Shanpú, would most likely be expelled from your clan, frozen in your cursed form or put to death if you went home empty-handed. And I believe you, Akane-san, would likely wind up being married off to Kunou Tatewaki, knowing how desperate your father's become in seeing his doojou continue." He gave them an understanding nod. "I know that. I understand that. And I want to help you girls out of this. I really do."

They bolted to their feet, glaring intently at him. "The only way that can happen, sugar, is if you marry me!" Ukyou snarled.

"You're already married to this one! You've no choice but to come back to village with this one, Airen!" Shampoo asserted.

"Ranma, you're MY fiancé and that's final!" Akane snapped.

Instantly, Souun appeared behind his daughter, waving a fan as jets of tears poured from his eyes. Thankfully, the water didn't strike Shampoo. "OH, JOY!" he screamed out. "AKANE'S ADMITTED SHE LOVES RANMA-KUN!"

Ranma went into Demon Head mode. "GET LOST, YOU IDIOT!"

The fiancées screamed as they rapidly backed away from that snarling image. Souun collapsed into a sobbing heap on seeing Ranma use HIS attack on himself once again. "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Ranma-kun's scary!"

"Aiyah! When did Airen learn the Demon Head?!" Shampoo screamed.

"Why the hell didn't you tell us, Akane?!" Ukyou whimpered.

"R-r-Ranma . . .!" Akane sputtered.

"ENOUGH!"

The Demon Head vanished as Ranma gazed tiredly on Genma. "Who the hell gave you your voice back, Oyaji?" he snarled.

The Saotome patriarch lunged at his son. Ranma's fist smashed into Genma's face, dropping him on the table. It broke in half. Noting that, Ranma sighed. "Nabiki, I don't think you kept him at the zoo long enough," he called out towards the kitchen. "He didn't lose a damned kilogram of fat!"

"Sorry!" Nabiki called back.

Genma staggered to a kneeling position before glaring at his son. Ranma returned that with a mildly bored look. Quaking with rage, the former pointed at the latter. "Boy, you listen to me and listen to me good!" he rasped. "You can't escape this no matter how much you try! Even your mother wants you to marry Akane! Do you understand me?! You can't escape . . .!"

A ki ball exploded in his face. Ranma's fist slammed into the back of Genma's neck, making the latter kiss the floor. The former's hand blurred over Genma's back, hitting shiatsu points to make sure he couldn't speak, much less move, from that position. Ranma grasped Genma by the throat, elevating his head to the level of Ranma's eyes. Given the locking of the older man's joints, that movement elicited some sharp cracks from his bones. Hearing that, the fiancées and Souun shuddered, all of them horrified at Ranma's actions.

He glanced at Souun. "Leave. Now."

The Tendou patriarch scrambled out of the sitting room. Ranma turned to the fiancées. "I've decided that as soon as the repairs on my family home are done, I will move out and live there. With Akane-san's actions since the day we met, I no longer feel welcome here. That should make it fair. It will be a level playing field. Does this meet with your approval? Ukyou-san? Shanpú?"

Ukyou nodded. "Th-that's no problem, Ran-chan."

"This one agrees."

"Good. But I warn you this: If ANY of you pull the same crap on my home that you did before Mount Phoenix, I will consider your claim on me invalid and I will NOT shed a tear over what might happen to you. Know this, too. I do not know what love is at the end, but I have come to realise this: I will NOT marry anyone to fulfil agreements meant to filled this fool's stomach or those he made when he was drunk . . . " -- with that, he tossed Genma out of the room -- "Much less archaic laws imposed on unsuspecting travellers by a village that too scared of the outside world for its own good." He glared at Shampoo before he vanished behind the Umisen-ken's null-chi cloak.

The fiancées remained frozen in place. Akane hissed, "He h-hates us!"

"I can't believe it came to this," Ukyou whispered.

Shampoo looked nowhere in particular. "What do we do now?"

** ** **

Ranma sighed as he walked toward Tampopo's. Waking up this morning, he had nearly been tossed into the koi pond by Genma before a Mooko Takabisha made the latter go for an early-morning swim. Coming down to breakfast later, he found his father ready to force him outside for a thorough morning spar. Since everything had been served, Ranma responded by taking his plate of food and dumping it atop Genma's. "Since you care more for food than respecting what I might like to do with my life, here! Eat all you want."

He then vanished behind the Umisen-ken just as Happoosai came in from his morning panty raid. Seeing the heaping plate of food there, the grandmaster of Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu quickly downed it before the shocked Genma could fully interpret what Ranma had done. To Ranma's mirthful delight -- he had remained in the sitting room while his father was bellowing about his son's disrespect -- Kasumi refused to cook him anything until lunch. And Genma was so mistrustful of Akane's cooking that, when she said she wouldn't cook for him, he asserted that he wouldn't eat her cooking even if his life depended on it!

Result: Demon Head from Souun and Mallet-sama from Akane!

As Ranma headed down the Fuji-gaidou, he blinked on hearing a toot! Turning to see what made that noise, he stopped beside a puddle as his jaw dropped on seeing what looked like an old-fashioned railroad engine towing a passenger car and a caboose heading his way. His surprise was so complete, he didn't notice the potential danger until the tractor's wheels splashed into the puddle, dousing him with a quick waterfall of spray. Sputtering angrily, she gazed down at herself before breathing out. "Damn!" she grumbled.

"Ah! Sorry about that!"

Ranma saw that the road train had stopped, some of the passengers staring at her. "It's okay! It's okay!" she assured them before one of the passengers stepped down from the cab, towel in hand. "Oh, you don't need ta do that!"

"It's alright," the purple-haired girl in the black cape, red jacket and grey, ankle-length skirt asserted. "Though it appears that no matter how far you travel, Saotome-san, Jusenkyou never lets you go."

"Huh?" Ranma sputtered before peering at the younger woman. "You know about Jusenkyou . . .? Hey! How'd you know who I am?!"

"Chikage-chan, is that Saotome-san?!" a black-haired girl in a pink-and-black hakama gasped. Seeing the purple-haired girl nod, she scrambled out of the cabin, another towel in hand. Approaching Ranma, she came to attention, and then she bowed low. "Saotome-san, it is an honour to meet you. My name is Tenhiro Haruka. I'm a student of the Oomure-jima Tenhiro-naginata-ryuu. I am also a student of kyuudou and the use of the gunsen. Oh . . . p-poh!" She clapped her cheeks excitedly as they reddened. "I trust y-you weren't hurt?"

