[Hi folks!
	[People sometimes ask why I always use my middle initial on 
things.  Well, that's because "Scott Jamison" isn't a terribly uncommon 
name.  Take for example Scott *S* Jamison, a high-schooler who recently 
sent me a copy of his first Ranma fic.
	[Let's give a nice welcome with lots of C&C to a new member of 
the community.  He's not on the FFML yet, so be sure to cc him at 
james@advnet.net.
	[Thanks for your attention,
	[SKJAM! (Scott *K* Jamison)]



	A Slight Disclaimer: these characters aren't mine, they are the 
property of Rumiko Takahashi and various/diverse corporations, and yes I 
am using them without permission.  I'm just a poor kid, and it seems that 
there are much better targets in the world than a bankrupt person. 
(please don't litigate!)

				High Rollers		
	By: Scott "Zoogz" Jamison
				
	The wedding crush was in full swing.  Ranma and I were running
around everywhere, trying to accomplish too many things at once. 
Everything had to be done at the same time; the invitations, the 
catering, the organization, along with a dozen other things had to be 
done, and all at the same time. At all times, Nabiki was positively 
wringing her hands at the prohibitive expense, all of which she found fit 
to put on Ranma's already towering tab.  As a result, she felt compelled 
to hound him at every turn.
	One day at the table about four weeks before the wedding, I was
sitting next to Ranma.  At the time, we were discussing the list of 
people to invite.  All of a sudden, my sister entered.  She addressed 
Ranma. "You know, Ranma, you and I have to have a long talk about this 
whole wedding thing.  You have no collateral, and no income.  How am I to
collect from you?"
	A typical lead-in to the pictures that she was going to be 
taking. I swear, the Kuno family had financed us almost exclusively for 
the last year-and-a-half.  I sometimes felt sick to my stomach, 
especially when I was the subject of the pictures.  I know Ranma felt the 
same way.
	He rose from his kneel, and left for his room.  Nabiki was
following him all the way there, telling of how the money was needed.
He was clearly starting to become annoyed with my sister.  I guessed I
needed to talk to him about that.  The worst time, though, was right
before and right after the photo shoot.  I guessed the best time to do it
was after dinner.  Ranma, as always, was pacified with food in his
stomach.
	I left for the next couple hours.  Out of the house always was 
the best place to be when something like this was happening.  We worked
so hard at this relationship, and Ranma was always so reluctant, that I
would hate to undo that with a badly-timed misunderstood comment.
Besides, my sister might want to turn on me, too.  Family wars were not
my idea of good weekend entertainment, especially if I had to listen to
my dad cry for three nights straight again.  That bugged me more than
the fighting did.
	There was nothing to accomplish that day except another visit to
the engraver's shop.  That was done in short order, so I had a bit of 
free time to wander.  The park, the bridges, the restaurants of Nerima 
passed under my gaze.  All brought memories of days past, when I was 
usually fighting with Ranma.  Now that they were over, I was quite 
relieved.
	Anxiety gave my feet wings when I thought about Ranma.  The
picture shoot should be over, and maybe a bit of peace and quiet could
be found on a Sunday afternoon.  A great time to relax, the calm before
the storm.

	Dinner came to a close, and Ranma was leaning back.  He
seemed to have forgotten all about the photo shoot, staying exclusively
in the dojo since I came back.  The only time I went near it, I could 
hear nothing.  I guessed he was meditating.
	A sudden movement broke the silence.  Ranma gave me a
beckoning glance which screamed, "Come now!"  I instantly rose and left
Kasumi to clear the dishes.  This looked serious.  It was.  We left for 
the outside, and walked to the bridges.  He led me under one, and
proceeded to check the bottom of it.  He appeared satisfied, and drew
me closer.  What came next was not what I expected.
	"Akane, I'm sick and tired of your sister blackmailing me!"
	I was taken aback.  From the look on his face all the way here,
an upbraiding was the last thing I expected.  Especially considering the
out-of-the-way spot he had selected.  Oh, yeah. . . Nabiki and her sound
equipment.  It had slipped my mind.  I rearranged my thoughts
accordingly, and looked at him.  I started to feel the redness rise.  I
fought it back, and looked at him again.  "So, what are you planning on
doing about it?"
	"Well, I need a talk with Kuno."
	A talk with Kuno?  I guess he could ask for a handout, but
beyond that, I was stumped.  "Well, if you really need to, I guess we
could arrange it right now.  Why do you need to talk to him?"
	"You'll have to trust me on this one.  I think I've come up with 
a way to get out of debt with your sister no matter what she might 
charge. I need you to get him to let us talk with his lawyers."
	His _lawyers_?  What did he need with them?  True, they
controlled the family forture, but they were even less likely to help.  I
gazed into his eyes; he was quite serious about this.  Then he gave me
the puppy-dog look that first gave me the glimmer of his love.  I could 
not resist.  He saw this, and grabbed me into an embrace.  Next came a 
long kiss, something I hadn't had in a while.  This was a little closer 
to what I was expecting.

