Magical Interludes:  December's End
Fanfic by J.K. Hayashi

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The story so far:

Magic has come into the world based on scientific principles.  Minor 
and low-level abilities appeared first world-wide, causing unrest in 
major metropolitan areas as people, groups, corporations, and 
governments sought to take advantage of the new power base.  The 
unlocking of major talents seemed to be linked to the appearance of 
'Vortices', people who were at the center of energy/magic storms.  A 
'vortex' gained access to power and insights of lives that they might 
have led.  The fifth vortex, Ranma Saotome, differed in that he 
managed to draw three 'daughters' into his reality.  The three sixteen 
year-olds (Ayuki, Keiko, and Midori born to Shampoo, Nabiki, and 
Ukyou respectively) came under the care of Nodoka Saotome.  China 
has disintegrated into revolution.  Shampoo and Mousse went out on 
a date.  Cologne is visited by a general.  Kodachi is about to be 
arrested for stalking.  And the teenagers are going to school...

It is December 28th of Ranma and Akane's sophomore year...
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Chapter 6:  Negotiations - Part I

Cologne:  "And what, exactly, are you looking for?"
General:  "We're looking for the most qualified individual to rate, 
	organize, and train our citizens in the martial arts."
Cologne:  "And why should I do this?"
General:  "Surely you can see that under the present state of world 
	politics, especially with the rise of the warlords in China, 
	that under our present Constitution this is the best method 
	of teaching our citizens self-defense skills."
Cologne:  "You misunderstand me.  What you said is obvious.  I'm 
	asking what you're offering me in exchange for me 
	performing this job."
General:  "What do you want?"

Cologne:  "What rank will I hold?"
General:  "Colonel.  With promotion to Brigadier General six 
	months after general martial arts training starts if we're 
	satisfied with your performance.  You would basically be 
	serving under only me on this project."
Cologne:  "Citizenship?"
General:  [smiling]  "With your sworn allegiance to Japan."
Cologne:  "Pay?"
General:  "Same grade as anyone else with your rank."

Cologne hesitates.  This was the point that she was uncertain about.

Cologne:  "I have family..."
General:  "They will also be given citizenship with their sworn 
	allegiance."
Cologne:  "In China.  Will you provide safe transport?"
General:  "No.  That would definitely be a violation of the 
	Constitution.  We can not invade a foreign nation.  
	However, if they were to make it to a seaport, we could 
	arrange for a transport to bring them to Japan."
Cologne:  "Why are you being so accommodating, General?"
General:  "A village of amazons could come in handy some time in 
	the future, Cologne.  And a person of your talent training 
	our best fighters could mean the difference in a battle.  I do 
	not intend to compromise this nation's security with a 
	second-best fighting force."
Cologne:  "How long would I have to evaluate and assign the 
	country's martial artists?"
General:  "March.  We plan to have martial arts become part of the 
	public school and college curriculum, and we have to 
	synchronize with the school year in April.  Since martial 
	law has not been declared, we cannot force martial artists to 
	become teachers; we'll have to make the pay high enough to 
	lure them in.  In addition, you will synchronize with the 
	dojos to establish a standard set of techniques that must be 
	taught, and arrange for the training of special abilities for 
	qualified fighters."
Cologne:  "Thank you, General.  I will think on your offer and will 
	respond by noon tomorrow."
General:  "Here's my phone number," [handing Cologne a card]  
	"Your call will be forwarded to me immediately.  Its been a 
	pleasure dealing with someone with your level of self-
	confidence, Cologne."

The General leaves the restaurant, leaving behind the wrapped up 
Happosai.  Cologne bounces happily on her staff.

Cologne:  "Heh-Heh.  What a deal I got."

Shampoo and Mousse walk in the door.  Cologne looks at them 
sharply.

Cologne:  <And where have the two of you been?>
Shampoo:  <At Ranma's house.>
Cologne:  <And what happened?>
Shampoo:  <I told Ranma that even though he chose Akane I wasn't 
	going to give up on him, that he was still my husband.>
Cologne:  <Good.  And what happened to you?>
Mousse:  <I don't want to talk about it.>

Mousse stomps to the back of the restaurant and up to his room.

