Twelve Knights
    Part 10 of "Much Ado about Ranma"

A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by HK Miller
13 June 1999 - FFML draft

Major characters copyright Rumiko Takahashi and licensees:
Shogakukan in Japan and Viz Communications in the USA.
No disrespect is intended by my unlicensed usage.

Mild lime warning:  adult themes suggested.
Mild S-F in-joke warning.

The earlier stories in this series are are posted at:
     http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/5058
A summary follows this story.

Conventions:  open telepathy is delimited   > <
              "advanced" telepathy         >> <<

Time:  Mid autumn after Ranma, Akane, and Ukyou's graduation
       from Furikan High School and Ranma and Akane's wedding;
       about two months after "The Taming of Kodachi".

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In a shadowed, dingy room, eleven people huddled, talking in
low voices.

"How did the test go?"  A tall, sharp-faced man asked.

"Fine, Ayatsuru-san.  The virus is even more infectious and
lethal than we thought it would be.  Too bad about Sukoshi Osoi;
he didn't quite make it out in time."

A third speaker, a short woman, rubbed her hands together in glee.
"Hee-hee-hee.  The death rate is over ninety-eight percent, most
within twenty-four hours.  Fortunately nobody will miss the two
small farming villages we used for the test until it's too late."

"Good."  Ayatsuru nodded approvingly.  He raised his clenched
fists to the ceiling.  "Our masters will reward us in the
afterlife!  When we bring the apocalypse, our masters will emerge
into this world and feed on the remains of Tokyo!  We, the Twelve
Knights..."  Ayatsuru stopped abruptly, slapped his forehead,
muttered, and then continued, "I mean Eleven Knights of the
Apocalypse, will live forever!"

"Let us all praise the Kagema!"  

The others knelt and bowed.  "Praise the Kagema!"  Ayatsuru
smiled.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"So, Akane, have you forgiven Ukyou and Shampoo yet?"  Nabiki
asked.

"I guess I was a _little_ hasty...  and Ranma doesn't like it..."

Akane, Nabiki, Soun, Happosai, and Kasumi were in the middle of
dinner when three children, dressed in bright clothes of shifting,
swirling primary colors, abruptly appeared in mid-air, a few
inches above the middle of the dining table.  One of the girls
said to the boy holding the mirror, "Uh oh, Hikama; I think you
wronked it bigly this time."  The other girl, sipping from a
plastic bulb, stuck her tongue out at the boy, saying "Screwly!"

"Oh my, sudden guests!  Please make yourselves comfortable.
Would you terribly mind removing your feet from the pickle dish?"
Kasumi rose to fetch three more place settings.  The children,
embarrassed, hopped off the table.

Nabiki, having spit her tea out over her rice, wiped her mouth and
examined the newcomers closely.  "A bit young to be challenging
Ranma, aren't you?" she asked drily.

"We're not challenging Dad!"  one girl said hotly.

The boy scanned the other Tendos.  "MOM!  As a teenager!
Awesomatic!"

"Me?"  Akane asked faintly.  "What _ARE_ you wearing?  I've never
even imagined anyone dressed like that."

The girl without the headband bent down and closely inspected
Happosai, who gazed back, sweating, as he licked his rice bowl clean.

The girl wearing the headband bowed and said, "please excuse our
entrance.  We've ruded your dinner muchly."

Nabiki held up a finger.  "You three children are Ranma's, from
the future?  And you came here using the Nanban Mirror the boy is
holding?"

The girl without the headband spoke up.  "The past.  Repercusions.
...Mother?"

The girl with the headband looked around carefully.  "We have to
be careful what we say, Linseed:  don't give away events which
haven't happened yet.  You know, like on HV; we might change the
past.  You too, Hikama!"  She glared at the boy.

And remember, our parents weren't very good at telepathy back

then; use this frequency and they can't pick it up.<<

Happosai's eyes widened.  "Kasumi-chan, nice meal.  Gotta go!"
he said as he abruptly dashed out.  Everyone else ignored him.

Hikama looked puzzled.  "But we known't when this is.  I 'member
Dad's stories, but what order did they come in?"

"Ummm... right.  Just be careful what we say until we piece it
together.  Let's introduce ourselves first."  The girl with the
headband turned to the Tendos, bowed, and said, "I am Saotome
Yuriko, Ukyou's daughter, eight years old."

"Tendo Hikama."  Hikama tackled Akane in a flying hug.  "This's
my Mom.  I'm oldest 'cause I'm nine next month!"

