DiScLaImEr:  Rumiko Takahashi and a bunch of rich corporations own all 
the characters in this fic.  My use of them in no way is meant to
undermine those claims, and suing me would be a huge waste of time.
If, for some reason, you actually think this meager tribute to RT's
genius deserves to be further distributed, you may do so, so long as
you: a) reprint this disclaimer; b) give me credit (blame?) for the
story and; c) don't actually sell it (Yeah, like that's a concern!).
And now, on with the fic.

   There's been a longer pause than usual between the last post and this 
one, so I'm going to do a quick recap:  Tatewaki Kunou, speaking in an 
uncharacteristically plain fashion, told a shadowed figure that their 
deal was off, and went forth to proclaim his love for Nabiki Tendou.  
This figure then apparently arranged for Kodachi to intercept her 
brother, and kill him.
   After the funeral, Nabiki wept by Kunou's grave, trying to figure out 
what had gone wrong.  When she returned home, she got a threatening 
phone call, reminding her it was time for her regular payments.  After 
the call, we were treated to a pre-Ranma flashback, revealing that 
Nabiki is being blackmailed after being caught in a kiddie-porn set-up.
   Nabiki returned to her room, where she discovered that the digital 
camera she has hidden in the bathroom and linked to her PC has given her 
more than she bargained for....
   The next morning, Akane discovered the Jusenkyou Guide's corpse, 
floating in the koi pond.  On his forehead was a strange tatoo: an eye 
atop a pyramid.  As the various residents of Nerima tried to cope with 
this turn of events, Nabiki tried to figure out what to do with her 
newfound discovery.
   Happoussai, learning of the tattoo, charged off into the night, dark 
suspicions forming.  Meanwhile, Kodachi has captured her father and is 
torturing him in the basement, slowly removing every last hair from his 
body with a pair of tweezers....
   And so we move on to:

*****************
* Illuminations *
*****************

**************************
* A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction *
**************************

***************
* By Freemage *
***************

*Author's Note:  This story draws on both the anime and the manga.
 Still trying to work out continuity issues:  According to several
 comments on earlier chapters, the exclusion of Tsubasa is not a
 major offense, as he is seen as a one-shot character.  OTOH, it
 has now been pointed out that the chi-blasts also post-date the
 arrival of Pantyhose Tarou.  *sigh*

 This is a dark story, with several sexually suggestive scenes,
 although no outright Lemon scenes.  If such material offends or
 disturbs you, please consider not reading this story--Unless, of
 course, you like being offended and/or disturbed....

  Thoughts are denoted by {X}.*


                       **************************
                       * Chapter Four           *
                       * Controlling the Center *
                       **************************


     Happousai raced down the street, eyes ablaze with a fierce
 determination.  His worst fears had been confirmed, and he
 suspected that, if he did not act soon, it would be too late.

     He leapt over the fence surrounding the Tendou household's
 back yard.  His eyes took in everything.  If the Enemy knew that
 he was aware of the plot, he was in mortal danger.  A lack of
 caution would prove fatal.

     There were no shadowy forms under the trees.  Good.  No
 outlines of heads peaking over the roof's edge.  Also good.  No
 one crouched behind the clothes flapping off the line.  Perfect.

     Happousai paused.  The clothes?  Kasumi was getting
 careless.  She rarely left the wash out overnight anymore.  {The
 recent tragedies must have distracted her}, he thought, {Or
 perhaps the rain earlier prevented her from drying the wash
 until now.  No matter the reason, this is too good an
 opportunity to pass up.}

     Gleefully, he moved toward the undies, white cotton against
 black night.  Then he pulled himself up short.  {What am I
 doing?  There is a matter of life and death at stake here, not
 some meager fetish!  I can return later....}

     His thoughts slowly ground to a halt as he neared both house
 and clothesline.  This was not the usual fare offered by the
 Tendou household.  This was a gift from the gods.
  
