Featherbrite's Tale, the Bet. Rough version
by Gregg Sharp based on Rumiko Takahashi's situations/char
other char TM other authors.
Metroanime@mindspring.com
http://members.aol.com/greggsharp/index.html
thanks to Jared for the Genma sequence.
5b: Some Interest
------------Tendo-ke, Genma's room-----------
 In a very distant corner of Genma's mind,
something small was crying out and dying.

 It had started objecting to him when he and
his buddy Soun had decided to go train under their Master.
He had known Happosai was not...pleasant, but it had all
been for the Art. Happosai's Anything Goes School Of
Indiscriminate Grappling was quite effective from both a
practical aspect and in terms of raw power from what they
had been able to learn beforehand.

 For years that little voice had screamed at him about
panty raids, theft, and all the other little crimes he had committed.
Each time he had chosen to ignore it just a little bit longer, the
little voice had gotten a little more distant, a little less noticeable.

 When they'd stolen the extra sake and trapped the
Master in his cave, the voice had gone quiet for a time. For a brief
period thereafter, Genma had been prepared to listen to it.

 He'd overlooked something, that part of one's being is
precious and vulnerable, and it had been abused for years. It was
no longer as loud as it could have been. So quiet, that he'd not even
noticed while he was chafing under the treadmill drudgery of work
and home and meeting responsibilities. There had been a peep from
that voice when he'd convinced Nodoka to let him go so that he
could train Ranma, but the joy of his false freedom had swept that
voice away. He'd changed over the years.

 Still that little voice rallied when he'd gotten hungry and
sold his son. Daikokuji hadn't given up anything he couldn't afford,
just some rice and two pickles! Nothing he would suffer over, and
Genma had quite convinced himself that he'd had to do it. The two
were starving and he'd never intended to actually go through with
the sale. He'd retrieved Ranma as soon as the buyer had turned his
back, hadn't he?

 Bit by bit over the years, that voice had been weakened
and slowly withered. It became easier and easier for Genma to sell his
son. It became easier and easier to ignore the hurt he caused those
around him. That voice that had been the pure and noble heart that
he had once had, the glimmer of which had been the lure that had
attracted his wife to him.

 Genma sat and contemplated the contract, still looking
no further than the first page which had all the pretty numbers.

 Twenty million yen. Grandchildren that he could train.
All it required was for him to sell Ranma one last time.

 Genma's conscience gave its last gasp and died.

 Genma decided that the best thing would be nets
near the boy's backpack. If Ranma tried to escape, he'd likely
come for that...
-------------A temple in Nara----------------------
 Quite aware that the young girls were
talking about the slender bishonen with the
bandolier of spatulas, Ukyou brushed "his" bangs
back and took a "cool" pose. The masquerade
continued without flaw if those girls' reactions
were any indication.

 Going up to the dispensary, Ukyou
slipped the money through the appropriate slot
and received the rolled up fortune in return.

 "Patience," Ukyou read. "All is not as
you believe it to be. That which you seek will make
its way to you."

 Ukyou placed the paper in one pocket.
"Yeah, right." Still, in another four months she
would leave this school and transfer to another.
Continuing to look for her target, where she could
at last close part of her life and gain vengeance on
the two who had wronged her so many years ago.

 "Ranma Saotome, vengeance will be mine!"
----------------Bumblee Park, Nerima--------------------
 "Ranma," grumbled Ryouga as he warmed
himself by the fire. "Vengeance will be MINE!"

 Shammi considered moving forward, to
find out what this strange husband was so upset
about. No, he'd probably just take off running again.

 "Ranma," Ryouga grumbled again, but
didn't go into details. Instead he poked at the fire
as if it had somehow offended  him.

 Shammi settled down for what looked
like a long wait, aware that Rei Ga had taken a
position at the other gate to the park. Between the
two of them, they ought to be able to keep track of
this husband. Shammi wasn't sure if either of them
could actually understand him, though.
--------------------Tendo-ke, Nerima-----------------
 Kasumi picked up the phone on the third ring.
"Hai. Moshi moshi."

 "Hello. This is Hikaru Gosunkugi. Is Nabiki
Tendo there?"

 "Nabiki is taking Shampoo to look at some
new clothing, Mister Gosunkugi. She needs a uniform
for school and some other supplies."

