Subject: [FF] [R.5] Memories Chapter 6
From: "Nikholas F. Toledo Zu" <niftol@i-manila.com.ph>
Date: 11/6/1997, 8:43 AM
To: fanfic@fanfic.com

Memories (a Ranma 1/2 fanfic)
by Nikholas "Mayhem" F. Toledo 

To those of you who have the time to check and read your mail and find 
this vain attempt in literature, thank you. 
The author had been reading fanfics for some time now and has decided to 
leave his mark as well.  This is my first foray into this art form and 
there will be some grammar and spelling errors.
To those of you who would want to give comments of suggestions, please 
understand that I cannot answer your mail immediately since I *don't* 
have an Internet account at home as of yet and the lines at the place 
where I have access are verrrryyyy, verrrryyyy looonnnngggg.  Please do 
understand.   

Perhaps this part should be reserved to thank those special people who 
need to be thanked.  And it is! 
Special thanks to the Rumic One for the fantastic world of Ranma where we 
common people, who in a million years will not find the creativity to 
write (and draw) a world like this. 
Thank you also to Nikholas "Switch" F. Toledo who introduced me to Ranma 
as a whole and to the fanfic world.  See to it that you read NFT fics for 
their freshness and vibrant... stuff inside. 
And of course for the Great Writer (fanfic and otherwise) for everything 
else...

	The Ranma 1/2 Universe was created and therefore owned by Rumiko 
Takahashi, Viz Communications and Shogakukan. If you do own Ranma and I 
have failed to mention you, that is because I am not worthy to even write 
your name since you are really incredible people and earn a million 
dollars just to write up the characters in the Ranma 1/2 title.  I would 
also declare that I will not get a single cent from this work and that I 
am only doing this to pass away time and for my own personal artistic 
fulfillment.

@----------------------------------------------------------------------@
|Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!|
@----------------------------------------------------------------------@

Chapter 6
Cast Iron Stomach

	Nodoka Saotome carefully set the stray locks of hair back to its 
usual coif as she waited patiently for the tea to boil.  She smiled, 
looking at the young woman also waiting for the tea.  Nodoka let her 
thoughts float freely like the steam bubbles in the kettle.
	A sudden surge of memories came forth unbidden, and for a while, 
Nodoka saw someone else's face waiting for tea. 
	There was so much of Kimiko in Kasumi, her gentleness and 
compassion.  Both of them had that aura of calm that filled any room that 
they were in.  Her death was a tremendous blow to everyone.  For them, it 
was as if everything that was good in the world suddenly vanished, the 
universe knocked off kilter.  She missed the afternoon chats over tea, 
buying groceries for their then young families, and everything else newly 
wedded housewives would do.  After her death, everyone was at a loss.  
However, with the passage of years, Kasumi's caring ways touched 
everyone's hearts and stabilized the twisting and churning universe with 
her calm and gentle ways.  Kasumi was almost the way Kimiko was, and 
subconsciously, Nodoka felt that it was as if Kimiko had come back for 
them.  Equilibrium was reached, although someone else was maintaining it.
	"But Kasumi's different..."  Her thoughts tried to halt this flow 
of logic.  Kasumi has her own life.  People should not be thought of as 
replacements for other people.  It was already hard for Kasumi to take on 
the role of her mother, they should not expect her to become *her* 
mother.  She can still have time to discover who she is.  She was still 
young and full of promise.  Nodoka silently thought, "just like her mom."
	The tea was ready and Nodoka took it into the living room.  Kasumi 
stood up to help her, but was shooed down.  "You're the guest, Kasumi."  
She set down the tray and sat in front of her.
	"Auntie Saotome, you don't have to do this.  I came to borrow some 
of your cooking recipes.  I have to back home soon to cook lunch."
	"Nonsense.  I have known your father long enough to know that he 
would rather go hungry than eat someone else's cooking, given a choice.  
Unlike my foolish husband, who would eat anything if it was for free...  
Kasumi dear, please sit down and keep this lonely woman company even for 
just a while."
	Kasumi looked around, as if looking for an excuse to leave, but she 
smiled and decided to stay.  She cheerfully took the preoffered tea and 
sipped contentedly.
	"I was on my way to your dojo to visit, but I guess I don't have to 
now."  Nodoka waited for a while for the tea to cool down.  She felt that 
there was something wrong in the air, but she couldn't put her finger on 
it.  "Is there any news of my husband and my son?  Is Ranma growing up to 
become a man among men?  Is he taking care of his fiancée well?"
	If there were conflicting thoughts inside Kasumi's head, she made 
no move to show it.  "They aren't at home right now.  But they said that 
they will come back soon.  And Ranma's growing up pretty well, for his 
age.  And he and Akane," she hesitated for a while, "they still have 
their problems now and then, but still..."  Kasumi looked downwards.  
"I'm sorry, there are times when the two of them argue over needless 
things and they end up hurt even more than the other one---"
	Nodoka put a hand on Kasumi's shoulder.  "It's not your fault.  
They need to take their time."
	"But sometimes father and Uncle Saotome can be such a bother.  They 
do all kinds of things to push them together and they always mess things 
up--" Kasumi added, "that is, when they visit."
	Nodoka finally knew what was bothering Kasumi.  The subtle 
movements of Kasumi's hands, the intonation of her words, and other such 
factors, combined with the mysterious women's intuition and a mother's 
common sense led her to the following conclusion:
	"Is there anything wrong between you and your father?"
	If Nodoka was talking to anyone else, that particular person would 
have either jumped up in surprise and asked if she was a mind reader or 
simply stared in shock.  But Kasumi (being a woman herself, thus 
possessing her same intuition, and she also being almost a mother) simply 
smiled.  She said, "How did you know, Auntie?"
	Nodoka couldn't help but smile.  "I know things..."  Then Nodoka 
face furrowed in a look of concern.  "Kasumi, I know something is wrong.  
Please tell me.  If you keep inside, it will hurt more and more.  I-" she 
thought if it were wise to bring up the topic.  "I made a promise to your 
mother."  Memories sprang to her unbidden, but she forced them back.  "I 
told her that I would be a mother to you when she was gone, and I know I 
haven't kept that promise to the best of my ability."  She took Kasumi's 
hands in hers.  "You can always talk to me.  Anytime."
	"Father also made a promise."  Kasumi looked down and a dark shadow 
was cast over her eyes.  "He promised mother that he would look for good 
husbands for us.  I know what he wants is good, but something tells me 
that somehow-- It's just that---"
	A figure sat next to Kasumi and she placed her head on Nodoka's 
shoulder.  "It's all right for you to cry, Kasumi."  She stroked a hand 
through her hair.  "Go ahead and cry.  Go on.  After you cry, it would be 
easy for you to smile again."  She smiled.  "You know, your mother came 
to me with the same problem long ago--but let's not bother about the 
past.  Do you feel better now?" 
	"Thank you, Auntie."  She sat up straight again and fixed her hair.  
If there were tears before, her face showed no trace of them.  "That was 
something he would have said."
	Nodoka asked, "He?"  Kasumi smiled, ending the topic rather 
quickly.  "Still, I can see what your father had in mind.  You're still 
too young to choose the person you would be with for the rest of your 
life.  (I know that Ranma and Akane are exceptions to this rule, but it 
is of their own choice.)  Remember that what may seem right to you would 
not be the right thing to do.  However, listen to your heart very 
carefully.  You should not let anyone else decide for you.  (Again, Ranma 
and Akane are exceptions, but given time, they will choose each other.  
Believe me, I know.)"
	"I know it sounds funny, but I have been giving the same advice to 
Ukyo and Shampoo, Ranma's friends.  I guess you best understand your 
advice when someone else advises you."  Kasumi gathered up the scattered 
cookbooks into a neat stack.  "I'm sorry to have taken so much of your 
time, Auntie.  I have to go now."  She gave Nodoka a smile of great 
gratitude.  "Thank you so much, Auntie.  Thank you."
	"Come back anytime, Kasumi."
	Kasumi would have given Nodoka a hug if a strange sound hadn't torn 
through the air.

