Well, amazingly enough, I succeeded in finishing this chapter up already. 
Instead of the status report I said I was going to post, I think I'll post
this chapter instead...  
Oh, and by the way, I have already plotted out the sequel from beginning to
end.  However, there are still enough things to do at the end of the sequel
I could probably write a sequel to that!  Well, one thing at a time- I
still have to finish this thing.
Chapter 10 will not be out for at least two weeks (unless I miraculously
finish the whole damn story before then- which won't happen) but, since I
haven't finished it, may be even longer in coming.
I guess that's all I want to say, except for the usual stuff.  If you want
back chapters, e-mail me and I'll respond as soon as I can.  My completed
stories are all on my web page.  Please give c&c, mst's, etc.  Enjoy...

-------------------------
Chapter 9:  Unremembered Troubles

"...back to sleep- I don't need to be kept up to solve your annoying little
problems," Mousse was saying.  Cologne, from the door, smirked as Mousse
hung up the phone.

"Well, Mousse, that was an innovative way to solve their problem," she
said.

"Gaaah!"  Mousse cried in surprise, leaping away from the sound of the
noise.  "I wish you wouldn't sneak up on me like that!"  He paused.  "Um...
how much did you hear?"

"Enough to know you're trying to bring Akane into the Amazon tribe,"
Cologne's voice quirked.

Mousse gulped.  "Uh... well, it IS a genuine solution to their immediate
problem.  They ARE trapped by the Xingaosuzoku, and they refuse to leave
the village undefended.  The ONLY ways to fight an Amazon woman without
being given a kiss of death or of marraige is by being an Amazon or by
being a married man.  And imagine what would happen if Ranma underwent the
Ritual Tests of the Amazons and THEN was changed into a man in front of
them."

Cologne chuckled.  "Don't worry, Mousse.  I'm not mad at you.  It makes it
all the more likely that I'll be able to succeed in bringing Ranma's
bloodling into our tribe.  In fact, now that Ukyou has released her claim,
the only two people who would still have a legitimate shot at Ranma's heart
are Amazons, provided Akane can succeed."

"You mean... you don't care who Ranma picks, as long as they're an Amazon?"

Cologne shook her head.  "No, I didn't mean that.  I don't care who Ranma
picks, as long as Amazon laws are fulfilled.  And since the only way for
Amazon laws to be fulfilled is for Ranma to marry an Amazon who he has
defeated, well... if he loves Akane enough, he will defeat her and become
engaged to her, so as to remove Shampoo as a threat to their peace.  You
know that, as do I."  Cologne laughed again.  "It's odd, isn't it, that we
both agree on an action which will probably hurt Shampoo?"

Mousse sighed.  "Or which will hurt Ranma.  Do you really think Akane can
beat Shampoo?"

Cologne laughed.  "Mousse, my boy, my guess is Ranma has been training
Akane these past few months.  Shampoo hasn't been in regular training since
we got to Nerima.  At the very least, Shampoo will be highly overconfident
going into such a fight, and Akane will be able to take advantage. 
However, if Ranma has given Akane advanced training, Shampoo will have
serious problems ANYWAY.  I never trained Shampoo in any special moves,
save the Xi Fang Xiao attack, because she can get SO passionate about
things that she'd be a menace to herself and to the whole Amazon nation if
she learned them.  However, she insisted on learning one, so I taught her
the least effective technique I could."

Mousse frowned.  "But you trained the Bakusai Tenketsu to Ryouga, and he is
more unstable than Shampoo."

Cologne smirked.  "Is he?  He may be violent and depressed, but he does
have some control- he will follow whatever path he feels is honorable.  But
that is not why I trained Ryouga- I trained him because Ranma needed some
competition that was his age.  He's not going to find out how to fight
someone who's potential is close to his equal if the only ones who are a
challenge to him are those who have been training for hundreds of years."

"And you chose not to train me because..." Mousse prompted.