     Hanging from the lines were underwear of every description:
 sheer lace, red and black leather, clear PVC; chrome studded,
 crotchless, padlocked.  He could hardly believe his eyes.  But
 this dream was too wonderful to try to escape.  A slight breeze
 set the delightful array swaying slightly, filling out to the
 point where one could almost imagine them being filled by warm,
 soft, yielding bodies.

     Happosai never had a chance.  He lept to the nearest of the
 delicacies, a black lace pair of crotchless panties.  He buried
 his face in the delicate fabric, trying to smell past the heavy
 detergent so he could tell which of the delightful feminine
 forms which blessed the Tendou Dojo had worn it.

     Deep he breathed in, and then he felt the sharp jab in his
 chest.  {My heart...Of course, that detergent scent...Oh, what a
 fool...a fool.}

     Happousai collapsed to the ground, and began slowly crawling
 toward the house.  Only twenty feet to go, but it suddenly
 looked like twenty miles.

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

     Soun and Genma-Panda were playing their usual game of Go,
 each taking the appropriate opportunity to cheat.  Shampoo and
 Cologne had come over for a "friendly visit" (Cologne was sure
 that this new concoction of hers would work, making everyone
 sleep soundly until the two of them had Ranma on a ship to
 China.)

     Of course, Shampoo had greeted Ranma with her usual
 enthusiasm, almost squeezing the breath out of him in the
 process.  In the ensuing chaos of Akane's actions and Ranma's
 somewhat futile efforts to stave off her attack, the elixer had
 been spilled prematurely, affecting only Nabiki (who had
 returned from her walk), Mousse (who had been following Shampoo)
 and Kasumi (who didn't even get through a full, "Oh, my" before
 the dust cloud took effect).

     As the rest of the household gave Cologne a malevolent
 glare, she prepared to pogo out of the room.  At that exact
 moment, the back door slid open and Happosai stumbled in.  He 
 was in obvious pain, and collapsed to the hardwood floor,
 clutching his chest.

     Soun was the first one at his side.  "Master, are you okay?
 Master, say something!"  Of course his thoughts were closer to,
 {Maybe you would like me to end your suffering right now?}, but
 he didn't say it because it would set a bad example.

     {Boy, listen to me!}  Ranma swirled around, trying to see
 who had spoken to him.  It had sounded like Happi, but the old
 lech was right there....

     {Don't argue! Just listen.  I don't have much time...beware
 the clothing out back...it has been treated with a powerful
 stimulant...you must be very careful...an ancient evil has
 awakened, and seems to have chosen you and the others as its
 targets...tell Cologne that you face the Illuminated Ones...she
 can tell you more...}  And then the voice was gone.

     Under his breath, Ranma muttered, "This better not be one
 of your little `training exercises', you old freak."

     At that moment, Cologne, carrying a revealing teddy, came in
 and held it out for popular examination.  "It has been treated
 with a very powerful stimulant.  In conjuction with the level of
 excitemnt Happousai usually exhibited in the presence of such
 items, it would have been easy to trigger a heart attack."

     Ranma cleared his throat.  "Cologne, do you know anything
 about a group called the `Illuminated Ones'?"

     Much to everyone's surprise, Cologne fainted.

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

     Everyone was seated around the room, except for Nabiki, who
 had apparently been exposed to too much of the Blissful Slumber
 serum, and was sleeping up in her room.

     Ranma had finished explaining how Happosai had contacted him
 telepathically as he lay dying, and was explaining the contents
 of the message.
   
     Cologne sat for a while, then turned to the group.  "I can
 tell you what little I know of the Illuminati--for that is their
 true title--but it will take me a while to dig up any useful
 information from my books."

     "For now, suffice it to say that the Illuminati is an
 ancient organization that seeks to acquire control of the entire
 human race.  However, instead of conquest, they usually seek to
 use manipulation and guile.  It is said that many of them are
 powerful sorcerers, and can draw energy from the negative
 emotions of those around them."

