DISCLAIMER: Ranma Nibunnoichi is the property of Takahashi Rumiko,
Shogakukan Inc, Shonen Sunday Comics, and Viz Video. It is used without
their permission and is not intended for profit but only for the
enjoyment of fans of the Ranma series. All characters within this fic
that are not the property of the above mentioned are copyrighted to the
author, Joseph Kohle, January 1997. This work of fiction is the result
of the author's hard work and is for the enjoyment of others. Please do
not change, modify, or use any segment of this story without the
author's knowing and written consent. Feel free to archive this work.

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

                       Meiyo Ai soshite Nikushimi

                       A Ranma Nibunnoichi Fanfic
                            by Joseph Kohle

       		        Part IV: Separate Paths
                      Chapter IV Choosing the Way



                                -- 1 --


     Nervousness, lightly shadowed with a darker anxiety, fluttered in-
cessantly within her stomach like a moth vainly throwing itself against
a window pane in hopes of finding an escape. Akane could not be blamed
for the unease. Few women are ever prepared to face a consultation about
an abortion, much less a teenage girl, terrified and alone, who was
faced with a life-changing dilemma of which she barely understood the
consequences and only held a tenuous grasp of the realities. For this
reason, as she opened the door to Tsujimura-sensei's office, she found
herself relaxing under that gaze of this man she had dreaded meeting for
the entire day.
     Tsujimura-sensei was an older man who stood nearly twenty-five
centimeters higher than Akane. His body was large, more of muscle and
bone than of flesh. He had the body of a fighter, strong and heavy, yet
there exuded about him an aura of gentleness that belied his size. His
silvery-gray hair, peppered by black, softened his appearance, as did
his face, which was round and jovial rather than the sharper angles
Akane had become used to among martial artists. His dark eyes were soft
and full of concern, and his hands gentle as he welcomed her to his
office and directed her to a cushioned chair.
     That all changed as he began to speak.
     His eyes and voice became serious, his face lost its grandfatherly
comfort and charm, and he spoke with the voice of a recording and an
exacting detail that left little to the imagination. He charged into his
subject with almost no preamble and began to tell Akane exactly what she
would be going through if she had an abortion. He was frank in many
areas, graphic in others, and at several times, Akane almost bolted from
the room in horror. Something, however, kept her in her seat, listening
as Tsujimura-sensei lectured her.
     As the tirade ended, Akane was left silent and numb in her seat as
tears formed in her eyes. "Do you understand?" Tsujimura asked in a
quiet voice. "Do you understand what will happen? What you are going to
go through?"
     Akane could barely nod her head. "Why?" she asked. "Why did you
tell me all of that? Are you trying to make it worse for me?" The tears
were finally cascading down her face. "It was hard enough to come here.
It's the only choice I have, and-and you're just making it harder for me
to deal with it."
     "I'm sorry," Tsujimura apologized in a soft voice. He pulled a
tissue from his desk and handed it to Akane. "Too many people come in
here thinking this is the best form of birth control. I just want to
make sure each of them understands."
     "I don't care!" Akane snapped. "I don't want to understand! I
don't want to deal with any of this." 
     Although Tsujimura's gaze was concerned as he watched her, Akane
thought she saw indifference in his eyes, as if he heard the same thing
a hundred times a week. "Tendou-san, I interview several dozen women a
week for the same thing. Most of them walk away, deciding to tough it
out. The others stay for various reasons. What about you? Why are you
doing this? I know why Toufu-sensei wants you to do this, but what about
you? Do you even want to go through with it?"
     Akane wiped away the tears from her cheeks. "I don't know. I really
don't. I-I...what else can I do?" she finally exhaled in resignation.
     "There are many options, this isn't the only one," Tsujimura said,
placing a comforting hand over Akane's.
     "No, I don't have a choice. You don't understand. I-I'd be a horrid
mother," Akane stated. "I can't even talk to Ranma without losing my
temper. I know it'd only be worse if we had a kid."
     "Ranma?" Tsujimura asked. "He's the father, ne?"
     Akane nodded.
     "Why didn't he come with you?"
     "He doesn't know..."
     "It's not smart to keep him in the dark. He has a right to know,"
Tsujimura admonished Akane, interrupting her.
     "I know, but I can't tell him. He's not in Japan right now. He
left before I found out, and..." Akane's shoulders slumped in defeat as
she sank back into the chair. "What would you do?" she asked as she
twisted the tissue to shreds in her lap. "What would you do if you
didn't know he'd be back? If you didn't know for sure someone else
wouldn't take him? How can you possibly understand what I have to deal
with every day?" She knew she was crying again, but she couldn't control
the tears. Instead, she angrily brushed them from her eyes. 
     Tsujimura-sensei made no comment as Akane tried to regain her
composure. He watched as she wiped her eyes dry, sniffling from the
emotion. When he felt that she was once again stable, he continued. "Why
don't you tell me what I don't understand?" he suggested. "If nothing
else, it will give me a place to work from."
     Akane nodded her head. For a while she said nothing, composing her
thoughts as her eyes traveled idly over Tsujimura's desk. She began to
speak in a soft tremulous voice, explaining what her relationship with
Ranma had been like. At first, it was hard to fit the words together as
she stumbled over small embarrassments; however, under the sympathetic
gaze of Tsujimura, Akane began to relax and tell her and Ranma's tale.
She left out his curse and all the other curses, deciding at the last
moment that Tsujimura would be unable to deal with those realities.
Instead, she concentrated on their arranged marriage, their troubled
relationship, the problem with finances and rivals, and some of their
strange adventures. She didn't cover everything, but then, she wanted to
leave the office sometime before she gave birth.
     Despite this, her tale was long and she found herself telling this
grandfatherly man some of the deeply hidden doubts and fears she
harboured about her own abilities and place in life. He listened with
patience and understanding, never intruding on her when she started
crying from some realization she made about her life or Ranma. For
Akane, it was a cleansing, a way to come to grips with much of what had
happened in the last year and a half. Although it didn't alleviate her
problem or solve any part of her situation, there was an easing of
tension from just unloading her burdens to another person. She rarely
told anyone accept Mio her problems, and even her relationship with Mio
had become strained in the last few months. 
     Even while baring her burdens to Tsujimura-sensei, Akane was
trying to validate her decision and make him agree with her. Each piece
of her life was chosen by her subconscious to shed a more desperate
light upon her predicament. Tsujimura, however, seemed unimpressed and
uncaring about her predicament.
     "I don't see your problem, Akane-san," Tsujimura observed during
one of Akane's extended silences. "I'll give you that you have had an
interesting courtship, and one that was filled with uncertainties and
troubles, but it is also obvious that this Ranma cares for you very
deeply. Even you admitted that he has told you that he loves you several
times in the past few weeks."
     Akane shook her head. "Iie, iie, iie. I know he loves me. I'd be
blind if I didn't see that, but it's because he loves me that I can't
have this baby."
     "That makes no sense."
     "Listen, please," Akane begged, vainly trying to deal with a
concept that was almost beyond her grasp. She was trying to decipher
Ranma on the spur of the moment, and some of the connections she was
making were horrifying. "I didn't tell you how I got pregnant."
     "I'd assume it was in the normal way," Tsujimura said.
     "Yes, but that's not what I mean!" Akane snapped and then softened
her voice. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell. It's just that I'm so
stressed out."
     "That's perfectly alright, Akane-san. I understand. Now what were
you going to say?"
     Akane took a deep breath and continued, "Ranma was fighting
someone Happousai sent to kill him. He wasn't doing very well, and the
guy knocked Ranma down. Ranma hit his head, and he couldn't move. That
thing was going to kill Ranma. I didn't think. I just jumped at it,
trying to stop it." Akane fell silent for a moment. "It knocked me away
like I was some sort of bug. I don't remember what happened. It hit me
and the next thing I know, Ranma is holding me and crying. He thought I
was dead. I don't know how it happened, and I really don't care, but
we...we made love.
     "But Ranma thought he raped me. At first, I didn't understand. I
was so hurt when he ran away that I ignored him for a whole week. I
would've continued to ignore him if he hadn't come to me. I didn't know
he thought he had raped me, but...he-he," Akane began to cry as she
remembered Ranma lying in his own blood. "Gods, he tried to kill himself
to make everything right. If he hadn't done it in front of me..." 
     "Akane," Tsujimura said comfortingly as he laid a hand on her
shoulder, "it's not a good idea to dwell on possibilities. Maybe you're
right. I don't understand you and Ranma, but I know what my job is, and
I understand that you are confused and helpless right now. I, however,
don't think Ranma would kill himself because you're pregnant."
     "I'm not worried about that. He still is so scared that he raped
me or forced me. If he finds out he got me pregnant, I-I don't know what
he'll do." Silence fell over the room like a heavy blanket. Neither
Akane nor Tsujimura spoke for a long time. Akane felt Tsujimura's eyes
on her, and she forced her eyes to stare blankly at her hands clutched
together in her lap. The silence slowly became oppressive and
uncomfortable, weighing down on Akane's shoulders. Unable to take it
anymore, she spoke up, "He always takes everyone's problems as his own.
He doesn't know when to say enough, especially with me. I can't give him
this to deal with. I don't want him staying with me because it's
honourable, or because he thinks he's responsible. I want him to love
me."
     "Will he love you anymore if you have the abortion?" Tsujimura
asked suddenly. "I don't think you know what you're committing yourself
to, Akane-san.  Despite what Toufu thinks, I don't think you should do
this, but I won't stop you. All I ask is that you go home and think
everything over. It's late now, and you're obviously tired." He placed a
gentle hand on Akane's shoulder. "Go home, rest, and think. If you still
think this is your only option come back tomorrow afternoon however, if
you want to stick it out and wait for Ranma, I'll be happy to get you in
a support group."
     "But..."
     "Enough, Tendou-san. I never let women make a decision on their
first visit. Go home and sleep, maybe the right answer will come to
you." With that, Tsujimura stood and motioned Akane toward the door. It
took a moment for Akane to respond, but after a moment she stood up from
her chair and bowed to Tsujimura-sensei before leaving the office and
closing the door.
     Akane walked out of Tsujimura's office with a troubled heart. He
had given her a lot to think about, but what other choice did she have?
Although Tsujimura had asked to see her the next day, she knew what her
answer would be. If Ranma was with her, things might have turned out
differently, but she doubted it. But, what if he wanted her to have the
baby? 
     She shook her head. Ranma had too many things to think about at
the moment. She had seen the strain on his face when he had visited her
before leaving, Tsujimura-sensei had not. The strain from taking almost
all of the pressure that should have been placed on her shoulders as
well as his was slowly dragging him down with each moment he dealt with
it. From the abuse leveled out by their fathers at breaking the engage-
ment, the humiliation from their story about the attempted suicide,
nearly dying to break his engagement with Shampoo, to now having to trek
to China just to ensure Shampoo and Cologne left them alone, Akane was
amazed he could even handle that much. It was beyond her to add one more
problem to his list. When he returned, she knew even more problems would
pop up like weeds in a garden, and that didn't include trying to make a
relationship work between them. A child was simply out of the question
at the moment, yet, even with those reasons, her choice felt wrong, so
very wrong.



