Hi all, I've managed to get something I'd roughly call a chapter of the 
fict Sureal Genius done, what do you think?  Oh and I'm Reposting parts 1-3 
simaltanously.

--------
Legal: The characters of Ranma 1/2 were created by the great Rumiko 
Takahashi.
I am using them without permission, hopefully for the purpose of 
entertaining someone.  If anyone who has a right to sue me has that 
desire, I have almost no money.

	C&C is appreciated, you can contact me at 
brenda02@sprynet.com
--------

A Ranma 1/2 Fanfict
Surreal Genius
By Brendan O'Donnell
Part four

	Ranma followed Akane into the waiting room of the Clinic.  Dr. 
Tofu was a chiropractor who was also skilled at acupuncture and herbal 
medicine.  *'Whenever I was hurt, he'd always fix it.'* Akane had told 
him on the way over.  And the way she had talked about him said even 
more.  *Hmm, I think I've found another reason to be glad I put off that 
engagement question.* he thought with a little smile.
	"Doctor Tofu!" Akane called into the clinic.  A door opened 
and in walked a man in his mid twenties wearing a brown gi.  His brown 
hair was tied in back with a very short pony tail, and a pair of glasses 
sat on his face.
	"Ah, Akane!" he said with a smile.  "It's been a while since 
you've been by."
	"Oh, well I didn't... that is, I haven't done anything,  I've haven't 
really gotten hurt in a while," Akane responded, her face reddened 
somewhat.  Ranma glanced at her and smiled.
	"And you must be Ranma," Dr. Tofu said, turning to him.
	"Pleased to meet you," Ranma responded with a slight bow.
	"How do you know about Ranma?" Akane asked.
	"Oh your father talked about him the other day," Dr. Tofu 
responded.  He turned to Ranma and added, "Mr. Tendo mentioned 
that deal you made about the engagement question.  He was upset, but 
I know you did the right thing.  I mean you're both too young to be 
thinking about marriage."
	Akane sighed, her smile fading into a look of sadness.
	"So why are you here?" Dr. Tofu asked, not noticing Akane's 
change of mood.
	"Uh, it's not that major," Ranma responded, tearing his eyes 
away from Akane.  *Oh boy, maybe I should talk to mom?*

	"So, he's a martial artist?" Ranma asked Akane as they ran 
back to the Dojo together.
	"How could you tell?"
	Ranma glanced at her with a surprised look on his face.  "How 
he caries himself,  the way he moves, it's obvious if you know how to 
look."
	Akane flushed slightly.  "I guess, I just have a hard time 
associating him with any sort of martial arts.  He just doesn't act it."
	"You like him," Ranma stated.
	Akane stumbled slightly, and looked at Ranma, her cheeks 
burning.  "Wh- What makes you say that?"
	"Oh a lot of little things that'd scream it to anyone who's 
sufficiently distant from the relationship to look objectively," Ranma 
responded.  Looking her in the eye he added, "Just be careful not to tell 
sis, she fancies herself a real matchmaker."
	"ONIICHAN!" called Noriko from down the street.
	Ranma looked at his little sister as she ran up to the pair, and 
jumped down from the fence she had used as her path.  "Oniichan, 
there's something I'd like to know about your day today..."
	"Does it involve these?" Ranma responded, holding out the 
pictures of his female side which Kuno had been carrying.
	Noriko looked them over and nodded.  "Yep, Nabiki snatched 
the Negatives when she thought I wasn't looking.  I just wanted to figure 
out what she was doing with them."
	"Apparently she sold them to this pervert in class who's 
infatuated with my girl side," Ranma responded.
	"EWWW!" Noriko replied.  "Did you... what did you call it..."
	"Apply kinetic aversion treatment?"
	"Yeah, did you beat him senseless!"
	"I'm afraid he was pretty senseless to begin with," Ranma 
responded.  "I changed when he was watching and he still doesn't 
realize that the girl is actually me."
	"I see.  So do you want to do anything about Nabiki?  I 
definitely owe her something for trying to pull one over on me," Noriko 
responded.
	"Well, I am a bit upset about her selling Kuno those photo's.  
Still, she's your sister Akane, how do you feel about all this?"
	"Huh?" Akane responded.  "Well, I'm a bit upset too, but 
Nabiki's not malicious, and I'm sure she didn't intend anything bad.  
She's been supplementing the family income with stuff like those pictures 
for a few years, and I try to let it slide as long as it doesn't get too bad."
	"Ah, so she could be seen as using the photo's of me as an 
alternative of getting rent from me.  Of course I've got enough in the 
bank that there's no real need of this."  Ranma thought a moment.  "You 
know, I do feel like doing something in retaliation."  He turned to Akane 
"If you say don't I won't do anything.  I promise that we won't actually 
hurt Nabiki, if we do anything."
	"No, I'm feeling a little mad at her for selling Kuno those 
pictures of me.  Go for it!"
	"Ok, now what to do?" Ranma responded, stroking his chin 
while he thought.
	Noriko shook her head, "You know you're no good at sneaky 
stuff Oniichan.  I've got a little idea, if you're interested."
	Akane and Ranma leaned over close to Noriko.  "I'm 
interested," Ranma responded.
	"Ok, you know that weird Chi thing you're working on?..."

