I originally posted this several months ago.  At the time I had planned a
fourth Chapter dealing with Ranma and Akane's wedding.  However I decided to
make that a seperate story.

Is this "ready" for RAAC. C&C is both desired and welcomed

=============================================================
Future Ranma: Memories

Northern Japan 2032  0001 hours

 * The Flames, the beam, Ranma where are you?  Were are the
others?  Help!!! * Akane sat up in bed, calling with no words,
sweating, shaking.  "Ranma!!" She felt his arms around him.  She
shagged against him * Safe. *

"Akane ... What was it?" Ranma asked worry in his face. Akane
looked up at her husband of so many years.  Age had treated
Ranma much better than his father, he was still fit, strong and had
all his hair, although now some grey was streaking it.   * Like mine. *
"I was back at the time of  the earthquake.  I couldn't find you or the
children.  There was fire and a falling beam.  I couldn't dodge.  I
thought I had lost all of you."

Ranma hugged her tighter, while he still had problems with public
displays of affection, here at least he could show it.  "I know, I
was getting Rho out when it happened.  I thought I had lost you,
then Uc-chan..."

"Yes, Uc-chan."  Akane sighed, letting Ranma rock her.  * Did it
really have to take that for us to reconcile?  Yes, * she thought
*  It did for me to do it fully.  And then Uc-chan .... *
=================================================
 ** 1996 **

Akane was hiding on a roof as Ranma stood before Ukyou.

"What was on your mind Uc-chan!!  Shampoo I half-expected,
Kodochi I'm surprised didn't try it.  But you?"

"I..I..I'm sorry Ran-chan, but it..it.  I don't know why for sure,
one last try maybe?"

"You should know better!  It will be years before I get the nerve to
do it again but I am going to marry Akane."   Akane buried her gasp
into her hands.   *He does love me!*

Ranma faced away from his best friend,  hands clinched, "I know it
hurts Uc-chan, but I'm going to do it.  If I could spare you I could, but
I can't."

Ukyou was on her knees.  Ranma looked at her and had a rare
moment of insight.  "No, don't you dare.  I know what you are
thinking.  If you do that I could never give you forgiveness.  And you
could never make it up to Akane.  I want the woman I love and my
best friend to at least get along.   You're like me, stubborn, unwilling
to give up on a fight.  Life is a fight, don't give up, don't throw it."

Ukyou got up, turned and ran away.

* Ranma, maybe your strong enough to forgive her.  But right now
I'm not, maybe never.*

She hadn't told him what she had seen and heard, at least not until
_that_ day. But she never objected when Konatsu asked for
Ranma's help when dealing with Ukyou.  Once Ukyou almost did do
"it", but Ranma, Konatsu and  Stewart, their friend from America,
saved her.  Stewart had used one of his gifts to shock her heart into
moving again, while Konatsu and Ranma had preformed two man
CPR on her before he arrived.  * Thank the gods the government
required all licensed Martial Arts instructors to have at least that
knowledge *

Stewart had told her of what happened next.  "We got her to the
E.R. in time Akane," his voice soft and gravelly at the same time as
his own wife sat next to him. " Although the docs had the devil of a
time getting her breathing her own. Ranma gave Konatsu credit for
dragging him down when Konatsu had a "vision" as he called it.
Five minutes more and there would have been nothing anyone could
do,"  he looked at his coffee, "I had my people drop Ranma off in
one of our sleep rooms back at the building.  He was exhausted
from the CPR,  I also think he was trying to use his chi  to  help her,
but he lacked the knowledge to use it correctly."  He  grinned for a
second, "He told me to make sure you knew everything he did.  He
sounded like a Captain I knew back in the 'Nam, the one I relieved
when he got hit.  He's still Ranma, but he's grown up a lot."

*We both have. *

Akane continued  to reminisces.  When Ukyou  had finally woke up,
Konatsu was there holding her hand.  She and Ranma had been in
the waiting room waiting for some word.  She  had let him go in, but
she still couldn't bring herself to see Ukyou face to face. She had
know it had hurt him some, but she also knew he knew why, it wasn't
time yet..."

