I've said it once, and I'll say it again. These are not my characters,
aside from Kaneda Kobayashi, Kiztharael, and Lillinianath. The
situations are not mine. And I'm not making money out of this. 
Ms. Takahashi is welcome to sue- she can have my debts. 

Please C&C/MST this.

WARNING: contains nastiness. If allergic, don't continue.


Strife: Prologue.
--------------------
 
(In which a number of people make themselves known in Nerima.)

It was a quiet afternoon, and Kaneda Kobayashi was approaching a taxi
with his luggage. He had just got off the train after the flight from
Britain, and was ready to meet his cousins, the Kunous. He wasn't
looking forward to it. 
	Looking at him, no-one could have guessed that he was related to
the Kunous. He dressed normally, for one thing. Leather jacket, black
jeans... actually, he'd probably have been more at home in Wayne's
World. But that was beside the point. In his cases were all his
posessions. For the next couple of years, at least,  he would have to
live in Nerima with- or certainly near- the remains of his family.
	His parents and siblings had been dead for just over a
fortnight.
*****
	Two other figures were seen to be walking into Nerima. They,
too, were planning to live there for a while, considering that they
couldn't think of anywhere else to go. The woman had distinctly feline
features, while the man would not have looked out of place in Nazi
recruiting posters for the Waffen-SS.  Both carried large packs, and the
woman seemed to be pregnant. 
	"Where to?"
	"I hear that Astaroth has found a safe-house near here.
Apparently, all we have to do is ask for someone called Hikaru."
	The couple walked on. Despite the crowd, noone had heard them
speak a word.
*****
	The taxi pulled up. Kaneda paid the man his fee, and pulled his
cases out of the boot. It was not an unimpressive house, more a mansion.
And the grounds were large- pretty damn big, to be perfectly honest. But
he couldn't, for the life of him, see a doorbell. Oh, well. *Oni-ryu
technique time,* he thought, as he scanned the door. Any observer would
have noticed a faint red-black aura surrounding him as he held up one
hand, palm out ward, and ran it over the doorframe.  *Eh? No doorbell at
all?* Sighing, he knocked on the door.
	While he waited, he was mildly impressed. The contact had told
him that the door was over five hundred years old, and had never been
damaged. The rest of the house was probably the same. Looking around, he
took in some of the details of the house and porch. There was a large
carving of the Kunou family insignia on the door, and on several parts
of the wall. His reverie was abruptly brokrn by a grumbling person
opening the door. 
	"Ah! Mine cousin! It is indeed good to see you again. I only
wish it was under more pleasant circumstances."
	"Me too, Tatewaki. If I may, I will place my bags in my room,
and then I have to visit the local bank. I need to make sure that my
accounts have been transferred."
	"Indeed, indeed. SASUKE! SASUKE! Where is he? Ah, there thou
art. Take Kaneda's bags to his rooms, and escort him there."
	As they walked to the room through what seemed to be miles of
hallways, Kaneda spoke to Sasuke. "So... is my cousin a good cook?"
	"Which one, master?"
	"Kodachi."
	"She is famous for her cooking. Notorious, in fact."
	"Oh dear."
	"It is always palatable, but she seasons it with the oddest of
things."
	"Ah." *I see they weren't kidding, then,* he thought. *'Kodachi
is lethal, and Tatewaki is insane. And as for the father...'*
	"WOAH! Someone need a shearin'!" The father of the Kunous bore
down on Kaneda, wielding a vicious pair of shears. 
	Kaneda leapt into action. Flicking his wrists, he was suddenly
holding a Sai and  Shoto. Snagging Kouchou Kunou's wrist with the sai,
he quickly drove the point of the shoto home into his solar plexus,
causing him to exhale sharply, and drop the shears. Twisting, and
tapping into his chi, Kaneda threw him across the hall, wharer he landed
upside down. 
	"Leave the ponytails alone. It has taken me six years to get
them to their length. Touch them again, and, parent or not, I shall
stuff those ludicrous shades so far up your rectum you'll be able to
taste them!"
	"I get yo' message, man..."
