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Twist in the tale 4. (half fic)
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(Somewhere else in Nerima)

	It’s a sunny day like any other in this world. A few soft fluffy clouds
dot the sky as the sun shines down on the green earth below. The
occasional car passes by a particular Dojo as Happosai goes flying into
the air. . let’s just leave it at that. 
A mailman dries up to this Dojo. It has been a good day for him, he
hasn’t been caught up in any of the periodic fights that plague the
area  and there is no mail for the Kuno mansion or any of the more
dangerous houses. He rounded the block on his mail van and stopped in
front of the Tendo Training hall and knocked. A moment later he leaves
having given the stack of mail to Katsumi. ‘It was a good day indeed.’
he thought as he drove off. 
	"Kamaka Kohan"
	"I’ll take that." Nabiki called as she came down the stairs.
	"Who’s mail is that?"
	"It’s for a . . . friend." Nabiki smiled as she took the letters and
left the house. 

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(Kuno mansion. )

	Nabiki stood before the large wooden doors of the entrance. She looked
up at the tall building and pulled the large chain by the door. A solid
*bong* resounded before Satsuki opened the door.
	"Why hello Nabiki, why have you come today?"
	" I have something for Guo Satsuki"
	"I shall inform master Guo right away." He said turning back in the
house
	"Thanks." 

(a few minutes later later.)

	"Why hello Nabiki, do you have what I asked for?"
	"I should think so, here’s the mail to prove it."
	"thanks." *rip* 
"To Kohan. . .due to. .special case. . . . you are allowed to take the
Juken in five months to gain eligibility. . various universities. please
inform the closest examination center of your intention if you are going
to take it. yours sincerely XXXX ministry of education. PS. you are
overdue to renew your Passport, please come to (. . . .) to rectify your
situation." 
 	*rip* "Enclosed in this letter is your IC. ." *rip* "the Kyoto drum
festival." *toss, rip* "You are requested to appear in school or suffer
expulsion for your truancy. I may relent if you let me cut your hair.
Ps. you also need to submit a current photograph for the school
dossier." 
 	" . . Principal Kuno I think. well that’s that, police department,
passport and school? 
	"Uh huh.  you really look too young to have finished university, so. . 
You’re stuck in school like the rest of us."
 	"I really shouldn’t have left the project so open should I Nabiki?" I
said  looking at the smirking woman before me.	
 	"You don’t really need an answer do you? Now, you have 107 more days
before you need to pay the bond. Jia nei." She said as she slid out the
door.
	"Don’t worry I will. Jia nei. Hmmm hair. ." An evil grin lights up his
face as visualizes a scenario for the principal an evil chuckle escapes
form his lips "heh, I thought this would be a challenge for me to figure
out."
 
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(Furinken High school)
	A man stands at the gate of the school. A knapsack on his back as he
looks into the deserted school grounds. "Kuno said that His father was
at school supervising the cram classes. I might as well go in." He said
as he entered the school.
	A crash resounded in the upper levels of the school followed by an
explosion. Looking up, we see the ‘Cem Club’ as they recover from their
last experiment. "Sheesh and I thought America was strange." He said as
he entered the school.