===================================================

1999

Akane had just finished cleaning their new apartment.  Ranma  and
herself had gotten married quarters at the university,  in part
thanks to Nabiki's connections.  They still fought some but not as
hard as the old days.  She laughed.  "I think I shocked him more
when I pulled out that noise-making mallet instead of my old one."
And they were both doing  well in school, a plesant surprise for both
of them.  Ranma as a PE major with a business minor of all things *
Watch out Nabiki, if he figures out how to do 'Martial Arts Business' *
Akane had decided on Theater Arts, but she was also minoring in
PE.  "We  are both going to carry on the Tradition," she had told him
in no uncertain terms.  "So accept it."

She had even learned to cook better.  "But I have to admit, to myself
at least, I will never be as good as Kasumi.  And Nabiki never even
tried to learn!!"  And today they were going to celebrate their 6th
month anniversary!  She had taken extra time to be even more
careful, and had known that it was going to be as perfect as it could
be.  "Even if he does still tease me about it!!"

Ranma bounded in through the door.  "Happy Anniversary!!  And
I've got good news!!!!"

"Nabiki's not going to make  you do that modeling gig?"

"No, but it is good.  Uc-chan's marrying Konatsu!!  Finally!!"

"I see.  Are we invited?" Akane said in a "I hope not" tone.

"Yes we are, in fact here is  the invitation.  And it is addressed to
BOTH of us."

Akane wrung her hands.  "Ranma ... I ... still."

"Akane, we can be in the back, and if you want we can skip the
reception.  That is what she did at our wedding."

"I never saw her, were you looking for her?"  the familiar blue glow
was surrounding Akane, but she hadn't lashed out yet.

"No, my favorite tomboy, I wasn't.  Like you I was in to much of a
daze.  But Mom saw her and talked to her.  Uc-chan and Konatsu
paid for the flowers, Mom said.  They weren't sure if you would
accept anything else from them."

"OK" she said reluctantly as the glow disappeared, "we will go".  It
would be the closest she would be to Ukyou for 10 years.

=================================================
January 2009

Akane held her first born to her breast.  "At last!! We've tried for
so long, For a while I thought the curse had made him sterile, but
now we know it was something else."  Akane pushed that thought
aside. "You little Artru are the best revenge for that.  And I  plan on
giving you plenty of Brothers and Sisters to play with."  Ranma still
had that same look all first time fathers had, even after three days.

"We are ready to go home now Akane.  Here let me lift you into your
wheel chair."  Akane's protest were deliberately feeble.

As they rolled out toward the  taxi some one intercepted them from
the side.  Ranma when to a defensive stance.  They both thought
Cologne or Kodochi might try something. But it was...  "Ukyou?"
"Uc-chan?"

"Hi.  Congratulations.  Here is something for the baby.  Bye." Then
she fled.  It was baby clothes, with little okonomiyaki drawn on
them.

"Thank you Ukyou," called out Akane to Ukyou's retreating
back. She rushed into a very nice car and was driven away.

"She must be doing well with the shops," Ranma mused out loud.

"Financially at least." said Akane.  * Is it time yet?  Are we both
strong enough?* "But we are doing fine at the Dojo, aren't we?"

"Well I had to do some  more 'Nabiki Work' to take up the slack for
the classes and acting jobs you couldn't do, but yes, we are.  This
little guy" he let his first born grab his finger, "Isn't going to want for
anything."

"Good, and you had better keep both your shapes, because he is not
going to be an only child, got it?"

=================================================
2025

"Mother are you Ok?" Nadia, her youngest daughter, looked up at
her.  At twelve she was trying to learn several things at once, Kempo
and Anything Goes from Ranma and herself, and cooking from
Kasumi.  Going in several directions slowed her down in some
areas, she was not as good as her elder sister Ranko, for example,
in fighting.

* But already she is almost as good at cooking as Kasumi. *  Smiling
she said "I just feel anxious about something, I don't know what.
You go on cooking.  Are you using one of your", Akane's voice
caught a bit, "Grandmother Tendo's recipes from her book?"

Before Nadia could answer her little brother came in.  "Could it be
some of your old rivals for Dad?" asked Rho.  Akane sometimes
thought he was just to inquisitive, but he had a sharp mind, and
loved all sorts of puzzles.