"I . . . ah . . . w-well . . .!" Ranma's eyebrow began to twitch as she found herself stunned this woman was greeting her so ENTHUSIASTICALLY. Then an old suspicion reared itself: "Um, we aren't engaged, are we?"

Haruka considered that for a moment. "Not that I'm aware of."

Ranma breathed out, "Oh, phew! I was worried that I might've missed one of the girls Oyaji tried to engage me to on our training trip!"

Chikage chuckled. "No doubt, you took much advantage of the time you spent with Ani-kun's friend Kamekichi Tampopo." She absently patted her cape. "Were you proceeding to her establishment in Kasuga-chou?"

Ranma nodded. "I . . . um, y-yeah, I was!" She then perked. "Hey, how d'you know Tampopo-chan anyway? Are you friends with her?"

"Actually, our brother has the honour to address Kamekichi-san as his friend," Haruka replied. "His name is Moroboshi Ataru."

Ranma's eyes widened. "Moroboshi Ataru?! You're his . . .?" She shook her head. "I didn't know he had sisters!"

"Neither did Ani-kun until six weeks ago," Chikage said. "Our story is, in it's own way, as unique as yours. Meanwhile, we will be heading to Tampopo-san's establishment once we have picked up Ani-kun and Ane-kun at the train station." She indicated the road train. "Would you like to come with us?"

Ranma considered that. "Sure! Ever since I became friends with Tampopo-chan, I've always wanted to meet your brother . . . "

A creaking sound then echoed from her stomach. Hearing that, a girl with a big bow tie in her mauve hair leaned out of the passenger cabin. "Aaah! Sounds like Saotome-san's a little hungry!" she noted with an amused chuckle.

"I . . .!" Ranma flustered. "Um, y-yeah! I skipped out on breakfast this morning 'cause I got in a fight with my old man . . . "

"Shirayuki-chan, do you have extra bentou boxes?" Haruka wondered.

"Hai desu no! Hime always has lots of extra bentou boxes!"

Hearing that, Ranma grinned. "If there's one thing Oyaji taught me right, it's to never refuse free food!" she quickly asserted.

Everyone laughed.

* * *

"Young Mistress, do you recognise that . . . er, person?"

"I believe that is Saotome Ranma," Ryooko answered. The command car was currently sitting five vehicles back from the road train. "And these ladies, who most likely are the same ones Moroboshi-sama associated with on Promised Island, have just taken him -- er, her -- aboard. I wonder why."

"I should have learned how to read lips," the driver lamented.

"Oh, don't worry about it. Stay with them."

"Hai!"

* * *

"So your brother's been off on a training trip, huh?"

"It's a very intensive one Onii-sama has to deal with," Sakuya nodded as people stepped off the road train, now parked beside the Nerima JR station.

"Really?" Ranma blinked. "'S funny. From what I've heard of him, your brother didn't strike me much as a martial artist."

"Personally, I don't think Onii-chan thinks of himself as a martial artist either, Ranma-san," Karen noted with a giggle. "But then again, someone once told me that I'd never learn how to play the piano."

Ranma's eyebrow arched. "You took it as a challenge?"

Karen flustered. "Somewhat."

Ranma chuckled. "Oh, there's nothin' wrong with that. After all, I've taken loads of challenges in my lifetime. Some of them really helped me a lot. And some were just . . . " She shook her head, rolling her eyes.

"Dumb?" Rinrin asked.

"Stupid. Believe me, I couldn't even BEGIN to believe some of the weird martial art forms I've run across since I came here. I mean, could you honestly believe there's a Martial Arts Tea Ceremony out there?"

"My stepfather told me about that," Haruka noted. "I mean, I understand when people seek to turn daily activities into kata as a way of disciplining oneself. After all, the great masters copied forms from animal movements. But to transform a tea party into a martial arts drill? It's utterly ridiculous!"

Sitting beside Marie, Michael perked, whining. Marie gazed on her dog. "Michael, do you see Aniue-sama?"

"Ah! Onii-tama!"

Hearing Hinako's cry, eyes locked on the youngest of the sisters, and then they focused on the gate. Sure enough, two young people in black T-shirts and walking pants, both lugging backpacks, stepped through. Instantly, their eyes locked on the road train. They headed over as Hinako and Kaho ran up to embrace them. "Hey!" the young man -- given his beard and moustache, Ranma was hard-pressed to recognise him as the same Ataru she had seen in the picture at Tampopo's -- called out as he scooped Hinako up. "How are you guys?!"

"Waaa! Onii-tama's beard tickles!" Hinako cried out.

She was then shifted onto one of Ataru's arms as the other sisters came up to add their hugs and kisses. "Oh, we missed you two, Onii-chan, Onee-chan!" Karen said. "How long were you in Sanctuary, anyway?"

Mamoru gently stroked Ataru's sideburns. "Not that long by the looks of it! How the heck did you grow a beard anyway, Anii?"

"A little accident I had . . . eh?" Ataru was quick to notice the redhead standing by the road train. "Who . . .?"

"Ah!" Negako lowered Kaho to the ground before walking over.

Ranma tensed as Negako approached. On the road train, she had been told Ataru had been training with an older sister. This had to be her. But . . .! Her eyes narrowed as she tried to analyse the latter's ki. What Ranma got in return was a bemused stare, not to mention a ki-cloak that shrouded the latter like an Afghan burqua from head to toe. Almost as effective as -- No! Even MORE so! -- the Umisen-ken technique. Once the cloak was set, it was as if Negako would be invisible if someone had blindfolded himself (or was blind) and only depended on ki scanning to sense his surroundings.

By then, Ataru had come up, slipping off his backpack. Dropping that to the ground by his feet, he offered his hand. "It's a wonder we haven't met before, Saotome-san. I'm Moroboshi Ataru and this is my sister Negako, Grandmaster of the Moroboshi-Hana Saikoo Jinseijitsu Ninjitsu-ryuu."

Ranma jolted, staring at him for a second. Her eyes fell back on Negako. She's MUCH more than she seems, especially if he's calling her the grandmaster of her Art! echoed from somewhere deep inside the transformed martial artist's mind before she caught herself. Grasping his hand, she nodded. "Um, y-yeah! S-sorry about that! Pleased to meetcha, Moroboshi-san . . . "

Then her eyes locked with his.