"Ren Si.  Or Linseed," said the girl without the headband.
"Shan Pu's.  Eight."

Shampoo.  Ukyou.<  Akane sent, with an apologetic tone.  >Look...

you guys had better come over here as soon as you can.
Something's come up.<

Where is Mom, anyway?<  Yuriko looked eager.

At Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, Ukyou, behind the grill cooking for the
dinner rush, saw Yuriko through Akane's eyes and was rapidly
filled in.  >...daughter?  Yuriko?<

Yeah, Mom!  Hurry home!<

At the Nekohanten, Shampoo received a similar briefing and
greeting from Linseed as she carried two huge trays out from the
kitchen.  >I will be there in an hour, Ren Si.<

Akane looked around at the children with big eyes.  >We made
rensus for you at your age?<

Hikama sounded apologetic.  >Not quite...<

Linseed interrupted, "Father?"

"Ranma is in Okinawa at one of the Self-Defense Force bases
there.  He was going straight on from there to Niigata.  Maybe
he can stop in briefly on his way."

Yuriko spoke up.  "Guys, lets try to piece together when we are.
What do we know?"

"Mommy Akane 'n Pop are married.  What came nextly?"

"Mother here.  After China expedition.  Met bad guys."

"Kay."  Turning again to the Tendos, Yuriko asked, "is this before
or after the Bangkok Expedition?"

Nabiki archly replied, "maybe you'd better tell us a bit more
about it so we can be sure."

"Never mind.  I see Akane-okaachan's blank look.  Before."

The children looked at each other a moment, then Yuriko added, "Is
this before or after Aunt Nabiki's Esoteric Ordeal?"

"You mean China?"  Nabiki asked hopefully.

"No.  Before."  Nabiki looked horrified and depressed.

Hikama rubbed the back of his neck.  "What happened between?  I
can't 'member any more stories."

Yuriko thought a bit.  Linseed interjected, "Obscure Religious
Sect.  Tailored Virus."

Nabiki blanched.  "A kooky religious cult?  A deadly virus?
You don't mean the Twelve Knights of the Apocalypse?  Those
loonies with the poison gas?"

Hikama snapped his fingers.  "Yeah!  That was their name!"

Kasumi put a hand to her cheek and said, "Oh my.  Auntie Nodoka
and Kodachi won't be back from their trip to Hawaii for another
week.  Auntie will be so sad if she misses seeing her
grandchildren."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A bit later, Ukyou and Shampoo arrived.  Akane stood, then walked
to meet them, head bowed.  "Guys; I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have
blown up at you like that last week.  Please come back; you're
both welcome to live here again.  If you can, please forget
everything I said."

No problem by me, Akane-chan; it's Shan you were really mean

to.<

Akane, you feel sorry now, but what about next time when Husband

gives me a good look?<

Akane reddens a bit.  >You didn't have to pose like that without
any clothes on!<

"Oh, my.  Akane, come look at these clothes," Kasumi called.

"What is it, Kasumi-oneechan?  I..."  Akane stared, dumbfounded,
at the fashion label, clearly marked "Tendo Akane".

"Or this!"  Ukyou said, pointing at Linseed's leftover beverage
container.  Clearly marked on the side was "Saotome Ukyou
Beverage Company."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Nabiki carefully arranged the sweet bean paste goodies on a
tablecloth on the floor of the Dojo, then called the children in.
Smiling, she served them, then asked, "what year is it where you
come from?"

"Ummmpphh," said Hikama, his mouth full.  Yuriko elbowed him and
replied, "no comment."  >>That's an absolute no-no!<<

"Well, I can pretty much guess that, anyway.  You guys are your
parents' first, right?  And you're eight, so somewhere around
thirteen years from now?  Maybe less?"

Three good poker faces met Nabiki's gaze.  After a moment, she
sighed.  "Kids your age wouldn't know anything, I guess.  You
probably couldn't even name the largest company in Japan."

"Could too!"  Linseed snapped, mouth full.  "Won't!"

"How many other brothers and sisters do you have?"

The three looked at each other carefully for a moment.  "Five."

"And how many mothers?"

Hikama opened his mouth, but Yuriko elbowed him before he said
anything.

"So that's a secret too?  Meaning that the answer is more than
the three you've admitted.  But you've already called me 'Auntie'
rather than 'Mother', so there's at least a fourth, and it's not
me."

The three children sweatdropped but said nothing.