 "Gos?" Featherbrite flitted to the receiver.
"I talked to him the other day. He wants to get into magic
but he's going about it all wrong. We skipped classes and
had a dialogue."

 "Featherbrite says hello," translated Kasumi.

 "Oh, she's there? How about Ranma?"

 "Tell him I left word with Holly, who'll get in contact with Ivy, who'll
get in contact with Drath, who'll get him a DECENT spellbook. And don't
forget to burn that copy of the Necronomicon!"

 Kasumi relayed the message. "She says burn the Necronomicon,
and you'll get a replacement. No, Ranma's not here either."

 "Oh, thanks! Uhm. I've been thinking about what she said,
that if I want to win Akane, I've got to change ME so that I could actually
make her happy without resorting to spells on HER. I'm gonna take her
advice... Oh, and there's something else..."

 "Yes?" Kasumi prompted.

 " Ah. Tell her there's going to be a kidnapping attempt
on Ranma. They're medical researchers from University Of Tokyo,
but I think they've got connections..."

 "There's going to be a kidnapping attempt on Ranma?
But he's such a nice young man." Kasumi wondered who would
want to hurt someone as helpful as Ranma.

 "Kidnapping?" Featherbrite began to glow, showing
her agitation. "Is he sure?"

 "Uhm," Gosunkugi paused. "Anyway, can you tell
Nabiki?"

 "I think so, Mister Gosunkugi." Kasumi nodded after a
moment. It must be a misunderstanding. Why, even though Akane
was more hostile towards him than she was to Kuno, Ranma had
put his life on the line for her. Surely no one who knew Ranma would
be holding a grudge against him.

 [I'm expecting a call, Kasumi!] A panda walked by,
holding up a sign.

 "Well, thank you, Mister Gosunkugi." Kasumi put the
receiver down. She'd tell Nabiki, of course, but it certainly was a
misunderstanding.

 "Kasumi, I'm going to track down Shampoo and
Nabiki and let them know about this." Strength in numbers, a
lesson learned hundreds of years ago. The faerie shot through
an open window and was gone.

 Kasumi watched the faerie go and turned to her next
task. The laundry wouldn't get done by itself.
--------------------------------------
 Genma finished the net traps and considered his
options. It was really in the best interest of the Art, and this
wasn't THAT different from some of the training the Master
had put he & Soun through.

 The smell of garlic from Akane's room blew past
him. The young girl was still out, probably sulking or angry
that no one had stopped her before she got to the school.

 Genma nodded. Why, this reminded him of the
time he and Soun had put together a little trap so that they
could escape that one village of martial artist acrobats in
the wake of a panty raid from the Master. Ah, those were
the days.

 Genma went down to find that Kasumi had
finished with the phone. It was time to make the call.
--------------Downtown Nerima--------------
 "Shampoo very fast, will come along later. Ranma
only able to carry one persons, you take Nabiki she not able
to fight as well."

 "But..." Ranma stopped. If this were real and they
went after hostages, Shampoo would be much less a vulnerable
target than Nabiki. Just knowing that he was engaged to her made
Nabiki a more likely victim.

 "I agree," Nabiki said after a moment. "When I'm home,
there's a few phone calls I can make. We can determine if there's
anything to this within a few hours. Until then, it is only sensible
if we take some precautions."

 Featherbrite hovered nervously nearby. "Look, I can
go meet with Gos, and see how much he actually knows. I'll meet
you back at the Tendo house."

 Shampoo watched the little pixie take off, then watched
her airen fly off with the sneaky girl. "<Vanilla? Is that you?>"

 A shadow detached itself. "<Shampoo. I was that obvious?>"

 "<You aren't that good a tracker or a stalker. I was uncertain
of the other, but you were fairly easy for me to detect.>"

 "<Others. Shammi and Rei Ga are off chasing Shammi's new
fiance, Di Na is around someplace. You didn't hear it from me though.>"

 "<Balance of power shifting among the Elders? Figures.
Elder Cherry sent you ostensibly to keep an eye on me?>" Shampoo
leaned against the wall of the dress shop and made a point of not
looking towards the other.