(I’ll just quit this part here instead of boring you to death.)
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(Kuno Basement) (One hour later)
	Focusing on the tips of my fingers, I move my hand before me. Slowly,
I  move it to touch the board as I focus on my aura. It flared in
response and slowly focused into a thin line of power along the edge of
my hand. I slowly trace a line from the top of the board to the bottom,
merely touching the light ridges of the grainy material. As my hand
reached the bottom of the board, no sound was heard until the board hit
the ground cut cleanly in half. .  
	"I see your skills have improved Guo. It is indeed of interest that
such tricks can be done when the power of you mind is harnessed to it’s
full potential."
	"It is not easy Kuno. Harnessing the destructive force of Ki and
forming it into a blade is a good idea but too tiring for me." Guo said
as he picked up the wooden pieces. 
	"As a scholar has said before me. it is not the size of the armies that
matters. It is how they are trained and deployed in times of war. The
best strategist learns the lie of the land and attacks using nature and
the elements at his disposal to his benefit. It is thus that Nobunaga
attacked with but 1000 men at his disposal attacking the 10,000 man army
of. ."
	"KUNO!" silence fell between them as the words reverberated in the air.
"Now, what was the main point to your story?" Guo continued as he
examined the smooth surface of the cut.
	"Practice makes perfect, and use what you have to your advantage" 
	"That has merit Kuno. Just stop giving me a ten page soliloquy when one
or two lines can say the same."
	"I apologize. I forget that you are not overly familiar with all the
intricacies of the language."
	*sigh. . * ‘OK, if it stops him from rambling on about it.’ "Yes,
that’s one of the reasons that I wish simple conversation. I am
relatively new to the language and such things as Japanese history is
pretty much new to me."
	"Then I shall endeavor to teach you better. Is it not one of the
subjects that you have to learn for the Juken? You are of yet ignorant
of the finer points of Japanese history and poetry. I shall teach you
these fine subjects of my culture in partial compensation for calling
you from your home plane."
	"Err. . . Kuno, I’m fine really. I just need to find a job and some
training and I’ll be fine." 
	"Oh. But I insist.  It would not be seemly for a person such as myself
not to offer my services for the upcoming tests. And you have but seven
months to prepare for something that we have four years to learn."
	"Err. I really won’t have that much of a problem. Math, physics and
chemistry are subjects I have taken before. English should be easier for
me while physical education I have the benefit of Telekinesis an my
stronger body to help."
	"Guo. Promise me one thing."
	"?!?"
	"Promise me you will not demean yourself by taking unfair advantage
with your powers."
	"I. . *sigh* OK. Kuno, I will not use my powers to benefit my schooling
as far as I am able. I’ll suffer through it like the rest of the
people."
	 "Oh yes. How did the meeting with The principal go?"
	"Oh.. I ‘m just in the same class as you. Oh yes.. I also I shocked him
somewhat."
	". . May I inquire as to how?’
	" Oh. I don’t know, Maybe telling him that I would cut my hair if he’d
let me cut his the same way would work."
	"What way would that be?" 
	"Totally bald. ." Guo smiled totally enjoying the shocked look on
Kuno’s face before contuning. "It’s not that bad. I went bald once
before and would have done it at least once more in my home dimension."
	". .Is  it a custom of yours to become bald in your dimesioin?"
	"No, I just wanted to see how fast my hair grows." 
	"So, .  how fast does it grow?"
	"One cm in one and a half weeks or in another measure, an inch in about
three." Guo stated, nonchalantly carving the board with a dagger.

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

(Ukyou’s Okinomiyaki)
	Ukyou looked out into the street worried for some reason. Tatshuba
hadn’t come by lately and frankly, it worried her. Not that it wasn’t
nice not to have that cross dressing freak around but she was used to
having him pop by at least once every two of three days.
	"Oh well." she sighed. "Better get ready for the party, tonight." She
said pinning up the banner. <HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTINE!> "I can’t believe
that they would pay me 250,000 Yen for a single party. I should be in
the catering business, instead of the restaurant industry she stated in
wonder.

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(later)
	"So what jobs are available for me Miss Tendo?"
	"Well, you can always be my bodyguard."
	"Nice try Nabiki but don’t do collections."
	"Who said anything about collections? I was thinking more about
intimidation." Nabiki smirked. 
	"Come on, I want to get a job so I can first pay you back and secondly,
get my own place to stay." 
	"Oh yes.. Stay some place where Kodatchi’s interesting food can’t get
to you."
	*WHAM* A crater appeared where Guo was supposed to be. A huge
inter-dimensional mallet imbedded in the center. Guo peeped out from
behind Nabiki and stared daggers at Akane as she blinked in surprise.
	"I did not say anything towards you Tendo Akane, so. . .  _Put That
Mallet Away._ " He said, roughly pushed the mallet aside and resuming
his seat before the smirking Nabiki. 
"Did you have a reason for disturbing us?" he asked, as he stared
stoically ahead bast Nabiki.
	"I brought you some tea and cookies." Said the embarrassed Akane
revealing the tray by the side of the door.
	Guo looked on, a bemused expression on his face. "I thank you for your
trouble just stop trying to hit me." he smirked as Akane stared wide
eyed at him. "It’s true, violence makes you feel better for a little
while but it never solves anything. So. . . I would thank you not to
attack me." he finished as he took the tray and shushed Akane out the
door. 
"Now Nabiki, what other employment possibilities are there here?" He
continued as he closed the door behind him. 
	 Akane looked on bewildered at the door for a moment turned around and
made her way back down the stairs. 