	Nabiki was siting on the edge of the back walkway reading a 
Manga, when Noriko came up to her holding the photo album she had 
shown her last night.
	"Hi Nabiki," Noriko said as she sat and started going through 
the album.
	"Noriko," Nabiki responded with a smile.  Her smile slipped a 
little when she saw the album.  "Uh, is there any reason you've got that 
out?"
	"Yeah, this morning I noticed some of the negatives were 
missing.  I was just trying to figure out where they might have gone," 
Noriko said, focusing her attention to the book.
	"OH, Well....  I sort of borrowed them earlier," Nabiki said.  
She pulled the negative's from her bag and added "Here they are, I was 
planing to put them back in later."
	"Hmm, I was wondering if you had anything to do with it, but I 
couldn't see what you'd want with them."  She looked Nabiki in the eye 
and raised an eyebrow.
	"Well, actually there's a few folk in school who were impressed 
enough by a few of the pictures to want to buy some, and I figured that 
you wouldn't mind letting me borrow those negatives to help pay for 
you're family's visit."
	"Why should I mind that?" Noriko responded.  "What I mind is 
you not talking to Ranma and me before going ahead and selling those 
pictures.  And if you needed money we can definitely afford it."
	"Well... if daddy heard about me asking for money he'd start 
sobbing and lecture me about self reliance."
	"Yeah, but why not ask us about the pictures?" Noriko asked.
	"Uh, actually I wasn't sure your brother would go along with the 
idea," Nabiki responded, looking quite nervous.
	Noriko looked at her quizzically.  She closed her eyes and said, 
"Oh, selling revealing shots to guy's who're into that sort of thing.  
Ranma'd really hate that.  He hasn't found out yet has he?"
	"Actually he ran into someone who bought some photo's after 
school."
	Noriko winced and asked, "How many months will that guy be 
in the hospital?"
	"Oh, he didn't do anything that severe, he just knocked the guy 
out, and took back the photo's."
	"Uh, did he threaten or lecture you?" Noriko asked with a 
slightly worried expression.
	"No, he just looked annoyed and went off to a local doctor's 
office with Akane."
	"Uh oh.  No it's gotta be out of his system by now," Noriko 
muttered to herself.
	"What was that Noriko?" Nabiki asked.
	"Oh nothing, I was just recalling something unpleasant that 
happened a few years ago, but I'm sure it's over."
	"What?"
	"Well..."  Noriko looked around her.  Leaning close to Nabiki 
she said, "Promise me that you'll keep this a secret, and never let 
Ranma know I told you."
	Nabiki looked into Noriko's very serious face.  "OK, I 
promise."
	"Well, a few years ago when my brother was into this Mad 
scientist thing...  Well he's still into it, he's just more careful  Anyway, he 
was experimenting with these Chi enhancing potions and one of the 
ones he tried wound up turning him psychotic for brief periods of time."
	"... That doesn't happen anymore though, right?" Nabiki 
responded with a slightly worried expression.
	"He only took it that once and didn't do anything similar ever 
again.  Thing is he sometimes got these flashbacks, first he'd be 
unnaturally calm for a few hours, then he'd get this weird multicolor aura 
and pummel anyone who'd upset him within the past month until they 
stopped moving.  Don't worry the last time it happened was six months 
ago, he's fine now."
	The pair was interrupted by a scream.  Akane flew over the 
wall and rolled along the ground coming to a halt face down by the 
pond.  She didn't move.  Then another figure leaped over the wall and 
landed in a crouch alongside the wall.  The figure, glowing with a purple 
aura streaked with red rose to it's feet and looked at the porch with 
wild eyes.  It was Ranma.
	"Nabiki..."  Ranma almost whispered it, but Nabiki heard it 
quite well.
	"Uh oh, I guess he's not completely over it," Noriko said rising 
to her feet.  "Now Ranma, you're not in full control of yourself, if you 
could just..."  Ranma stepped forward and cut her off with a barely 
visible backhand that threw Noriko to the ground where she lay quietly.
	Nabiki had stood while Noriko had approached her brother, 
and now she was backing away from him.  He looked at her, she 
hurried, stumbled and fell back landing with her back to the wall.  
Before she could try to move Ranma was just in front of her.  With a 
scream she held her arms before her head while closing her eyes and 
turning her head away.  A hand touched her shoulder.
	"You know you shouldn't take peoples things without asking 
them," Ranma said in a very normal voice.  Nabiki opened her eyes and 
looked ahead.  In front of her was a widely grinning Ranma, to his left 
was Noriko holding a small camcorder, and to his right was Akane with 
a wide grin that was threatening to break down into wild laughter any 
second.  "And that goes double for selling photos of people," Ranma 
added.  Akane started laughing.
	"Is it my fault you folk cost so much to feed?" Nabiki said in an 
annoyed tone as she glared at her sister.
	"No, but it is your fault for not seeing if we could pay for it 
ourselves," Ranma replied.  "We can."
	Nabiki looked at the trio in front of her and scowled.  "OK! 
FINE! I'M SORRY!  Happy now?"
	"That'll do for now," Ranma replied with a grin.  He extended 
his hand to Nabiki, who slapped it away as she stood.  She focused a 
very hateful look at her younger sister who was still laughing.
	"I-I'm sorry Nabiki, but you know I don't like you selling Kuno 
those photo's of me," Akane said, forcing her laughter back into a smile.
	Nabiki turned her gaze back to Ranma.  "And just how did you 
manage that weird aura thing anyway?"
	Ranma took off his shirt.  The T-shirt he was wearing 
underneath had several wires and a few metal plates taped to it.  "It's a 
special chi-conductive metal I've been studying since before the trip to 
China.  You just get the right mix of alloys, focus some of your chi 
through them, and voile."  Ranma concentrated a second and the red 
and purple aura reappeared.  "It takes a little effort to maintain though," 
he said letting the aura vanish.
	Nabiki looked the trio over once again.  She turned and walked 
calmly up to her room.  They could hear the slam of her door closing 
quite distinctly.
	"You know, it's probably a good thing you mom and dad are 
heading home tomorrow," Ranma commented to his sister.
	Noriko looked around her and sighed slightly, "I guess," she 
replied.
	"Hey, don't worry, you can visit anytime you want!" Akane said 
to Noriko.  "And if you need an excuse, just say you don't trust Ranma 
in a house with three girls."
	"Hey!  What kind of guy do you think I am?!"
	"The kind who uses a gender changing curse to sneak into girls 
baths," Akane said with a playful grin.
	"Haven't we laid that fiction to rest?" Ranma retaliated.
	Akane looked at him a moment then said "Well... OK, I won't 
mention it anymore."
	"Sounds good," Ranma replied with a smile.
	"If you'll excuse me, I think I should have a little chat with 
Nabiki," Noriko said as she began climbing up the stairs.