	The next day, I dropped a message in Kuno's mailbox.  I knew
that Sasuke, as a matter of habit, gave all notes from "Tendo Akane"
(and even the rare ones from "The Pig-Tailed Girl") to Kuno without
hesitation.  I was not disappointed, because Kuno showed up at noon as
stipulated.  I came out of the house, with a dripping Ranma(-chan) in
tow.  He gave us both a look, and instantly went into his "samurai-honor"
mode.
	"Oh, Tendo Akane-san.  I await the sweet words from the pre-
eminent beauty of our time," was the first thing out of his mouth.
	I idly wondered if Ranma would ever compliment me like that.  I
realized that I didn't really want that, though.  I liked Ranma a lot 
more than I would ever like Kuno.  Besides, I think I would tire of his 
talking that way after about an hour.
	I was right.  After we explained that Ranma wanted some legal
help,  Kuno agreed to let Ranma talk to a lawyer.  Ranma left the house,
to go to the business district.  I, on the other hand, was charged to 
stay with Kuno.  At least we left my house, so that I would not subject 
his talking on the people I care for.  By the time we came back to the 
house, I had already tired of him.  Ranma was also there.  He was back to 
his old self, and had a devilish glint to his eyes.  Kuno, at first, 
decided to not acknowledge him, but then launched into one of his many 
'you are quite inferior to me' speeches.  Ranma looked unimpressed, as 
always, and told Kuno that he would fight later.
	Kuno left, grumbling.  I was semi-surprised at his departure.  He
usually did not leave until after the fighting.  I broke my reverie and
looked back to Ranma.  "So, how did the session with Kuno's lawyers
go?"
	"We-ell. . . they tried to teach me how to make an iron-clad
contract."
	I instantly went on-guard.  Ranma was trying to outsmart my
sister.  That could have disastrous consequences.  I asked, "Now what's
the angle?"
	"I told you earlier; you have to trust me on this.  It will work, 
no matter what.  Kuno's lawyers are having something delivered tomorrow
morning.  The rest of the night, Nabiki gets to look at this contract.  
You are listed as a witness, as is the lawyer who helped me, 
Yashimoto-san. I think the contract says. . . yes right here. . . ' six 
o'clock Tuesday'," was the cryptic reply.
	He would not tell me anything the rest of the night.  Even the
practice that we had was slightly nervous and hurried.  Even if Ranma
said his plan would work, he seemed awfully nervous about it.  The first
thing he accomplished afterward was giving the contract and a pen to
Nabiki.  She smiled, and went upstairs to her room with it.  I heard
Ranma and Nabiki argue.  All I could pick up was "double zero".
Because of the muffled voices, I did not fall asleep until two hours 
later, at eleven o'clock.

	The next morning dawned with the promise of another dreary
day.  All last week had been the same, as was Monday.  A cursory
glance at the clock confirmed that I slept late.  "Eight o'clock!  No
wonder I feel bad, I totally missed my morning jog."  I could feel my
spirits sinking, especially when I recalled the contract.  I wondered
exactly what Ranma was trying to pull on my sister.  There was no time
for that, though.  School was starting, and I was quite late as it was.
	The day passed slowly.  I was never able to talk with Ranma the
whole day.  One thing or another would come up, and I had to make up
a test after school, too.  I was finally released from school at four 
thirty.  I ran home, not knowing what to expect.  When I reached the 
gate, I could hear voices from the inside.	
	"Watch out for that corner!  It's heavy."
	"Whatever."
	I ran through the gate, and into the house.  Nothing there.  I
heard the voices again.  It sounded as if it came from the dojo, which
had the most open space.  I looked outside, and saw two workmen
carrying a large item inside the dojo doors.  It was completely covered
with a blanket, probably to keep it from the rain that looked as if it 
were coming.  I turned back to see Ranma and my sister at the table.  
Nabiki spoke first.
	"Akane, we want you to witness this.  I'm affixing my signature 
at the bottom of this binding contract.  Since you worded it so formally, 
my gold-mine, I figured I should honor the formality."
	Ranma scowled in her direction, and snatched the paper.
Nabiki instantly howled, "Hey, don't I get a copy?"
	"If you can find that provision in the contract you just signed,
you're welcome to it."
	It looked as if Ranma was learning.  I was quite ready to break
up the imminent fight between my sister and fiancee, but after a few
moments passed, it seemed unnecessary.  Nabiki still had the smirk,
whereas Ranma's expression imitated a rabbit being looked in the face
by a half-ton truck.
	I decided to ignore the two of them.  These things always go bad
for Ranma.  I wonder why he wanted to do it, and the why the supreme
secrecy surrounding this.  As more sounds of impact came from the
dojo, I decided to jog now.  I needed to get out, and that seemed the
best excuse.  Maybe it would take my mind off this, and it seemed the
dojo was being used, anyway.

