"Masaka," Nabiki muttered as she gathered her school things. "I'm not going to have much time before class today." "Considering yesterday, a little oversleeping is not too unexpected," Kasumi said. "I'm going to have Ranma stay home, but I think Akane should go to school." "Probably a good idea," Nabiki said after a little hesitation. Then she paused and turned to Kasumi. "Kasumi, I'm worried about you." "Worried about me?" Kasumi blinked. "What is there to worry about me?" "Just try to get some rest," Nabiki said. "Please?" "If you insist," Kasumi said hesitantly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Akane had not noticed Ranma waking up all night, much to Akane's surprise as she blinked awake from the sunlight filtering in. She briefly panicked, thinking that Ranma's sleep was something more permanent. It was quickly obvious that Ranma was just physically exhausted from the stress of the day before. "Akane?" Kasumi's voice was accompanied by the sound of a light knock on her door. Akane sat up, careful not to disturb Ranma, and walked to the door as Kasumi knocked again. "Is something wrong?" Akane asked quietly as she cracked open the door. "No," Kasumi said. "I just wanted to ask you to go school without Ranma today." Akane squinted in combined confusion and leftover sleepiness. She looked back at Ranma and then stepped into the hall, closing the door behind her. "Of course Ranma needs to stay home today," Akane said. "But you want me to leave him here alone?" Kasumi sighed. "Akane, since Ranma was raped," she started carefully, "how much time has he spent apart from you?" Akane stared blankly, trying to figure out the point. "He's depending on you for everything." "He needs..." Akane started. "Akane, do you want a spouse, or a child?" Kasumi asked. "Because that is what Ranma will be if he doesn't stop running and letting people control his life." "Do you think Ranma would really let me tell him what to do?" Akane demanded. "Yes," Kasumi said. "I think he would." "But the duel?" Akane said. "That was his plan." "And do you think he would have gone through with it if you had told him not to?" Kasumi asked. Akane was about to answer when the door opened behind her, and Ranma, still dressed from the day before. "No, I wouldn't," Ranma said quietly. "Thanks, but I'm going to school today." "Now wait a minute," Akane said, surprised. "If you get scared again, you could hurt somebody." "I'm going to school," Ranma said. "I don't wanna hide any more. I wanna be like Nabiki." "Now, Ranma," Kasumi started. "This ain't the Soul of Ice," Ranma snapped. "I'm going ta school!" Ranma fell against the wall and shivered. Akane was immediately at her side. "Are you sure about doing this?" Kasumi asked. "No," Ranma said quietly, "I'm...I'd rather face Herb. I'm scared." She looked at Akane. "But I'm goin'." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yuka was thinking as she walked through the Furinkan gates. She had felt restless and had left early. Sayuri might give her a lecture about leaving her to walk to school alone later, but she hadn't wanted to hang around doing nothing much longer. Something had happened to Ranma that trapped her in female form. That had happened before. This time, however, it had apparently left Ranma an emotional wreck and had all the Tendos protecting her. Thinking about it she decided that Ukyou must know what was going on as well. The chef had actively protected Ranma and Akane's privacy as much as she could. "So what happened to Ranma?" she asked herself. "Ranma Saotome is no man!" a voice shouted. Yuka looked back to see Mousse standing on the grounds behind her, attracting the attention of the few students that were already there. "She is a lying little tramp!" "Looks like a fight," someone near Yuka said. "Where's Nabiki, she's usually here by now." "You know where Ranma was two months ago?" Mousse shouted angrily. "She was in Kuno's bedroom, on her back." Yuka gasped and considered Mousse's accusation. Sayuri had always been more paranoid about such things than her, but given yesterday it was easy to put together the pieces. "Oh Kami," she whispered. "Th...that's not possible." She ran back out the gates, past where Mousse was attracting a small crowd of listeners. The crowd that was growing as more students arrived. Yuka was gone by the time Hinako stepped out of the school and saw what was happening. "Who is that guy?" chibi-Hinako asked a random student that had wandered away from the crowd. "That's Mousse," he said after a moment. "He says that Ranma slept with Kuno." "WHAT!?!" Hinako shouted angrily the student paled and quickly ran away from her. She fumbled into her pockets for a coin, ineffectively as she was overcome by anger. She missed seeing Ukyou's entrance. "MOUSSE!!!!" Ukyou shouted, taking a leap off the wall and slashing downward with her spatula. Hinako snapped a look up and gasped as she caught a good look as the enraged Ukyou began her attack on the Amazon boy. The teacher stopped looking for a coin as Ukyou chased the cackling Mousse away. "You better run, jackass!!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nabiki walked coolly along the sidewalk, casually watching over her shoulder every so often. After yesterday she was feeling a bit more paranoid than usual, her act had slipped a little. She saw Yuka coming long before the girl saw her. "What do you want?" Nabiki asked icily, still irritated over her friend's accusations the day before. Yuka jumped at the question. "Nabiki," Sayuri gasped. "Yes," Nabiki drawled. "Listen, I'm already very late..." "Was Ranma raped?" Yuka asked bluntly. Nabiki's eyes popped wide and then she grabbed the girl and slammed her against the fence. Nabiki wasn't a fighter but she still had a great deal more knowledge than Akane's friend. "Where did you hear that?" Nabiki hissed. "There's...there's a rumor..." Yuka stuttered surprised at the reaction. "About Ranma and Kuno..." "What rumor, when did this start?" Nabiki demanded. "This morning," Yuka said. "Mousse was telling...everyone that Ranma slept with Kuno...but after yesterday..." Yuka quieted down as she referred to one of Ranma's breakdowns the day before. Nabiki cursed and let go of her angrily. "Mousse," Nabiki snapped. "What does he think he's doing?" "That's what happened, isn't it," Yuka said. "Oh, kami. The poor girl." "Don't you dare do that in front of Ranma," Nabiki snapped. Yuka backed away from her. Nabiki looked back down the path, over Yuka's shoulder, and saw Ranma and Akane walking down the sidewalk towards them. "What is he doing?" Yuka turned to follow Nabiki's gaze and gasped. "She...he can't come to school," Yuka said. "They'll be all over her...him." Nabiki was already thinking along those lines. "Ranma, wait!" Nabiki called out, running back to intercept the newlyweds. Ranma paused and released her breath in frustration. "We already tried to convince him," Akane said as Nabiki ran up. "I ain't going to let anything stop me," Ranma said quietly. She turned very quiet as a pale looking Sayuri joined them. Akane regarded her with a little worry as she approached. "Don't go to school, Ranma," Nabiki insisted. "Go anywhere else, just don't go to school." As Nabiki said that, Yuka stepped forward and bowed in front of Ranma. "I'm sorry," she said, sobbing. "I'm so so sorry, I didn't know...that..." Akane and Ranma stared at her in shock. "What are you talking about?" Ranma asked turning pale. "What is going on at the school?" Akane asked nervously. "Mousse. He spread some rumors," Nabiki explained. Ranma clutched at Akane as she imagined the situation. "Please, Ranma, for your own sake, don't go to school." "This is going to be worse than you thought," Akane added. "You don't have to do this." "I have to," Ranma said, half-dazed. She shook her head and leaned closer to Akane, gripping her hand. "I gotta know if I can." "You really shouldn't go," Yuka said soothingly. She continued, speaking slowly, calmly with exaggerated care. This manner of speech drew looks from the other three. "I'm not stupid," Ranma said. "You don't have ta talk to me like a kid." "Just stay close to Akane," Nabiki said reluctantly, recognizing the determined look in Ranma's eyes. She was actually somewhat relieved. She just wished that Ranma had picked a safer day. "That's no problem," Ranma said with a shaky laugh. "I hope not," Akane said, half-seriously. "Are you ready, Ranma?" "Am I ever?" Ranma asked. She smiled hesitantly again, shifting closer to Akane. Akane brushed at Ranma's bangs and took a breath. "I'm goin'," Ranma said insistently. Yuka watched the very obvious displays of affection and support with a little shock. Ranma and Akane had been closer of late, but she had not seen them act so obviously affectionate in public. "Okay, fine," Akane said. She kissed Ranma on the forehead. "Tell me if you want to leave at any time." "Hai," Ranma said. "And neither of you say anything to anybody about it," Nabiki said. "Okay? Some answers will need to be given, but let's see what the waters look like first okay? Maybe even hold off a day or two." "Hai," Ranma repeated before they started walking down the street toward the school again. "Are they...together?" Yuka asked Nabiki in a whisper. "They're married," Nabiki said dryly. "Is that a problem?" "No, I guess not," Yuka said, glancing at the two girls walking closely together down the street. "Yuka and that pair, what are they doing?" Nabiki asked. "I don't know," Yuka said. Nabiki growled and then started following Ranma and Akane. "Great, we'll probably have a few dozen different rumors by the time we get to the end of the day," Nabiki said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mousse wasn't laughing anymore. Kuonji's strikes had been coming a lot closer than he liked. "Stay out of this, Kuonji Ukyou!" Mousse shouted. "My quarrel is with the cretins that brought lies against my darling Shampoo." "Do you think I'm stupid?" Ukyou demanded. "Or do you really believe that crap?" Mousse dodged as Ukyou's spatula sliced past him, opening his sleeve. Mousse leaped back, launching projectiles at Ukyou to slow her down, and landed on the fence. Before Ukyou could reach him, Mousse had jumped back into the canal and took wing dodging a volley of throwing spatulas. "Get back here!" Ukyou shouted. She sliced a line into the ground in anger before turning back towards the school. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "There she is now," a boy said as Ranma and Akane came through the gates. "Says she isn't interested and all this time she's doing Kuno." "Look at the way he's hanging all over Akane," a girl in another group said. "While they're both girls no less." "Did you hear Kuno's dead?" someone whispered. "I'll bet Ranma killed him to hide what they did." "You know Shampoo hasn't been around either." "Mousse was really pissed, what if Kuno and Ranma did something to her?" "You know, we haven't seen much more than Ranma's face and hands for nearly two months now." Ranma winced every time she caught a new whisper, every time she saw another person glaring at her. She felt Akane slip a protective arm around her shoulders, and could tell the other girl was glaring at the crowd. As Akane's gaze spun around the whispering quieted down, at least the rush for the school before the bell rang was distracting them. Ranma was shaking by the time he reached the gates, and the Principal made his appearance. "Aloha, keiki!" he called as he placed himself between Ranma and the entrance. "Principal Kuno," Ranma said shakily. "Get out of our way," Akane growled. "I hear you be being a very bad keiki," he looked to Akane and examined the physical closeness of the two. Ranma shut her eyes tight and cricked her neck as the principal gave the both of them his smile. "It seems you be needing some oh da Bid Kahuna's discipline." "You're one to talk about discipline!" Akane snapped as she lashed out and slammed the principal into the nearest wall. "Good form, Akane," Nabiki said, giving a slight applause as she came up behind. She glanced around at the attentive masses. "Come on, the bell's about to ring." They walked over the unconscious form of the principal, trying to ignore the mix of looks they were getting from the crowd. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ranma and Akane entered their homeroom and scanned the faces. Interestingly enough, almost all of them seemed to be tired or exhausted for some reason. Ranma swallowed nervously as she started for her desk. "Saotome-san, Tendo-san," Hinako said to their side. "Can I see the two of you out in the hall please?" The teacher, in her adult form, glanced at Yuka, who backed away to her desk next to a semi-conscious Hiroshi. "I didn't even say anything," Hiroshi groaned. "Uh, sure, teach," Ranma said with a semblance of her normal attitude. Akane tightened her grip around Ranma before they followed the chi drainer. "Can you trust her, Ranma?" Akane asked. "Where could I go if she wanted to get me?" Ranma answered quietly. "She'd follow me anywhere." They left back out into the hall where the adult Hinako was scanning the hallways and keeping an eye on her class through a slit open window. "What do you need, Hinako-sensei?" Akane asked, trying to sound friendly. "My apologies if I sound cold, this condition is not conducive to emotional responses," Hinako said. "Uh...right," Ranma clutched Akane tighter as Hinako spoke. "I must commend you, Saotome-san," Hinako spoke calmly. "Huh?" Ranma was surprised at the statement. "I've watched you putting yourself back together for weeks now," Hinako said. Ranma and Akane looked at each other. "If I were you, I would probably have returned home by now." "W..what do you mean?" Akane asked. Ranma merely turned pale and stared at Hinako. "I can see your chi," the teacher reminded him. "Why do you think I have not touched you in the last few weeks?" Ranma and Akane's eyes popped wide. "Arigato, teach," Ranma said quietly. "And why are you telling us this only now?" Akane demanded. "Because that delinquent this morning started spreading his half-truths," Hinako said simply. "Kuonji-san chased after him. If he's lucky he'll survive." "Ucchan wouldn't kill anybody," Ranma insisted. Hinako gave him a strange look. "She's not a killer." "Perhaps not," Hinako said finally. "That is not the point. The truth will have to come out eventually, you'll not be able to stop it." Ranma slumped and nodded resignedly. "My sister told us not to say anything," Akane said, hugging Ranma protectively again. "She'll have an idea." "I see," Hinako said. "I shall have to speak to your sister later, then. Now are you sure you wish to attend classes today?" "I keep telling people I'm going to stay today," Ranma said shakily. She had no idea how she was going to accomplish that, however. "We've already tried to get her to go home," Akane said. Hinako nodded and glanced down at Ranma's stomach. "Is there anything you need?" she asked looking back to Ranma's face. "Not really," Ranma said nervously, crossing her arms over her stomach, one hand still holding Akane's. "Okay then," Hinako said. "I believe we should start class then." Hinako gestured for them to enter the classroom. Ranma and Akane walked cautiously past her and moved to their seats amid the rather weary looking class. "Now everyone is aware of how I am likely to take further gossiping?" Hinako asked. There was a collection of groaning nods. Ranma and Akane glanced at each other nervously. By the time they looked back to the front of the class, Hinako had shrunken into her child like form. "OKIE DOKIE!! Now does anyone remember what homework I assigned yesterday?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Principal stood up slowly, shaking his head clear. He was mildly impressed with the amount of disorientation he was still feeling. He remembered Akane slamming him into the wall, but that didn't explain the footprints he seemed to be covered in. The principal turned about to face the doors, or tried to. He seemed to be having a little difficulty with his sense of balance. That was only a minor concern, however. Ranma Saotome was somehow responsible for his son's death, he knew it. If that Chinese keiki with all the hair were to be believed, then it seemed that the disruptive Ranma had seduced his son. The fact that his daughter hadn't seen fit to inform him of either Tacchi's exile or death was further grating. "He not gonna get away with dis," the Principal said as he finally completely cleared his head. "It 'gainst the school rules to be killing the bid Kahuna's Tacchi." "Lose one jackass, get another," someone said behind him. He turned in time to see a flash of metal before slamming into the wall again. He started to black out as that cross-dressing wahini leaned over him. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ukyou dusted off her hands as she closed the door to the school's basement. It was lucky there was a whole tropical jungle down there. "He's lucky I don't do anything more," Ukyou said wearily. She walked down the halls toward her class feeling very tired. She paused at a corner as she heard conversation between some boys. "What do you think happened?" one was asking. "I don't know. Something with Shampoo." There was a pause. "Maybe Kuno and Ranma did something to her, don't see why Mousse would be so...AHHH!!" The boy ducked low and the battle spatula passed over his head and sliced deeply in the bank of lockers. Ukyou reversed her swipe and slashed backward, forcing the other student to fall backwards away from her. She frowned as the spatula slowed down on slicing into the ground. She'd have to sharpen it soon. "What are you trying to do, kill us!" one of them shouted. There was a small crowd of other students watching the display. "Are you dead?" Ukyou asked. They stared at her in shock. "I guess not then." "All we're doing is talking." The boy in question struggled to his feet. Ukyou swiped out with her spatula, taking the boy's legs out from under him so he hit the ground again. "If I hear..." One of the onlookers started to back away, until a throwing spatula embedded itself in the wall near him. "Listen up, Jackass! I hear someone spreading Mousse's crap, I going to beat the shit out of them! Got it?" She looked around at the crowd, locking eyes with everyone she could. "What do you care?" a female voice asked. "Looks like he dropped you easy enough." A pair of spatulas whizzed by her shoulders and suddenly the girl's uniform overalls started to fall. By the time she grabbed them Ukyou was in her face. "You seem to have me mistaken for Ranma or Akane," Ukyou growled. "I don't have near the patience for jerks they do. So you want to stay off my bad side?" The girl nodded furiously. "Then leave my friends alone." Ukyou sneered at the girl and started walking down the halls again. She turned a corner at the end of the hall with the small crowd watching her warily. The lower half of the lockers Ukyou had sliced earlier fell off the wall and clanked to the ground. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Kanzo," an under detective called out, clutching a small collection of files. "We have some information on the Kuno girl." "Anything good?" Kanzo asked taking the files from the man and setting them on his desk. "She's part of the martial arts community in Nerima," the man said nodding. "So was her brother. I thought I recognized her name." "A lot of people are into the martial arts these days," Kanzo said. "All the movies and animes have stirred up interest. Anything more than that?" "No sir, you don't understand," the other detective said. "We're talking real life superheros here. You know her leap yesterday?" "I see what you mean," Kanzo said. He scanned the file on Kodachi, looking closely this time. "Kodachi is one of the weaker fighters in the area, sir." Kanzo looked up in surprise at his subordinate and then whistled. "They do a lot of property damage, but otherwise crime, with the exception of a panty thief, is almost non-existent in their neighborhood." Kodachi apparently had a history of ambushing or drugging her competitors before matches, something he wished he had known about before. The instances of such cheating stopped several months ago, soon after she had gone to the hospital after what might have been a suicide attempt. "Anything else?" Kanzo asked. "We talked to her schoolmates after she vanished yesterday," the man said. "She apparently was at one time obsessed with one of the top fighters, a Saotome Ranma. His file is there. About the same time as she was found unconscious in the locker room, she stopped bragging about how she was going to marry him. She still apparently only really talks about teasing him and his fiancee, though." "That would be her unnamed friend then?" Kanzo asked. "Or probably Saotome's fiancee, she said that her friend was forced to protect 'herself.'" "Read Saotome's file, sir," the subordinate said. Kanzo looked at him curiously and then opened up the file on Saotome. "There are pictures of two people here," Kanzo said. He scanned to the vital statistics and blinked at what it said. "Sex, both? What is this?" "Those pictures are both Saotome, sir," the subordinate explained. "He's got an honest to kami curse, turns into a girl when splashed with cold water. The thing is, The victim was obsessed with Saotome as well." Kanzo raised an eyebrow. "He was the town joke, thought Saotome was two different people. Was always trying to kill the male form and date the girl form." "Saotome is sounding more like the girl that had to defend herself," Kanzo said. His subordinate nodded. "About two months ago something really major happened to shake up their group," The man continued. "Right around the time the victim stopped attending school," Kanzo was really interested now. "What happened?" "We're not sure," the detective shrugged. "The three Chinese martial artists left town, one of them was another girl looking to marry Saotome." "Saotome again," Kanzo said. "Yes, most of the fights between their numbers involve Ranma or one of his fiancees in some way," the subordinate explained. "I checked, there is a marriage certificate between Saotome Ranma and Tendo Akane filed about the same time. Nobody has seen Saotome in male form for the last two months, and there have been no major fights in that time either. And local gossip says that when they have seen Saotome he, I guess she rather, she is never alone, and has acted depressed and skittish." "I think I should talk to Kuno-san again," Kanzo said. He didn't relish this, it was beginning to sound like his victim was the bad guy. "I almost wish I could just close the case." "Yeah, this one feels like its already finished," his subordinate said. "Wait, Saotome changes shape?" Kanzo said. His subordinate nodded. Suddenly the possibility that the owl killed a shrunken Kuno was very likely. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ranma was glad that she and Akane brought their lunches to school. There was no way she'd be able to stand in line. As it was she ate her bento in silence, keeping her eyes on either the food or Akane. They were inside this time, in a corner of the cafeteria. Ranma had her faced turned away from the mix of faces watching their group. The chattering surrounding them quieted substantially. Ranma and Akane turned around to see Ukyou approaching them with her portable grill. The tone of the crowd turned nervous as they watched the chef. Given her angry expression, they had good reason to be. Still they seemed a little more wary than should be necessary. "Sorry I missed the morning classes," Ukyou said as she sat down. "I had some business to take care of." "What happened to Mousse," Ranma asked, watching Ukyou carefully. "He turned duck and got away," Ukyou growled. "Are you okay, Ukyou?" Akane asked. "You seem a little stressed." "A problem I thought was dealt with turned up again," Ukyou said a little grumpily. "You need help?" Ranma asked. Ukyou flashed a smile at him. "I got it, sugar," Ukyou said. "By the way I took care of the Principal." "You did?" Ranma asked warily. Akane glanced at Ranma and squinted, there was something about the way Ranma talked to Ukyou at times that seemed odd recently. "He's stuck in the basement," Ukyou snickered. "Hinako-sensei said she'd check on him later." Ranma breathed a sigh of relief, unnoticed by the other two. Nabiki worked her way to them, walking faster than was usual for her. Akane noted a touch of redness about Nabiki's eyes as her sister approached. "Nabiki," Akane called out as her sister neared them. "Are you okay?" "Did you two talk to Hinako-san?" Nabiki asked. Then she added with a decidedly betrayed tone. "About me?" "She came to us," Akane said as Ranma continued to focus on her food. "She already knew somehow." "She can see chi. That's what she said," Ranma whispered. "I should have known when she started waking me up nicely." Ranma looked at Ukyou with a touch of concern and then turned back to her food. "Wait, what about you?" Ukyou said, catching up with the comment. "You mean, th...that happened to you too Nabiki?" "Yes, me," Nabiki snapped angrily as she realized that Ukyou hadn't known already. She sighed in frustration and sat down next to Ranma, putting the redhead between her and Akane. "I have to tell everybody," Ranma said quietly. "Don't I?" "It's up to you," Nabiki said after a moment. "Well telling the truth stop it?" Ranma asked. Everybody stayed quiet. "Probably not," Nabiki said. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "If...if you speak out...I will too." "You will?" Ranma said. "But...but why? I mean, who would know?" Nabiki smiled and patted Ranma's hand. "You'll need support," Nabiki said. "You think I'm going to leave you out to dry?" Ranma smiled shyly back, but seemed confused still. "Arigatou," Ranma said quietly. Akane and Ukyou watched the conversation feeling left out, and a sizable part of them was glad to be left out. The price to be included was too high. "And if anybody gives you trouble I can show them the business end of my spatula," Ukyou said. She turned toward Akane. "Right, Sugar?" "We'll always be there for you, Ranma," Akane said, leaning to speak into Ranma's ear. "Speaking of trouble," Ukyou said, bringing the quiet conversation to a pause. Akane and Nabiki turned to see their normal friends approaching from the circle of privacy the gossiping students had given them. "Get out of here," Ukyou snapped. "I heard about what you four did." "I didn't want you talking to anybody either," Nabiki said, scowling at Yuka. "I didn't say anything," Yuka insisted. "We just wanted to eat with you," Hiroshi said, sweating and staring at Ukyou. "Some of those rumors are about us." "Turnabout is fair play, isn't it?" Ukyou said irritably. "Go ahead and sit down," Ranma said, still not turning around. "If Ranma's okay with it," Akane said, squeezing Ranma's hand reassuringly under the table. Yuka moved around the table to sit across from Ranma and Akane. This put her uncomfortably close to the hostile Ukyou, but she could watch Ranma from there. Sayuri sat down next to her friend, and the boys sat next to the safer, for once, Nabiki. "Could you scoot over, perhaps," Nabiki requested coolly. At that comment Ranma did turn to glare at the boys, who quickly gave Nabiki some space. "What didn't you want Yuka to tell us anyway?" Daisuke asked. Akane and Ranma didn't physically respond, merely sat close to each other and ate lunch. Nabiki and Ukyou glared at Daisuke, while Sayuri maintained a suspicious look. Yuka seemed to be examining Ranma up and down with an obvious concerned and pitying expression. "Stop looking at me like that!" Ranma snapped. "I'm not a china doll." "I'm just worried..." Yuka said, surprised. Sayuri, her face returned to a suspicious look, blinked at Yuka. Ranma shifted from angry to depressed again and set down her chopsticks. "Yeah," Ranma said looking at her food. "I know." "Don't worry about them, Ranma," Akane said, slipping an arm around her spouse. Sayuri shuffled uncomfortably, while the two boys brought their hands to their noses. Ukyou and Nabiki turned to glare at the two of them. "We can make them leave," Ukyou said, to the discomfort of the four normal kids. "Ranma?" Akane shook the non-responsive redhead lightly. "Are you okay?" Ranma blinked and shook her head. "Yeah, fine," Ranma said. "I just...I just got distracted. Hey, this isn't as hard as I thought it'd be." She turned to Akane and smiled. "I thought they'd harass us a lot more," Akane said, she leaned forward and kissed Ranma's forehead. Ranma leaned back into Akane and closed her eyes. "Hey," Sayuri whispered reproachfully. "We're in public. You two have been acting shamelessly all day. Don't you have any sense of propriety?" Ranma frowned and straightened her posture before leaning forward on her elbows and looking down. "Gomen," she whispered. "But, I..." "We don't have anything to be sorry for," Akane said, glaring at Sayuri. She hugged Ranma tight, rubbing the redhead's back. "I love you, you love me. That's what couples do." She caught Sayuri's confused and somewhat disgusted face. "That's what married couples do." "Married?" Sayuri gasped. Some of the rest of the lunch crowd stirred at the sound. Akane nodded and grabbed a glass of water, but Nabiki stopped her by cupping a hand around the glass. "That's a little too much right now," Nabiki said simply. Akane almost decided to challenge her, until Nabiki directed her attention to Ranma who was shivering now. Sayuri figured out the implications of what Akane was intending to do, matched it with her new clothes and looked like she was about to be sick. "Hey, congratulations man," Hiroshi said. "So what's married life like?" Daisuke asked with an easily read look on his face. Ranma caught a glimpse of it and immediately curled into herself. "You married that..." Sayuri pointed at Ranma and stopped as a loud bang to her side attracted her attention. Sayuri looked nervously to Ukyou, expecting the chef to be getting ready to attack Ranma and Akane. Instead she found the chef standing with clenched fists and glaring at her. "Watch what you say, sugar," Ukyou growled. "Sayuri," Yuka said quietly. "You don't know what happened." "What," Sayuri asked, half-panicked, half-angry. "What could happen to Ranma that's so bad?" She glanced at Ranma and winced, seeing the red-head on the verge of breaking down again. Akane wasn't paying attention to her, comforting Ranma instead. Everybody else was staring at her, either glaring, confused, or pleading for her to stop. "Ranma," Akane said. "Do you need to go home?" "I..." Ranma said shakily, starting to cry, but pulling herself together. "I had better, b...before I pull a r...r...Ryouga." Akane and Nabiki stared at Ranma in surprise. They hadn't been expecting her to talk, she hadn't gone this far without totally collapsing before. Akane recovered quickly and stood up with Ranma, making sure she was okay. "We'll see you later, okay," Akane said, leveling a glare at Sayuri. "Nabiki, c...could you explain to them?" Ranma asked. "I...I...can't do this every time she s...sees me." "Let's go home, Ranma," Akane said quietly. Ranma nodded and waved back at the table and started walking out unsteadily ahead of Akane. Nabiki waved back and nodded. She waited for Ranma and Akane to get out of the cafeteria before turning angrily back to Sayuri. "He was happy there for a moment," Nabiki said. She looked to Ukyou and gestured for enraged chef to sit down. Ukyou did and cricked her neck to work at releasing some of her anger before she attacked the girl. "Sayuri, that was horrid," Yuka said, almost to tears herself. "So what happened that has Ranma acting like that?" Sayuri asked nervously. Nabiki looked at her for a long moment and glanced at the two boys to her side. "This goes anywhere else without Ranma's permission, I will make every one of your lives a living hell," Nabiki promised. "And you'll have to hide from me also," Ukyou said. The boys nodded and swallowed nervously. "Yeah," Sayuri agreed quietly. Nabiki did not make direct threats lightly. The Tendo girl was silent for another long moment. "Shampoo managed to drug Ranma again," she explained at first. Sayuri nodded. "While Ranma was drugged and unable to fight. Kuno raped him." Sayuri's eyes popped wide, she took a deep breath. "He's been stuck in female form since then. And by our information it will be a long time before he can be himself again." Nabiki didn't explain how that was going to happen. "Oh kami," Sayuri said, feeling sick. "What do you two have to say?" Ukyou asked of the two boys. "You're joking right?" Hiroshi asked nervously. "Ranma makes tornadoes an regular basis." "He could level the city if he wanted," Daisuke added. Nabiki frowned at them. "So that makes it impossible then?" Nabiki asked. "Ranma, who couldn't lie to save his life, is just acting?" The two boys sweated as Nabiki glared at them. Nabiki gave a disgusted snort and stood up and moved her bento around to sit next to Sayuri away from the boys. "Couldn't have stayed there much longer anyway." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kodachi arrived home to find a state of total disarray. Someone had been ransacking her estate. Or at least they had been attempting to. Most of the trip wires and traps had been set off, including the ones that were obvious and meant to lure someone into another trap. She frowned as she strode down the walk to the mansion proper. The doors were torn down and she climbed into the house without the necessity of having to touch anything. Inside, furniture was tossed about, priceless heirlooms destroyed. The Kuno blade that Ranma had returned to her had been stuck in the floor and snapped. Everywhere she looked was ruin. "What happened here?" she asked quietly. Her school bag dropped from numb fingers as she rushed towards her garden. She had a moment of hope as she saw the doors to her garden undamaged. She hesitated before opening the doors. "Oh kami." Then Kodachi fell to her knees. The garden was a burned out husk. The work of seven years of her life destroyed in a day. Kodachi stood up again and stumbled through the shattered ruins. There remained one more thing she had to see. "Midorigame!" she shouted hesitantly, coming out to the moat house. The waters remained still. Kodachi walked to the moat house and fumbled with the door a few moments before managing to open it. Nothing inside seemed to have been touched, and a brief inspection of the steaks showed no tampering. Kodachi grabbed a few and returned outside. "Mother has food for you," Kodachi shouted, she tossed a steak into the water. "Midorigame! Come and eat." She tossed another into the water, then one on the bank. Still, nothing moved. Kodachi hesitated a moment before diving into the water and swimming through the moat. It didn't take her long to find the alligator's massive bulk along the bottom. She swam down to it, again feeling hope well up inside her. As she got closer, it became obvious that the alligator was wrapped in chains. Kodachi grabbed a rock from the bottom and attacked the chains until they split apart. The chains came away from her pet, and the alligator floated slowly to the surface alongside Kodachi. "Why? Why? WHY!!?" The gymnast broke the surface with a weeping cry as her alligator turned over on its back, drowned to death. She snatched a section of white cloth from the dead alligator's mouth before struggling to dry land in her wet clothes. The dripping wet girl curled up on the ground, bawling for several minutes before crawling to her feet and lurching back into the house. Passing through the garden, she didn't