	The Saotome's and Tendo's were sitting around the breakfast 
table eating the miso soup that Kasumi and Nodoka had prepared 
together.  The two of them were chatting quietly about meals they 
enjoyed making, everyone else focused on something they understood.  
Nabiki was deliberately avoiding looking at Ranma and Akane, talking 
quietly with Noriko instead.
	"Hmm, looks like they made up last night."  Ranma quietly 
commented to Akane who was sitting next to him.
	Akane looked at her sister, then at Ranma's.  *I've always been 
the little sister around here...*  "You've got a great sister, your really 
lucky."
	"See if you still think that when Mom gets you to baby-sit."  
Ranma reached for the same vegetable Akane was picking up.  "Sorry, 
it's yours."
	"Still, it must be hard on her..."  Akane tapered off.  She had 
avoided talking about how Ranma and Genma's new curses had 
affected the rest of his family.
	Ranma looked at her and smiled.  "Don't worry, as far as 
Noriko's concerned, Jusenkyo gave her a giant teddy bear for a father, 
and the big sister she's always wished for.  The only thing that depresses 
her about the trip is that there wasn't any Spring of Drowned Magical 
Girl for her to jump into."
	Akane looked back at him and returned the smile.
	"Oh, Akane?" Kasumi said, noticing that she and Ranma were 
finished with their breakfast.
	"Yes Oniichan?" Akane replied.
	"If you have the time could you return this book to Dr. Tofu's 
after school for me?"  Kasumi asked, holding up a small book.
	Akane's smile vanished.  "Uh, I'm busy after school today..."
	Ranma looked at her with a puzzled expression.  "Isn't that 
book a great excuse?..." he whispered.
	"Time to go Ranma!"  Akane shouted as she shot to her feet.  
Grabbing Ranma's hand she rushed out the door.
	"Hey, what gives?"  Ranma shouted as he was dragged down 
the street.  The splash of water thrown by the old woman watering her 
step went unnoticed as the pair ran to school.  At the gates Akane came 
to a stop.  "Uh, Akane?"  Ranma asked.
	"Could you mind your own business?"  Akane replied, her voice 
resonating with pain and sorrow.  She looked at Ranma, anger in her 
eyes.  The anger was displaced by shock as she glanced down at 
Ranma's female body.  A quick prod with a finger confirmed the reality 
of Ranma's chest.  "When?"  She broke off, and spun, cursing herself 
for her inattention.
	The mob was there.  Akane shifted into a defensive stance, then 
dropped out of it when she saw that they were just standing quietly in 
front of the school.
	"Akane."  The president of the Karate club stepped forward.  
"Uh, we've all talked about it and well, we wanted you to know we 
aren't going to fight you like that anymore."
	"You aren't?"  Akane responded, a puzzled expression on her 
face.
	"Oh, we still think you're the prettiest girl in school, and we'll all 
be really jealous of whoever you wind up going out with, but we think 
Saotome's right.  Love isn't something that's won in a fight, and we'll just 
let you decide who you want for yourself."
	Akane glanced at Ranma looking slightly annoyed.
	Ranma looked back at her, shrugged his shoulders and said, 
"Truth is really powerful."
	The president of the fencing club interjected, "That's true, plus 
my folks were getting really mad about the Doctor bills from the daily 
fights."  He and the rest of the mob chortled half heartedly.
	"Besides," the Rugby club president added, "Saotome might not 
believe in interfering, but if he can trash Kuno we'd be idiots to get on 
his bad side."
	"Lies!"  Shouted Kuno as he walked around the building.  His 
face and chest were covered with bandages under his Kendo outfit.  
"Some fool has spread false rumors that Saotome has bested me..."  
Kuno staggered and fell to one knee.  He pushed himself back up with 
his Shinai.
	"Pride is one thing, denial of reality is something else," Ranma 
said, shaking his head as he looked at Kuno.
	Kuno looked at her.  "Oh, Pigtailed girl.  I have waited so long 
to see your beauteous visage again."  He pulled the bandages off his 
face, revealing the two footmarks.
	*What does it take to make this idiot get the point!*  "Kuno, 
are you actually going to try coming on to me when Akane's three feet 
away?"
	"She's looking away."  Kuno stated.
	"You are aware that being a two timer is even less attractive 
than being obnoxious and being arrogant?  As they say in baseball strike 
three!"  Ranma said.
	"Kuno," Akane said quietly.  She looked at him.  "Chase after 
her all you want. It won't change my feelings in any way."
	Ranma looked at her.  *AH MAN! What's the big idea of 
encouraging this moron!*
	Kuno took step back from the two girls.  "Oh, how deep her 
feelings, how beautiful the fair lilly Akane.  How can I part with her; and 
yet the pigtailed girl, such vitality, my energetic dandelion.  What can I 
do!?"  Kuno ran away a few feet and assumed a pose of intense 
contemplation.  He turned.  "I SHALL DATE WITH YOU BOTH!!" 
he screamed as he rushed forward, being thrown back by simultaneous 
impact of Ranma and Akane's feet to his face.