"Mousse, I don't care about you- or at least, I haven't cared about you
much in the past.  However, even if I had, I still would not have trained
you for the same reason I would not train Shampoo- you are obsessive beyond
all hope.  Besides, you do not need it- you have taught yourself well,
Mousse.  If you could correct your vision and control your passions, you
could become one of the elite- as good as Ryouga, perhaps.  And all without
my help."  She sighed.  "Of course, if Ryouga and Ranma could control THEIR
passions, they could become as good as myself- but that is something which
will take them years to master."  She looked at Mousse, who was standing
there in shock at Cologne's compliment.  "Bah, why am I telling you this? 
Go to bed, Mousse.  You need your sleep if you're going to be able to work
tomorrow."

"Yes, Cologne."  Mousse turned to go to his room, but he knew he wouldn't
be able to sleep.  He had a too much to think about.

*	*	*	*	*

It had been a couple of weeks since Mousse had recieved that phone call
from Ranma, and this was the first time since then he had a long enough
break to go anywhere.  Sighing, he decided he might as well tell Ranma's
family about the call, and went over to the Utchan.  Ever since adopting
Ukyou, Nodoka had spent most of her free time in the okonomiyaki
restaurant.

"Hiya, Mousse!" Ukyou waved as he entered the restaurant.  Sure enough,
standing behind her and wearing an apron, there was Nodoka.

"Hello, Ukyou.  Er, why is Ranma's mother working in your restaurant, and
where is Konatsu?"  he asked, walking up to the counter.

Ukyou grimaced slightly.  "Er, Nodoka insisted on working here after
Konatsu got left with a travelling kabuki theatre company."  Leaning
forward, she whispered into his ear "Actually, Konatsu didn't want to
leave, but Nodoka 'strongly suggested' that I find him a new job- she
doesn't want the Saotome name to be linked with someone as 'unmanly' as
him."

Mousse blinked in surprise- though Ukyou didn't notice it through his thick
glasses.  'Ah, well,' he thought.  'I'm not too surprised that there are a
few problems in all this.'  Ukyou dumped a steaming okonomiyaki on a plate
in front of Mousse.  He blinked.  "Er, what's this for?  I didn't order
anything."

Ukyou went back to smiling.  "Don't worry about it- just don't let Cologne
know."  She sighed.  "I haven't had anyone to make free food for since
Ranma left."  She shook her head.  "Anyway, what'd you come here for?  It's
not like you really need to go out to eat, living in the Nekohantan."

Mousse removed his glasses to keep them from getting fogged up by the
steaming food, and with long-practiced motions began eating his food
without sight.  "Actually, I came to tell you guys I got a phone call from
Ranma."

He heard a rustling from the kitchen, and then Nodoka's voice saying "Oh? 
Why would Ranma call you and not us?"

"Well," Mousse began.  "Actually, he was trying to get ahold of Cologne. 
He needed the help of one who knew the laws of the Amazons."

"Why?" Ukyou's voice rose an octive.

"Yes, what did my son need to know of Amazon law?"   Nodoka's stern voice
asked.

"Ranma and Akane are in a village besieged by Amazons.  They needed to
figure out some way of defeating the Amazons without a hundred Kisses of
Death or Marraige on each of them."

"He did not want the Kisses of Marraige?"  Mousse could practically hear
Nodoka's frown.  "Ah, well... my son has had enough women pursuing him in
his life to prove his manliness.  It would add to his manliness if he could
choose from them, however- I may have to have a talk with him about that,
one of these days."

"Er, what did you tell him?" Ukyou asked, concerned.

"Well... because of our laws, Ranma could do nothing.  He is a male, after
all, despite what body he may have from time to time."  Once again, Mousse
sensed Nodoka's change of expression- this time to a smile.  "However, I
was able to suggest one course of action which is... risky, but possible. 
Akane, because she is a woman, could ask to undertake the Four Ritual Tests
of the Amazons.  If she passed, she would become an Amazon- though probably
not one of their clan.  I hope she does not join the Xingaosuzoku Amazons-
they and the Amazons of my village have a running fued."

"Um..." Ukyou interrupted, to bring him back on track.  "So, how does Akane
becoming an Amazon help?"