even try to look for anything. She continued through it until she reached the main room again. Snapping up the broken haft of her family's blade, and soon after found herself standing before her family's shrine. She couldn't tell if she had cried her eyes out yet or not, as she was still pretty much soaked, but she didn't really care. The first thing she did on opening the shrine was release a loud piercing scream. Kodachi looked around feverishly. The shrine was just as ruined as the rest of the house. Urns and pictures tossed about and ashes covering the floor. Kodachi stared in outright shock and horror. "By the kami," Kodachi whispered. "Who would do this?" Her normally pale skin turned snow white as she surveyed the desecration. She found her mother's photo, torn down, and kneeled in the ashes before it. She clutched at the broken blade in one hand and the tuft of white cloth in the other. Kodachi kneeled there, shaking visibly as her weeping renewed ever greater. "Who..." Kodachi repeated. "Who? I..." She reversed her grip on the broken blade. "Mother, I...please help, Mother...I...I" Everything. Mother dead, the Kuno Beast swallowing her family, and almost her. Her love proved to be a delusion. Her friend's virtue and confidence destroyed by one of her family. Her home ransacked, garden burned, pet killed. Now her clan's ancestors tossed about like trash. She squeezed her eyes shut and raised the still sharp blade in her hand. "Excuse me, do you know the...WHOAH!" Kodachi felt someone grab her hand and hold her in a restraining grip. "Let go of me!" Kodachi screamed as her hand was twisted until she dropped the broken sword. The intruder shifted his grip to shove her into the ground and hold her there. "Kodachi? What the hell are you doing in Kyoto?" Ryouga asked as he held her down. "This is Nerima, idiot!" Kodachi snapped, halfway between anger and desperation. "Let me go, you stupid rootless barbarian." "Not until you tell me what happened here..." Ryouga's voice faded out as he noted one of the pictures scattered about the floor of the shrine. "In my Aunt's family shrine." He finished darkly. "This is the Kuno shrine!" Kodachi snapped, yelling as well as she could with her face stuffed into the ashes of her ancestors. "Somebody...somebody..." Kodachi was picked up out of the ashes and her attention was directed to her mother's photo, as if she needed any further remainder of the desecration. "That's my Aunt Chikako," Ryouga said. "She's my mother," Kodachi snarled angrily, choking back a sob. "Wait," Ryouga said confused. He looked closer at what he could see of Kodachi's face, and remembered his rhythmic gymnastics lessons. "Dacchi?" "Of course that's what my parents called me," Kodachi snapped. "What do you..." She stopped and considered the implications. "You...you...you're my cousin!" Kodachi blinked. "Uhhh..." Ryouga blinked. Then the girl in his arms suddenly went completely lax and broke out into tears. Ryouga sweatdropped as he tried to comfort Kodachi without giving her another chance to kill herself. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ranma sat securely in Akane's lap, feeling safe in her arms. Akane hadn't left her, and she could have at any time. She could have left when she was cursed. She could have left when Nabiki suggested the instant nannichuan. She could have left when they learned Ranma might be pregnant. Akane could have left when Kuno had...beaten her. Ranma snorted. She couldn't even think the word, how could she ever tell the entire school. "Are you okay, Ranma," Akane whispered. "I thought I could hide it," Ranma said. "It's just gossip," Akane said. "We don't have to tell them if you don't want to." "Really, and in a few months when I get fat?" Ranma asked. "I'm not letting people think I wanted Kuno to...to...do that." "We can say it was just me," Akane said. "It might well be me anyway." Ranma winced at the reminder of their plan, and Akane felt that sick feeling again. "I don't think we can stop it," Ranma whispered. She snuggled tighter into Akane's arms and watched the television. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "I'm sorry to see you again under these circumstances, Kuno-san," Detective Kanzo said to the girl as the police investigated the ransacked complex. "Who is this, your boyfriend?" "Uhhh, just her...uh...cousin," Ryouga said hesitantly. "Detective," Kodachi started angrily. She had cried herself out before they had called the police and was back to acting dignified, tired, but dignified. Ryouga stood to the side looking uncomfortable. "Aren't crimes like this a little beneath your station?" "You know him?" Ryouga asked Kodachi. She nodded from her seat in the chair he had salvaged. "I'm investigating her bro-" Kanzo stopped himself as Kodachi glared at him. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Her former brother's death." "He's dead?" Ryouga asked. "What happened at the du..." Kodachi flashed him a look and flicked her eyes to the policeman. Ryouga shut his mouth. "There was a duel?" Kanzo said. "I thought you said your brother attacked your friend." Kodachi glared at Ryouga who looked sheepish. "Yes, there was a duel," Kodachi admitted. "As I said, my brother injured the honor of my friend, the matter had to be settled." "That is what we are for, Kuno-san," Kanzo said harshly. Kodachi rolled her eyes. "Why didn't you call us?" "My brother was a powerful martial artist," Kodachi started, in reaction Ryouga lost his balance and fell to the floor. "I did not mean when compared to you and certain others...Cousin." Kodachi winced at calling Ryouga "cousin," though there was a hint of a smirk on her face. "Sending the police after him would have been like sending lambs to the slaughter." "You said that Saotome left the victim alive," Kanzo said. "Yes, Ranma was decidedly..." Kodachi stopped and glared at him. "You are a devious man, detective. Yes, since it seems pointless to hide it any longer, Ranma left the ronin unconscious and inflicted him with a curse so that he would no longer be a danger to anyone. It was decidedly more merciful than I would have been in her situation." "The strength-sapping moxibustion?" Ryouga asked nervously. "Ranma knows how to do that?" "I believe that is what they called it," Kodachi said. Ryouga shivered. "What is Saotome's situation?" Kanzo asked. Kodachi and Ryouga glanced at each other. "That is not for me to say, detective," Kodachi said simply. "You will have to ask her that. Suffice to say he did not exact near the vengeance he was entitled." "What do you have to say?" Kanzo asked Ryouga. "If Ranma had killed Kuno there wouldn't be a body left to find," Ryouga said simply. "You know those tornadoes in China a few months back? Ranma created those." He cleared his throat. "Besides, Nabiki said not to tell anyone." He sounded nervous as he said that. "Oh yes, Kasumi-san mentioned you were dating her other sister," Kodachi said. Ryouga slumped in frustration. "I am not dating Nabiki," Ryouga said wearily. Kanzo chuckled a little. They might have been ultra-powerful kids, but they were still just kids. These two seemed to be mostly good kids. He really wished that he could just close the case. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "Tadaima!" Nabiki called out from the genkan. "O-kaeri," Kasumi answered from the back yard. Ranma and Akane gave their own answers as Nabiki walked into the room, looking tired. "Was it bad?" Akane asked. "Surprisingly free of bother actually," Nabiki said. Ranma and Akane looked at her strangely. "Oh, they're all thinking things all right, but they're not saying anything." "That's cool, I guess," Ranma said. Nabiki shrugged and looked past them outside to Kasumi. She moved over to Ranma and sat down, leaning forward. "You're coming with me to the group today, right, Ranma?" "Yeah," Ranma said resignedly. "Do you think you can handle it without Akane?" Nabiki asked. Ranma and Akane looked at her in confusion. Before they could ask anything, she went ahead and continued talking. "I'm worried about Kasumi, okay." "Is something wrong with Kasumi?" Ranma and Akane asked, sitting upright. "Not really," Nabiki said, looking over their shoulder. "She just seems a little on edge. So I was thinking that while we're out at the group, Akane could go out somewhere with Kasumi and see that she gets some relaxation." "Why not just suggest that she..." Akane started, until Nabiki gave her a look. "Right, Kasumi, never mind." Akane was about to make another protest when she thought of what Kasumi had asked her earlier. Did she want Ranma following her around for protection all her life? Did she really want that. "Ranma, do you want me there?" Akane asked, half-hoping she'd say yes. Ranma hesitated to answer. "I handled myself for quite a while before yesterday," Ranma said nervously. "I...I guess I can handle an hour or two. Nabiki will be there, right?" "You know I will be," Nabiki said. "And you don't have to say anything if you don't want to, Ranma." Ranma visibly relaxed. "Okay then," Ranma said. "After school today, I thin...I know I can do this." Akane smiled at the statement and kissed Ranma on the cheek. "You're Ranma Saotome," Akane whispered. "Nothing can keep you down forever." The redhead smiled back at the encouragement. "Arigato, Akane," Ranma said, kissing her wife on the cheek in return. "Sorry to interrupt," Nabiki said jokingly. "But we won't get anywhere if you keep up like that." "Gomen ne," Ranma said, blushing and looking down. Akane gave Nabiki a cautionary look. "Just kidding, Saotome," Nabiki said with a smirk that drew a shy smile from Ranma. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kasumi paused in the laundry and started to thumb through the pamphlets she had carried out into the backyard. There were a couple of brochures on the distasteful subject of abortion, and Kasumi couldn't help but notice that those had been well examined. She had to talk to Ranma about that. Kasumi shook her head and sighed. She could understand why Ranma would want to abort the child. It would not be easy to raise the child of man that raped her. It would not be easy for the child either. She did not want to admit it, but she wondered if it might not be the best answer. She wanted to make sure Ranma was not rushing into the decision though. Kasumi reached up to massage her temples and the bridge of her nose. She felt something of a headache coming on, and she still had to make dinner for the evening. "Kasumi," Akane said softly, Kasumi turned to face her. "Are you okay?" "Of course I am, Akane," Kasumi said, smiling. She slipped the pamphlets into a pocket of her apron before Akane noticed them. "Why do you ask?" "Nabiki said something," Akane said. "And...you washed and dried these clothes yesterday." Akane pointed out the clothes on the line hesitantly. Kasumi looked and then sighed on recognizing the load herself. "Oh my," Kasumi said, shaking her head. "Perhaps I have been a little distracted." "Yeah." Akane looked back over her shoulder. "Nabiki and Ranma are going to that support group now. Maybe you and I can go out tonight, to a movie and dinner. Just to relax." "Aren't you going to accompany Ranma to this group?" Kasumi asked. "He said he'd be fine," Akane said. "I think Nabiki wants to make sure he stays today." She grimaced. "By making sure he can't run to me. Besides, they're already gone." "Ah, I see, I hope she isn't pushing too hard at him," Kasumi said. "I suppose it would be good to have an evening off for once. Let me just finish hanging these out to dry." Kasumi serenely returned to her work. "I can help with that," Akane said, and proceeded to do so. The two of them finished quickly. "What movie did you have in mind?" Kasumi asked as they walked through the living room. Kasumi paused a moment and placed the pamphlets on the living room table, she could talk to Ranma and Akane about them later. "I don't know." Akane shrugged. "There should be something out." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ranma stared at the door for a few seconds before moving again. She was here again, and if she left before Nabiki this time she'd have to leave alone. Akane was out with Kasumi making sure the elder Tendo relaxed. "You can just sit and listen, Ranma," Nabiki assured her quietly. Ranma nodded and walked to the door opening it cautiously. The same women were in there from before, and Ranma blushed nervously as she walked further into the room. "Hello again," one of the women said. "Uh, hi," Ranma muttered before sitting down in a chair and glancing around nervously. Nabiki came in behind her and sat down in an empty chair next to the redhead. "Are you going to stay today?" someone asked. Ranma looked in the direction of the speaker, and waited a moment to nod. "Yeah, I...guess," Ranma said. "Do you want to introduce yourself," the same woman asked. "Or would you prefer to just sit in?" Ranma looked to Nabiki and then cleared her throat. Nabiki smiled and patted her shoulder encouragingly. "Might as well get it over with," Ranma said. "I'm Sao..." "You don't need to give your family name," Nabiki said. Ranma looked around and saw that the women were nodding in agreement. "Uhhh...My name's Ranma, I...I'm supposed to be a martial artist." Nabiki flinched at the qualifier Ranma had added to her vocation. Ranma snorted in self-disgust and looked down at the ground. They waited a moment for her to continue, but Ranma stayed silent. "What kind of style?" someone asked finally. Ranma looked up at the woman, a foreigner by the over-precise speech. She was in her late twenties or early thirties, had dark tan skin, and almost jet hair. "Karate, kung fu?" Ranma looked between the faces that were waiting for her answer. "Mostly Sao..." she stopped herself from saying the name. "Anything Goes Martial Arts." The foreigner stared at her a moment. "Your family has its own style of fighting?" she asked. Ranma nodded. "Yeah, we share it with Nabiki's family," Ranma said, feeling a little more comfortable as they stayed off the topic that she was supposedly there for. "But I've sort of borrowed from a few other styles." "Other styles?" the foreigner asked. She moved seats so that she was sitting next to Ranma. "Rhythmic gymnastics, tea ceremony, eating, figure skating," she said. Nabiki rolled her eyes as Ranma listed some of the more unusual and silly martial arts styles. Ranma shivered before she continued. "Chinese Amazon warrior arts. Some others." "How long have you been practicing?" one of the other women asked politely. She was probably the oldest woman in the room, mid-forties maybe, and dressed in something Kasumi might wear. "Fourteen years," Ranma said after a little thought, eliciting a chorus of surprised gasps. "You must be very good," the older woman said. "Yeah," Ranma said. "I never lose, that's why I'm here right?" Ranma asked self-mockingly, the comfort created by the topic vanishing. "Ranma," Nabiki said, in frustration. She turned to rest of the women. "H...She's one of the best fighters in the world at the moment." Ranma blushed further, biting her lip angrily, and looked down at the ground again. "Excuse me, I should have introduced myself," the foreigner said apologetically, extending a hand. "I am Lisa." Ranma hesitantly shook the hand. Before she could answer verbally, the older woman stood and bowed. "My name is Ima," she introduced herself calmly before sitting back down. Ranma nodded in return, staying in her seat. "Toshiko," a raspy voiced woman in her early twenties said. The other women introduced themselves and Ranma acknowledged them as well. Mai was the woman with the short hair that may have been dyed blue before it was cut short. Shikako was a thirtyish woman in a suit, and Yukiyo appeared to be an average college student. "Are you a business woman or teacher or something," Ranma asked, turning back to the foreigner. "I am a Lieutenant stationed here with the American Marines," Lisa said. Ranma stared a moment. "I also do some women's boxing when I can." "Gomen, I...uh...thought..." Ranma sighed and looked down. "I didn't think...that..." "You did not think people like you could get raped," Lisa said. "I did not think so either until it happened." "Gomen ne," Ranma said, cringing. "Do not be sorry," she continued. "I was the same way." "Yeah, it's was always something that happens to someone else," Toshiko said. Ranma noticed that she was wearing a turtleneck, and her own hand rose to her throat as she realized why Toshiko's voice was raspy. Toshiko mirrored the motion and took a moment to keep from crying. "Gomen nasai," Ranma said quickly. "I just remembered...he was choking me when..." Nabiki looked at Ranma closely as Toshiko was trying to wave off Ranma's apology. "I was going to be a singer," she said. "My boyfriend thought I should pay more attention to him. He thought I was his personal ride." She added the last angrily. "That's what Shampoo thought too," Ranma said looking down. "The man that raped you was named Shampoo?" Lisa asked, confused. Ranma paled and looked at Nabiki a little reproachfully for a moment. ~Don't have ta say anything, right,~ she thought. Ranma took a deep breath and set to explain. "Shampoo is a Chinese Amazon...she was tired of me saying no...so s...she made me some r...ramen spiced with somethin...th...th..." "Ranma, I told you that you didn't have to say anything," Nabiki said comfortingly. Ranma laughed once bitterly, and then sobbed. Nabiki reached out an arm to hug Ranma comfortingly. "I already started, I'm g...g...gonna finish," Ranma insisted. Mai hesitantly stood up and moved over to the sobbing redhead and reached out to rub her back. Ranma nearly jumped at the unknown touch, causing both the marine and the other girl to cautiously jump back. Nabiki brought her other arm to encircle Ranma in attempt to restrain her. Ranma quickly recognized there was no danger and slumped again, causing Nabiki to sigh in relief. "Gomen," she said wearily. "Gomen ne, I just wanted to ask," Mai said. "You were raped by another woman, too?" she asked softly. Ranma looked up in surprise and shook her head. "Sh...she didn't get to, the drug let some j...j...jerk...do th...that" Ranma said. "Y...you?" The woman nodded and returned to her seat. "This woman I work..." she closed her eyes. "Worked...with at a tattoo parlor. I wanted a tattoo done and asked her," she laughed bitterly. "Professional courtesy, you know? I didn't know she swung that way, wouldn't have asked if I did, that would be like asking a guy, unfair you know...she thought I did...just needed a little pushing, she said. After all, I already dressed the part." Ranma noted that the clothes she was wearing were new, not as new as Ranma's own new wardrobe, but of a similar type. Mai paused a little to get a hold of herself and laughed again. "She did a wonderful job on the tattoo. A real artistic masterpiece. It was almost a pity to have it burned off." Yukiyo comforted Mai as Ranma looked back down at the floor. "I...I...I s...shouldn't be here," Ranma said. "I'm just upsetting p...people." She started to stand up. Nabiki reached out to grip Ranma's shoulder. "This is why we're here," Nabiki said softly. Ranma looked at her, surprised to hear Nabiki speak softly even after the last couple months. "It always hurts to dredge things up," Ima asserted. "B...but...I'm not even a real girl," Ranma protested. Nabiki sighed in resignation. "I'm a guy! Sorta..." "I'm a lesbian too, that doesn't make me a fake," Yukiyo said. Ranma turned a surprised look at the woman who had been comforting Mai. She was extremely surprised that Mai had not freaked at the easy declaration. "Who filled your head with that lie?" "Actually, Ranma means he is a guy," Nabiki clarified reluctantly. "As in male. Not just in taste." Everybody looked at her in confusion. "How is that possible, sex-change operation?" Shikako asked. Ranma looked at Nabiki. "I can explain if you want, Ranma," Nabiki said. "I brought evidence." Ranma looked at her suspiciously and she pulled a small packet out of her pocket. "No," Ranma snapped. No one saw him move, suddenly the packet in Nabiki's hand was gone and a fine powder mist was surrounding Ranma. "I ain't letting you risk cursing yourself too!" "Did I understand that correctly?" Lisa asked. "Curse?" Ranma calmed down and slumped back in her chair. "There's this place in China called Jusenkyo," Ranma said quietly. "It's got all these springs in it, and if ya fall in one you turn into what ever drowned there when ya get splashed with cold water. Hot water turns you back, but only until you next get hit. I fell...inta the spring of drowned girl." "Curses and magic?" Shikako said disbelievingly. She turned to Nabiki who nodded. "Yeah," Ranma said looking down. "You wanna see?" She held her hand out, palm up and concentrated. After a long moment, a golf ball sized globe of yellow light briefly appeared above her hand and then sparked out. Nabiki almost felt like crying on seeing that. "My god," Lisa muttered in English under her breath, straightening her back. It was easy to tell from Nabiki and Ranma's face that it was much less than they were used to. "Kuso," Ranma said under her breath. She apparently hadn't noticed any of the reactions in the face of her failure. Ranma frowned, pulled her hand in for a moment and then put it back out and concentrated again. Almost immediately a large green globe of light formed above her cupped hand and held there. Ranma sighed and slowly let the chi dissipate into nothing. All the others, standing up and backing away from the redhead, had to do was look at Nabiki's sheet white face to know that there was something seriously wrong with that. "Excuse me," Shikako said hesitantly. "What was that?" "Shi Shi Hokodan," Nabiki gasped. Ranma nodded, grimacing and bending over at the waist. Nabiki collected herself somewhat, and shakily explained, not taking her eyes off Ranma. "The yellow ball was one of Ranma's creations, the Mouko Takabisha. That is fueled by confidence. The green...was the Shi Shi Hokodan...it's fueled by depression." "Gomen nasai," Ranma said tightly, as if pained. She collected her breath. "I didn't mean to scare anybody. I ain't a real girl, and I ain't a real guy an...anymore! I...ain't nothing but a f...freak...and c...curse." She turned to Nabiki shaking violently and crying. "Why does Akane keep me?" Ranma pulled her knees up and hugged them, her small frame easily fitting on the chair. Nabiki shook free of her shock and hugged Ranma again, rubbing her back and massaging her shoulders. She wasn't as familiar with the practice as Kasumi. "Ranma, stop it," Nabiki said. "You're not a curse." She glanced about the room pleadingly. She was only mildly surprised when Ima cautiously moved forward to help her. "Ssh," Ima said quietly. "It's all right. You didn't scare us." Nabiki's expression clearly said that he had just terrified her, but she didn't let Ranma see her. "It was just a surprise, that's all." "It takes a bit more than that to scare you after seeing a full artillery barrage," Lisa supplied, if a little nervously. She sat down again next to Ranma, and reached out to squeeze her forearm companionably. "Y...you don't care that I'm a guy?" Ranma asked, still crying as she looked around the room. Mai approached slowly again and patted Ranma's back. "Hey, Yukiyo is one of my best friends now," Mai said. Ranma glanced at the named girl who nodded quietly as she joined them. "And I never thought that would be possible after...Nishi." Mai virtually spat the name. "Accepting you is nothing compared to that." She moved a little out of the way so Yukiyo could get her own say in. "Don't ever call yourself a freak just because you're a little different." Yukiyo hesitantly hugged Ranma. "Or even a lot different." Ranma