                                -- 2 -- 


     Nabiki slipped out of her high heels and handed her light coat to
the young hostess who was dressed in a tasteful, floral kimono. The
young girl bowed in respect. Nabiki returned the greeting with a small
bow of her own before stepping down into the dimly lit dinning area. Her
eyes quickly adjusted to the light as she took in the surroundings, and,
despite herself, she was impressed. The room had a dozen low tables
spread around in a haphazard fashion, each with small bowl candles on
them. A small bar was off to one side of the dining area. In the back of
the room, she could see the red silk drape that covered the entrance to
the main entertainment lounge. It was obviously an expensive restaurant,
and that meant that Yoshioka Satoru was taking her advances seriously.
     Although she was a few minutes early, her host was already seated
at a small table. Smoothing out her dark dress skirt and adjusting the
dark, navy-blue blazer she was wearing, Nabiki smiled softly and made
her way over to the table as she switched the folder she had brought to
her non-dominate hand.
     As she approached, Yoshioka rose to his feet. He was a well
proportioned man in his late forties who stood ten or so centimeters
taller than Nabiki. He was wearing a casual business suit with a red
silk handkerchief in the breast pocket. The cut of his suit accented his
thin, straight frame handsomely. His face was long like his son's, but
it had a more chiseled appearance to it, giving him the sculpted visage
of strength and vigor. This was only accented by his dark hair, streaked
by gray only at the temples, and the intense dark eyes that made him
look both younger and sophisticated. His bearing was of a man who was
comfortable in these situations. He waited patiently for Nabiki to
approach, a casual smile on his lips. 
     Nabiki sighed inwardly at his manner. It was obvious that, like
their first meeting three days ago, this one was to be more casual than
business. Business would be discussed, but it would take the back seat
for the moment which suited Nabiki perfectly. It was not that she was
feeling any abnormal trepidation about conducting business, but just
that she was in unfamiliar waters here. She was used to dealing with
high schoolers and sometimes men and women in their early twenties.
Yoshioka Satoru, on the other hand, was an accomplished businessman who
had made a more than decent name for himself in the largest real estate
and property management firm in Tokyo.
     Bowing to Yoshioka, Nabiki felt a small trill of victory when he
bowed back to her instead of inclining his head as he had last time. She
had obviously impressed him at their first meeting, and this meant that
they were going to get along very nicely. Of course, this dinner did not
have the added confusion of Yoshioka's son Takezo either, but he had
been required for the first meeting. No business realtionship could be
built without the required go-between, so the first meeting was always a
formality. This was the meeting that required her to interest Yoshioka,
and as such, it was much more vital that she conduct herself with
decorum and suave self-assurance.
     "I'm glad you could make it, Tendou-san," Yoshioka greeted Nabiki
pleasantly. "Please, have a seat." He motioned for her to kneel at the
low table. Nabiki complied as Yoshioka kneeled across from her. He took
a sip from his glass, a martini Nabiki assumed from the olive floating
in the glass. "Would you like something to drink?"
     Nabiki nodded as she placed the folder she had brought on the
floor beside her. "What you are having will be satisfactory." 
     Yoshioka motioned with his hand and a serving girl came over. He
spoke to her in a quiet a voice. She bowed and backed away from the
table. "This is much nicer, isn't it?" he asked her, motioning at the
restaurant. 
     "It's very nice." Nabiki answered politely. "I'm surprised you
could arrange our meeting here. I had always assumed that it required a
week's notice to get a table here."
     "In most cases, it does, but my company owns this place so we can
entertain our clients and provide to their needs." He nodded toward the
curtained-off section of the restaurant where the main entertainment
room for large, non-business parties were normally held, and beyond that
the smaller rooms for more direct entertainment.
     "I'm sure your clients are very appreciative," Nabiki acknowledged
in a quiet voice as her drink arrived. Nabiki nodded in thanks and took
a small sip. Though she was used to alcohol, having pilfered from her
father's store for several years, she had never liked nor developed a
taste for strong liquor, preferring wine and the occasional nip of sake.
To her credit, she was able to sip with ease.
      "I was rather intrigued when my son said that a classmate of his
wanted to speak to me. I was even more surprised when I meet you Tendou- 
san." Yoshioka finished his drink and put it on the edge of the table. A
moment later it was taken by the unobtrusive serving girl. "I had been
expecting someone a little older."
     "Is age really that important?" Nabiki asked. "I've seen old men
make fools of themselves on the market while the younger generation
excels."
     "Ah, but youth is impetuous. For every million they make, they
lose the same, but with experience, a loss becomes a gain."
     "I would not say that youth is impetuous. They simply do not
understand the worth of what they have, so they take risks. But your
colleagues would rather let an opportunity slide because it is new and
unknown, rather than taking a risk with their earnings."
     "And which are you, Tendou Nabiki?"
     "I don't like risk, Yoshioka-san. But a risk can be neutralized by
placing your chips in the right way and can even be taken advantage of."
Nabiki was getting tired of the verbal sparring. Yoshioka was playing
the game well. He had set her at ease with his casual air, and then
began to maneuver her around to subjects that would give away what she
was willing to trade. Although she could do this, her general dealings
with people were much more straight forward and so she was feeling much
like Ranma would in a debating tournament. That is why his next words
relieved her so much.
     "Do you think we can drop this facade?" he asked.
     "I think we could."
     "Good. I told you I was intrigued, and I am. I've been wondering
what a young woman, such as yourself, could want from me, but I'm
getting ahead of myself. Why don't we order? I'd like to get to know
you. From what my son relates, you have a very richly deserved
reputation."
     "I'm sure he was just being nice," Nabiki joked, giving him a
tentative smile. Yoshioka returned the smile, his eyes lighting up in
mirth. Almost sighing in relief, Nabiki opened her menu. She hadn't
expected this. It was obvious they were going to discuss business
tonight, and that meant she might get a good idea on where that business
would go. The dinner was a much needed break for her. She was not used
to dealing on a playing field where she held only a few advantages. What
she wanted from him was not enough monetarily to interest him. He was
from a large firm to which properties like the Nekohanten were not of
interest. But his company's reputation was, and that was what she was
trying to buy. What she needed to find out was where Yoshioka's motives
lay. He obviously had an agenda, but what it was, she could not guess.
Dinner, at the very least, would relax the barriers between them and it
might even give her some information, especially if he kept drinking
like he did.
     Dinner was a relaxed affair. They chatted amiably, talking about
family and friends. Nabiki skirted around her relationship with Takezo,
describing it as more of a distant friendship than a business relation.
He took her explanation without question, and instead pressed on about
her own family. She answered him truthfully, explaining what her family
was like and what her father did. Nabiki could tell that he was
impressed by the traditional way in which she had been raised, although
she rarely showed any of her traditional upbringing.
     Nabiki listened as he related tales of his family life, and a few
entertaining asides about his job, but talking about one's job, other
than interesting encounters and anecdotes, over dinner was considered
impolite by many and so was not emphasized nor encouraged by Nabiki. The
dinner continued without a hitch, and after a few hours, they were back
to drinks and were relaxing next to the table, chatting amiably.
     "I must admit, that you baffle me, Tendou-san, and that is what
brought me here. I wonder what you could possibly offer me that would be
worth my company's attention. Your family is not wealthy, although your
home is probably prime real estate, and you have no steady source of
income, nor do you seem to have a large portfolio. So what do you want?" 
     It was obvious that Yoshioka was not going to hold back anything,
and in this situation, Nabiki didn't have a position on which she could
hold back much. She had to play with most of her cards on the table. She
sipped at her martini and then straightened her blazer, smoothing out
the wrinkles. "I don't have real estate to sell, well at least not yet.
I have more in the way of an offer that might lead to a later
understanding between us." The way Yoshioka leaned forward, told Nabiki
he was interested at least.
     "There is a restaurant in Nerima called the Nekohanten. It will
soon be going up for sale. It is in a very good location at the moment
and will sell quickly and for a good price. I don't want that to happen
if I can help it."
     "What does this have to do with me? You cannot impede the way of a
sale, and if it is just a small restaurant, my company has no need of
it."
     "Your company has prestige, and if a few members of your company
were to observe and evaluate the property and then write it up as a very
undesirable property, it would get in the way of the sale."
     "But again, this still will not help my company, and might even
endanger it, especially if the property is in good shape. I'm sorry, it
is too much of a risk, Tendou-san. Even you should realize that."
     "I know it is a risk, but a risk can be neutralized. I know the
people who own this restaurant, and they must have it sold in less than
a month. If they don't have a buyer, I will be able to purchase it off
of them, or sell it for them at a very high percentage."
     Yoshioka was quiet for a moment. "It would work. My company would
not have to deal with embarrassment or libel suits, since you would take
all of the risk. That is, however, contingent on the fact that no one
takes the time to do a second appraisal."
     "I very much doubt that will happen. The owners are selling it
themselves, and as such will not bring in an outside appraiser. They are
foreigners and don't understand much of the business practices of our
people."
     "Okay, you have convinced me that this is safe enough. But what is
in it for me? And more importantly, why are you doing this?"
     "I have my reasons. It has to do with my family honour, and that
is all you need to know." Nabiki knew she sounded a little brusque, but
it couldn't be helped. It was a touchy subject, and Yoshioka would back
down from it.
     "I don't think I want to be involved in some elaborate scheme for
revenge, and I know my company would never get involved in such a thing.
I'm sorry, but I cannot help you."
     "This isn't for revenge," Nabiki said quietly. "I need the owner
of this place to stay where she is until the month is out. I cannot have
her wandering around. She is trying to get involved in some family
business, and I don't want her to be able to leave Nerima until the last
possible moment. I will make it worth your while."
     "How? No, before you answer that, let me see the property specs.
You do have them don't you?" he asked, holding out his hand to Nabiki.
     Nabiki nodded and opened the folder. She pulled out a few pieces
of paper with numbers on them and a diagram. "Here," she said, passing
the documents into his hands, "this should be all you need to know."
There was silence for a few minutes as Yoshioka looked over the figures
and statistics for the Nekohanten. After a while of tapping his fingers
and writing his own calculations down on the paper he put the pages down
in front of him.
     "It is in a profitable area not to mention that it is a very
profitable business. I figure about a twenty to thirty percent profit
increase over the next five years and property increase of maybe two
hundred percent over ten. As a profitable business, my company might
look at it as a normal deal, but our fee would be more than what the
property is worth. Going at ten thousand yen a square foot, the property
is worth twelve million, with the building on top of that and the
commercial zoning in a developing district, including the living space
on the second floor, I'd say we could sell this for around forty-five
million yen general market value, and maybe upwards of sixty if we sell
it right. Given our fee of one-fifth the selling price, I'd say it would
have to be sold at fifty-eight to sixty million for the owner to make a
profit. Is that about right?"
     Nabiki nodded her head. She was actually hoping to acquire it for
less, but that was not important to this conversation. "So what do you
need to give the property a bad rating?"
     "I don't see why we should. The price is exorbitant for that small
area of land. I'd assume that it'd be impossible to sell it at any rate.
If you devalue the land, it is only going to make it go faster." Nabiki
frowned. She didn't know a lot about real estate, but what he was saying
sounded correct, and that put a crimp in her plans. "Let me see if I can
explain. The value of land is a reflection of the land around it and the
profits and taxes earned from those businesses around it. Even if you
devalue a building within an area, the land itself is worth the
investment. Someone would spend the twelve million to buy the land
without batting an eyelash, and then he'd bulldoze the site and build a
place for maybe thirty or so. Construction is cheaper than buying pre-
built. Do you understand?"
     "Hai, so I want to pump up the price, inflate it as far as it can
go so it would seem that the profit to be made over the next ten years
is not worth the original investment."
     "Right, you have to make it too risky for a small businessman to
buy it, or too risky for a landowner who would lease it. Most
businessmen will pay up to a figure in the low fifties for land like
this. Even if the owner sells it himself, the price will drop to maybe
fifty or forty-eight. That is a reasonable price, and it will sell very
fast."
     "But what if you're company supports it?"
     "I would say that the price would jump to the sixty million, and
it will still go fast because of the prestige of my company. Either way,
I don't think you're going to be able to do this."
     Nabiki could see that Yoshioka was truly sorry that he was unable
to help, but she was determined to do this. She just had to make the
deal attractive enough for him. "What would happen if your company went
in and began to negotiate for the property? If you delayed the progress
and offered a large price, too large for anyone to match, then maybe
dropped out after a while ..."
     Yoshioka looked at Nabiki for a moment and then began to laugh.
"My son said you were devious, but I did not expect anything like this.
I would almost be tempted to do it if I could be guaranteed a profit for
my company, and maybe something for myself."
     Nabiki allowed herself a moment of exultation. Reaching forward,
she took another sip of her martini, and then put the rest of the folder
on the table. "I think I can make it profitable. I don't want them
leaving, and I will make it worth your while. If you entertain the
sellers for a month and then back out, I will offer my services as a
realtor, for a percentage of the sale of course."
     "But why should they trust you, Tendou-san?" Yoshioka asked. "You
have already alluded to the fact that your families are not on good
terms. The owner will obviously not trust you."   
     "The owner does not consider me a threat. As far as she knows, she
has already gotten what she wants, so my family is of no concern. My
future brother-in-law on the other hand is not interested in her and is
off spiking her wheel at this moment. If I can keep her busy, I'll keep
her out of my brother-in-law's hair, and help him. I also get to cheat
her." Nabiki's mind was whirling as ideas formed and collided in her
head, quickly forming into a coherent plan. "I will introduce you to
her, and that will get the negotiations going. Since I'm the go-between,
when you pull out, or just don't finish the deal, I'll take over and
sell the property to you, or to someone else if you don't want it."
     "My company will still not be interested in the property, and it
will not give me much of a commission. I've not dealt with any deal less
than a hundred million in several years. They are just not profitable."
Yoshioka's voice and gleaming eyes, however, contradicted his statement.
Nabiki could tell that the deal intrigued him, at least slightly.
     "But what if I sell the property to you below market cost?" Nabiki
offered. "You get a larger profit, and I still get some money for
selling it, and if you don't want it, I'll give you a percentage of the
sale for your time, and I will also reduce this a little." Nabiki pushed
across the manila folder. It was her last gamble. Inside was her
calculations on Takezo's debts and losses over the last few years. 
     Yoshioka was quiet and subdued as he read through the portfolio.
He would sometimes make notes on a piece of paper he pulled out of his
briefcase. It took him several minutes to go through all of the figures.
Finally, he placed it on the table and, in a shaky voice, asked, "Are
these figures accurate?" 
     Nabiki nodded.
     "You have me in a bind, Tendou-san. This is a lot of money."
     "I don't have you in a bind. It is not your debt, Yoshioka-san.
This is a debt your son incurred, and I will collect from him and not
from you. All I'm offering is to reduce his debt in exchange for your
cooperation and help. I will still pay you and compensate you for your
work in helping me. Just consider this an added incentive."
     "An incentive no father would refuse. I don't have the money to
pay this, and neither does my son. You could easily take us to court on
this and get the money from me. It is all very legal. I'm very impressed
with you Tendou Nabiki. I will consider your offer."
     "I would be most grateful," Nabiki responded, a trill of victory
running down her spine. She had done it.
     Yoshioka stood up, and Nabiki followed him. He gave her a small
bow to which Nabiki responded with a deeper one. Then Yoshioka turned to
leave, but before he did, he glanced back at Nabiki and spoke. "Even if
we don't conclude this. I would like to do business with you at some
point in time. I see a very promising future for you, Tendou Nabiki. A
very promising one indeed." With that said, he left Nabiki at the table,
flustered and giddy from the compliment and the excitement of her first
real accomplishment. Holding herself proudly, Nabiki gathered her papers
and made her way from the table and to the entrance. Taking her coat
from the same respectful hostess, Nabiki draped it over her shoulders
and stepped outside. To her surprise, she saw Yoshioka waiting for her,
a cab waiting beside the road.
     "Can I offer you a ride, Tendou-san?" he asked, opening the door
for her.
     "Hai," Nabiki answered, "I would appreciate that." She smiled at
him and slipped inside the cab as he followed her. Once seated, the cab
driver pulled away, leaving the restaurant behind. 