"An Amazon may fight other Amazons without worry.  If Akane becomes an
Amazon, she can attempt to lift the siege herself."

"ALONE?"  Both Ukyou and Nodoka were shocked by that.

Mousse chuckled.  "Yes, alone- sort of.  As long as Ranma doesn't knock any
of the women out, he can fight.  He just can't beat anyone."

"Well, then-"  Ukyou's question was interrupted by the commotion of someone
coming in the door.

"WHERE IN THE WORLD Am... I... now?"  Ryouga's trademark question trailed
off at the end as he saw Mousse, Ukyou, and Nodoka all in one place. 
"Um... am I at the Nekohanten, the Utchan, the Tendou Dojo, or someplace
else?"

Mousse finished his okonomiyaki and replaced his glasses.  "Hello, Ryouga. 
This is the Utchan..."

Ryouga half-smiled.  "Well... at least I made it to Nerima, finally.  Ranma
and Akane back yet?"

Nodoka's eyes widened in surprise.  "No, they aren't.  I didn't know you
knew they were gone, though."

"I met them a couple of months ago while they were camping," Ryouga
shrugged.

"How were they?" Ukyou asked.

"Oh..."  Ryouga pictured the very tight embrace Ranma and Akane were in
when he first encountered them that day.  "I'd say they looked like they
were having a pretty good time."

Ukyou smiled, though something in the back of her mind was nagging her. 
She ignored it, and gestured to a seat at the counter.  "Well, don't just
stand there in the middle of the doorway, sugar.  Come in and sit down, and
I'll fix ya something to eat."

Ryouga smiled.  "Um, thanks."  He sat down and started munching the
okonomiyaki Ukyou set down in front of him.

"So, Ryouga, where have you been?"  Mousse asked.  Ryouga nearly choked.

"Like I would know!"  He laughed.  Ukyou blinked- Ryouga was acting
strangely.  Ryouga's laugh subsided, and he shook his head.  "Sorry, I
couldn't resist.  Actually, I do know where I was about two and a half
months ago- I was with my new fiancee, Akari.  I've actually been looking
for you guys, to ask if you wanted to come to my wedding!"

All three of them gasped.  Nodoka was the one to break the silence.  "Well,
how manly of you to have won a fiancee.  When is the wedding?"

Ryouga smiled.  "Oh, not for a year, at least.  It will take that long to
find my parents, and we haven't even begun making arrangements yet.  I was
hoping to call Akari when I got here and ask her to come pick me up, and I
was thinking that we might be able to do some wedding planning while we
were here."

"Why, that sounds like an excellent idea!"  Nodoka smiled.  "In fact, why
don't we call Akari right now, and when we go home today we'll take you
with us."

"Why, that sounds good," Ryouga sighed.  "Where's the phone?"

*	*	*	*	*

"...see you in three weeks.  Uh huh.  Love you too.  Bye!"  Ryouga hung up
the phone and smiled over at Nodoka and Ukyou.  Mousse had gone back to the
Nekohantan in the middle of the call, his break over, but Nodoka and Ukyou
had been kept busy dealing with costomers.  However, at the moment there
wasn't anyone else in the restaurant.  "She has to make sure that the, uh,"
he grimaced, "pigs... were taken care of, so she won't be able to get
started on her way here for another two or three weeks."

Nodoka turned to Ukyou.  "Can you handle things here for the rest of the
day?  I need to help set Ryouga up at home."

Ukyou smiled.  "Of course.  I used to run this restaurant on my own before
Konatsu showed up."  Nodoka frowned at the mention of the crossdressing
ninja, but didn't say anything about it.  "I think I can handle running it
alone for a few hours, now that he's gone."

Nodoka nodded.  "Goodbye, my daughter."

"Goodbye... er... mom."  Ukyou still liked Nodoka, despite her wierd views
on manhood and her interfering with her life, but she wasn't entirely sure
she liked being her daughter, yet.  'I wish I'd had more time to think
about this adoption thing- if I had, I would have remembered some of her
quirks- and I DEFINITELY would have remembered being Ranma's sister meant
having Genma as a father.'  She shuddered mentally.  'At least he hasn't
sold me into marraige, yet.  That's something I'm grateful to Nodoka for,
at least.'