They froze. Time became meaningless as the panorama of emotions one's eyes can reflect on viewers transformed into an open book for them both. In what seemed an eternity, all the pain, suffering, confusion, misunderstandings, dreams, nightmares, the loneliness -- it is as if they, who had just met now, had actually known each other since they were born. Another eternity flashed past, and then Ataru's hand came up to encompass Ranma's. She reflected his action with her own hand, their eyes never wavering from the other's.

You, too?

Yeah, me too.

I lost mine to a war.

I lost mine to something like that.

But you've got others.

Not like yours.

They're my family.

I'd like a family like that.

Friends can be family.

I can't consider what friends I've got left as family.

You're afraid they'll be hurt because of you.

So are you with your friends back home.

Are they my friends?

Even if you don't think so now, you still care for them.

So do you with the ones who love you.

I got no choice but to care. It goes beyond honour.

I understand that. Would you love them?

I can't see myself doing that. Not now, perhaps not ever.

But they disagree with you.

What do you think?

Life really sucks at times.

You damn hell got that right.

Want to be friends?

I can use a friend right about now.

So can I.

Can you tolerate my curse?

I'd call it a blessing.

It's not been much of a blessing to me.

Depends on how you take it in the long run.

I've come to understand that.

I'll try to help.

What about you? What happened?

It's still too soon to talk about it.

Sorry to hear that. But you can't keep it inside you.

Neither can you.

I don't think I've gone through the same amount you have.

We'll have to see about that I guess.

I guess we will.

Friends?

Friends.

"Onii-sama . . .?!"

They jolted, and then they noticed Ataru's sisters staring at them. "Onii-tama, Onee-tama, are you okay?" Hinako asked.

Both noticed they were clasping hands. They took that in, and then they drew back before Ataru placed a reassuring hand on Hinako's shoulder. "It's okay, Hinako-chan. You just brought your Onii-tama a new friend, that's all."

The youngest of the sisters cheered, waving her hands. "Yay! Hina helped Onii-tama and Onee-tama become friends!"

Laughter filled the parking lot.

* * *

Did you sense it?

Chikage's eyes narrowed. Yes. Their bond's growing stronger.

There are very firm blockages on Ranma's side preventing it from forming correctly, Negako telepathically mused as the other sisters helped Ataru hoist backpacks onto the road train. Tampopo was wise to contact me about her. She needs a considerable amount of assistance to that end.

Including her sense of self. She still thinks she's a boy.

Understandable. That is courtesy of Saotome Genma's most foolish mistake when it came to training his so-called 'heir.'

I'm afraid to ask.

Do you like cats, Chikage?

Eh?! What do cats have to do with Ane-kun?

You would be very surprised.

* * *

"Did that girl just call Moroboshi-sama . . .?"

"They ALL did, Young Mistress! Save for Saotome-sama, of course."

Ryooko sat back in her chair. "Kami-sama! I should've realised . . .!"

She covered her mouth. "Blood-relations?" the driver wondered.

"On the father's side. That's why their birth records don't have a father listed. They're illegitimate, but . . . " Her eyes narrowed as all the implications sank in. "Oh, yes! It all makes sense now! I can see why Moroboshi-sama chose to leave Tomobiki. If Onii-san got wind of this . . . "

"Much less Moroboshi-sama's ex-parents?"

"Indeed," the heiress of the Mendou clan fortune replied. "As soon as they head off, let's go home. I might want to visit Toranoseishin Finances, but I want to do it without alerting Onii-san. Given how much Moroboshi-sama's clearly changed, if my brother does something foolish with those girls as a way of provoking Moroboshi-sama into a fight, especially with Lum gone . . . "

"That's a frightening thought, Young Mistress."

"Yes. And it's best to see to it that does NOT happen."

"Hai!"

* * *

"Ataru-chan! You're back!"

"Hiya, Tampopo-chan!" Ataru grinned, hopping off the road train before he shared an embrace with the proprietor of Nerima's newest eatery a half-hour later. "Hai, I came back finally! You remember Onee-chan, don't you?!"

"Indeed, I do!" Tampopo gently grasped Negako's hand and gave it a firm squeeze. "Thanks for bringing him back in one piece, Negako-san! I'd be put off if he didn't survive the tortures you planned for him."

Negako lightly smiled. "It was required."

Ataru indicated his sisters, doing the introductions. Shirayuki produced a wrapped box for the older chef containing rare spices and food mixes the younger chef prepared for this occasion. Everyone then headed inside as the Toranoseishin driver guided the road train into an empty lot to get it out of traffic. As everyone sat down in three conjoining booths, Tampopo and Ataru gazed on Ranma. "You were pretty quick to pick up a new one after I left," he mused before staring with exaggerated annoyance at their host. "Why?! Didn't I provide enough entertainment for you when we were living in Tomobiki?!"

Laughter filled the room. "No. In many ways, Ranma-chan here's in the same boat you were in back in Tomobiki," Tampopo replied as she glanced in amusement at the transformed martial artist. "Usual, Ranma-chan?"

Ranma nodded, taking her place at the counter. "Hai, please. And make it quick so I can try to duck Ataru's verbal bombardments."

More laughter echoed from the others. Haruka and Kaho sat to both sides of Ranma. Negako and Ataru placed themselves in the booths, allowing the other sisters to surround them. Orders were made, and then they relaxed. Ranma glanced at Negako. "So you're the grandmaster of your Art, eh? I've never heard of Saikoo Jinseijitsu-ryuu before. Is it an in-family sort of thing?"

"It is," Negako said. "Traditionally, only members of the Moroboshi Clan may practice it. However, certain exceptions can be made in special circumstances. Happoosai, for example. I taught him several things when we first met in Sendai in the thirtieth year of Emperor Mutsuhito. He used that to serve as the base for what he eventually called 'Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu.'"

Ranma's eyes widened as her mind did a calculation. The sisters giggled. "Eighteen-ninety-two?! You don't look a day over twenty! How . . .?!"

Sakuya smirked. "You wouldn't believe how old Onee-sama is."

Negako pointed to herself. "I do not recall the day the seed that became my sentience was forged, but it was during the reign of Emperor Mitsuhito. I myself became sentient in the twenty-ninth year of Emperor Tomohito when my host at the time was forced to absorb an entity like myself from the War Lord of the Hana Clan after he was killed in a storm. When the two parts that became me merged as one, I 'woke up.' However, it was not until Ataru was in the sixth year of being my latest host that I was given the body I have now."

"Are you some sort of kami?" Ranma wondered.

"You might think of Aneki here as Earth's first-ever non-corporeal artificial intelligence. Though she was created by magic and psionics, not any sort of computer technology," Rinrin provided with a warning finger.