     Kasumi interrupted, "You mean, like the Onii?"

     Akane glanced at her older sister.  {Poor Kasumi, I don't
 think she'll ever forgive herself for the "evil" she did under
 that thing's control.}

     "It is similar, child," Cologne responded, "but there is
 more to it than that.  The Onii was no more responsible for what
 it did than a hurricane--Such creatures are evil by design, and
 only fulfill their role in the great scheme of things."

     She visibly suppressed a shudder.  "The Illuminati are far,
 far worse, for they have chosen evil of their own free will, and
 will do anything to accomplish their goals.  No one is their
 match in ruthlessness, guile or power.  Look at how well they
 learned and used Happousai's one true weakness against him."

     "That symbol you described on the head of the murdered
 Guide, the eye in the pyramid, is their mark."

     "I must go now, and see if I can learn the identity of the
 Illuminati here in Nerima."  Cologne hopped to the door,
 allowing her voice to drop.  "It should be no trouble, but there
 is one thing that worries me...."

     "What that, Grandmother?" asked Shampoo, as they slipped
 into the velvet night.

     "I should have been able to sense the presence of the
 Illuminated Ones on my own by now.  For one of my mastery to be
 blinded would mean that I, too, am caught in their web, and have
 been since my arrival.  It is most distressing."

     "Great-Grandmother not worry.  Shampoo protect Great-
 Grandmother."

     Cologne studied Shampoo long and hard.  {Yes, Child, that is
 what I am afraid of...}

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

     By unspoken agreement, Soun and Genma handled the disposal
 of Happosai's lifeless body.  There had already been too much
 trouble associated with the Anything-Goes School of Martial
 Arts, and they had no desire to complicate it with yet another
 corpse.

     The others stayed at home, in various degrees of silent
 thought.  Nabiki was holed up in her room, while Kasumi went out
 to return a few library books.  In the main room, P-Chan slept
 next to Akane, while she and Ranma watched TV.

     Feeling the need to stretch her legs, Akane got up and
 drifted into the kitchen.  A few minutes later, she came out
 with a small platter of snacks and a hot pot of tea.

     "Thanks, Akane."  Ranma picked up one of the hors' doerves
 and started munching absent-mindedly.  All of a sudden, he got a
 surprised look on his face.

     "Oh, wow.  This is even better than Ukyo's usual leftovers,"
 he exclaimed.

     Akane turned to him, eyes wide.  "Uhmmm...Ranma, that isn't
 Ukyo's take-out," she said cautiously.

     Ranma paused in his chewing, mouth still full.  "It isn't? 
 Then I guess Kasumi left it out when she went to the library. 
 It's really delicious, try some...."  Ranma's voice trailed off
 as he looked at Akane's ever-widening eyes.  {Wow, those eyes of
 hers are like deep pools...}

     "Ranma," she said quietly, almost a whisper, "I made that
 plate up, myself."

     The look in her eyes actually penetrated Ranma's thoughts
 enough to warn him that now was not the time for the usual
 banter.  "It's good, Akane.  Really, really good.  Guess all
 that practice time you've spent in the kitchen has finally
 started paying off, huh?"  He gave her a smile, much more
 tender than his usual smirk.

     "I guess so..."
  
     Both a little unnerved, they settled back to watch TV again.

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

                              End Chapter Four


  C&C may be sent anywhere you like, but I'll only see it if you
 put it on the list or reply directly.  MST's are highly desireable.
 Requests for prior chapters should be sent to:  freemage@hotmail.com
   Thanks for reading!  New work schedule means new posting schedule
 for future chapters:  1-2 a week, always on the weekend.  See you all
 in Chapter 5!

  Thanks to everyone who took the time to send feedback, especially
 Kleppe-san, who's been here from the beginning.
 
--Freemage  


______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com