	After a short jaunt around Nerima, I was back to my house at
about 5:30.  The workmen were still in the dojo, and it looked as if they
brought a table of sorts.  It was covered in felt labeled with numbers.  
I searched the house for my sister and fiance. However, no one was
around except for Father and Mr. Saotome.  As always, they had no clue
what was going on.
	I changed quickly, and passed the final half-hour in torture.
What were they doing?  What was the bet, the stakes?  I loved Ranma
now, but was quite worried.  He was right, he usually did not lose at
anything.  But to label this scheme with "it will work, no matter what"? 
 It also involved my sister, who already made Ranma's life hell most of 
the time.  If she won this, what would she do then?  If it meant 
cancelling the wedding, I would be quite mad at her.  I had no 
inclination of eloping, because two high-school dropouts with little to 
no skills are never hired to even decent jobs.  I just hoped my sister 
had a little love in her heart for Ranma and I.
	At six on the nose, I headed out to the dojo.  Nabiki joined me,
carrying a little ivory ball.  We entered the doorway, and saw the
workmen.  They were indolently lounging on cushions probably provided
by Kasumi.  As I turned back to the door, I saw Ranma and an older man
to his side.  The older man was in a three-piece suit.  I surmised he was
the lawyer, and the other 'official' witness.  They entered, and saw
Nabiki inspecting the table.
	"Anything wrong with the table, Tendo Nabiki-san?"
	"Not one thing, Saotome Ranma-san."
	Nabiki gave the ball to the man in the suit.  The rest of my 
family had drifted in by this time, curious at the proceedings.  I took 
my first good look at the table, and the roulette wheel encased at the 
right end. It was a legitimate roulette table, probably gleaned from 
Kuno's game room.  I guess the lawyer must have found a provision that 
gives him control over the Kuno family's personal effects.  (I wouldn't 
put it past him, anyway.)  Either that, or he (she) sweet-talked Kuno 
pretty well.
	"Oh, my!  What is that?" I heard Kasumi say from my right.
	"These things have no place in the house or dojo, Ranma.
What is the meaning of this?"  Mr. Saotome burst in from outside, having
recognized the table.  I idly wondered how.  Oh, yeah, the Gamble King.
Almost forgot about that, considering all the other things that happen
day-to-day anymore.
	Nabiki pulled out the contract and started to read.  "Present to
administer the proceedings shall be Tendo Akane and Yashimoto
Kazuo.  Yashimoto Kazuo is a qualified roulette operator, and shall
administer the wheel.  Tendo Akane will call out the number with which
the wheel stopped, and shall report it clearly and accurately."  She
stopped reading for a couple seconds, and looked at me.  "Do you
understand your role, little sister?"
	I gave Ranma a look.  His expression was unreadable.  I
breathed once, and said, "Hai.  I will perform this task."
	Then Nabiki returned to the contract.  "Saotome Ranma will bet
on one number.  If he calls the correct number, debt accrued with Tendo
Nabiki will be cancelled, and a new account entered for all future
transactions.  If Saotome Ranma does not call the correct number, he
will be subject to one-half his current debt over and above the debt
accrued after 10 February."
	Our wedding day.  Ranma was risking debt-and-a-half with
Nabiki to get her to wipe it all out.  I shuddered to think what would
happen if he lost.  He was already over two hundred thousand in the
red, and it would be going up steadily after that.  Maybe even double the
amount.  Ranma was risking over one hundred thousand yen on
_something like this_?  I mentally screamed.  A game of chance, where
he had almost none.  Was he trying to wipe us out before we even
started?
	I began to see red again.  The words, "Ranma no BAKA" were
on my tongue, and I could already feel the weight of the hammer on my
shoulder.  He was going to die if this was to continue.  He saw the look,
and gave me the pleading eyes again.  He opened his soul in that look.
Vulnerability personified.  I could not stay mad, but decided to have
some faith.  That's how Ranma and I finally started this, after all.
	Then, Ranma stepped up to the table.  He put on an air of
confidence, as if he could predict the next six hits on the roulette 
table.  I thought, {How did he even learn about a roulette table?}  There 
was no time to pursue that thought, as he picked '11', on a red square.  
He nodded to Yashimoto, looked at the contract, and closed his eyes.  So
that's why he wanted me to call the number.  I wanted to close my eyes
at that, too.
	Unfortunately, I couldn't.  The ball bounced around the wheel for
a good long time, and almost landed in the slot marked '4'.  But it
changed its mind and landed in the one next to it.  I gave it a cursory
glance; I already knew what it was.  Ranma opened his eyes wide when
I cried, "Red. . . sixteen".