"Wow!" Ranma stared anew at Negako. "And you know Jijii?!"

"Yes, I do. I also know Kelun. How is she, anyway?"

"Um . . . well, she's okay, I guess. How'd you meet her?"

"Our clan is allied to the Nujiézú, though it has not, as yet, become a blood-alliance. Kelun knew one of my previous hosts -- Ataru's grandmother Nagaiwakai, to be exact -- for a very long time."

"Oh!" Ranma sensed that, by the looks on the sisters' faces, Nagaiwakai was no longer among the living. "Sorry to hear that. If you're going to stick around, I'm sure Jijii and the Elder would love to see you again."

Negako seemed to smile. "Happy would be pleased to see me, I am more than sure. Kelun would believe that Ataru had totally lost his mind in allowing someone such as myself to have my freedom."

"Eh?"

"What Onee-chan's trying to say is that between the time she 'woke up' and when she did get free of my head, she tried her damnedest to get control of her host's body by whatever means possible," he said. "But then again, should we be surprised? She was treated like a slave when she was non-corporeal and . . . well, you know the history of the American Civil War and how that started."

Ranma nodded. "Yeah, I can see that."

"Here we go, everyone!" Tampopo called out.

Everyone perked as the chef brought in a large tray. Along with the beefbowls and other snacks was a kettle of hot water. "Here you go, Ranma-chan," Tampopo declared. "I think you'd want to change back to normal, eh?"

The chef handed the kettle to the martial artist before moving to distribute the food to her other customers. "You're the greatest, Tampopo-chan." Ranma scooped up the kettle, and then poised it over herself.

People gaped in shock as Ranma seemed to grow forty centimetres and gain twenty kilograms all at once. Mamoru whistled. "Whoa!"

"That's impossible!" Rinrin asserted.

"It's magic, Rinrin-chan. Very ancient magic at that. And yes, it IS possible," Chikage corrected the young inventor.

"Kusun!"

Eyes locked on Aria. "Kusun!" The young Parisian stared wide-eyed at Ranma, lips trembling as wild fear flashed in her amethyst eyes. Seeing her panic, he paled, and then he grabbed a glass of cold water on Tampopo's food tray. "Kusun!" Aria burbled as Ranma doused himself with the water to transform back. She then glanced expectantly at Aria. The young girl blinked before a calm smile crossed her face. "Nee-ya." She beamed, reaching for a tablecloth so she could wipe Ranma's hair clean. "Nee-ya is all wet."

Ranma lightly smiled. "Sorry about that, Aria-chan," she apologised. "I didn't mean to freak you out when I changed."

Aria gazed on her nonplussed before she returned to her chair. Ranma watched her, and then she gave Ataru a "What's with HER?!" look. Ataru shook his head, shrugging in return. Seeing that, Ranma sighed before blinking on feeling Tampopo's hand on her shoulder. She stared at the chef, and then she nodded before scooping up her chopsticks to dig in. "Itadakimasu!"

"Itadakimasu!" the others chimed.

* * *

"Gone?"

Cologne shuddered as she tried to focus in on the intensive ki nexuses she initially perceived a half-hour before. Whoever, WHATEVER, one of them were, it outstripped both her and Happoosai when it came to experience, not to mention Ranma in potential. Trying to keep track of it as she was monitoring lunch, the elder lost the trail when it stopped near the Nerima train station.

What was worrisome was that whatever this newcomer was, she (the Nujiézú elder believed the newcomer was female) was accompanied by a man whose ki levels were on par, though his experience was minuscule. Even more, Ranma had met them at the train station. As to what Ranma was doing down by the station, Cologne had no idea. Then again, given the sheer metamorphosis her "son-in-law" had experienced under Tampopo's guidance over the last month, it was hard if not nearly impossible to predict what was going through the poor lad's head.

A tired sigh escaped her. It was now QUITE obvious everyone's pushing on Ranma was about to provoke an explosion at the level the battle with Saffron unleashed. Thank the heavens Kasumi, Nabiki and Happoosai had decided to back off and let the boy try to decide what life he actually wanted to live. And Cologne couldn't disagree. The time HAD come for Ranma to take control of his life. If it wasn't worries about the fiancées, it was dealing with the effects of Genma's training. If it wasn't trying to evolve a relationship with Nodoka, it was worrying about when the next odd thing might come to challenge Ranma.

Privately, Cologne concluded before the Mount Phoenix battle that pushing for a marriage between Shampoo and Ranma was out of the question. Regardless of the feelings he might have for the Tendou girl, to force Ranma into the world of the Nujiézú would, after all he had been through, be inhumane. Yes, Nujiézú laws were harsh and tilted to uphold the female, but Cologne's native society wasn't as absolutist as what the idiots running the "People's Republic" out of Beijing's Zhongnáhai governed. There were escape valves built into all the Nujiézú laws, even the combat-for-marriage and the Kiss of Death laws.

Ranma needed them. Cologne knew Shampoo was too headstrong to accept Ranma didn't want her as a wife. If Cologne spoke up against it these days, however, Shampoo would charge on ahead. No, to deflect Shampoo away required the help of the Council. Sadly, Mist's letter to Shampoo showed that Cologne's fellow elders didn't appreciate the danger bringing Ranma to the village could present. However, after Ranma's victory over Saffron, she was confidant that even the conservatives on the Council would go along with her reasoning.

After all, to actually bring in a potentially unstable male who had killed an IMMORTAL of all things into the Nujiézú . . .?!

* * *

"Damn! I'm sorry about that, Ranma. I didn't realise Aria-chan would find it so hard to accept seeing you as a guy."

"Hey, it's cool!" Both stood close to the washroom doors at the back of the restaurant. "Though I gotta admit, I am curious about why she freaked out THAT much. Doesn't she get out as much as possible or she autistic?"

Ataru shook his head. "Oh, I don't think it's an actual medical problem. Aria-chan's main problem is that she's been sheltered almost all her life. Even when her parents left her behind at Welcome House on the island, they left a governess behind to keep an eye on her. Aria-chan's never done much in the way of normal kid things; her governess won't allow it."

"She's spoiled, you mean?"

"Yeah, she is, but I do care for her, so I can make myself bend for her." Ataru winked, holding up a finger as he grinned.

"I suppose I can do that, too," Ranma responded with a chuckle, and then she sighed. "They're so beautiful, Ataru. You're really lucky, you know."