	It could be said that two people sneezed at this point in time, but 
let us not concern ourselves with the details for now.

	The weird sound continued as a strange procession (if it could be 
called a procession, since it was moving at a very high speed) worked its 
way throughout town.  Witnesses who managed to gaze at the monstrosity 
(yes, it was described that way) said that it was composed of a large 
vehicle in front with four figures riding it.  Two men and a panda 
inside, with a daredevil riding the van's front, most probably a martial 
artist.  All four were screaming something unintelligible, perhaps a 
warning for people to get out of the way, for what followed next was the 
main characteristic that gave the parade the term "monstrosity." 
	There was a young female on rollerblades dragging 56 cute bunny 
rabbits, 23 assorted hippopotami covered with pink paint, 12 Tibetan 
llamas, 6 penguins, 2 elephants and a partridge in a pear tree (called 
Georgette and Michelle, respectively).  How she managed to drag all of 
that with just rollerblades and at the same speed as the vehicle, the 
authorities had no explanation.
	The motorcade spread mischief and mayhem, causing lots of property 
damage.  What the van managed to beat to within an inch of a building's 
life as a safe structure, the rampaging kawaii kidnapper's loot served as 
an overkill.  The local police was about to call in the national guard to 
stop the rampage but the van managed to crash into a public bath, and 
there was no further movement from the hideous beast (it was also 
described that way).  The survivors formed a small circle around the 
wreckage, not daring to go closer.  Water fountains drenched the remains, 
and the loud trumpeting of the elephants and the roar of the other 
animals serve to freeze the courage in those daring enough to enter.
	Except for two people, one who would simply smile even in the face 
of danger, and another with a large katana, for obvious reasons.

	Ranma's footsteps echoed away in the now empty corridor, and the 
brief moment of intense sadness was replaced by that of an intense, if 
not burning, rage.  "FINE, RANMA!  IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO 
DO WITH ME, THAT'S FINE!"  She grabbed her lunchbox and dashed outside, 
wanting to pummel even more verbal insults, maybe even a mallet. 
	"IT ALL FINE--" she ran out, but Ranma had disappeared, "--by me."  
Her voice suddenly became smaller and she couldn't find the strength to 
shout anymore.  But she couldn't let sadness take her.  No.  That would 
be a sign of weakness and she can't let Ranma take advantage of that.  No 
way.  Feeling anger coursing through her veins once again, she put on a 
face of pure rage and turned to her friends who were waiting for her.  
"Come on, there's no use standing here.  Let's go!"  She stomped on 
ahead, leaving the two to stare after her, with bigger than average 
bigsweats. 
	Yuka stared at the rapidly disappearing Akane.  "Wow, I guess that 
was a pretty bad fight they had."  They followed, but at a lesser pace.  
Sayuri added after a brief pause, "And the strange thing was, Ranma 
didn't do anything at all."

	Nabiki walked to the courtyard where she knew Nanami was waiting.  
A small crowd was gathered around the fallen helicopter and the giant 
bread loaf.  The canteen personnel were valiantly trying to defeat the 
bakery product and to reduce it to processed sandwiches in the school 
kitchen, but to no avail.  She smirked, already she could see a way to 
make things better and get rich in the process.  She took a moment to 
speak with the cafeteria people before she approached her original goal. 
	Nanami was absent-mindedly toying with the camera when her "old 
rival" arrived with the blue intimidation aura on full.  The crowd that 
had gathered around the aircraft moved back to a certain radius where 
their fear of being involved in what they knew to be a brawl and their 
curiosity about what was to happen balanced out.  Furinkan High had a 
strange appetite to watch martial artists doing their stuff, it 
possessing some strange entertainment value.  For this reason, Nabiki had 
a stable source of income.  For this reason, she knew she would win the 
upcoming battle.
	When Nanami saw Nabiki go towards her, she also activated her aura 
to an intensity equal to that of Nabiki.  Onlookers gasped as the great 
battle of wills took place before them.  Nanami's two companions, not 
seeing this side of her, or any other big martial arts battle for that 
matter, them not having Neriman citizenship, ran for cover.  Two girls 
called out to them, and they dived behind several wooden crates.  
Meanwhile, the churning storm continued on, and no one knew who would be 
the winner.
	"Well, Nabiki," Nanami was the first to speak, and the aura pulsed 
in response.  "Shall we go about it the old way once again?  I know it 
has been a long time;  two years, in fact.  I didn't know that we would 
meet this early, but don't think that I did not come prepared to win.  
After all, I lost to you the last time."  With this last statement, the 
aura grew even stronger, as if that loss served to strengthen her even 
more.  "That was an underhanded trick that you did, using Kuno as a way 
to beat me.  I will be ready for you this time."  Rumor began to spread 
its tentaculous fingers.
	"Come now," Nabiki's aura grew to match Nanami's own.  "Two years 
and that's how you greet an old friend.  I thought that you were that 
kind of person who doesn't keep grudges."  She grinned sardonically, "if 
I had known that you wanted Kuno for yourself, I would have given him to 
you free of charge."  A really loud whisper tore through the crowd, just 
as she had predicted.  "Well then, I, too, have prepared for this moment.  
You still remember the terms of the battle do you?"  Nanami nodded.  "I 
knew you wouldn't forget.  Shall it be a friendly fight then?"  She 
extended her hand, blazing with all the intimidation strength she could 
muster.
	Nanami stood up.  She, too, was blazing now.  "Sure, Nabiki, for 
old time's sake."  She also extended her hand.  "But I assure you, I 
would win Kuno this time."  The handshake was made in an explosion of 
cerulean flame, which cast shadows upon the ground and even rivaled the 
sun in its intensity.  When with a sudden audible whoosh, it was gone, 
leaving the audience with a vision of the awesome power that the Queens 
of Capitalism possessed. 
	Nabiki took her leave, feeling a bit exhausted.  "Wow, she has 
gotten better at this."  She walked away, but chose to leave a parting 
shot.  Auras shone once more.  "By the way, Nanami.  I guess it won't 
hurt to tell you that with this recent exchange, I took the liberty of 
making deals with some of the people around here. 
	"First, I talked to the cafeteria staff about the best way to deal 
with the giant bread loaf over there."  She indicated with her hand, 
where a small booth was erected and a growing line of sandwich hungry 
students formed in front of it.  "I told them that if they couldn't take 
the bread into the cafeteria, take the cafeteria to the bread.  Of 
course, this consultation had certain fees that they were only too 
willing to pay.
	"Secondly, I made an arrangement with my friends (and using up to 
three associates are legal in our terms) to rent the hiding space your 
two friends are currently located, for a small sum."  She gestured where 
both the pilot and the cameraman emerged sheepishly from behind the 
wooden crates.  "They, too, have also paid willingly."
	"And thirdly," she smiled, with a look of a cat seizing her prey, 
"I have some insurance measures to fall back on in case of trouble, which 
I can arrange within the hour, as per part of the terms we have agreed 
upon."
	She smirked, "Right now, I have a 15,000 yen advantage over you.  I 
don't know the exact amount, but my associates will be willing to show 
them to you later, when we return in about ten minutes to deal with the 
paperwork.  But still," she turned around, not bothering to see the look 
on Nanami's face, "you're going to have a hard fight."  She finally shut 
closed down the aura, and to all appearances, she looked like a normal 
girl going out to lunch.
	Nanami slumped down inside the chopper, feeling tired.  In a 
strange way, she felt punctured.