	I could see him deflate before my eyes.  Shock set in stone,
superimposing his face with red rage.  He looked down at the board, and
then back at the wheel.  Then, his face lit up.
	I executed the perfect double-take.  He was _happy_?  Two
seconds ago, I thought I was one more tragedy away from seeing the
straitjackets.  Ranma referred to the contract, and read aloud.  "Saotome
Ranma's chances are limited to one (1). . . _pair_."
	Nabiki's face performed a free-fall while Ranma was laughing
his head off.  She took a look at the contract.  I read it over her 
shoulder. The clause was in the bottom of the contract, next to the end. 
 The word _pair_ was clamped by the words around it.  He must have snuck 
it in there, and knew (or hoped) that Nabiki wouldn't pick up on it.  
Nabiki looked up from the contract, and accpeted the inevitable.
	"You pulled one over on me, Ranma.  This means that your debt
isn't going up. . . yet."
	Ranma was gloating at the side like he had already won.  I
yelled, "You know, Ranma, you aren't out of the woods yet.  It will take
me a long time to forgive you for pulling a stunt like this."  At that, 
he just got a wider grin.  I started to worry about him.  Maybe he wasn't 
quite right in the head.  Just when I made up my mind to get him a pillow 
and some blankets, and maybe a hot cup of tea, he turned back to the
roulette wheel.  At that moment, I saw that Yashimoto-san also had a
grin on his face.  {Ah, is that who tried to pull the fast one on my 
sister?}
	Ranma stepped back, the marker for choosing back in his hand.
He looked over the board, and saw his number.  Black two.  Nabiki was
standing slightly to the side, arms crossed.  She had a slight smile on
her face, probably because she was filing that particular trick for the
future.  Yashimoto-san started the wheel spinning, and gave the ball a
throw.  I could see the wheel slowing, the ball bounding between the
wooden slats.  It stuck like a fly in honey after the third bounce.  We
waited for the wheel to stop spinning to make the call official.
	"Black. . . 2!"
	I looked back at the wheel.  Sure enough, between the red
fourteen and the green zero sat the ball.  Ranma was pumping his fist in
the air, whooping it up.  Nabiki just stood back and smiled.  I guess she
knew that Ranma had paid back his debt by now.  She was taking this
rather well.  She turned, and left the dojo.  I, on the other hand, ran 
up to Ranma with arms spread.  He had finally gotten out of debt.
	Yashimoto-san laughed along with the rest of us, and beckoned
to the workmen to get the wheel back to Kuno's house.  Before he left,
Ranma gave him a five-thousand yen bill.  Quite a cheap price for a
lawyer.  But I suspected Yashimoto-san's 'case' wasn't really that hard,
either.
	I left the dojo, arm-in-arm with Ranma.  All the comments during
the game were forgotten.  I asked him, however, "Why were you so
confident, anyway?  You acted as if you won when you got your second
chance."
	Ranma turned to me, and said, "Did you ever notice that when
everything is on the line, you included, I always win the second time? I
meet a new opponent, and lose the first time because of unfamiliarity.
The second time is the one I make a comeback on, though.  I figured
that I could get Nabiki if I could find a game that I could have terrible
odds, but play for the first time.  If it was something like poker, I 
would've lost because I already played it.
	"When I left to go upstairs after Nabiki wanted the pictures on
Sunday, I saw a book on gambling.  I saw the roulette wheel, and knew
that it was an enemy to be conquered.  The hard parts were getting
Kuno to give me the table, and sneaking in the clause in the contract.
Nabiki never gave me any idea that she'd seen it, so I hoped for the
best.  It happened."
	We hugged, and went back inside the house.  Nabiki was
waiting inside the doorway.  "You know, Ranma, I give you some major
credit.  You finally worked your way from one end of a problem to
another.  You are aware, however, that you are still responsible for the
debts of the wedding."
	"Where does it say that, Nabiki!" he yelled.  "We agreed to post-
wedding debt!"
	She had highlighted a portion of the contract.  " 'If Saotome
Ranma wins, . . . a new account entered for all future transactions.  If
Saotome Ranma does not call the correct number, he will be subject to
one-half his current debt over and above the debt accrued after 10
February.'  Nowhere does that say anything about being even after
today, Ranma.  You did not lose, so the 10 February date is null and
void.  We are now in the future, according to this contract.  Would you
like to borrow some money?"
	She pranced away, laughing.  Ranma looked mad for a second,
but turned back to me.  I took his face in my hands, and said, "She did
not have to agree to the contract, you know.  You should thank her."
	"You're right, Akane.  I went through this for the two of us, you
know.  I love you."




C&C more than welcome, encouraged.
james@advnet.net