*	*	*	*	*

Nabiki and Kunou were walking down the street together.  After the first
two weeks of silence were up, Kunou tried to rant and rave about the 'evil
of the vile sorceress who has silence the greatest voice in all of Nerima'
only to be cut off again by the spell.  Nabiki was around then, but wasn't
around the next couple of times.  'NOW,' Nabiki thought to herself, 'I will
finally be able to get from Kunou-baby exactly WHO the father is.  If this
doesn't work this time, I think I'll use that fidelity gem myself...'
Nabiki shuddered- the last time she had used it, she saw her mother's face
again- something which had depressed her for weeks.  Despite what people
might think, Nabiki DID have emotions, she just liked to hide them.  And
she was scared of anything that could knock down her barriers- like that
gem.   Well, Nabiki wasn't about to be forced into using that gem again...

"Kunou-baby," Nabiki began.  "You have only a few minutes before your voice
comes back, and I want to ask you to tell me something when it does." 
Kunou nodded.  "I want you to, without saying ANYTHING else, tell me the
name of the father of Natsume's baby.  No 'villainous curs,' no
'presumptuous women,' NOTHING!  JUST a name, okay?" Kunou nodded again. 
"Good- if you succeed, I'll g-"

Kunou blinked as he saw someone rounding the corner, and drew his bokken. 
Nabiki stopped mid-sentence, and started to ask Kunou what the problem was,
forgetting he wouldn't be able to answer even if he wanted to.  Before she
could, however, he bolted down the street, mouthing out some kind of a
battle cry.

"Hey, Kunou," Ryouga smiled and waved- after having talked to Akari, he was
even willing to face down the poetry of Tatewake Kunou with a smile. 
"What's up?"  Ryouga's smile disappeared as Kunou's bokken slashed him
across his chest- hard enough for him to actually be hurt by it.  "Ooof!" 
Ryouga stumbled backwards, unprepared for the surprise attack.  Kunou's one
blow led into a pattern assault, each strike hard enough to bruise even
Ryouga's tough hide (and hard enough to slash through Ranma's to the bone,
if he had been there).

"KUNOU!"  Nabiki's shocked cry came as she ran up to the scene.  "What- why
are-"  She wasn't even able to get out her question.  'Geez, I know
Kunou-baby flies off the handle sometimes, but I haven't known him to
attack people without reason before- and last I saw he and Ryouga were on
reasonably good terms.  Wonder what got into him?'

Kunou did not stop attacking, but Nabiki shouting was enough to make him
lose his concentration and turn to glance at her.  Seeing she was alright
and had not been caught up in the path of the battle, he turned his
attention back to Ryouga.

However, during that very brief pause, Ryouga had managed to recover.  A
little winded from the bruising his chest had taken, Ryouga launched a
powerful counter-attack with his umbrella.  Kunou, surprisingly, parried
that blow aside and spun in closer to launch a second pattern strike. 
Ryouga was ready this time, however, and tapped the bokken with his finger.
 A second later, the wooden sword exploded in Kunou's hands, throwing him
back a bit.  Ryouga, now with the advantage, coldcocked him with a fist to
the chin.  Kunou fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Huh," Ryouga blinked.  "I wonder what's gotten him so upset."

Nabiki shook her head, confused.  "I have no idea.  Can you think of
anything you did to upset him?"

"No..."  Ryouga frowned.  "I don't think I've seen him since Ranma and
Akane's failed wedding, and he didn't seem to be mad at me then..."

"Well, what are we going to do with him?" Nodoka asked Ryouga.  "We can't
just leave him lying in the middle of the street..."

Nabiki smirked.  "Don't worry about that, Auntie Saotome.  I'm always
patching him up- and he pays me twice a month for that service."

Nodoka nodded.  "Very well.  When you're done with that, come on home. 
Ryouga has an announcement to make."