	In PE class Ranma's classmates Daisaku and Hiroshi watched 
as Ranma effortlessly outperformed the best acrobat in the class.  After 
a easy landing from the bar he walked over to sit by the pair.  "Hey 
Saotome, is there anything you're not an expert at?" Daisaku asked
	Ranma sat, looked over the next participant and said "Of 
course, there's even a few things I'm lousy at."
	"Like..."   Hiroshi started to ask, stopping to look at the Girls 
softball game in progress nearby.  Specifically at Akane who was 
jumping to catch a pop fly.  "Wow."
	"Hey Saotome, have you gotten anywhere with Akane yet?"  
Daisaku asked.
	"Gotten, No!  What kind of question's that anyway?"
	"Come on Saotome!"  Hiroshi said.  "You're living in her house, 
you walk to school with her every morning, your the reason those guy's 
who kept attacking her stopped."
	"Yeah, are you trying to say that haven't even tried anything."
	Ranma turned his head to look at Daisaku.  "Is it some sort of 
crime too..."  The impact of the softball with the side of his face cut off 
his retort.  *Ah great.*  When someone was attacking him with anything 
from fists to shurikens, Ranma's first sense of the attack was his 
awareness of the focusing hostility.  Unfortunately with accidental events 
like this that didn't happen.  And since he was looking the other way he 
had no warning before the ball hit.
	"Uh, couldn't you have dodged that or something?"
	"I had something on my mind."

