Just realized I haven't posted anything for a month.  :P
My time and energy is devoted to a group story at the moment so this
will continue for some time.  In the meanwhile, here's somthing to much
on.  The Prelude and Interlude of Taro at the end is a repost, but the
first two are new.

Disclaimer:  All characters portrayed in this story are owned by their
respective creators and companies.  I don't own any of them.  Please
don't sue me.

This story draws ideas from both the anime and manga of all the series
involved.

This is another part of Preludes and Interludes, which in turn is part
of my crossover series, Life and Times.  Previous parts are on my page.
This part contains Minako, a short Kuwabara, and Taro.

": denotes normal speech.
"<: denotes Chinese.

C & C welcomed.

Preludes and Interludes:  Volume 4

By

Donny Cheng

Preludes and Interludes: MINAKO

Present Day...

	Ranma fell flat on his backside.  That he did not expect to happen.  If
it had been Makoto, the strongest of his old friends, he would not have
been so surprised.  Either Ami or Rei he could believe, since they both
had a strong air of competence about them.  Even his cousin Usagi might
have been able to do this to him as he did train her, he thought
modestly.  But Minako?

	"That was very sloppy, Ranma.  I might think you were going easy on
me," Minako teased as she helped him to his feet.

	Ranma blinked at the sudden change in his friend's expression.  It had
only been there for a short moment, but long enough fthat he knew it was
not his imagination.  Silly, fun-loving, absent-minded Minako had been
serious for a change.  She had been determined to win, he could tell,
this simple sparring match.

	"What are you looking at?  I don't have some of my lunch on my mouth do
I?" Minako asked, worriedly and quickly ran over to the makeshift
changing room the Tendo's had made in one of the storage closets in the
dojo to get her compact.

	Ranma shook his head clear.  He must have been mistaken.  Serious and
determined only applied to Minako, he had discovered in recent weeks, if
you happened to be a boy or an idol singer.  He looked over the rest of
his class and was surprised no one else had noticed him being swept off
his feet by one of Minako's attacks.

	"Hey, Ranma!  What do you think you're looking at?  It's my turn,
remember.  I get an hour of your undivided attention today," Minako said
in mock anger.

	Ranma sighed and wondered again why he agreed to teach his friends. 
After they had seen his spar with Ami, they had all wanted a turn. 
Nabiki had then taken advantage and offered the ultra low prices of the
Tendo Dojo's star instructor.  Him.  "Yeah.  So what did you want to
work on next?  I think you have that last kata down pat."

	"I want to increase my speed.  I'm not as fast as I would like.  I know
I probably won't be able to do that chestnut trick in a million years of
training, but could you teach me something similar?"

	Ranma was again slightly shocked at the seriousness Minako displayed. 
It was so different from what Minako had been like in the past, when
they were younger.

			* * * * *

Five years ago...

	Ranma blinked.  Usagi?  No, it wasn't his cousin, but the similarities
were amazing.

	"It's not right to pick on little kids smaller than you," Minako said
as she shielded the small boy behind her.

	Ranma stared in wonder.  The only thing that was missing was the
odangos and the girl would be a perfect replica of his cousin.  He
decided to step in as the group of preteens advanced on the girl. 
Something flashy usually stopped bullies, he had discovered.

	Minako was surprised as a figure suddenly dropped down in front of her,
seemingly out of the sky, like some sort of superman.  All she could see
though was the back of his head and hear his confident voice.  Minako
would later recall this moment, and she knew she never really had a
chance as her eleven-year-old eyes filled with hearts.  While Ranma was
not bad looking at sixteen, at eleven he was positively adorable.

	Ranma smirked at the shocked expression of the kids in front of him. 
The awe in their faces pumping his ego up rapidly.  "Something wrong
here?" Ranma asked while he picked up a branch that lay nearby on the
ground and casually broke it in half.

	"No!" the boys said simultaneously and quickly ran away.

	Ranma grinned and turned around and saw something that made back away,
something that a gang of kids could not do.  The girl has a weird
expression on her face and was staring at him with an intensity that he
would not forget for months.  "Are you okay?"