smiled shyly. The woman released her and smiled back, before returning to her seat. "Besides," Nabiki said, catching her breath finally. "Akane is cursed now, and you don't think my sister's a freak, do you?" "No," Ranma said reluctantly. She grimaced again and closed her eyes. "The bastard who pulled me off the street was a freak," Shikako said. "So is my boyfriend," Toshiko asserted hoarsely. Ranma briefly wondered if she could yell. "My ex-boyfriend." She corrected herself after a look from a couple of the others. "You don't strike me as one of those freaks," Shikako determined finally, sitting down. "Why don't you tell us about Akane," Ima suggested. "From what Nabiki has told us she is an exceptional person, but maybe you'd like to tell us about her?" "About Akane?" Ranma repeated, slowly uncurling. Nabiki gripped her hand, and almost cried out as the redhead's grip tightened. "Yes," Ima said, smiling. "She sounds like a wonderful person." "Speaking of whom," Nabiki said tightly. "I'm not her, so please stop crushing my hand." Ranma looked down at their hands and then released his grip, and Nabiki let out a held breath and shook out the hand. The Tendo girl sat back down and gave Ranma a quick smile to assure her that she was still on Ranma's side. The redhead noted her flexing the hand, though. "Gomen, Nabiki," Ranma said, her legs moving back to the ground. "Don't worry about it," Nabiki said. "No harm done." "I suppose Akane is pretty strong then?" Lisa said. "Yeah," Ranma said with a wistful smile. "Akane's an uncute tomboy with the strength of a gorilla." The comments were made with a definite affection that belied the literal meaning. Then she frowned. "She coulda dropped me...I don't get it...she's always helping me with stuff when she coulda just walked away from the whole engagement mess. We got married after she knew about...this...she got cursed over this, she says it ain't my fault, but it is...this time it is...it would have been better for her if she let me...go." "It sounds like she cares about you a great deal," Ima said, smiling. Ranma nodded. "She says she loves me," Ranma said. "I guess its true, ain't really got her nothing." "I wondered the same thing about my husband many times," Ima explained. "What could he see in me after he learned about my stepfather." Ranma looked at her nervously as the implications came clear. "It doesn't stop, does it?" Ranma said. "Never completely, no," Ima said, reluctantly. Ranma slumped. "But you can't let it run your life." Ranma sighed and nodded. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "You can leave now," Kodachi said with her usual sound of arrogance. She crossed her arms arrogantly and sat in devastation of her family home, still clutching that piece of white cloth in her hands. "Okay, we'll go then," Ryouga said, he reached out to take her hand and Kodachi pulled back. "We?" Kodachi repeated with an arched eyebrow. "I am staying here." "This place is a mess, Kodachi," Ryouga said. "You can't stay here." "This place is my home," Kodachi insisted, emphasizing the word place angrily. "I shall not abandon it. I do not suppose a nomad such as yourself would understand." "As soon as I leave you'll be trying to kill yourself again, won't you," Ryouga accused. Kodachi was silent, staring past Ryouga in an attempt to ignore his presence. "I can't let you do that." "I assume this relates somewhat to the accident of our relations," Kodachi said snidely. "You have no duty here." Kodachi didn't really know how to respond to him. He was a casual acquaintance, and yet she had allowed herself to break down in his presence merely because of a minor blood connection. That was not acceptable. She had to maintain her dignity. The Kuno clan was dying, but it would not die a mewling baby if she had anything to say about it. "Kodachi! Will you look around!" Ryouga said. "The games are over. We need to clean up and fix the damage, not worsen it." Ryouga'd had a lot of time to think about that since getting lost last time. He thought he had known were he stood with everybody, you could trust them because you know what they were capable of. The only time anything really bad came close to happening came from outsiders like Herb and Saffron. He grimaced, remembering what Shampoo had said. "I do with him what I want!" Shampoo had shouted, angrily, offended that they would seek to punish her. She was unconcerned with Ranma, her property, only with what might happen to her. Ryouga hadn't seen that coming. "Who says that I am playing," Kodachi asked levelly. "You could not understand." "I understand better than you," Ryouga said in the same tone of voice. Kodachi turned to protest. "You aren't the only one to try suicide, Kodachi." "And what did you ever have to kill yourself over," Kodachi asked. "You have family, you have friends." "I haven't seen my family in years," Ryouga said. "The woman I loved is in love with another, and I didn't know I had a friend until he was brutalized. I thought I had nothing. It seems stupid now." "And what was your particular method?" Kodachi asked. "Shi Shi Hokodan," Ryouga said. "You hope it'll kill you every time, that's the secret. There's a step missing, but I doubt I'll find it anytime soon. Wishing for death over my problems is petty compared to what some people I know are living with now." He didn't have to tell her whom he was talking about. "What are you talking about?" Kodachi demanded. Ryouga smirked. "If you come with me I'll explain while we walk," he said. Kodachi frowned, then the side of her mouth twitched "Fine," Kodachi said. "As you wish." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "This is not the Tendo dojo," Kodachi noted dryly. She looked up. "This is that serving girl's restaurant." "I thought sure it was a right down that the street," Ryouga said, confused. "Perhaps we should take the chance to contact Ranma and the Tendos," Kodachi said, walking inside. Ryouga followed behind her. "What are you doing here," Ukyou snapped as Kodachi entered the restaurant. "Hey, someone trashed her place," Ryouga said coming behind. "Give her a break." Ukyou turned to look at him. "Nabiki's been asking about you," Ukyou said, she glanced at Kodachi. "And you called Ranma a Casanova." "I can assure you nothing shall happen between me and my uncouth..." Kodachi cricked her neck. "Cousin." "Would you stop saying it that way?" Ryouga asked. "It's not like I asked for this." "Excuse me," Ukyou blinked. "Could you explain that, please?" "Yeah," Ryouga said wearily. "Just let me call the Tendos." "Fine, Sugar," Ukyou said, shrugging. She walked hesitantly over to Kodachi. "You going to behave?" "Better than you last time you visited me," Kodachi snapped. Ukyou grimaced. "Sorry about that," Ukyou said. "I didn't know what you did. Look, to make it up to you, I'll let you crash here, okay?" Kodachi stared at her a moment, and Ukyou glanced down at the white cloth in her hands. "I'm ecstatic," Kodachi deadpanned. "Where'd you get that cloth?" Ukyou asked. Kodachi looked down and slumped, sitting in a booth. "It...it was in Midorigame's mouth," Kodachi said quietly, and then leaned against the booth table. Ukyou nodded and frowned. "Konatsu!" she called out. "Hai," the ninja appeared almost instantly. "Do you need something, Ukyou-sama?" "Watch the place for me, okay?" Ukyou asked. "Get them a free special or two, or whatever you can manage anyway. I have to do something." Ryouga watched curiously from the pay phone as Ukyou walked out of the door. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "We'll have to fend for ourselves in the cooking department it looks like," Nabiki said as she walked around the house. "Akane and Kasumi must still be out." "That's fine," Ranma said, quietly considering what had happened at the meeting. Ranma mechanically wrung out her clothes as much as she could, being stuck as a girl hadn't reduced her tendency to be splashed. Being wet was always irritating, and the fact that it was warm only reminded her of what she was. She turned to Nabiki as the other girl came back into the living room. "Want me ta make somethin'?" "Do you mind, Ranma?" Nabiki asked. "Nah," Ranma said. "It won't be like Kasumi's. I mostly cook camp stuff." "It won't be Akane's cooking, though," Nabiki said. "And I don't know a skillet from a spatula, so asking me is useless." "Have you ever tried to cook?" Ranma asked, momentarily. She was partially trying to distract herself. "Once," Nabiki said. "The difference between me and Akane is I know I can't cook." Ranma shivered at the thought and walked into the kitchen to check what the Tendos had in stock. Nabiki favored Ranma's back with a concerned look as she left. Ranma was very quiet, especially for her, and after the display of the Shi Shi Hokodan, Nabiki wasn't interested in letting the girl far out of her sight. Nabiki thought of something and followed Ranma to the kitchen. Ranma was straightening her back as Nabiki entered the kitchen. "We could call Ukyou," Nabiki suggested. Ranma thought about it and shook her head. "I just feel like making somethin'" Ranma said. "Ukyou's got her place to run, I don't want to make her lose money cause I can't take care of myself." Ranma smiled. "'Sides one of us has to learn to cook. Me an' Akane can't live on fast food forever." "I guess if that's what you want," Nabiki said. "What are you going to make?" Ranma shrugged. Nabiki hesitated a moment. "And what did you think about your first meeting?" Nabiki asked finally. Ranma stopped looking through the cabinets for a moment and bit her lip. Before she answered, the phone started to ring. Nabiki frowned momentarily. "I'll get that," she said. Ranma nodded and returned to preparing to cook with a relieved expression. Nabiki picked up the phone. "Moshi moshi. Ryouga?" Nabiki's eyes narrowed. "Where the hell have you been? I'm trying to get this problem of yours in the open with minimal harm, that's a lot easier with you...You're with who!? What?...Calm down and just tell me what happened? Shimatta. Where are you two? Where's Ukyou? No, we haven't seen any..." There was a knock on the door. "One moment, Ryouga, someone's at the door." Nabiki set the receiver down on the table and walked to the door. She opened it casually and saw man in a rumpled suit standing in front of her. She thought about what Ryouga had just told her. "Excuse me, I'm here to speak to a Saotome Ranma," the man said, flashing a badge. Nabiki took a moment to look at it, and guessed that it was legitimate enough. "My name is..." "Detective Kanzo," Nabiki said. "Yes, Ryouga's on the phone right now." The man flashed an amused smile. "You're the girl he's not dating, then?" he asked. Nabiki's eye twitched. "Something like that," Nabiki said. "Go ahead and come in, Detective." Nabiki gestured for him to come in. "Ranma's making something to eat right now." "Thank you Tendo-san," he said, walking in. Nabiki stayed well away from him and remained ready to move or scream if he proved something other than what he seemed. "You are welcome," Nabiki said. She picked up the phone as she passed it and started speaking to Ryouga again. Nabiki leaned back against the wall and watched the detective closely. "Yeah, he's here. Just stay there. Ranma's here. If there are any problems he can handle it. You stay there and watch Kodachi. And, Ryouga, I don't appreciate you spreading those rumors about us." Nabiki set down the receiver and addressed Kanzo again. "Would you like to take a seat, please? I'll see if Ranma wants to talk." "That sounds fair," Kanzo said. He walked to the couch and sat down as Nabiki moved to the kitchen. As Nabiki left the room, Kanzo took notice of the pamphlets on the table in front of him. She saw the redhead staring at a couple of carrots and leaning against the counter while holding a knife. Her knuckles were white and she was almost doubled over. She had watched Ranma