Well, as things stand, it looks like I'm going to be returning to our 
heros in chapter 30.

For now though, let's see how the (turns to White Wolf) NERIMA (turns 
back to reader) crew is doing.

The Flashman

May The Spirit Preserve You!

___________________

				     TRIO:
				THE HOME FRONT:
			      MARTIAL ARTIST LAW

	It was what most would have considered an average day.

	However, in Nerima, it was an unusually uneventful one.  There were 
no showdowns between dueling martial artists.  No strange creatures.  
No damage to buildings that cost billions of yen.

	All in all, the average citizens of Nerima were quite happy.

	Ever since what had been termed as "The Night of Martial Artist Law,
" where fighters of all kinds had, almost litteraly, torn apart the 
town, there had not been a single incident.

	It had been rumored that the reason behind that dark and terrible 
night was because one of Nerimas most prominent martial artists, one 
Ranma Saotome, had vanished.  While they didn't know why this was the 
cause, they hoped that the dissapearence marked the end of Nerimas 
woes.

	At the Tendo Dojo....

	Akane was breaking bricks.  She was hitting them with a savagery 
that was extreme, even for her.  So far, she had completely shattered 
eighteen of them and she showed no sign of slowing down.

	"What's wrong with me?" she thought, "I know I get angry, but I'm 
just so... REALLY ANGRY today.  Why?"

	The answer of course, was the same as it had been everyday, Ranmas' 
running away.  "At least," she thought before shouting to the ceiling,
 "THAT JERK COULD HAVE LEFT A NOTE!"

	Akane, without even thinking, pulled her mallet out and whacked the 
brick she had set up.  Her thoughts became even angrier as she 
remembered how, a month or so after Ranma had vanished, she had 
confronted Shampoo, demanding that she tell what she, or Cologne, had 
done to Ranma.

	When Shampoo had denied any wrong doing in a none too nice manner, 
Akane had just snapped and started attacking the Amazon.

	To the surprise of everyone, Akane had been getting the upper hand, 
until Moose interjected himself.  Then Kuno showed up and attacked 
Moose, for daring to attack "The Beauteous Akane Tendo."  THEN, Tarou 
(in monster form) showed up, hot on the heels of Happosai.  Happosai 
then stole a weapon from Cologne to fend off Tarou, drawing the older 
Amazon into the fray.

	Then they spilled outside, where they were joined by Ukyo and 
Kodachi as they battled up and down the streets of Nerima.

	Then, matters got even worse as Saffron, Mint, Lime, Herb, The Dojo 
Destroyer, Mikado, Ryuu and practically everyone who had a grudge 
against Ranma decided that it was time to get revenge.  The violence 
as to who would get him first if they found him, grew out of control 
and it took the efforts of six of the Sailor Senshi and thirty units 
of SUMP (Special Units of Metro Police [The Japanese equivalent of 
SWAT]) officers, working together, five hours to quell it.

	In the end, Tarou, Happosai, Ryuu, The Dojo Destroyer and Mikado had 
been arrested.  Herb, Mint and Lime had been deported.  Saffron just 
vanished, and everyone else was let go because it was assumed that 
they had been innocent bystanders caught in the fray.  While the 
district had sustained damages that the cost to repair went into the 
trillions.

	Ever since then, it had been silent.  The need to fight had gone out 
of the martial artists systems and they were content to just give 
each other the cold shoulder, along with an occasional Evil Eye.

	Still, one question remained unanswered, where had Ranma dissapeared 
to?

	Akane frowned in contemplation.  Why did Ranmas' running away get 
her so mad?  She should have been jumping for joy.  No more forced 
marriage.  Still, the only thing she felt besides her anger was a 
feeling of loss.  Not the kind of loss when a friend is gone, but the 
kind when you lose someone you.... love?

	Outside the Tendo Dojo....

	Dr. Tofu was about to knock on the door but stopped as his hand was 
inches away.  "If I knock," he thought, "Kasumi will answer the door 
and I'll go bonkers.  Then I'll NEVER get to tell them the good news. 
 Got to think of a way in..."

	An hour later....

	The knock at the door caught Kasumis' attention and she walked over 
to and opened it.  She was quite surprised when Dr. Tofu, wearing a 
blindfold over his eyes and headphones that blared heavy metal music 
(blotting out his hearing), rushed in through the door, yelling like 
a mad man as he used his memory of the Tendo Dojo floor plan to make 
his way to the dojo.  "Oh my," Kasumi whispered as the dust cloud 
from Tofus passing started to die down.