Ataru rolled his eyes. "They're the lucky ones. They didn't have to put up with Muchi or Kinshou while they were growing up."

"Yeah, Tampopo-chan told me about the crap they pulled on you. Shit, it was like listening about a mirror version of my parents."

"Are they bad?"

Ranma smirked. "Well, when it comes to greed, Kinshou and Oyaji probably came straight out of the same school." She knew not to address that particular woman by the appellation "your mom" in front of Ataru. "And given how much Tampopo-chan told me Muchi bends for his wife . . . cripes, it's like Mom can be around Oyaji at times. Though I think Mom's trying to be better."

"Well, maybe you'll get something out of it in the long run." Ataru then blinked as Negako approached them. "Onee-chan?"

"Is there something wrong?" Ranma wondered.

Negako clasped her hands behind her back. "Ranma, would you consent to having yourself temporarily locked as a woman today?"

Ranma's eyes went wide. Before a flat-out denial roared up her throat, she paused. Why was she getting so angry? Negako had just ASKED her about locking the curse in place, temporarily at that. She hadn't done like Cologne or Herb had done in the past and FORCED a lock on her. All she could do if she wanted to was say "no" in the end. "Why do you want to do that?" she asked.

"For your convenience. And your safety." Negako seemed to smile. "You have taken note of Aria's reaction to your transformation. I sense Hinako and Kaho might want to 'experiment' with cold and hot water to see you change, most likely for the fascination factor. And I believe you would not wish to arouse Rinrin's curiosity in that matter. She can be dogged in her determination to fully understand something that defies all logical, scientific explanation."

"Oh, one of those types who doesn't believe in magic, huh?"

"Rinrin has her doubts." Negako then shrugged. "It is somewhat surprising, given that Chikage is her half-sister."

"Right!" Ranma shuddered. "How can you do that?"

"You have some background energy from your exposure to the Chiisui-ton and the Kaisui-fuu within you," the grandmaster explained. "What I would do is use some ki to enhance the Chiisui-ton's influence to the point where it would be no different than if you were just splashed by water from it. When you wish the curse to revert to 'normal' mode, I take the energy away from you."

"Sounds simple," Ranma mused before she stared at Ataru. "Are Hinako-chan and Kaho-chan gonna get upset if they splash me and I don't change?"

"Let me worry about them," Ataru assured her.

* * *

"Akane-chan, are you alright?"

Akane sighed, gazing on Asano Sayuri and Tokoro Yuka, the two people who had been the closest to her since the start of high school. They were enjoying some fresh hamburgers courtesy of the district's lone American hamburger yatai owner, Yamada Fred, in Hikarigaoka Park. "Not really," she confessed.

"Is it because of Ranma?" Sayuri wondered.

The youngest Tendou nodded. "Yeah."

"What are you going to do, Akane-chan?" Yuka asked.

"Why don't you just dump him and get it over with, Akane-chan?!" Sayuri proposed. Almost right from the beginning, she, who had actually known Akane pretty much since kindergarten, hadn't really approved of her friend's iinazuke. "After all, if he was damned willing to say you weren't engaged to him anymore, it's obvious that he really doesn't care for you."

Akane shook her head. "Th-that's not true. Ranma DOES care for me. It's just that . . . " She paused, biting her lip before she sighed. "He doesn't care for me like he did before this all started."

"What do you mean?" Yuka asked.

Akane explained what Ranma had told her, Ukyou and Shampoo the previous night. Hearing that, the others blinked, exchanged a look, and then they turned back to Akane. "Well, maybe he's got a point, Akane-chan," Yuka mused. Unlike Sayuri, Yuka had always tried to keep a more positive attitude when it came to discussing Akane's relationship with Ranma. "I mean, given all the dumb things his father did to him while they were on their training trip . . . well, if it happened to me, I'd be ROYALLY pissed! And he said he didn't want it to wind up with Ukyou and Shampoo becoming roonin and you being engaged to Kunou or some other fool like that. That's a good point . . . "

Sayuri shook her head. "Forget it! Ranma's being a typical man, no different than Kunou. He doesn't care what Akane-chan feels whatsoever. He doesn't care that everything he does -- Hell! Everything he's DONE since he came here! -- has hurt her! Oh, no! That's just not right!" she finished in a mock-gasp. "The whole world's GOT to revolve around Mister Super-Macho Saotome Ranma! No one else!" She then wagged her finger at Akane. "If you want to really hang onto the guy, Akane-chan, you better assert yourself real fast!"

Yuka nodded. "Yeah, you seemed able to do that beforehand."

"I don't think it'll work now," Akane admitted. "There's something about the big fight at the doojou I didn't tell you about."

"Being?" Sayuri wondered.

Akane sighed. "When everyone got to fighting everyone else, Ranma used his dad's Umisen-ken technique and ducked out. I went after him. Found him on the bridge over the river where he normally goes to when he wants to be alone. I told him no one was going to stop fighting over him because it WAS him they were fighting for. And then he said . . . " She paused. "He said that it was their problem now. He didn't care what happened to them. We could've DIED for all he cared at that point! And hearing that, I got angry . . . "

Sayuri nodded. "And you nailed him with your mallet, right?"

Akane nodded, the image of the incensed look Ranma gave her that day flashing through her mind. "Yes. And the mallet exploded when it hit his head, Sayuri-chan. He didn't feel it. Not at all."

The other girls' eyes widened. "No w-way," Yuka sputtered.

"You've always hurt him with that!" Sayuri asserted.

"It didn't affect him then," Akane noted. "And the LOOK he gave me . . . " She shuddered, a chill warping through her. "Gods, I never thought he'd ever get THAT angry at me!" She shook her head. "For the first time, I was SCARED of him! I never felt that before because of Ranma! I . . . "

Her voice failed, and then she threw up her hands helplessly. "Did he try to hurt you, Akane-chan?" Sayuri wondered.

"No! He didn't! He . . . " Akane shook her head again before looking down. "He just looked at me. Then he said 'Fine.' Then he walked away. And that was the last time I saw him until he brought Ukyou's yatai back."

"And that's when he said you weren't engaged to him anymore when you called him a pervert, right?" Yuka asked.

"Yes. And that's when we also found out that he'd mastered Dad's Demon Head and Ryouga-kun's Shishi Hookoodan attack . . . " Akane sighed. "I couldn't believe it when I saw him do THAT! I never thought Ranma of all people would feel depressed enough to use one of THEM on Dad!"