	Minako blinked as the strange sense of d�j� vu left her as suddenly as
it came to her.  His face.  She had seen his face somewhere before. 
"Yeah, I'm fine.  Thank you for helping.... Why you little brat.  Come
back here.  I just saved your bacon.  The least you could have done was
thank me!" she yelled after the scampering boy.  That was rude!

	Ranma bigsweated as the girl ran down and wrestled the little boy to
the ground and got her thanks.  Wasn't that the same as bullying?

	"Anyway, where were we?  I'm Minako," she said, wiping her hands as she
finally let up on the little tyke and came back to where Ranma stood.

	"Ranma," he replied, confused again as he got a better look at her.  He
felt as if he should know the girl from somewhere.

	Minako could not explain how she expected the name before Ranma even
said it.  "Anyway, like I said before, thanks for helping me out back
there," she lied.  The very idea of needing help against a bunch of boys
was laughable.  She was easily the toughest in the area, but Ranma
didn't need to know that.

	"No problem," Ranma said.  He started to walk away as the girl kept
staring at him.

	"Um, hey, where do you live?  I don't think I've seen you here before,"
Minako spoke up suddenly.  The idea of the boy leaving brought a strange
shock to her system.  The sense of d�j� vu was even stronger now.

	"I don't live anywhere.  Me and my Pop are just hanging around here for
a moment before we leave again."

	"So you going to be here awhile?  You want to be friends while you're
here?" Minako asked hopefully.  She felt a strange connection to this
boy.  She was only glad that this boy didn't seem to believe in cooties
which most boys her age were in the habit of talking about.  Which was
one reason she preferred the idols on TV to the boys her age, but this
Ranma was different.

	Ranma smiled at the offer from the girl in front of him.  They hadn't
stopped much in the past few months and he had been getting tired. 
However, he could never tell his Pop that.  Ranma had to be a man that
can take the hardships of a martial artist.

			* * * * *

	Genma watched Ranma's form critically.  The boy was starting to improve
again.  That brought a great sense of relief to him.  He had been
starting to fear that the boy would never get over that block of his. 
They had had to move frequently this past while because none of the
training sites they had went to could get Ranma past the stall he had in
his training.

	Genma watched as the boy moved with a fluidness in the kata, that he
could never hope to match.  Ranma had it in him to become great in the
art.  Genma could almost sense the happiness that radiated from Ranma
and wondered what brought about such a change.  Whatever it was, Ranma's
good mood was back and his training was benefiting from it.

			* * * * *

	Ranma was constantly amazed at the resemblance Minako had with his
cousin.  The differences in hair style was the only real way he had of
separating them in his mind.  "Yeah, we have to leave in another couple
of days."

	Minako was instantly on her feet with her arms latched around Ranma. 
"No!  Why do you have to leave?  Aren't you my friend?"

	It took Ranma a full two hours of waiting before the girl tired herself
out and let.  He had tried to pry her loose before but experience taught
him it would take physical force to actually do it.  He scratched his
head in confusion.  "We leave all the time, Mina-chan.  I told you
before.  Pop says I learned all I could here."

	"I know," Minako grudgingly agreed.  "It's just that when you're here I
feel nice."

	"Well, of course," Ranma nodded enthusiastically.  "But you'll still be
happy if I'm not here.  You were before I came.  Maybe not as happy,
but... hey, I'm talking here!" Ranma yelled out as he suddenly found
himself without an audience.

	"What was that?" Minako asked as ran back to where Ranma stood.  "Did
you see who just walked by?  He gave me an autograph!"

	Ranma's eye twitched.  "Hmmph.  Well, anyway, I'll see you tomorrow
before I leave.  Maybe."

	Minako waited before Ranma was out of sight before letting the smile
fall from her face.  "I'll miss you, Ranma-chan."

			* * * * *

Way in the future...

	"Ack!"

	"Saotome Ranma, hold it right there!  If you take another step I'll let
myself go and fall the to the ground!"

	Ranma sighed and stopped.  He could still remember the first time he
had called that bluff.  He shuddered.  "Oh, hi Mina-chan.  I didn't see
you there."

