(il)legal stuff.
 I stole all these characters from more creative heads than mine, such
as Rumiko Takahashi, and Izumi Matsumoto. This is work by a fan for
other fans, no profit will be garnered.


    The next week proceeded slowly for Madoka.  When she arrived at the
Tendo's the next Saturday she was greeted at the front door by Nabiki.
The middle Tendo sister had an unusual expression on her face.  She
seemed to be truly amused at something.  Madoka hadn't seen that
expression on Nabiki's face in a while.  Nabiki didn't usually smile
quite that way when she wanted to express her amusement, it was usually
a wry smile that let you know the owner of the smile knew more than you
did.  Today her expression was more real, as if Nabiki wasn't quite sure
yet how she should react to something .  Nabiki noticed the look Madoka
was giving her, and quickly schooled her face to its usual position, and
giving Madoka the wry smile in question, told her.  "Akane is already in
the dojo."

    Madoka nodded to her.  "Thanks Nabiki."  She paused, thinking about
what Nabiki had just said.   "What's bugging her today?"

    Nabiki just smiled and shook her head.  "Since your such a good
friend of the family, I won't charge you today.  Why don't you go ask
her yourself."

    Madoka's eyes went up in exasperation, and she walked inside
thinking.  <Is it just me, or is Nabiki getting worse?>  She quickly
headed upstairs and changed into her gi.  She came back downstairs,
passing Soun as she walked though the living room on her way out to the
dojo.  She noticed he was sitting on the back porch, playing Shogi with
a Panda.  She nodded to him as she walked past.

    Then walked back, eyes wide in astonishment.  She wasn't certain if
she was happy that her eyes seemed to be telling her the same thing this
time.  Her Sensei was indeed playing Shogi with a large Panda.  The
animal sat their calmly, occasionally moving a piece in response to
Soun's moves.

    She watched them for a minute at least before Soun noticed her
standing there, and welcomed her.  He informed her,  "I think Akane is
already in the dojo, Madoka-san."

    She nodded in response, and he then turned back to his game.
Something was bothering her more than the fact that the Panda was here,
or even that it was playing Shogi.  It was also apparently winning?

    Shaking her head to make sure nothing had come loose, she walked
slowly away, and headed again for the dojo.  <I'll ask Akane about it.>
She picked up her steps as she neared the dojo entrance.  Inside she
could hear Akane's distinctive voice yelling "Kia!"  She stepped inside
then to see Akane breaking bricks with unusual (even for Akane),
enthusiasm.  Akane looked up when Madoka came in, traces of anger and
other emotions still evident on her face.  Madoka wasn't sure but, <Is
that embarrassment?>  she thought.

    Akane wiped the sweat from her brow and motioned for Madoka to enter
fully.  Madoka felt a bit of concern for Akane,  the younger girl was
obviously still containing alot of anger,  and Madoka hoped she wanted
to talk about it.  <Good thing there's an obvious conversation starter
sitting on the porch.>  "Akane, why is there a Panda playing Shogi with
your father?"  Madoka made her tone light and joking, and Akane managed
a small smile in response.

    "Oh him?  He's, he's an old friend of Fathers."  Akane sounded a bit
nervous now.

    Madoka stared at her, amazement coloring her features.  "An old
friend?  How did.. I mean, I didn't know your father was in a circus.
How did the Panda learn to play Shogi?"  She looked curiously at Akane,
who seemed to be suppressing a desire to either laugh or scream, Madoka
wasn't sure which.

    Akane finally laughed.  "Oh I know, it seems impossible right?"
Akane glanced in the direction of the house, then nodded to herself as
if deciding something.  "I've got to talk to someone about all this, and

Nabiki charges too much."  She didn't mention Kasumi, which didn't
surprise Madoka that much.  As comforting as the older girl could be in
a stressful situation, she seemed more like Akane's mother then a
sister.

    Madoka nodded to Akane.  "I'm listening."

    Akane glared at her.  "You have to promise me that you won't breath
a word of this to anyone , ok?"

    She waited until Madoka nodded solemnly and said, "Of course Akane,
you have my word."

    Akane sighed fiercely, her whole body relaxing somewhat as she let
out the breath.  "Great,  You don't know how crazy the last week has
been.  Let me tell you, I'm ready to explode."  She sat down in a lotus
position on the dojo floor, and motioned for Madoka to join her. When
Madoka did so, Akane looked her in the eyes conspiratorially.  "You
remember how you used to tell me about your first love?  The amazing
things he did?"  Madoka nodded, not understanding the connection.  Akane
continued at Madoka's nod.  "Well, I didn't believe you, not totally you
know."

    Madoka nodded again.  "Yes, I sort of figured.  I'm not sure I would
have believed any of it myself, except lately..."  She broke off then.
"I'm sorry, you were saying?"

    Akane shook her head.  "No, wait a minute, what happened lately that
confirmed it for you?"