	Akane looked up and screamed as the blind and deaf Dr. Tofu, who was 
still screaming, ran past her, out of the back door and fell into the 
koi pond.  Akane blinked in confusion as Tofu came up, gasping for 
breath and ripped the two blinding apparatuses from his head.  "Made 
it," he exclaimed, "Akane I have some wonderful news for you, your 
father and Mr. Saotome!  It's about Ranma!"

	Kasumi was about to enter the room but Akane kept her out of Tofus 
line of vision and the youngest Tendo daughter said, "Sis, could you 
get Dad and Mr. Saotome?  Dr. Tofu needs to talk to them."

	Later....

	Soun cried tears of joy as Genma tried to hold back his own.  "My 
son," the elder Saotome whispered, "alive."

	Akane however, was a bit more pessimistic, "So he's alive.  That 
just means he's a coward.  He ran away for goodness sake."

	"I don't think his ending up in New York was voluntary," Tofu 
interjected, "He has no memory of any part of his past, except for 
his martial arts skills which have been so drilled into him that 
they've become instinct more then memory.  With the enemy that he's 
facing however, I'm not sure that it will be enough."

	The three people listening to the doctor looked up at him and Akane 
asked, "Is this Eclipse Syndicate really that strong?"

	Tofu nodded and shuddered slightly, while most of his time as 
Medkind had mercifully been blanked out of his memory, the few bits 
he did remember chilled him to the core.  "Yes," was what he said.

	Akane smiled sadly as she said, "I'll bet he probably tried to take 
them head on the first day."

	Tofu grinned and replied, "That wouldn't surprise me at all."

	Outside the room, Nibiki grinned a cool grin as she turned off her 
portable tape recorder.  This would turn out to be VERY profitable.

	At the Kuno mansion....

	"Well Mr. Kuno," the man said, "I thank you for your time.  This 
business dealing shall be most profitable for all parties concerned.
"

	Tatiwaki Kuno nodded in acceptance and said, "Yes.  Though you are 
Gaijin Mr. Hawkins and thus, can not possess the pure abilities of me 
and those in my line, you are a skilled business man and I trust that 
you can carry through on your end."

	"Yes."

	Mr. Hawkins was an American with a hawk like face, long, shoulder 
length brown hair tied off in a pony tail.  His eyes were a piercing 
steel blue and the perminant scowl on his face made Nabiki back off 
slightly as he strode out of the Kuno mansion.  "Please madam," he 
said as he bowed formally, "excuse me."

	Nabiki bowed slightly as she stepped aside and let Hawkins pass.  As 
soon as he was gone, Nabiki turned to Kuno as he greeted her with, 
"To what cruel turn of fate do I owe the 'pleasure' of thy company 
Nabiki Tendo?"

	Nabiki grinned and replied, "Now Kuno baby, is that any way to talk 
to someone who has information on your missing little red head?"

	Later, at the Nekohaten....

	"AIYAH!" Shampoo exclaimed, "Great Grandmother, Shampoo MUST go to 
American City!  Husband is there!"

	It had cost Shampoo almost all the money she had on her but it had 
been too good an opportunity to pass up.  Now that she knew about the 
fate of Ranma, she knew that she had to go to him.  There was no way 
that her Great Grandmother would say...

	"No," Cologne replied, "we must wait for his return.  There is 
nothing we could do to help him."

	"But Great Grandmother..."

	"No more arguments!  If you truly love Son In Law, then do not 
attempt to interfere, he must face this without us."

	"Then what CAN Shampoo do?"

	"Pray.... and get going.  You need to deliver that order of Ramen we 
received ten minutes ago."

	"Yes Great Grandmother."

	As soon as Shampoo had shuffled out of the restaurant, Cologne 
addressed the shadows, "We are alone now."

	A person stepped out of the shadows and replied, "As always, Ancient 
One, you have sensed me."

	Cologne snorted and said, "I find it interesting that you describe 
ME as 'ancient' Setsuna."

	Setsuna smiled a rare smile and replied, "True.  However, I fear 
that this is not a visit to remember old times."

	"What do you have need of?"

	"We have run out of Senzu."

	Cologne sighed and hobbled over to a bag on one of the shelves.  She 
took the bag and tossed it at Setsuna, who caught it without blinking 
an eye.  Cologne chided, "You must conserve those.  They are the last 
ones I have.  It will take years to grow more."

	Setsuna nodded in understanding and said, "I am sorry, but the war 
is much more difficult then we suspected."