"You m-mean he h-hit your f-father with a-a ki blast?!" Sayuri stammered.

"Yes!"

"Why didn't your dad throw him out of the house?!" Yuka wondered.

"I think it's because Dad realises Ranma won't give him any more chances. If he tries to throw Ranma out of the house, Ranma will walk away from us once and for all. Ranma told Kasumi-neechan and Nabiki-neechan that he didn't respect Dad anymore! I guess he sees Dad as being no different than Uncle! He . . . " She shook her head. "Would you believe he even called Dad a PIMP?!"

"You're kidding!" Yuka blurted.

"It's true! He says that Dad was a pimp because he was treating us like his property, trying to sell us off to the highest bidder!"

Considering that, Yuka hummed. "Maybe he's right."

"Come ON!" Sayuri snapped. "Can't you see what's going on?! All Saotome's trying to do is hurt Akane-chan by going after her dad!"

"Yeah, but don't you think pressing an arranged marriage between Ranma and Akane-chan in spite of all the trouble they've had is smart?! Especially now?! And Ranma IS trying to help Ukyou and Shampoo, too. He respects what they're going through. Hell, I think he's always respected that, but he didn't know what to do about it until the wedding pretty forced the whole issue!"

Sayuri shook her head. Yuka pressed on, "And look what he's done. He's found Ukyou's yatai, got it working again, and then he returned it to her. He's earned money to help repair the house and pay back the hospitality Akane-chan's family gave him. Hell, he even GAVE Kasumi and Nabiki money so they can go to university without getting a student loan! That's decent of him, don't you think?!" She then shook her head. "It's not his fault that Ukyou's dad and Shampoo's tribe are being a bunch of total lunkheads about this!"

"Oh?" Sayuri turned to stare at Akane. "Akane-chan, if Saotome gave you five million yen to go to university, would you take it?"

"I . . . " Akane sighed. "I don't know. I mean, if he did it to help me start my own life, I COULD understand it. Then again, Dad might say he was buying his way out of the engagement. And . . . " She shuddered. "What if Dad was right? If Ranma gave me money, would I ever see him again? I . . . "

Akane shrugged. Sayuri sighed. "Akane-chan, you better do something to put Saotome in his place sooner or later, or he's gonna leave you high and dry and you'll get NOTHING to pay you back for all the crap he's caused you!" She wagged her finger at her friend. "Trust me on this one, girl! Don't let him get away with this! If you do, you'll be the one hurt by it at the end!"

Akane gazed on her before slowly nodding.

* * *

"Hina's sorry."

A sniffing Hinako got a bemused smile from Ranma in the wake of the former splashing the latter with hot water to see her transform into a man. The others stood around her, Ataru keeping a supportive hand on his youngest sister's shoulder. Aria handed Ranma a tablecloth to dry herself. "It's okay, Hinako-chan," the martial artist replied as she leaned down to stare into the young girl's eyes. "I know you're kinda curious, but I just wasn't in the mood to get splashed again and again. That REALLY gets tiring after a while. 'Sides," -- she indicated Aria -- "Aria-chan didn't like it when she saw me change, remember? Don't you want to keep your sister happy?"

Hinako gazed on her, and then she smiled, nodding. "What does it feel like, anyway?" Rinrin wondered. "I mean, when you change?"

Ranma sighed as everyone else relaxed at the tables and booths. This time, Aria sat closest to her. Hinako sat in Ataru's lap. "Well, I dunno. It's really hard to describe and all that, but . . .!" She paused. "When the water hits you, you just feel WRONG for a second. Your sense of balance goes nuts 'cause the heavy parts of the body are different between a guy and a girl. If you're in a fight, your strength fades, but your speed picks up automatically because you're in a lighter body that can move faster. Then . . . " She paused again. "The wrongness fades and then you feel so RIGHT. That THIS is the shape you should be in. And that's the scary part! At least it was for me for a real long time, Rinrin-chan. But now . . . " She shrugged.

"You just got used to it," Sakuya finished.

"Yeah! In fact . . . " Ranma impishly smiled. "I can get loads of free ice cream and other snacks when I'm looking like this!"

"Aria likes ice cream."

"Ice cream! Ice cream!" Hinako chanted.

The others laughed. "So being a girl's not so bad in the end, eh?" Mamoru wondered, crossing her hands behind her head.

Ranma sighed. "I dunno. I mean, I was born a boy. And for a long time, Oyaji was on my case about actin' like a boy. Every time I complained about something, he always said 'Stop acting like a whiny girl! You're a man!'"

Rinrin sneered. "I haven't met him yet, but I hate him already!"

Karen shook her head. "You can say that again."

Mamoru laughed. "Hey, Anii! Why don't you tell Anee about what Zephyrites do to jerks who abuse their children?"

Ranma stared at the young sportswoman. First Hinako, then Aria and now Mamoru were calling her "big sister." Yeah, she looked like a girl, but they knew of her curse even if Aria had a lot of trouble trying to fully accept it. Why were they doing that? Even more, why was she NOT raising a fit about it? Yes, if Aria looked on her as "Nee-ya," that was okay. But still . . .

"Yeah, maybe Genma might actually benefit from facing Zephyrite justice." Ataru smirked before his voice went cold. "For the few seconds he'll remain alive once he's lead into the excommunication chamber."

Ranma jolted. "Eh?!"

"On Zephyrus, child abuse and abandonment are considered serious crimes, Ranma," Ataru explained. "Wilful child abuse is always punished by death on that planet. Wilful child abandonment is treated the same way. And trust me on this one, Ranma: Capital punishment -- it's called 'excommunication' there -- is not something for the faint-hearted." He wagged his finger at her.

Ranma considered that before she chuckled. "Yeah, I guess if he heard that, Oyaji might have cause to think. Then again . . . " She scratched her cheek. "Thinking's never been his real strong suit."

The others laughed.

* * *

The party continued.

Ranma was apprised of the sisters' histories, interests and how they reacted to learning they were related to Ataru. As the morning lead into the afternoon, Ranma proposed a cooking contest between Tampopo and Shirayuki. Sensing she was being good-natured about it, the chefs readily agreed.

For fairness, Ranma and Negako were made the judges; Ataru didn't want to be put into a position to judge between one of his half-sisters and one of the few friends he had. Four dishes were selected: Shrimp beefbowl, ramen, kalbit'ang and vegetable okonomiyaki. To make it more interesting, all dishes were to be prepared simultaneously. Tampopo would use her stove inside her restaurant while Shirayuki would use the mobile kitchen. To ensure the test wasn't disturbed, the CLOSED sign was hung on the door.