	"Well, it's good seeing you again Ranma."  Dr. Tofu said as he 
looked over Ranma's bandaged cheek.  "Would you two like some 
tea?"
	"I don't want to put you to any trouble," Ranma responded.
	"Oh it's no trouble at all."  Dr. Tofu responded as he walked 
into his kitchen.
	The Phone rang.
	"Could you get that for me?"  Called Dr. Tofu.
	"OK," responded Akane.  "Moshi-moshi?  Ah...  yes."  She 
slowly hung up the phone and bowed her head sighing despondently.
	"Akane?" asked Ranma, as he walked up to look at her.
	"I'd better go now."  Akane said, turning toward the door.
	"Hey, is something wrong?"  Ranma asked.
	"Is something the matter Akane?" said Tofu as he looked out 
from the kitchen.
	"Oh nothing."
	"Well, the tea'll be ready in a minute, won't you share a cup with 
me and Ranma?"
	"Of course Doctor."  *Why did I say that, now I have to stay 
here.*
	Ranma looked at Akane again, and whispered, "Hey, what's 
wrong.  I thought you'd be happy to have tea with him."
	Akane glared at him.  Fighting back a sob she quietly said, "Dr. 
Tofu's already interested in someone.  That was her on the phone, she's 
on her way now.
	"Really?  Who?"
	Akane looked at the floor and closed her eyes.  A moment later 
she looked up, into Ranma's eyes.  "kasumi."  Ranma blinked and 
looked her in the eye.  "Dr. Tofu's totally in love with my sister Kasumi."
	"Your sure?" Ranma asked.  "Has he told anyone or anything?"
	"No but it's totally obvious."  Akane replied.
	Dr. Tofu returned with the tea.

	"Hmm, definitely a softball."  Dr. Tofu said as he looked at 
Ranma's cheek.  "Akane hit it, right?"
	"Huh, why do you think that?"
	"Well, considering the force of the impact who else could it 
have been?"
	Ranma looked him over.  "You're joking right?"
	"Actually yes, did Akane really hit that?"
	"Yep."
	Akane sighed and looked into her tea with a forlorn expression.  
"Now now Akane, you're just a very healthy girl.  This kind of thing isn't 
something to feel bad about."
	"Ok Doctor." Akane responded, making herself smile.
	"Well then, I'll just add a little disinfectant and bandage this 
back up."  Dr. Tofu said to Ranma.
	The door slid open.
	"Hello Dr. Tofu." said Kasumi Tendo from where she was 
standing in the doorway.
	Dr. Tofu looked at her.  His glasses fogged up.
	Dr. Tofu placed his other hand on the opposite side of Ranma's 
head.  He shifted said head almost ninety degrees to Ranma's right, to 
the accompaniment of a loud cracking noise..
	"K-Kasumi, it's so incredible to meet you here of all places."  
Tofu said.
	"I suppose.  But what was that horrible cracking noise?"
	"Noise, what noise?"
	"Ranma, what's the matter with your head?" Kasumi asked.
	"It's nothing."  Ranma responded, wanting to minimize his 
exposure to Dr. Tofu until he could see how to restore his rationality.
	"Oh, Ranma just had a little problem with a softball."  Dr. Tofu 
said to Akane.  She turned him around so that he was facing Kasumi.  
"What brings you here?"  
	"Oh I just came by to return this book I borrowed from you."  
She reached into the basket she was holding and pulled out a plate 
wrapped in a napkin.  "And...  I don't know if it's a fitting gift or not..."
	Dr. Tofu stepped up to Kasumi, and accepted the plate.  
Removing the napkin he put the plate on the counter.  "Well now," he 
said as he tied the napkin around his face.  "What a great mask!  It's 
fitting pretty well too."
	"That's just the wrapping."  Kasumi said, picking up the plate of 
cookies and placing it in Dr. Tofu's hands.
	Dr. Tofu pulled down the napkin, and started nibbling on the 
plate.  "Very tasty."
	"Uh, that's the plate." Kasumi said, smiling at him.
	Akane looked the scene over and sighed.  "I'd better be going, 
sis."
	"Are you sure?"  Kasumi said, trailing off as she watched Akane 
leave.  "What's wrong with her?  We could have walked home 
together."
	Ranma stood and walked after her.

