Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ The Were-Ken ❯ Trouble With Magic & Trouble At Home ( Chapter 3 )

 

The Were-Ken

 

Authors Note (PLEASE READ FIRST): Being that I was able to get my hands on some additional Gold Digger information that showed my previous chapter had some glaring timing errors in it I have gone back and made some corrections/additions to the chapter to help make it fit better with my ideas for the story. I ask that you read both the original disclaimer and the first chapter again to be sure you have not missed anything I might have added/changed. I do apologize for doing so but I felt few changes were in order. I will try not to do something like this again in the future.

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2 or Gold Digger, nor do I own any other characters from any other series that may be introduced in this story. If I touch upon things that other authors have previously written I hope that they will consider it a form of homage to their creativity and take it in the spirit it was meant to be, as praise. This fiction is written out of personal enjoyment and I hope that others will read it and get as much enjoyment out of it as have had writing it.

 

Warning: It is assumed that you have read chapter one of this story understand that this tale may contain mature content. If you continue to read past this point neither I nor the website it is posted upon are responsible for your choice to do so. Understand that while I am trying to keep as close to the personalities of the original characters that this may not always be so.

 

That said, enjoy!

 

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

 

Chapter Three - Trouble With Magic

&

Trouble At Home

“A father figure? Not an example I would want to follow. Not Mine.”

 

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

 

Tendo Dojo, Nerima

 

Genma was worried. Not about his son, not directly. Ok, maybe not at all. He was worried about himself.

 

He had been so since his wife had stopped by earlier this afternoon while the children were at school. Her visit had not been a pleasant one for either of the two men at the Tendo household. Nodoka had made it clear to both Genma and Soun that certain things needed to be cleaned up before she returned from the three month trip she was taking to visit her family. “Unfortunately I will be unable to see my son before I leave for this trip as I must leave before he returns from school. I will be going to visit my family to re-fresh my knowledge at my families Art of the Sword tomorrow. I will return in three months time and I have certain expectations that will be met upon my return.” Of course when asked by his son where his mother was he simply told him that she would be back when she was done visiting family and proceeded to taunt Ranma into a spar with cries of momma's boy and him being a baby.

 

First on her list of demands was that upon her return she was to see a vast improvement in Ranma's school grades. She had nearly fainted when she found out that her manly son had barely passing grades and often slept in class! “It would not do for a man-among-men to be anything less than learned. Now I realize that he has not had much in the way of a traditional education husband, but now that he is attending school he should put forth as much effort into it as he does his martial arts training. To do any less dishonors himself and his teachers.” She had said.

 

Genma shook his head as he recalled this request. `Didn't the woman realize that Ranma had to eat, breathe, and even sleep martial arts to be the best?' Genma had no wish for his son to become a book worm or some salary man! He was to marry Akane and produce children for his wife to dote upon while leaving him to lounge happily about living on his heir's hard work. After all that was why he took the boy on the training trip. `Damn woman will make him soft.' Never mind harder to control than he already was. `Damn woman is trying to ruin everything.'

 

At the time of the request the two men were against the idea, not that they voiced this to Nodoka. No of course not. But after some thinking Genma and Soun realized this was an excellent opportunity for Ranma to spend more time with Akane! So they forced the two of them to study together for the first two weeks of Nodoka's trip. This soon came to a halt as the two teenagers fought every time they got together to study as either Akane would lose her patience with Ranma's inability to pick up on, what was to her, the simplest lesson, or Ranma would say something that would anger her to the point her temper boiled over. The final nail in the coffin was the arrival of one of the other fiancée's, who had paid Nabiki for information concerning the fact that they had been seeing less of Ranma lately, claiming they could teach Ranma way better then his un-cute fiancée. So much damage had been inflicted to Akane's room and other parts of the house as Ranma was malleted, punched, kicked, or tossed through the floor, wall, ceiling, or window. In the end this endeavor came to an end as Nabiki had made it clear she would start paying for the repairs from the sake fund if the two fools did not drop it. Given a choice between the plan or sake, sake won out.

 

Nodoka's second request almost started an argument as she told them they were to help Akane learn to control her temper. It seemed that Nodoka had been witness to several of the bashings Akane delivered regularly to her son and did not think it was fitting for a woman who was to be his son's wife to be doing. “While I believe that the wife should take a strong hand in the affairs of her husband she should do so without involving those outside family, preferably with a subtle hand. To do so is embarrassing to both herself and to her son.” Was what Nodoka had said to the men after describing in incident she had witnessed where Akane had malleted Ranma out of that restaurant where the lovely gaijin girl Shampoo worked. Nodoka made it clear that while she did not know what the argument had been about, it simply was not acceptable behavior from a prospective bride for her oh-so manly son.