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(Somewhere)
	Ryoga paused along the street, having no idea where he was, as usual.
"Dam it! why can’t I seem to find where I’m going?" he asked the sky
above him. *WHAM!*  came the sound of a crash close by. 
"That sounds like Akane." he mused to himself before leaping onto the
wall. he looked around and saw a familiar scene before him. Katsumi in
the garden hanging out the laundry, Shou and a Panda playing chess, Guo
scolding Akane, the panda cheating as Shou looked in his direction. .  .
‘Wait a minute, he thought to himself Guo scolding Akane?’ he watched in
disbelief as Guo pushed the wide eyed Akane out of the room. He leapt
into the garden. passing by the panda as he made his way to the stairs.
	"I won’t forgive anyone who hurts Akane" he shouted out loud. The panda
and Shou looked at him quizzically for a moment" 
	"Do you remember this boy Genma?"
	<Ryoga> the panda wrote as it shrugged it’s shoulders. The two of them
looked on as Ryoga passed the staircase and made his way out the front
door. Shou rearranging the pieces behind the other’s back. A moment
later, Ryoga returned and walked past them and down the hall into the
bathroom. Shou and Genma looked a each other for a moment before
shrugging and returning to their game, confident that they had the
advantage.

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(upstairs)
	"I’m glad I actually heard the door opening that time." Guo smirked as
he turned his attention back to the girl before him.
	"Sorry about my sister Guo but you really have to admit it’s amusing."
	"It’s amusing *if* , you are not the one getting hit."
	"Rr.r.right." Said the smirking Nabiki.
	‘You do remember that a bond is a deferred payment with no interest on
it past the claim date?" Guo countered. 
	"Ah, Right, but only if it isn’t a renewable bond or something to that
matter. ."
	"Which I am not issuing and you won’t hold in any court of law since I
have no material wealth worth suing for.
	". . . If you’re up to it I might have something that could interest
you."
	"Something interesting?"
	"Maybe. You said you had a higher education and you’re a native English
speaker Right?" 
	"Tutoring?" 
	"No, translator."
	"Oh, so what will I be doing specifically?"
	"You will be a tour guide or more specifically the driver of the bus."
	"I can deal with that But I only know how to drive a car."
	"Don’t worry, it’s not that different just bigger. Of course, I’ll
expect some changes in what you will owe me."
	"Well, .. what changes."
	"I get two thirds your earnings for the rest of the time period and
provide you with food and lodging after the time period, I’ll be open to
negotiations. Of course, the bond will be considered null and void." 
	"I guess that’s acceptable." He said as he shivered with the thought of
Kodachi’s Fugu and fungi dishes. "Now, when do I start?"
	"Hmm, The job starts in one week. The driver’s test can be done in two
or three days. So, tomorrow and we’ll have to set the date."
	"Ok. Oh yes, where will I have my apartment?" he asked as Nabiki
smiled.
	"Here." She said as his eyes widened in disbelief.

(for those of you who don’t remember. Fugu: A poisonous fish considered
a delicacy in Japan)
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	Akane walked down the stairs as Ryoga passed by below her. Akane moved
towards the patio and towards the kitchen as Ryoga realized that he had
passed the Stairs for the third time. He turned, and walked  towards the
staircase yet again as Akane came into view behind him, going into the
kitchen.