	Minako flew down to where Ranma was, her wings disappearing halfway
down, forcing Ranma to catch her.  "I don't have time for that.  I'm not
in a good mood."

	Ranma suddenly found himself on the ground and allowed the girl to
assault him.  Perhaps, assault wasn't exactly the right word as he soon
found himself just as aggressively responding.  In his mind he could
hear the word 'pervert' being yelled.  All he could to reply back was
that if he tried resisting the girl would get hurt.  It was so much
easier back when he wasn't nearly so strong and could be confident that
his opponent could not get hurt.  These days his opponent was nearly
always as super human as he was, making it impossible to stop any of
this without resorting to brutal force.

			* * * * *

	Minako stretched and then went back to laying languorously over Ranma's
body.  He was pouting again.  "Oh, stop that.  You enjoyed it as much as
I did."

	"Why me?" Ranma sighed, asking no one in particular.  He asked this
question nearly everyday of his life and never received an answer he
liked.

	Today, however, Minako answered even though she knew it was not
addressed to herself.  "Your fault really.  You ruined us from the very
beginning.  All of us, when we first met you," she said contemplatively.

	"I did not!" Ranma yelled out making sure he was heard looking around
to see if anyone was around.  He was never sure about anything these
days.  Paranoia was a good thing when your suitors were in the habit of
mysteriously appearing and frequently used tracking and listening
devices.

	Minako used the advantage her position gave her and gave Ranma a hard
punch in the stomach.  Being in permanently Sailor Venus form had some
uses.  Her had would have been crushed otherwise.  "Not that way,
pervert.  You're starting to develop a dirty mind you know.  Actually,
that's not really that bad.  Makes some things a lot easier.  You know
there's something we can try when you're 'up' to it..."

	"You were saying?" Ranma asked quickly, blushing red down to his toes.

	"You ruined us.  You set up the example by which we compare boys.  So
it's all your fault," Minako concluded.

	"Hey!" Ranma complained before realizing what he was complaining
against.  "What I mean is, I'm sure you can find some less perfect men
to get along with."

	"And what?  Have them grow old and die on us?  Besides, I wasn't saying
you were perfect.  Far from it.  There are hundreds of men out there
that I'm sure I would like to know.  But that's not the point.  The
point is I like being with you and don't really care if there another
macho idiot out there that's halfway cute."

The truth was Ranma had his influence over them before they had even
been _born_.  His little jaunt into the future so close to the time of
their previous lives' deaths had come back vividly into her mind and to
those of her friends she was sure.  The only boy that had not been
scared of being near them after they gained their senshi status was a
memorable experience.  As a senshi they were almost literally seen as
goddesses and everyone that had not been associated with them feared
them greatly.

	"Minako...," Ranma whispered to his friend, disturbed by the
seriousness of her voice.  He figured it out finally after a moments
thought.  "You're going back soon aren't you?"

	"..."

	"Why don't you just give it up?  I know the others would be glad to
help you out or even let them share some of the load."

	"Please don't, Ranma.  I only get to be with you, so few days in the
year.  I don't want to get angry with you.  I've already told you.  I am
the leader of the senshi and that's the way it is," Minako said in away
that would end the argument.

	Ranma sighed and knew it was a fruitless argument.  He knew better than
to accuse the girl of being power mad.  Minako held that control for the
sole purpose of keeping the dangers and responsibilities that came with
the job from her closest friends.  Sometimes he wondered if how his
fun-loving friends was able to stand it all.

	"Ranma, what are you doing?  Ooohhh!"

			* * * * *

Preludes and Interludes: KUWABARA

Way in the future...

	"Meow," the kitten called out, rubbing his new eyes with his new paws. 
Everything was new to him having just been born.  He blinked at the
strangeness of the shapes that were around him.  Instinctively, he
sought out another pair of eyes he new would be looking at him.  Someone
that would love him and take care of him.  Where was his mother?

	"Mreow," he mewled pitifully as his eyes roamed the surrounding area.

	"Oh, you're awake.  Never seen a kitten go straight to sleep after
being born before.  I'll take you to your mother."

