Project A-Ko Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Vampire Hunter (Darkstalkers) Fan Fiction ❯ Nabiki 1/2 (A Very Scary Thought) ❯ Throwing Down the Gauntlet... ( Chapter 88 )

Nabiki 1/2

(A Very Scary Thought)

Written by Jim Robert Bader

Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

Based Upon the Altered Destinies Storyline

Inspired by the works of such fans as

Wade Tritshler

Richard Lawson

James Jones

And Many Others

Standard Disclaimer: This is inspired by the work of Takahashi Rumiko and is not my original creation. All characters belong to her. This is only a fanfictional work, and is not intended to compromise the rights of the original owners, distributors and publishers of the Ranma series. I have no money to spare and would very much appreciate if no one tries to sue me.

"No, no, no, Daughter-in-law!" Cologne sternly chided, "That is not how you do the technique at all! You must concentrate your entire being into the moment, summon all that you are and become one with the flow of your power!"

"I'm trying, Old Woman," Nabiki complained as she got to her feet again, "But it's a lot harder than you're making it sound! This Shadowskill stuff takes a lot of energy to master, and you keep telling me the slightest wavering of concentration…"

"Will tear you apart from within," Cologne said gravely, "But that is only if you do not concentrate! Allowing your mind to wander as it has been doing the past half-hour is dangerous even with ordinary techniques, let alone a secret that was entrusted to the Amazons in the time of the Great Ghengis. With this skill mastered you will be all but invincible…but only if you concentrate! Your pride, your willingness to fight and triumph…those are what are most essential here, but only if you can maintain your level of focus!"

"Maybe I'm not as into learning this right now as I'd be some other time," Nabiki stretched a little to work out the kinks in her body before resuming her fighting crouch, "We only just got Shampoo back from the hospital a couple of weeks ago, and she really needs me around, what with the kid taking so much of her time and energy…"

"Oh, I am so sorry," Cologne said in a mocking tone of voice, "Should we relax then, now that yet another crisis has been mastered? Perhaps we should tell my former great-granddaughter and others like her, that the great Tendo Nabiki is not to be bothered while she is celebrating becoming a new father. Yes, I'm sure potential rivals such as Mousse and Madam Lao won't mind taking a rain check and coming back some other time when you are in the mood to fight them…"

"…!" Nabiki said as she glowered darkly and thought this over, then she hunkered down her shoulders and said, "All right…so maybe I could use one more technique in my arsenal, and you say this one is pretty powerful…"

"It is among the most dangerous and powerful that have ever been created," Cologne replied, "Only a handful of people, to the best of my knowledge, have ever attempted to master it in the modern era, and you met one of them yesterday when he helped deliver your baby."

"You mean Frank?" Nabiki said dubiously, "Big guy, looks something like Boris Karloff in a dark alley…?"

"The very same," Cologne replied, "And in spite of his large size and ponderous mass, he can move like the wind and strike with the fury of ten tigers. That is why my great granddaughter-who-was had an understandable nervousness just being in his presence. No doubt he impressed on her once before his superiority as a fighter...""

"He called her his Airen," Nabiki shook her head, "There's a match I wouldn't wanna put bets on! Still, the guy must be heavier even than his heavy rep if he could put a look of terror like that on that smug Pirate's face."

"Consider it good fortune that he is to be regarded as an ally and not an adversary," Cologne mused, "For he is ten times the fighter that you are at your present level of mastery, to say nothing of being the possessor of an elemental Storm style whose ultimate technique is the Dance of the Chained Lightning."

"He's got an elemental style too?" Nabiki remarked in some surprise, "Like Lao and her Tsunami Attack?"

"Of course," Cologne replied, "After all, there are at least seven Elemental schools of martial arts known to the Amazon War Masters since time itself began, and you have only encountered the Water school. In time you will master an Elemental form yourself, but only if you learn to concentrate and practice, practice, practice!"

"Yes Master," Nabiki mocked, arching her tones to sound like a rude parody of a guy named Igor, but nonetheless she set herself into the pose that Cologne had directed and began to once again concentrate her power, breathing in and out as she felt the flow of energy build within her and tried to imagine herself as an invincible pillar of Chi-Force. Her muscles tensed and her body grew taunt with the effort at containing the forces within her, which caused the very air to hum and vibrate as her battle aura flared to a bright cherry crimson. When she was finally ready she held her hands out and began the ritual invocation.

"I…am invincible!" she declared, balling her fists as she felt her power rise to match the tone of her emotions, "I am Tendo Nabiki of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts! No one can match my Skills, for I cannot be equaled, and I will never be defeated! Who dares stand before me now, feel my wrath!!! KIAOH!!!"

With that, Nabiki launched herself into the air and performed a razor-kick back-flip, slicing the air with the force of her Chi, lashing out at the dead and rotting tree before her, striking the limbs and trunk with an effect not unlike that of razor-sharp scythe. As she dropped back down to the ground, the tree began to fall apart as though a pair of massive sword blades had hewed it to bits.

Nabiki stood her ground gradually easing back in her power, then she raised her gaze, saw her handiwork and said, "Wow! That sure was something!"

"It may not be as all-out devastating as the Mako Takabishi," Cologne pointed out, "But with more precise concentration of your power it will overwhelm the defenses of even a tough opponent and do to them what you have just done to a dead tree. It is a killing technique, to be certain, so save it for when you are desperate enough to want to use it. It can be used as a finishing move when you want an opponent to stay down, or even if you simply want to make a dramatic exit. This is but one of the uses of the technique overall, and with further refinement…"

"Airen!" Shampoo suddenly called out from where she and the others were sitting on the sidelines observing the latest training session between Cologne and her chief pupil, "Kasumi make too-too delicious lunch for you! If Great Grandmother finish teaching you technique, then you come eat with Shampoo and Lylac, yes?"

""Coming, Hon," Nabiki turned to Cologne and said, "Mind if we finish this a bit later? I'm being called away to my domestic obligations, and I'm sure you wouldn't want Sham-chan feeling ignored by me, would you?"

"Certainly not," Cologne said in amusement, "I was young once myself, if you can believe it."

"Sure," Nabiki smirked, "In the Stone Age. Well, back to the old ball-and-chain routine. We'll pick this up as soon as I get through digesting Kasumi's cooking."

As Cologne watched her young apprentice head back towards their camp she hid a faint smile of knowing superiority and murmured, "Ah, daughter-in-law…if you only knew the true story…"

"Man," Ranma muttered from where he stood leaning against one of the trees that lined the forested clearing, having watched the display with the rest of their inner circle of intimate family members, "That old woman's sure a tough nut when it comes to training. That new technique Nabiki's learning's gonna give her an edge, no doubt about it."