	Finally reaching the stairs, he leapt upwards and looked around, sounds
coming from the room besides him. 
	"No, I really would not like to stay here Nabiki. It’s just not safe."
	"What? You are staying with some of the best martial artists in the
world and it’s not safe?" 
	"One of whom is a self proclaimed pervert remember?" Ryoga listened to
the voice as he nodded his head in agreement.
	"too late, you already agreed and _I_ have the conversation on tape."
	"ouch.. OK then, when can I move in?" Ryoga’s eyes widened as he
considered the implications of these actions. ‘Guo living under the same
roof as Akane? Would he hurt her more?’ he thought as the conversation
continued behind him.
	"Today if you like. you stay in the Dojo unless you want to sleep with
Ranma."
	"I’ll take the Dojo. I don’t want Ryoga or. . ."
	"Don’t want me what" came the voice from the doorway. "huh. Here I
thought you were a nice guy defeating Ranma and all but then I find you
hurting Akane." he said as he started pulling out his combat umbrella.
	"Huh?" Guo mouthed blinking rapidly in confusion.
	"Ryoga, fight outside unless you want to owe me for my room." Nabiki
said as she pulled open the window. 
	Looking at the stupefied Guo, Ryoga smiled, picked him up, and threw
him out the window. Looking out the window, Guo sailed through the air
somersaulting to land feet first. . in the pond. Ryoga Landed on the
grass in front of the house,  and looked forwards. Suddenly, he froze
and gaped in surprise at the clothes floating in the pond. By the side
of the pond, a creature crawled out. Slightly smaller than a dog, a rich
red color marked it’s fur. However, that was not what caused Ryouga to
gape. It was the deep black aura that red creature generated as it made
it’s way out of the pond. Behind Ryoura, Shou and Genma stared in
amazement at the intensity of the energy emanating from the silent form. 
	"Genma, I think It’s best if we were to play our game somewhere else."
	"Um, hm." The panda nodded as the two Masters practiced the Souatome
school of anything goes martial arts secret technique. Disappearing from
the battlefield. 
	From upstairs, Nabiki looked on in Amazement at the red, raccoon like
creature. ‘A red panda?’

	A ball of KI energy formed in front of the creature. Intensely black to
the point that it absorbed all light it touched. Hastily, Ryoga leapt
backwards putting as much distance between the creature as he possibly
could. All rational thought fleeing from his mind in terror. Suddenly,
the energy dissipated revealing the creature behind smirking. Cold
knowledge in it’s eyes. 
	"I wish not to kill, but do not do that again." came a voice in their
minds as the creature stretched and then bunched up in a ball. Suddenly,
his ki flared into a globe of blackness, obscuring sight as the water in
the fur heated and fled. The black globe popped out of existence,
leaving behind an unconscious, naked human behind.
	"Oh, hi Ryoga. We haven’t seen . . ." Akane said as she saw the Naked
person on the grass. "I don’t want to know" She said as she walked past
the startled Ryoga and up the stairs. blushing a red hot shade of red. 

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(I die a fierily death, as your voice rips me asunder. )
(Tell me it’s not true, that you have not found another.)
	"Woah! Did you.." the words died on The imp’s lips as she saw the grim
expression on his face as he stoically typed away on his computer. 
	"I’ll get to it later." He said, not taking his attention from the
computer before him. 
	"But, but.. *sigh* "  she went as she turned her attention back to the
screen before her. "I just had to become a familiar to a computer nerd."
	Behind her, the Demon only smirked as a screen was summoned forth
besides him. looking at the last 10 minutes on his screen. His brow
furrowed in concentration as he felt all he could about the change.
Suddenly his expression  cleared. Understanding lit his eyes as he
contemplated the person before him. 
 	"Psionic nature. That’s what the cold water does, it frees his dormant
personality. His powers haven’t fully developed yet so he creates a
persona to act in the place of his rational mind. I guess humans can’t
think fourth dimensionally very well." He smirked as he returned his
attention to the screen before him. ‘MUDs are so interesting.‘ he
thought as he defeated a mage two levels higher than him.

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(Ukyou’s Okinomiyaki.)
	"Compleano falice, Sen Reh Quai Leh, Happy birthday!" everyone shouted
as the guest of honor entered the room escorted by none other than
Souatome Ranma. 
	"Did somebody call me?" called an old hentai master as he peeked into
the room. 
"Happy Birthday!" he shouted as he launched himself at Christine.
	"Oh no you don’t." Ranma shouted as he punted the master back out the
door. "At least leave her alone on her birthday! You old fossil." He
called as he ran out the door. 
"Ranma." Christine called
	"What?" he said sticking his head back in the room.
	"Thanks for helping out."
	"Hey, no problem, that’s what I’m here for isn’t it?" he said as he
caught sight of Happosai coming back again. "Hey you old fool! Leave her
alone!"
	"But I just want to give her a birthday Kiss," 
	"I said leave her alone you pervert!" Ranma called as he slid back
outside. 
	"That Ranma, what a character." She thought as they brought out the
birthday cake.

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