 

This of course nearly brought about a demon-headed Soun who almost yelled about at Nodoka for offending his princess. This was quickly quashed under Nodoka's threat that she would end the engagement on the spot should he not accept this term as is. “If Akane cannot learn to control her temper and to properly chastise her fiancé than perhaps it would be better if this agreement was ended or passed to someone better able to handle a household.” Nodoka had said. Soun sputtered in outrage that she dare suggest such a thing and would have continued to go on had it not been for Genma being quick to point out to him she was capable of doing exactly as she claimed if she chose to do so since he had given up his rights as Ranma's legal guardian shortly after the incident with Nodoka's family treasure. It was punishment for his actions during that debacle and under the threat of worse punishment by her katana he had signed the documents quicker than he had eaten his previous meal.

 

Of course trying to get Mount Akane to correct the way she treated Ranma was a feat neither man wanted to do, so they went at it by yelling at Ranma to be nicer to his fiancée. That he should stop making her mad and marry her right away so that the schools would finally be joined. That he should just give in to her whims and stop seeing those other girls as those hussies were not important to the future of Anything Goes. With a smile on her face Nabiki charged them for the damages caused to the house by the other fiancée's when they heard this. The money of course came from their sake fund and they had to either find another way to earn the cash for it or go without for a week.

 

Lastly upon her return she would be taking Ranma to learn her family's weapons style and they were to see to it that none of the fiancées interfered with this. To get Ranma started on his training he was to practice the scrolls she would leave behind at least one hour a day. Four on weekends as she figured he would need sometime to be able to catch up on his school work so that he could meet her first request. “Our son has become quite the master of his physical body but even you must agree husband that there are times when the hand is not enough or cannot be used against an opponent. He will learn my family's art upon my return.” She said with finality “I expect him, when I arrive back from my trip, to move back in with me at the Saotome Estate as it will be repaired by then. You will also see to it that his fiancée's understand that the Saotome Estate is off-limits to them, unless explicitly invited by myself or my son, for the duration of his training. Any who break this rule will no longer be considered worthy of our sons hand in marriage.”

 

Genma had not even shown Ranma the scrolls. He had sold them for money to get sake during the week that Nabiki cut them off. It had not even lasted a day.

 

All of this took place three months ago. Nodoka had called the Tendo Household this morning and informed Kasumi of her impeding return tomorrow. She would be there before school was out so as to help Kasumi prepare a meal for her sons last day at the Tendo home as a thank you for their allowing Ranma and Genma to stay there for so long.

 

He had considered taking the boy and running off on another training trip when he heard the news from Kasumi but he remembered his wife's last words before she left him alone by the gate to the Tendo Dojo “Husband, if my requirements have not been met or if you and Ranma are not here upon my return I will be most displeased. Depending upon your reasoning for failing to meet any of these I will take steps to show you my displeasure. Should I find your reasons for failing to be of your own doing I will end the engagement to the Tendo Clan, sell the Saotome estate to pay for all the bills you have accumulated over there years in both our sons name and that of the family and finally I shall divorce you and take our son off the Saotome register.” “Do not test me on this Genma as you know I am a woman of my word and I already have a lawyer ready with the paperwork. Should you fail without an honorable reason for doing so you will either accept the punishments for failure or take the honorable way out. This is the last chance I will give you redeem yourself in my eyes husband. Please do not fail us.” She handed him a tanto with the Saotome crest as a clear indication of how he could take the honorable way out should he fail. That he had not sold. He was at times an idiot, but he was not insane.

 

The two at the Shoji board were trying to think of where they had gone wrong. Their new plan had been perfect. They had planned to grab Akane and the boy once they returned home from school, tie them up and have them married. It was “Genma & Soun's - Grab E'm & Get Em Hitched”. But when Akane came home from school alone and crying, no doubt due to something Ranma had done, they were worried. When she refused to talk to anyone, even Kasumi, about why she was upset things became rocky. When Nabiki finally came home and refused to even discuss where the boy was save for a comment about the Neko-Ken they knew things were getting worse. When Kasumi welcomed the priest at the door and he had demanded the money up front for the ceremony from the two men they knew it was over. Neither of them was about to hit up Nabiki for cash with the mood she was in.

 

They had no choice but to wait for diner for the answer as to where the boy was. `At least it would only be another hour.' Genma thought as his stomach made is opinion known that this was too long of a time to wait for food.

 

“Father, Mr. Saotome, I hope you do not mind, but diner will be late tonight. I want to give Akane more time to rest since she seemed so upset when she came home from school. I do hope the dear is alright.” Kasumi said as she moved through the room into the kitchen.

 

No, things had not gone like they wanted at all.

 

--------------------------------------------

 

Hidden away beneath the Nekohanten was a vault. It was located in a section of the basement that Cologne had used various means to secure so as to be able to store several of her magical artifacts and potion ingredients without fear of someone easily gaining access to them. The room was magically protected from detection and entry as best as Cologne could manage and so far it had worked.

