Here's the next part to the tenteatively titled fic, "Love and War."

I hope you enjoy it.

As usual, it should be noted that this is a work of fiction by a fan, for
fans.  Ranma and all associated characters are property of Rumiko
Takahashi.  This is not meant to infringe on any copyrights.
The introduced character sin this fic are also copyrighted.  I hope to
introduce them fully in an original fic later on this year.

Missing parts requests and suggestions/C&C should be emailed to me, or
check out my web page at:

public.carleton.edu/~tsaie/fanfix.html

Happy reading!
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Chapter Seven

	Ken sat on the roof of Ukyou's restaurant, looking out across the
faint skyline of Nerima.  He could barely make out the outline of the city
as lights winked out across the city.  People were heading to sleep and
the city would come to a slow halt for the night.  The air was fresh and
the sky clear around Ukyou's restaurant, and Ken enjoyed it.  The stars
were coming out, winking at him from the sky, and a slight breeze could be
felt.  The silence of the city was a perfect complement to the stillness
around him.  As he smiled and stood up to go in, Ken heard noises breaking
the silence.  They were heading towards him in the street.
	"What's this?" he mumbled to himself.
	A small figure was bouncing from rooftop to rooftop laughing
merrily.  Ken could make out a crowd of people swinging rakes, shovels and
assorted tools as they followed after him.  As he turned back to look at
the bouncing figure, he suddenly realized the person hopping across the
rooftops was about to run into him.  He gave a small grunt as the person
abruptly ran into his chest, bowling both of them over.
	"Watch where you're going sonny!" the little man shouted at him.
	"You ran into me!" Ken protested.
	"Don't argue with your elders, boy!  You'll come to regret it."
	Ken was about to say something, but was cut off by the shouting
crowd.
	"Stop him!" a female voice shouted.
	"Thief!"
	"Lecher!"
	"Pervert!"
	Ken could hear them clearly now, and all were female.  All were
very angry.  Ken noticed that the old man had a sack tied to his back and
wore a mask fashioned from the loose ends of the sack's lip.  The old man
waved his pipe around in the air and laughed at the crowd.
	"Don't worry ladies!  Grandpa Happosai will be back in a few
moments to collect your gifts!  Ta-Ta-Owf!"
	Ken reached over and picked up the old man by the bag.  He was
surprisingly nimble despite his old age.  The old man slipped to the
ground and waved his pipe menacingly.  
	"Give that back!  Those belong to me!" he shouted.
	Ken furrowed his brow.  He decided being polite to a thief wasn't
a big deal and opened the bag despite Happosai's protests.  Women's
underwear was packed inside.
	"Close that up you pervert!" Happosai yelled at Ken as he quickly
snatched the sack back.
	"You're the one with the sack." Ken said angrily.
	Happosai growled an unintelligible response and made his way over
to the edge of the roof.
	"I'm gonna jump down ladies!  Catch me!" he cried.  All of them
responded with insults.
	In one fluid motion Ken drew his sword and sliced open the bag
with the tip of his sword as Happosai jumped.  The contents of the bag
were dumped unceremoniously on the crowd.  The women scrambled to regain