                                -- 3 -- 


     Her eyes fluttering, Akane grimaced as a bright ray of sunlight
penetrated her window to play across her face. Muttering, she rolled
onto her side, burrowing into her pillow and sheets. More than anything
she wanted to slip back into blissful slumber, but the penetrating trill
of a bird put a crimp in that plan and cleanly sliced it in two as a
second and then third bird began an angry, chattering quarrel back and
forth with the first, unaware and uncaring of the irate and weary girl.
     Groaning, Akane pushed the sheets from her body, blinking her eyes
to adjust to the bright light. It was these mornings when she detested
her propensity for leaving the curtains open so she could fall asleep
watching the stars through her open window; many times it was the only
way she could get to sleep, and the previous night had been no
exception.
     Thoughts of Ranma and doubts about the rightness of her decision
had plagued her the night through. Morose and distant, she had stumbled
through her nightly routine of practice and homework absentmindedly. The
more she contemplated the entire situation, the less sure she became.
She was terrified of making a decision that would tear Ranma away from
her as if he were a kite ripped from a child's hands by an errant gust
of wind. In the end, she had retreated to her room, searching for the
comfort and blissful oblivion of sleep.
     It never came.
     Dreams came in its place. Horrid dreams. Vivid dreams. Hundreds of
different dreams all with the same accusing horror within them. Only a
few snatches, like fleeting shadows, remained in her mind. Ranma stood
before her, disgust and anger burning in his eyes as a faint blue form
hovered next to him. When she went to him he turned his back to her, and
then she was in darkness, watching as the lights in her home went out
one by one, the gate closing in her face. She screamed and shouted,
begged to be let back in, but no one heard her, and soon the house
disappeared as the last light was extinguished by the unseen resident.
In the darkness she cried as voices whispered around her. "Now you know
how we feel." "It's lonely." "Why can't we go to the light?" "Please,
take us with you..." Screaming she woke to find herself entangled within
her sheets, her pillow damp from her tears. 
     Stealthily, the darkness came again, bearing Ranma's accusing face
as he shredded her wedding kimono and disappeared into the dark. Over
and over she suffered through the dreams, desperately seeking an avenue
of escape and finding none but the awful ticking of her clock as she
memorized the ceiling in an effort to fight off the horrors of slumber.
Eventually she succumbed, but no rest was meted out to her that night.
     As her eyes slowly accustomed themselves to the bright light,
Akane stumbled about her room, searching for her bath robe. On top of
her lack of sleep, her mouth tasted horrid as saliva filled it at a
horrendous rate. She felt light headed and almost dizzy. Attempting to
brush it aside, she retrieved her bathrobe, but, as she touched the soft
fabric, her stomach rebelled. Suddenly wide awake, Akane clamped her
mouth shut and bolted from her room, slamming the door behind her as she
bounded down the steps, racing her nausea to the bathroom.



                                -- 4 -- 


     A slamming door brought Nabiki into a world of sharp pain and
queasiness. Groaning, she wrapped the pillow around her head as the
heavy thud of someone running down the stairs entered her room. The
pillow didn't help. Each sound was amplified a thousand fold, beating
mercilessly on her head as if it were a drum from the Noh theater. One
more door was slammed shut as if to punctuate the horrendous morning
with an insult, and then the beating subsided to a dull throbbing
accompanied by an intense, white pain behind her right eye.
     Muttering curses at herself, she wrapped the pillow around her
head even tighter and tried to shut out the morning. Hangovers are
notorious for ensuring people suffer as long as possible, and Nabiki's
was no exception. At that moment, a squirrel began chattering angrily
outside of her window. This was followed by some bird squawking in
indignation. Then, the sounds from the street began to filter into her
room, cars, people, bicycles, and the assorted commotion of a bustling
city. Kasumi's voice telling her to get up wasn't helping either.
     Grumbling, Nabiki tentatively opened one of her eyes and snapped
it shut when she inadvertently encountered the glaring brightness in her
room. A few moments later she tried again, this time, she was able to
keep one eye open, slightly, while she pulled herself into a sitting
position and began to massage her throbbing temples as she wondered how
she had let Yoshioka talk her into getting drunk last night.
     Actually, he had not asked her to get drunk. As they were riding
in the cab, he offered to take her to a tea house in order to relax and
get to know each other a little better. Weighing the import of her
answer, Nabiki decided it was safer in the long run to accept than to
decline and possibly upset the delicate relationship they had already
established during dinner.
     Although tea houses served tea, that was not their primary purpose
in this day and age, nor had it ever been. In the days of the shogunate,
the tea houses, along with the licensed districts, had been the
gathering place of the three elite classes: the samurai, the noblemen,
and the rich yet lower caste merchants. In the tea house, one was
supposed to enjoy life, soaking up sake and art in equal proportions.
Tea houses were, in many ways, the cultural centers of the past, holding
the poets, artists, and musicians interest in the waning hours of the
day while inspiring the encumbered to enjoy the sanctity of leisure.
There the subtle play of conversation had been as greatly sought after
as the drink and geisha. In the modern world, the tea house had come to
play a similar role. It was the gathering place of businessmen who
wished to cultivate their relationships with clients and prospective
partners. Though no business was ever conducted while entertaining in
such a manner, by drink and women, a businessman was branded impolite
and inconsiderate if he did not take the extra step to make his client
feel at home and comfortable within his presence.
     Yoshioka directed their cab toward a well-respected tea house on
the outskirts of Tokyo proper. Though Nabiki was not particularly
interested in drinking, she allowed herself to be persuaded into the tea
house, the Floating Plum. It was a subdued establishment constructed in
the traditional manner with tatami floors and private rooms exiting into
a main hallway that receded back from the main room. As they walked in,
Yoshioka was greeted by a group of businessmen in dark suits who were
getting up from a low table and retreating toward the curtained off
hallway. Joining the small group, Nabiki found herself seated in a
cushion filled room, an incense stick burning in the corner beneath an
inked wall scroll of a dwarfed evergreen growing beside a stream at the
foot of the mountain. At least Nabiki thought that was what the scroll
portrayed. It was only a few lines that gave an unfinished look to the
entire work, but it did attract the eye and forced the observer to
ponder and admire the work while trying to delve beneath the simplicity
for the truth behind the form.
     As she was admiring the scroll, a young woman in a golden kimono
patterend with ornamental dragons, her face powdered white to contrast
her dark, blood red lips, entered the room with steaming cups of sake
and a plate of rice balls wrapped in oak leaves. The group quickly fell
to drinking and talking of the world in general. Though she knew none of
them and was the youngest by at least ten years, the atmosphere was
light and congenial, allowing her to easily slip into the small group as
a member instead of the outsider she thought she'd be. It was not long
before she was giddy from the free flowing alcohol, and the rest of the
night began to pass into a blur of impressions and vague feelings of
enjoyment, satisfaction, and acceptance.
     At the moment, she was wondering if the enjoyment of the evening
was worth the pain she was suffering. If she was offered a choice in the
matter, she would curl into a ball and attempt her hardest to die, but
the headache, she decided sardonically, would more than likely raise her
from the dead until she had suffered enough. Silently, she hoped that
the next time Satoru-san took her drinking it wasn't as rambunctious.  
     Frowning, Nabiki opened her eyes and grimaced. She didn't recall
when she had started calling him by his given name, but it came
naturally to her mind, and probably to her lips. It confused her. She
shouldn't have gotten that close to him within two meetings, but then
again, they might have clicked. Despite her headache, she smiled a
whimsical smile. He was handsome and well-off. Maybe a little old...
     Nabiki shook her head angrily and then winced as pain shot through
her temple and down into her body, as if it were pointing out how
foolish her fantasies were. She was doing business with Yoshioka-san,
she reminded herself, not looking for a friend or anything else. Then
why had she spent most of the last evening watching him? 
     She didn't want to think about it, and the hangover made it easy
to avoid thinking of any type, except a search for some aspirin. Ginger-
ly, she stood up, wavering on weak and unsteady legs like a newborn fawn
before she made her way out of the room with light steps so as not to
jar her head more than it needed to be.
     It took her a few minutes of agonizing Hell to get down the stairs
and to the bathroom door. Not bothering to knock on the door, she walked
in, desperate to find some aspirin. Her eyes automatically took in the
bathroom area, a yellow bathrobe with a pig on its breast was draped
over the hamper, the water was running in the sink, the door to the wash
area was open, and Akane, her face pale and green, was leaning with her
closed eyes against the wall next to the toilet. 
     Walking to the sink, Nabiki pulled out an aspirin bottle and shook
two into her hand. Looking at the small tablets and comparing them with
her headache, she added four more and grabbed a glass of water. As the
glass filled, her mind began to catalogue what she had observed, ticking
off each item and trying to place a meaning to it. The headache didn't
help matters. Whatever it was that was bothering her at the moment, she
decided, probably wasn't important, but as she threw the aspirin into
her mouth and began drowning them in water, she snapped her head to the
side and almost choked on the water. 
     Swallowing the liquid and coughing, Nabiki stared at Akane who was
still leaning back against the wall by the toilet, her eyes closed, and
her breathing shallow. "Akane?" Nabiki asked as she stepped towards her
sister. There was no answer. As Nabiki drew closer, the distinctive,
acidic odour of bile filed her nostrils, making her gag. Moving quickly,
she flushed the toilet, and sank down next to her sister, shaking her
slightly. 
     Mumbling, Akane shook her head and batted at Nabiki's arms, but
Nabiki refused to give up. "Hey, sis. Are you okay?"
     Akane's eyes snapped opened. "Huh?" she asked groggily.
     "I asked if you're okay? I came in here and you're next to the
toilet and looks like you've been throwing up. Are you still sick?"
     For a moment, Nabiki saw a look of absolute terror cross her
sister's face, and then she began to violently shake her head. "No! I'm
not sick, well not really," she denied. 
     "Then why are you throwing up?" Nabiki asked when Akane didn't
offer anymore information. To Nabiki's inexperienced eye, Akane had all
the normal indications of being if not sick then at least mildly put
out. Her face was as white as a sheet and her eyes were dilated as she
pulled in shallow breaths.
     "Why?" Akane asked, blinking. "Oh, that... Um...well, you see,
oneechan...Toufu-sensei...well he gave me some pills that...well he
wanted me to clean out my system, and he said I might get sick from
them. I guess I did." Akane gave a sheepish grin, and struggled out from
under her sister's skeptical gaze. "Listen, I need to get cleaned up. So
if you don't mind." 
     A little voice told Nabiki that Akane was hiding something, but
Akane's voice was louder, and Nabiki winced in pain. Not wanting to deal
with Akane and a headache, Nabiki simply filed the incident away in her
mind for later consideration. Instead she decided to find out if Kasumi
had some strong coffee or tea, or maybe a bucket of water she could put
her head in for a few hours. Standing up, Nabiki made her way unsteadily
out of the bathroom as Akane quickly closed the door to the bathing area
and turned on the water.



                                -- 5 -- 


     Pulling out a calculator, Nabiki typed in a few dozen numbers and
then scratched the same combination on a piece of paper, checking the
machine's answers. After only a few seconds, Nabiki nodded and made a
mark at the end of the page and circled it with a red pen she was using
to mark a page in the book open on the table next to her. "Nabiki?" 
     "Hai, Kumi," Nabiki answered glancing across the table to Kumi who
was scratching the tip of her nose with her reading glasses while she
frowned at the open notebook before her. Around them the students of
Furinkan were going about their lunch period, avoiding the small,
outside table that Nabiki had acquisitioned for her business dealings.
     "Did we collect four or nine thousand from Sakura this week?"
     "Four," Nabiki answered, glancing back down at her record sheet.
"Why?" she asked curiously.
     "Oh, I just wanted to be sure. Yoko's handwriting is pretty hard
to read, and she rarely pays attention when she makes the Arabic
numerals."
     Nabiki nodded her head. "That's why I want you to write all of the
amounts in kanji. It might take longer, but fewer of the numbers look
similar. A spilled glass of water can really screw up my books if you
guys don't."
     "Hai, boss," Kumi mumbled and then went back to work, the scratch- 
ing of pencils the only sound between them as they tallied up the week's
totals. After a time, Nabiki lifted her head and glanced over at Kumi,
who was staring at her notebook with eyes narrowed in anger and frust-
ration. She was about to ask Kumi what the problem was when a shadow
feel across the table.
     "Tendou Nabiki," the owner of the shadow asked, his voice's confi- 
dence only a shell for the slight tremor of nervousness Nabiki heard
beneath it. Kumi glanced up at the voice, but quickly dropped her eyes
as she saw the predatory glint and disarming smile that Nabiki used in
most of her dealings.
     Nabiki, however, didn't respond to the supplicant and continued to
write figures down in her notebook, checking her calculator every so
often just to be sure. "Nabiki?" The voice was much less sure of itself
this time, and Nabiki lifted her pencil to chew on it, casually turning
her head to look around. When she saw the owner of the voice, her face
lit up in mock surprise.
     "Takezo-kun!" she exclaimed. "Gomen, I didn't even hear you. Maybe
you should speak up and be more assertive."
     Yoshioka Takezo frowned at Nabiki's words, both at the insult and
the tone of voice. Although he desired more than anything to retaliate,
his father had warned him to be especially polite to Nabiki-san when he
delivered the letter. This was complicated by Takezo's own weak nature.
He was a posturer. Against the school nobodies, he was confident and as
arrogant as Kunou Tatewaki, but next to Nabiki he was a cowering, pathe-
tic excuse for a human, all the more reason for him to dislike Nabiki.
Being his father's delivery-boy to the girl was not helping either. "I
brought a letter for you," he said and held out the envelope with his
family seal on it.
     Taking the envelope, Nabiki examined it and then smiled at Takezo.
"Arigato," she said and turned back to her work.
     "Aren't you going to open it and give me an answer?" a flustered
Takezo asked.
     "I don't think this is any of your business, Takezo-kun. I asked
you to introduce me to your father, you did that, and I'm very thankful
for your help. This," Nabiki pointed at the envelope, "is between your
father and myself, and it has nothing to do with you. You can go now."
Nabiki waved her hand and returned to her work.
     Grumbling Takezo backed away, his brow knitted in anger. He really
detested Tendou Nabiki.
     "Oh, Takezo," Nabiki called out in a voice dripping honey. "Don't
forget to pay up for this month by tomorrow. You wouldn't want to be
late now, would you?"
     Ignoring the comment, Takezo stormed away, looking for people who
would treat him with respect. As he left hearing range, Kumi began to
giggle uncontrollably. "What's the matter with you?" Nabiki asked.
     "I just love it when the high and mighty Yoshioka Takezo is made a
fool of. I hate him. I absolutely detest his wretched, ecchi guts." 
     "What'd he do to you?" Nabiki asked curiously.
     "He asked me out once," Kumi answered as if it were the most
obvious reason, but seeing Nabiki's skeptical gaze, she added, "When I
was a freshman, he was one of the popular guys, and he asked me out. I
though it'd be nice. He took me to a nice restaurant and then dancing.
Of course after that he tried to feel me up and get me into bed." Kumi
shuddered. "Ecchi bastard. He deserves everything you give him, Nabiki."
     "So that's why you love to collect the money from him," Nabiki
smiled. "Why don't you collect his debt tomorrow? And wear something
daring." Both girls broke into laughter, and began making plans to
humiliate Takezo. Their amusement, however, could only last so long
before they were forced to return to their work.
     Instead of her accounting, Nabiki turned her attention to the
letter. It was thick paper with the Yoshioka crest on it and her full
name written in the upper corner. Opening it with her thumb nail. Nabiki
withdrew the letter and read it. Soon she was smiling. Yoshioka had made
a decision and he wanted to meet her Saturday evening for dinner to give
her the answer. Folding the letter back up, Nabiki tapped it against her
cheek for a moment before going back to work. She had a lot of prepara-
tions to make before the next evening's festivities.