"And I don't suppose it could be Kasumi-oneechan.  That would
spoil her magical princess persona."  The children exchanged
significant looks at this last comment.

"I won't mention this to Akane, by the way.  I don't think she'd
appreciate it."  Nabiki paused, considering.  "I don't suppose you
kids can pay me for these pastries?"

Hikama looked appalled.  Yuriko just smirked.  "Not unless you
take credit," she said as she held out a small plastic cartridge.

Nabiki took the cartridge and scrutinized it closely, turning it
over.  "Who makes these?  How does it work?"

Linseed laughed.  "Not credit chip.  Last night's holo:
Dragongundam Officeladies Flash."

"Stupid show," Hikama muttered.

"What kind of storage..." Nabiki started to ask, still probing,
when her fingernail accidentally hit a very small projection in
the side.  Suddenly the room was filled with semi-transparent
holograms of stylized, uber-kawaii onna-Ranma, Akane, Ukyou,
and Shampoo figures climbing into dragonmecha.  Nabiki felt
nauseous.

Yuriko retrieved the cartridge and turned the holo off.

"Gahh!  What have I done?"  Nabiki muttered to herself.
Recovering, she noted, "you three seem pretty smart for kids your
age.  And you're not hurting for money if your Mothers own those
businesses.  How do all your mothers get along, anyway?"

The children looked at each other and shrugged.  Yuriko offered,
"their moms yell at each other about once a week.  Mine stays out
of it, so she doesn't get caught..."  Yuriko abruptly stopped
speaking and snapped her mouth closed.  "Mmmph!"    Her cheeks
ballooned.  Then she fell to her hands and knees and openly
guffawed.

Hikama gasped out, pointing at Yuriko, "your mom's... _in the
middle_!"  All three children fell down in gales of laughter,
gasping for breath and holding their ribs.

Nabiki just blinked.

Linseed, still holding her ribs with one hand, thrust the other
underneatch one knee and mimicked a mouth.  "Zoot!  Zoot!"
Hikama and Yuriko collapsed anew.

Nabiki stood, shook her head, and walked out.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Nabiki, may I speak with you for a moment, privately?"  Kasumi
cornered Nabiki as she was about to go upstairs.

"Sure, Oneechan.  What about?"

Kasumi gestures Nabiki into the kitchen.  "It's about Tofu-
sensei.  He's still calling me by the wrong name, a different name
every date.  He did it again this week."

Nabiki temporized.  "Well, gee, Oneechan.  He's always acted a bit
strange around you."

"Nabiki, yes or no:  do you know why he's doing this?"

Nabiki just looked at Kasumi a moment, weighing things, then hung
her head and sighed.  "Yes, I do, Oneechan.  I haven't told him
who he's dating, and I'm hiding his real glasses each date so he
can't see you.  If he could, he'd just get silly again like he
used to."

Kasumi exhaled.  "Oh, Nabiki, I know you meant well, but you may
have made things worse.  I like him more than ever, maybe enough
to marry him, but if he thinks he's dating a succession of strange
girls, he can he ever decide if or how much he likes me?"

Nabiki said nothing for a bit, then looked up into Kasumi's eyes.
"I'll fix things, Oneechan.  Somehow.  You have my word."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The next day, mid-morning, Ukyou and Yuriko left a restaurant
supply shop in another section of Tokyo.  Yuriko kept turning
her head to look around, apparently very interested.

"Too bad.  I thought they could beat the prices I'm getting now.
Oh well."  Ukyou shook her head.  "Is this part of Tokyo very
different, Yuriko?"

Yuriko just smiled and said, "It's all very interesting, Mom.
But I'm not going to tell you what's different."

Ukyou's cell phone buzzed just then.  She stopped in a doorway and
pulled it out.  "Moshi?"

"Ahh, Saotome-san.  This is Hainsu."

"Sir!"  Ukyou stiffened instinctively at the voice of Sumizu and
Jounsu's boss.

"Sorry to bother you, but something unusual's come up in a small
village near Nikko.  Probably nothing, but we have an analysis
team just leaving, and we'd like to send one of you along, just in
case.  You're the most available."

Ukyou looks at her daughter.  "I have a child with me."

"We're fairly sure there's no danger, but it's your call.  There's 
no security risk involved."

Moooommm, I can take care of myself!<

"Okay.  I'll put her in a taxi to Nerima, _your_ bill, then meet
you upstairs."  Ukyou hung up and waved a taxi over.  After giving
careful directions and a huge wad of bills, she waved goodbye to
Yuriko, then leaped to the roof of a nearby building.