"I don't think so.  They always struck without warning, and it was so
constant I could only tell just prior to an attack."  She ruffled his hair,
getting a 11 year old's protest in response. "Everything will be OK"

Early the next morning the earthquake hit.

"I've found Rho!  He's fine, just shaken!  Artru's got the others out!
Let's go!!  Head for the Dojo!!"  shouted  Ranma over the flames
roar.

Akane pushed her way through the rubble.  * That makes sense,
it is less likely to collapse than this place. *  They had been living
in a condo/apartment building close to the Dojo, they had loved
being back in the old neighborhood, even with the changes, and the
children liked being near all their Grandparents.   This earthquake,
however was worse than the largest fight they had ever been in.
Ranma had cleared the building while Akane was doing a last check
to see if  she could help anyone of her neighbors.  Then  an
aftershock caused some of the debris to shift, trapping Akane's foot.
As she tried to free herself she saw a beam start to fall.  "No!!
Ranma!!  Help!!!"  she had just enough time to realize she was
going to miss seeing all her children grow up when a figure bounded
past Ranma.

"Akane!  No!!" shouted Ranma as he gave his youngest to his
second eldest.  But the figure had thrown something at the beam.
The end that was going to crush Akane was sliced neatly off,
missing her.  Then an object was slammed into place to keep the
beam from falling further.  It looked like a giant ... Spatula??

"Ukyou?"
"Quick free yourself, Ran-chan will never forgive either of  us if you
die now."

Akane had no problem obeying that request.  Turning they started to
run out. Then Ukyou's giant Spatula gave way.  Akane leaped clear
but Ukyou was now trapped and the route they had planned to use
was also blocked.

"Go, leave me!  It's what I deserve after ..."

Akane's eyes hardened.  "No Way, not now!  Now that we both have
the strength"  Dimly she was aware of Ranko and Ranma trying to
clear a path to them.  Artru was behind them shoring up what he
could, telling to be carefull where they chi-blasted.  But she was
focused on Ukyou.

Strength.

Akane tapped  something deep inside herself, something she now
knew she could have tapped earlier if any of her children had been
trapped and unable to  free themselves.

Strength.

But now it was Ukyou, she needed the help, after she had risked
herself to save her main rival.

Strength.

She had seen the old leach do it, she saw her father-in-law do it as
well, but not for long.  Now she knew how to do it, she had just
needed the proper motivation.

Strength.

And now she had it.  A blue aura formed around Akane, but
not the familiar one of anger.  This one  was much larger. It looked
like an even stronger version of her younger self.  She moved as if
the aura was her body, making a grasping motion with her hands.
The aura's hands were directed toward what was trapping Ukyou,
who was still begging Akane to leave her behind, to save herself.
Akane moved like she  was lifting a heavy  object .

Strength.

And it moved.  Ukyou was so shocked Akane had to reach out and
"fling" her toward safety.  Her oldest child caught her.

"Now we _all_ get out of here"  she heard herself  say as she let the
power leave her.
"Uc-chan"
===================================================
2032  0100 hours

Akane finished the herbal tea she had made for herself to relax.  Her
middle child had just come in, most likely from some business deal,
how she could give birth to a male Nabiki, she just didn't know.
* That's unfair, but he does have some of her traits.   Including some
of her looks.*  She grinned a small grin.  * But he also has some
very redeeming traits as well. *    Even if he  was the weakest of all
her fighting children he would defend anyone of them, or his
parents, like a lion.

"Mom, why are you up?  You didn't have to wait up for me."

"Who says I can't?  Besides, I couldn't  sleep.  So I was just
sitting here, thinking of things."

"Like?"

"What friends will do for one another, and how forgiveness is so
important."

"You OK Mom?"

"I'm fine Mendo "  she said with a smile, * Now *

Northern Japan 2032  0130 hours

The first cup of tea Akane had drank hadn't worked.  So after talking to
Mendo for a while she made another.  Then she walked out to the front
porch, sipping at it.

Wrapped in a robe she gazed across the road to the compound on the
other side.  There she saw a light on.  Her mind wandered.