"Seems the harder we train, we're never quite as good as she is," Ryoga noted, "Because she trains a lot harder. Hope that's not too tough on you, Ranma, being engaged to somebody who's that good…"

"Don't remind me," Ranma's eyes narrowed, though he knew that Ryoga was only teasing him about the engagement. In truth, Ranma was very proud of Nabiki, and very pleased that she was such a good fighter…except…

"Don't take it so hard, Ranchan," Ukyo smiled at him in a sidelong manner, "You're still pretty good, the second best fighter all around, and you know Nab-chan respects you."

"Second best," Ranma huffed, but he said no more than this, not wanting to give offense to his other iinazuke.

"Hey, there's no shame in that," Ryoga could not help twisting the knife, "I'm sure Nabiki doesn't mind you being right behind her."

"Shut up," Ranma growled in faint undertone, scowling all the more fiercely.

"You're such a wuss, Saotome," Akane huffed, "If you can't take the fact that a girl can be a stronger fighter than you, then why don't you do something about it? Train harder, anything but stand around and feel sorry for yourself."

"What would you know about it?" Ranma muttered aloud, though silently he had to admit that Akane had a point. He was being a jerk, and he knew it, but still…

"Hey, Ranchan tries hard," Ukyo immediately defended him, "He has a lot of catching up to do, but his dad's training him to make up for all those years they've been apart. Nabiki's been the heir to the Saotome school for the last ten years, but with the way you're picking up new techniques from the Old Man and Per-chan's great grandmother…"

Somehow, Ranma silently acknowledged, it did not help his pride as much as it should to hear his other iinazuke speak with such pride in his abilities. Ukyo meant well, but Ranma could not help the feeling that there was something a bit too defensive in her tone for him to believe that she seriously meant it. Perhaps it was because she wanted to sooth his wounded self-identity, having been usurped in his former role as the best fighter in Nerima, but the way she said it almost made it seem--however unintentionally--to be condescending.

Akane--irritating as she could be at times-at least had the dignity to voice her opinions of him outright, and for all her sometimes abrasiveness towards him, there was something almost refreshing about the honesty of her opinions.

"True enough," Kodachi mused as she agreed with Ukyo's judgement, "You have always been a quick study for any martial art that you directly observe, Ranma-kun, and sufficiently motivated, you can excel at a rate that even I admit is most surprising."

Again, Ranma felt a slight muscle twitch at the well-intentioned comment, especially coming from a girl upon whom he had once felt a powerful attraction. Kodachi had never truly shown him the time of day when he had been engaged to Akane-to whom Ranma felt more like a slightly older brother than a potential suitor-and since he had become engaged to Nabiki…well…Kodachi had certainly turned her affections in some interesting directions!

"What do you make of this Shadowskills technique that Nabiki's learning?" Ryoga asked, breaking Ranma's depressing line of self-introspection, "Is it really a style that's specially designed for women?"

"Well, according to the Old Woman, that's how it started out," Ukyo answered, "She said female slaves were forced to fight like gladiators in an arena back during the ancient Khmer Kingdom of what we now call modern-day Cambodia. Something about them fighting with their hands chained together, which is why it's supposed to use a lot of footwork to make up for that limitation."

"That's only the Shadowskill," Ranma spoke up, "It's supposed to have two parts, the front and the back system. The front's like regular Thai Boxing, lots of hand and foot moves, but the Shadowskill's almost entirely footwork with a lot of emphasis on Chi techniques and strengthening the body."

"You remember all that?" Ryoga asked.

"Hey, it's like 'Dachi says," Ranma nodded, "I pick things up pretty fast, and I was listening when the old woman gave her explanation."

"How remarkable your powers of retention are, Ranma-kun," Kodachi mused.

"Yeah," Akane agreed, "Now if only your academic skills gave some sign you were paying attention during classes…"

Ranma glared at his one-time iinazuke, resisting the impulse to stick his tongue out in her direction. Instead he turned his attention towards the campsite, where Nabiki was currently sitting down on a spread-out tablecloth with Shampoo and their newly born baby, while Kasumi offered them the lunch that she had packed away, while his mother beamed proudly as though the baby were her son's child rather than the product of two women.

Something bothered him about the scene…bothered him a lot more than he could say. It was not that he resented either Shampoo or the baby, but seeing how Nabiki fawned on the purple haired Amazon and her child made him feel…excluded. Like he was a mere observer watching from outside some window, unable to cross a boundary line that separated him from the happiness that they were sharing together…

Just then he heard someone hailing their group, and collectively they all turned to see Perfume and Keiko approaching with fresh firewood for their camp. The redheaded Kickboxer and the brown haired Enforcer each balanced a load of freshly chopped lumber-Perfume on one of her axes while Keiko managed it with one finger-Keiko was cheerful as always as she was warmly greeted by Akane and Kodachi, while Perfume's softer glow of happiness was returned in fair measure by a gratified Ukyo. Ranma scowled as he took notice of this, all too freshly reminded of the OTHER sore point that had recently been souring his moods of late.

The reason being the noticeable swell of Ukyo's abdomen, the result of a brief brush with Nabiki's Jusenkyo curse that had turned Perfume temporarily male during their struggles with Madam Lao, which again left Ranma feeling more than somewhat excluded.

It bothered him a lot that he was having these feelings, because Ranma had been taught that it was unmanly to allow feelings of inadequacy to color his judgement. His mother had always insisted that a "manly man" could rise up to meet any sort of occasion, and his father had been coaching him of late to develop a more positive attitude regarding the fact that he was a guy about to be wed to four very different (but equally intriguing) ladies.

The problem for him was that he did not feel quite so manly having at least two of his potential wives be impregnated by the other two fiancées. First Shampoo by Nabiki, then Ukyo by Perfume, leaving him to wonder if he would have anything to do on the Honeymoon besides have sex with the one woman whom (by the curse of the fates) he could not impregnate (two of them if you considered how Perfume felt about sex with a guy, and her fear of what pregnancy would do to her with her hyper-acute system).

Welllll…he mentally paused as he thought again of that latter point, then wondered if Perfume would truly resist any advances on his part. Recently she had gained a partial resistance to pain, thanks to that brush with Beatrice's Nanobots, which had done something to repair a defect that nature had bequeathed her. The immunity had proven to be only temporary, but Perfume no longer flinched up as bad when she was scratched or incapacitated. She was still tactilely more sensitive than anyone else Ranma knew and could bruise easily if struck, but now she was stronger and more confident in herself, and she was improving as a fighter from where she had been merely phenomenal before to outright devastating.