"Sure thing, Auntie Saotome!"  Nabiki waved, dragging the unconscious
samurai in the direction of his mansion.  Nodoka just shook her head at the
departing pair, wondering what was going on in EITHER of their heads.

*	*	*	*	*

Ukyou was wiping the counter off in her restaurant, wondering if she had
made the right choices recently.  Had she taken the right path by allowing
Nodoka to adopt her?  She hadn't thought it out very clearly, because she
had been very rushed, but if she had enough time to consider everything-
Nodoka's odd obsession with acting as she believed your gender should act,
having to live in the same house as an extortionist like Nabiki, being
related to the likes of Genma- would she have really let herself be
adopted?  If the reward was a connection with Ranma at least as strong as
marraige, if not as physical, then perhaps it was- but only if marraige
with him were impossible.

And that, in itself, was a question.  WOULD it have been impossible for her
to marry Ranma if she hadn't broken off their engagement and let herself be
adopted?  After all, Ranma's choice of fiancee, if Akane were not
available, would have been her- of that she was sure.  Did Akane love him
back- did she want to marry him?  And if it was true that Akane had to
undergo a dangerous ritual and then fight a great battle against very
deadly opponents, would she still be alive for Ranma to marry her?  And if
she was dead, could Ukyou move in on him?  After all, she was only his
sister by ADOPTION.  And if Akane survived that and headed home, might it
be possible to arrange for her to die some other-

'NO!' Ukyou thought to herself.  'It was hoping Akane's death would send
Ranma my way that made me attack his first wedding attempt- if I hadn't
retained enough of my sanity to keep from killing Akane the first time,
then I WOULD have lost him.  I will not do anything to harm Akane- I WILL
hope that she is unhurt after her fight- I WILL hope that Akane returns his
love enough that he can be made happy... I WILL hope tha-'

Ukyou's thoughts were interrupted by the bell on her front door ringing. 
She looked up and put on her most friendly smile.  Lately, she'd had to
force that smile a bit, but not much.  Despite her deep thoughts, she was
always pleasant to anyone she met- even her rivals like Akane ('Stop
thinking that way, Ukyou!' she chastized herself.  'She's not a rival
anymore, but instead your future sister-in-law...') and strangers she'd
never met before.

However, the people entering her restaurant weren't either rivals,
strangers, friends, or anything of the sort.  She knew them- it was hard
NOT to know Kunou or Nabiki, and she had occasionally done business with
both of them- but she never had really formed a strong personal opinion
about either of them.  Oh, sure, she'd heard of (and occasionally been the
target of) Nabiki's extremely mercenary lifestyle, and she'd seen and
experienced Kunou's arrogant and sometimes stubborn worldview, but what she
had seen had not been enough to form a real opinion of these people.

This wasn't the time to worry about her opinions, however.  Kunou was being
dragged in tiredly by Nabiki, VERY unconscious.  "What happened?!"  Ukyou
cried at the sight.

"I don't know, exactly," Nabiki scratched her head.  "Kunou-baby's been
cursed to keep him from talking with his usual flowery language, and that
had the unfortunate side effect of preventing him from speaking when  I've
needed him to."

Ukyou blinked.  "I mean, why's he unconscious?"

"I know that's what you mean," Nabiki smirked.  "I was getting to that. 
Anyway, as we were walking through town, my trying to get him to answer a
few of my questions WITHOUT enacting his curse again, Ryouga showed up and
Kunou-baby just attacked him- unable to explain why he was doing so. 
Ryouga was being beaten up pretty badly himself..."  Nabiki sighed with a
little guilt- though anyone else would have thought she was sighing at
Kuno's pathetic skills.  "I'm afraid that I was why Kunou-baby lost.  I ran
up, screaming his name, and distracted him from the fight, allowing Ryouga
enough time to take control and knock him out.  Can you get me a small pan
of water and a small towel, or better yet a cold compress?"  Ukyou tossed
her a box marked 'first aid.'  Nabiki opened it up and pulled out exactly
what she had asked for- a cold compress.  Nabiki smirked, and pulled out an
ace bandage as well.  With the bandage, she gagged Kunou in case he decided
to start babbling about Akane or the Pig-tailed Girl in his sleep again,
and then started taking care of him by activating the cold compress and
putting it on the unconscious boy's head.