Cologne:  <Shampoo, are you interested in Mousse and not 
	Ranma?>
Shampoo:  <Great-grandmother, what are you talking about?  I have 
	to marry Ranma.  Its the law...>
Cologne:  <Don't try to fool me, Shampoo.  Mousse is good enough 
	so that he wouldn't have gotten hit where that bruise was.  
	Are you interested in Mousse as a husband?>
Shampoo:  <I... I don't know.  He loves me and Ranma doesn't.  But 
	the law...>
Cologne:  <I know the law, Shampoo.  In exchange for my services 
	they've offered to relocate the village to Japan.  The law 
	will almost certainly be revoked.>
Shampoo:  <How...>
Cologne:  <I will be training the best martial artists.  In that 
	situation a number of them could conceivably beat some of 
	the maidens of the village.  We can't allow that, neither in 
	terms of marriage or the kiss of death.>
Shampoo:  <...>
Cologne:  <Mousse is not as good a fighter as Ranma, but he is 
	acceptable.  I will probably be busy over the next few 
	months to watch you closely, so I just want you to promise 
	that you will always be honest with me.>
Shampoo:  <Yes, great-grandmother.  I promise.>
Cologne:  <Good.  Now go to bed.  Your bed.  I'm going to return 
	Happy to the Tendos.>
Shampoo:  <Aiyah!  The old letch!>

Shampoo quickly goes upstairs to her room.  Cologne picks up the 
bundle of duct tape that is Happosai, affixes a loose end onto the top 
of her staff, and starts to hop her way to the dojo.

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

Nabiki looks up from her (calendar) accounting log as Keiko knocks 
on her door and enters the room.  Keiko kneels down and rests her 
head on Nabiki's lap as she starts to cry.

Keiko:  "Mother... I wish that daddy had never brought me here."

Nabiki looks at Keiko with a shocked expression on her face.

Keiko:  "It seems that everything just reminds me of my friends and 
	cousins... I don't belong here..."
Nabiki:  "Keiko!  No!  You mustn't think that!"

Keiko looks up at Nabiki.

Keiko:  "Do you mean that, mother?"
Nabiki:  "Of course I mean it!  This is your home!"

Nabiki pulls Keiko up to sit on her lap.  Keiko rests her head on 
Nabiki's shoulder.

Keiko:  "That's just it, mother.  This is my home.  Everything is 
	what I remember except for the people.  All my friends are 
	gone... my brother... but our parents are here.  Ayuki grew 
	up in China and Midori in Kobe.  Why did I have to be so 
	close?"

Nabiki just holds Keiko in her arms as she can think of nothing to 
say.

Keiko:  "I tried to hold it in or forget it, but I can't.  I wish 
	everything was how it was before I came here... I wish you 
	and daddy were together, even though you don't love each 
	other... I wish..."

Nabiki holds Keiko until she stops crying.  Keiko sniffles a bit, then 
hugs her.

Keiko:  "Thank you, mother.  You know just what to do to make me 
	feel better."

Keiko dries her eyes and goes back to her room.  Nabiki turns back 
to the desk and puts her head in her hands.

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

Kodachi jumps up to a nearby rooftop and reaches for her trusted 
ribbon.  It isn't there.  The man on the ground had stolen it and puts 
it in his jacket.

Kodachi:  "Hey, give that back, you thief!"

The man takes out a small booklet (a gold shield embossed on the 
cover) from a jacket pocket and holds it out at her.

Inspector:  "Police!  Surrender yourself!"

Kodachi starts to sweat.  Whoever this policeman was, he had not 
only been able to sneak up on her, but had stolen her favorite ribbon, 
too.  She jumps for another rooftop and throws three bowling pins at 
him while in midair.  He quickly replaces the booklet and draws out 
three shuriken from the same jacket pocket and throws them.  They 
strike the three pins and the pins fall to the ground.

Cologne observes the events with interest.  The girl seemed to be 
one of Shampoo's rivals for Ranma.  The man was someone new, 
but not unskilled.  The man starts to run, springs to one of the 
neighboring rooftops and draws out a set of miniature bolas.  He 
bounces from his first rooftop to one farther away from the girl, and 
while going backwards he twirls and casts it at Kodachi's legs, and 
she avoids it only by allowing the bolas to catch one of her rose 
bouquets.

Cologne decides to test the situation.  She throws Happosai at the 
girl, spin-unwrapping him in the process.  He had been so girl-
deprived he didn't even notice the pain (or suddenly missing hair).  
The girl had been so intent on the man that she didn't detect 
Happosai coming (or maybe it was a talent he had; Ranma couldn't 
detect him either).

Happosai impacts the girl and immediately starts fondling her body.  
She screams and runs off so fast that a second later only Cologne 
and the man are left in the area.  The man turns to her angrily.

*****************************End Chapter 6, Part I