 

The items contained within this safe room would have deeply interested Happosai and made Gosunkugi drool in delight had they been able to gain entry. The herbs locked away in here would have also brought many a tear to the eye of Kodachi Kuno. It was within this hidden sanctum that Cologne found what she had been looking for, an ancient tome that had been passed down to through her family line. The tome contained tales and descriptions of hundreds of various magical artifacts or creatures that her family had encountered over the last 2000 years. Cologne herself had added at least a several dozen or so entries in the book over her lifetime. This was but one piece of the legacy that her Great Granddaughter would one day come into. Cologne herself knew a little magic but the art of being a true mage had been lost to her tribe over 2000 years ago. At best members of her tribe used magical tools or herbs to achieve the effects they sought. So it was fortunate that the book contained a magic that not only helped to preserve it from the ravages of time but also helped the user find what they were looking for within, but only if the knew the secret of how to make the book do this. Still, despite the aid of magic, it took time to find what you were looking for.

 

What she found within did not please her, nor did it give her much to go on save for that the amulet was what was called a `Lián Jié' amulet. Commonly used by sorcerers and mages as conduit in casting a spell or as a way to channel greater amounts of magic into a spell. The target of the spell was to have a connecting item or charm on them that designated them as the recipient of the spell to be cast while the one who did the casting held a similarly linked sending item. The amulet simply held gathered magic to help facilitate the spells effect upon the target or to make the effect stronger based upon the intent of the mage casting the spell. The closer the Lián Jié was kept to the receiving charm the more powerful the spell being cast through the sending item would be. In a way it acted as a magical amplifier.

 

“All this information still does not tell me what spell was being cast or by whom.” Cologne cursed to herself as she closed the book. The elder stood with her hands on the cover of the book for a few moments as she considered her next option. `Whoever was using the Lián Jié was likely either trying to cast a spell on the Tendo girl or on son-in-law. Given the way things work around Nerima it was likely son-in-law.' She hopped back up on her cane as she continued to ponder `As to what they were trying to accomplish I do not have enough information here to go on. One would need the sending charm to know this.'

 

Cologne then pogoed over to another shelf and took down a small stone hexagon made of what appeared to be obsidian before leaving the vault sealed behind her. Pogoing up to the first floor she chanted the activation charm for the item in her hand. `Now if anyone uses any strong magic within Nerima I should be able to detect it and...'

 

The compass glowed and spun pointing towards the south and with that Cologne was off.

 

--------------------------------------------

 

The sun was setting on Nerima signaling the end of yet another day. A gentle breeze moved the branches of the trees in a park not far from Furinkan high giving one a feeling of tranquility. But that is all it was, a feeling for the park was not tranquil at all as one Hikaru Gosunkugi stood beneath one of the larger trees at the center of the park. Around him were several items that he had brought with him to cast the spell he had found within the book after the failure with the one at school. Under the tree rested a large white sheet in the center of which was a large circle made from red and black strands of cloth. To the left of the cord circle was a box. From within this box he began to draw out several items. First of which was the book he had managed to acquire and had led him to actually be able to cast his first true spells. This book was his most prized possession and the way he handled it showed this. With that set in place he began to withdraw other objects from the box and place them within the circle; a pair of black and white Athame, several jars of dusts of some sort, an egg shaped thurible, four candles, two wanga dolls, several other mystical items from several cultures or religions, and finally an old cassette player. As a final precaution he pulled the box into the circle as well but made sure it would rest behind him and out of the way of the work he would have to do.

 

“Ok, the first spell did not work right... but that was not my fault. It was Ryoga's not mine.” he whined. “But this plan will work.” He said as he cackled to himself affixing his normal hachimaki on his head. After lighting the two candles that were attached to the hachimaki he turned on the cassette player. It started to play some vague chanting. “The book said this spell would allow me to banish Ranma from this world. And with Ranma gone Akane would be all mine!” he said as he wrapped his arms around himself and shimmied while he knelt down within the cord circle with the book and various implements before him.

 

Working his way through the book till he found the page with the ritual he wanted to enact, he then set about doing exactly as the book called for. But alas Gosunkugi has never had the best of luck. While his concentration was firmly on lighting the various incense and candles that the ritual required, a breeze changed the page on him. So set on what he thought would be the final way to rid himself of his long time arch-rival (Though if you had informed Ranma of this he would have looked at you like you had lost a head.) for the affections of Akane Tendo he failed to notice that this was not the spell he had intended to cast. He just kept on doing as the page told him to do. Nor did he notice that there was now a bright glow coming from the box that held the remaining magical artifacts that were not called for this spell.

 

Gosunkugi plodded on ignorant of his error. The incense from the thurible he swung back and forth was leaving a visible trail that began to flow around him. The hair on the back of his neck began to standup as he continued to chant `YES YES.' He thought to himself as he recited the final lines to the spell `I can feel the magic all around me. They laughed at me, poked fun at me, and called me names. But if they could see me now they would know that I, Hikaru Gosunkugi, am not one to laugh at!' he tossed back his head and laughed at the world.

 

It was then that things went to hell. Hikaru and all his supplies began to float off the ground and his view of the world outside his cord circle began to become misty and distant. `This… this is not supposed to happen.' He thought to himself in panic.