In short order, Ukyou stood on the roof of the tallest building in
the immediate neighborhood.  She waved at an approaching IHA
helicopter, then jumped and grabbed a dangling rope ladder.  She
quickly swarmed aboard and found herself a seat.

Twenty minutes later, as the helicopter was well under way, Ukyou
felt a pair of small hands cover her eyes.  "Guess Who?"  Yuriko's
voice called.  "Yuriko?"  Ukyou said in disbelief.  "How did you
get here?"

Yuriko giggled.  "That's a secret."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"What do you mean, I've been dating Sa-Sakumi?  I mean Kasumi?"
Tofu-sensei said to Nabiki.

"Just what I said.  Every girl I've set you up with for the
past two months was really my sister Kasumi.  She says she
likes you a lot, too."

"Hee hee hee hee hee.  Kasumi..."  With an effort, Tofu-sensei
threw off the paralysis and managed to put a serious expression
on his face.  "Nabiki-san...  I suppose it's no secret to you
that Kasumi-san means a lot to me.  But with this silliness, how
can I ever propose to her?  How could she take me seriously if I
did?"

Nabiki shrugged.  "I'll think of something."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In a shadowed, dingy room, ten people huddled.

"WHAT?  You tried the virus AGAIN?"

"Honto Bakamono-san wanted to try one more test.  He's... dead."

"Never mind!  The Eleven Knights..."  Ayatsuru slapped his
forehead, muttered, then continued, "I mean, Ten Knights, shall
bring the Apocalypse yet!  Spread the word to our followers!
The plan begins in two days!  Have everyone meet here, and we
will distribute the virus for its release!"

As the other nine left, Ayatsuru smiled, twirling his moustache.
In the flickering candlelight, the shadows around him moved.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In the kitchen, Kasumi started the rice for lunch, humming a
pleasant tune.  Hikama and Linseed, exchanging glances, entered.

"Aunt Kasumi, can we ask you something?"

"Certainly, dears.  How can I help you?" Kasumi replied sunnily.

"Is it true that you're a Magical Princess with super-powers?"

Kasumi dropped her jaw together with the dish she was holding.
The latter shattered on the floor.

"Stupid!"  Linseed snapped.  "Secret!  Not supposed to know!"

"But I 'member Mom sayin' something about it too..."

"Mine too.  Never mind.  Apologize."

"Ummm... Aunt Kasumi, we're sorry.  Forget we said anything,
okay?"

The two children shuffle out the way they came.  Kasumi stared
after them.  (Oh my.  Am I a Magical Princess in the future?  Oh
dear.  Don't I need a cute animal mascot or something?  Should I
sew myself a sailor fuku?  But they're so... short.  What should
I do?)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Ma'am, this is no place for a child that age.  It's not a pretty
sight."  At the remote farming village nestled deep in the
mountains, the investigating team climbed down from the
helicopter.  A saluting soldier looked at Yuriko pointedly, then
back at Ukyou.

Ukyou sighed.  "Then you watch her.  If you can keep her here,
I'll put you in for a commendation."

Ukyou followed three white-coated scientists into the village,
leaving Yuriko by the helicopter.  She listened to the various
voices around her, looking around carefully.

"Everybody just suddenly died, apparently.  Looks almost
simultaneous."

"Yamada-kun, check the water.  Suzuki-kun, looks for signs of gas.
Tanaka-kun, biopsies:  germs and viruses."

As Ukyou strolled up next to him, the man in charge muttered,
"Gotta be the water.  How could anything else get to a place this
remote?"  He looked sidelong at Ukyou.  "And don't even start with
any esoteric explanations."

"Won't hear them from me, sugar."

Flinching, Ukyou approached a pair of bodies lying on the ground,
a middle-aged couple.  As she knelt to look closer, she noticed
that Yuriko was now standing right beside her, looking down
somberly.

Didn't hurt the soldier, did you?<

Course not, Mom!  I just thought I'd better see this close up...<

Yuriko blinked a couple of times, then appeared to stare more
intently at one of the dead bodies for a few minutes.  Ukyou
watched her daughter, uncertain.  Finally Yuriko closed her eyes
and straightened.  She stood there motionless for a few minutes.

Yuriko?  Are you all right?  I know it must be upsetting if this

is the first time you've seen a dead human being...<

Actually, Mom, I'm analyzing the DNA structure of the virus.