seem to fight tears several times on the way home. The redhead had actually lost her balance, once even had to sit down for a moment. The fact was nagging at her, but she didn't know why. "Ranma," Nabiki said soothingly, moving carefully to the redhead. She cautiously reached out to take the knife. "I'm not going to kill myself," Ranma said, suddenly moving to chop the carrots. Nabiki stepped back and pulled her hands away as the carrots were quickly sliced up. "I'm just tired. Was that Akane on the phone?" "It was Ryouga," Nabiki said. Ranma was making her more nervous as the day wore on. The changes she saw could be good, but they could be bad too. The girl seemed to have climbed back to the edge, now it was a matter of whether she'd climb over the lip of the cliff or else slip and fall back into the chasm. "Oh," Ranma said. She slumped. "Are we going to tell Akane soon? I can't not talk about that any more." Ranma's face darkened. "Especially not if he's going to be here." Ranma moved to the rice cooker and checked it for a moment. She knew the directions said it would turn itself off, but she was used to having to watch the rice. "Ranma, there's a police officer here," Nabiki said. Ranma stopped and fidgeted a moment. "He wants to talk to you." Ranma sighed. "This has been a long day already, Ranma, he can't legally force you to talk right now." "Nah, I ain't gonna hide if I can help it," Ranma said quietly. She looked around the kitchen for a moment and took off the apron. She paused a moment and turned to Nabiki. "Nabiki." "What do you need, Ranma?" Nabiki asked cautiously. "Thank you for making me go today," she said quietly. "Those people are nice." Nabiki smiled in relief, hugging Ranma. "They're life savers," Nabiki agreed. "I wish Akane were here," Ranma said before walking out into the living room. She moved slowly watching the detective carefully as she approached. The man stood up as he saw her, Ranma tensed and narrowed her eyes. "Ya wanted to talk to me?" "Saotome Ranma?" the detective asked. Nabiki walked out of the kitchen and stood next to her sister-in-law, a little in front of her. The protective gesture was interesting to Kanzo, especially if Ranma were as dangerous as he had heard. "Yes," Ranma said carefully, leaning on the back of a chair across the room from the detective. Kanzo thought he saw Ranma's face tighten fractionally, but wasn't certain. "I'm detective Kanzo," he almost walked forward to offer and shake Ranma's hand, but chose to bow instead. "I am investigating the death of a ronin by the name of Tatewaki. I understand you had some sort of dispute with him." "Did Kodachi tell you that?" Nabiki asked angrily, before Ranma could speak. "Local gossip," Kanzo said smiling. "I just tricked her into confirming it. Chose a somewhat unfair time, with her home ransacked." "What?" Ranma gasped. "What happened to Kodachi?" "Someone tore apart her home, burned her rose garden, killed her pet alligator, and destroyed the family shrine," Kanzo said. Ranma slumped over the back of the chair. "Looked like retribution for something." "Kodachi has earned a few of her own enemies," Nabiki said, mostly to Ranma, but staring at Kanzo. "The White Lily for one." "H...how is she?" Ranma asked. "I heard you didn't much like her," Kanzo said. "Sh...she saved my life," Ranma said quietly. There was an obvious, if slight, grimace. Ranma shook her head and straightened up. "How is she?" "She was pretty shaken up," Kanzo said. "Her cousin was keeping an eye on her." Ranma looked at him confused. "Ryouga is Kodachi's cousin?" Nabiki said. She blinked and quickly recovered her composure. Ranma glanced at her, squinting. "Apparently so," Kanzo said, smirking. He changed up subjects again. "You know, I heard about your curse." Ranma turned about to stare at Kanzo again, face a little pale. "Wh...what about it?" Ranma asked. Nabiki frowned at the man. "You really were born a boy?" Kanzo asked. Ranma nodded hesitantly. "And you're stuck like this right now?" Ranma started to open her mouth before Nabiki gestured for her to stay quiet. "What does this have to with a death by animal attack?" Nabiki asked. "And before you ask, Kodachi talked to us yesterday." He picked a family planning pamphlet up from the table and held it up. "This is interesting reading material," he said. Ranma blanched, while Nabiki maintained a neutral expression. "I understand the victim had something for you as a girl." "I have to ask again what this has to do with an animal attack," Nabiki said, hugging Ranma protectively now. "Ranma let the bastard live, the only crime here has been dealt with. "That is what I suspect," Kanzo said reluctantly. "Kuno-san had a pet alligator until this afternoon..." "We all left together," Ranma snapped. "Kodachi didn't kill anyone." "If she had fed him to the alligator you wouldn't have found the body," Nabiki said. "At least not where you did." "No, I don't think she did kill anyone," Kanzo said. "But you and your friends have access to some unusual resources. Do you know anybody with a giant bird?" "No, we do not," Nabiki said, Kanzo looked to her a moment. "Can you let Saotome-san answer, miss?" Kanzo asked. "I am not enjoying this, but it is the job I have sworn to do." "No," Ranma said shakily. "N...no birds." "Tadaima!" Akane called out from the genkan. "We're..." Akane walked in and frowned on seeing the visitor. "Who's this?" Kanzo stood up. "Tadaima. Oh, is Ranma okay?" Kasumi asked as she entered behind Akane. "Miss..." "Saotome Akane," Akane said hesitantly she looked to Nabiki comforting Ranma and narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?" "Detective Kanzo," he answered bowing. "I didn't want to upset your spouse, but I'm investigating the death of a ronin that he seems to be involved in." She looked again at Ranma and Nabiki. "I already knew about his curse." "Ranma is not a killer, officer," Akane growled, emphasizing the word officer rather than detective. She walked over to Ranma and gripped her hand. Ranma straightened her posture again and then leaned against Akane. Nabiki stood up straight, crossed her arms, and moved between Kanzo and the newlyweds. Kasumi moved around to a position behind them all. "As far as any of us know, that man was killed by a wild animal," Kasumi asserted. "This does not appear to be a criminal matter." "Not on first glance, true," Kanzo admitted. "You're probably right." He started to leave, but paused. "You know, there was something unusual found with the body." "What was that?" Nabiki asked. "A dead owl," Kanzo said. "It had somehow exploded or something, like it had swallowed something that grew inside it." Ranma's eyes widened suddenly, and Kanzo noticed. He shrugged then. "Must have been a cherry bomb. I'm sorry to bother you, you seem like good people, but I have my job to do." As soon as he left, Nabiki turned back to the others. "I'm going to go talk to Ryouga and Kodachi," Nabiki said irritably. "I want to know what they said." "Oh, I'm sorry, Nabiki," Kasumi said. Nabiki rubbed at the bridge of her nose. "They're cousins." Nabiki said. She sighed as Kasumi's face brightened. "And I'm not dating him." "Nabiki, be careful," Ranma said. "First Mousse this morning, now Kodachi's house. Something's up." "Should I go with you?" Akane asked. Nabiki thought about it. "I should be fine," Nabiki said. "But I'll watch my back. Save some of that dinner for me, okay, Ranma?" She took a breath and walked out of the dojo. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nabiki stepped out of the gate and looked about expectantly. She shook her head irritably and looked to where Kanzo was watching the dojo. Granted, he had picked a decently unobtrusive hiding spot, she judged whether or not the spot was within earshot of the dojo in case she had to scream and then walked over. "What are you doing?" Nabiki asked. "You're an observant woman, Tendo-san," Kanzo said. "Ever thought of joining the police?" "Once or twice, yes," Nabiki said. "Now what are you doing?" "I believe Tatewaki raped your friend," Kanzo said simply. "And I thank you for implying that oh so gently in there," Nabiki snapped. "Are you planning on arresting Ranma now? The bastard got what he deserved." "We can't allow people to take the law in their own hands," Kanzo said. "Then we just have anarchy, might makes right." "If you had tried to arrest Tatewaki," Nabiki said. "Then you would have seen a display of might." "Which is why I'm not concerned with the duel," Kanzo said. "I'm talking about who killed the man after your friend had already inflicted him with, I believe it was called 'strength-sapping moxibustion?' From the description I received, it would have left him completely defenseless, there was no reason to do anything else." Nabiki stared at him for a moment. Then she looked around and noted that the streets were starting to fill up with evening foot traffic. People returning home, going to the bathhouse, kids on dates. There would be a lot of people around to hear her if she needed help, assuming she stayed on the busy streets. "As long as you plan on talking to me, care to walk with me to the Ucchans?" Nabiki asked. "What is that?" Kanzo asked. "A restaurant," Nabiki smirked. "You don't seem to know everything about Nerima do you?" "I didn't have a need to know until recently," Kanzo admitted. "We could drive there." He gestured at his small car. Nabiki narrowed her eyes at that suggestion. "Walking would be faster," Nabiki said started to walk, Kanzo moved in step with her. "Step away, please," Nabiki said coldly, and the detective obliged her. "You think what happened to Kodachi is connected with her former brother's death?" "It is a possibility," Kanzo said. "Someone who cares enough about your friend to kill for him. You sound doubtful." "I won't see any harm come to my family," Nabiki said. "That includes Ranma." "If the same person that killed Tatewaki also ransacked the Kuno estate you'd be well to help me," Kanzo said. "After all, I gather Kodachi helped Saotome-san get away from her...former brother's death." "That's true," Nabiki frowned, and then her eyes widened. "They might not be trying to avenge Ranma." "What do you mean?" Kanzo asked. "Ranma and Tatewaki weren't the only ones involved in this," Nabiki said, hesitantly. "The cause of it all was a Chinese Amazon named Shampoo. She drugged Ranma, which is why he couldn't defend himself when Tatewaki caught him." "I heard that some Chinese fighters had left the area," Kanzo said. "Could this Shampoo girl have done all this?" Nabiki smirked and laughed. "Not likely," Nabiki said. "She was turned into a cat as punishment for the crime." Her amusement was tempered by what Cologne had considered the crime to be. "She was permanently changed, not like a normal curse." "Normal curse, that is a bizarre statement," Kanzo said. Nabiki had to nod in agreement. "You think the guilty party is trying to avenge her then?" "This boy that has a crush on her was spreading rumors at our school this morning," Nabiki said. "You said the owl looked like something had grown inside of it? I assume you meant Tatewaki." "Yes," Kanzo admitted. "I thought that was impossible until I learned about your friend's curse." "There is something called Instant Nannichuan," Nabiki said. "It's a sort of a one-shot Jusenkyo curse, my sister used so she could marry Ranma while he's stuck as a girl. The Amazon matriarch gave us a supply before she left the country." Kanzo decided not to ask why they had been given a supply. "Would there be other things one can turn into with these packets?" Kanzo asked. "That's a good question, isn't it?" Nabiki asked. "But Mousse is definitely a problem I would like dealt with. I don't think you can, but at least this way you know it wasn't one of my family." "I like your confidence in our abilities," Kanzo said sarcastically. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Are you okay, Ranma?" Akane asked. Ranma blinked and then turned to Akane with a shaky smile. "Yeah," Ranma said. "It's just been a long day." "Did you...enjoy your meeting today?" Kasumi asked. Ranma flinched. "I'm not sure you can call it that," Ranma said. She straightened her back and gave another shaky smile. "Let me just finish making my dinner, okay? Then we can talk." "Oh! I can do that," Kasumi said. "Nah, I got it," Ranma said. "You both already ate, ne? I just feel like making something. I already started anyway." Akane and Kasumi looked at each other and then back at Ranma. "Okay, Ranma," Akane said. Ranma nodded and started walking to the kitchen. She could tell Akane was following her, probably for the same reason Nabiki had, to make sure she didn't stab herself or something. Still, Akane couldn't see her face suddenly turn worried as she bit her lip. ~Ucchan no baka,~ Ranma thought. Ranma visibly cringed for no apparent reason and fell against the wall. That pain hadn't gone away yet, it was almost getting worse. "Ranma!" Akane gasped. "Are you okay?" She moved next to Ranma and helped the redhead steady herself. "Ahh, its just my imagination," Ranma muttered. "What is your imagination?" Akane asked cautiously. "It ain't..." Ranma's speech was cut off by a wince, and she appeared to wobble. Akane watched an expression of pain collect across Ranma's face. "Kasumi!" Akane called. "There's something wrong with Ranma!" "This I know," Ranma said tightly. "I can deal with pain." Akane was half-carrying the redhead to keep her on her feet. "What is the...?" Kasumi's eyes widened as she turned the corner to see them. Akane followed Kasumi's gaze to Ranma's feet and the blood she could see staining Ranma's socks. "Ranma, you're bleeding!" Akane shouted in alarm. She looked Ranma over quickly and saw the front of the redhead's pants starting to stain as well. ~Ranma wears a couple layers of clothes.~ "I'm what?" Ranma asked. She tried to lean over to take a look and almost toppled. She would have if Akane hadn't caught her. "Ranma, lay down," Kasumi said quickly. "I'm calling the hospital." She glanced at Akane before rushing to the phone. "What's going on?" Ranma asked desperately, letting Akane lower her to the ground. "Akane, what's wrong with me?" Akane sat down and held Ranma's head in her lap. She stroked at Ranma's hair trying to keep her calm. "I don't know," Akane said nervously. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Do you know how to find more of your family?" Kodachi asked after a long silence. She was still twisting that piece of white fabric in her hands, as if by twisting it she might harm its owner. "Umm, not really," Ryouga said. "It's hard to find us. Why?" "How did you grow up?" she asked quietly. "Were you mostly alone? Did you know your parents?" "My dad is always lost," Ryouga said, nervous at Kodachi's sudden inquisitive mood. "So I've never seen much of him. Mom mostly stayed home, but sometimes she had to go somewhere on business or something. Either that or she needs to pick up Dad from somewhere. Then my Auntie Chikako would come to keep an eye on me, with my cousin Dacchi." "Yes, I had figured out that much," Kodachi said irritably. "Yeah, but then you stopped coming," Ryouga said. "I was about nine I think." "Mother died," Kodachi said, quietly. "A mistake in a doctor's prescription killed her. That's why I learned about drugs myself." "Oh. Are you going to be a doctor?" Ryouga asked. Kodachi turned to him and squinted. "I had not actually considered that," Kodachi said. "Why do you want to know so much about my family life?" Ryouga asked, to distract Kodachi from staring at him. "Because Father was never much of a father," Kodachi said. "And after Mother died, I was mostly alone." "What about your bro...," Ryouga stopped as Kodachi glared at him. "Nevermind." "In the case of an emergency," Kodachi continued past the mistake. "How do you contact your family?" "We place ads in the papers and magazines," Ryouga said. Kodachi nodded. "I see," Kodachi said. The door to Ucchan's opened and both turned to see Nabiki come in with detective Kanzo. "Good evening Tendo-san," Konatsu said bowing as they entered. "Ukyou-sama is gone for a few minutes so were not serving..." "I'm here to see those two, Konatsu," Nabiki said, pointing at Ryouga and Kodachi. "Oh good," Konatsu said. Then the kunoichi shivered. "Oh dear, there seems to be a draft somewhere, I shall be right back." Konatsu left the room to start checking windows. "Good evening, detective, not had your fill of misery yet?" Kodachi asked irritably as they walked over. "More than my fill actually," Kanzo said. "You know who Mousse is, right Koda-chan?" Nabiki asked, interrupting the developing conversation. Kodachi twitched at being exposed to Nabiki's sarcastic tendency to assign nicknames to everybody. "I have encountered the man before, yes," Kodachi said. "Why do you ask." "Is there anything that indicates that this Mousse might have been the one to destroy your home?" Kanzo asked. "But why..." Kodachi frowned. "He is enamored of that...bitch!...isn't he." Kodachi growled, hands tightening around the cloth in her hands. Ryouga glanced at the cloth again, and suddenly realized something. "That's why Ukyou ran off," Ryouga said. He pointed to the cloth in Kodachi's hands. "She saw that and then went off to find Mousse." "Why would that barbarian want to attack me?" Kodachi demanded. "He may also have used some sort of magic to have your former brother killed," Kanzo said. "It seems he's trying to get revenge for his girlfriend." Nabiki and Ryouga shared a look. "How much do you know now, Detective?" Kodachi asked sharply, glancing at Nabiki. "He knows the basic story," Nabiki said. "I didn't go into many details." "He'll be after us soon," Ryouga said. "You and me, yes," Nabiki said. "You two?" Kanzo asked, arching an eyebrow in surprise and reproach. "I'm the one that brought Shampoo's activities to the attention of her elders," Nabiki said. "Ryouga acted as my bodyguard. He'll probably think we're directly responsible." "When can we expect him to strike then?" Kanzo asked. The conversation was interrupted when a chained up Konatsu smashed into the table they were surrounding. "You can expect me to strike now!" Mousse shouted. Ryouga was already to his feet and getting ready to attack when the water balloon hit him in the face. Kanzo's eyes widened as the boy shrank and vanished into his clothes, but turned back to the matter at hand. His gun was quickly knocked free just before he was nailed to the wall by a volley of knives that held him by his clothes. "You! It was you! You killed my Midorigame!" Kodachi shouted, finally overcoming her shock and rage. "Kodachi, wait!" Nabiki yelled out, trying to stop the gymnast from getting into a fight where she was most likely overmatched. "I've already avenged the harm your clan has done to Shampoo's honor," Mousse snapped. "I don't wish to fight you." "It doesn't matter what you wish!" Kodachi growled, she lashed out with her ribbon to slash out Mousse. Nabiki stood up and tried to sneak around to find some water. Mousse easily managed to avoid Kodachi's attacks and lashed out with a weighted chain catching Nabiki in the back and slamming her into the wall. Nabiki cried out as she was struck and then slumped to the floor, stunned. Kodachi shouted an unintelligible growl as she switched from her ribbon to something that required less room. Mousse was turning to deal with the club-wielding gymnast, well aware of the electrical current running through the weapons. The Amazon was distracted by an enraged piglet flying into his face. Mousse reached up and pulled the piglet from his face, and returned to consider Kodachi. He was too late to keep from being brushed by one of the electrified clubs and cried out in pain and surprise. "Woman, this isn't your fight!" Mousse shouted. "You desecrate my ancestors' shrines and you say it isn't my fight?" Kodachi demanded. She came in fast and furious, eager to land a solid blow that would let the current immobilize him. Mousse sighed and tossed out a chain to wrap around Kodachi, clubs and all. As the current passed through the chains into her, Kodachi screamed and spasmed, thankfully releasing the buttons that triggered the charge. She fell hard to the ground and remained still. Mousse was moving to check her pulse when the piglet attacked him again. This time Mousse could take the time to catch and hold Ryouga away from where the Jusenkyo cursed wanderer could easily attack. The blind man checked Kodachi's pulse and nodded before moving towards where Nabiki was coming to. "You must be Mousse," Kanzo said. Mousse looked in his direction and then just ignored him, lifting Nabiki off the ground by her throat. "You two were the ones that caused all this," Mousse said angrily. The piglet in his hand bweed angrily. "That's what you think," Nabiki gasped. She was starting to think that the blow to her back had broken her shoulder or something, it certainly hurt like hell. "You think I was going to let that bitch get away with what she did?" "Don't you dare call Shampoo that," Mousse shouted angrily. "Or I'll..." "Or what, you'll kill us?" Nabiki laughed. "You're going to do that anyway." "I can think of worse fates," Mousse said. Nabiki's bravado vanished completely. "Y...you wouldn't," Nabiki stuttered. "You took Shampoo away," Mousse growled. Nabiki cringed and closed her eyes as Mousse moved in closer. "Please...not again," Nabiki whispered. The piglet in Mousse's other hand was now heavily enraged and looking for some way to get free. "You do this and we'll hunt you down," Kanzo promised. Mousse turned to face him, obscuring the storeroom door from Kanzo's view. "Like you could stop me," Mousse said. "My love is a cat for the rest of he--" Kanzo saw a flash of metal as Mousse's rant was cut off, and a thick shower of hair dropped to the ground around Mousse's feet. The Chinese boy released his grip from around Nabiki and Ryouga, both of whom tumbled to the ground. Kanzo and Ryouga watched to the still standing Mousse, confused. Confused until Mousse's head rolled off his shoulders to the ground, followed by his body. Ukyou was standing there and staring at the body and breathing hard. Her eyes were wide in apparent shock. "Miss!" Kanzo called out. "Miss!" Ukyou shook her head clear and turned toward the yelling police officer. "Can you get me loose?" "Yeah, sure," Ukyou said shakily, setting her spatula to the side. The chef stepped around the body avoiding the spreading blood pool and moved to help the detective free from the wall. "I gotta call the ambulance." Ukyou said breathlessly. She moved, in an apparent daze to the phone and started dialing. The detective first checked on Kodachi and was relieved to find the girl still breathing. He carefully, VERY carefully, pulled away the electrified clubs from out of the metal chains so they wouldn't be a danger any longer. "Tendo-san, how are you?" Kanzo called out. Nabiki didn't respond right away, he looked over and saw her eyes were still closed. One arm was limp but the other was wrapped around her knees. Kanzo rushed over to her. "Tendo-san! He's dead!" "Dead?" Nabiki asked quietly. She risked a glimpse, saw Mousse's head a few feet away, and tried to jump to her feet, and failed when her arm and shoulder wouldn't hold the weight. "Oh kami, I thought. He was going to...Oh kami..." "If it's any relief," Ukyou called out, still looking kind of dazed, "I think he was talking about a Jusenkyo curse, not what you're thinking." Nabiki looked at her a moment, and then sighed in relief. "Don't think about it," Kanzo said. "Just sit and wait for the ambulance." Nabiki nodded and worked to sit up, focusing on the task rather than what may have happened, and careful not to shift her injured arm or shoulder much.
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