How did Perfume regard him as a man? Did she, in fact, see Ranma as a rival for Ukyo's affections? If so, then she was definitely winning the battle on that front, having grown so close to Ukyo of late that the two of them were virtually inseparable, and not just because they were having a baby together.

Ranma frowned even more deeply, his mood only worsening the longer he thought about it. As focused as he was on his current "problem," however, someone else was focusing on him, her attention drawn his way as her two companions pointed something out that served to confirm her own analysis of the situation.

"He's really taking it hard, eh?" Keiko asked.

"You could say that," Akane murmured as she grumbled softly, "The baka."

"We fear his pride has taken a beating with the safe delivery of Shampoo's baby," Kodachi sadly agreed, "And pride, it seems, is a Saotome quality that runs both deep and shallow."

"I've known Ranma most of my life," Akane softly nodded, "And this just isn't like him. He's becoming upset because he thinks he's being shut out of his own marriage. I wish I could talk some sense into the idiot, but he never listens to me."

"I think you badly underrate yourself there, Akane-chan," Kodachi noted, "Ranma-kun does indeed hold your opinions in a higher regard than he lets on, but he would be loathe to admit it, and stubbornness is another family trait that he seems to possess in great abundance."

"Guy shouldn't take it so bad," Keiko mused, "Most other guys would kill to be in a spot like that. Maybe I should go talk some sense into him. He seems to take it better from me, but then heck, I'm practically like one of the guys from his perspective."

"Better not try it," Akane urged, "He'd just see any attempt at sympathy as an admission that he can't handle his own problems."

"Who said anything about sympathy?" Keiko asked innocently, "I just meant to go over there and beat some sense into the baka."

"Crude but direct," Kodachi mused as she fondly regarded the redhead, "But I believe that this is one battle that Ranma-kun must resolve for himself…at least if he is to be any kind of proper mate for Nabiki-san. If he does not overcome his jealousy it will grow to consume him, and that would be most tragic."

Unbeknownst to the trio their every word was overhead by another set of ears that were close nearby. Perfume gave little indication that she was listening raptly to their conversation, but after a due interval of several long minutes she finally turned and looked directly at Ranma, catching the focus of his attention as his blue eyes swiveled to orient in her direction. Her blue eyes found his and for a moment no words were needed to convey each other's silent perspective.

Then, making an almost imperceptible nod with her head, Perfume indicated a direction off into the woods and away from the copse of trees in which they were presently standing. Ranma acknowledged the nod with one of his own, and then the two fell both motionless and silent in the presence of their mutual love interest.

None of these others caught the silent exchange, nor did they perceive the tension level rising between the Saotome heir and Enforcer. Nor did anyone else (save for a sharp eyed old man, who was in the vicinity and could not help noticing the foul mood that had come over his son lately) present have a clue what was in the winds, concerned as they were with their daily routine, which in the case of the formidable heir to the Tendo Ryu, meant assuming the domestic responsibilities of both a husband and a co-wife, a most peculiar role to which Nabiki was finding herself growing more and more accustomed.

What made this possible was the affable way in which Shampoo very easily fit the role of a wife, and Nabiki had to admit that there was no one else in her experience who could have taken in stride so many strange events that had brought the two of them together in a marriage that-as unconventional as it seemed at times-was remarkably fulfilling in so many ways that truly mattered. Shampoo had taken most of their hardships for granted and had adjusted herself to whatever changes life forced upon them, and only rarely did she complain about her lot. In anything she seemed enormously happy with her life and the role of a mother suited her quite well.

Or better, at least, than Nabiki thought that she might do in the Amazon's situation.

"You see, Airen?" Shampoo smiled as she held their daughter up, "Lylac is very good daughter, already she open eyes and try look at Lylac father. Be strong, healthy and intelligent girl when she get big and strong, like Airen."

Nabiki stared at the tiny, cherubic, lavender-haired infant whose diapers Shampoo had just finished changing, a half-naked babe whose tiny limbs moved in an uncoordinated attempt at exploring the world with her hands and feet. The child made cooing noises and did indeed appear to be working its ruby eyes in an attempt to focus upon Nabiki, working its limbs as though attempting to crawl through air to reach her biological "father." She was cute in a way that went well beyond the definitions of "Kawaii," and the thought that Nabiki might have played a part in bringing such a tiny bundle into the world was an astonishing realization, one that she still had trouble believing even after being confronted with the truth on a nearly daily basis.

Reaching out with a finger to touch the palm of her innocent daughter, Nabiki could not keep a foolish smile from crossing her features, lacking its usual sardonic overtones as she felt a warmth inside her that she knew-deep down-could never be banished.

"Cute little nipper," she said aloud as Lylac attempted to close her tiny fingers around the forefinger of her (sometime-male) parent, "Got a real inquisitive look to her too. Just imagine the whole world you've got ahead to explore, kid…and it looks to me like you've got a good start in with Sham-chan and me as your parents."

"You take Lylac, Airen?" Shampoo asked, and before Nabiki had time enough to frame a reply she found herself holding their baby girl in both hands, mindful to use the method that she had been taught was proper for supporting a baby.

Little Lylac reached out and placed both palms on Nabiki's chest as the Tendo heir held the incredibly small infant close to her. Nabiki looked down into a tiny face that seemed almost to recognize her, and then those hands attempted to climb up her chest, managing to close one hand around one of Nabiki's side forelocks.

"Hey…let go!" Nabiki tried to move her head to get the baby to let go of her hair, but little Lylac held on, fascinated by its new possession.

Shampoo's gentle laughter caused Nabiki to turn a look her way, and then the Amazon said, "Airen…no be cross with Lylac. Is very strong, curious child, just like Shampoo tell you."

"I see," Nabiki also smiled, looking down at the cooing baby and suddenly quite loath to force her to release her grip on her "father's" hair, "I can see you're going to be a real handful, kid…well, that's okay, so is your mother, and…I guess maybe I was kinda like that too when I was your age…"

"Is very true," Shampoo said sagely, "But now is time for baby to have lunch," and so Shampoo reached over to gently pried the tiny girl's hand off of the hairs that she was gripping, then took the child back into her arms and casually peeled open one side of her dress to bare a breast to full view, bringing Lylac's face down to where she could suckle on the nipple.