	A few meters further on, Sasuke broke the silence.  "I am
impressed. Noone else has stood up to him like that. An interesting
technique, if I may say so."
	"Oni-Ryu. The best there is."
*****
	"Excuse me, but does a Hikaru live here?"
	"Yes he does. Hiki-chan!"
	"Mum, I wish you wouldn't call me that..." Hikaru Gosunkugi
looked at the people who came through the door.  "Mum? Get my visitors
some tea. Now."
	"Aren't you..."
	Gos rounded on his mother, his eyes glowing with a deep red
light. "NOW."
	As his mother scuttled off, Gos turned back to his visitors.
"Kiztharael! Lillinianath! It's centuries since I met you two last.
Wasn't it... ooh, must have been... the fall of Acre?"
	"It was indeed. You're looking better than ever. Managed to get
yourself a new body, I see?"
	"Yes, a timeshare option, for want of a better word. I give him
power, he gives me a body, we share a mental state..."
	"We need somewhere to stay."
	"Done. What have you two delinquents done this time?"
	"Use your eyes and look at Lillianath."
	"You idiots. Don't expect me to help you with that. I don't do
abortions."
	"We don't want one. We just want shelter."
	"Fine."
*****
	Kaneda was unpacking. 
	One of the last things to leave his cases were his photos of his
parents. Out of respect, Tatewaki had popped his head round the door to
say that there was a spare room next door that he could make a personal
shrine in. 
	Kaneda wasn't quite ready to do that yet. 
	In the grip of some of the most intense emotions he presently
had, Kaneda pulled out a small box. Opening it, he took out a sliver of
metal, with a glittering edge. Rolling back his sleeve, he clenched his
fist, and released his grief in the only way he knew how. 
*****
	Ranma Saotome was thrown back violently by his assailant. It
wasn't that big, but it had an attitude problem. And it was uglier than
Pantyhose. 
	"Moukou TAKABISHYA!" The blast screamed towards the beast,
throwing it backwards. It wasn't intended, but it was impaled on a spiky
fence. It growled, once, long and deep, before expiring. 
	"We heard the fighting..." wheezed Mousse, as he and Shampoo ran
up behind Ranma. "Need any help?"
	"Not any more. Get the Ghoul, willya? I want to know what this
damn thing is."
*****
	Nabiki was putting her takings for the day into the bank, when
she heard an explosion of oaths from beside her. "What do you MEAN it's
not been transferred yet? The arrangements have been set for over a
week!"
	"I'm sorry, sir, but for accounts of that size..."
	"GAH!"
	Nabiki turned to watch the young man as he walked away.
Finishing her business, she went over to him. 
	"What was all that about?"
	"My inheritance." The young man lit up a cigarette. "Sorry,
where are my manners?" He offered the pack to Nabiki, who took one. She
didn't recognise the brand- something foreign- and lit up. She took in
the young man's appearance with the first drag. He wasn't too bad...
tallish, black hair- with four ponytails, of all things, and a quite
strange air. It was almost as if she could hear whispering around him.
He was not 'cute as hell', as some might say, but he had a noble
bearing, with a hint of sadness.   She brought her mind back to the
subject in hand.
	"Must be quite large."
	"Ummm... About five billion."
	"WHAT?"
	"You heard. The rest of my family died, recently. My dad was
quite involved in business, and it all reverted to me. You don't know of
a good accoutntant, and maybe a stockbroker, do ya? I need one... are
you all right?"
	Nabiki stopped her choking, unable to believe her luck, and
looked back up at Kaneda, handing a card. "Nabiki Tendou. Accountant,
Stockbroker, and good friend. And you are?"  
	"Kaneda Kobayashi. Look, I'll get in touch."
	"Visit me, sometime, ne? Where do you live?"
	"Not far. About two miles from Furinkan."
	"Not far at all. You busy tonight?"
	"No..."
	"I think we ought to meet. Sixish? Outside the high school?"
	"Great."
  
For those who really wish to know, a shoto is a Wakizashi-sized bokken.
I'm a dab hand with one myself.

The Novocastrian Samurai: 
            Bushi, Kenshi, 
            Bishonen Sailor Senshi. 
************************************* 
"Come, muse, let us sing of rats." 
"Kunou-baby, you're drunk."