This story is for PBear for the only reason
in the world that matters.  As you wish.  




     "Okay Mr. Saotome, I'm going to say this one more time,
Slowly, so that you can understand. My date will be here in 
about two hours. I want Daddy to meet him. He does NOT want 
to meet you and honestly I don't want him to either. Thus, 
in two hours you had better not be anywhere near the house."
At the look on his face she added, "And that goes double for
Mr. Panda... Got it?"

     Soun attempted to look stern in his old friends behalf
but since he hadn't done it in so long the fell far short.
"Nabiki! That's no way to talk to a guest!"

     She rounded on him with a flat stare that sent shivers 
up his spine. "Guests leave Daddy,. He's no guest." She said
pointing towards Genma. "He's a freeloader."

     [Damn, just when I didn't need the fat fool showing
some backbone. I'll fix him...] Suddenly Nabiki's voice
became sickening sweet. "I'll tell you what, my dear
Uncle Saotome..." Both Soun and Genma visably winced at
hearing 'The Voice'. Certain doom was incomming. "If you
are not out of the house in the next thirty minutes and 
stay gone until after 19:30 I will call in ALL of your 
overdue depts... And then I'll tell Akane that you said 
you love her cooking and wished she'd make you dinner 
more often."

       Genma had started sweating as the first part of 
the ultimatum came his way, but the second... His face 
burst out in a splotchy white color as his entire life 
flashed before his eyes along with complementary stomach
pumps. He quickly raised his hands and while shaking his 
head rapidly, began to back away from the evil girl.

       "No, no, no! That's quite alright. Honest. Uhmmm...
Gee, Tendou... It seems that I have a pressing engagement
elsewhere this evening... The Shogi game will have to wait."
He then fled the house immediately. He wasn't about to wait
for the thirty minute deadline. 

       Nabiki dusted her hands of as she smilingly watched 
Genma run away from the house. It was a low blow, she had to 
admit. [Ah... but it felt GOOD!]

       "Now Daddy," Soun flinched yet again dreading what 
she had to say to him. "Mura will be here at 19:00. Please, 
please, do not fall to pieces okay? It's a date. It's not
an engagement party, it's not a wedding. Do NOT do the
tears tonight. Just this once, Okay?"

       At his hesitant nod she added "OR ELSE!"

       Soun quickly nodded his assent this time, not wanting 
to even think about what the 'or else' meant.

       "Thank you Daddy. I'm going upstairs to start getting
ready now. If anyone comes to the door let Kasumi get it will
you? [I want to be there when you meet Mura in order to head
off any problems.] 
       
      It was perhaps a rather cruel thing to think about her 
father, but she did know the way that he could be. And, she 
was NOT going to let him engage her to Mura. [At least not 
on the first date.] [Huh? Now where did that thought come 
from?]

      She stopped for a moment in the hallway in order to 
gather her thoughts and get her feelings under control. [This 
is crazy... I've only met the boy twice. I can't be falling for someone 
that fast. I am not like all those fluff-headed girls 
at school.] But, she had to admit... he was good looking.
He seemed smarter than the average boy and his dickering over
the information costs had been a pleasure as well as a challenge.

      She shook her head and grimmaced [There's something I've
forgotten... Let's see... It's too quiet here... That means...
Where's Ranma?]

      Nabiki stepped into the doorway of the kitchen and 
looked at Kasumi who was busy puttering away at whatever 
it was she always did in there. "Kasumi, Have you seen Ranma?"

      Kasumi turned slightly and regarded her sister with a
beautific smile. "No, Nabiki, I haven't. I haven't seen him or
Akane since breakfast. Maybe he's out playing with one of his 
friends?"

      [Hhmmm... Translation for the Kasumi un-impaired: He's
out causing more property damage in yet another fight. Great.
That means he and Akane will show up just when I DON'T want 
them to.] "Thank you Kasumi." she said as she turned and headed
up the stairs. She started rubbing the bridge of her nose with
her hands as she entered her room. [Great, just great. A date
AND damage control... Just what I need.]

*      *      *


      He was nervous and it showed. It took four tries for him
to manage the tie and he still wasn't satisfied with it. 

      "So... going on a date, huh?" The question came from the
vicinity of the doorway. He'd been so involved with what he was
doing that he hadn't even heard the Master approaching.

      "Yes Master..."

      "With HER?" It was a question and a satement. 

      "Yes Master."

      "Ha-cha-cha... So, is she a morsel or what? Whataya 
think she'll look like in thi..." The old man trailed off 
at the look on Mura's face.

      "Master, enough."

      Suddenly the old man was more serious than he'd ever 
seen him save once, about a year ago.

     "It's a dangerous game you're playing boy."

     "I know." 

     "Do you?" asked the short shriveled up Master. "She's 
smart, real smart. I think that she's the only one of them
to inherit their mother's brains. You want revenge my boy. 
That's what you said anyway. Ther's no room in revenge for 
falling in love. Especially with her."

     "I am NOT falling for her. [Am I?] He said vehemetly.
"Look, buying information is one thing. It's business for 
her. I need to know the whole scene. I also need to know 
about him."

     "Ahh... So you've finally admitted to an interest in
the boy huh?"

     "Look Master," He said turning finally to face the old man.
I do NOT blame him. It's Genma I blame. He's just a product of 
Genma's selfishness and dishonor."

     "As are you."

     "Different story Master... You know that."

     "Do I? You two are a lot alike... He has fiancees he 
doesn't want and you want a fiancee that you can't have."

     He hung his head and his shoulders slumped "Is it that 
obvious?"

     "To me... Yes." the old man walked forward and thumped
Mura lightly on the head with his long pipe. 

     "Look my boy, I'm a lot to blame for the way Genma 
turned out. Even I have my limits though..." He started to
pace back and forth in front of the young martial artist and 
his voice grew reflective. "Years ago, I had a chance at 
being happy. I gave it up for revenge and it cost me. I 
was hoping that you'd find a way I couldn't."

     Mura's head snapped up and he glared at the old man.
"Why didn't you tell me about the Tendous?" He asked angrily.
   
     "You mean the engagement?" At Mura's nod he continued.
"You'd found out about all the others... I thought you knew."

     "What? You're kidding right?"

     "No. I'm not kidding about this one. I honestly thought
you already knew and didn't care, my boy."

     He hung his head again, and in a small voice said, "No.
I didn't know until Nabiki told me. I didn't know how long
It'd been in place."

      "Does it change things?"

      "No. Yes. I don't know." He began to pace around the 
room unconciously copying the earlier actions of his Master. 
"I don't know... I'm confused." 

       "Ahh...the folly of youth..." the old man said grinning.

       Mura looked up and smiled. "Ahhh... stuff it ya old
pervert. You know that you're eating this up."

       As the old man headed out the door he flipped one 
more commment towards the boy. "You're right of course.
I always keep a good outlook on things... Ta Ta... I'm off."

       [Yea right...] Mura thought to himself. [I'm starting 
to think one of the reasons you took me in was for the 
enjoyment factor.] He started to tie the tie again. [He 
couldn't have known how I was going to react to Nabiki... 
could he?] 
  
       He heard a woman's distant scream of indignation
[Nah, the old pervert can't be that smart if he still get's
his thrill off of woman's underwear.] 


end of part 2.5
 rest is in progress

BlackRaven
To quote Socrates: "I drank what?"

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