 

From outside the circle one could see Gosunkugi float up in the air with all of his supplies and then everything within the circle was sucked into a small glowing orb that floated a few feet above the would-be spell caster with a great whooshing sound.

 

When Cologne finally arrived at the scene all she found was a hole in the white sheet that Gosunkugi had laid his cord circle upon. The now exposed ground was just dirt, all signs of grass missing. Directly above the circle there was a circular hole in the awning of the branches of the tree he set up under. One could see the night sky through the circular hole in the awning.

 

She could feel the remnants of the magic that had been cast but again could not tell what kind of spell this had been. `Looks like I was too late to prevent what ever happened here.' Pondering the compass for a few moments before putting it away she decided on her next course of action. `Perhaps I might be able to find out more from the magical traces still within this spell-circle.' With that Cologne picked up the cord circle and began to pogo back towards the Nekohanten.

 

--------------------------------------------

 

Kasumi was working away quietly in the Tendo kitchen. Her normally serene smile was not to be seen on her face, instead there it held more of a blank look that occasionally twitched into something else as thoughts flowed through her mind as she worked. `I wonder where Ranma-kun is… I hope he is ok.' The angel of the Tendo domicile thought with a bit of distress. `He knew I was making one of his favorite meals tonight and it is so unlike him to miss one of my meals let alone if it being one of his favorites.' She recalled having mentioned to him what she intended to make for diner tonight before he went out the door this morning for school. With that her thoughts turned to the incident this morning in the furo and gave a nearly inaudible sigh that she was glad no one else was present to catch. `Poor Ranma has the worst luck. I know I placed the occupied sign on the door to the furo after he had gone in when I noticed that he had forgotten to. Unless Nabiki played one of her games again, or father or Uncle Saotome move it. Still Akane should have seen it and not entered the bath while he was in there.' Despite what many think Kasumi did have feelings of displeasure but she thought these things were best expressed in a positive light or as a light rebuke if at all. She prided herself on being a good hostess and tried to put the feelings of those she considered guests before her own. `Not that Shampoo should have been in there in the first place.' She miffly thought. Miffed being about her normal highest level of anger. Anything higher was usually saved for the panda-man. She than blushed a bit as she thought of the few times she had walked in on Ranma instead of her sister as someone had removed the sign. Ranma may have been a bit young to her but his body sure did not look it!

 

Let it be known that Kasumi inherited nearly as much of her mother's intellect as her younger sister, she simply chose to use it in a different way. She used it to help others or to make others feel better. This is not to say that she was a saint as she had little ways she would make her displeasure known when needed. A slight frown from the normally serene Kasumi, or a hint of a glare was enough to cow most people into repenting or rethinking their actions. She rarely ever found need of more.

 

Kasumi had grown closer to Ranma over the last few months. Since the failed wedding she had come to see Ranma as a young man who was just now coming into his own. She was pleased that he was learning that most if not all of his father's notions of honor or interpersonal relations were about as useful as trying to teach her little sister to cook. Kasumi inwardly giggled as she recalled Ranma saying something similar once and him going pale as she gave him a slight frown and told him that was not very nice. Ranma practically doted on her for the next two hours to try to make up for the one frown and likely would have done so longer if Akane had not malleted him for flirting with her sister.

 

`I know Akane loves Ranma but I do not know how much more of this he can take before he begins to doubt the existence of that love. From everything Ranma has said to me this may already be happening.' She signed to herself as she thought about all the adventures the two had been on and all the rivals that each had. How things just never seemed to quiet down for the two. “If they could only get away from it all and just have some time alone they might be able to get along.” She said to herself in a soft whisper even as some part of her deep subconscious laughed at the idea and conjured up images of Ranma being flattened over and over as Akane accused him of flirting with any women he happened to pass on the street for Kasumi to see. For some reason she thought of the song “Pain by Three-Days Grace”.

 

Not quite long after Ranma and she had started to talk she came to realize that while she thought originally most of their relationship problems had been caused by Ranma that it was in fact Akane's refusal to trust him despite all he had done to prove her he loved her, in his own way of course. He was, like her, too prideful to be the first one to admit to the other their true feelings.

 

Ranma, under her guidance, had been trying to cut back on his share of insults and social blunders. He had in fact made a great deal of improvement on many fronts, including his school work as Kasumi had taken it upon herself to try to succeed where the two men of the house had failed and was tutoring Ranma in secret. But things just simply seemed to conspire against Ranma. Akane took any attempt by him to be nice as proof he was up to something or that he had already done something and now felt guilty about it. In her own way Ranma's previous actions of trying to make up for his mistakes rather then prevent them had put Akane in a cycle of belief that when he was being nice he was either doing something bad or had already done so and now sought to assuage his guilt. But slowly these attempts to make things better began to wane and he too had gone back to flinging insult in response to insult. They were fighting more now than they had before the wedding and her father only saw this as a sign that they loved each other even more. She was worried that Ranma might finally break and simply toss aside the honor arrangement between their families

 

Inwardly Kasumi feared that day as she knew it would bring a great deal of disharmony to the family she tried so hard to maintain, a family she already considered Ranma to be a part of. Deep down she feared it because she knew that if Ranma were to leave she would likely never see him again and her life would return to how it was before the young man had arrived. At the same time she knew she would not be able to bring herself to be angry with Ranma should he do so. She secretly hoped he might consider another option rather then trying to end the agreement between the clans, an option she could not even bring herself to voice to herself except in her dreams.