* Ataru must be working on a project.  Hope he remembers to come
over tomorrow. *   Her oldest child was a surprise in more ways than
one.   * Kodochi almost had her revenge. *  she thought sipping her
tea.  * And dammed clever at it to. *

For the first nine years of their marriage, Kodochi had gotten a
contraceptive into her food, a powerful organic one from her garden.
She and Ranma had tried many things, including several fertility clinics
and consults with Dr. Toufu.

She smiled at the thought. * He's my brother-in-law, and I still think of
him Doctor Toufu.  I'm glad he and Kasumi got together and that they
are as happy as me and Ranma. *

But even he couldn't  deduce why she and Ranma hadn't had a child.
But the last clinic had found out why.

======================================================

2008

"Ms. Tendo, why are you using a contraceptive?"

"Doctor we are not, we are doing everything we can execpt primitive
fertility rites!!"

"Yeah, we really want children for ... many reasons." Ranma had stood
behind Akane.

"Hmmmm are you into organic food?" asked the doctor.

"We eat healthy if that's what you mean." responded Akane.  Ranma for
once ignored a chance to  tease Akane about her cooking.

"I'm asking because I've found traces of a natural organic contraceptive
in your blood, urine and stool samples Ms. Tendo and in your
husband's."

Both their faces showed stunned disbelief. The doctor continued.  "I
asked because the contraceptive is a type of pollen.  It is currently
popular with those who are into organic food.  It does have some minor
health benefits, and it can be mixed with just about any type of food.  It's
contraceptive capabilities are not well know to the public,  due to the
doses envolved to get that effect."

After assuring the doctor they would check their diets, and making
another appointment, they left the clinic in silence.

As they walked to their car Ranma spoke up.  "So it isn't either one of
us, that's a relief."

"Ranma, if it had been my 'fault' what would you have done?"

"I don't know Akane, but my fault, your fault or our fault, I would never
give up on you.  And if we never do have children, we can help Nabiki
and Kasumi with theirs."

"Nabiki hasn't any yet either" she reminded him.

"Yeah but ..."

"Ranma?"

"I think we need to visit the family money bags, come on."

-- Later --

"She has done well hasn't she?" Ranma asked rhetorical as they stood
at the base of the TN Enterprises building.

"Well, at least part of the success is due to you." Ranma blushed.

TN Enterprises was a very diversified corporation.  But the three
starting divisions were an Information bureau, a detective agency,
and a modeling agency, all well suited for Nabiki's demonstrated
talents.  'Ranko' Tendo had been one the modeling agency's early
draws.  Nabiki had finally let him stop, but in exchange he had to
train her security forces in Kempo.  He had done such a good job that
she soon had added a bodyguard service.  But Nabiki agreed that
trying to teach Any Thing Goes Special Techniques to large numbers of
outsiders would be a very a bad idea.  Still Ranma and Akane were on
the lookout for worthy students.

"Let's go in" he said when he was finished blushing.

{Madam CEO, your younger sister and brother-in-law are here.} came
over the intercom.

The door to the inner office opened and Nabiki came out.  "Hi Sis,
Ranma, what is the occasion?  You don't need a loan do you?  I
thought the Dojo was doing fine."

Ranma shook his head.  "It's doing fine, thanks.  We don't need a  loan,
but we do need to know something." Nabiki got 'that look' in her eyes.
"Come on in, you not interrupting anything major.  Me and Kurt were just
going over some reports," she motioned with her hands for them to
enter.  "No calls until we tell you," she said to the secretary.

Akane saw her other brother-in-law rise from the couch he was sitting
on.  He approached her and with Old World charm he bowed and kissed
her hand.  "This is an all to rare occasion my dear sister-in-law.  And are
you well brother-in-law?"

"I'm fine Kurt-san, thanks for asking."

The whole family had been surprised when Nabiki had introduced the
European as her fiancee. They had met in college, naturally.  His
parents were diplomats and he had spent much  of his life in Japan.
Although he had a German accent, his Japanese so perfect, no one had
trouble understanding him.  At first everyone thought that Nabiki had
finally succumbed to some one's charm, but that turned out to be only
the initial attraction.  Somehow Nabiki had found a soul-mate.  Kurt
was the Vice-CEO for  TN Enterprises and one reason why there was an
import/export division.

Nabiki sat behind her desk.  "So what is the problem?"