	The kitten stared with rapture at the eyes that beheld him.  In them he
could see a mirror image of himself and recoiled at the scragly sight. 
How could she look at him with such warmth?  He put such thoughts out of
his mind as he felt the magical fingers of the girl start to pet him in
all the right places.

			* * * * *

	"How lazy can you get and jeez, a cat again?  He almost reincarnates
into one as much as he does into a human," Yusuke shook his head with
disgust.

	"He loves them.  I think it's a very strong part of his soul, as much
as the fox is within me," Kurama smiled as he looked on.

	"Idiot," Hiei growled.  "Why doesn't he just do the right thing and get
a youkai body?"

	Kurama gave Hiei a worried glance.  The shorter youkai was only looking
out for Yukina.  "Hiei..."

	"Same reason, I can't convince Keiko to," Yusuke put in.  "The both of
them were scarred by Toguro and Sensui.  There's no convincing them. 
Let's just get out of here and leave them alone, okay?"

	Hiei gave Kurama a look but said nothing.  Keiko, or rather her newest
incarnation had recently died, he figured.

			* * * * *
	
Preludes and Interludes: TARO

        "<Eat up the rest of your food, dear.  You want to grow up to be
big and strong, don't you?>"

        "<Don't cry.  You're a big boy now, right?  That's my boy.>"

        "<You can have the last apple.  Mother isn't very hungry
anyway.>"

        *Cough* *Cough*  "<It's just the flu.  Don't worry about me. 
I'll be better after a good night's rest.  You go out and play now.>"

        "<Noooo!  Mother!>"

                        * * * * *

Second Impact aftermath...

        "Sir!  It's only a nightmare.  Can you hear me?"

        Taro struggled to his senses.  "Y-yes."

        "You were caught in the storm.  We found you outside."

	The storm, he remembered it.  He had been trying to get back to China. 
It was only a short flight he had figured and a little rainstorm
shouldn't be able to stop him.  The little rainstorm turned out to be a
full-blown hurricane as he had found out the hard way.  The last thing
he remembered was dragging his body over to an open doorway and dumping
the last of the hot water he had from a thermos onto himself.  He tried
to open his eyes and found himself staring into a bright penlight.

	"Sir, I think you might have a concussion.  Can you please try to open
your eyes again?"

	Taro forced himself to open an eyelid and then the other.  His eyes
soon adjusted to the brightness  "Mother!?"

	Ami blushed.  "Um, no.  You're probably still dazed a bit.  I don't
think there was any permanent damage though."

	No, not his mother.  The girl couldn't have been older than twenty. 
Her short blue tinted hair and round face reminded him of someone. 
Someone he hadn't seen in nearly two years.  "Akane?"

	"You know Akane?  Tendo Akane?"  She smiled when he nodded.  "I've been
told that we resemble each other.  Any friend of hers is a friend of
mine.  My name is Mizuno Ami.  I'm a volunteer here at the hospital. 
The tsunamis created by the impact had hurt Japan more than we could
have ever imagined."

	"Mizuno Ami," he said as if tasting it like it were a fine wine.  It
was nice name. His eyelids threatened to close again as a heavy daze
clouded over his mind.

	"Oh, pardon my manners.  I didn't even ask for your name."

	Taro couldn't remember if he replied to her question as sleep finally
forced itself upon him.  He could only remember thinking that she had a
nice name.

			* * * * *

	Taro gave the room one more parting glance before he headed for the
door.  He would miss this place.  Most of all, he would miss her.

	Ami had never once laughed when she said his name.

	"Mr. Pantyhose, I've come to give you your sponge bath."

	"Mr. Pantyhose, here are some apples I've peeled for you."

	"Mr. Pantyhose..."

	"Please Ami, just Taro will do."

	"Okay, Taro."

	Yes, he would miss her but he did have a promise to keep.  Fem-Boy
better take good care of her or he will have a lot to answer for.  Of
that, Taro was sure of.

                        * * * * *

One year after Second Impact...

	Taro snorted in contempt as he watched her train this rag tag bunch of
warrior wannebes.  She, however, was quite graceful almost like she
really was a cat.  How much did that old bag teach her before she went
to her grave, he wondered.