The virus is all dead, but I can still make out its sequencing.
It seems to be both highly infectious and quite lethal, but it
dies off quickly when it runs out of hosts.  My 'band is running
a simulation of the virus's rate of spread through a densely
populated urban area such as Tokyo....  Ah, just like Dad's
story.  If this gets loose, looks like a 98.5% fatality rate
for metropolitan Tokyo within twenty-four hours.<

Ukyou stared, wondering what to say or think.  Finally she settled
on, "your 'band?"

Yuriko turned to Ukyou and smiled impishly.  >My headband.
Roughly equivalent to ten thousand of the most powerful
supercomputers in the world in your time.  You got it for me for
my last birthday.<

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kasumi unobtrusively left the Tendo-ke for her daily shopping
just a bit early.  Shampoo and Akane were at work.

Hikama and Linseed watched Soun read his paper for a bit, then,
bored, trailed Kasumi over the rooftops.  To their surprise,
she headed away from the market.  >>Where's she going?<<

Checking.<<  "Watch?  Position."  The children stopped.  In

Shampoo's voice, Linseed's watch announced, "Time, thirteen oh
seven.  Position, uncertain; only archaic positioning signals
detected."

Guess we'd better just follow her and see.<< 

"Oh, hello, kitty-san," Kasumi said as she knelt to pet a
wandering cat.  "Are you my magical companion?"  Kasumi looked
hopefully at the cat for a few minutes, then concluded that it
wasn't going to say anything.

"Ah, dog-san.  No unusual markings on your forehead?  What a pity."

Wronked.  Hugely.<<

You said it.  We must've 'membered the stories wrong.<<

Not stories, allusions.  Vague.<<

What'll we do now?<<

Linseed shrugs eloquently.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ranma arrived at the Tendo-ke about mid-afternoon, wearing his
Self-Defense Force dress uniform.  Shampoo, by now back from work,
ran out to greet him with a hug.

"I'm glad Akane got over it, Shampoo.  Hope you don't got any
hard feelings; she's prob'ly gonna get mad at you again someday,"
Ranma whispered.

Shampoo buried herself in Ranma's embrace.  "I know, Husband.  I
accept that, as eldest wife, her word rules.  It's just... I was
worried I might see you only seldom, if she kept to her word."

"Naw, Akane never stays mad for very long."

"I know that in my mind, Husband.  But I cannot always make myself
believe it."

"So, these are the kids?"  Ranma commented, as he loosened
Shampoo's embrace and looked over at Hikama and Linseed.

"Hi, Dad.  Bring us anything from Okinawa?"  Hikama grinned.

"Wasn't there long enough.  'N I gotta get up early in the morning
to make it to Niigata on time tomorrow," Ranma sighed.  "Just
lemme get outta this uniform, and we'll hit the dojo 'n see how
good I taught you kids."

Bad.  Options?<<

We gotta dodge normal; even now, Dad'll be able to tell.  But

he won't be able to tell if we pull our punches, 'n we gotta!<<

A bit later, Ranma, dressed in his usual red-and-black Chinese
garb, squared off with Hikama in the dojo.  Shampoo and Linseed
watched from the wall.

"Good stance.  Here I come!"  Ranma struck, at half-speed without
any power behind the punch.  Hikama ducked easily, then counter-
punched, tagging Ranma in the ribs.

Ranma stepped back, surprised.  "Heh... That was some punch for a
kid your age.  You're pretty fast, too."

Hikama smirked, "I owe it all to you, Dad."

Ranma darted back in, using fingers only, but at full speed.  He
came close to tagging Hikama twice.  Hikama landed two more
punches and a kick.

Ranma held up a hand.  "Oh... kay... mebbe that's enough for
today."  He winced as he stepped forward, clutching his ribs but
putting the other hand on Hikama's shoulder.  "Sure am glad you're
my son and not my enemy.  Linseed and Yuriko as good as you?"

Linseed stuck out her tongue as Hikama smirked.  "I'm better'n
both of 'em.  Not put together, though; they smacked me around
pretty good last time I tried that.  You train me more 'cause I
like fighting more'n they do."

"What?"  Shampoo, alarmed, whipped her head around to stare at
Linseed, who shuffled her feet.

"Sorry, Mom.  Don't like fighting.  Umm... close mouth, 'kay?"