 

Shaking her head to clear these thoughts she began to think about today's incidents `Something more happened today then the Neko-Ken. I feel it.' A single tear came down Kasumi's face as she continued to cook `Oh Ranma-kun where are you?'

 

--------------------------------------------

 

An amused Julia Brigand-Diggers was wandering the market of Seer's Hamlet with her daughters Brianna and Gina as well as her two her students, Luan and Carla. While she knew that Luan and Carla were at home here in Jade, she also knew that Gina and Brianna were out of their element. Fortunately a few of the girls friends from the Edge Guard had shown up and were now walking with the group.

 

She smirked at the sight of Gar brooding slightly `No doubt about the fact that he has not been able to get Britanny to forget Stripe. Give some time Gar and then she might turn to you for comfort.' as he tried to ignore Brianna's blatant flirting with him. Luan was shooting Brianna dirty looks as she watched her flirt with Gar and it was obvious to Julia that the girl had feelings for the muscular jagwere. `I will have to do something about that soon as I cannot have this interfering with Luan's training. Though perhaps I should consider adding Gar, he could use further training as could Britanny.' Julia thought to her self.

 

Continuing her observations of the group she saw that Tirga was flirting with the bluette Carla, and Sheila becoming angry at Tirga for his flirting. `Not going to be long now until either one of those two give him a good kapowie for his efforts.' She chuckled to herself.

 

The final two of the group were Gina and Thropan who talking about the differences in their gadgets and how they might help each other improve them. Though Gina's desire to get him to incorporate more modern technology was a point he was unwilling to bend on much to her apparent frustration.

 

Julia sighed to herself as she thought about the man she would have liked to be sharing this walk with, her husband Theo. Sadly he was off at a conference of the Mage Council and would not get to re-join his family till much later this evening much to her disappointment.

 

Julia's sudden stop caused the group to halt and gave Tirga the opportunity to not-so-subtly cop a feel from Carla who gave him a warning glare despite his “claim” it was an accident. Gar winced as he could hear his little sister's teeth grinding against each other. He was also the first to notice the odd look on Julia's face.

 

“Is something amiss Master Julia?” His simple question caused several of the party to tense in anticipation of a possible confrontation, eyes looking for a possible threat.

 

Not answering him Julia turned abruptly and entered a weapons shop they were just about to pass. Looking at each other in confusion for a moment the various parties entered the shop behind her a few moment later. There they found her looking over several blunt instruments of pain. She seemed to be picking up various hammers, maces, and mallets, weighing them and testing their balance before returning them to the rack. After a few minutes of this, during which everyone except Tirga watched Julia, she turned to Gar and inexplicitly asked him for a favor “Gar, could you ask the shop owner if they have anything bigger than this? I don't know why but I think I'll be needing it.” As she held a 20lb steel pick-mallet in her hands.

 

Gina could be heard asking her sister “What would mom need one of those for? I thought she liked to use a sword.”

 

Brianna shrugged and responded “A really big nail?” as she turned to goose Gar before he could walk too far off eliciting a startled “Meep” and making Gar move faster to get away from the girl “I love the way his butt wiggles when he moves like that.” Brianna purred

 

Sheila could be seen eyeing a 15lb mallet herself as she gazed between it and Tirga who was now flirting with a pair of woman on the other side of the store much to Carla's happiness.

 

--------------------------------------------

 

A very odd silence had settled over the neighborhood surrounding the Tendo Dojo. This silence was the kind that made one jump at the littlest thing. One that set your nerves on edge in anticipation of something to come. Those who lived closest to the dojo were considering the possibility that the end was near as they were extremely nervous as they had not heard a single yell of “RANMA NO BAKA” or the sound of someone being bashed through a wall. Not even the comforting sound of bricks being smashed was to be heard! Something had changed and they did not know what. They just wished something would give so they could get back to their “normal lives”.

 

Inside the Tendo house one could hear the sounds that gave a semblance of normalcy; sounds of Kasumi finishing up dinner in the kitchen, the occasional click of a shogi piece as it was moved by one of the two males of the house. The air was thick with anxiousness which was also given physical form as the two men kept looking back and forth from the kitchen door to the stairs to the second floor.

 

Eventually the time came and the two men watched in anticipation as Kasumi began to bring the dishes she had made for this evenings meal to the table. She set it for each of the people that typically would be here without even considering the fact that at least two of their guests would not be here tonight. Ranma had not returned home and no one knew where master Happosai was at this time. Nor did the two men playing shogi want to accidentally summon him by mentioning his absence.