Kunou started mumbling, and Ukyou frowned as she noticed the gag.  "What's
that for?" she asked.

Nabiki snorted.  "Well, Kunou's curse goes as follows:  When he uses speech
which is too flowery, or, in other words, when Kunou tries to say something
important, all ability for him to speak is gone for the next two weeks.  In
a few minutes, he's going to be able to speak again.  And, trust me, when
he's been knocked out like this, he talks in his sleep- mostly about Akane
and his 'Pig-tailed Girl,' but whatever he's talking about it'll probably
be in a speech that will make it impossible to get anything from him for
the next couple of weeks.  And I've been waiting to ask him a couple of
questions for MORE than a month, so I'm NOT going to let him speak until I
can be certain he's calm AND can get a straight answer out of him."  Nabiki
adjusted the compress on Kunou's forehead and sighed.  "This isn't going to
be easy- it's almost impossible to get straight answers out of you, is it?"
 Ukyou blinked, realizing Nabiki had somehow forgotten that she wasn't
alone.  "Kunou-baby, you're pathetic," she said, taking a glance on his now
visible bruise..

*	*	*	*	*

Nodoka shut the door closed behind her, and led Ryouga from the foyer into
the living room.  "Why don't you sit down right here?  I'll get Kasumi, and
the three of us will figure out a place for you to stay while you're in the
neighborhood."

Ryouga nodded.  "Sure thing."  He sat down on one of the cushions
surrounding the kitchen table, and relaxed.  Nodoka smiled, seeing how he
seemed to be more at peace than at any other time she'd seen him.  She'd
always been a little worried- it was not a good thing for such a warrior to
be so depressed all of the time.  But now that he had finally decided who
he would love, much of that depression had left him, and so now he was able
to relax as he did now.

'Ah,' Ryouga thought to himself as Nodoka stepped out of the room.  'Life
is good.'

Something clattered and shuffled behind him- probably the opening of
another door.  Then, a primal scream rose from that door.  "YOU!"

*	*	*	*	*

Kunou opened his eyes and sat up quickly, looking around.  He tried to say
something, but found himself unable to speak.  Now, while this wasn't too
uncommon a problem for him after the last several weeks, the reason for his
silence was very different.  Someone had gagged him, and he wasn't too
happy about it.

Nabiki, playing a game of poker with Ukyou across the counter, turned and
smiled at the disoriented would-be samurai.  "Hey, look who's waking up. 
Sorry I had to gag you, Kunou-baby, but I didn't want you activating your
curse talking in your sleep."  She set down her cards and walked behind
him, then bent over him to look in his face.  "Now, I'll untie your gag for
you, but I want you to promise me something."  Kunou looked up at her
expectantly.  "Promise me that you'll tell me, without embellishments and
with as few words as possible, exactly WHY you attacked Ryouga just now. 
There were some other questions I had for you, as you may remember, but I'm
MUCH more interested in the answer to this one at the moment.  Do you
promise?"  Kuno nodded.  Nabiki smiled slyly.  "Good.  Nice doing business
with you."  With that, she removed the ace bandage and smiled.  "Now,
Kunou-baby, tell me what I want to know..."

Kunou looked at her with vengeance in his eyes, and growled.  Then he stood
up and stretched.  Nabiki was starting to get impatient, but soon she was
shocked by Kunou actually telling her all she needed to know.

*	*	*	*	*

Ryouga spun around to face the person who had released that high-pitched
screech.  A young girl- maybe a year or two younger than Akane- with short
red hair came charging at him, a scowl on her face.  With no further words,
she just slapped him.

Ryouga's one of the toughest people around.  A mountain falling on him
would hardly phase him.  But, for some reason, a woman's slap stung him
more than any other blow anyone could dish out on him.