                                -- 6 -- 


     "Tendou-san?" 
     Akane blinked, glancing up from studying her hands which were
clasped in her lap. In front of her a young woman in a pale blouse with
white pants was smiling cheerfully. "Huh?" Akane responded.
     "Tsujimura-sensei is ready for you." The young nurse motioned
toward the door that led to the rear of the clinic. Akane nodded her
head and left her seat, weaving through the chairs in the waiting room.
Although it was a large waiting room, there were only a few women there,
most sitting by themselves. Only one had a man sitting next to her,
holding her hand. A flicker of regret and loneliness passed through
Akane's heart. She wanted Ranma with her. No, it didn't even need to be
him, just someone to stand beside her and give the strength she
desperately needed.
     Although she had approached a few of her friends at school, fully
intending to talk with them and try and get some support, her courage
had disappeared at the last moment. Instead, she silently sat beside
them as they ate outside beneath the dark, cloud-filled sky that had
hung over Nerima since that morning. It mirrored her mood. The bright
morning she had awoken to had slowly dissapated into gloom as she came
to realize what the day held for her.
     The combined depression of mood and weather had prompted her to
consider going to at least Mio, but her own uncertainty and the shame
that could be gained from disclosing such a fact was too much of a
deterrent. From Mio, she knew there would be no condemnation, no change
in status, but from the others it was different. Akane, though their
friend, had been so long inside the rumour mill and envied for the
attentions she received from the opposite sex that there was a deep
resentment towards her. Akane always felt it when she was among them. It
wasn't obvious, they never forced her from the group, but Akane knew she
was the outsider who was included because she was Akane.
     This attitude made her faults, quirks, and adventures more in the
public eye than many high-level politicians. The Great Tendou Akane was
constantly criticized, picked apart, and examined by the student popula-
tion that her every word almost became a topic of gossip. Not even Ranma
was put through the grinder that Akane was forced to undergo each day.
He was a male, and as such, he was nearly above the gossip of the high
schools. More was tolerated from him. He was supposed to be the macho
guy, the Casanova that darted from one girl to the other like a beauti-
ful hummingbird does from blossom to blossom, sampling each in its turn. 
     Akane, on the other hand, was his fiancee, and being the tightly
established fact among the school, it was considered that she was part
of Ranma's property and therefore that whatever she did was reflected
upon him. Since Ranma was above the high schoolers, an outsider who none
could possibly comprehend or bring to their level, Akane became the
measuring stick to gauge Ranma. Her actions reflected on who Ranma was
and, in many more matters, on how her family was seen by the world.
Because of this, she walked a narrow tight-rope, trying to do her best
to fit into a society that she had never wanted to be a part of.
     At times she lost her temper and sent it against Ranma and Kunou,
but those two were outside the norm of Furinkan. Any action she did
against them, unless it was affection with Ranma, was typically ignored.
On the contrary-side of the coin, her actions against Raiko had lowered
her in the eyes of the student body. Even though Raiko had provoked it,
there was no possible outcome in which Akane might have won. By engaging
the battle through the avenue she had used, Raiko had won the moment she
had opened her mouth. Akane had reacted because she had been shamed in
front of her friends and the student body. She had been forced to count
her blessings and salvage as much face as she could. If Akane had not
reacted, she would have been thought less of, yet, when she did react,
she still lost face because of her preeminence within Furinkan's walls.
It was a no win situation, and it was the same with her pregnancy. 
     If Ranma had not broken the engagement, she could have survived
the storm that would come from her revealed pregnancy. It didn't really
matter, half of Furinkan thought that she was sleeping with Ranma
despite their bickering, and the other half thought Ranma had slept with
every one of his fiancees, including her, several times. Despite how
much the engagement had infuriated her, it had been a protective
umbrella that allowed her more social freedom in some areas. Without
that umbrella, her pregnancy would make her seem like a slut who had
given herself to a man only to have him leave her for another woman. It
sullied her honour and her family's honour. It was those facts that she
rationalized the secrecy of her pregnancy on. 
     It would be so much easier, she mused as her steps carried her
down the hall, if Ranma hadn't broken the engagement, if he hadn't tried
to fight Cologne, if he were still here beside...
     "Shut up!" The man's angry voice halted Akane in the hall,
silencing her regrets.
     "But..."  
     "I don't want to hear it!" The man shouted, drowning out the
woman's voice. "I trusted you. I gave you everything, and I had to
_follow_ you here to find this out. To find out that you're pregnant. Do
you hate me that much?" Akane cringed from the rage in the man's voice,
the contempt and disgust that dripped from each of his words as if they
were sludge flowing from a sewer pipe. She wanted to scurry down the
hall, away from that voice, but for a moment Ranma was standing before
her eyes, a sad and almost accusing expression on his face. It was the
same Ranma from her dream, and the image held her firmly in place next
to the slightly ajar door.
     "Is this what my love means to you?"
     "What was I supposed to do?" the woman shot back accusingly. "You
were barely talking to me. You avoided me."
     "That was because every time I asked you what was wrong, you made
up some excuse and changed the subject or just ignored me. What was I
supposed to think! I thought you wanted nothing to do with me!"
     "It's not my fault!"
     "Yes it is," the man stated gravely.
     "No! You're the one who told me you weren't ready to have kids.
That you weren't ready to take on responsibility."
     "So that makes this right? Because I told you I wasn't ready to
start planning for a family, you decide to ignore my rights in this
entire thing? That is my child too, and I think I have a say in whether
you abort it or not!" 
     "I...I," the woman stammered. Akane could hear the tears in her
voice, the terrible truth she had just endured.
     "You didn't think. You never think. You're so centered on yourself
that you forget there are other people who care about you. Did you
honestly think I'd leave you if you were pregnant?"  Akane heard a hint
of love in the man's voice, but it was minuscule compared to the anger
that still drove his words. "I love you, I always have, and I always
will. I told you I'd never leave you. You're my life, but..."
     The words were so similar that Akane couldn't help but hear
Ranma's voice in her ears. "I'll crawl back and die in your arms then.
Besides, no one can beat me in a fair fight. No matter what, Akane. I'm
coming back. How could I not? You're all I have now." Tears began to
form on her cheeks.
     "...if you do this." The love was gone from his voice. The anger
and contempt had returned in full force, slamming into Akane as harshly
as they were into the man's girlfriend. There was silence. It was awful,
a few seconds or an hour, Akane knew not which, but she knew the man was
deciding the rest of his life with the next statement. "I was hoping to
have a family with you, to marry you. Now I don't know. I don't know if
I can still love you, but if you do this...if you kill my child, I'll
hate you for the rest of my life!"
     For a moment, it sounded as if Ranma had spoken, but Akane shook
her head, dispelling the voice. Instead, she pressed her hands over her
ears in a vain attempt to block out the woman's frantic, sobbing pleas
and began to hurry down the hall away from the open door. The man's
voice, however, continued to echo in her ears, slowly dying down to an
insistent whisper that pushed her onward as if a hundred hands were
forcing her down the hall. 
     It was just that man, she told herself. Ranma wasn't like that.
She knew him. She knew him better than anyone. Never in a hundred
lifetimes would he desire her pregnancy. Support it, yes, but desire it,
never. Maybe it was wrong to leave him in the dark, but he was gone.
There was nothing else to do. 
     Akane's steps carried her quickly around the corner of the hall
and down the short length to Tsujimura's office. At each step, she
repeated all the threads she had slowly weaved into a obscuring cloak
around herself, vainly trying to rebuild the confidence that had been
lost. As she pushed open the door to Tsujimura-sensei's office though, a
part of her was screaming at her to run away and never return. Burying
the voice, she walked into the office, closing the door part way behind
her.
     "Konban wa, Akane-san," Tsujimura greeted her in his soft voice.
"I see you've made your decision." The statement was almost a sigh of
regret, but Akane missed it as she nervously walked up to the mahogany
desk and took one of the two light-gray, cushioned chairs in front of
it. As she sat down, Akane saw a few papers on the edge of Tsujimura's
desk. With an unsteady hand, she picked up one of them.
     "They are release forms and information about your insurance and
who I should call in case something goes wrong," Tsujimura explained
without being asked. 
     Nodding, Akane reached for a pen, but instead of signing the
release form and authorization for the operation, she picked up the
insurance form and began to fill it out. It took her a few minutes to
fill out the information Nabiki had forced her to memorize several years
ago. Her mind was detached from the work, trying to ignore everything in
the office, from the ticking clock to the doctor who was watching her
with hooded eyes.
     As she reached for the Emergency Notification Form, Tsujimura
spoke up again. "I've set aside a time for the operation. It's best to
get this over with quickly. It leaves you less time to dwell on it and
maybe hurt yourself emotionally."
     "When?" Akane asked in a small voice. 
     "Monday, April 14. That is three days from now. I'll need you here
around noon. Can you get out of school?"
     Akane nodded her head, trying to concentrate on the words instead
of what she was doing. Signing her name at the bottom of the Notifica-
tion Form, she reached for the Authorization Form and picked it up. Her
eyes scanned over the form as her hands wrote down the requested
information in barely legible characters that resembled Ranma's more
than her own. She wrote quickly, trying to do it before her courage
failed, but at one line her eyes caught and the pen dropped from her
nerveless fingers.
     "Is something wrong, Tendou-san?" Tsujimura asked when Akane did
not move to pick up the fallen pen. Akane didn't hear him, she was
looking at the words on the form.

               Do you know who the father is?   __Hai __Iie
               If so, what is his name:____________________
               Does he know of the pregnancy?   __Hai __Iie
               
     "I hate you!" The man's voice suddenly pushed aside the door she
had closed it behind, but it wasn't his voice. "I hate you, Akane! I
loved you, and you do this!" Akane physically cringed from Ranma's voice
as tears began to roll down her cheek and fall onto the form she held in
her hands, blurring the ink of her name. "If you do this, I'll always
hate you!"     
     Though the words were only in her imagination, they crumbled the
veil of facts and insecurities she had weaved within her mind, ripped
them apart as if they were spider webs beneath the house keeper's broom.
She was trembling as the last vestiges of her confidence were torn away,
like the veil of a Muslim woman, so she was left standing naked before
her feelings, and the certainty of the future if she finished her trek
and signed the form. Maybe she could keep it a secret. Maybe Ranma would
never find out. But if...if he did. If he was told, or she let something
slip, he would hate her as certainly as that man hated his girlfriend.
By doing this, she would have betrayed their love and his trust on the
deepest level. She would hear those words on Ranma's lips, and even if
he forgave her, he would never love her the same way. "He won't love
me," Akane whispered. "He'll hate me."
     "Nani?" Tsujimura-sensei asked, confused at the tearful Akane who
was shaking her head as she stared at the Authorization form.
     "I-I-I can't" she wailed as she crumpled the form into a ball and
let it fall from her trembling hands. "He'll hate me. He'll hate me!"
With a low cry she stumbled from the chair, knocking it over backwards
as she turned to the door and yanked it open. With tears streaming down
her face, she stumbled blindly down the hall and out into the waiting
room.
     Her decision had been made for her. She couldn't face Ranma and
have him find out. The price of that was too high for her to pay. She
had lost too much in her life to chance throwing Ranma away, the one
person she would eagerly give her own life for, the only person she had
given her heart to.
     Ignoring the cries of the startled nurse, she ran out the front
door and began to make her way home, her right arm clutched protectively
over her abdomen. Fervently, she hoped Ranma's return would be a speedy
one. She didn't want to be alone that long. 
     Behind her Tsujimura had a worried expression on his face, but a
happy glint in his eye. He had expected her to go through with the
operation. She had convinced herself so thoroughly of its rightness when
he had spoken to her the first time that this sudden turn about was
confusing. It was not the fact that she had decided to keep the child.
From the beginning he had detected a certain doubt in her and from
Toufu-sensei, and so his initial meeting with her had been much more
antagonistic than his usual consultations. When she had left, he had
pegged her as lost, but the suddenness and violence of her change of
heart mystified him. 
     Glancing up, he saw that she was already gone, and the phone was
ringing on his desk. The receptionist's line blinked demandingly at him,
telling him that Tendou Akane had left the building. Ignoring the phone,
he pulled out a pad of paper and jotted down a reminder to check up on
Akane. More than anything, she would need help at this point in her
life, and he was going to make sure she got it.
     Outside, he heard a distant rumble of thunder and then rain began
to lash his windows as the threatening sky that had hung above Nerima
finally gave into the inevitable and deluged its cargo onto the waiting
streets and houses.