Nabiki was by now well accustomed to the fact that her wife had few taboos about nudity, and she well understood the necessity of Shampoo not wearing a bra, but she could not help admiring the way that their little girl began suckling down with thirsty abandon, and a slight stab of envy passed through Nabiki there and then. After all, Shampoo's already full breasts had increased substantially in size since giving birth, and a desire to clasp her lips around one of these mouth-watering globes was hard to resist, though Nabiki did her best not to openly salivate at the prospect.

Apparently, her inward struggle was all too obvious to Shampoo, who gave her back a very different kind of smile and said, "Airen…you wait you turn…Shampoo have plenty milk she share when Lylac have fill. Shampoo very grateful that Airen help her relieve excess, but is time and place for everything, yes?"

"Whatever you say, Honey," Nabiki chuckled, then noticed the coy way that Nodoka was looking their way, and the surreptitious glance of an otherwise stoical Cologne.

"Fatherhood suits you well, Daughter-in-law," the old woman managed to say with a straight face.

"Yeah, well…" Nabiki shrugged, "I do my best to manage, but credit all goes to Sham-chan."

"There is a very old proverb that says, 'It takes two to tango,'" Nodoka smiled sagely, "Perhaps one day you'll be able to give my son a child of your own, if we can ever find a way to overcome the problems with your curse."

Nabiki felt a slight twinge of guilt at that and said, "Well…no offense, Auntie…but if that day ever happens, well…I'll do my best and all that, but somehow…I just don't think I'd make as good a mother as Sham-chan. She's a natural at this stuff…it's all I can do to fake it."

"Don't sell yourself so short, Daughter-in-law," Cologne advised, "There is a way in which everything can come about in its own appropriate time and place. Enjoy the benefits of a happy and fruitful marriage, such quiet moments as these are a thing to be treasured."

"As you say, Great-Granny," Nabiki acknowledged, then sighed, "I just wish it were possible that I could give Ranchan something in this marriage. I know he's expecting me to be a good wife and all that, but I'm hanged if I know how to work that side of the paternal equation…"

"You is that, Airen," Shampoo teased, "Well hung indeed."

Even Nodoka had trouble keeping a straight face at that as Nabiki winced at the pun and said, "Ow…I really set myself up for that one, huh?"

"You are learning," Cologne replied with a serenely look of sublime composure, and Nabiki had to stare real hard at the old woman just to confirm for herself that the Elder wasn't smirking.

All at once, a splash of cold water down her nape caused Nabiki to gasp and transform into her masculine aspect, and then the obligatory apology from Kasumi, "Oh…I'm sorry, Imoutochan…I've been so careless lately…"

"Yeah…I've noticed," Nabiki-kun said with as much dignity as he could manage, heaving a sigh as he added, "I've got to invest in some water proof clothing…"

"Kasumi nailed you again, huh?" Ranma asked as he approached the happy campers.

"Oh," in spite of his now-male status, Nabiki could not help but smile warmly as he looked up to see his iinazuke, "There you are, Ranchan…I was hoping maybe we could spar a bit after lunch. I'll need to burn off a few calories, and by that time I should be changed back to normal."

"Sure," Ranma said with a surprisingly low amount of enthusiasm in his voice, "That'd be swell. I guess I could use a workout too…but…ah…well, I'm gonna go off on the trail a bit, so save my lunch until I get back, and don't let Pop eat it, okay?"

"Uh…sure," Nabiki-kun blinked, surprised at the preoccupied tone in Ranma's voice, which prompted him to ask, "Is everything all right, Ranma? You look a little…distracted…"

"Sorry," Ranma said, "Had a lot on my mind lately."

"Oh?" Nabiki-kun cocked an eyebrow, "Anything you want to share?"

To her surprise, Ranma just turned away and did not meet her gaze, instead saying, "Not really…look, I'll be back before too long. You don't need to worry about me or nothing."

"Ah…sure," Nabiki-kun said once again, uncertain of what to make out of the other boy's odd behavior. It was so unlike Ranma to be unwilling to share his private thoughts with Nabiki, and it made him even more concerned that there was some issue that really and truly was upsetting the boy lately. Nabiki had become so used to having Ranma play the role of close confidant that the idea that his iinazuke might try to withhold anything was positively alarming. It made Nabiki want to follow after him, to confront Ranma directly out of sight of the others, to learn what it was that Ranma was unwilling to say in front of his own mother. The impulse almost made him rise to his feet, but to his surprise he found Kasumi laying a hand to his shoulder to restrain him.

"It would be better to leave Ranma-kun alone for now, Nabiki," his older sister cautioned, "He's going through a phase right now, and he would resent anyone intruding on his personal privacy…even you, Imoutochan."

"Huh?" Nabiki turned a questioning look in the older girl's direction, seeing a surprising wisdom in Kasumi's eyes as she shook her head sadly, clearly knowing something that was not obvious to Nabiki.

"I've known Ranma since he was a small boy," Kasumi said, "I understand him and the pride he carries. You need to learn to trust him and let him have some personal space to himself now and again, there are some problems he has to work out for himself, and no one else can do that for him."

"Problems?" Nabiki-kun asked, "What are you getting at, Oneechan?"

"Ranma is your kareshi," Kasumi replied, "Your boyfriend and future husband, promised to you in a marriage that grows closer with the end of the school semester. He understands you like few other people really do, and he's been very understanding of all the curious experience that you've been going through of late. I think you should grant him the same courtesy, at least until he is ready to share his thoughts with you."

"But…" Nabiki started to protest, when all at once Kasumi glanced down at her own hand, then hastily let go of Nabiki and backed away with a most chagrined expression.

"Oh my…I…that is…I'd better go get the rest of lunch," Kasumi colored as she moved away, leaving Nabiki-kun to blink his eyes and wonder what was coming over her older sister.

"Airen," Shampoo murmured, "You sister very nice, but very strange girl."

"You're telling me?" Nabiki-kun replied, sighing to herself as she added, "I really need to have that talk with Oneechan…"

"She means well," Nodoka remarked on the sideline, "I think."

"Be patient with her," Cologne advised, "Ranma is not the only one who is going through an emotional phase for which he has little in the way of a referential basis. Concern yourself instead with the matter at hand…the experience that-for you-is unique among women. Being both a wife and a father will take much practice and patience, two elements in which you presently are sorely lacking."

"I know," Nabiki-kun winced, "I'm doing my best, don't have a cow about it."

"Eh?" Cologne arched a pale eyebrow, then dismissed the colorful colloquialism.