"Wha- huh?"  He blinked, rubbing his cheek.  The girl in front of him
looked vaguely familiar, but Ryouga couldn't place where he'd seen her
before.  He certainly had no idea why she was so angry.

"WHY did you run out on my sister like that?!" she shouted, slapping him
again.

"Run out?  On your sister?  Who are you, exactly, and who's this sister I
supposedly ran out on?"  Ryouga was lost- and this time, not because he
didn't know where he was.

"I am Kurumi, and I SAW you go into my sister, Natsume's, tent a few months
ago.  YOU were the one who got her pregnant, and then you ran out on her!" 
Her shouting had apparently attracted some attention, as a number of
footsteps were heard running towards the dojo.

"P-p-pregnant?  What are you talking about?  How?  I don't even know you!" 
He squinted at her.  "No, I take that back.  I DO know who you are- I
remember when you fought that duel with Akane."  Kurumi grimaced- she
hadn't wanted to fight Akane then, after she had been so kind and shared
her food.  "But I KNOW I couldn't have gotten anyone pregnant.  I think I'd
remember doing something like that!  And I haven't seen you since you left
the dojo that last time..."

"Oh, don't play dumb.  Of course you've seen us- remember the bar?"  By
now, Nodoka, Soun, and Genma had all reached the room, and were staring
shocked at the confrontation taking place.

"Bar?  What are you talking about?"  Ryouga blinked.

"Feigning ignorance?  Remember the bar you went to- where you picked up my
sister, slept with her, and then ran off without even giving your name!" 
Kurumi was so angry she was jumping up and down.

"Ryouga, is this true?" Nodoka asked sternly.

"N-no!  I've never been to a bar before!  I-it can't be-"  He stuttered.

"Yes, it's true," Nabiki said, leading Kunou into the dojo with her.  "And
I- or perhaps I should say Kunou-baby here, has evidence to back that up." 
Everyone turned to see the new arrivals in surprise.

Ryouga shook his head in disbelief.  "No- it can't be!  I COULDN'T have! 
I've never BEEN to a-"

"OF COURSE YOU HAVE!"  Kurumi cried.  "I SAW YOU!"

"I... I..."  Ryouga sounded desperate.  "NO!  I would remember!"

"Kunou," Nabiki said calmly, as Ryouga and Kurumi kept yelling at each
other.  "Do you still have the fidelity gem?"

"Well, yes, I do, but-"  

Kunou had been trying really hard to keep his curse from activating since
Nabiki had removed his gag, but Nabiki wasn't taking any chances.  "Let me
have it, I need to use it now."

"Well, if you need it, Nabiki Tendou, I suppose I am willing to part with
it for a moment."  He was just BARELY keeping himself in check with that
last phrase, but he didn't feel any more than a mild tingle with those
words.

"...impossible, I say!  Simply impossible!"  Ryouga was shouting as Nabiki
turned her attention back to the argument in the middle of the floor.  "I
couldn't have-"

Everyone broke off as Natsume showed up at the door.  She'd been showing a
little for about a month now, but with the oversized sweatshirt she wore
hid her bulging tummy.  "What is going on, Kurumi?"  She asked calmly. 
Nabiki noticed her eyes widening as Ryouga came into view, but Natsume
resumed her calm control before anyone else did.  "I see we have some
visitors."

"Natsume!"  Kurumi began enthusiastically.  "We've found him!  We've found
the father of your child!"

"Don't bother, Kurumi.  It doesn't matter..."  Natsume looked down, not
even able to bring herself to look at either her sister or Ryouga.  "I
don't care if you've found the father or not."

"BUT NATSUME!"

"But nothing!"  Natsume looked up, her eyes ice cold.  "You and I have made
it through life this far without need of any man.  Even if Ranma and Akane
DO find our father, that won't change anything- we have all we need here. 
I care nothing for the man who got me pregnant, and I doubt he cares
anything for me.  And he did not run out on me- no, I used him and threw
him out.  So quit trying to find me the father!"  With that, she turned
around and stormed out of the dojo, an audible slam of a sliding door
coming from the area of her room.