                                -- 7 -- 


     Kasumi sighed as she sank onto the couch in the living area. In
the other room her father and Saotome-ojisan were playing a quiet game
of go. It was a peaceful night in which she could relax for a few hours
and enjoy herself. Dinner had been easy to clean up. Without Ranma,
there was less need for food, but with Nabiki and Akane both gone, it
had cut down on the clean up for Kasumi. Most of the leftover food had
been stored in the fridge, and now she had time for herself to enjoy one
of the books she had borrowed from Toufu-sensei the previous week.  
     Smiling at the rare silence, Kasumi opened the book and began to
read. A flash of lightning suddenly illuminated the window, followed
quickly by a clap of thunder that startled her. Glancing up from her
book she saw a drenching downpour lashing the windows of the house.
Frowning she placed her book down and began to check the house, making
sure all the shutters and windows were latched tightly closed. A little
caution usually saved her hours of extra work.
     As she walked into Akane's darkened room, Kasumi frowned. Over the
years, Kasumi had grown used to the fact the Nabiki rarely called or
told anyone where she was going. Akane, on the other hand, very rarely
went somewhere without informing someone. It was unusual behaviour for
Akane. Actually, when Kasumi thought about it, Akane had been acting
strangely over the past few days. She had been withdrawn and morose most
of the time. 
     Closing the window, Kasumi mused over Akane's behaviour. It was
difficult to pin point an exact time when she had noticed a change. The
last few weeks had drastically changed Akane, but recently there was a
difference. Akane had withdrawn from the family, not emotionally, but
just moved herself outside the close circle as if she were afraid of
something. The change had been a drastic one too. Kasumi remembered the
morning Ranma had left. Akane had come down to the table nearly glowing
withhappiness. Kasumi assumed that the happiness had been because Ranma
had spoken with her, but by that evening, Akane was crying again. Kasumi
recalled the episode with P-chan vividly. Did all this have something to
do with Ranma? She doubted it, but what other reason was there?
     Lost in thought, Kasumi sank onto Akane's bed. Although she was an
accomplished housekeeper, she still possessed her own inadequacies.
Cooking and cleaning required no thought and just a loving attention to
detail, but anything beyond that became a struggle. Her family's
problems were complex and she tried to understand everyone, but so often
she could only give an encouraging word and hope the situation unraveled
itself. Her father was easy to fathom. He just needed the support and
love of his family. He needed Genma-ojisan's friendship. 
     Nabiki's problems, though a constant source of worry and regret
for Kasumi, were beyond her. Nabiki had locked herself away from the
family a long time before the arrival of Ranma. In many ways, Ranma's
arrival had unbalanced the cool aloofness that Nabiki had maintained.
     It was seemingly the opposite with Akane. The unbalance of Ranma's
presence had sent her into herself, trying to deflect him from ruining
her stable reality. As she watched Akane make mistakes and continue to
lose her self-confidence, Kasumi had desired to go to her and help her,
but Akane was unwilling to talk about her problems. The inability of her
sister to talk hurt Kasumi. Before, they had been close. Kasumi remem-
bered times when Akane would come to her looking for advice or just
someone to talk to. 
     Sighing in frustration, Kasumi let her eyes wander Akane's room.
The room had changed very little in the years since Akane had taken it
as her own. The posters, pictures, and little curios in it had changed
as Akane matured, but it was the same furniture that their departed
mother had chosen so carefully when Akane was six. Kasumi frowned. Maybe
that was one of the problems. Kasumi had redecorated her own room
several times since their mother's death, fitting it to her tastes.
Nabiki's had changed slowly until it was a utilitarian space where she
could work undisturbed, yet Akane had adamantly remained rooted in the
past, retreating to her room whenever she was troubled.
     In her own peculiar way, Kasumi understood the comfort of the
past. She had refused to change many of the rooms her mother had put
together when she was alive, but the house was always supposed to
reflect the family, and their mother had known the family. Their own
rooms reflected themselves, all except Akane. Hers was just a sanctuary
where she escaped, her weights and the few pictures the only statement
of who she was.
      She wished that Akane would open up to her. They still talked and
Akane sometimes asked her help, but it was so different now. After their
mother had died, Akane had always come to Kasumi for help. Whether it
was schoolwork or problems at school, Kasumi had replaced the mother
Akane had loved more than anyone else in the world. When Akane came to
her, she tried to be everything that Akane needed, but it always felt
forced and empty, as if she were a doll Akane was using to escape her
fears. Over the years their closeness eroded. Maybe because Akane
realized that Kasumi herself was unable to help her, or maybe because
she saw herself supplanting the lost mother.  Kasumi wished she knew
which, but it was so hard to fathom Akane.
     She was so much like Ranma. 
     That was one of the reasons she had foisted Akane off on Ranma when
'she' had walked into their lives. Ever since Akane had entered high
school, she had become more distant and withdrawn from her family,
finding solace in her martial arts training and the few friends she
managed to make. In Ranma, Kasumi saw a chance for Akane. Here was a boy
who obviously held as many problems as Akane, if not more. Though she
was not the greatest nurturer, she knew that it would be easier for
Akane to unload to a person who could not lord over her. She needed an
equal to make a connection with, and maybe they would open up to each
other and find solace from understanding the other's failings. 
     At first she had thought it had not worked, but as time progressed
she saw the unconscious closeness that developed of its own accord.
Though it rarely happened, Kasumi knew that Akane and Ranma opened up to
each other at times. Their bickering was just a mask of that vulnera-
bility they felt within each other's presence. Maybe Ranma's honour had
played a part in keeping him to Akane, but it was only a part. All the
time they spent together and fighting for and with each other let clues
slip to the other. As time passed, it was simply impossible for them to
be apart. They needed each other as much as they needed the breath
within their lungs and the blood pumping in their veins. 
     To put it simply, they had ruined each other for any other person.
Like ying and yang, they matched perfectly together to form a harmony of
spirit, yet when apart each division became a garish mistake. Ranma's
confidence and strength bolstered Akane. Akane's open heart and shy ways
pulled Ranma's heart open. And maybe, that was what was happening to
Akane, Kasumi guessed. She must feel like the traveler who knows they
have forgotten something, but can never place his finger on what was
misplaced. 
     Kasumi had been intending to help Akane, but she had been putting
it off because of her sister's distance. The realization about the
reason for that distance, however, gave her a renewed determination to
help her sister. With Ranma gone, Akane needed a direction, and she had
to provide that direction. Whether it was simply making her sister more
confident by working on her domestic skills or something else, it didn't
matter in the long run. 
     Like figuring out a difficult puzzle, Kasumi felt a deep sense of
accomplishment. She was about to leave Akane's bed when the door swung
inward. Startled, Kasumi turned to face the door. "Oh my," she breathed
in horror as she saw her younger sister standing there.
     Akane looked miserable. She was soaked, water dripping from her
clothes to pool on the floor. Her hair was plastered to her face, and
her eyes were swollen, red, and haunted. She stood still for a moment,
rocking on her feet as she hugged herself across her abdomen. For a
moment all was silent and then she took a step forward. Her step was
unsteady and she leaned against the door instead of actually entering
the room. 
     As she saw this, the shock drained from Kasumi's system like it
was sand clutched in her hand. Pushing herself from the bed, she quickly
moved to Akane's side. "Akane-chan, are you okay?" she asked unable to
think of anything significant to say, but eventually her mind kicked in.
"What happened?"
     Akane shook her head as Kasumi gently draped an arm about Akane's
shoulders and directed her toward the bed. Her clothing and skin were
cold to the touch. Kasumi could feel her sister shivering slightly.
She must've been out in the storm since it started. 
     "Let's get you out of these clothes." Without waiting for an
answer, Kasumi began to strip the wet school uniform from Akane and then
her underwear. Grabbing the quilt from Akane's bed, Kasumi wrapped her
sister in it and quickly left to look for a towel. During the entire
episode, Akane didn't move, except to mumble something unintelligible
when the quilt was wrapped around her.
     Kasumi hurried out into the hall and took three quick steps to the
upstairs linen closet. Opening it she found the beach towels and grabbed
one of the large, softer ones. Shaking it open, she walked back to the
room, and up yo her sister. Akane was shaking her head as Kasumi walked
up, whispering under her breath. As Kasumi removed the quilt and began
to towel down Akane's body, rubbing her skin to bring warmth back into
the chilled girl, she heard snatches of it. 
     "He hates me...can't do it...why'd he leave...Ranma...Okaasan...
please don't hate me." The words made no sense to Kasumi, so she tried
to ignore them and concentrated on Akane. A low flush had crept into the
girl's cheeks under her older sister's administrations, and Kasumi could
feel heat radiating from her body. 
     Dropping the towel, Kasumi, wrapped Akane in the quilt and quickly
went to her dresser and pulled out the warm, yellow pajamas Akane always
wore in the winter. Dressing her sister in them, Kasumi directed Akane
to get under the covers of her bed. Akane complied, thought was still
mumbling, but Kasumi could no longer understand the low, barely recog-
nizable words. Instead she picked up the wet clothes and towel and left
the room. Heading downstairs, she threw the clothes into the laundry
room and headed for the kitchen. Luckily there was a tea kettle with hot
water in it on the stove. Her father had probably made tea. 
     Fixing some herbal tea, Kasumi put in a relaxant that would put
Akane to sleep and a medicine Toufu-sensei had given her that helped
ward off fevers, whichshe could easily catch at the moment.
     Taking the tea, Kasumi headed back upstairs. Akane was still in
her bed, but she was tossing in turning. Moving to the bed, Kasumi saw
her sister's eyes snap open. They were slightly feverish and stared at
nothing as she called out to her mother. Putting the tea aside, Kasumi
enfolded Akane in her arms and began to gently rock her, humming the
soft tune their mother had sung to them when they were little. As she
did this, Akane began to cry in her arms, and Kasumi couldn't help her
tears as she listened to the heart-ache in her younger sister's voice as
she called out to someone in a garbled voice.



                                -- 8 -- 


     The world was fuzzy, a light blur in front of her eyes. She could
hear her own choking sobs in her ears, but nothing else. Something was
wrapped about her, warming her body yet strangling her limbs at the same
time. Someone was holding her, protecting her within the warm circle of
arms and body. The presence and even smell was familiar, but she was so
tired, so weary from constantly fighting and dealing with reality that
she let the darkness slip over her. She shuddered as it enfolded her,
taking her down. Then something was with her, someone, their disapproval
radiating around her.
     "But I didn't do it," she tried to explain, before the darkness
parted again and the disapproval disappeared. "Why can't I tell him?"
she wailed in her comforter's arms. There was no answer but the gentle
caress on her forehead. "I tried. He hates me. He hates me!" 
     She began to cry at this realization. She didn't know how she knew
he hated her, but he did. Loneliness overwhelmed her, dragging her back
down as she continued to cry. This time there was no disapproval, just a
mild curiosity, then a frown in the darkness when she cried out to the
owner. Even if the darkness didn't disapprove of her, it still didn't
love her. Then it began to fade, retreating, leaving her in an empty
void. "Please, don't leave," she begged, but it was gone, and she was
back in the fuzzy world, crying again. 
     "I can't do it. He won't let me. He'll hate me if I do it. I need
him. Please come back," she cried as the darkness consumed her. She
wasn't alone this time, but it wasn't him. Whoever they were, they were
watching her, protecting her. She felt safe and loved as if she was back
within her mother's arms. It wasn't enough, though. She needed him, and
then she saw the brief flash of dark hair and blue eyes. She tried to
reach for him, but he disappeared, and she was pulled back into the hazy
world.
      "He won't listen! I promise I won't do it. I promise! Just come
back to me." She tried to pour her heart out, but it came in choked sobs
and small coughs. The person holding her, gently rocked her, told her it
was okay. Eventually the darkness came again, her voice whispering, "I
promise. I love you," as oblivion took her.
     He was waiting, a smile on his face, the normal jocular twinkle in
his eye as he held out his hand for her. "I've been waiting," he said
softly. "We've so much to talk about." Taking his hand, dream slipped
into fantasy and her body gave itself to slumber.



                                -- 9 -- 


     In Kasumi's arms, Akane settled and her breathing became easier as
she slipped into a sleep Kasumi hoped would be peaceful. Having listened
to Akane cry and beg for the last hour and a half, she knew she would
not get any sleep this night. Something was happening to her sister and
it hurt Kasumi that Akane wouldn't tell her. She just wanted Akane to be
safe, and it was painfully apparent that the child was suffering
greatly. She promised herself that she would find out what was bothering
her sister and be there for her.
     And so Kasumi tightened her arms about her sister and held her as
the night deepened, protecting her like the mother she had always wanted
to be for her family. A flash of lightning lit up the tree outside of
Akane's window. It was followed closely by a crack of thunder that
sounded like a whip in the silent room.