"I'm a little surprised that you are letting Lylac move around this early, before she even has enough strength to crawl like a regular baby," Nodoka noted, "When I had Ranma I was always very careful about handling him, and I kept him safe and snug in a blanket…"

"Trapped up in one you mean," Cologne replied, "Many mothers try and restrict the mobility of their children when nature intended them to move around in order to improve their confidence and strength of body. By letting the child set her own pace of development, she will grow stronger and be more poised than if she were held like a prisoner in a crib. So long as an adult remains close at hand to monitor her so that she does not get into any mischief, my great-great granddaughter will learn and adapt quicker and more readily to the changes that she will be going through as she progressively gets older and gains more control over her motor skills. In time, I dare say, she will even exceed you in terms of physical prowess, Son-in-law."

"Really?" Nabiki-kun blinked.

"Oh yes," Nodoka smiled grandly, "Elder Cologne is right…it is better to encourage a child to be more in tune with their own body…just think of what this will mean when she gets to be your age and finds someone who will interest her the way you've grown fond of dear Shampoo-san."

Nabiki-kun turned a horrified look on her future mother-in-law and almost squeaked, "Don't scare me like that!"

"Airen," Shampoo said crossly as she indicated the suckling babe, "Not so loud…you upset Lylac feeding."

"Uh…sorry…" Nabiki-kun winced, thinking privately to herself of all the lessons she would have to school Lylac in order to prepare her for her teenaged years, including Nabiki herself investing in a shot-gun…

Ranma searched around at the wooded alcove near the base of the waterfall, then turned and said, "I know you're around here, so you might as well come out of hiding."

"Who said I was hiding," Perfume remarked as she appeared from seeming nowhere, "Just because you can't see me as well as I could see you doesn't mean that I was hiding."

"Yeah, whatever," Ranma turned to confront the brown haired Enforcer, "You wanted to talk with me, let's talk."

"Fair enough," Perfume replied, "I want to know what's been eating you up of late, Saotome. The last two weeks you've been acting like you've eaten nothing but sour berries. Now is it just me that you're worried about or are you acting like a jerk because you think you need the practice?"

"Who said I was worried about you?" Ranma asked.

"Oh please," Perfume replied, "I may be a girl from the country, but I didn't fall off the turnip truck just the other day. You've been in a snit ever since we had that incident with Baby, and right after Shampoo delivered hers, you went into permanent scowl-mode and haven't been any fun to hang around with ever since."

"Yeah, well, maybe I've had my reasons," Ranma replied, "Not that you'd care about what I think. You've made it abundantly plain that you don't need a guy in your life, not as long as you have Ucchan."

"Who said I didn't need a guy?" Perfume scowled, "You think that just because I like women I think all men are pigs? That is soo typical…a real stereotype of Amazons. I thought you of all people knew better."

"Well…maybe I don't," Ranma shot back, "I'm only a guy, remember?"

"It's about me getting Ukyo pregnant, isn't it?" Perfume replied, "It's started eating on your male ego that I did something you were supposed to do, all because I got my curse temporarily swapped with Nabiki's. I knew that understanding act of yours was too good to be true…"

"I told you before," Ranma growled, "I don't blame you guys for any of that stuff that happened. It was that Lao character who was making all that stuff happen. What I can't stand is the way you rub my nose in it every chance you get!"

"When have I ever rubbed your nose in anything?" Perfume reacted in surprise.

"Just now," Ranma pointed out, "When you reminded me that you did something I was supposed to."

Perfume rolled her eyes, "Give me a break! It wasn't like I meant to be the one to get Ukyo with child…"

"Maybe not," Ranma said, "But you sure don't act like you're sorry it happened."

"And what am I supposed to say to that?" Perfume replied, "That I'm sorry that I'm the father? I'm not! I'd be less than honest with you if I didn't admit that."

"And that's another thing," Ranma scowled, "When you first showed up here-what? Five or six months back? You could barely even speak Japanese, and now you're talking like a native…"

"Oh, and you think I wanted to sound like a hick all my life?" Perfume countered, "Shampoo can get away with that…she sounds cute talking that way, but I was tired of stumbling over my pronouns and tenses and looking like a fool in front of my Airen, so I asked Great Grandmother to help me learn to speak regular Japanese, and she's been tutoring me ever since…and besides, I've listened to the way students in your classes talk and I've picking things up on the sidelines…"

"Is that all?" Ranma asked, "I can't believe you'd learn it so simple."

"Well…I did have help," Perfume admitted, "A magic jewel Great Grandmother loaned me acted as a translation spell that helped me to unlock some of the more complicated rules of Japanese grammar. It's not an easy language to learn, you guys don't exactly make it simple, but once I learn a lesson I memorize it and practice it in private. It's accelerated learning, true, but you're not the only one who's gifted with an eidetic memory, Saotome."

"And what did you learn Japanese for?" Ranma asked suspiciously, "To sweet talk Ucchan?"

"Among other things," Perfume smiled, "But why act so bothered about it? You could just as easily borrow the jewel from me and learn to practice Mandarin, so you could hold a decent conversation with my cousin. After all, you're going to marry her in a couple of months, and it wouldn't kill you to tell her you care in our native language."

"Maybe," Ranma said, "But I don't know why she'd even bother with me when she already has Nabiki."

"Now the other sandal hits the floor," Perfume scowled, "It's not just me getting Ucchan pregnant that has you acting so jealous all of a sudden…it's Shampoo's baby, isn't it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ranma scowled.

"Pu-lease," Perfume sniffed, "It's as plain as the nose on your face, Saotome. You're jealous because Nabiki and Shampoo had a baby, and Ukyo's having my baby, and you're feeling left out in the cold and all sorry for yourself because you've been double-cuckolded before you've even walked the aisle with either one of them. Your male ego is telling you that you should be the father, not us, and it's only worse because you know that I can't stand to let a man touch me, and Nabiki can't carry a baby to full term, and you'd like to screw the both of us silly…"

"I do not!" Ranma insisted.

"Nabiki then," Perfume self-corrected, "And Ukyo, and Shampoo. It chews you up that the four of us are indulging in really hot sex together while you're 'saving yourself' and insist on remaining a virgin. You could have all the sex you want if you'd just give in and be honest with your emotions, but no! Not you! You're too good for us, and it's beneath your dignity to share yourself with either Ukyo or Nabiki!"

"I'm not too good for anybody," Ranma insisted before looking down, "Maybe not good enough is what you mean to say…"

"That's what you say," Perfume replied, "I didn't say it. I certainly don't think it either."