	The animal catcher's van crashed through the glass door of the 
public baths, luckily stopping before it fell into one of the pools.  
There was a moment of silence before shouts emerged from the vehicle 
where four people struggled to get away very fast.
	Ryoga pried himself off the front of the van and tried to run away, 
but was splashed with some cold water.  Which was a good thing.  Wet pigs 
frequently don't do that much damage to people and to properties, and 
thus suspicion would be instantly removed.  P-chan took a moment to relax 
before he went on his journey.  He was feeling hungry now, but that could 
be easily handled later.
	Genma-panda struggled to get out of the van as fast as he could.  
He crashed through the front windshield and managed to crawl to the hot 
water pool.  The transformation quieted his tortured soul.  "At last!  
I'm a man again!  Now I don't have to be afraid anymore!  That foolish 
girl would not think of me to be her beloved Oscar now!  I'm free!  
Free!" 
	The two animal catchers ran away to the exit.  "If we get caught, 
how the heck are we going to pay for all the damages!  How can I buy 
Kyoko's birthday gift now."  The man began to sob, tearing his brown 
hair. 
	"Shut up, Godai!"  the other man said, dragging him by the scruff 
of his shirt.  "Let's just get out of here before anything happens!"
	"It's all your fault, Mitaka!  It would have been okay if you 
pulled that stunt with your car to impress Kyoko all by yourself.  But 
no!  You had to involve me as well!  We were almost finished with the 
civil service sentence the judge passed on to us, but you had to capture 
that panda!"
	"Will you just shut up now?!  Look, I think the police aren't here.  
We can still get out if we hurry."  The two began to relax.  "I told you 
that we could get out of this scot-free."
	Whatever relaxation they had managed to find was shattered with 
three screams.
	For P-chan, it was a high pitched scream.  "OSCAR! WHERE ARE YOU!"
	For Genma, it was a loud female voice.  "Is everyone okay inside?"
	For the two animal catchers, it was a booming male voice.  "This is 
the police!  Come out with your hands up!"
	Murphy's law states: If anything can go wrong, it will. 
	However, in Nerima: Everything goes wrong all at the same time.

	Shampoo rushed to Furinkan High where she knew Mousse would be, 
judging from the way she slugged him into the atmosphere that morning.  
"Mousse!  Wait for Shampoo!"  The bicycle screamed as it was exposed to 
speeds it was never designed for in the first place.  Shampoo's hair was 
tousled in the windshear, but she did not care.  "Shampoo give Mousse the 
kiss he long deserve now!  I no care what grandmother and honorable 
ancestors think.  Shampoo love Mousse alone!"  It was as if she had loved 
Mousse all throughout her life, and Ranma was a dim memory.  Her heart 
screamed with joy for finally she knew.  After all this time of hiding 
away from the truth, after all this time.  "Shampoo love Mousse alone!"
	The bicycle screeched to a halt in front of Furinkan High.  She 
ran, not caring about anything else in the world.  "Mousse, Shampoo here 
for you.  Where are you, stupid duck brain?"  Suddenly, those words had a 
new meaning to her, a term of endearment for her beloved. 
	"SHAMPOO!"  Her heart seemed to leap in her chest.  "MOUSSE, 
SHAMPOO COMING NOW!"  She ran around to the right wing of the school.  
She bowled over the crowd which was gathered around where Mousse's voice 
was coming from.  "Shampoo sorry that she hurt you many times.  Shampoo 
tell you now, Wo ai n---" she stopped and stared.  What she saw shocked 
her numb.
	A cold wind began to blow.

	Ukyo prepared the ingredients and set out to work.  "I'll be the 
one to feed Ran-chan today."  She concentrated, focusing her ki inwards, 
for what she was about to prepare was going to be the best okonomiyaki 
she has ever produced in her entire life.  She breathed in and out, 
smoothing the line of her thought, thinking only of Ranma and of the 
okonomiyaki she was about to make.  This went on for a few minutes.  A 
small glow began to fill the room.
	And as she was about to finish her meditation, a flutter of 
movement was registered in the corner of her eye.  The aura disappeared 
and Ukyo found herself back to where she was before.  "Arrgghh!  I have 
to do it all over again!"  She looked at the source of movement and found 
that it was Ryoga's bandanna caught in a draft.  "Even here you mess up 
my day!  Ryoga, you jackass!"  She grabbed the offending piece of cloth 
and placed it inside her pocket, where she knew it cannot do any further 
harm.  "You can't take my Ran-chan away from me!"  If that statement 
sounded weird, she took no notice of it.  Fixing her apron, she began to 
meditate once more.

	Dr. Tofu placed the "The doctor is out" sign on the outside door of 
his clinic.  The overwhelming feeling of impending doom that he first 
felt when Mr. Tendo looked at him that strange way never left him.  It 
served to keep him awake but prevented the return of his peace of mind.  
He found out that he couldn't cook his own lunch that day so he decided 
to go out and have someone else who probably doesn't have too much on 
their minds cook for him.  A corner of his mind told him that a quick 
lunch visit to the Tendo Dojo would be in order (if he could manage to 
keep his cool until after the meal, however unlikely) but rationality 
told him to keep out of Mr. Tendo's way until such time as circumstances 
would allow.
	He took his time, greeting patients and other regular visitors to 
the clinic, he on the street and them on window sills, as there was rumor 
of wild animals roaming about town.  There was small talk about how the 
pain was subsiding, or how was someone's wife\husband\child\close 
relative was doing, appointments, the wild animals and so-so.  But he 
continued on relentlessly to his goal to become one with his stomach.
	There were many restaurants in Nerima, but as a martial artist, he 
frequented those frequented by other martial artists.  Since the Ucchan's 
was nearer, the good doctor chose to have good okonomiyaki today.  
However, a strange glow emanated from the interior and he felt that 
Chinese food would be better.
	Dr. Tofu turned and smashed into the no-left turn sign that wasn't 
there a while ago.  "Why hello, Tsubasa.  It's been a while since you've 
been in my clinic," he reached out and pulled the transvestite to his 
feet.
	Tsubasa discarded the remnants of the no-left turn sign and put on 
a small dining table costume.  "Well, sir.  I've been busy.  Excuse me, I 
have to go to my darling Ucchan so I could help her."  Dr. Tofu tried to 
stop him, "I wouldn't go in there if I were you," but Tsubasa ignored 
him.
	The table crept silently entered the shop and exited with a large 
bang.  "DON'T BOTHER ME AGAIN IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE, JACKASS!"  
Tsubasa's darling Ucchan cried, throwing out a few tables and shut the 
door with a bang.  "I guess you were long overdue for a check-up," he 
approached the small garbage heap in front of the restaurant, having a 
little difficulty picking him out from among the tables.  "Wow, that's a 
pretty hard wallop she gave you."  He reset Tsubasa's bone structure and 
once again helped him to his feet.  Tsubasa was crying now.  "What did--
<sob> I-- <sob> Ucchan--<growl> HUNGRY!"  He broke down, "WAHHH!!!!"
	Dr. Tofu decided to take on once again as the role of counselor.  
He thought that he should get him out of the streets first.  "Come now, 
don't cry.  Listen here, if you stop crying, I'll treat you to lunch." 
	"Really?"  Tsubasa asked through tear-filled sobs.  "But I can only 
eat Ucchan's---"
	"Well I guess you don't have a choice," he pointed inside where the 
strange glow started once again.  "If I were you I won't argue with a 
woman when she's in a dark mood.  Come on, let's go."  Tsubasa 
reluctantly followed.
	The doctor and the transvestite went on their way to dine in the 
Chinese Amazon's restaurant. 