Everyone stared in the direction Natsume had left before Nodoka broke the
silence.  "She's just upset."  She drew her katana.  "Now, Ryouga- are you,
or are you not, the father of that girl's child?"

Ryouga turned to Nodoka.  'Well, she IS allowing me to talk, so...'  He
drew a deep breath.  "I cannot recall any such incident.  According to
Kurumi here, Natsume picked up the father of the child in a bar, and I do
not remember ever having been to a bar.  That may mean very little, because
I DO tend to wander to the most unusual places, but I believe I would
remember any incident which might cause a girl to be pregnant.  As far as I
know, I am a... virgin."

"Oh, really, Ryouga?"  Nabiki smirked, holding the fidelity gem at Ryouga. 
"According to this, you're not."

"And what is that, Nabiki?"  Nodoka asked.  Ryouga stared at Nabiki in both
fear and curiousity.

"Oh, this?"  She said, walking over to Nodoka.  "Something awfully
interesting, Auntie Saotome.  See, when you point it at someone, you find
out who it was they were last intimate with.  Of course, if they've NEVER
been intimate with anyone, it'll let you know that, too, by showing you a
picture of the person as a baby.  Now, unless Ryouga looked like the
long-haired eighteen year old girl who just stormed out of here when he was
an infant, I seriously doubt he's still a virgin."

Nodoka took the gem from Nabiki, and pointed it at Ryouga.  Nodoka nodded,
while Nabiki quietly sighed in relief.  She hadn't actually looked at
Ryouga herself, but if her bluff was wrong then she would have known it by
now.  Then Nodoka turned the gem on her husband, then on Soun, then on
Nabiki, and finally on Kurumi.  She turned back to Ryouga and frowned. 
"Ryouga, it appears this gem says you are lying.  Do you have any
explanation?"

"I... No, I don't."  He shook his head slowly.  "Other than I do not
REMEMBER any such incident taking place.  However, I believe that you are
telling the truth as to what that is showing you, as well.  I cannot come
up with any rational explanation, but... I will accept that there is the
possibility that I COULD be the father of that child.  However, until I
have proof that I can accept..."  He stared Nodoka straight in the eyes. 
"I will NOT betray my engagement to Akari.  And magical items such as that
one have the ability to react oddly.  Possibly I was merely wandering
nearby when the... conception... of the child was taking place, and the gem
is picking up on waves from that.  Or there could be some other reason it
isn't working right regarding me."

"Well, that is a reasonable request.  We will attempt to find such proof." 
Nodoka's face then went just as ice cold as Natsume's had, only minutes
beforehand.  "However, I refuse to let you stay in this house while there
is the possibility that you have dishonoured a lady who is under my
protection.  I will permit you to stay at Utchan's, however."  She turned
to Genma.  "I believe you know the way to that establishment, dear.  Please
escort him there, and ensure that he does not become lost along the way. 
If you fail, then perhaps I may have to re-assess your part in that
agreement you signed all those years ago, when you left me."

Genma, eyes widening at the seriousness of his wife's words, could not do
more than nod.  Breaking off from her stare, he walked over, and gruffly
grabbed the young man by the arm, starting to drag him away.

As he was being led off, Ryouga's thoughts were understandibly wild.  'It
can't be true!  But if it is, then... oh, poor Akari!  What will I tell
you?  HOW can I tell you?  I love you- almost as much as my honor, but...
if I really am the father of this girl's child, than how can I... how can I
marry you and keep your honor as well?  And will you hate me forever?'

Natsume, crying in her room, had another set of thoughts travelling through
her mind.  'I never thought I'd see you again, Ryouga... WHY did you have
to show up and spoil everything?  I wanted to do this on my own!'  And
those thoughts were constantly interrupted with another thought, one which
had been running through her head since the night that she'd gotten
pregnant.  'How could I have been so stupid?'

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Sir Desaix, member # 116 of the Knights of the True Fiancee
               (Finally, they corrected the spelling!)
                             desaix@sysnet.net
    http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/7872
                           fanfics available at 
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/7872/fanfics.htm