"Could've fooled me," Ranma glared.

"And what am I supposed to say to that?" Perfume asked, "That I think you're a wuss because you cop out around Nabiki and Ucchan? Actually, I think you're a pretty sweet guy, and I know you care a lot about Ukyo, and for the most part you've been a pretty upstanding friend, right up to the time when you started acting like you thought I was the very devil come a-calling, and quite frankly I'm fed up with it. Stop making me the target of your insecurities and just come out and admit it that you're getting cold feet and you're intimidated by the thought of marrying four women."

"Four?" Ranma arched an eyebrow.

"I'm a part of this thing too, you know?" Perfume insisted, "By the laws of my people, I'm married to Ukyo, just like Nabiki is married to Shampoo, and because my cousin and I lost a challenge match to you, we're obligated to respect your engagement to our mutual Airen. It was Nabiki who came up with this proposal, and it's entirely legal by the laws of my people, not yours. So-like it or not-we're both linked together in this thing beyond our power to deny it…unless you want to opt out altogether and leave us both to enjoy our respective marriages without you in the equation."

Ranma narrowed his eyes and said, "Me leave? You think I'm gonna go back on my word or something?"

"Oh, grow up!" Perfume snorted, "You're hiding behind that Japanese Bushido code of yours, which is a pretty neat way of concealing the fact that you're starting to have second thoughts about getting married to any of us. You're feeling trapped and you're wondering how you let yourself get talked into any of this. You're seventeen and you haven't even sowed your oats yet…among Amazons we'd think you were afraid of commitment or something. Mousse-fool that he is-at least tries to get my attention by challenging me to a fight, which is our idea of foreplay, in case you haven't figured it out yet. Up until now I would have thought you were more of a man than he is."

"You comparing me to that creep?" Ranma's nostrils flared, "Ain't no way Monkey-boy would even compare to me in a straight fight."

"But he doesn't fight straight, or even fairly," Perfume replied, "The Hidden Weapons Ryu uses subtlety and misdirection, two qualities in which you-I have to say-are sorely lacking. You have to think quick on your feet in order to dodge his attacks, and what if he challenges me again and tries to compel me or Ukyo to marry him, which is still technically possible in a same-sex Amazon marriage, a loophole for which our ancestors made allowances for the sake of having children. Who then is going to defend us if you're too much of a wimp to even try it?"

"Who are you calling a wimp?" Ranma growled, "Ain't no way I'd let that creep come anywhere near Ucchan, especially in her condition."

"And what of me?" Perfume asked, "I'm trained to be the best fighter among the Amazons, but I still have vulnerabilities that Mousse could take advantage of if he wants an easy victory. My nervous system has been partially rebuilt, but I still have a pain threshold that's considerably lower than yours, so if you have no interest in me or anything that happens…"

"You calling me a chicken?" Ranma demanded, "I wouldn't even let him have a crack at you. It ain't like I think you're weak or nothing, but like you say, you got more vulnerabilities than I do."

"Care to try me on that," Perfume smiled, "I won't even use my axes to beat you, Saotome."

Ranma's eyes narrowed once again, "Just what are you getting at? You challenging me?"

"Call it what you like," Perfume smiled, and from seeming nowhere produced a pair of aluminum tonfas, "I've been working out with these as a less lethal alternative to my axes. Never hurts to have a backup arsenal, as Mousse is fond of pointing out. We'll call it a challenge match if you like…me against you to decide which of us remains Ukyo's primary Airen. If you lose, then you'll set us both free and we'll find some other guy who could give Mousse more of a challenge."

"Free?" Ranma cocked and eyebrow.

"You're only bound to her by a promise you made to your parents," Perfume replied, "I'm giving you an honorable way of backing out if you're so hell-bent and determined to go your own way. It's preferable to me allowing Ukyo and our daughter to be raised by some weakling who only married us because he lacks the guts to admit he was forced into it against his say-so."

"No way," Ranma said, "Ain't no way I'm fighting you over that."

"Who said you had a choice?" Perfume replied, and immediately began spinning her tonfas as she fell back into a defensive position.

Ranma instinctively moved to assume a counter pose, automatically taking measure of her extended reach and factoring in what he knew about her speed and power. He privately hated to admit it, but Perfume was one fighter whose prowess was far greater than anyone else he knew besides Nabiki, and underestimating her was a quick way to learn about pain in all sorts of interesting places.

"You might need to use a weapon to defend yourself," Perfume smiled confidently, "Bare handed as you are, you're less of a challenge."

Ranma privately conceded that she had a point, but he was loath to admit it, especially since she was challenging the entire philosophy behind the school of Anything Goes barehanded fighting. Months of practice with his father had left him confident that he could deal with almost anything and would only need a weapon as a last resort in some impossible situation.

This did-however-seem to come awfully close to fitting that definition…

Without warning she attacked, and had Ranma been napping by even a second he would have been caught flat-footed. As it was, he moved instinctively before he had even framed the thought, ingrained reflexes sending muscles into coordinated action as he dodged her lightning attacks and moved to avoid her follow up while finding it next to impossible to counter or step inside of her defenses. A vaulting leap carried him backwards out of range of her initial thrusts, closer to the waterfall, where he knew she would not be willing to follow.

As he landed with perfect poise upon a rock near the edge of the lake he paused to reflect on one corollary in their duel: Perfume knew a lot about him, having studied his combat style every bit as much as he had observed hers in and out of practice. So it was with horror that he looked down to find Perfume waiting for him with one tonfa outstretched to hook him by his ankle. A half-second to reflect upon his danger, and then he found himself flipping backwards again-this time involuntarily-and he landed right in the lake with his backside breaking the surface of the water.

"Cool off, Saotome!" Perfume grinned, "No need for you to be such a hothead!"

"Why you-!" Ranma snarled as he surfaced in the two-foot-deep water, getting his legs back under himself once again, then pausing to gather his energy for a massive leap that carried him right out of the lake and hurtling back towards the shoreline.

Perfume's smile melted off her face as realization of her peril sent her instantly into her own evasive maneuvers. The water he carried with him was every bit as dangerous to her as any retaliation that he might be planning, and so she put herself well clear of it, which gave Ranma the chance he needed to regain the advantage. Without pausing to dry himself off he leaped to the attack, taking advantage of the fact that his father's school was the Aerial branch of Anything Goes combat. As his trousers yet contained a sufficient amount of water to trigger a Jusenkyo curse if he connected, Perfume had no choice but to evade him once again as he darted around her and maneuvered himself to place her directly between him and the waterfall, cutting off her line of retreat into the woods, where she would most DEFINITELY have had the advantage.