And they were off! Everyone remained quiet as Mamoru handled timekeeping. The kalbit'ang would take the longest, about three hours or so.

The ramen came first. Ranma was surprised to discover that Shirayuki put in some cut red peppers to spice the broth. Tampopo's was more traditional Hakata-style ramen, which did well to cool her mouth off.

Next was the beefbowl. Shirayuki fried her shrimp in sesame oil while Tampopo used barbecue sauce and butter.

Sometime after came the okonomiyaki. Tampopo was a greens lover, while Shirayuki made use of carrots, red peppers and sesame seeds in the batter.

Finally, by the time the sun was setting past the mountains to the west, the kalbit'ang was served. Shirayuki slipped in some clear vermicelli noodles in her broth while Tampopo put in finely cut rice cakes in hers.

Result?

Well, we'll let you guess.

* * *

"Yes, Ranma-kun, I understand! We'll see you tonight. 'Bye."

Kasumi hung up as Nabiki stepped into the sitting room. "What'd he call about, Onee-chan?" the latter asked as she sat at the table.

"Ranma-kun won't be home until late tonight," Kasumi reported as she relaxed by the table. "Turns out, he's made some friends today and he wants to spend time with them. Some of them came up from an island in the Sagami Sea to visit their brother and older sister. They'll be staying in Nerima for a while. By the sounds of it, most of Ranma-kun's new friends are girls."

Nabiki perked. "Really? Well, that's a switch! Are any of them unknown fiancées Uncle hasn't bothered to tell us about yet?"

Kasumi smiled. "No, Ranma-kun made sure of that."

"What girls?"

Both turned to see Akane step into the sitting room. "Oh, Ranma-kun called to tell us he won't be back until late tonight," Kasumi repeated her report. "He's made some new friends, including some girls he's met."

Akane sighed. "Oh? What sort of girls are we talking about here, anyway?" She crossed her arms. "If they become more fiancées, maybe we should take Ranma up on his suggestion and ask him to leave!"

Kasumi gasped, staring at her. "Akane! What was THAT about?!"

Akane shook her head as she headed to her room, not bothering to answer. Kasumi and Nabiki watched her go before exchanging a look. "I think Asano and Tokoro were pouring things into our sister's mind today," the latter mused.

"Sayuri-chan and Yuka-chan? Why would they do that?"

"Sayuri's never been a fan of Ranma-kun's whatsoever, Onee-chan. I'm not too sure about Yuka. And given some of the things Ranma-kun's been saying as of late, if Akane starts putting her friends' suggestions into practice . . . "

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. Kasumi's eyes widened. "Oh, my!"

* * *

"So you guys are gonna stay in Tomobiki tonight?"

"We'll be alright, Onii-sama," Sakuya replied with a chuckle as the sisters gathered by the doorway. "Don't worry about it. We'll keep away from the loons you had to deal with when you were living there."

Ataru sighed in obvious relief. "Okay."

"Tampopo-san, are you sure you can obtain use of this old shrine you wanted Anigimi-sama and Anegimi-sama to stay in?" Haruka asked.

"It's no problem," Tampopo replied with a nod. "Even if some people have been keeping the building itself in good shape, it has been desecrated by what the last priest who lived there did. I doubt there'll be any problems with the local priests." An impish shrug then twitched her shoulder. "At the same time, there might be ghosts there; at least, that's what the neighbours say!"

"Hina doesn't like ghosts!" Hinako moaned.

"Do not concern yourself with that, Hinako," Negako declared as she knelt beside the youngest sister. "If there are disobedient spirits in residence, Ataru, Chikage and I will deal with them soundly and thoroughly."

Hearing that, Hinako beamed, waving her hands. "Yay! Onii-tama, Onee-tama and Chikage-chan will make the ghosts go away!"

Everyone giggled. "It's been a pleasure to meet you, Onee-sama," Sakuya stated as she gently gripped Ranma's hand. "I'm so glad you're willing to be Onii-sama's friend. Onii-sama really needs them these days."

Ranma chuckled. "I need 'em, too! 'Sides, any friend of Tampopo's -- and family of same, of course! -- is always a friend of mine!"

"Nee-sama?"

"What is it, Shirayuki-chan . . . EH?!"

Shirayuki handed Ranma a large, wrapped bentou box. "This is Hime's present for Nii-sama's new friend," the chef announced. "Some bentous for Nee-sama, Nee-sama's mother and Nee-sama's friends Kasumi-san and Nabiki-san, plus some spices and soup mixes for Kasumi-san."

"I . . .!" Ranma beamed. "Thanks, Shirayuki-chan!"

The bentou box was handed over. Ranma then felt her free hand grasped by Karen for a moment. "It's alright, Onee-chan." The latter leaned up to whisper into the former's ear, "We all understand. Even Aria-chan."

She joined the others. "Gambatte, Onee-chama!" Kaho called out as she waved her pom-poms before the sisters headed out to board the road train -- it minus the mobile kitchen -- for the trip back to Tomobiki.

Ranma waved. "See you tomorrow, girls!"

"Bye-bye, Nii-ya. Nee-ya. Nee-ya," Aria called out as the driver guided the vehicle away from Tampopo's.

Ataru, Ranma, Tampopo and Negako watched them go. "You got a nice family, Ataru. You know that?" Ranma mused, staring at him.

"I keep reminding myself of that every day," he replied, winking back at her before he waved her inside. "C'mon, let's have some tea before you go home. You don't want Shirayuki-chan's bentou to spoil, ne?"

"Good point," she noted with a laugh as they headed inside.

* * *

"So what're you and Negako-san here gonna do now?"

Ataru stretched. "Get a hotel room." Tampopo was clearing the teacups. "If we're gonna be here, I'll get Reigi to have me registered at your school. Even if high school isn't mandatory, I don't want to twiddle my thumbs."

"Yeah, you'll be a real hit with the principal," Ranma mused with a snort, nodding to Ataru's beard and ponytail-styled hair.

"Oh?" His eyebrow arched before a knowing look crossed his face. "Sounds like you can give some advice about what I could expect."

"I could."

She rose. "We'll chat some more about it tomorrow, okay?!" he promised.

"Right on! I'll be here. 'Night, everyone!"

Ranma left, heading back to the Tendou home. Ataru and Negako shifted themselves back to the counter so they could talk to Tampopo. "You know, you don't have to go to the expense of getting a hotel, minshuku or ryokan room. I've got room here if you want to stay," Tampopo proposed.

