This part is made up of three pages but I am having the last two pages
withheld for C&C from a friend of mine. 

        So enjoy and let me know how it's shaping up.

Sincerely,

Megane 6.7


PART 4:  THE DESIRES OF THE MANY, OBSCURE THE 
NEEDS OF THE FEW OR THE ONES THAT DARE TO DREAM

OUTSIDE THE NEKOHANTEN
3:30 P.M.

        The sky had cleared and the rain had finally ceased as 
Ranma neared the restaurant, Shampoo clinging to his arm.  Ranma
had his head bowed and his shoulders were slumped with depression.  
A dark cloud of doom and gloom seemed to hang over him as he 
silently cursed the fates for getting him into these messes.

        "Why do these things always happen to me?"  Ranma 
thought bitterly.  "All I wanted to do was take a nice hot shower in 
peace and get back to class but NOOOO.....now I'm being forced to 
take Shampoo on a date!  What else can go wrong?"

        As Ranma continued to fume in silence he failed to notice 
the sudden appearance of a figure ahead of him.  The figure thrusts
his sleeves at Ranma and unleashed a series of curved blades 
attached to ropes, all aimed at Ranma's unprotected head.  Ranma 
glanced up at the sound and was unable to react in time when....

        "AI REN!  MOVE!!!"

        Shampoo suddenly separated Ranma from his kidneys, or 
at least that's what it felt like to Ranma as Shampoo tackled him out
of the path of the blades in the nick of time.  Ranma quickly 
recovered and found himself on the ground with Shampoo draped 
over him.  Ranma was about to protest when he noticed the ropes 
sailing through where his head had been a moment ago and quickly 
stood up to face his attacker....the master of hammerspace known as 
Mousse.

        "Hey!  What's the big idea?!"  Ranma shouted.

        Mousse glared at Ranma through the thick lens of his 
glasses.  "Need you even ask, Saotome!"  Mousse growled in a voice
full of righteous anger.  "My darling Shampoo leaves me alone at the 
Nekohanten to serve the customers while you take her out to who 
knows where and try to steal her away from me!

        "You're crazy!  We never....!"  Ranma tried to retort.

        "Stupid Mousse!  Ranma no take Shampoo to date until 
tonight!"  Shampoo replied with contempt in her voice.

        "IS THAT RIGHT?!?"  Mousse took a threatening step 
forward, his sleeves prepared to release another volley.

        "No!  Well.....sort of.....but there's a reason....."  Ranma 
fumbled.

        "DIE SAOTOME!!!"  Mousse leapt high into the air and 
shot another series of blades on ropes at Ranma.  Only this time 
Ranma was ready for it and managed to move out of the way in 
time, catching each of the ropes in his hand as the blades flew by 
his body until he had them all.

        "Try this on for size!"  Ranma said as he suddenly yanked 
down hard on the ropes, sending Mousse plummeting towards the 
ground only to have him flip upright in mid air and aim his rapidly 
descending form towards Ranma, metal claws extending from his 
shoes as he aimed for the center of Ranma's chest.

        "TAKA ZUME KEN!!!"  Mousse screamed as he tried to
impale Ranma only to have Ranma sidestep from the point of 
impact.  Mousse's claws retract just before he reaches the ground 
but is wide open for a roundkick to the face by Ranma.  Mousse 
goes flying and crashed hard against the stone wall surrounding the 
sidewalk, gasping in pain from the impact as he slowly slid back 
down to the ground.  

        "Guess you forgot to....duck."  Taunted a still-fresh 
Ranma.

        "Come on Ai Ren, stupid Mousse not worth fighting."  
Shampoo said with even more contempt as they turned to leave.

        "Hold it!"  With a mighty effort, Mousse struggled to his
feet, his hard gaze masked by his eyewear.  "We're not finished yet, 
Saotome."

        "Jeez, Mousse, how many times do I have to beat you up 
before you realize you can't win."  Ranma asked in a tired voice.

        "Shampoo is not yours.  I'll fight for her to my last breath."
Mousse said with quiet determination.