	The definition of being caught between a rock and a hard place took 
new meaning inside the public baths.  For Yusaku Godai and Coach Mitaka, 
they were to decide to either become a fugitive of the law or lose their 
dignity and Kyoko, who would never talk to them after this.  For Ryoga, 
all he had to do to get away from Azusa was to go to the hot water pool, 
if he only knew where it was.
	And for Genma...  Well, it was pretty obvious what kind of trouble 
he was mired in.
	For the two lover boys, the choice was easy.  They crept to the 
back door where they knew no one was guarding at the moment and they 
could make a clean getaway.  They were almost free when two strong hands 
grabbed them by the shirt collars.  They cringed thinking it was the 
police, but it was far worse than that.
	"Where did you take my Oscar, you bad men!"  Azusa looked at them 
with menacing eyes. She took the taser gun and began smashing it on them.  
"Give me back my Oscar!"  she cried, 20,000 Volts of electricity having 
no effect on her.  However, it had a noticeable effect on the ones being 
pummeled to the ground.  "HHEEELLPPP!!  *<Kzzt>* help us, please!"
	The dark silhouette of a person holding a katana began to go near 
were Genma was.  His train of thought branched this way.  Azusa--lifetime 
exposure to horrible cute stuff, with little chance of escape.  Nodoka--
death.  Azusa--free food.  Nodoka--death.
	He decided to risk it as a panda, so he jumped up and fell in to 
another hot water pool.  He ran and jumped into another hot water pool.  
"Oh no!"  The dark shadow of death began to ran in response to the pleas 
of help of the animal catchers.  "Only one more pool!" 
	He jumped and ran for his life into the last pool, which was by the 
way the cold water pool, which was by the way empty.  And, to add to the 
current state of emergency, Nodoka appeared like a dark angel, parting 
the steam with her katana.  It was a good thing that the pool was deep 
enough to hide in, and there was a small crack where he could see the 
rest of the bathhouse. 
	Nodoka approached Azusa, the katana drawn, making even her keep 
quiet.  Yusaku and Mitaka ran behind her, seeking to hide behind the 
powerful blade.  "Help us, ma'am!  That girl's trying to kill us!"  
"Don't worry now, I'll take care of you."  The two women began a 
showdown.
	Genma judged form his position that the cold water faucets were on 
the other side of Nodoka and Azusa.  "There must be some way to distract 
them," there was a small movement at the corner of his eye.
	Poor P-chan chose that particular moment to pass through.	

	"SHAMPOO!"  a semi-blind Mousse struggled to keep his hold on the 
person she knew to be his beloved.  The figure was squirming, trying hard 
to get away.  "Shampoo, finally I kissed you."  He kissed her again, and 
again and again.  "I love you, Shampoo."  She stopped, and began to 
return the kiss.  "Wow, this feels great.  Shampoo, you're mine at last."  
Mousse was in heaven.  He did not care that a small crowd was watching 
them now, he waited all his life and finally, his dream was coming true.
	He was brought down to earth when someone tapped him in the back.  
"Mousse, here your glasses now."  "Thanks Shamp--- Huh?"  He hurriedly 
put on his glasses.  He saw Shampoo standing next to him.  "If you're 
here, then who?"  Arms wrapped around him, pulling him back on the 
ground.  "Mousse, darling.  I never expected you could kiss so well."  
"KODA--mmph!" 
	Kodachi forced himself once again on her prey, initiating a long, 
passionate, and really messy, kiss.  When they parted, Mousse's glasses 
were frosted over, more from shock.  Kodachi stood up.  "You're a really 
good kisser, Mousse."  She fixed her hair and departed with a blast of 
black petals.  "But I'm already taken.  Still, you kiss very well!  I 
will return!  HO-HO-HO-HO!"
	Mousse jumped to his feet.  His mouth had difficulty functioning.  
"S-S-Shampoo," he stuttered, his face full of lipstick marks, "I-I c-c-
can e-ex-exp---"
	"No need for explanations, Mousse," Shampoo interrupted.  "No need 
for Mousse to explain what he did to Shampoo."  She turned around and 
began to walk away.  Mousse ran and placed his hands on her shoulder.  
"S-Shampoo, I---"
	*<Bright light>*  *SLAP*  *KABOOM*
	There was a bright flash of light which blinded everyone 
temporarily.  When it was gone, Mousse was imprinted on the wall of the 
school building, with his cheek still smoking from the obviously powerful 
slap Shampoo gave to him, really beaten up.  She screamed at the figure 
on the wall.  "People who play with women's hearts go to very bad place!"  
She splashed him with cold water for good measure and walked away with 
whatever shred of dignity left within her soul.  "Shampoo have nothing to 
do with you anymore, Mousse.  Shampoo say, goodbye."
	Shampoo managed to pass through the front gate of Furinkan High 
instead of through the wall. 

	Genma took a deep breath and began his attack.  "Here goes!"  He 
grabbed P-chan by his bandana and threw him over the side of the pool to 
the right.  The squealing projectile attracted Azusa's attention.  
"CHARLOTTE!"  She ran, trying to catch him.  Nodoka and the two animal 
catchers looked on with big-sweats to Genma's right.  Using the 
distraction, he ran towards his left, going around Nodoka's left flank 
(who was looking away), and splashed himself with some cold water from 
the faucets on the other side.  "GROWL!"  <Victory!>  He was about to 
jump for joy before Azusa squeezed all the air out of him.  "OSCAR!"  She 
let go of the pig attached herself to Genma-panda's back.  <Help me!>  he 
scribbled frantically.
	Nodoka ran to Genma-panda's side.  "Get off Ranko's panda now!"  
The sentence sounded like an order and Azusa reluctantly let go.  It took 
five policemen to drag her away.  "I'll come back for you, Oscar!  Just 
you wait!"  The police were about to drag off the two animal catchers but 
Nodoka managed to explain (with a little help from the katana) that it 
was all just an accident and these two men were simply trying to get away 
from that horrible girl.
	"Are you okay, Mr. Panda?"  Nodoka asked as the policemen left them 
alone.  <I think so.>  "Well then, would you like to have lunch with us?"  
she asked all of them. 
	"YES MA'AM!"  Yusaku and Mitaka nodded gratefully.
	<I think so...> Genma-panda nodded apprehensively.