their property and beat Happosai as he landed.  Ken watched the droplets
of water fall to the ground gracefully after Happosai.
	"What's going on here?!"
	Ken hopped down from the roof to see Ukyou storming out of the
restaurant wearing a set of blue pajamas.  She was obviously upset about
being woken up from her sleep.  She had the look to prove it.  Happosai
was busily fighting with the women for their underwear when he spotted
Ukyou.
	"Sweeto!" he cried as he attempted the leap from the ground to
Ukyou's cleavage.
	The flat of a sword stopped him and pinned him to the ground in
swift arc.  The blade pinned him to the ground at the neck.  The women in
the crowd gave a triumphant cry.  Ukyou smirked at Happosai.
	"Like my new waiter?" she asked.
	"Who are you, boy!  It would do you good to put away that toy of
yours.  Little kids shouldn't play with grown-up toys."
	Ken growled.
	"I'll move my blade when I'm good and ready to.  I don't think
you're in any position to make demands." he said flatly.  "Especially for
a perverted panty-thief.  I can't believe you just tried to openly grope
Ukyou's chest.  You disgust me."
	"Water?" Ukyou asked Ken, while pointing at the sword.
	"A veritable flood." he said derisively at Happosai.
	Happosai looked slightly deflated, but then became angry again.
His pipe flew out suddenly striking Ken in the wrist.  Ken recoiled out of
instinct and Happosai scrambled to his feet, a battle aura blazing.
	"Now you're going to have a good lesson in fighting beat into you,
you disrespectful whelp!"
	Ken grit his teeth as his world slowly went red.  He took an
instant disliking to Happosai and felt that he definitely would have
everyone's permission to beat him senseless.  
	"Hey, Happosai!  Look at these!" Ukyou called suddenly.
	Happosai turned to see Ukyou holding up a bra, pretending to see
if they fit her.  Happosai's face broke into a stupid grin and his battle
aura drained.  Ken's aura suddenly flared at the same time and he plunged
his sword into the ground.  Ukyou saw the same bright light engulf
Happosai that she'd seen engulf Shampoo before.  This time, Happosai
wasn't rendered unconcious.  Instead, he staggered about as if drunk and
dazed.  Ken pulled out his sword, calmly sheathed it and walked over to
Happosai.  He took the metal pole Ukyou used to adjust the sign on her
restaurant and closed his eyes.  When he opened them, Ukyou noticed that
glowed ever so slightly.  Ken proceeded to wrap the pole around Happosai
in a tight coil.  Ukyou took the bra, tied it around Happosai's face, and
then gagged him with some panties she found on the ground.  
	"So who does he belong to?" Ken asked.
	Ukyou laughed.
	"He doesn't belong to anyone, although I sometimes think he
belongs to the Tendos.  Happosai's supposedly the master of the Anything
Goes dojo.  Guess we should deliver him to their doorstep."
	Ken grinned.
	"No problem." he said as he picked up the still dazed Happosai.
"I'll pay you back for the pole.  I couldn't think of any other way to
properly restrain the old guy.  Oh yeah, nice trick with the bra." Ken
said with a grin and a wink.  "Good thing I wasn't really looking or I'd
have passed out."
	Ukyou blushed as Ken took off into the night following the same
path Happosai had taken over the rooftops.