"Hah!" Ranma snorted, "Don't look so tough now, huh Kitty?"

Perfume surprised him with a smile and said, "Don't ever make questionable assumptions like that when dealing with an Amazon, Saotome. HURRICANE ATTACK, SPECIAL MANEUVER!"

All at once she whirled about with her tonfas, her whole body spinning like a top as she lashed out at him with blur of hurtling metal. Ranma was forced to give ground as he tried to dive under her attack, only to see her leap skyward-as though stealing a page from the Saotome Ryu-pausing like a bird with legs tucked in close to her body. With a gracefulness that left him in awe, he saw her reach the nearest of the overhanging tree branches and land like a perching vulture, then smile down at him as she taunted, "Try and catch me now, Saotome! And don't even think of turning chicken, or I'll hunt you down and hurt you!"

"Why you…" Ranma said once again, but she seemed to flow into the forest before he even had time to think of a better verbal counter.

This was not good, not by a longshot! Perfume was a Sentinel, in addition to being a tribal Enforcer. Her senses and perceptions were superhumanly acute and in an area providing that much cover she could melt into the background and wait to strike without warning. No way would he have any advantages fighting on her turf, and it would be folly for him to attempt it. The wise thing to do would be to avoid the wooded areas altogether, or anyplace that might afford her decent cover from which to launch an ambush. He could make his way back to camp and pretend nothing had happened.

Instead, he followed her into the forest, stubborn pride and a desire not to let her question his manhood motivating him to ignore his own better judgement. Besides, he wanted to wipe that smirk off her face, and something about this whole brawl was starting to get him worked up like no other sparring match he'd enjoyed in quite a while now.

He moved cautiously once he was past the first of the trees, taking stock of how close the brush was and the amount of space that existed between bowels and branches. There was just enough room for a fight with few margins of error in between these spaces, so he knew that she could only come at him in a limited number of ways. He was keen to allow his other senses to "prime" him so that he would not be caught totally unawares by any sudden motion. He moved carefully with each step touching ground, fully aware that no attempt by him to conceal his footsteps would be effective with her acute senses of smell and hearing.

[Oh man,] he thought to himself, [I gotta be nuts for doing this! She's got a hundred different ways to come at me, and I'll only have maybe a second to react, if that!]

Even as he thought this he began to move around a tree that was no more than six inches wide. There was reasonably good visibility on all sides, and he was certain that wherever she was hiding could not be too near to his position…so certain, in fact, that when the handle of the tonfa hooked his Adam's apple and slammed him back into the tree he did not even see it coming, only heard the Amazon's soft feminine chuckle.

"What's the matter, Saotome?" she asked, "Never heard of hiding in plain sight? You have to be looking right at me to see me, and you let your guard down, which in a real fight could prove fatal."

Ranma tried to free himself but found the strength with which she held him fast was daunting. With the tree in the way between them he could not get at her directly, and trying to maneuver at that point would have choked him as a single move on her part could crush his windpipe.

"Admit it," Perfume said, "I'm a much better match for Ukyo than you could ever be. You barely even know her after all of these months, while I can tell you exactly where she likes to be kissed, where she's fond of being held, and how to pleasure her in way you cannot even imagine."

Ranma grit his teeth and turned his head sideways, hoping to lessen the pressure against his Adam's apple without exposing any major nerves that she might use against him.

"It takes a woman to understand the needs of another woman," Perfume continued, "And Ucchan fits so well into my arms. Did you know that she's ticklish? I found that very surprising, especially on the feet if you tease them just right…"

"Go to hell!" Ranma snarled.

"Oh, did I touch a nerve there?" Perfume chuckled, "Now maybe you know how I've been feeling all this time watching you flirt with my wife, and Ukyo smiling at you whenever you're near her. She used to be furious with her father for engaging her to a boy she didn't even know, but sometimes she confides in me and tells me that you're just the right match for her. I get so jealous sometimes that it's practically like you're in bed with the two of us, only I know you wouldn't even have the guts to try and take on two women by your lonesome."

"Bitch!" Ranma snarled, using an invective he had never before used on ANY woman.

"Yes I am," Perfume replied, "What are you going to do about it? Call in Nabiki for support? Hey, in her guy form she's pretty hot. Of course, as a woman she's exceptional, so maybe you'd like to double team us?"

Ranma decided that there was only one way to break the uneven deadlock, much though he hated to do it, as it would upset the local ecology. Since Perfume was out of his reach, he could only attack the tree itself, which he proceeded to do with his elbows. Three rapid-fire powerful blows were all it took to splinter the bark and shatter the base itself while he summoned his inner Chi and heaved against it, breaking through entirely.

Perfume was forced to let him go and back away as the tree virtually exploded between them, sending sharp splinters in all directions. She whirled her tonfas as fast as she could to deflect the wooden shrapnel, but the cloud of bark was just the obstruction Ranma needed to get in past her guard and deliver an upward palm-thrust that picked her up and sent her flying backwards.

Perfume reflexively tensed up her muscles as she struck another tree with her back, wincing as the messages of pain went out to all areas-lessened from what she would once have suffered, but still far greater in intensity than would have been felt by a normal person. She was incapacitated by her pain for just enough time that Ranma could again close the distance, pressing himself up against her with one arm over her windpipe, the other immobilizing both arms as he held her wrists together, preventing her from employing her tonfas.

"Now-you gonna take back that stuff you said about me?" he snarled, for the moment letting anger rule him as he used his superior male strength to hold her in place.

Perfume tried to spit at him but found she could not get the aim, only glared at him with her eyes and said, "Big man…forcing yourself on a woman."

"Shut up!" Ranma snarled, "You ain't just some woman! Or are you gonna try and pretend that you're all innocent and dovey eyed? Well, I ain't falling for it! You concede now or else…"

"Or else what?" she responded.

Ranma found himself at a loss about this point, not knowing where he should go from there, and not even daring to let her go as the merest opening would be enough for her to clobber him in one second. His leg pressed across hers was keeping her from giving him a knee to the groin, but there was no telling how many ways she could free herself from this position, and with her level of training she was far too dangerous to be underestimated.

But as angry as he was he could not bring himself to even want to seriously hurt her. She was only fighting for what she believed was Ukyo's best interests-as much as her own-and besides…she was much too cute for him to want to see her suffer…

Cute?

Where the heck had that thought come from???