        "Hey, anytime you want her she's...."  Ranma quickly cut 
off his sentence as Shampoo glared daggers at him and he decided to 
change the subject.  "Look, I don't want to beat you up again Mousse, 
so give up!"  Ranma said trying to be reasonable, not realizing how 
self centered he sounded.

        "Give up Mousse!"  Shampoo added to his voice.  "Shampoo 
never love you like she love Ranma.  Husband is strong, defeat 
Shampoo in battle, defeat all others in battle, Mousse can't even beat 
Shampoo!  Mousse weak man."
        
        "Then let me prove my love for you by trashing this fool!"  
Mousse offered with his fists clenched.

        "Who are you calling a fool, duck boy?"  Ranma responded 
hotly.

        "Mousse never beat Ranma!  Ranma invincible!  Nyahh!"
Shampoo said as she stuck her tongue out at him.

        "That's right!"  Ranma wholeheartedly agreed.

        Mousse turned to Ranma with a look of anger and betrayal.

        "Why are you encouraging her?  I thought you wanted me 
to have her?  Mousse's eyes narrowed.  Why are you taking her out 
on a date anyway?

        Ranma's face flushed and he started twiddling his fingers.
"Well....um....Shampoo....that is....Kodachi....and then....you see...."

        Shampoo decides to fill in the huge gaps in Ranma's story.
"Ranma knocked out temporality by violent girl.  Then psycho girl 
try to steal Ranma and Shampoo protect him until he wake up.  See?
Shampoo showed her burnt hand to Mousse.  Mousse leaned closer 
and took a good look at them and his gaze darkened even further.

        "Y..Yeah...something like that....then....um....."  Ranma 
tried to add.

        Shampoo interrupted him again by saying in an excited 
voice.  "Then Ranma and Shampoo take hot shower together and
Ranma promise to take Shampoo to date!"

        "WHAT?!?"  Mousse exclaimed with unparalleled fury.  
"NOT ONLY DO YOU RISK MY SHAMPOO'S SAFETY 
AGAINST KUNOU'S DEMENTED SISTER BUT YOU DARE 
GAZE AND WASH MY BRIDE'S NAKED BODY!?!?

        "What?!  No!  That's not how it happened!"  Ranma tried 
to backtrack.  "Shampoo!  Tell him what really happened!"

        "But Ai Ren, that did happen."  Shampoo looked at Ranma 
with confusion.

        "NO!  Tell him how you tried to seduce me and...."  Ranma 
never had a chance to finish his thought before Mousse sent a huge 
black colored mace with a heavy chain attached to it to land on top of
Ranma's head, driving his feet a few inches into the pavement with 
the force of the impact.

        "J....Just give me a chance to explain...."  Ranma said as 
he gritted his teeth against the pain.

        "ENOUGH EXCUSES!  THIS TIME YOU DIE FOR 
SURE!  KEIRAN KEN!!!"  Mousse screamed with finality as he 
pressed his attack by throwing a series of egg bombs at the routed 
Ranma.  They all landed in a circle around him, all ticking 
ominously as Ranma desperately tried to free himself of the 
pavement.  Then with a loud series of KABOOMS, the eggs 
detonated, causing a huge cloud of smoke to surround Ranma as
the explosions released their destructive power upon him.  

        "Shampoo, I've won the battle!  Now you will be mine!" 
 Mousse exclaimed in victory as he rushed forward to embrace his
beloved, only to crash hard into a telephone phone he mistook for
Shampoo.  

        Then when the smoke cleared to reveal....an empty space 
full of small craters and two small impressions in the pavement 
where Ranma's feet were once stuck.

        "What....That's impossible?!"  Mousse couldn't believe it.

        "Looking for someone?"  A voice taunted from above.

        Mousse looked up just in time to catch a heel kick to the
back of his head, driving his face into the concrete and Ranma's
foot along with it.  Ranma twists his heel, grinding Mousse's face
further.

        "Had enough?"  Ranma asked in a serious tone.