"We just came from the fertility clinic your doctor recommended", said
Ranma, "And they asked us why we were using a contraceptive."

"Vas?" said Kurt.  "I thought you two were using every fertility
trick in the book."

Akane blushed now.  "Well, not the ones Hopposii suggested when we
got married."

Ranma continued.  "The doctor said it was a natural, organic one, that
could be placed in food.  Neither of us have done it, so it has to be
someone outside.  I can think of three suspects, I would like you to find
out who."

 Akane instantly guessed the three. "Cologne, Shampoo, and Kodochi,"
she almost spat out.  Nabiki nodded slowly.

"We  can eliminate Shampoo for the moment though," said Nabiki
in a meditive way, "We've kept her to busy."

"What?"  they said in chorus.

"Oh you didn't know did you?  We've started a China Trade and fast
food division a few years back.  Shampoo is the executive in charge of
both divisions."  Nabiki had her cat in the cream look.  "She had done
very well for both us and herself, all we had to do was get her away from
the old ghoul.  Stewart helped out on that."

Ranma and Akane were still stunned.  "It is amazing how well the
Chinese Amazon philosophy adapts to big business." added Kurt.

"So it most likely not Shampoo.  The others however...." Nabiki
looked  calculating. * Oh great, it comes the price. * thought Ranma
and Akane.  * Most likely she wants me to do a calendar or something.
* thought Ranma.

Nabiki startled them.  "Sis do you still want to direct?"  Akane had
a moderately successful time as an actress, but had also discovered
she liked to direct while in college.  That was the last time she had
done so though.  "Because if you do we have a film presentation we
want to make up for prospective clients. We will pay you for what you
would have gotten for the classes you'll miss teaching plus," Nabiki
looked at her husband, who was holding up two fingers "twenty
percent.  In return we will check out your suspects and see how they
are getting that stuff into you."

Akane did a quick check in her head.  * It's less than guild rates,
but the opportunity ...*  "OK"

Ranma didn't know if should look relieved or not.  Then he looked at
Akane.  * It's something she really wants to do. *

======================================================

And she did it well.  So well that she now had a very large number of
well received commercials to her credit.  * But I've never gotten to do a
a full length  movie or be the regular director for TV series.  But my
specials have been well recieved.* she pouted as she sipped her tea.
But she still was active as well as doing some community theater, both
directing and acting.

* And thanks to Nabiki I got to finish my first show, and see my revenge
all on the same day *

======================================================

2008 - one month later

"Cut, print, That's a wrap folks!"  The final scene for TN
Enterprises presentation was complete.  It covered everything the
management (Namely Nabiki) had wanted, but in a very entertaining,
exciting way.

"Great Tomboy!"

"Ranma, you saw!  Wasn't it great!!  Nabiki has another one lined up
for me and someone else wants me to do a series of TV commercials."
Akane had picked up Ranma and was swinging him around.

"Offf.  And Nabiki says she also has good news."

======================================================
Nabiki looked unusally grim.  In a tight voice she announced, "It was
Kodochi.  One of her little experiments in gardening.   She bred a strain
of that plant that was specific to the Tendo family.  I'm not sure where
she got the DNA but she did."

Akane blue aura was flaming.  "Why that witch, I'll shove that ribbon
she likes so much up her..."

Ranma was just as angry.  "After all this time!  Just out of spite!!
I don't like to fight women but .."

Akane's aura set off the sprinkler system.  Kurt had been told of
Ranma's problem, but had not seen the change, except for the one
"demonstration" when he was first told of the curse.

"Fascinating.  I can understand your anger, but my dear wife has
already taken care of the matter." he said as he started to warm up
some water.

"Nabiki" they shouted together.

"It was beyond just you and Ranma Sis.  It got personal."  Nabiki
faced the window.

"The pollen was in the rice we ate (We? they thought).  Cooking
doesn't destroy it, and it doesn't affect the taste.  Kodochi
arranged for all the rice in that market to be dusted with the
pollen.  It only effects those of the Tendo blood, so no one would
suspect.  By coincidence," Nabiki turned back to her sister and
brother-in-law, "my chief also shops at the same market you do Sis.
We want at least one child of our own too.  That little witch was
screwing us both over."  She looked at her watch.  "Almost news time,
think it made it?"