	When Ranma and Akane woke the next morning, it was quiet.  It was
as if there were a deathly calm that had enshrouded the Tendo dojo.  They
cautiously got up from their beds, and ran into each other as they left
their rooms.  Ranma gave Akane a questioning look, to which Akane simply
shrugged.  Neither had any idea of what was going on.  Akane stole a peek
into Nabiki's room, only to see nobody there.  They both went downstairs
cautiously, only to see Kasumi quietly humming to herself and Nabiki
quietly sipping her tea.  What struck Ranma as odd was that Soun was
sitting contentedly in his seat with a very large grin that stretched from
ear to ear.  
	"What's going on?" Akane asked.
	Nabiki smiled and pointed next to her and moved out of the way.
	Happosai sat in his seat bound, gagged, and blindfolded with a
small note pinned to the bra that blinded him.  Happosai appeared rather
sullen, despite the bent bar and women's underwear that seemed to obscure
him from view.
	Ranma and Akane began laughing uproariously.  Neither could
contain their laughter.  Ranma fell to the round, and Akane almost on top
of him.  Nabiki gestured wildly and pointed at Happosai again making
throat cutting motions with her hands.  Ranma and Akane calmed themselves
as quickly as possible when they saw Happosai shaking in fury.  
	"Aw, c'mon old man.  It's not like you've been beaten before.  You
must have been distracted.  It's happened to the best of us." Ranma said.
	Happosai gave a muffled response.  Ranma and Akane walked over to
Happosai and took the note off from Happosai's head.
	"It's addressed to the both of you." Nabiki drawled.
	"What is it?" Akane asked.
	"It's a note from Ken.  It's about the old lech."
	"What did he say?"
	Ranma broke into a giant grin.  He looked over at Soun Tendo and
raised an eyebrow questioningly.  Soun simply smiled and nodded his head.
Ranma passed the note to Akane with a snicker.
	"I guess he's getting along with Ukyou even better than I
thought."
	"Or I thought." Akane said with a smile after reading the note.
	Happosai simply shook and tried to scream through the gag.
	"Take it easy old lech, we'll get you out of there." Ranma said in
an exasperated voice.  "We'll just have to stop by Ucchan's and have Ken
do it.  I don't have the time right now."
	After wolfing down breakfast, Ranma and Akane bolted to Ucchan's
to see Ken sweeping the storefront.  Ranma held out the impromptu package.
	"We kinda need to get him out of there." he said with a sheepish
grin.
	"Even if he is a pervert, he is the master of the Anything Goes
style." Akane said ruefully.
	"Did you make him promise?" Ken asked.
	Ranma held up the wrapped Happosai.
	"I swear not to grope Ukyou." Happosai said in a resigned voice.
	"And you won't steal any underwear from her."
	Ukyou walked out and looked at Ken with a wry smile after seeing
Happosai.
"Yes, I swear not to steal any underwear from Ukyou or grope her."
Happosai said annoyed.  Ukyou shot Ken a look of mock surprise and an
impish grin.
	Ken blushed furiously.
	"And what about other women?" he quickly added.
	"Look, I agree already!  Let me go!"  Happosai yelled.
	"You know, why don't you just free yourself.  I know you can." Ken
said flatly.
	"I'm too weak right now.  I've got a headache and I don't feel
well." Happosai whined.  "I haven't been with my collection in a long
time, no thanks to you, boy!" he spat at Ken.
	"The old man's an addict.  If keep him away from them too long, he
gets kinda off balance or somethin'." Ranma replied.
	Ken hunched over to look at Happosai.
	"Come near Ukyou again and I'll cut your hands off." Ken hissed
under his breath.  "I swear to it by my brother, Ida-ten."
	Happosai sighed.
	"Fine, but you can't catch me all the time."
	"I can if it's Ukyou." Ken hissed again.
	Ken took his sword and noted that water dripped from its tip.
	I wonder if freeing Happosai is a good thing, he thought.  Would
Ranma's mother think it an act of compassion or mercy, he asked himself.
He cleared his mind and looked at the coils around Happosai's body.  He
focused and then made a clean slice through Happosai's bonds.  They fell
away easily after being severed into smaller pieces.
	Happosai stretched and glared at Ken.
	"You've interefered with an important man's work.  You'll suffer
for that."
	"But isn't it the responsibility of a martial artist to help those
who can't help themselves?"
	"What does that have to do with it?" Happosai asked.
	"Those women chasing you seemed to have a tough time getting their
things back."
	"But what about me?  You served me a great injury by doing those
things.  You will regret it."
	"If you had the opportunity to gain the trust and friendship, as
well as the appreciation, of a great many beautiful women by apprehending
a thief, would you?"
	"What do you mean?" Happosai asked, suddenly interested.
	"If a hundred beautiful women would shower you with kisses if you
were to do them, what you would think a small favor, would you?" Ken asked
with a smile.
	"Of course!  What kind of Neanderthal do you think I am?" he
replied incredulously.  "You insult me!  Every true martial artist would
help those beautiful women.  Think of the rewards!" Happosai said with a
faraway look in his eyes.
	"What if it meant taking care of a certain pilferer of small
trifles?"
	"Forget about the pilferer!  There are women in need!  Beautiful
ladies that will love you forever!"
	Ken stood up with a smile.  Ranma, Akane, and Ukyou shared a
laugh.  Happosai looked about with confusion.
	"What's so funny?" he asked angrily.
	"Nothing, old lech.  Absolutely nothing." Ranma said as he turned
to run to school.  Akane and Ukyou followed behind laughing.
	"What did you say to them?!" Happosai demanded.
	"Promise you'll be civil and forget about this entire incident and
I'll tell you." Ken said with a smile.
	"Give me some sake, and you have a deal, boy." Happosai said with
a smile.
	Ken laughed and brought Happosai into the restaurant.