        "N...Never...."

        Ranma yelped in pain and surprise as Mousse suddenly 
raised his sleeves and unsheathed his arm blades, slashing both of 
Ranma's shins.  Ranma is then thrown off Mousse as he shed his 
cloak, leaving Mousse barechested.  Mousse then turned to face 
Ranma, his arm blades dripping slightly.

        Mousse gave a cold smile to Ranma.  "Just as you never 
see the legs of a swan in water, you will never see what's up my 
sleeves."  His grin grew wider.    "Until it hits you, that is."
            
        Ranma throws Mousse's cloak off him and rises to his feet,
gently rubbing his shins and trying to stop the bleeding.

        "Mousse...."  Ranma said in a low voice.  "I've gone easy 
on you up till now because I felt sorry for you.  But....you went one 
step too far!"  Ranma cracked his knuckles and assumed an offensive
stance, his face dead serious.  "Now I'm gonna ....!"

        Ranma stopped in mid-sentence as Shampoo suddenly 
produced a bucket of cold water and dumped it over Mousse, 
transforming him into his duck form.  Shampoo then grabbed 
him by the neck and held him tightly for a few seconds until he 
passed out while a confused and angry Ranma looked with
disbelief at Shampoo.

        "Why'd you do that for?  I was about to teach him a 
lesson!"  Ranma angrily demanded.

        "Ranma no fight Mousse any more.  Ranma need strength 
for date with Shampoo later.  Besides, Ranma no stand up for much
longer."  Shampoo replied in a calm voice.

        "What�d mean!?!  I can stand up to Mousse for...."

        Ranma's legs suddenly collapse from under him and he 
lands on his tailbone.  Ranma immediately tried to stand back up to 
no avail, his legs were completely numb.

        "Wha....What happened to me?  Why can't I stand up?!"  
Ranma asked, frustration evident in his tone at being helpless.

        "Mousse coat blades with poison.  Shampoo see blades 
drip with it and knew Ranma need help."    

         "I....I don't need anyone's help!!"  Ranma screamed 
angrily as he tried to rise again, infuriated at having his battle
fought for him yet again.  "I'm a guy, dammit!"

        "No talk stupid Ranma!  Shampoo get antidote for poison.
Wait right here!"  Shampoo scurried off towards the Nekohanten, 
still clutching Mousse-Duck tightly in her fist, leaving a humiliated 
and humbled Ranma behind.

        "Oh man....This just isn't my day."  Ranma shoulders 
slumped,  once again lost in a cloud of dispair.  "Oh well, at least it
can't get any worse...."

        "Oh Ranma...."

        Ranma spun around, fully expecting to see Akane with her 
mallet, ready to pound him to a bloody pulp, but instead sees Nabiki

        "Oh, it's only you."  Ranma breathed a sigh of relief.  Then 
he noticed the smile on Nabiki's face and immediately became tense
again.  "W...What?  Why're looking at me like that for?"  he 
stammered.

        "I was on my way home from school and just thought I paid
the Nekohanten a little visit."  Nabiki said with a sly smile.  "I trust
you've recovered from Akane's reaction to your food criticism?"

        "Uh, y....yeah....good as new....heh...."  Ranma tried his 
best to sound relaxed, stretching out his arms behind his head for 
good measure.

        "I'm so glad to hear it.  I wasn't feeling too well myself so
I decided to leave class early."  Nabiki paused for a moment to take
a deep breath and then continued.  "But....I forgot about a certain 
homework assignment I'd left in my locker in the girl's gym....

        Ranma freezes.  Solid.  He closes his eyes.

        "Ohnoohnopleaseno....."  Ranma whimpered to himself.

        ....and saw the most interesting photo opportunity in the
girl's shower of all places!  Imagine that!"  Nabiki smirked.

        Ranma glared at Nabiki.  "Don't you have any shame?!?  
Ain't I got a right to any privacy anymore!  Everytime something 
bad happens to me, you end up making it worse!  Why do you 
always pick on me?  he growled.