Kurt turned on a TV.  "Lets see."

About midway through the program they heard.  "And in Nermia the
historic Kuno mansion was the site of a fire today.  Thankfully there
was no loss of life and the blaze was contained to a recent addition,
a greenhouse.  Unfortunately the greenhouse was a total loss, with
several varieties of rare plants being consumed by the blaze.  In
other news....."

Nabiki smiled wickedly.  "And there will be no investigation, as there
would be to many difficult questions directed at them as well."

Kurt's grin matched his wife.  "Especially if the fire was started by
something like an electrical fault or in some of the gardening
supplies."

The two business people  turned toward their relatives.  "No we don't
usually work like that, but we do know were to find such people."
said Kurt.  "And like I said earlier, it got personal." added Nabiki.
* And this is just your revenge Sis.  What me and Kurt got in mind for
our payback...*

======================================================

2032  0145 hours

Akane gazed out over the landscape, eyes always returning to the lit
window.  "And with the world like it is today, they need that
toughness.  I'm glad we came here after the quake."

But after a few months more of trying, she had found out she was
carrying Ataru.  It was hard to tell who was more happy, Ranma or
Akane.  And then only a month after she got back she was pregnant
again, with Ranko who was born in late October.  After that they
decided to space the children further apart.  And the talents all her
children showed!!"

* But it was a shock when he told us he was not interested in the
Martial Arts *  she thought as she looked at a painting, * But he is
still an artist of another type. And if I was crazy enough to make
the same agreement as Nodoka-san did about Ranma, Ataru would
have no worries.*

* Painter, sculpture, Landscaping and carpentery.  Handy, that last,
especially when the others act like we did when we were younger. *

That in fact was Ataru's official job, caretaker of the "retreat"
complex run jointly by TN Enterprises and WIH.  He had taken over
from Ranma when Ataru had turned 18.  That was also when he first
sold some of his artwork.

* But not any of his first works. * she thought, looking back at the
painting.   It showed the whole family and was an excellent likeness.
Several more could be found all over the house.  All signed simply
"Ataru"

Her oldest.

2033 0200 hours

Akane return to the present for a moment while she sipped her tea.
She was thinking about her final rival for Ranma now.  At least
Shampoo's attempts had gotten sloppy, at least until the earthquake,
then they had stopped all together.  "I wonder why?  Why did Shampoo
stop attacking?" she  said out loud to herself.

"Because Me tell Great-Grandmother and Village Elders big lie," came a
soft reply.  Akane instinctively whirled and threw her now cold tea at the
figure.

The expected change happened.

Then she detected an second presence.  It was Mousse.  "You _have_
gotten better.  Here." he produced a thermos bottle from his robe,
"We expected something like this to happen."  He left the bottle on
the floor. Then he addressed the small cat.  "I'll be waiting at the
inn."  Then he affectionately scratched the cat's  head, who purred.
"All she wants to do is talk."

Then silently he was gone.

Akane looked down.  "You promise all you want to do is talk?"  The
cat nodded.  "OK I'll change you in the kitchen."

"So what do you want to tell me?" Akane asked after the change had
occurred and Shampoo was once again dressed.

"That now you free under Amazon law."

"I've told you ..." Akane began.

Shampoo held up her hand, a frown of concentration appearing on her
face.  "That Amazon law has no power here in Japan.  I know.  But this
way Great-Grandmother can't use it as an excuse to pursue you."

Akane was shocked at Shampoo's now near-perfect Japanese. "How did
you ..."

Shampoo smiled.  "Me have funny disease, Nabiki discover.  She call
it 'Foreign Speech Dyslexia'."  Shampoo had badly mispronounced the
last three words.  "Unless me concentrate me always talk like this if
me not talking Mandarin."  She looked at Akane. "Can use in
negotiations real good, they think Shampoo stupid, fall in traps."

Akane shook her head.  * First the dream about Ukyou now  this.  What
a strange night. * "So what is this lie, and why are we now free."

"Akane remember how me kept after you after .. first wedding" Akane
nodded, it was one of the things that had made the rest of high
school so ... interesting. "But did Akane notice," Shampoo's frown
returned for a moment, "that the level of attacks were less, once you
got married and into college?  That you had an easier time dealing with
them?"