	There were plenty of rumors going around Furinkan at this point in 
time, mostly concerning the way Nabiki and the newly arrived news 
reporter were acting towards each other.  The most prevalent was that 
they knew each other once and that they were fighting over Kuno, which 
was supported by the events (or rather, their interpretation of the 
events) that happened in the Furinkan Infirmary.  But what really 
happened between this troubling threesome?  A flashback is in order.
	And one such character was Kuno, who was eating his lunch in the 
shade of a large tree.  The table that his manservant had set for him was 
full of classy European food which was the usual lunch of other Blue 
Thunder-esque people.  Kuno munched on a piece of tender meat while 
Sasuke groveled at his feet.
	"Master, I sense that people are talking about you."  Sasuke 
noticed that people were whispering and pointing to Kuno.  He took his 
leave and it took a brief moment of investigation (due to a ninja's skill 
in espionage) and the story in its entirety fell upon his ears.  "Master 
Kuno, they seem to be spreading word that you are being fought over by 
women other than the blessed pig-tailed girl and the divine Akane Tendo.  
Shall I go and order them to cease spreading such vile rumors about you?" 
	Kuno choked on what he was eating and grabbed a glass of water.  
"Zounds!  Is that vile temptress Nanami Jinnai still here?!  And 'tis 
even I, Tatewaki Kuno, thought that she had left with that whirlybird of 
hers to wherever she had come from?"  He visibly tensed up.  "It seems 
that the honored grounds of Furinkan High shall bear witness to the clash 
of the Queens of Capitalism!  I best be prepared.  The last time, I was 
caught unawares and the honored name of the Kuno clan tarnished."
	"Master, if I may ask, what happened so that the recollection 
bothers you so?"
	Kuno slumped back on his chair.  "Very well then.  It always does 
good to enlighten ignorants.  The dullness of the fool is the whetstone 
of the wits.  I shall spare a moment of time to educate you in the past 
of your great master, Tatewaki Kuno.
	"It was a clear day nearly two summers ago, when your great master 
was still called the Roaring Lion on his way to his second year of 
education in Furinkan High...  I remember it clearly, for it was the day 
that I first met the divine Akane Tendo."  Images flooded Kuno's mind, a 
bit exaggerated for his exaggerated peace of mind.  "I had been called to 
our beloved capital to attend this gathering of literary greats.  I came 
there so that I too can enlighten the ignorant masses on the great virtue 
of reading the classics by my talent for prose.  The fair Nabiki Tendo 
was there, hired by the now disbanded Furinkan Book Club for her monetary 
skills.
	"The blessed Nabiki Tendo gave the Book Club their time in the 
light of the sun, giving the written works of Shakespeare and Homer their 
true worth, and made a great profit in the process.  The earnings of the 
book club soared as high as the spire of Tokyo Tower."
	The Blue Thunder then began to frown.  "But there too was another 
like Nabiki Tendo.  For among the rest rose the devilish Nanami Jinnai, 
member of the Shinnonome High Journalism Club, hired too for her monetary 
skills.  Gah!  My tongue stings whenever I should say her name, she be 
possessing of connivance equal to that of Nabiki, however more directed 
towards evil. 
	"As the battle of titans long ago, the stage was cleared for the 
first great honorable battle between the Queens of Capitalism, as many of 
those who remained called it.  The devious Nanami Jinnai and cunning 
Nabiki Tendo signed a pact, that whoever earns the most money in an hour 
shall be called the better of the two, and that the victor shall partake 
of the all the spoils of victory.
	"Even I, Tatewaki Kuno, cannot recall an even greater battle. I 
tell you it was incredible, the blue aura of intimidation emanating from 
every pore of their bodies, their azure flame lighting the night sky as 
if it were day.  Their earnings rivaled even the great fortune of the 
Kuno clan, which is greater than all the other clans of our noble 
country.  The contest, although only for an hour, lasted as if several 
lifetimes.
	"And when all was taken," Kuno's forehead furrowed in anger, "they 
set their sights upon the richest of the lot.  I, Tatewaki Kuno, the then 
Roaring Lion and now called the Blue Thunder.  I, Tatewaki Kuno, heir to 
the greatest fortune in all the land, the only nobleman in the land of 
peasants."  Kuno paused to catch his breath.
	"Little did I know that the demon girl Nanami had a talent for 
writing love letters in her Creative Writing Class.  Quickly, but 
silently, she spread her tentaculous lines of desire around me.  I 
valiantly resisted, but still she came.  I knew that she was to drain me 
of whatever monetary funds I had on my person, but I could not resist her 
tempting allure.  The great Roaring Lion lay helpless against her."
	Kuno was wildly gesticulating by now.  "Then, when I thought that 
the end had come, a strange vision filled me with a sudden surge of 
energy.  Ah!  It was a picture of Akane Tendo, blessed as the light, 
shining like the sun!  It was  a beauty I have never seen before.  I 
thought that I was dreaming, that I was dead, for such a creature cannot 
contain such beauty within a frail human body.  Strength returned to my 
limbs.  Akane Tendo helped me against the she-devil, her image I carried 
within my noble heart as I smote her with a convenient rolled up 
newspaper, for my legendary bokken was unavailable, and I, Tatewaki Kuno 
emerged the victor!"
	As you can imagine, Sasuke did not believe a word that his master 
said.  However, he wanted to find out what happened next.
	Kuno was only too happy to comply.  "And now, Nabiki Tendo owes a 
lot upon me, for it is I who helped her win that battle so long ago.  
This is why I let her honor me with her presence, and shower upon me 
pictures of my two loves."  He reached into his kimono and the uniform 
beneath.  "I still have that picture, that *first* picture, that Nabiki 
had given to me.  I always keep it near my heart, for such is the place 
for her."  The picture flew through the air and Sasuke caught it with his 
superior martial arts reflexes.  "Consider it an honor, for you are 
touching that which I consider precious than all the world."
	The picture was like any other picture of Akane, except that her 
hair was longer than it was now.  Sasuke, with all the masterful 
adoration a ninja could give, said, "Master, she is divine as you said. 
Now I cannot see who can defeat the great Blue Thunder as long as both 
she and the pig-tailed girl are yours."  He turned the picture.  "Wait, 
there's some writing in the back.  Hmm.  Let's see."  His eyes bulged 
out.  "Sold to Tatewaki Kuno for 50,000 yen.  Master, are you sure that 
Nabiki Tendo gave this to you?"
	Kuno knocked him with his bokken.  "Silence, fool!  Did not I tell 
you that that picture is worth more than all the world?!?  I am willing 
to pay anything, so that Akane Tendo (and the pig-tailed girl) be mine, 
even my life.  I should wring your tongue!"
	"I'm sorry, master!"  The ninja groveled in the ground once more, 
in all obedience.  But in a small part of his mind, he felt more pity for 
his master than for himself.