	Shampoo resisted the urge to glare at the pair of eyes she knew was
watching her.  What in the world had her great-grandmother been thinking
when she enlisted in the aid of that obnoxious jerk?  Instead, she
decided it was time for him to learn some humility.  "<Taro.  Come over
here.  I need to explain a new technique but I will need a body to
perform upon.>"

	Rather than anger at the girl's insolence, Taro felt curiosity.  Since
he had come to the village, Shampoo hadn't spoken one word to him.  That
was a cunning one, he knew.  He decided to see what she was up to.

	Shampoo waited until Taro was within five paces of her before she
launched herself at him.  She was surprised at her own speed.  It took
only an eye blink for her to reach him and another to leave him
completely unmoving.  The techniques her great-grandmother had taught
her in their final years together were strong indeed.  "<And that class,
is how effective pressure points are against an opponent much stronger
than you.>"  That said, she gathered the group of young amazons back to
the village, leaving the still Taro on the ground.

	Taro was finally able to move again in an hour as feeling came back
into his limbs.  He then got up and dusted himself off.  So, the kitten
had learned much from the cat.  How much more did Cologne leave behind
for her great-granddaughter?  This advance must also be the result of
the closed-door meetings Shampoo has had with the elders on the
council.  Taro let out a small chuckle.  Payback, can wait until he
learned all he needed to.  Shampoo just gained a new sparring partner.

                        * * * * *

Five years after Second Impact...

	Shampoo breathed in, held it for a second, and released it.  She let
her arms fall her side, signaling she was done.

	"<Done already?  That last technique you did was hardly perfect.  You
have enough strength to practice it until the end of the day.  Remember,
Herb has at his disposal as much magic and knowledge of the ancient arts
as we do.  When the time comes, I would like to meet him on equal
grounds.>"

	"<Over training can be destructive and push one's advancement back
rather than forward it,>" Shampoo explained patiently as if Taro were a
child.  She knew he hated it when she did that.  "Besides, you're just
still sore that _he_ beat you last month.>"

	Taro refused to be baited.  That woman could be infuriating when she
wanted to be.  He also knew that the 'he' in question was not Herb. 
"<He did not beat me fairly and you know it.  He is a warder to that
Moiraine woman and receives an enhancement from their bond.  Who knows
what other ways he's cheating.>"

	"<Ranma has learned how to turn off the enhancement when he wants to,
you know. He mentioned it the last time he visited,>" Shampoo said
casually.

	Taro bristled.  Like Fem-Boy would ever refuse to take advantage of the
situation.  It was useless to argue with Shampoo about him.  "<I've
learned from my scouts that the Musk Dynasty is in preparation of their
annual celebrations.  I'm going to take this time off and have my
rematch with Fem-Boy... Why did you hit me?>"

	"<His name is Ranma!>" Shampoo yelled, losing her composure.

	Taro smirked.  Her feelings for _Fem-Boy_ will always be her downfall. 
"<I'll be back in a week.>"

	Shampoo nodded absently.  She turned and started to head for her hut. 
She stopped as a thought occurred to her.  "<Oh, and say hi to Ami for
me.>"

	"<I will...,>" Taro trailed off.  Damn.  How much did she know?  He
glared after the retreating figure.  It was freaky how much, she was
starting to resemble her great-grandmother.  Well, that was not entirely
true.  The look on his face softened slightly and he gave one more
appreciative glance at the amazon's swishing behind before setting off
to his own hut.

			* * * * *

Thirty years after present day...

	"<Pathetic.  Why do you let him stay?  He looks like a dog then way he
hangs around you,>" Taro spat out.

	"<I've long since given up on trying to stop Mousse from following me. 
He has helped the village many times over the years, I figure he
deserves to do what he wants.  He knows that he can have any woman and
any woman would be glad to have him.  He just needs to say the words and
issue a formal challenge.  But, he chooses not to,>" Shampoo said and
looked affectionately in Mousse's direction.  He was at his customary
distance of about a hundred yards.

	"<Like I said, pathetic.">  Taro glared at the near blind Duck-Boy.

	"<Maybe, maybe not.  How about you?  You hang around me all the time
also,>" Shampoo teased.