 

Hearing Kasumi call them down for dinner the two sisters upstairs had practically the same thought `It's time.' And both roused themselves to head downstairs with equal, if not for different reasons, trepidation.

 

Kasumi, Soun, and Genma were already seated at the table in their usual spots, by the time Nabiki and Akane came down to join them. Genma in fact already had his plate full and was digging in by the time the other two sisters took their traditional seats. The meal went by in an uncomfortable silence (If you did not count the noises made my Genma as he happily devoured his share and that which Ranma would have eaten had he been present.)

 

The thoughts of the people as they ate were different but all centered around the events of this day.

 

`Stupid boy, it will be his fault if he has no food when he gets home. Ah well more for me!' Genma thought as he loaded up yet another plateful of Kasumi's wonderful cooking. `The boy should know better than to be home late. I will have to make sure the boy knows his error tomorrow morning when we spar.' He had already finished a plate before the two younger sisters had even filled theirs `I wonder if there will be a way to keep Kasumi here in the house once Ranma and Akane are married. No way would I want to eat Akane's cooking.' He thought with a shiver that caused him to stop eating for all of three seconds. `That stuff is only fit for the boy to eat. A fitting sacrifice for him to make after all I have done for him to make him the best!' He once again grew angry as his thoughts turned from the food to his wayward son `How dare he not be here to explain his absence when he should have been getting married today!' Genma rubbed his neck absently between shovel fulls of food `If the boy thinks I am going to lose my head or my retirement because of his whims he has another thing coming! Why can't the boy just marry Akane and do as he is told!' No Genma was not happy about his son's absence. `At least I will get an answer to where they boy is once this meal is over.'

 

`Ok little sis, I am going to give you one chance to come clean once the meal is done.' Nabiki thought as she quietly enjoyed her diner. `This is too big to hide and will likely be all over Nerima by morning. I am surprised we were not visited by the police shortly after school from what Ayame had texted me. But apparently all they did was take statements and file a report. Even I know this is something big for Nerima so why are they not following normal procedures?' Nabiki asked herself with a bit or worry and more than a fair share of curiosity.

 

She looked over at her sister Akane `If you do not take the imitative Akane and speak up first after diner I am going to lay it all out on the table, after getting a bit of yen from the two dolts of course. I just hope you speak up first sister dear because you are likely to paint a better picture of yourself then my evidence will.' She thought as her eyes moved from face to face in the room as if to gauge their current state of mind. `As always I cannot tell what Kasumi is thinking.' Nabiki allowed a small smile to grace her face as she thought about her elder sister. `And they say I have a poker face. I never have been able to out-do her when it came to keeping a straight face. Someday I am going to crack that ambivalent shell and will be able to see what she is thinking.' Nabiki took a second look at Kasumi and blinked `Though… from the look in her eyes… I think she might actually be worried.' Nabiki continued to scrutinize her elder sister `She keeps glancing at Ranma's empty spot. Why? Could she actually be that worried about him?' Shaking her head she turned to look at Genma and smirked ever so slightly for a brief moment `He looks mad. Good that will make him easier to manipulate.' Dismissing him in her thoughts she turned to the another participant in this little drama, her father. `Dad looks worried and mad.' She inwardly chuckled even as she found herself disgusted at his antics `He looks like he cannot decide if he needs to start wailing about the schools or putting out a demon-head to yell at Genma about Ranma hurting his little baby.' Slowly her gaze wandered to her youngest sister `She could not look any guiltier if she had been caught red-handed with her hand in a cookie jar.' she shook her head `Things will never be the same after this. No, they changed the moment Ryoga pulled the trigger.'

 

Akane was sweating. She felt as if all the eyes in the room were on here even when she knew they were not. She could hear her father grumble occasionally about his baby and asking himself what had Ranma done to hurt her this time. This of course drove her deeper and deeper into the depression she was in. How could they ever forgive her if she could not forgive herself. Though slowly, deep in the pit that was Akane's emotions the part of her that was driven by anger was slowly working up steam. It was working up the strength to lay all the blame at the hands of others rather than take any herself. So far she her guilt and self-doubt had been able to keep this part from surfacing but it was still there. Her anger blamed Shampoo for being in the furo this morning. She blamed Ryoga for tricking her into chasing Ranma to him. It whispered to her that she was not at fault, they had tricked her into leading Ranma to that trap. Add to this was a growing worry/anger that Ranma had not returned. `Sure he had become that… thing.' She thought with a shiver that came from origins she was unsure of. `But he was still in the Neko-ken, and he always came to her to rest in her lap when he did so. Why not this time?' Akane asked herself. The worry that maybe Ryoga had actually succeeded and even right now Ranma lay somewhere dying frightened Akane deeply.

 

Everyone was so lost in their own thoughts none realized that diner had come to a conclusion as an almost simultaneous click of chop-sticks being placed on the table was heard. Everyone looked up and around slowly meeting the eyes of each person in turn as if waiting to see who would speak first before all most settled on Nabiki whose eyes were firmly on Akane who was looking down at her hands in her lap.