                                -- 10 -- 


     A deafening crack of thunder brought Shampoo's head up from the
table she was idly tracing her finger over. Outside she could see the
rain lashing through the cones of light the emanated from the streets
lamps. For a moment, she saw a triple fork of lightning arc across the
sky, illuminating the pregnant clouds that loomed above Nerima and gave
birth to the drenching rains.
     Turning her face away, she watched the flickering shadows of the
Nekohaten's dining room. As a child, she had loved to listen to the
thunder storms that came west out of the Bayan Kara Mountains and swept
down onto the plateau where the Thirteen Clans of the Joketsuzoku Tribe
made there home. Her mother had always held her as they watched the
lightning lash the land, and when the hot, dry air from the distant
Alashan and Gobi deserts had reached the plateau and mixed to send the
thin funnels of tornadoes to touch the ground. 
     The terrifying spectacle had always sent her heart racing in her
breast as fear-induced adrenaline rushed through her body. She had
desired to run out into the storm, into the lashing rain and let the
wind whip around her and teach her how to fly so she could touch the
very heavens as she showed the gods how brave she was. But that was
before her mother's death. Before that one storm in which she had made
her dream a terrifying reality. 
     Now they only brought sadness, the occasional tear, but mostly the
deep regret and painful numbness she felt now. Angrily she shook her
head. As her grandmother told her, the past was to learn from, never to
dwell on. If she dwelt on the past, Shampoo knew that she'd only become
like her father, broken and weak. Her mother's spirit would find no rest
if she became weak. She had wanted her to be the champion of not only
the Clan but the Tribe. She was to be an Amazon whose life would be
glorified in the Book of the Ancestors, but then there was Ranma. An
errant breeze that toppled her dreams, forcing her to pursue him to
Japan and possibly even further.
     Her pursuit of Ranma had gone on too long for her. Her great-
grandmother, however, forced the issue, and so Shampoo dutifully
submitted to the Matriarch's will. Despite the compelling reason of
being a Matriarch, Shampoo considered that only a small part of the
whole that kept her loyal to Cologne. Cologne was Shampoo's teacher,
mentor, and her only family left. It was true her father was still
alive, but he had returned to China months ago, telling his own daughter
that he believed she was wasting her life trying to uproot a mountain. 
     "Let him go, Shampoo, or just kill him," her father advised as he
sat in her room, his bags packed and lying by his side. "Cologne is old,
she is trying to hold onto a power and tradition that is slowly disap-
pearing. I can't condemn you for doing this. Your mother would have done
the same, but you let it linger and play Cologne's games. You will only
bring yourself to grief if you continue this way."
     None of his speech had mattered to her. Her father had never taken
an active role in her life. He had allowed Cologne to raise his
daughter, and sunk into his drinking and other vices while she was
trained for her future position. She was groomed by Cologne in the ways
of the Ancient Amazons. She became the best and received affection and
praise for her hard work. From this she had grown to love her hard-
bitten great-grandmother. Her great-grandmother's disapproval had always
been the worst punishment inflicted upon her as a child, and it remained
so as a teenager. Because of that, she followed Cologne's word with
never diminishing zeal. She became the bubbly girl that threw herself at
Ranma for Cologne's sake. She delved into herbs and tricks to win her
Ranma's heart. Everything her great-grandmother suggested she tried.
Even if she had despised Ranma, she would have followed Cologne's
wishes, but since she loved him it was even easier to trust and believe
her great-grandmother. But now she was no longer certain.
     Her love for Ranma had somehow supplanted that desire to please
Cologne. Though she didn't wish to believe it, she understood the
motivation behind Cologne's actions. She was trying to preserve the
honour of the Tribe, but Shampoo only wanted to preserve her and the
Tribe's precious honour by winning Ranma's heart and becoming his wife.
     She was on the verge of becoming his wife. He had clearly promised
to uphold the oaths his father and Tendou Akane and her father had sworn
to bring him back from Boukyaku. Shuddering at the thought, Shampoo
tried to purge it from her memory but it would not disappear. Even she
knew that the Judgement of Boukyaku should have never been placed on
Ranma. Not only was it reserved for Amazons, the punishment for misusing
it was the Judgement itself. In her desperate rush ro teach Ranma a
lesson, Cologne had overstepped her boundaries, but Shampoo was not the
one to tell her great-grandmother that she was in error. Instead, she
had watched and hoped and prayed for a desperately needed miracle. 
     That miracle had come. Her Ranma had found a way out from under
Boukyaku's hand, but at a price that Shampoo could not even fathom.
There was a difference within him, a locked door that none would ever be
able to walk past. Even in her desperate rush to embrace him and her
delirious joy at seeing him come into the restaurant, Shampoo had seen
that difference. Worse was the affect that difference had on him. By
sending her beloved to Boukyaku, she had lost his heart. She had heard
that truth when he spoke to her and when he turned his eyes to gaze
regretfully into her own.
     It was true that he had agreed to the promises, but he had agreed
like one bound and gagged did while trying to protect his family from
being killed or tortured. There had been no love for her in his agree-
ment. His eyes had been icy and hateful when he looked down at her, but
did that matter? She had won him, and her honour was restored. Yet she
felt like she had bitten into a seemingly delicious pastry to find it
was only filled with air. To win Ranma's body she had to lose his heart,
but she could live with that. No Amazon needed love. He was just there
to satisfy her honour. If she wanted love, she could marry another. 
     But it was only Ranma that held her heart.
     Sighing, Shampoo stood up. It was obvious that Ranma no longer
cared for her, even as a friend. Since that day he had agreed, she had
not sighted him once. Of course she had not tried, but that was a moot
point. Even when she had chased him and he had run, he had always come
to the restaurant at least once a week for some free food. To make
matters worse, Mousse was still gone. He had never returned from his
desperate frenzy against Ranma. Shampoo wondered if he had even found
Ranma or had just given up and walked from her life for ever.
     At that thought, she felt a twinge of guilt within her heart.
Though she didn't love Mousse, he was a close friend, a connection with
her past and the village. They had grown up together, and despite his
repeated attempts to get her to marry him, they had remained on friendly
terms. That had changed with Ranma, but it was his own fault for getting
in the way of her honour. If he could defeat her, she might gladly marry
him, but with Ranma as her intended, there was no chance Mousse would
ever gain her hand. He would have to defeat Ranma first, and that was an
impossibility. 
     A gust of wind and a spray of rain brought Shampoo out of her
thoughts. Turning she saw the door close and her great-grandmother
closing an umbrella. Even from the back of the dining room, Shampoo
could hear the low stream of curses that were pouring from Cologne's
lips more effusively than liquor flowed in a bar. 
     "What is wrong, Great-grandmother?" Shampoo asked in Mandarin.
      Shaking the umbrella dry, Cologne tossed it onto a coat rack by
the door, the handle catching on a peg. "It's that fool son-in-law of
mine," Cologne muttered as she walked into the restaurant, punctuating
each step with a staccato strike of her cane on the floor.
     "Hiibachan?" 
     "Get me some tea, Great-granddaughter. I'm too old to be wandering
around in the rain."
     "Hai, Hiibachan," Shampoo answered and hurried into the kitchen.
There was already some hot water on the stove, kept in case of
emergencies, but Shampoo turned on the burner and allowed it to heat
till it was steaming once again. As it heated, she scurried about the
kitchen and put together a herbal tea that would warm Cologne and insure
that she didn't catch any virus. By the time she had the herbs prepared,
the water was ready. Pouring the water into the tea, Shampoo carried it
back into the dining room.
     Her great-grandmother was sitting at her usual table with a candle
lit in the center, watching the storm continue it's inexorable assault
on Nerima. "Here is your tea, Hiibachan," shampoo smiled as she set the
tea cup on the table.
     "You're such a dutiful child," Cologne said as she sipped at the
tea. "Excellent choice of herbs, my child."
     Shampoo beamed at the compliment and took a seat across from the
revered matriarch. Respectfully, Shampoo allowed her great-grandmother a
few minutes to compose herself despite the fact that she was anxious to
hear any news about Ranma. Shampoo was not a patient girl, however and
the silence soon overcame her respectful silence. "What did you mean by
that comment about my Husband?" she asked in Mandarin.
     "Your future husband," Cologne answered with scarcely veiled
contempt in her voice, "has played us like fools, Xian Pu. For all of
his promises about agreeing with the oaths I obtained from his family,
he has still disappeared. Not only that, but he seems to have disappear- 
ed at about the same time that wayward, avian annoyance, Mousse did."
     "I don't understand, Great-grandmother," Shampoo said quietly. She
couldn't see why Ranma and Mousse disappearing at the same time should
be of any concern. Ranma had made a blood oath, and Mousse was no threat
to any one. Her future husband could easily defeat him.
     "I don't understand completely either, Xian Pu," Cologne admitted,
"but it is obvious that something is going on between them."     
     "But what, Hiibachan?" Shampoo asked in a strained voice. "You
don't think he'll go back on his blood oath, do you?"
     "No," Cologne said as she pulled out her pipe and began to pour a
herbal mix into the bowl, "he is not going to risk breaking that kind of
promise, but that doesn't mean he isn't trying to do something else, but
I don't see what it might be." Rubbing her chin, Cologne lit her pipe on
the candle that was burning on the table and then took a long drag from
it. Shampoo kept quiet, knowing she wouldn't be able to offer anything
to the conversation. 
     "There is one possibility," Cologne said as a stream of smoke
poured from her mouth to form a wreath around her head.
     "Yes, Great-grandmother."
     "It is possible that he is trying to find away to use Mousse to
get out of the promise. If Mousse defeats you..."
     "That will never happen," Shampoo snapped indignantly, the Chinese
words crisp and clean on her tongue.
     "But if Ranma trains him, it is a possibility," Cologne stated.
"But that still leaves the problem of Mousse and Ranma fighting each
other for the right to your hand. He must have something else planned,
but I can't for the life of me figure it out."
     "Is this going to prevent my marriage, Great-grandmother?" Shampoo
asked in a fearful voice.
     "No, Great-granddaughter, but it does complicate matters. I think
I'd like to find your future husband before he gets too far out of my
control."
     "But how?"
     "We'll have to sell the restaurant earlier than we expected. Tomor- 
row we'll start to advertise that we are selling. Hopefully, we'll be
out of here in but a few days."
     "And back to China," Shampoo filled in with exuberance. 
     "Yes, and then back to China and an end to this entire situation."
Cologne smiled and leaned back in her chair, exhaling a puff of smoke
that floated over face, obscuring her eyes and features. In the flick-
ering light of the candle, Shampoo would have sworn that her great-
grandmother appeared to become a demonic spirit for a second before the
smoke cleared showing the withered face of her beloved mentor.



                                -- 11 -- 


     Watching the board Soun smiled as he saw an opportunity. Moving
his knight, he took Genma's lance before settling onto his mat. Inhaling
on his cigarette while enjoying the serene morning, Soun waited for his
friend to make a move. The sun was streaming into his backyard,
illuminating the immaculate garden and large koi pond surrounded by a
few tastefully arranged stones. The winding gravel path snaked through
the garden and then around the house where Soun knew it ended at the
side entrance of the dojo next to three peony bushes. He frowned as he
thought about it. They should have been flowering by now, but he hadn't
been back to check recently. He reminded himself to do that. Every year
he picked the first blossoms from the bushes, two from each bush and
arranged them in vases for his daughters. It was a tradition started by
their mother, and he was always careful to heed that tradition. In the
chaos of the last few weeks, though, he had almost forgotten, but then
everything had changed drastically in a few short weeks. 
     Genma's hand moving slowly across the board distracted Soun from
his thoughts. Pushing a pawn forward, Genma promoted it and then settled
back to wait, his eyes distant and uncaring. Soun frowned, both at
Genma's move and his appearance. Although it was a practical move, it
was useless given his friend's position. Even a first kyu amateur could
see the danger. If it was just the move, Soun wouldn't have been
worried, but Genma had thrown nearly every game they had played since
Ranma had disappeared. Reaching out Soun picked up his king and flipped
it, signaling defeat.
     It was quiet for a moment and Genma reached forward and advance
his lance, but before his fingers left the piece, he stopped and stared.
"Nani?" he exclaimed and then turned on Soun. "Nan-de su? Are you
crazy?"   
     "I did it to get your attention, old friend," Soun said. "I find
no satisfaction in defeating someone who isn't trying to win. What is
wrong with you?"
     "What makes you think something is wrong with me?" Genma demanded.
"I'm just not interested in playing, other than to pass time."
     Soun shook his head ruefully. "I've not seen you this despondent
since your son thought he was a girl." Genma only grunted as he turned
away from his friend. Concerned, Soun watched his friend and tried to
discern the problem. Whatever it was, it centered around Saotome's son.
Ranma and martial arts were all that mattered to Genma. He had given
everything else up for them. Ranma's disappearance had unhinged his
friend, but why? From his time spent with Ranma as a house guest, Soun
had observed the boy to be head-strong yet fiercely dedicated and one to
never run away. "What is bothering you my friend?" Soun asked again.
     "I'd rather not talk about it," Genma stated, turning back to the
board. "Let's just play another game."
     As Genma reset the pieces, Soun calmly swept his pieces from the
board to fall with wooden clicks to the deck. "I think, I'd rather
talk," Soun stated emphatically. "We are brothers, Genma, brothers of
the Art. We've never held back from each other. Why don't you just
unload your burdens on me? Tell me why you are suffering because of what
has happened. True, your son has left, but like the birds in the spring,
I expect to see him again."
     "What makes you think I'm worried about that stubborn, insolent,
foolhardy son of mine!" Genma growled. "I should've never let your
daughter talk me into making those promises."
     Soun blinked. "You were going to let your son die?" 
     Genma nodded. "Tendou-kun, you've only known my son for a short
time. You see what he has become, not who he was."
     "How so?" Soun asked curiously. "You're son, I will admit, is
head-strong and much too indecisive for my tastes. He should have
accepted the inevitable months ago, but he constantly fights the
arrangement. The callous nature he has shown to my family is enough to
have forced me to throw him out hundreds of times over, yet I do not.
Why?" Genma only shrugged his shoulders. His friend's reasons and
motives had always differed from his own. "He is disrespectful to his
father and my daughter. His speech is rough. More so, he is a constant
source of toil and tribulation, more of a petulant child striving for an
indulgent mother's attention than the man he purports to be. Yet he sets
himself so much above moral standards that even I'm impressed. For all
his bravado, it is only recently that he has thwarted our wishes in
regards to the engagement, and from what I've hear he did it with all
those girls, and still my daughter stays beside him, more strongly than
ever. You should be proud of him. Of his honour, of his sense of duty,
and of what he has done for my family. What does it matter what he was?
He is someone else now. Even the most loathsome caterpillar becomes an
elegant butterfly."
     "Hmph! You could never understand, Tendou-kun. I was going to let
him die because I couldn't disappoint him again." 
     Though the words were spoken harshly, Soun knew that they were
only a facade that his friend suffered beneath. "Disappoint? How have
you let your son down?" Soun cursed himself as he saw the level gaze his
friend turned on him. "I mean, you have trained him and brought him up
to be a very accomplished heir. You have made him an honourable young
man. He is the best martial artist I have ever been privileged to meet.
Do you not see the way people flock to him though they find fault with
his every breath? Do you not see the spirit and fire you gave him which
he uses to bolster him in this life? Your son lights the world with his
presence like a million lanterns upon the water. Is that disappointment?
Is that not what every parent wishes for their child?"
     Genma turned his back on his friend. Soun knew his brother was
watching the koi pond with a look of deep longing. Within his heart, he
hoped his brother would not take the step he always took when faced with
confrontation. To his relief, Genma spoke. "It is a light that shines on
the world, yet leaves him in darkness."
     Tendou opened his mouth to refute his friend when Genma continued.
"I no longer see any happiness in Ranma. He used to be a joy to be
around. He trusted and loved me. He was my pride, my life. As I saw his
skill, I trained him, and he eagerly exerted himself because he loved
me. But it slowly died. At first it was small, the longing for home, for
stability, and then came the disasters. The Neko-ken, the years of the
life of a beggar, living off our wits more than our skills. He turned
away from me. Tousan became otousan. He regarded me as a teacher more
than a father. The Art was his life, there was nothing but the Art for
him. School didn't matter. Friends didn't matter. And I tried to satisfy
him and make him happy, but it only made him worse.
     "The trust had gone from our relationship. The respect slid as he
found I was dragging him along, weighting him down. Otousan became Oyaji
and nothing mattered to him except to be the best and to make a name for
himself as a master of his own school. Then we came to Jusenkyo, and his
dreams were shattered while I found a release from this life." Genma
stood and began to leave. As he stepped from the porch into the immacu-
late garden, he glanced over at Soun who was watching his friend with
tear-filled eyes. "I've taken everything from him, and I didn't want to
take the only thing he cared for from him also. You and your daughters
are his family, Tendou-kun. I'm only a panda that interferes with a
young man's life."
     As Genma walked away, Soun replied in a quiet voice that carried
across the garden, halting Genma. "Do not be so harsh on yourself,
Saotome-kun. Maybe you've given him a rough life. Maybe you've
disappointed him. But he was happy for a time, and he'll come back to
that happiness once he can find a way."
     "Maybe," Genma answered, "but it is a possibility I cannot see."
     "When he comes back," Tendou stated defiantly, "you can fix the
past. Help Ranma to understand his place in the world. Make it so he
doesn't make the same mistakes you did. You can offer him the wisdom of
experience. Remember, if the fisherman could learn from the fish, his
nets would always be full."
     "Hai, Tendou-kun." And Genma walked down the paths and around the
edge of the house toward the dojo. On the porch, Soun sighed and began
to clean up the spilled shogi pieces. Tragedy seemed to follow his life
like a shadow. His wife, his daughters, his school, and now his friend.
What other downfalls did the kami have in store? He didn't want to find
out, and, if he could help it, he would not let his friend come to the
end he saw in his future. 
     Fitting the flat, marked tiles back into their separate silk bags,
Soun stood and went into the house. He needed some tea to calm him
before he began teaching the few students who still came to his dojo.