 "<Of course, though mainly I and Rei Ga are to act as foils
on the other two representitives. Cologne has been a good Matriarch
thus far, why change leaders?>"

 "<Besides which, Cherry is too wise to want the job,>" Shampoo
chuckled throatily. "<What of these hunters?>"

 "<Yakusa.>" Vanilla sighed. "<We haven't gotten too close. They
have guns and some high tech equipment. I think Di Na is trying to get one
or two of them alone so she can beat them senseless and loot the bodies.>"

 "<Yakusa,>" Shampoo spat. Not warriors at all, they usually fought
from...ambush?!

 Shampoo started leaping from one rooftop to another, swearing a
stream of Mandarin that was not taught in classrooms. Vanilla was a bit odd,
and Shampoo now realized she should have asked those questions first.
Maybe she had time...
-------------------------------------------
 Nabiki knew something was wrong when their flight dipped in
unison to a loud meaty thunk.

 Another one sounded and Nabiki's concerned gaze left her
iinazuke's face to track down to the two cylinders protruding from the
red silk shirt. "Ranma?! You've been shot!"

 "Noticed," managed Ranma as their altitude decreased at a rapid
pace. "Uhm. I've noticed this before. My yousei form seems to be a little
more easily affected by some stuff like drugs."

 Nabiki privately doubted it. Those looked like the kind of
darts that zookeepers used to put down large animals. "Ranma, you'll
never make it carrying me. Set me down before I end up having to
carry you home!"

 "I can make it..." Ranma mumbled, skimming the ground.

 "LEFT! LEFT!" Nabiki tugged on Ranma's head. The trash
cans were narrowly avoided. "Ranma! Put me down NOW!"

 Ranma did, standing a little unsteadily as she landed.

 "You get back to the house, Ranma. They're not after me.
You get home and you can sleep it off. By then I should have some
answers." Nabiki felt a little pang at Ranma looking so vulnerable.
Just protecting an investment, ,that's all it was. Yeah, she was the
unfeeling Ice Queen. No personal involvement at all.

 "Okay, Nabiki-chan," Ranma staggered as she straightened.
If she could just get some hot water and turn back into a guy, she was sure
she'd be okay. "Don't...take any chances, 'kay? You look cute in that
outfit,
but it's not practical for hiding..." She spread wings and slowly flew off.

 "Nabiki-chan?" Nabiki blinked. "I look cute?!!" It was
just her orange top and a pair of jeans. Cute? Nabiki-chan? Nabiki shook
her head. Ice, she told herself, think ice. Cold, frigid, unyielding,
barren,
strong ice!

 Looking up at the weaving dot that was Ranma attempting to
fly, Nabiki said a few choice words that would have earned her a
disapproving glance from Kasumi and started off towards home.

 "Iceiceiceiceiceiceiceice," Nabiki muttered. "Why does he have
to do things like that as a girl? Couldn't he say something like that when
he's
a guy?" Catching herself, she again began the task of returning to being the
Ice Queen. She would NOT think about why this was getting so difficult.
---------------------------------------------
 Another dart thunked in as Ranma cleared the compound wall.
Ranma slowed further, there was an open window over there, but which one
was it? The images appeared to dance in her eyes.

 She'd just find some hot water. Everything would be fine once
she returned to human and male.

 She shot towards the window. So close...
---------------------------------
 "Oh..." Kasumi looked up from her laundry at the sound of
glass breaking.  The neighborhood kids weren't playing baseball again,
were they? But then there HAD been that call. "Mister Saotome, can
you go take a look upstairs? It might be a burglar."

 The panda looked up at the ceiling and seemed to hesitate
just for a moment. Then he nodded and held up a sign. [Don't worry.
I suspect I know what it is.]

 "Oh good," Kasumi turned her attention back to the
chores. She stopped and regarded Mister Saotome again. That
noise had come from Nabiki's room. Nabiki would probably not
appreciate Mister Saotome going through any of her possessions.
She'd just make sure he didn't get curious...

 Genma was already in Nabiki's room when Kasumi
reached the hallway.

 "Oh my!" Kasumi held a hand up in front of her mouth,
staring at what she saw in Nabiki's room. There was Ranma-chan,
netted and struggling to get airborne, when the panda very calmly
used one of his signs to slam Ranma's head. When Ranma tried to
get up, the sign came down again, this time at the base of the skull.