 

`Don't make me do this Akane/Nabiki.' were the thoughts of the two younger sisters.

 

Silenced held sway over the room for a few moments before it was broken by Genma making a grunting noise as he turned to his friend as if asking him to begin this.

 

Turning to face Nabiki Soun spoke “I believe that you said you would have information as to why Ranma is not here daughter. I think it is time you shared it.”

 

Genma could not resist the opportunity to add his two cents as he chimed in with as much authority as he could muster “Quite right Tendo. Where is that worthless boy of mine?”

 

Nabiki, whose eyes had not left Akane, answered “3000 yen, each.” And then gestured towards the girl across the table from her “Or you can get the answer from Akane. This price is not negotiable.” Before turning to Kasumi “You are of course exempt sis.”

 

“Oh my, that is very nice of you Nabiki” Kasumi said with more pleasantry than was present in her eyes.

 

Genma grumbled to himself as he wondered why the elder sister was exempt but was not about to offend his source of a good meal.

 

“Now see here daughter, you agreed to let us know about these matters after diner when you came home. You said nothing about making Akane do so. It is obvious that Ranma did something wrong and that she is highly upset and in no condition to tell us.” Soun said in what for him was a stern tone.

 

Nabiki smirked “No father, what I said was Ranma had gone into the Neko-Ken at school and chased Ryoga off campus. I also said you would have to wait till diner if you wanted to know more. I never said the information would be free.” She gestured a hand again at her sister “This is Akane's tale to tell but if she refuses to do so I will, but only at a price. And that price has just gone up to 4000 yen.”

 

“Daughter I demand that you tell…” Soun continued to only be interrupted by Nabiki.

 

“5000 Yen” Nabiki gave her father a steely gaze that told him that she would not back down from her decision to charge them.

 

Seeing the look in Nabiki's eyes, one that he recalled having seen in his departed wife's many a time, Soun shivered and turned to his youngest and spoke to her softly “Akane… what happened today at school daughter?”

 

A few sobs wracked Akane's body causing Soun to almost break into tears himself. Across the table Kasumi to place a hand over her heart in concern but kept her silence.

 

“I… I… can't…” Her head fell to her chest as she looked down at her hands in her lap “I can't tell…” another sob escaped her and robbed her of her voice.

 

Genma shook his head and pulled out his wallet before putting his 5000 yen on the table for Nabiki to pick up. `I will just steal some back from Soun later after he gets drunk at the bar.' He thought to himself with a smile in his mind even as a frown was on his face at having to pay the mercenary Tendo just to find out information that was his by right of being Ranma's father. `Just another indignity that the boy will have to pay for when he returns.'

 

Sighing in defeat Soun did likewise placing the yen before his daughter who before she collected both piles up looked at his sister and said “Last chance Akane.” Seeing her little sister shake her head Nabiki counted the cash and put it away.

 

Nabiki then related the tale of what happened at school to her shocked audience. At their disbelief at certain parts she brought out several pictures and one of the videos to back up her words. Faces turned back and forth from Nabiki to Akane as if seeking her confirmation that this had indeed happened. All Akane did was shrink more and more into herself at every word that Nabiki uttered.

 

Genma mumbled degrading remarks about his worthless son being caught flat footed by someone using a weapon, even if it was a gun. `The boy should have been able to keep a straight head and been able to avoid such an attack. Clearly I have failed someplace in my training and will have to work the boy even harder!' `So what if the girl had chased him around the school he should have been able to control his fear not of been running like a coward from a little kitten! Besides it was suitable punishment for him not being able to break off the engagements to those other women.' As far as Genma was concerned this was just another speed bump on the road to his retirement brought on by the boys lack of honor and training.

 

Soun was shocked. His little girl had chased her fiancée into a trap where the honorless Hibiki boy tried to kill him. Soun could not imagine any martial artist ever using such a tactic against another; it went against everything he believed. He knew the boy used his cursed form to sneak into his daughter's room at night but he was a pig and so nothing untoward could happen and if Ranma's jealousy drove him and his daughter closer together so much the better. But now he began to see that they had been feeding Akane's jealousy to levels he did not expect. `To actually kiss the boy in front of Ranma, then follow that with a plan to chase the boy out of the school and into a trap?! And he used my daughter to do it!' Soun could not imagine the scandal this would cause or the damage it would do to the family name once if got out that Akane had led her fiancé into a deathtrap.

 

Nabiki was shocked at what she was witnessing. She had not seen Kasumi cry since their mother had died. But here she was crying. Not the uttered “Oh my” like she had expected. Not the stoic Kasumi asking if Ranma was ok. Just tears from eyes that stared at the picture she held in her hand. It was one of the images of Ranma as he had been looking at Ryoga and Akane after being shot. The look on his face was very clear, the look of someone who had their heart broken completely by the one they loved.

 

Akane finally spoke “It... I was… Ryoga… …his fault. I didn't mean… …didn't know…” She stuttered, her words were broken by sobs that choked her voice.