	"Just what was Ken saying to Happosai?" Ukyou asked Ranma. 
	"Nothing, really." Ranma replied with a smile.
	Ukyou turned to look at Akane questioningly as she ran next to
her.  Akane simply gestured to Ranma as he ran on the fence beside them.
	"Ask Ranma." she said.
	"C'mon you guys.  You have to tell me!  It's about Ken liking me,
isn't it?"
	"You could say that." Ranma replied with a grin.
	Ukyou snorted derisively.
	"I already told him I'm engaged."
	"So you really don't like him?" Akane asked skeptically.
	"I like him as a friend.  I've said that already." Ukyou said.
	Ranma jumped down from the fence to run through the gates with
Akane and Ukyou.
	"That's what you say, Ucchan; but as your best friend, I'd like to
point out that you two get along very well together."
	"It's very cute." Akane replied with a grin.
	"Will you two stop it!" Ukyou said and she blushed slightly.
	"Well, Ukyou and I will see you in class." Akane called over her
shoulder as they ran past a sonnet-spouting Tatewaki Kuno.
	
	"Well, it sounds like you've got quite a problem on your hands."
	"I guess so."
	"And you're trying to take lessons from Ranma's mother?"
	"Yup."
	Happosai looked wistfully into the sake he was drinking.  Things
had become much more friendly once Ken had given him the sake and explined
the joke.  Even he had to admit that the boy was smart enough to sucker
him into an easy paradox.  Now he was inquiring into seeing the Anything
Goes style?
	"You're a strange one.  First you threaten me and try to bully me,
and now you're being complacent and friendly."
	"I told you before, I try to protect those that I consider
friends."
	"Or loved ones." Happosai said with a chuckle.
	"What do you mean by that?"
	Happosai laughed.
	"Don't tell me that you're being so protective of Ukyou because
you respect her.  I've lived long enough to know that a young man like
yourself is looking for a little action." he said with a wink.
	"It's not like that at all!" Ken protested.
	Happosai laughed again.
	"Fine, fine.  I was once your age and acted similarly.  It is a
noble thing indeed to care for someone and try to protect them with your
life."  Happosai's eyes glazed over.  "I can remember a time when I was so
noble and virtuous.  I walked the land helping those who couldn't help
themselves.  Why, I even fell in love with a beautiful woman and would
have married her if it hadn't been for turbulent times.  I would have
moved the world for her."
	"So what happened?" Ken asked.
	Happosai thought back to the numerous times he bounced from the
chest of one woman to another.
	"I, uh, got distracted.  We grew apart." he replied.
	Ken sighed.  
	"Must have been nice knowing someone cared about you like that."
	"I know plenty of beautiful women care about me like that!"
Happosai protested.
	"If you call the split second between grabbing her chest and being
swatted away love." Ken replied with a laugh.
	"Insulting your elders will get you nowhere." Happosai said
sternly.
	"But sake will?"
	Happosai snorted.
	"Only so far."
	"Then have another drink." Ken said as he poured.
	Happosai downed the sake and hopped off the counter.
	"Thank you for the drink, m'boy.  I'll be off now."
	"Don't forget about what I said." Ken said sternly and flipped his
sword in his hands.  "I'm very serious about you hurting Ukyou in any way.
Or any of the women I've met."
	Happosai frowned.
	"I thought we were getting along so well.  Well, since you've
shown me enough repentance and respect for your actions.  I will agree to
cease grabbing Ukyou and your female friends when you're around."
	Ken started unsheathing the sword.  Happosai laughed.
	"Fine.  I'll stop with the grabbing; but if you can't catch me
doing it to other women, that's your problem."
	"If that's as far as you'll go-"
	"That's it."
	"I guess that'll have to do.  You realize I spend a lot of time
with my female friends.  There's the Tendo sisters, Ukyou, Shampoo, and
even Ranma; if you count his female form as a female entirely."
	"You can't spend all your time with them.  And I know for a fact
you haven't spent any time with Shampoo-chan."
	Ken was about to say something, but Happosai bounded out the door
and out of sight before he could say anything.  Ken chuckled.  Happosai
was an amazing old pervert, but a pervert nonetheless.  Old habits die
hard, I guess, he thought as he gathered the sake and started to wipe down
the restaurant.