 "Mister Saotome! Why?" Kasumi stepped back, turning
slightly pale as she saw the way Ranma's limp body was lifted, netting
and all by the panda.

 [It's for the boy's own good, you'll see.] Genma's sign now
read. He proceeded past Kasumi, pausing only to wrap the net a little
more securely around the form within.

 Kasumi stared at the two, her shock beginning to ebb.
Little scenes from the past few days began replaying themselves
unbidden in her memory.

 //Ranma wiping sweat away, as he proudly presented the
repaired bowl to her.// Ranma playing the flute, pouring his heart out
into that wonderful music.// Ranma hugging her when she had fallen
up against him during that party to celebrate little sister Shampoo's
victory over the vampire. Remembering as well that Ranma hadn't taken
advantage of the situation.// That scene in the furo...//Ranma risking
his life to protect her sister, despite Akane being hostile to him ever
since he passed her over.//Genma stealing food from Ranma's bowl.
Ranma smirking as it became obvious that everything that Genma
stole found its way back to Ranma's bowl before it came anywhere
near his father's mouth.//Helping out with dinner.//The way Ranma
had stared at her nightgown the night of the first vampiric attack.//

 Kasumi frowned. This wasn't right. Mister Saotome might
have his reasons, but it wasn't right.

 Featherbrite was suddenly there, wings blurring in
agitation. "WHAT IS HE DOING?!"

 Kasumi stepped outside, watching some strange men
coming up to the front gate. Two of them were clearly tattooed
and showing all the unmistakable signs of Yakuza. The leader
appeared to be a businessman, the remaining two completely
nondescript. One of these others handed Genma a suitcase as
the panda handed a netted Ranma over to the two obvious
Yakuza.

 "Kasumi, I'm going to feed you what's in those
minds. I don't think I can get too close without that one
detecting me." One of the tattooed individual was marked
by magical heritage of some kind. Featherbrite hesitated to
do this, innocence was so difficult to find in this world and
if she did this, Kasumi would lose some of hers.

 Kasumi nodded, she wanted to understand what
was going on.

 Reluctant, even if she needed the girl's help,
Featherbrite forged the link. For five seconds, Kasumi saw
exactly what each of the people planned to do with Ranma.
For those five seconds, she saw directly into their souls.

 Kasumi rushed back into the house, found the
bathroom, and was very very ill.

 Featherbrite waited a few moments, watching
as Soun Tendo came outside, inquiring as to what was
going on. She tuned out the conversation, knowing what
each would say.

 As soon as Kasumi stopped heaving, Featherbrite
brought the link back up to strength. She had to know. She
had to see. Featherbrite linked to Ranma's mind, the friend she
had kept from being corrupted completely by his father.

 Kasumi's head came up, and she saw Ranma's
soul. She saw his character, his strengths and fears, his
failings and his triumphs. Kasumi wept.

 There was a core of iron in each of the Tendo
daughters, however, and Kasumi moved back to the
front door, pausing as she heard her father speaking
with Mister Saotome.

 "Twenty million? Plus he still marries my
daughter and goes on to produce an heir?" Soun Tendo
had his share of vices, one could not train for long under
Master Happosai without them. "Well, as long as the
boy isn't harmed..."

 Kasumi shuddered. Her own father. Twenty
pieces of silver with accrued interest. Ranma wasn't
perfect, but compared to those who were now loading
him into a truck...

 Flashes of images came back to Kasumi,
triggering another surge of nausea. The first thing to
be done would to be to inject him with a tracking
beacon. Then would begin a medical exam that would
never truly end. Every sort of degradation one could
expect would be inflicted on Ranma. Once in their lab,
Ranma would never escape. One of the Yakuza was
already planning how he would take the female Ranma
repeatedly, so that she would then produce children
that could become elite smugglers for the Yakuza.

 Kasumi shuddered, having seen Hell.

 "Featherbrite," Kasumi managed through
the sour taste in her mouth, "can you get Shampoo,
lead her to the appropriate car, then have her get to
the place where we entered your Faerie Realm?"

 Featherbrite nodded and shot off at full
speed. She could find Shampoo easily enough, there
was still enough remaining of her earlier spells on
the amazon. She could track Ranma as they had been
together for so many years. Kasumi had a plan. This
was a Good Thing.

(clip here to yosei5c)