 

“So what's the problem? You said the boy became this thing?” Genma said as he pointed at a set of pictures that showed Ranma becoming the cat-man. “We just find the boy and have them get married. Everyone will see that they are still together and that she did not lead him into this.” His voice clearly showing he truly believed his own words. “And just to make sure we have them get married right away eh Tendo?”

 

Akane showed signs of life again as she practically screamed into Genma's face in response to his words “BUT I LED HIM INTO A TRAP! HE PROBABLY THINKS I TRIED TO KILL HIM!”

 

Waving a dismissing hand at Akane Genma continued “Nonsense girl. The boy loves you. A few words with him and he will see that it was all a misunderstanding and all will be forgiven. Sure the Hibiki boy showed he has no honor and the boy should not hold back against him in the future but all of this has nothing to do with the joining of the schools.” Genma said firmly

 

Kasumi had stopped crying and looked at Genma as if she had just found a rat in her kitchen up on the counter eating from something she was preparing for diner. “You… you cannot possibly really think that…”

 

Genma nodded his head sagely “Akane is clearly a victim here and she should not be punished for it.” With his eyes closed and his wise sensei face he plodded on “If the boy had been able to control his fear he would not have been running. If he had cut off relations with those damnable Amazons she would not have had a reason to get angry this morning and have sought to punish the boy.” He paused as if to consider something before continuing uninterrupted “Though clearly he has mastered the Neko-ken so this is a good thing not a bad.” `Which means my son will be even more powerful! He will be able to bring in even more students to the dojo once it is known that a master of the dreaded Neko-ken is a teacher there.' He thought as he imagined the money that would be his… er the dojos.

 

“He... he c… could have been k…ki…killed. HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!” Akane stuttered and finished with a yell. She completed her outburst in a voice that was barely a ghost of her normal one “And I led him to it…”

 

“A martial artist's life is full of peril. The fact that my son did not die is a testament to his training!” Genma said smugly “Training I gave him!” he practically crowed.

 

“You really are something else Uncle Saotome.” Nabiki finally cut in “Only you could look at being shot as being a form of training.” And then with a smirk and a narrowing of her eyes she continued “I wonder what auntie will think of that?” and than slightly regretted her words as she watched her sisters flinch even as her father paled right along with Genma.

 

Both men suddenly recalled Nodoka's comment before she left about curbing Akane's anger, and this incident was clearly driven by her jealousy and anger over the misadventure this morning in the furo. What would happen to the joining of the schools?!

 

Before Genma could say another word he suddenly found himself turned into a panda as a glass of water was tossed into his face. All eyes turned towards Kasumi whose hand was still outstretched with the now empty cup. Slamming it down on the table she then stood up giving Genma a glare that shocked everyone at the table even further. Without a word she left the room without looking back.

 

Kasumi knew could not be in the room with Genma a second longer without doing something she knew she would possibly regret later. She had never been so angry in her entire life. Not even when her mother had died.

 

#What did I do?# The sign held by the fat panda read.

 

“If you do not know Uncle Genma you cannot pay me enough to tell you.” Nabiki said as she watched her sister leave the room. If anyone had been looking at her they would have seen the concern in her eyes. A few seconds later she stood up to follow her Kasumi but her train of thought was interrupted by the ringing of her cell-phone.

 

Giving a slight sigh she answered it “Nabiki here, make it quick.”

 

“What?! I see… well thank you Hichiro, if this pans out I will be sure to honor my end of the deal.” She then hung up the phone

 

Nabiki turned to see those who remained in the room looking at her with curiosity. She considered dickering with them for the information but she did not have the time and instead mentally added it to their tabs. “It seems they found Ryoga and he is at Dr. Tofu's.” Collecting up the video and the pictures she headed towards the door. At the bottom of the stairs she gave a look up to where Kasumi's room was with a look of worry on her face as she considered and weighed the options of what she should do. A moment later she was out the door towards the clinic not waiting to see if anyone would follow.

 

--------------------------------------------

 

Hidden under the floorboards beneath the dining room Sasuke could hardly believe what he had heard as he listened to the conversation in the household above. If his ears were to be believed Master Ranma (Kodachi had demanded he thought of him this way even if he did not voice it to her brother.) had been shot by the Hibiki boy but instead of dying had turned into some kind of giant cat-man. Fortunately he had managed to snag one of the pictures that showed Ranma's new form from the sometime-panda man so that he could show proof to his master or mistress should they require it. Perhaps this would offset Mistress Kodachi's impending ire at the loss of her special order catmint. The store owner had assured him that they would try to get more but the stuff was very rare and hard to come by. `I really wish the mistress had not kept that tiger that Master Kuno had used to try to scare Master Ranma so long ago.'

 

Before darting off to report he gave one last look at the window to Lady Kasumi's room and wished her well. It had hurt him deeply to see such a kind-hearted soul with such a look of anguish on her face.

 

-------------------------------------------------------