                                -- 12 -- 


     "What did you want to talk about, Akane-chan?" Mio asked in her
soft voice. They were sitting in the far corner of the school on a stone
bench beneath the spreading branches of a large oak tree. Several more
oaks surrounded them, blocking them out from the rest of the school. The
new formed leaves, barely larger than Akane's palm, swayed in the wind,
breaking the sunlight into a molted mosaic upon the grass at their feet.
     It had taken Akane all the morning to work up the courage to speak
with Mio. It had also taken her the entire morning to get rid of Kunou.
Instead of constantly pursuing her as was his wont, Kunou, since their
discussion of several days ago, had become her shadow, following her
from place to place like a lost puppy. Although she found it flattering,
the fact that it was Kunou was driving her crazy. Shaking her head, she
wondered if there was a way to remove him, but he seemed to be a wart
that was impervious to any form of removal. 
     Sighing, Akane put the problem of Kunou on the back shelf. Though
she had to deal with it, it wasn't the important thing at the moment.
Since running out of Tsujimura's office the previous evening, she had
wandered in a daze for most of the time. Getting caught in the downpour
had not helped, and she had been nearly incoherent when she returned
home. She remembered very little of the night except an intense loneli-
ness and a desire to find someone to confide in. Upon waking, and
finding Kasumi sitting next to her bed, Akane had been tempted to tell
her, but she didn't want her family to know yet. They would only
complicate matters with Kasumi's over-mothering, her father's emotional
breakdowns, and the risk of telling Nabiki. Of course, Akane wasn't
certain about Nabiki. Despite what Ranma and others believed, Akane gave
her middle sister the benefit of the doubt, especially in situations
that arose within the family. Hadn't she kept her own counsel about the
affair with Ranma and the statue? It was just a feeling that she
couldn't trust Nabiki implicitly, and that she was what she needed,
someone she could trust implicitly. 
     And Mio was that person.
     Akane and Mio had met before Akane's mother had died. Actually
they had met a few months earlier just by chance. Akane had been playing
on the playground near her home when she saw Mio sitting alone on the
swings crying. Since her mother had always taught her to be nice to
people and help them out, she had gone over to the small, brown-haired
girl and sat beside her, striking up a conversation. At first, the girl
had not responded, forcing Akane to carry the conversation, but after a
time, the girl had stopped crying and began to listen. After a while,
she'd throw in a comment or two, and soon Akane had brought a smile to
the girl's face.
     They had talked and played throughout the day, and finally Akane
had asked Mio what was bothering her. To her horror, Akane had
discovered that Mio's mother had left two weeks ago, and that her father
had just told her, that day, that her mother didn't love her and was
never coming back. Akane had once again found herself comforting her new
friend at this revelation. Impulsively, Akane had offered Mio the use of
her own mother, and an unbreakable bond was formed. Little had Akane
known that her own mother would 'leave' only a few months later.
     Mio was there for her on that dreadful day, and through the years
they had grown closer and closer becoming more of sisters and partners
than friends. A trust had been built between them that Akane had never
experienced with anyone. It was to Mio that she brought all of her
problems, whether it was boys or family problems. In the last year and a
half, it had been Ranma and the insanity that surrounded him. Mio was
the rock Akane moored herself to during the frequent storms that lashed
at her door. The fact that she had not brought this one to her best
friend weighed heavily on Akane's shoulders, but it was only a small
matter. Mio would forgive her, and Akane needed someone's support. 
     "Akane?" Mio asked again, placing a gentle hand on Akane's
shoulder. Akane smiled reassuringly at her friend and took on last look
around their spot. Though it was Saturday and the final bell had rung,
she didn't want to chance any of this being overheard. 
     After a few moments, she turned her eyes back to Mio's worried
face, satisfied that they were alone. "I need to tell you something,"
Akane began, "and I couldn't let anyone else hear."
     "What's wrong, Akane?" Akane relaxed as Mio asked the question.
She could always trust Mio to know when to be there and when to wait.
"Akane, you can always trust me," Mio reassured Akane, squeezing her
shoulder.
     Akane couldn't help the tears as she reached for and pulled Mio
tight against her. "I-I didn't know what to do. I wanted to tell
someone, but...but I wasn't sure. I was so ashamed, so very ashamed..."
Akane buried her face in Mio's shoulder and began to cry in earnest.
"I'm so alone, Mi-chan," Akane sobbed, allowing her loneliness to pour
out onto Mio's sympathetic shoulder. Mio held Akane gently as she cried,
comforting her like a mother does her child. Slowly, Akane's sobs
ceased, and her tears dried. Wiping her eyes and still holding Mio in a
loose hug, Akane apologized, "I'm sorry, Mi-chan. I-I didn't mean to do
this."
     "It's okay, Akane-chan. I've cried on your shoulder a lot too. Is
this about Ranma? You've been acting strange ever since he left." Akane
shook her head. "Then what is it?"
     Attempting to compose herself, Akane pulled away from Mio and
folded her hands into her lap. For a moment she readied herself, and
then she began to speak. "It's sort of about Ranma. I mean it doesn't
make this any easier without him. I don't know if he's coming back, but
he promised. But that's not the problem. He'll come back. I know it.
I've gotta believe he will," Akane whispered. She dropped her gaze to
her hands, which were twisting her skirt in nervousness. "It's just a
question of when he does. He needs to help me decide, and I don't want
to do this alone." For a moment Akane was silent. She was trying to find
a way to tell Mio without blurting the news out, but it wasn't working.
Glancing furtively up at Mio's face, Akane saw only compassion and
expectance. "It's not even that," Akane said, and she took a deep
breath. "I'm pregnant."
     There was no exclamation of surprise. There was no shocked "You're
not?" Mio didn't say a word at first, and then Akane felt Mio's arms
wrap around her shoulders. "He'll come back, Akane-chan, and I'll always
be here for you," Mio whispered into Akane's ear. 
     A weight was lifted off Akane's shoulders at those words. A few
tears slid down her cheeks, but they were tears of relief instead of the
sobs of grief and loneliness she had spent the last week shedding on her
pillow. For the first time since that dreadful night when Cologne had
almost killed Ranma, Akane felt as if the world wasn't against her, and
that maybe things would turn out alright.
     "Arigato," Akane whispered, on the verge of tears again, but for a
different reason. "I knew I could trust you, Mi-chan."
     "Always, Neechan." Akane smiled. In the past they had always called
each other sister.  In high school, however, it had slowly gone into
disuse, but Mio knew when to use it to bring a smile to Akane's lips.
     "What am I going to do, Mi-chan?" Akane asked, her smile slipping.
     "Well first, I think we should get some ice cream and celebrate,
you've got to be hungry."
     "Not really," Akane sighed. Though there had been times in the
last week or so when she had been ravenous, mostly she felt sick and out
of sorts. Unfortunately, this was one of those occasions.
     "Well, we're getting it anyway," Mio insisted, tugging Akane to
her feet, "and then maybe a movie? Yes, definitely a movie. You've been
making Gosunkugi look chipper for the last few weeks."
     Akane allowed herself to be led by Mio as they walked out of the
grove of oaks. "What'd I do without you?"
     Mio gave Akane one of her half-smiles, putting all of her love in
her eyes instead of on her face. Then she frowned a little. "Of course,
I'm mad at you."
     "Huh?" Akane halted in her tracks and only started walking when
Mio tugged her hand slightly.
     "We promised to have our first kids at the same time," Mio
answered in an exasperated tone that told anyone that Akane should have
figured out something so obvious, "and I don't even have a boyfriend."
Mio sighed wistfully. "Do you think Ranma would help you keep your
promise?"
     "Mi-chan!"
     Mio giggled at Akane's shocked expression. "Gomen, I'm just trying
to cheer you up."
     For a moment Akane just started at Mio and then the beginnings of
a smile tugged at her lips before she was laughing with her friend.
"You're the best, Neechan," Akane said. "I think I'd like that movie."
     Smiling the two friends moved across the fields of Furinkan,
weaving in between the knots of students as the light breeze swirled
their skirts and Mio's long hair. Behind them, the wind moved a low
hanging bough of an oak tree aside, revealing the malicious grin of
Raiko. Raiko was leaning against the trunk of one of the oaks, immensely
please with herself for following Akane and Mio. She knew something had
been going on, but Akane's confession to Mio had been beyond Raiko's
expectations. She now had the ammo to make sure Akane was finally
brought down from her high perch above the rest of the girls at Furinkan
High. All of them, even the ones who purported to be Akane's friend,
would deride the little minx, and then the boys would see her as the
slut she truly was instead of their precious and virginal goddess. 
     Although Raiko wanted to set her plans in motion as soon as
possible, she waited until Akane and Mio disappeared into a group of
students. Waiting a few more minutes to be safe, Raiko slipped out of
the oak trees and headed in the opposite direction. Halfway to the
athletic fields, she spotted one of her friends, another girl who had
detested Akane since her boyfriend had dumped her to go chase after the
illustrious Queen of Furinkan. "Sumire! Wait for me, please," Raiko
called out. "You've gotta hear what I just found out."