"Would you mind?" Ataru asked.

"For my real friends, not to mention my favourite customer?! Of course not!" Tampopo chuckled for a moment before sobering. "It's good that you came, Ataru-chan. I'm starting to get worried about Ranma-chan. Even if I've been helping him get some control over his life, it's not enough. If I didn't know better, I'd swear he was a combat soldier just back from World War Two."

"Even with the 'break' you have given her, she shows signs of combat fatigue." Negako sipped her tea. "Perhaps her battle with Saffron and its aftermath was the right impetus. Unless she alters her strategy concerning her rivals soon, she will lose control of herself. Given her skill and experience, it could easily result in the deaths of many of those she cares for."

Ataru stared at her. "Are you saying Ranma's really a girl?"

"When she was first immersed in the Niángniquán at Zhòuquán-xiang, she did not revert to her birth-form until twenty minutes afterward," Negako reported. "Given the mental damage she sustained because of the Neko-ken training, the psychological change Zhòuquán-xiang's power unleashes in that instance could not latch on. Ranma could withstand that transformation indefinitely," -- she then gazed at Ataru -- "But what if she finds herself in a less stable situation emotionally than what she possesses now?"

His lips twisted into a frown. "Oh, terrific."

* * *

"Tadaima!"

"Oh, Ranma-kun! Okaeri nasai!" Kasumi looked up from the sitting room table. She then blinked on seeing the wrapped bentou box in the transformed martial artist's hands. "Oh! What do you have, Ranma-kun?!"

Ranma sat down. "Gifts from a new friend I made today, Kasumi."

She opened the box. Reaching in, she pulled out a smaller box, this one with a note bearing Kasumi's name. The box that followed also had Kasumi's name. The next one had Nabiki's. The next was marked NEE-SAMA'S MOTHER. The last, NEE-SAMA. "Oh, my!" Kasumi whispered as she opened the first box, and then she gaped on seeing the spice bottles and soup mix. "This is so sweet!"

Ranma smirked. "Yeah, Shirayuki-chan is that!"

"'Shirayuki?!'"

"Oh, yeah! I met twelve girls today who turn out to be half-sisters. They got the same father, you see. They came up here to meet their older half-brother and adopted sister." She then smirked. "Would you believe that their older brother is none other than Moroboshi Ataru himself?"

"Moroboshi Ataru . . .?" Kasumi's voice trailed off, her eyes widening in disbelief. "You mean from Tomobiki? THAT Moroboshi Ataru?!"

Ranma nodded. "The very same! He's a pretty okay guy . . . "

Kasumi touched her lips with a warning finger to cut off her voice. "Ranma-kun," the oldest Tendou daughter whispered. "You don't know this, but Nabiki-chan is very interested in finding Ataru-kun, especially now that poor Oni girl is dead and people in Tomobiki are taking the news of her death very badly. I really don't think Ataru-kun would appreciate that. Would you?"

Ranma sighed. "Gotcha. She got this room bugged?"

Kasumi smiled. "No, I made sure of that."

Footsteps. "Oh, Ranma! There you are!" Nodoka called out before noticing the bentou box. "Oh, my! Where did you get this, Ranma?"

"One of my new friends made it special, Mom. Here you go."

"Thank you!" Nodoka then quickly noticed the note. "'Nee-sama?' Don't tell me you were as a girl when you met them!"

"Y-yeah, I was!" Ranma stuttered. "You know how I am with puddles and all that. I . . . " She stopped, her eyes widening. "Oh, no!"

Kasumi perked. "Is there something wrong, Ranma-kun?"

Ranma sighed, slapping her forehead. "I forgot!"

Nodoka tensed. "Forgot what?"

"One of the girls I met today is named Aria. She's about ten, I think. I changed back into a guy in front of her and she REALLY freaked out about it, Mom. So Aria's older sister Negako -- Mom, she's one heck of a martial artist! BELIEVE me at that! -- offered to lock my curse in case Aria or one of her other sisters freaked out again in case hot water hit me! You know how it is!"

Nodoka blinked. "And you had it locked?"

"Yeah, I did . . .!" Ranma chuckled, staring apologetically at her. "And I forgot to ask Negako to unlock it when I left her tonight!"

Kasumi covered her mouth to hide her smile. "Oh, dear! That's awful!"

Ranma scratched her head. "It's okay! I can go see her tomorrow and get it fixed! After all, it isn't like I've never been locked before." She waved Kasumi down before noticing the look on Nodoka's face. "Hey, Mom! You okay?"

"I . . .!" Nodoka nodded. "No. Much that I prefer my son to stay as my son, you did act out of profound concern for a girl's well being. I guess that's why Aria's relatives decided to address you as 'big sister' like on this note. That was a manly thing to do. In the meantime, you best hide those bentous. Your father's been acting surly because you've been gone all day."

"Um . . .!" Ranma stared askance at her. "Yeah, you're right, especially since one was made for Nabiki."

"Good point. Anyhow, I'm going to bed."

"Alright. 'Night, Mom."

Nodoka headed upstairs. Ranma watched her, and then she sighed, staring at her bentou. "Are you alright, Ranma-kun?" Kasumi asked.

Ranma gazed on the oldest Tendou daughter. "It's nothing, Kasumi." A pause. "I just wish Mom would stop bothering me about being 'manly.' I mean, what's 'manly' about being forced into three engagements at the same time?"

"She is trying to understand what you're going through, Ranma-kun."

"Can she?" Ranma wondered. "Kasumi, today, I met someone who probably would understand me much better than anyone I know. You wanna know something? When his parents got on his case once too often, he walked away from them, once and for all time. And he feels a lot better doing that, believe it or not." A pause. "I don't hate Mom, Kasumi. I really don't. And in a way, I don't hate Oyaji either. But I am really getting sick and tired of being treated like a brainless fool because they're my parents. And what's worse, they don't even realise what they're doing to me. And I HATE that, Kasumi! I really do!"

Kasumi gazed on her. "I can't blame you for that, Ranma-kun." She looked down at the bentou boxes. "Being forced to live under a virtual death-threat from your own mother would hurt a lot."

"Damn right it does. Wanna know something? If I can't do anything to help Akane, Ukyou and Shan -- or if Oyaji does something to make things worse -- walking away from him and Mom once and for all doesn't look so bad now."

"Let's hope it doesn't go that far," Kasumi lamented.

* * *

To be continued . . .