	A room!
	It was the small room in the Kendo Club Dojo where a few minutes 
ago the great leaders of Furinkan High staged a meeting to bring back the 
coveted Akane Tendo.  Here they united underneath the banner of the 
Cappuccino Consortium and laid down the plans of how to best deal with 
the demon Ranma Saotome, to use his weakness to their advantage.  They 
realized that they can no longer be inflamed by their individual desires 
and set aside by their petty differences in the face of their common 
interest.  In the Consortium, no club was above the other, and when the 
cur shall finally be pummeled into the ground, the everyone shall have an 
equal share of victory.
	And it all happened in a small room!
	And this room was not only small, it was also empty, except for two 
people who, for a lack of a better word, were more equal, for they were 
the brains behind the brawn, the same two people who detected Ranma's 
inherent weakness, the same two people who would be in command of the 
forthcoming battle.
	The person who ate his lunch on the small table around which the 
other clubs pledged their assistance was not only the Organizer of the 
Consortium, he was also the president of the Chem Club, three-time winner 
of such-and-such contest, and other such sweet-sounding titles.  He knew 
that he would be voted as Organizer, instead of that fool Kuno, and he 
continued eating the Ramen-in-a-cup (tm) that served to be his lunch. 
	The other person was the vice-president of the Chem Club and he 
carried no other official title in the Consortium, to maintain the 
appearance of equality.  Unofficially, however, he had a higher position 
than the Organizer, for he was the one person whose advice he can trust.  
He thought of himself as an Adviser, and only to himself.  He waited 
patiently for the other to finish his meal (for he had already eaten) and 
cleared his throat to catch his attention.
	"Sir," he began, "I would like to go over the battle plan we laid 
down before we broke up for lunch."  He looked over the thick pad.  "It 
appears that you have given Tatewaki Kuno a very pivotal role in the 
attack.  Are you sure that this is wise, sir?"
	He cleaned his glasses. "I know that seems to be--uh--
unstrategical, but Kuno has the deepest grudge among us with Ranma.  Man, 
that guy carries it around like some kind of trophy.  I wouldn't be 
surprise if he dreamt of smiting 'the evil magician' every night."
	"But sir, I think that he would be the one to deliver the final 
blow, even against the plan, and he would cart off in his head all the 
honor due to us.  I say again, sir.  Do you think that's wise?"
	"Let that Kuno think whatever he thinks in that twisted head of 
his.  If it makes him finally shut up, good for him.  But if it serves to 
make him louder, he can count on the combined might of the Consortium 
turned against him.  For now, he is a very loyal ally."
	"But should Ranma change into a girl..."
	The Organizer's eyes bulged out.  He regained his composure and 
began to clean his glasses again.  "What about him changing into a girl?"
	"Well, sir, if Ranma changes into a girl, we would still pummel him 
into the ground, since he cannot use his transformation as a disguise.  
However, Kuno--"  The Adviser paused and stood up.  He looked at the 
Nerima district map on the wall, breathing evenly, "It matters what Kuno 
thinks, for he would see that who we are attacking is none other than his 
pig-tailed goddess.  He would turn against us when we least expect it and 
there is a chance that he might smite us all or at least provide a 
distraction long enough for Ranma to escape.  I say again, do you think 
that that is wise?"  he unconsciously left out his title.
	 "W-what do you think we should do?"  the Organizer was stammering 
now, all of his orating skills forgotten.
	"I think we should prevent Kuno from participating in the coming 
battle.  Legal restraints would not work, for as you said, he would 
attack even though it was against the Plan.  We must keep him, shall we 
say, out of the way, using non-legal, maybe even illegal methods.  We 
must strike him soon, hard and fast, before he is aware of what is 
happening."
	"But that's against the Consortium charter and---"
	The Adviser, the one true leader of the Cappuccino Consortium, 
silenced him.  "That is why we shall use measures outside of the 
Consortium.  The appearance of an attack from the outside would sever any 
link to the inside, and if it was to be discovered, there are reasonable 
back-up plans to fall back upon."  He smiled.  "I have already taken the 
liberty of arranging matters, *sir*." 
	
	P-chan ran for his life from the unnerving maw of death that was 
Azusa.  He did not care where he ran, just as long as the direction was 
diametrically away from the monster.  He found the exit after a few 
minutes of searching.  Before he could bwee for joy, a hand clamped over 
his bandanna.  He struggled and squirmed, but the hand held him in an 
iron grip.  He screamed (in his own pig way) in terror.
	"Hello there!  What are you doing here, P-chan?  Akane has been 
looking all over for you."  Kasumi stroked the pig's forehead.  "Don't 
worry, I'll take you home with me..."

	It was lunch time aboard the USS Eisenhower and all the deck hands 
who weren't on duty reported for one of the better parts of the day.  For 
the first time in a long time, they knew what kind of meal would be 
waiting for them, for they had spent the better part of the morning 
trying to catch it.  The crew sighed a contented sigh as they partook of 
the special meal that they had worked so hard for.
	Max Sterling sat in front of Rick Hunter, carrying his portion of 
poultry by-products.  "Heard that you had a bad flight today.  Almost 
gotten yourself killed by some kind of monster."
	"Don't want to talk about it, it was a horrifying experience---"
	"For both you and Lisa Hayes?"  Max interrupted.  "Come on, you can 
tell me."
	"Don't want to talk about it," Rick said, pointing behind Max.
	"Yeah, you don't want to talk about it," he continued relentlessly, 
not noticing Rick's gestures.  "How about the time in the Gulf where I 
found you kissing her inside an Iraqi bunker where you were supposed to 
be prisoners?  Or the time---"
	"I said that I don't want to talk about it," Rick hissed through 
his teeth, still pointing behind Max's back.
	"Yeah, right, you don't want to talk about it now.  But you have to 
soon, with Minmei.  If you keep on cheating like this behind her, both of 
you are going to get hurt."  Rick's gesture finally made its way to his 
brain.  "You want a banana?"  he asked, taking a banana from his tray. 
	"No.  Look behind you."
	Max turned and came face to face with the Admiral.  The banana fell 
to the floor.  "Sir!  It's a surprise finding you here!  What can we do 
for you?"
	The admiral smiled.  "Thank you, Max.  You have given me more 
background information on Rick Hunter than that was on his files."  Rick 
groaned.  "Still, I came to talk to Lt. Rick Hunter for a while--- No, 
not now.  Take your time, we have the whole afternoon.  Just come up to 
my office as soon as you can.  See you later."  The Admiral turned and 
was soon gone.
	The suddenly quiet cafeteria returned to its normal noise volume.  
"Wow," Max said, regaining his composure.  "The admiral coming here just 
to see you?  And 'take your time'?  I think you're going to be promoted."
	Rick suddenly felt tired.  "I don't know.  But I bet your banana 
that it's about something else."  He wished that he had stayed in bed 
that day.

	As long as it wasn't raining, Akane, Sayuri and Yuka were always to 
be found eating lunch at the foot of a certain tree.  After eating (maybe 
even during), it was more than certain that they would be exchanging 
among themselves the news that they had about other people (i.e. gossip).  
Most probably, the flow of the conversation would start about this person 
becoming too close to this other person that the bounds of simple 
friendship would allow; which would lead to the discussion about the 
current couples in Furinkan, and how long they would stay together; which 
would lead to a short philosophical debate about the pros and cons of 
long and/or arranged engagements; *and* finally that would lead to a 
short question and answer portion on the current state of affairs between 
the only couple (or so Sayuri and Yuka would say) who had all 
characteristics stated above: Akane and Ranma.
	To which Akane would often reply with a mad and well-vented rage; 
or sometimes with a curt "I don't care.  Why don't you ask him.  <End of 
discussion>"  There were also extremely rare times that Akane would 
simply smile and say nothing at all. 
	But during today's news conference, Akane kept quiet as a stone.  
Whatever rage or anger she had left, it dissipated rather quickly, too 
quickly to shatter any semblance of regularity.  Akane's sudden state of 
silence was contagious and for the first time that year, not a word was 
uttered between the three.
	Yuka was the first to break down.  She shook Akane, as if trying to 
wake her up.  "I can't take the silence anymore.  Akane, what happened 
between you and Ranma?!?  Please tell me... Akane?"
	Akane looked away and shrugged.  Her eyes glistened in the noontime 
sun.  "I honestly don't know.  As far as I know, I haven't done anything 
that bad to---"  She shook her head.  "No.  It's not my fault.  If he 
doesn't want to talk to me, it's his problem.  Let him rot for all I 
care."
	Sayuri took Akane's hands in hers.  "That's the spirit, Akane.  If 
a guy pointedly ignores you for no reason at all, you should ignore him, 
too."
	"Yeah, an eye for an eye.  Ranma's not worth it."
	Akane thought, "But I don't want---"  "Uh. . . Thanks you two," she 
said finally.
	"Hey Akane!"  Nabiki called out to them.  "Have you seen Ranma 
anywhere?"
	"Don't ask me where he is.  Do I look like some kind of personal 
assistant to you?"  Anger was finally coming back and inwardly Akane 
sighed in relief.
	Nabiki waved her goodbye and continued asking other people.  As 
three resumed their interrupted meal, Akane managed to think, "Where was 
Ranma anyhow?" 
	