	"How does it go?  I have trained Son In Law as best I could for it, 
is he good enough?"

	"He would be, except that a recent encounter has shattered his 
confidence.  He is recovering however, and hopefully, he will have 
his self assurance restored soon."

	Cologne nodded and turned around, never doubting for a second, that 
where she turned back, Setsuna was gone.

	Elsewhere....

	Shampoo rode her bike full tilt, she was sad that she couldn't go 
help Ranma but she trusted her Great Grandmother and if she said it 
was too dangerous, then it was too dangerous.

	She reached the address that the delivery was for and dismounted her 
bike.  She looked up at the building and let out a soft, "Aiyah," as 
she observed the glass monolith that was her delivery site.  The 
large sign outside read, <Black Sun Inc.>

	Shampoo walked into the lobby and when the secretary asked for her 
ID, she held up the Ramen carrier and said, "Delivery for Mr. Hawkins.
  Delicious Ramen."

	The secretary buzzed someone over an intercom and after a brief 
discussion, she said, "Take the elevator to the top floor."

	Shampoo asked, "Do stairs go to top?"

	The secretary replied, "Yeah, but it's one hundred and..."

	"Shampoo need workout," the Amazon replied as she started to race up 
the stairs.

	Several minuets later....

	Hawkins raised his eyebrows in surprise when, instead of the ding of 
the elevator he had expected, he heard a knock on the door.  "Come in,
" he said.

	Shampoo opened the door and once again, let out a soft, "Aiyah," as 
she noticed the plush surroundings.  The desk at the end of the room 
had to be 100% pure red wood.  The carpet was the thickest and 
woolliest red carpet that Shampoo had ever walked on and the 
bookshelves were filled with rare pieces of literature.

	Hawkins, who was sitting behind his desk, said, "Leave it on the 
desk," and as Shampoo complied, he pulled out a wad of yen that more 
then covered for the bill by a wide margin and added, "Keep the 
change."

	Shampoo smiled widely, bowed and took her leave.

	As soon as she was gone, Hawkins took out a pair of gold chopsticks, 
removed the bowl from the package and as he ate, the small view 
screen on his desk popped to life.

	It was Lujane.

	Hawkins glared down at the screen and growled, "Can't you see I'm 
eating?"

	"My apologies," Lujane replied, "but I must know, were you 
successful in your efforts?"

	Hawkins sighed as he rubbed his forehead, "Yes.  The insufferable, 
inbred clan known as the Kuno estate, has given us the rights.  We 
may proceed with sub titling the latest episodes of Star Marshal 
Ghram."

	Lujane snickered slightly as she said, "Once again, I must say that 
I never thought that sub titling Anime could be so profitable to an 
organization such as ours."

	Hawkins glared at Lujane again and shifted form.  In his place, sat 
Eclipse Lord.  "Forgive me master," Lujane amended, "I meant, an 
organization such as yours."

	"Never forget that Lujane.  Now, how goes the repairs."

	The highest of the Inner Four sighed as she replied, "The Warriors 
Department got off the easiest, with the lightest being a few cases 
of frazzled nerves and the heaviest being a few cases of minor burns.


	"The other Departments however, have not gotten off so easily.  We 
are projecting three days to fully repair the Genetiks Department, 
then another two days to finish work on the Robotics Department and 
Seer tells me that the Temporal shroud that is blocking his 
Departments abilities should clear in a week."

	Eclipse Lords' eyes thinned in contemplation.  "Very well," he said, 
"carry on," as Lujane was about to sign off, Eclipse Lord added, "By 
the way, tell your husband that he was right.  That was the best 
Ramen in Tokyo."

	Elsewhere....

	Shampoo stopped her bike as she noticed the flurry of activity 
outside the restaurant.  She wasn't sure what restaurant it was until 
Ukyou stepped out, handing okinomiyaki to everyone that passed by, 
while saying,  "And here's a free sample for you!  And for you!  And 
for you!  It's all free today!  Ranchans alive!"

	Shampoo got off her bike and stomped over to Ukyou and grabbed her 
by the shoulder.  "Spatula Girl know about husband?"

	"Hell yeah," Ukyou snapped back, "it took most of todays earnings 
but it was worth it.... and Ranchan will NEVER be your husband!"

	"Who he marry then?  Pervert Spatula Girl!"

	The people paled as Ukyou drew her kick butt spatula and Shampoo 
drew her bonbori.

	Things were returning to normal.

	And in the future....

	"SHENRON!  COME FORTH!"

TO BE CONTINUED....