    Akane was really curious this time, Madoka realized, so she decided
to humor her.  "Well, I'm not sure if it's just my imagination or not,
but lately, I've been seeing her, the girl.  You remember me telling you
about the tall girl who looked alot like my sister?"

    Akane nodded, suddenly excited.  "The girl you said he liked? You've
seen her?  That's great, maybe that guy will really come back and meet
you like he promised!  That's just about a year or so away now, right?"
Akane had forgotten her earlier anger and had gotten caught up in
Madoka's story all over again.  "So who is she anyway?  You said you see
her alot?"

    Madoka nodded, grinning slightly at Akane's enthusiasm.  <Sometimes
she's such a romantic.>  She thought.  She looked at Akane, an uncertain
glint in Madoka's eyes even as she smiled.  "Yes, I see her
everyday..."  Madoka paused dramatically, "In the mirror."

    Akane gasped.  "What?  That's crazy!  You mean just like her right?"

    Madoka shook her head slightly.  "Well. I can't be certain.  I met
her only that one time, for about 10 minutes or so, and I might be
imagining it, but I've seen her in my dreams many times over the past
years, so I was certain I remembered her face."  She frowned slightly.
<Even better than his,>  she added mentally.  "After all." she
continued  "I wanted to look like her, so he'd like me too.  But I don't
just look something like her, I look 'exactly' like her."  She paused
again.  "I'm sorry to waste your time like that, it's probably just my
mind playing tricks on me."  Madoka looked at Akane seriously.  "Now
it's your turn.  What did you mean by implying that my story had
something to do with this."  She pointed towards the house.  "Does the
panda remind you of your true love or something?"  She grinned at
Akane.  "I thought Dr. Tofu was thinner?"

    The two laughed together for a few moments before Akane could bring
herself to explain.  "Oh that's so bad!  No, I didn't mean anything like
that, it's just that your story is alot easier to believe today than it
was when you first told it to me."

    Madoka looked carefully at the other girl to see if she was serious,
but Akane was staring at the floor, intent upon her next words.

    Akane finally looked up and said. "You see, I've seen some magic
myself!"

    Madoka blinked at that.  "Magic? What do you mean?"  She turned her
gaze back towards the house, as if looking for flashes of light or
disappearing elephants.  "Real magic?  Or does the panda work in a magic
act?"

    Akane waited till Madoka was looking at her again before shaking her
head slowly.  "No, real magic, or at least, real enough for me."  <Too
real.>  She thought a bit angrily again.  "You see..." She paused,
looking at Madoka's expression.  It was a mixture of hope, disbelief and
exasperation.  <Probably because I'm  stalling.>  Akane took in a long
breath.  "Well, it would be easier to show you."

    She took Madoka by the hand and stood.  She helped her up, and both
girls eased the kinks out of their legs before Akane, still holding
Madoka's hand like she was a child, lead her outside to the corner of
the dojo to a point where they could easily see the porch.  She stopped
and turned to face her friend then.  "Ok, stay here for a minute, and
I'll show you something.  Just watch the panda."  She started to walk
away, saying "Nothing up my sleeve."  quietly under her breath.

    Madoka turned to watch the porch.  Soun had started up another game
with the animal apparently, though it looked for her vantage point that
he was at least winning this time.  <Well that's better> she thought.
<At least he's not loosing to it this time.>  As she watched him she
realized. <Soun hasn't really trained me in months.  He's just stopped
in from time to time to give some advice after I sparred with Akane.  I
guess the only reason I've been coming to practice lately is to spend
some time with Akane.>

    As Madoka reflected on that, Akane came out of the house through the
porch doors, holding a tea kettle in one hand.  She turned to Madoka and
rolled up her sleeve.  She then turned back to face the panda, saying
just loudly enough for Madoka to hear, "I've got some hot water Mr.
Saotome.  Don't worry, it's not boiling."  The panda answered with a
kind of growling bark, and held up a wooden sign with some letters in
Kanji written on it.  It said, 'Thank you Akane.'  Madoka watched amazed
thinking, <It's really well trained.>  her thoughts paused as Akane
glanced over at her again, before pouring the tea kettle over the
panda's head.  As Madoka watched, the panda shrank a bit, turning
quickly into an older balding man wearing a white gi.  Madoka's thoughts
resumed, but they didn't make any sense for a while.




    Ok people, I really need a opinion here.  I have this plotted out
till the end, unfortunately, I have two well developed ideas for it, and
I only have time right now to write one of them!  This is either going
to become a full blown crossover right here, with serious consequences
to the original plot lines, or it's going to be a few dialogues between
Akane and Madoka (with Ryoga, Manami and Ukyo occasionally as well as
Ranma and Kyouske very rarely) until the two series come to the real
authors chosen endings (Not counting the KOR Movies.)  At which point
the series will become a crossover with my brother's "A Different
Viewpoint" Series.  As Chris is getting close to ending that series in
the next few chapters, he has no problem with that idea, so it really
comes down to this, what would you people rather read?

(If your're wondering, Chris's fic looks to be ending at about 40-42
chapters.)