        "Why, whatever do you mean?"  Nabiki said in a innocent 
voice.  "I exploit everyone equally.  Kunou....family members...."  
Nabiki smirks again.  "Fiancees....and strangers alike!  I don't play 
favorites.  

        "Yeah, you're an equal opportunity exploiter." Ranma 
sarcastically implied.  "We don't screw you, you screw us right?

        The smile vanished.  "Just for that, I'm raising the price of
my silence."  Nabiki said matter-of-factly.

        "Silence?"  Ranma stared blankly at her.

        "The photos of you and Shampoo in the shower of course.
Be a real shame if I had to tell my little sister about your two 
timing...."  Nabiki voice trailed off.

        Ranma was glad he couldn't stand up right now, he was 
sorely tempted to teach Nabiki a lesson about now, girl or no girl.

        "Oh no you don't!  I've already been blackmailed once 
today!  Gimme those photos Nabiki, NOW!"  Ranma said in his best 
icy tone of voice.

        Nabiki smiled and patted Ranma on the head, infuriating 
him further.  "First of all Ranma, I know you, you won't hit me or 
any other girl no matter how angry you get.  Second, I don't have 
the photos with me.  The *film* is being developed as we speak by a 
friend of mine.  And third, even you were willing to take the film 
from me by force, you can't even stand up."

        Ranma glowered with silent fury as he realized Nabiki was
right and she once again had him over a barrel.

        "Aright."  Defeat was evident in Ranma's voice.  "Just tell 
me how much it'll cost me to keep this quiet and get it over with.

        "Don't be ridiculous!  Do you really think I would have 
gone to all this trouble so I could get a measly 1500 yen from your 
wallet?"  Nabiki admonished Ranma.

        "Then what do you want?"  Ranma asked, afraid of the 
answer.

        Nabiki knelt down next to Ranma and looked him right in
the eyes, their faces centimeters apart.

        "I want you, Ranma sweetie."  Nabiki whispered in a 
breathy voice.

        "WHAT?!?!"  Ranma looked at Nabiki in disbelief.

        "I want you....to be my personal slave."  Nabiki finished in
a normal tone.

        "S....Slave....?"  Ranma gasped.

        "Yes.  I need you to perform several tasks for me, shake 
down the welchers, acquire things for me no one else can, charm
those who would refuse my generous offers, little things like that."

        "No way!  I belong to nobody!"  Ranma shouted, his male
pride taking over the rational part of his mind.

        "Ooookay, suit yourself."  Nabiki turned to walk away.  "I
guess Akane will just have to be told of your cheating....as well as
Kunou....and let's not forget Ukyou....and Kodachi....Daddy....your 
father...."

        Ranma shuddered as he thought of all of those people
seeing those photos.  Pop beating him up, Mr. Tendo wailing and
turning into that demon head, Ukyou flattening his skull with her
spatula and Akane....Akane....

        "How long?"  whispered Ranma.

        Nabiki stopped and turned around.  "What was that 
Ranma?"

        Ranma swallowed hard and repeated. "How long?  How
long do I have to help you out?"

        Nabiki gaze became thoughtful.  "Well....I was going to say
a week, but after that vulgar comment you made to me earlier...."  
Nabiki thought it over for a few moments.   "About a month should 
cover it."

        Ranma groaned and then weakly nodded his head.

        "Excellent.  In that case you have my word no one will ever 
see those photos."  Nabiki said in her most sincere voice, which was 
frighteningly realistic.  "I know you have a date with Shampoo 
tonight so I'll be generous and give you the day off but starting 
tomorrow....you're mine.  Understand, slave?

        "Don't push your luck Nabiki.  I'm still Ranma."

        Nabiki considers responding to that but sees the look in 
Ranma's eyes and knows she has already pushed her luck to 
dangerous levels.  "I'd better smooth things over a bit."  she noted to 
herself as she spoke again.  "Okay, Ranma.  I'll see you 
tomorrow....I'll even provide an alibi for your whereabouts tonight so 
you don't have to worry about anyone finding out about your date 
with Shampoo.  See ya!