	Gosunkugi crept silently up the steps to the rooftop where he knew 
he would be conveniently left alone.  No one came to this part of school 
at this time, since everyone else was either busy watching the scheduled 
brawls or trapped in the mosh pit where the cafeteria served sandwiches. 
	"How come these spleens did not blow up?"  The question nagged his 
mind to the point of generating a small headache.  Deciding that further 
thought would be futile, he began to eat his lunch.
	However, footsteps echoed in the stairwell and Gosunkugi ran to the 
nearest available hiding place.  He peered behind the side of the 
maintenance shack, trying to see who it was who would dare transgress his 
holy ground (as if he could do anything about it).
	Just as he feared, it was a very angry Ranma, going to beat him up 
to a pulp for the spleen episode.  Gosunkugi prayed that he spleens would 
work and at least he would have a fighting chance--- 
	No.  Ranma wasn't looking for him.  He was just standing here 
looking around to see if anyone else was there.  Gosunkugi pressed 
himself to the wall, hoping that he could pass through it.  Suddenly, he 
cringed as Ranma set an insane amount of what seemed to be oaths into the 
atmosphere.  Ranma jumped around, fists flailing out as if trying to 
catch the air, making a complete fool out of himself.  After a few 
minutes of this bizarre behavioral pattern, Ranma tripped over his own 
feet, giving a loud shout that Gosunkugi was sure to be a real curse.  
Then in a flash, he disappeared in the shadows of the stairwell.
	Gosunkugi stepped out into the open once more.  "What the?!?  Oh."  
Gosunkugi's mind was a little bit clogged, but he finally realized that 
what he first recognized as swear words were actually the names of 
Ranma's special techniques.  Conflicting thoughts were processed in his 
brain.  "But if those were the names of his special techniques, why 
wasn't anything happening?  Why did he look like some kind of idiotic 
fool?  And most important, why didn't he react when I slammed him with 
this spleen a while back."  There was only one explanation of the matter, 
but he knew that it was impossible.  "Surely it can't--- No, it couldn't 
be--- But it must, or he wouldn't have--- That means that I could--- 
GAH!" 
	He was deep in thought that someone managed to sneak up to him and 
slap him at the back.

	"IT'S FINISHED!"  Ukyo placed the Ultimate Okonomiyaki into the 
small delivery box.  She had actually managed to do it.  "RANCHAN, I'M 
COMING FOR YOU!  You have to eat it even if it's the last thing--" she 
sighed, remembering the other plan she had already cooked up, "--you and 
I do."
	She went outside into the noontime sunlight, forgetting that the 
front door was still broken.

	Like any restaurant, the Cat Cafe had a small kitchen and counter 
staff who where very efficient in the division of labor.  On a regular 
day, Shampoo would serve to be the cute waitress taking everyone's 
orders.  Mousse would be miscellaneous jobs, such as sweeping the floor 
and washing dishes (the water was warm enough as not to cause 
transformation).  And Cologne was cooking inside the kitchen, where she 
could not scare off customers. 
	But today, Shampoo and Mousse where in Furinkan and Cologne found 
herself a one-woman restaurant staff.  She cooked the meals, mopped the 
floor, and took everyone's order.  However, her superior martial arts 
skills and the fact that the zoo-break (or animal jail-break) served to 
frighten most of the people from leaving their homes so the task was a 
lot easier. 
	The only familiar face among the four (no, five) diners were Dr. 
Tofu and the wastebasket (oh, that was Tsubasa).  The other three were 
animal catchers taking a break, as they were the only other people 
courageous enough roaming around that part of town.  She took their 
orders and disappeared into the kitchen amid stares from the animal 
catchers who thought that she was some kind of old monkey. 
	Dr. Tofu was silent as Tsubasa prattled on about how he was once 
part of a band that featured him in coming out of some kind of furniture 
whenever they played at Kuonji's Okonomiyaki (that was the name of Ukyo's 
first restaurant) and how he thought Ukyo was a guy and that the cute 
girl he rarely saw was her (or his at the time) sister once until he had 
learned of her secret when he sneaked inside her old apartment...  The 
rest of the conversation was lost to the doctor's ears who was carefully 
sorting his own problems with Mr. Tendo and Kasumi--- no, stop the 
bubbling.  Tsubasa was to the good part where the two of them talked in 
the park and noticed that the doctor wasn't listening.  "How come no one 
wants to listen to my story?  I guess that's life."
	Cologne arrived with the large bowls of ramen, the two nodded their 
thanks and began to dig in.  They were halfway through the meal when the 
doctor started the conversation.  "So how is it going with you and Ukyo?"
	"Darn.  The doctor wasn't listening at all," he thought.  Loudly he 
whimpered, "I can't seem to get through to her.  No matter what I did, 
Ucchan always smashes me away.  It has been weeks since I last talked to 
her.  You know how hard that is?"
	Dr. Tofu thought of all the conversations he had with Kasumi, how 
all these years he has never even talked to her in a way befitting that 
of normal individuals.  And now--- "Go on..." he said, staring into the 
soup.
	Tsubasa tried to hold back tears.  "Now I don't know what to do 
next.  The reason I have been away is to give myself some time alone to 
think of ways to make her fall for me.  But I've come up with a blank."  
He gazed expectantly at the doctor.  "Can you think of something else?"
	Dr. Tofu began to think of the fiasco he had with Mr. Tendo.  
Things started to fall in place.  "Do you know how Ranma was promised to 
Ukyo?"  Tsubasa shook his head.  "As far as I know, Mr. Saotome sold 
Ranma to Ukyo's father for a cartful of okonomiyaki.  But that's not the 
point."  He looked at the transvestite, trying to drive the thought home.  
"The point is, Mr. Kuonji expects Ukyo to get Ranma even after all these 
years.  Do you think that Ukyo has put up with Ranma, trying very hard to 
make him fall for her even though he treats her as just a friend and most 
probably never more than that all these years out of her own volition?  I 
guess you have to get to know both Ukyo *and* her father.  Do you get the 
idea?"
	Tsubasa was staring outside, not listening.  "Drat.  How come he 
never listens to my advise?  I guess that's life," the doctor thought, 
and continued to fill his stomach.