Akane thought back.  "She's right!!  In fact I remember telling
Ranma that Shampoo must have been getting desperate, they were so
easy to avoid."

"That because Nabiki make up good plan.  Get help from American
Friend too."

"Stewart?  He never said anything."

"You no ask."

"Oh."

======================================================
1999

<What do we do now Great-Grandmother?  Ranma and Akane are now
married!!  We might have stopped them if those American mercenaries
hadn't interfered>

<I know  Great-Granddaughter, and we will make plans just as soon
...>  Cologne suddenly threw a glass of water into the rafters.
Where the splash caught Mousse.  < as we take care of any spies>

They had just finished netting the duck when a figure blocked the
door.

"We closed today.  Must make plans, come back ..." Shampoo
recognize the figure now, "Tomorrow?"

Cologne turned.  "You!!!"

"Hi!" The one speaking had a very gravelly voice.  "You not planning
to spoil things again are you?"  Taking in the netted duck with
glasses.  "Guess you are.  When are you going to give it up?"

Cologne was livid.  "Get out of here!!"

"Why afraid I might screw up your plans, again?"

Cologne advanced, her staff at the ready.  The man grabbed something
off his belt and threw it at her.  Disdainfully she batted it aside.
"I expected that, do you think I was not watching your test with
Shampoo?  I will... not... be.. tricked?"

Shampoo had expected to see the grenade to shoot out wires, just as a
similar one had once done to her.  Instead a sticky foam was
spreading down  the staff from the impact point.  A sticky, _heavy_
foam based on the  way Cologne was trying to control it.  "Bah, the
staff is just a tool, I will teach you manners hand to hand!!"

The figure laughed.  "Got to find me first!!"  He shimmered and
disappeared from view.  Shampoo saw a brief shadow in the door, then
it disappeared into the room.  "Hah,  I do not rely on sight alone! I
can hear your movements!!"

"I know," came a disembodied voice, "Let's correct that."

The bang that followed almost deafened Shampoo and Mousse.  As it
was centered on Cologne it did deafen her.  The ancient Amazon was
even more livid than before.  The figure shimmered back into  view.
"Losing it Old Ghoul?"  She couldn't hear his comment, but she
understood the gesture he made with the remark.  The one finger
gesture.  With a roar Cologne charged the man, who retreated out the
door.  Cologne followed and the battle sounds could be heard going
down the street.

"What that about?" Shampoo asked the duck, who quacked his
confusion.

"A very well planned and thought out diversion."  Nabiki said as she
strode into the restaurant.

"What you want?"

"Several things.  1) While your antics were amusing and profitable
before the wedding, I will not have you trying to ruin things now.  2)
After a year in college I've realize how small time I've been,  I have
plans and I want to include you in them and 3) to do that I've got to
help you be stronger."

"Shampoo already strong!!"

"Oh?  Then why don't you stand up to Cologne?"

"You talk nice about Great-Grandmother!"  Mousse quacked
Disdainfully.

"Cologne has been manipulating you forever Shampoo, because of what
she wants.  Which is power and prestige.

"You take that back!!" Shampoo shouted, partially to be heard over a
distant explosion.

"Nope, it's true.  Do you have your Amazon rule book memorized?"

"Ahhh.  No." Shampoo admitted grudgingly.

"Well you can bet Cologne has.  I've also done some reading from it.
Both a translated version and" suddenly Nabiki switched into Mandarin
<from book itself.  But me as bad in it> "as you are in Japanese" she
completed.

Nabiki continued, "It appears that there are several honorable ways
that both your marriage issue and the 'Kiss of Death' with Ranma
could have been resolved.  The easiest would have been to have make
Ranma a honorary member of the Tribe."

Shampoo sat down on the floor in shock. *<That's right.  If either
Ranma had been made a member of the Tribe, the outsider rule would
be voided.>*

"Or Akane could have been made an honorary Amazon.  That way
Daddy's and Mr. Satome's arrangement would have precedence.  And
be honest Shampoo, Akane would make a good Amazon, wouldn't she?"