"So…" she said as seconds dragged on into a full minute, "What are you going to do now, Saotome? Let me go and we'll start this up again…"

"No way," Ranma replied, "You surrender, I've got the advantage."

"Seems to me I had the advantage over you a minute ago," she responded, "I could have finished you then if I chose to."

"Yeah?" he asked, "So what?"

"So you either finish me now or admit I was right about you," Perfume replied, "You're too much of a wimp to be my Airen's husband."

"Shut up!" Ranma snarled, unwilling to concede that she had a good point about their relative positions. Unfortunately, as he held her braced against the tree he was a little too close to her to avoid noticing things he usually ignored, such as the fact that she smelled pretty nice…almost like cinnamon mixed with rosemary, or that-this close up-she was an extremely attractive young girl with padding in all the right places…

Huh?

Ranma suddenly let her go and backed away with a dismayed look across his features. Perfume found her sudden release almost too much of a good thing to trust, so she did not immediately attack him but merely moved her head to unkink her neck, then stood relaxed with tonfas at the ready.

"So, you want to go at it again, eh?" she asked, "Well, I'm ready for you this time."

"No way," Ranma would not even look at her, unwilling to meet her sapphire eyes with his own deeply troubled expression, "I ain't fighting any more. Ain't no point to it…no way."

"So," she frowned, "Are you ready to concede to me and release Ucchan from her marital obligations?"

Ranma shook his head negatively, "No…I gave my word, I won't give her up."

"But you know that I am honor-bound to her as well," Perfume pointed out, "And if you marry her, then I come with the package."

"Uh…yeah…so?" Ranma hoped his voice was not shaking as much as it sounded like to his hearing.

"But don't you resent me for upbraiding you?" Perfume asked, inclining her head as she studied his profile, "I called you a coward and challenged your manhood."

"Yeah, so what?" Ranma asked, "Proved you wrong, didn't I?"

"That remains to be seen," Perfume said slyly, "You know, when Ukyo has my baby, the way will be clear for you to have one of your own with her. Officially-as far as anyone else knows-our baby is your baby already. I can't exactly acknowledge her in a legal sense, so my daughter needs a father, just like Ucchan needs a husband if she's to escape the shame you Japanese attach to unmarried women who have a baby. You've proved yourself a strong fighter once again, but are you man enough to give my daughter a good role model of what it means to be manly? Or…is she going to have to look up to Nabiki for that?"

"What's your point?" Ranma asked her.

"Just this, Saotome," Perfume said, "We both care about Ucchan, and we both want what's best for her, and there's the potential in you to be the sort of man that I wouldn't mind sharing her with, if you get your head out of your ass and stop acting like such a hurt little brat. You know I never meant to steal husbanding duties from you, but facts are inescapable, and now I'm going to have a baby through Ucchan. Either deal with that or opt out of the marriage, it's your choice either way…but I won't object if you stay. In fact…I might even be persuaded to like you."

"Huh?" Ranma blinked his eyes, then reacted in surprise as he felt her lips against his cheek as she leaned in close and kissed him.

"Think about it and get back to me," she smiled as she started to turn away, "Ucchan deserves to know the truth about your feelings…and so does Nabiki. Work this thing out for yourself and let us know when you're ready. Oh…and you can come out now, Old Man. There's no sense in you hiding now that the fighting is over."

"Huh?" Ranma said once again, when he saw the impossible happen as his father stepped out from the concealment of a tree that could not have been more than three inches wide, if that!

"I wasn't hiding for that reason, Girl," Genma said rather stiffly, "I just thought you young people needed time to work things out for yourselves."

"Sure, whatever you say," Perfume replied as she started forward once again, "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to camp. Ucchan's bound to be wondering where I got off. See you later, Saotome."

And with that she sauntered through the trees with exaggerated motions of her hip that left Ranma feeling even more confused than ever. He was so mesmerized by the sight of her body movements that he almost did not react until the pack landed before his feet, causing him to turn his attention back to the balding man who was his father.

"What's that for?" he asked.

"Pick it up, Son," Genma said, "You and I are going to go on a training mission."

"I thought we were doing that already."

"Don't get smart with me, Boy," Genma snapped, "This isn't a real training mission, this is more like a family picnic with everyone gathered together to do lunch together. A real training mission is out on the open road, getting a taste of life and learning about things that you can't learn sitting around at home or in a dojo. It was the way in which I trained Nabiki to be a top-notch fighter, but I'll be damned if my own flesh and blood is going to take second place to any girl, even her! You're going with me to train alone, and none of the women are coming with us."

"But won't Nabiki object?" Ranma asked, "What will Mom say?"

"I've already spoken with your mother and she agrees," Genma replied, "We'll only be gone for a week or two, long enough for you to get your head out of the clouds and figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. Besides, it's about time you spent more time with your old man. As much progress as you've made of late, there's still a lot more I have yet to teach you about the Anything Goes Ryu."

"Just the two of us?" Ranma raised an eyebrow.

"Not quite," Genma said, "Ryoga will come with us to provide you with a training partner."

"Ryoga?" Ranma blinked.

"He's the only boy I know who's even close to you as a fighter," Genma replied, "And the two of you train well together. You both have similar styles, and you're more competitive against him than you are with me, and you both don't pull your punches. You'll both train and you'll become stronger fighters, and maybe then you'll know what it is that you want to do with the rest of your lives."

"I thought we already had that covered," Ranma said gruffly.

"I told you not to get smart with me," Genma's nostrils flared, "I know full well that you've been having doubts about the impending marriage. I know exactly how you're feeling…because I was there when I was your age. My marriage to Nodoka was arranged, but don't think I wasn't tempted to look elsewhere."

"Huh?" Ranma blinked again, "You mean…you and…somebody else beside Mom?"

"Is that so surprising?" Genma asked, "I used to be quite the fellow when I was younger, before…" he felt the bandana covering his head and sighed, "Never mind…ancient history. The point is…you need a good kick to the rear to get the cobwebs out of your head, Boy. You've been with your mother too long, it's time your old man showed you what it means to be a man, maybe even a fit husband for Nabiki."

Ranma reached down and picked up the pack, "But…don't I gotta tell Nabiki or something?"

"We'll tell her on the way," Genma said, "I left Ryoga back at camp…no sense in having that boy wandering around loose. He's just too much like his mother…" he sighed, "Never mind…are you coming or not? Haven't got all day…Son."

Very slowly Ranma nodded and slipped the pack around his shoulders, then said, "Okay…Pop."

And so began a training mission that was destined to bring great changes in the life of a boy named Saotome Ranma…

Continued

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