	"What's wrong?"  Nodoka asked as she set down the small 
suitcase she was carrying and walked up to Akane.  She looked up as 
she heard Ranma close the door.  "And your neck, Ranma."
	"It's nothing major."  Ranma said while Akane just sighed.
	Nodoka walked up to Ranma, ran her finger along his neck a 
second.  Her left hand slipped between his head and his shoulder.  She 
precisely spread two of the fingers of  her right hand.  With a quick 
motion she jabbed two points on Ranma's neck a moment before 
cracking his head back upright.
	"ITAI!"  Ranma exclaimed through clenched teeth.  He rubbed 
his neck a second.  "Thanks mom."
	"No problem, Ranma."  Nodoka replied.  She turned to Akane.  
"Now, what's wrong?"
	"I-It's nothing," Akane said quietly.
	"Uh-huh.  Come on, the Dojo's more private."  Taking Akane 
by the hand Nodoka led the way to the Dojo.
	Ranma started to follow the two of them.  Then he stopped a 
moment,  turned and went up to his room and lay on the futon.

	He lay there about a minute, then stood.  Opening the window 
he silently leaped to the roof of the Dojo.  Walking to the edge of the 
roof he peered into the room.
	His mother was holding Akane as she wept.
	*Oh boy.*  Ranma stood, and leaped onto the roof of the main 
house.  Walking to the front edge of the roof he sat down and sighed.  
*Damn, I knew she'd need someone to talk too.  Lucky it was mom, if 
she'd needed my help...  What would I have done?*  Ranma clenched 
his teeth in frustration, this was one field of knowledge he had never had 
any real luck in learning.  *One of the reasons I've never been able to 
do better than a C in public speaking.*
	"Hey," called a voice from the side of the roof.  Hearing it 
Ranma walked over and looked down.  Below him was Nabiki leaning 
out her window.  "Sorry I can't join you up there but some of us are 
normal." she said with a slight grin.
	Griping the edge of the roof he rolled down onto her 
windowsill.  "Is there something you want?"
	Nabiki stepped back giving Ranma room to enter.  "Well I do 
want to talk about Rent while daddy won't hear, but I also wanted to 
know what's wrong with Akane?  There's definitely something."
	Ranma looked into her face, rather than the looks of smug 
anticipation or the more common poker face she had a look of faint 
worry.  "She was with me when I stopped by Dr. Tofu's.  And she 
didn't leave till after Kasumi showed up."
	"Ah yes.  I should have guessed," Nabiki responded.  "So you 
checked on her, what's she doing?  Not to mention your mom?"
	"Mom's just holding her, and she's crying.  If you value your life 
and well-being this information doesn't leave this room."
	Nabiki looked at Ranma hardly.  "Look I may do some things 
you fond honorably questionable for money, but I will die before I do 
anything that would hurt either of my sisters."
	Ranma matched her gaze a moment then smiled and nodded.  
"Good answer.  Well, Noriko's got a good judgment of character and I 
wouldn't have said anything about Akane to you otherwise."
	"I'll trust some of the things Noriko's said about your mom too.  
Assuming Akane's in good hands that just leaves us deciding on a 
decent Rent for you to pay."  Nabiki smiled and took a notebook from 
the drawer in her desk.
	Ranma returned the smile.  "Not to mention a way to hide me 
paying that rent from your father."
	The fact that the amount of rent to be paid was determined after 
fifty three seconds of  debate stems partially from the fact that Nabiki 
was deliberately trying avoid excessive overcharging, and partially from 
the fact that Accounting was one of the subjects that Ranma was 
inherently incompetent at.