                                -- 13 -- 


     Placing the last bowl on the table, Kasumi stepped back to admire
her handiwork. The table was immaculate, the places set for all five
members of the Tendou household. Simple china bowls and cups were at
each place, a deep spoon for the soup and the lacquered, teakwood
chopsticks she usually reserved for special occasions, but tonight she
had just wanted to add more style to her dinner. That was why she had
placed the flowers in the center of the table. Three peonies, white,
magenta and a rosy pink, from the bushes by the dojo. She had been
inspired to pick them when she saw her father's gift of the peonies in a
vase that he had placed in her and her sisters' rooms. 
     Frowning at the arrangement, she leaned forward and turned the
white blossom outward so it distracted the eye from the two pink
blossoms. Nodding in satisfaction, she lifted her head to see Nabiki
watching her with an amused expression. "How are you, Nabiki-chan?"
Kasumi asked politely. Her sister was dressed in a houndstooth, tailored
business jacket over a white, silk blouse which was tucked into her
black, sheath skirt which ended just above her knees where her pantyhose
began. "You look very nice."
     Nabiki smiled at the compliment. "I try my best, Oneechan." She
paused for a moment as she turned her critical eye on the table. "Why
did you spend so much time on this. No one ever notices it. They're too
busy eating or fighting or doing whatever."
     "You just did," Kasumi answered with a smile.
     "You're impossible, Oneechan," Nabiki exclaimed. "How can you get
so much satisfaction out of something other people can't see."
     "Other people see it, Nabiki," Kasumi explained evenly as she
picked up the tray that she had brought the utensils in on. "You just
don't see them seeing it. You need your money to keep score. I get it
from the approving glances of our neighbors when they come to visit. I
get it when the other housewives tell me that I should host another tea.
I get it from the small gifts they bring when they visit my home.  But
mostly, I know it's worth it when I see my family happy." The last was
said almost regretfully, and Nabiki glanced at her sister, but saw only
the normal smile on her face.
     Nabiki cast her gaze downward as her sister didn't continue. For
some reason, Kasumi put her on edge. It was nothing threatening, only an
inability on her part to fathom how anyone could subjugate themselves to
something that wasn't them. She remembered the time when Kasumi had been
as much like Akane, and in many ways even more so. "Actually, I was
coming down to ask you for something," Nabiki said to break the uncom-
fortable silence. Though they loved each other greatly, none of the
Tendou sister's were comfortable with silence in the presence of the
others. It always led to dwelling morosely on the past for Nabiki, and
she suspected the same with Akane and Kasumi.
     "What is that?" Kasumi asked curiously.
     "Do you know where Okaasan's jade earrings are? The ones with the
inlaid gold?" 
     Kasumi frowned for a moment, her eyes turning inward as she
mentally searched for the earrings. "I think they're in my room," she
eventually said. "I'll help you get them." Placing the tray on the
table, Kasumi motioned for Nabiki to follow. 
     They went up the stairs and down the hall to Kasumi's room. As she
entered the room, Nabiki observed the soft decorations and feminine feel
of Kasumi's room. She had visited enough that it didn't bother her
anymore, but it was always strange to walk through all three of their
rooms and note the changes. Kasumi's was so like their mother's. Her own
was sterile and more for retreat and work than living. And Akane's was
just the same. She was the only one who refused to change. Mentally
slapping herself, Nabiki turned her attention outward. 
     Kasumi was rummaging through one of her jewelry boxes, a distant
expression on her face. For a moment Nabiki entertained the idea of
asking her sister what was bothering her, but Kasumi spoke up before
Nabiki took the initiative. "Do you ever feel like you're not doing your
best? Or that your best will never be good enough?"
     Nabiki shrugged, wondering where this had come from. Kasumi never
doubted herself. 
     "The most important part of keeping a house is making sure those
in it are happy," Kasumi continued, seemingly oblivious of Nabiki. "If
they aren't, I'm only baking a pie crust while telling everyone that it
is filled with the most succulent berries." Kasumi picked up a set of
earrings from her jewelry box and sat down on her bed. Nabiki noticed
they were the ones she wanted, small jade ovals engraved with a gold
tree. Nabiki made no comment; the shock of Kasumi's words robbing her of
speech.
     "Okaasan always kept us happy," Kasumi said sadly, "and I tried
to. But I just can't seem to make the pie right. Sometimes it's empty,
and sometimes it doesn't taste good. I try so much to be like Okaasan,
and I fall short time and time again. I want you and Akane to be happy,
but I'm not doing a good job of it."
     "Could anyone have done better?" Nabiki asked. It was disturbing
to see her sister like this. Kasumi was always strong and resilient,
taking life as it came and just making the best out of it. She had never
imagined that her sister harboured such a deep insecurity about herself.
"Maybe we are not the best, but I think we're well off. Don't mistake
me, it hasn't been a nice way to grow up, but it could have been worse,
Oneechan, a lot worse." Confused and flustered, Nabiki tried to find
something else to say. She didn't really see where Kasumi could see
unhappiness in the family. Their father had slowly regained his vitality
with his friend, and even with the recent setbacks, he was still stable
and cried less than usual. Akane was acting out of sorts, but who could
blame her. And Akane's problems were not of Kasumi's devising. The only
other person was herself... "If this is about me, Oneechan, then don't
worry. You've done nothing that has hindered me. Without you, I don't
think I'd be as independent as I am. I don't think I've been happier in
a long time." That wasn't entirely true, but for once in her life she
was actually realizing that she had a good chance at something better
than a housewife or petty blackmailer and extortioner of school kids.
     Kasumi shook her head. "I'm proud of you, Nabiki. I see a lot of
potential in you, and maybe there are some things I wish I had done
differently, but they have turned out to be assets. I'm worried about
Akane."
     "Akane?"
     "Last night, she came home crying. She was soaked and might have
taken sick if I hadn't been in her room when she came home. She kept
mumbling and calling out to people, saying that he hated her." Kasumi
turned to look at Nabiki who hadn't moved an inch. "She's been like that
since Ranma left. She doesn't talk, and I can't talk to her. I don't
know what's going on. Is she hurt, or sick, or is something else. I'm so
worried about her, Nabiki. I feel so helpless." Kasumi turned her face
away, but Nabiki saw the glint of tears.
     "Oneechan..." Nabiki took a step forward and stopped. She didn't
know what to say. This was a side of Kasumi she had never seen. Over the
years, Kasumi had been a rock for the family. She had kept them together
as a family, gave them support, and freely handed out the understanding
and love they all needed but could never ask for. 
     Nabiki never really spoke with her older sister. She made sure
there was enough money and let the family run itself around her. There
had been a time when Nabiki had turned to her sister for love. On the
day of her mother's death and the weeks and months after it, Kasumi was
always beside her two sisters to hold them and keep them occupied while
their father tried to get over his grief. From that moment, Kasumi had
taken them under her wing telling them that she would be their mommy.
That she would always be there for them, to help them with everything
their departed mother had done. That dependence had disappeared over
time, but Nabiki did remember it, and she was thankful for it. She had
no clue what might have happened if her sister hadn't taken the reins of
the family.
     "You've never been helpless, Oneechan," Nabiki stated. "I some-
times envy you. Look at what you did with us. We're better off than most
people. So we've got our problems. You were, and still are, a kid. You
can't expect to the be the best. I know, Oneechan. It took me years to
get where I am, and I sacrificed a lot too. So did Akane, so did
Otousan. But you did keep us together."
     "Then why can't I do it now?" Kasumi asked quietly.
     Nabiki sighed and sat down on the desk chair, her back to the
wall. "I don't know. Maybe it's just that this isn't something you can
deal with. Akane has to make her own peace. I know Ranma talked to her.
I know he isn't deserting her, so he had to tell her that. She's
probably just imagining things and feeling sorry for herself to boot.
You never know with Akane, she chooses the weirdest things to get
fixated on."
     "It's not that," Kasumi said. "I'm so accustomed to her showing
affection and wearing what she feels like a set of clothes. It's one of
the things I love best about her. I've never seen her make something up
to be depressed about. She's always been so optimistic and happy."
     "She's not like you, Oneechan," Nabiki said, leaning forward.
"This is about Ranma, and she's rarely ever been anything but optimistic
where he's concerned."
     Kasumi smiled. "I know, but it feels different. It was only that
one day that she was glowing, but by the evening she was crying and
chasing after P-chan when he ran away."
     "Don't remind me," Nabiki muttered. "But that was the day Ranma
left, and she was pretty upset about it."
     "I don't like seeing her like this. Ever since she came back from
Okinawa, she's been so depressed, and now it just seems like it's
getting worse. I wonder if she's still sick. It's the only reason I can
think of."
     "Still sick?" Nabiki asked in surprise.
     "She was sick for about a week after she came back from Okinawa,"
Kasumi explained. "She even threw up several times. I think it's gone
away, but she's been awfully pale in the mornings. Why do you ask?"
     Nabiki shook her head for a moment. Something was nagging her. It
seemed that something Ranma had said and what Kasumi had just told her
were connected somehow, but how? "She was throwing up yesterday morning.
At least I think she was. She said Toufu-sensei had given her something
to clean out her system. I really didn't think of it, I was a little
indisposed yesterday morning." 
     Kasumi smiled. She knew Nabiki had been suffering a hangover, but
had calmly let it pass. She assumed it was something to do with why
Nabiki was dressed up, but that wasn't her business either. What was her
business was Akane's health. She had told Akane to go see Toufu the day
Ranma left, and then he had delivered something that night, and she had
thrown it on... "The counter!"
     "Nani?"
     "Toufu-sensei dropped an envelope off for Akane last week. I threw
it on the counter when I saw dinner boiling over. I became distracted
when Toufu stopped by."
     "Birds of a feather," Nabiki muttered under breath, but before
Kasumi could ask her what she had said, she jumped ahead to the
mysterious envelope. "What was in it?"
     "I don't know I never looked at it. I don't even think I gave it
to Akane."
     "Why don't we go look at it then?" Nabiki suggested.
     "Nabiki!" Kasumi exclaimed, shocked at the thought of violating
her sister's privacy. "That's Akane's business, not ours. I won't open
it."
     "You don't have to," Nabiki stated. "I will." 
     With a pert flip of her head, Nabiki rose to her feet and left
Kasumi's room while Kasumi hurried behind, imploring Nabiki to not do
this, but as they walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, Kasumi's
protests became weaker and she finally asked, "Are you sure this okay? I
don't want Akane to get mad at me or you. If she doesn't trust us..."
Kasumi left the thought unfinished, but Nabiki knew what she was
implying. If Akane didn't trust Kasumi-oneechan, then things would just
become worse. Nabiki, however, had a strong inkling that they couldn't
get much worse. Akane was hiding something, something damaging to
herself or her family, and she was not about to tell anyone. Nabiki
refused to allow her sister's stubborn will to do something to hurt
herself. 
     It took a moment for Nabiki to find the envelope. Kasumi finally
had to point to a counter that was covered with bills and other mail.
Shifting through it, Nabiki finally uncovered the thick manilla envelope
with Akane's name and the name and address of Toufu-sensei's clinic on
it. The last time Nabiki had seen an envelope like this was when Toufu-
sensei's former master had dropped of the instructions for the care of
their mother. 
     A feeling of dread came over her as she opened the envelope and
dumped the contents on the counter. She frowned at what she saw. They
were all pamphlets on pregnancy and taking care of the special needs
associated with pregnancy. But why would Akane have them? "Oh shit," she
whispered as she put the pieces together. Ranma had admitted he'd slept
with her. Kasumi said she was pale in the morning. She'd been depressed.
Hell, she'd even seen her throw up the other day. "Shit, I've gotta be
blind."
     "What is wrong?" Kasumi asked as she stepped up beside Nabiki and
saw the final clues. "Oh my," Kasumi breathed. 
     "I think Akane has a bigger problem than we thought," Nabiki
muttered. Grabbing a bunch of pamphlets, Nabiki glanced at them and
threw them onto the counter top in disgust. "She could have at least
told us that she was...Arggh. Where is she?" Nabiki demanded. The entire
situation frustrated and angered her. "Why didn't she trust us, her own
sisters." Nabiki was about to storm from the kitchen when she felt
Kasumi's gentle hand grasp her shoulder. At the touch, all the anger
seeped from her mind.
     "I think we need to talk to her," Kasumi said. "It might just be a
mistake, this might just be some information Toufu dropped of for a
school project." 
     Nabiki gave her sister and exasperated look. "I doubt it, Kasumi.
She slept with Ranma, I know that much. And it would explain everything
that's been going on. Where is she?" 
     "She's not home, she called me to tell me she's spending the night
with Mio. She'll be back tomorrow morning."
     Nabiki sighed. "Well, at least this isn't going to interrupt my
plans for tonight, but it sure isn't going to help it." Nabiki smiled.
"I think Ranma's going to be owing me a lot when he gets back." Nabiki
glanced down at her watch. "I've gotta get going, Kasumi." When she
didn't get an answer, Nabiki turned to see her older sister looking at
the pamphlets, tears in her eyes. "Kasumi?"
     "I didn't even put it together. I would have just let it go on and
on and tried to make it better by being nice to her instead of talking
to her." Kasumi sniffed and wiped her eyes. "She must be so alone. No
one's their to help her. She must be terrified, Nabiki. No wonder she
came home crying."
     "C'mon sis, you're being too hard on yourself," Nabiki said. "I
didn't catch it until just know, and I generally pay attention to these
things." Impulsively she gave Kasumi a hug. "She's gonna need you sis.
You know that. You're her mom, the only one she's got. Who do you
think'll help her. Me? Otousan? C'mon, you're all we got."
     "Arigato, Nabiki-chan. You're right."
     "Of course I'm right," Nabiki stated brusquely as she stepped back
from her sister and straightened her clothes. "Now where are those
earrings. I've gotta help Ranma tonight." At the thought of Ranma,
Nabiki began to giggle. "He's going to freak when he finds this out. I
hope I have my camera then."
     "Nabiki-chan!" Kasumi exclaimed and then smiled. "You'll help me
tomorrow? I think she'll need both of us."
     "Sure," Nabiki remarked off-handedly, "but only if you go get
those earrings. My ride will be here in a few..." A car honked outside,
interrupting Nabiki. "Shit!" Nabiki shot upstairs to get the earrings. A
moment later she was running down the stairs, trying to put the earrings
as she fumbled with a leather file holder. Kasumi smiled at her sister.
Nabiki would do well for herself, now she just had to worry about Akane.
Looking back at the kitchen, Kasumi sighed as she heard the front door
open and close. She didn't feel like making dinner, she had to decide
how to approach Akane, and how to break the news to her father, or even
if she did tell him. Picking up the phone, she decided take-out would
have to be satisfactory for the night's meal. It seemed a waste after
she had gone through all the trouble to set the table, but it no longer
mattered to her.



                                -- * -- 


Translator's Notes:

Meiyo Ai soshite Nikushimi - as always, honour, love, and hate

Nan-de su - what was that for, why'd you do that

for those new to Japanese fics:

oneechan -older sister
neechan - familiar form of older sister 
okaasan - mother
otousan - father
obasan - older woman or aunt
ojisan - older man or uncle
hiibachan - great-grandmother
nani - what

Author's Notes:


     I never intended for this to turn out as long as it did. I prefer
to keep my posts under 80K, but this one just turned out to be an
impossibilty to do it that way. Too much has to be explained, and too
much has to happen for this to end up as a short piece. As you can see
several of the seprat plots are coming to a crossroads in this part, and
it was important that I keep the time continuity and make sure that the
story went to a satisfactory conclusion for this part. Also I wanted to
be anle to return to ranma, Mousse, Ryouga, and Ukyou in the next post. 
     One thing you'll notice is that I'm trying to separate the action
by Nerima and not nerima. This makes it easier for me to write and
hopefully easier for you to read. I'll probably be posting a rough
timeline of the story sometime this week for anyone who is actually
interested in keeping track of time. 
     Well this is getting long enough, and I think I'll cut it short
and say stay tuned for the next episode. It'll be coming out in the next
two weeks, I promise.

     Coming Next time:
     MASN Ch 5 Separate Paths Pt 5 (untiled as of today)

     Until next time
     Joseph A Kohle

     Please comment on this.

   ----*----*----*----*----*----*----*----*----*----
   All rights and priveleges to Ranma Nibunnoichi       
   belong to Rumiko Takahashi. The characters of her        
   series are used without her permission for the       
   purpose of entertainment only. This work of fic-
   tion is not meant for sale or profit.                    
                                                                         
   All original characters are the creation of the
   author. All copyright privileges to these chara-
   cters are reserved for the author.

   This story is a product of the author's hard work    
   and imagination. Do not modify, add to, or make 
   use of any part of this work without the author's 
   knowledge and consent. Please feel free to archive 
   this work.                             
            
   Comments and criticism are welcome.                   
   Written by Joseph A. Kohle, (c) 1997.                 
   Send all comments to ashira@worldnet.att.net
   Find some of my fanfics at
   http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/6184/index.html