        Nabiki finally leaves Ranma alone, who is now looking 
suicidal.  A few moments later, Shampoo came back out of the 
Nekohanten with a vial full of green liquid.  She kneels down next
to Ranma and offers it to him.

        "Sorry Shampoo take so long.  Here, drink."  Shampoo 
offered.  

        Ranma takes the vial and swallows the liquid in one gulp.  
Then Ranma feels his legs tingle and a moment later he finds he 
can move them again.  Ranma stands up, tests them out with a few
kicks and then looks at Shampoo.

        "Thanks.  Where's Mousse?"  Ranma wondered.

        "In cage.  Where he belong."  Shampoo replied.  Then a 
look of concern crossed her face and she placed a hand on 
Ranma's shoulder.   "What wrong Ai Ren?  You look sad."

        "I...."  Ranma considers telling Shampoo about Nabiki but
decides against it since Shampoo would most likely try to hurt 
Nabiki and cause even more trouble than he needed.  "Never mind,
I need to go and think for a while."

        "But Ai Ren....!"  Shampoo began to protest.

        "I promise I'll be back here tonight for our date.  I just 
want some time alone until then, okay?"  Ranma said in a tired 
voice.

        "Okay."  Shampoo turned back to the restaurant.  "See you
tonight for date!  Shampoo happily bounced back into the restaurant,
leaving Ranma alone on the street.  He releases a long sigh and looks
up at the sky, judging by the way the day has gone so far, he fully 
expects it to grow cloudy and rain again, turning him into his female 
form where Kunou would miraculously show up at that exact moment 
and try to glomp onto him....

        Ranma suddenly turned away from the Nekohanten and ran
away at top speed, heading to the one place he could seek shelter for 
a little while....


*       *       *


THE TENDO DOUJOU
3:50 P.M.

        "There!  Try to get out of that one Tendo!"

        Soun Tendo stared at the Go board with a growing 
frustration, running his hands through his tangled hair.  Genma sat 
on the opposite side with a smug look on his face.  "I've got you right 
where I want you!"  Genma couldn't resist adding after seeing Soun's 
reaction.

        "Just be quiet!  I'm thinking...."  Soun snapped at his 
lifetime friend.

        "Thinking of ways to admit you're beaten, is that it?" 
Genma replied in a mock serious tone.

        Soun ignored Genma and tried to concentrate on the board,
trying to see the one move Genma didn't anticipate, the one move 
that could turn the tables....

        "You know Tendo...."  Genma started but paused.

        "What?"  A weary Soun replied.

        "If I didn't know better, I'd say your mind was elsewhere.
Is something bothering you, old friend?  Genma noted with concern.

        "Well....to be honest....I'm worried about the master."  Soun
said, uncertainty creeping into his voice.

        Genma's frown deepened and a thin line creased his brow 
with the mention of Happosai.  "How so?"

        "Kasumi said he came home during the storm with a girl 
over his shoulder.  He said he had found her lying on the ground in
front of the school and was bringing her here to warm her up."  Soun
continued in a worried tone of voice.  "Kasumi offered to take the 
girl into the bath and dry her clothes but the Master refused and said 
he would take care of her himself.  Then he took her into his room 
and slammed the door."  

        Soun paused to take a long sip of his tea and then looked 
back up at Genma.  

        "He's been in there with her for over an hour and hasn't 
made a sound."

        "Well....that's good isn't it?"  Genma offered.

        "I'm worried the master is up to no good."  Soun sighed.  
"He's already made our life a living hell when we were training 
under him for all those years.  And then he started stealing 
underwear and food from this town and the mayor wants me to 
bring him to justice, even though he's living in the same house as 
us!"  Soun voice was approaching panic as he continued.  
"What....What if he's sunk low enough to start kidnapping girls,
bringing them to MY doujou and having his evil way with them?
I would be disgraced!  Accused of running a brothel!"