	"So Ken said he'd cut off Happosai's hands if he caught the old
man in the act?"
	"Actually, I think he specified you." Akane said with a smile.
	"You're really trying your hardest to pair me up with him, aren't
you?"
	"I'm just trying to make a happy couple happier." Akane replied.
	"I'm already engaged to Ranma!" Ukyou protested.  It didn't work.
Akane had the 'I told you so' look and it wouldn't go away.  Ukyou looked
over to Ranma for support, but he simply protected himself in these
situations by burying his face in food.  Ukyou could tell that Ranma's
lunch was going down faster than normal.  She sighed.
	"Aren't you attracted to him at all?  You must be." Akane said.
	"You bet she is.  Just look at the clothes she got him."
	Ukyou turned to see Nabiki walk in and sit next to them.
	"I think I've heard this before." Ukyou said flatly.
	"What do you want, Nabiki?" Akane asked.
	"I want to talk to Ken, if that's okay with his girlfriend." She
said jokingly.
	"I am not his girlfriend!" Ukyou protested.
	"Then you'll make a lot of single ladies here very happy." Nabiki
replied with a smile.  "So do I get a shot at talking to him?"
	"It's not my place to say." Ukyou replied.  "But I think he's
still pretty mad at you Nabiki.  I don't think he wants to talk to you at
all."
	Nabiki sighed, looking rather crestfallen.
	"And he was such a cute one."
	"You like him, don't you?" Ukyou asked Nabiki.
	Nabiki glared at Akane.  Akane raised her hands defensively.
	"It's not like that at all.  I simply have business to talk to him
about."
	"He gave you the money for the loan, Nabiki." Ukyou replied.
	"You mean you gave me the money for the loan, Ukyou."
	"He works for me.  He doesn't come here since he doesn't
really need to go to school.  I volunteered to do it for him."
	"There's still the matter of his contract."
	"I don't think he'd be very receptive to that particular word,
Nabiki."
	Nabiki sighed.
	"If you like him, Nabiki, then why don't you just say so.  It's
not like you're stepping down from some throne." Akane said quietly.  "You
are among friends here."
	"Look at the time." Nabiki said brightly.  "I have to get back to
class!"  She got up and waved before leaving the classroom.
	"She really does like him, doesn't she?" Ukyou asked after Nabiki
had left.
	"I think so." Akane said simply.
	Ranma looked up from his lunch.
	"Did I miss something?  What were you talking to Nabiki about?" he
asked.
	"Nothing, Ran-chan.  Nothing you need to concern yourself with.
Mostly girl talk." Ukyou replied.  She waved and made her way out the
door.  It was time to open the restaurant.
	When she arrived, she noticed the tables were clean and in order.
The grill was spotless and the counter as well.  The batter was on ice and
by the grill.  The toppings were all at hand and stocked.  Everything was
ready for business.  Ukyou frowned.  Ken wasn't around.  She could hear a
slight bump-bump noise from overhead, and decided Ken was on the roof
again.  When she opened the door, she found what she was looking for.  Ken
was on the roof practicing with his back to her.  She noticed that a
wooden dummy with multiple arms was standing in the middle of the roof.
Ken must have put that in, she mused.
	Ken was completely focused.  Ukyou could tell.  The look of
complete determination and intent was there.  Must have been here since
this morning, Ukyou thought as she watched his sweat drenched body fluidly
work around the wooden arms of the dummy.  His shirt was drenched and it
clung to his body like a second skin.  Ukyou could clearly see definition
and tone that years of work and training would produce.  She blushed at
the thought and pushed it out of her mind.  It didn't help that Ken had
stopped to catch his breath.  He stretched and pulled off his shirt and
tossed it to the side.  Ukyou's eyes locked in place and she held her
breath.  He's absolutely gorgeous, she thought to herself, just like
Ran-chan.  
Ken wiped his hands on the pair of sweatpants he was wearing and picked up
where he left off.  Ukyou was mesmerized by the way Ken rhythmically
worked his arms around the wooden arms of dummy.  He quickly and
methodically wove his arms around the wooden arms of the dummy to hit the
body.  It was like a fluid dance.  A beautiful dance with no partner.
Does it need one, Ukyou asked herself.  Her face flushed at the thought.
	"You move so gracefully.  I wish I could carry myself like that." he had
said to her, and her heart had gone out to him.  She had tried to comfort
him then.
	"You can move like that - you do move like that.  It's beautiful."
She said under her breath.  She instantly wish she hadn't.
	Ken stopped when he thought he heard someone.  He stopped and
turned.  It was Ukyou.  She was standing in the doorway to the stairs
leading to the restaurant.  She had a blush that highlighted her face.
Her eyes had a wishful, almost dream-like look to them.  Ken thought she
looked like and angel.  A beautiful angel that's engaged to someone else,
he thought.  He quickly turned to pick up his shirt.  When he turned back
to look at Ukyou, she was clearing her throat and straightening her
clothes.  He walked up to her and smiled.
	"I guess I took a little too long practicing.  I apologize." he
said quietly.
	Ukyou coughed and looked away.  She felt flushed and the air
seemed a little warm.  She bit her lip.
	"It's okay.  It's fine." she said hastily.  She felt Ken start to
walk by her, and she surprised herself by reaching out to touch him.  He
turned around at the contact.  She put her hand on his chest.  His chest
muscles were rock solid, hot and slick with perspiration; and she could
feel his heart racing under her touch.  Her heart was racing in response.
	"Yes?" he asked quietly.
	"I think it'd be best if you got cleaned up before you get to
work." Ukyou stammered hastily.  I'm an idiot, she yelled at herself
mentally.  What am I doing?!
	Ken chuckled.
	"I had that one covered.  I wouldn't want to drive away business."
he said with a smile.
	You'd get a lot of female business, she thought to herself as she
watched him walk down the stairs and out of sight.


*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Ethan Tsai
1 N. College Street
Northfield, MN 55057

Member of SAUCE (it's what should* go on the okonomiyaki)
Civilian Advisor to the Warehouse, Chemical Superfreak
	Free Consultation on a Referral Basis
Member of USSRTFW:SR

TSAIE@Gridley.ACNS.Carleton.edu
http://public.carleton.edu/~tsaie/ethan.html