	"<That is an altogether different story.  It's my job,>" Taro said
hotly.

	"<You're job is only to protect me.  You can spend your free time doing
other things.  Mousse is not the only one that can have any amazon he
wants.>

	"<Even you?>" Taro asked suddenly and stared hard into Shampoo's eyes.

	Shampoo flinched.  "<All this time in the village and you still don't
remember the rules.  I'm already taken.>"

	"<Oh, _please_.  He only visits you once every year and only to keep
your reputation among the elders intact.  How can you even call him your
husband when he has not even fulfilled his most basic duty?>"

	"<He has!>" Shampoo said and immediately realized had she said too
much.

	Taro, stunned, stared in shock at Shampoo.  A deadly calm fell over
him.  His voice turned cold, "<Oh?>"

	"<Yes,>" Shampoo said softly.

	"<Excuse me.  I have some business to take care of.  I'll be back in a
week,>" Taro growled out and then headed in the direction of the ki
signature he could never forget.

	Shampoo did not watch him as he left.  What else could she have done? 
Ranma was often depressed when she shared old times with him and Mousse
during his rare visits.  He had needed comforting.

	"<Mother?  Where did Uncle Taro go?>" Cologne asked worriedly.  "<He
looked mad.>"

	Shampoo shook her head in answer.  She smiled as her daughter frowned
cutely and promptly forgot about her question.  Shampoo had not told any
of them who the father was.  Taro had thought it was Mousse's, she was
sure.  Ranma, the lovable idiot, didn't even have a clue.  Probably
thought Cologne was adopted for all she knew.  Mousse had been the only
one who knew.

			* * * * *

Three hundred years after present day...

	"<He's at the funeral right now,>" Taro said as if that was the most
important fact in the world.

	"<He and I have already said goodbye to one another.>"  Shampoo put the
last of the make up on and looked in the mirror to make sure she was
presentable.  If felt refreshing to be rid of the geis that made her
look as if she really were a three hundred year old mummy.

	"<You still love him, don't you?  Even after all these years.>"

	"<Yes,>" Shampoo said simply.

	Taro sighed.  He had thought as much.  "<Well, you ready?  Or are we
going to stand around all day?>"

	"<You waited three hundred years to get a new name.  I would think
you've learned patience by now.  Come on.  Let's got find
great-grandmother and Happosai.  Last I heard, they were on one of the
Jurain worlds with my great-grandfather.>"  Shampoo stopped to place the
walking staff in the corner of the room and went out the door.  When she
got this mess with Jurai finished with, she will return.  When that time
came, Goddess and Senshi alike better look out, another suitor is
rejoining the ranks.

	Taro chuckled self-mockingly.  Two women and both of them
unattainable.  A sad day indeed.  Ami had better not be missing a single
hair on her head when he returned.

			* * * * *

	Ranma held Ranko to him as the girl cried over the loss of her
great-grandmother.  He hoped that Shampoo was happy where ever she and
Taro went.  It had been painful for him to act like he was angry with
Shampoo for over a hundred years.  She had planned her death for over a
century.  She planned it in a way that would make her leaving easiest to
handle.  She had done it all for him.  The least he could have done was
to accept her plan and let her follow through with it.

	The Jurain empire was so vast, no one man could hold control over its
entirety and his cousin Tenchi knew this.  If word got out that Yoshu
had sired another heir, Earth along with Tenchi would be in danger. 
Shampoo had volunteered to leave but only when she was sure Joketsuzoku
could take care of itself.  She never told him of her pact with Tenchi.

	He knew, he wanted to tell her.  He knew that Cologne, Shampoo's only
daughter, had been of his own blood.  Holding Ranko tightly, he promised
that as long as he was alive, Joketsuzoku would survive.  Until Shampoo
returned, no harm would come to the village.

                        * * * * *

Present day...

	Taro looked at the bottle in his hand.  Water from the fountain of
youth.  It had been in Jusenkyo, after all.  All he had to do was to
make a silly little promise and he would live forever.  He looked at
Cologne.  "<Will Happosai be alive when my contract is done?>"

	Cologne nodded.

	Taro drank the water.

			* * * * *

The End. (maybe)