        "Is that what you're worried about, Tendo?"  Genma tried
to reassure him.  "The master may be pure evil, but I've never seen
him go farther with women than peeking at them in showers, making 
them wear bras and panties and coping a cheap feel now and then.

        "That's bad enough!"  Soun's voice was definitely full of
panic now.  "What will I do, Saotome?  I don't want him to bring 
disgrace to our family!"

        "Have you actually checked on the Master's room?"  
Genma inquired.

        "Are you crazy?!  And risk incurring his wrath again?!  
The last time I woke him up early he forced me to wash his entire
panty collection.  All 500,000 of them!  My hands were so sore and 
red, I couldn't make a fist for a week."  Soun slumped down in 
depression.  "Face it Saotome, we'll never be rid of him, no matter 
how hard we try.

        "Don't lose hope, Tendo!"  Genma said, trying to cheer 
his friend up.  "One day your daughter and my son will be in 
charge of this doujou and since Ranma is now Happ....the master's 
heir to the Anything Goes School of Marital Arts, he'll have to 
leave us alone eventually.

        "Or die in his sleep...."  Soun tried to hide a smile but 
failed.

        Genma laughed out loud.  "Amen to that!  Now come on 
Tendo, let's continue our game, drink our tea and forget the world's 
noises for a little while, okay?

        "Okay, Saotome....You've convinced me."  Soun's spirits 
lifted a bit.  He looked down on the board and remembered he was 
still in trouble, but now that his mind was clear....

        "Oh Kasumi, could you please bring us some more tea?"
Soun asked.

        Kasumi popped her head from the kitchen.  "I'll be right 
there father.  Mr. Saotome, would you like some as well?"

        Genma turned towards Kasumi.  "Sure, that'd be great, 
Kasumi.  Thank you!"

        Genma smiled as he turned back to face Soun.  "You sure 
are lucky to have a daughter that attentive to your needs.  Genma 
sighed to himself.  "My ungrateful son wouldn't know civility if it
reached up and....

        Genma eyes grow to huge proportions as he notices the
Go board is no longer going in his favor, quite the opposite actually.

        "Uh....Tendo....Did you move yet?"  Genma asked 
cautiously 
      
        "I'm still waiting for you to move remember?" Soun 
admonished with a slight smile on his face.

        "Yes, but....I could have sworn.....I mean...."  Genma 
sputtered.

        "Don't you remember me moving earlier?  Don't tell me
you're getting senile in your old age?"  Soun said with a serious 
expression.

        "Of....Of course not!  I....I knew it was still my move....I 
was just....seeing if you were paying attention, that's all!

        Genma rubbed his temples wearily as he attempted to find
a way out of the trap he had fallen into.  Soun glanced towards the
kitchen and smiled.

        "Attentive indeed."  he thought to himself.

        
*       *       *


FURINKAN HIGH SCHOOL
4:35 P.M.       
  
        The dismissal bell had already rung as Kunou approached 
the door to Akane's classroom.  He had been searching the halls for 
the last three hours in vain for his pig-tailed goddess, thanks to a tip
from Nabiki Tendo which proved to be false.  This surprised him as 
Nabiki's information, while expensive, had never been wrong until
now.  Then again, Nabiki had not yet charged him for the 
information....  
         
        Kunou decided to ask Nabiki about it later as he entered 
Akane's classroom, ready to take her up on the date he had 
promised.  He was surprised to see his beloved talking to a pathetic
excuse for a student.  Then Kunou remembered the boy as someone
who had assisted him in the past.  Godsukuri or something like that.

        The boy was talking to Akane and holding out a series of 
what appeared to be pathetic excuses for dolls for her to take.  They 
were made of straw, without paint or clothes, a small green bow 
tied around the neck of each one.

        Kunou frowned and began to walk over towards them.  Even
if this Godsukuri wretch had helped him in the past, that gave him no
excuse to speak so freely to his darling Akane!  He would have to show
him his place....


*       *       *

CONTINUED IN PART 4  PAGE 2 of 3