	Gosunkugi gasped as the unseen person grabbed his shoulder.  
Screaming, he took out a nail and a hammer from his pocket and tried to 
impale the person, but whoever it was, she was too quick for her.  "She?" 
Gosunkugi looked up and saw Nanami smiling at him.  "Surprised?  I'm 
Nanami Jinnai, sorry about scaring you like that."
	Gosunkugi managed to start breathing evenly.  "W-what are you doing 
here?"
	Nanami looked into his face.  "Hey, aren't you the one with the 
spleens a while back?"
	Gosunkugi was sweating.  Nanami was close enough to him to send 
proximity overload warnings in his head.  He tried not to look somewhere 
not-- Uh oh.  Too late.  "Uhhh... Yeah."
	"Well..."
	"Well, what?"
	"Aren't you going to tell me your name?"
	Gulp.  "Uh... I'm Hikaru Gosunkugi, but people call me Gosunkugi."  
He sweated as he shook the preoffered hand.  "By the way, what are you 
doing here?"
	"My helicopter crashed and I---"
	"No, w-what are you doing here," Gosunkugi stammered as Nanami drew 
even closer.  He managed to breathe out when she looked away.  "I was 
looking for a place where I could set up a plan in motion.  What plan, 
you ask?  Then you weren't there when Nabiki and I faced off in the 
courtyard.  You see, we go way back and there's a friendly rivalry that 
happens whenever we meet that the person who earns the most amount of 
money will be the winner.  But this time, Nabiki has the homecourt 
advantage.  I was planning to set up a studio---"  She looked at him, and 
Gosunkugi felt like melting.  "I have an idea.  Would you like to help me 
out?  You will have a share of the profits."  She gazed at her with those 
cute little eyes.
	Gosunkugi was sweating real hard now.  "D-do I have a choice?"
	Nanami chucked.  "I knew that you would say yes."  She squeezed his 
cheek.  "Meet me at the helicopter in a few minutes.  Nabiki and her 
friends are coming back to do the legal work and I need someone to show 
me the ropes around this place.  See you later, Hikaru."  She turned and 
disappeared into the stairwell. 
	"S-she called me, H-Hikaru.  Aahh..."  Gosunkugi promptly fainted.

	Rick Hunter crept up to the Admiral's room as that befitted the 
conditions set to him that he take his time.  He stood for a few minutes 
outside the door, trying to think of the reason that he had been treated 
in such a way.  "I guess I better go inside and do it..."  He was taken 
aback by what he saw.
	There was soft music inside and the admiral was playing on the 
guitar.  He looked at the new arrival and continued playing.  "Good 
afternoon, Rick.  Sit down, we have to wait for someone else before we 
begin."
	Rick sat down and looked around the moderately furnished room.  
There were soft lights that made it seem that it was someone's living 
room and not the Admiral's office.  There were books on the shelf and 
there was a picture Rick thought was of the admiral as a young boy.  It 
was a winter scene and the boy was skating in a frozen pond.  He knew 
that the Admiral was from New York state and he judged that this must be 
one of the ponds that froze during winter. 
	The guitar strumming halted suddenly as the admiral sneezed.  
"Rick, be a good chap and get that box of tissue?  I think I must be 
catching a cold."  Rick complied.  The admiral continued, "Have to take 
some of them along when we go to shore---"
	"Shore, sir?" 
	"Yes, I was going to tell you later when our other travelling 
companion arrived.  I would like you to come with us when we go to Nerima 
(that's in Tokyo) this afternoon."
	"Why---"  Rick was interrupted with a knock on the door.  "I guess 
he's here," the admiral said and called out, "come in."
	A simple teenager came inside, but he carried about him an air of 
superiority.  Rick and the admiral stood up to acknowledge him.  "Rick 
Hunter, I would like to introduce you to---"
	"Tom Swift," the youth shook the hand Rick raised up in surprise.

	Nabiki called out to her friends.  "Meet me at the helicopter, I 
have to do a few things first."  She waved her goodbye and walked over 
the loudest spot in all of Furinkan.
	Sasuke bowed to his master.  "Master Kuno, Nabiki Tendo asks to 
speak to you for a little while."  "Come, Sasuke, let her pass."  The 
ninja bowed and Nabiki stepped up to the table where Kuno was still busy 
eating lunch.  "Well, if it isn't the fair sister of Akane Tendo.  I pray 
to your good nature that you have come to warn me of that temptress 
Nanami Jinnai, but fear not, for I, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, 
hath no reason to fear anymore the likes of her."
	Nabiki said, after a period of silence, "I didn't come here today 
to warn you.  I came to offer you a deal."  She paused again for an even 
longer period of time. 
	She said finally, "How much would you pay to make the pig-tailed 
goddess were to kiss you?"

To be continued...

Ah, I hate myself.  I promised that I would have done at least three 
chapters by the middle of November and I had done only one.  Gah!  My 
computer did the flip-flop and it was only a few days ago that I managed 
to get it working again.

Anyways, there would be those amongst you that would say that Mrs. 
Saotome, Tsubasa and Dr. Tofu have never met in the manga.  Tsubasa and 
Dr. Tofu's familiarity with one another can be explained with the fact 
that Tsubasa keeps getting smashed into the ground by Ukyo.  Who repairs 
his skeletal structure then?  It had to be Dr. Tofu.  In Nodoka's case, 
it's a little bit harder but one can say that a friend's friend is a 
friend and since Dr. Tofu is a family friend (before the Tendo Dojo 
fiasco, as Dr. Tofu himself described it) and Nodoka is, too, it would 
mean that in the course of their lives, they would have met. 

Speaking of Tsubasa, if you haven't found the slightly hidden plug-in to 
another fic, then let me tell you.  It's Park Life, the story of Tsubasa 
and Ukyo, side story to the majestic (and really large) Switch: Herbs and 
Spices.  Switch and I have been talking about a proposal to have an 
interfic references among members of the NFT and no one as far as I know 
had created a Tsubasa origin so I put it in here.  I have to ask for 
C&C's too, since Park Life was posted over two months ago (I think) and 
as I recall, Switch hasn't gotten reaction from you guys out there.  (if 
any, very few.  However, that was a few weeks ago.  Things might have 
changed without me knowing about it.)  For that matter, there's been a 
lack of reactions for the whole NFT.  I guess you guys must be busy.

Thanks to all those who have given me C&C's in the past and the present 
and hope even more to come in the future.  If you read this, you don't 
have to react, just mail us and say that you have read Memories.  That's 
all I want.  Thanks for all those who have helped iRL who had to put up 
with my bickering.

Oh, yeah.  If you have missed the earlier chapters (and Park Life now 
that you mentioned it) they are available in the Nikholas F. Toledo site 
if you dare travel the tubular tunnels of Mayhem's toilet bowl.  I hope 
to finish Chapter 7 (Toxic Waste Soufflé) before the end of the month, 
hopefully.  Just keep on waiting and send those C&C's a-coming.

<STANDARD DISCLAMER FOR ALL CHARACTERS>

November 6, 1997
Nikholas F. Toledo Zu @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/mezza9.html
Vector, Switch, Yebah, Don Juan, goo, Pervert, Scruples, Hollie, NomaD,
Blitz, Gee, Datzo, Jewel, Elf, Radler, Pinball, Mayhem
Fanfiction @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/fanfics.html
Warp Zone @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/thirteen.html
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The logo of the Church of All Worlds is nine concentric circles.
Word from the Laity:  Wipe yer feet!  Bloody 'ell...
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Gallery/3145/index.html
Currently under construction... confessional at the links.
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