Shampoo thought back to several of the girls in her village, some of
them friends.  *< She's not as good as me, but she could beat several
of the girls at home.  And as much as it hurts me to admitted it, I
can't fault her courage.>*  She snickered some to herself  *<There's
even one at home who cooks worse than she does.>*  Then she
sobered, looked up at Nabiki and nodded.

"Cologne knows that as well.  She wants the prestige of you bringing
back such an excellent fighter and the power that comes with it."

Shampoo thought of how her Great-Grandmother virtually ruled the
village, despite there being a council.  Nabiki continued to press
her case.

"She's over 300 years old Shampoo.  If I could see it, if Stewart
could see it after only a few days, don't you think Cologne would
have seen it as well?  That Akane and Ranma are in love, and have
been for quite a long time? That they just had too much stubborn
pride to admmit it right away?"

Shampoo folded on herself and began to cry.  "What me d..do now?"

"We get your life back for you."

"Why you do this?"

"I told you I have plans, some of them involve fast food and others
trade with China.  I think a Chinese Amazon cook would fit into those
plans quite nicely.

===================================================

2032  0300 hours

"So Stewart made Cologne chase him all over town until Nabiki was
finished?"

"Yes, they both have radio.  When Nabiki done she tell him.  He
escape."

"And Nabiki helped plan your attacks while we where in college?"

"Yes but we have second excuse as well for let up.  Me tell
Great-Grandmother that because husband," Akane frowned at the word
"go to big school, Shampoo need to go too.  That me hire Nabiki to
get exams right, then to help me get in big school.  Part about exams
and getting in school true."

Intreaged Akane asked, "What did you study Shampoo, Food Service,
PE, what?"

Shampoo looked her most preditory.  "Me even more dangerous now
than before.  Me now lawyer."

Akane dropped her cup.

While cleaning up the spilled tea she asked, "But how did you get rid of
Cologne?"

"We send message back home, careful to only hint that
Great-Grandmother might be loosing edge.  Maybe get soft so long in
Japan.  She get word of trouble at home.  Go back to fix.  Still
there most of time still.  When she leave me tell big lie that still
try hard to get husband from" Shampoo almost looked apologetic
"Violent Girl.  Me still make play tries just in case
Great-Grandmother come back."

"Until Kanto '25"

"Yes, me tell that Ranma missing, but that me keep searching, first
Mega-Tokyo, then all over Japan.  Tell that Nabiki Job give me money
to look and excuse to look all of Japan."

"So what is the part about being free."

"Me can say in truth that me no see 'husband' for seven years, as of
this night.  Marriage no count after that much time.  Even if Ranma
walk in village today, nothing Great-Grandmother can do.  Law the
Law."

"And you and Mousse?"

"Mousse say he be happy as consort.  Law say member of Tribe can
have husband or wife and many consorts, if can support all and all
agree.  Me and Mousse finally get happy together.  We have almost as
many children as you Akane."

"What?"

"Me have two boys and two girls, but me beat you at one thing."

"What?"

"Me going to be Grand-mother before you.  Baby come next month"

"So that's it?"

"No."  The frown of concentration came back.  "I'm not sorry or
ashamed of what I've done.  The girl I was then was acting as she was
raised and taught.  The woman I am now knows that girl was fooled.
But one thing I know now, that in the Battle for Ranma, you  were a
most excellent foe.   I don't think we can be friends, not like you
and Ukyou turned out.  But I do honor you."

With that she turned and slipped out the back door, into the night, silent
as her cursed form.

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

Akane greated the Dawn, having stayed up the rest of the night, thinking
and remembering.

Ranma asked about this when he got up.

"I know you've had a nightmare about the quake around this time every
year, but you normally can get back to bed afterward."

"I know, but this year.... I just had to go through a few memories as well."
Akane said with a smile.

"You got something else to tell me as well right?"

"Later.  Last night I thought a lot about the past.  Lets deal with the
present for now."


====================================================================
Ben L. Harrison - HM1(FMF)/USN/RET
Harriso3@ix.netcom.com
====================================================================
Anime Excuse #219 Akane made my lunch
Anime Excuse #220 Kodatchi took a shine to me
====================================================================
"It wasn't our fault!!" -- The Lovely Angels, any post mission brief