"I've failed as a parent..."  Shampoo crouched and started
wailing.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ukyou and Yuriko returned to the Tendo-ke just before dinner.
Afterwards, Yuriko took careful blood samples from Ranma, Akane,
Ukyou, and Shampoo and did something with them.

After what appeared to be a few minutes of meditation, Yuriko's
eyes opened.  "Got it!  Dad, Moms:  you four are still vulnerable
to this virus at this point in your past.  If you go after this
cult, you will be in severe danger if the virus gets released.
The quickest way to fix this is for the four of you to use the
ki recharge technique tonight, in position 137, for three hours,
fourteen minutes, and... sixteen seconds.  At that point, all
four of you will be immune to this, and pretty much any other
imaginable, virus."

Ranma, blushing, looked around at the three girls nervously.
They, however, glared sternly at their children.  "How do you
children know about position 137 at your age, anyway?"

Linseed grinned.  "Peeking!"

"Mebbe we'd better check with Cologne?"  Ranma scratched his head.

"Great-grandmother knows very much about ki recharge effects."

"Naw," Hikama interjected.  "No pointly; they're just guessing.
They don't _really_ know what the effects are like we do."

"THEY?"

"Erp.  Forget I said that, 'kay?"

"Look," Yuriko offered.  "Long-term, Happosai's ki recharge
technique makes modifications to your physical organisms, your
biology.  You already know that.  But the equations which describe
the effect precisely can't be used in your time, because you guys
haven't yet measured the value of the Happosai Constant.  We only
know what it is because you told us."

Ranma, Akane, Ukyou, and Shampoo looked uneasily at each other.

The Happosai Constant?<

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A bit later, Ranma, Akane, Ukyou, Shampoo, walked into the
Nekohanten.  Hikama, Yuriko, and Linseed trailed behind, a bit
disgustedly.

"<Great Grandmother?  May we ask you a few questions?>"

Cologne appeared shortly, standing on the table at which all seven
were seated, sipping from tea.  Linseed put her cup down and
closely inspected Cologne from several angles.

"You want to know how much you have to use Happosai's ki recharge
technique to achieve a specific amount of resistance to disease?"
Cologne asked in disbelief.  "What makes you think I would have
any idea?"

"Well, if ya don't, ya don't," Ranma replied, reluctantly.  "We
just thought it'd be worth a try."

"If you have such information from another source, Son-In-Law,"
Cologne glanced at the children, "you might as well use it.  Or
ask Happosai."

"Don't know where the old lech is."

Just then, Happosai walked out of the kitchen, slurping ramen
noodles from a large bowl.  "Ah, Ranma, my boy.  Fancy meeting
you here."  Ranma, Akane, Ukyou, and Shampoo face-faulted briefly.
The children nodded to each other and smirked.

"Old man, we wanna run somethin' the kids said by ya.  You told
us that using your recharge technique would increase our
resistance to physical harm.  Can ya calculate specifically when
someone'd be immune to a disease?  A virus, say?"

Happosai darted a glance at Cologne, indicating the children.
Yuriko raised an eyebrow.  Linseed looked amused, Hikama bored.

"Ah.. heh...  Ranma, my..." SPLASH "...girl," Happosai said as he
put down a glass of water, "I suppose I could do that if I really
had to.  How's about a little lab work?"  Happosai flung himself
at Ranma's bosom.  Ranma, however, caught him in mid-leap.

"Not now, Jiji!"  Ramna put her face directly into Happosai's.
"The kids say they got equations they can't show us, dependent on
somethin' called the Happosai Variable."  Akane, Ukyou, and all
three children twitched.

Happosai glared at the children.  "That's CONSTANT!"

Ranma dropped Happosai, chuckling.  "So it is.  Gotcha, Jiji.  And
I suppose you've never measured it, neither."

Happosai looked sad.  "The pretty ladies never let me finish my
lab work.  How'm I supposed to measure it without experimenting?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
That evening found Nabiki on a date with the gaijin Mr. Jason,
whom she met during her internship job the previous summer.

"...and I've got to find some way to fix things up between
Oneechan and the good doctor," Nabiki finished, idly poking her
food with her chopsticks.

Jason's suave but rugged masculine countenance looked concerned
as he gazed at Nabiki.  "Sounds bad."  Pausing, he sipped a bit
of wine, then continued with a self-deprecating chuckle.
"Unfortunately, I have no ideas to offer."

Nabiki, enchanted, found herself wondering what good fortune had
enabled her to find a man who so perfectly matched her ideal in
masculine companionship.  Oh, except for the way his shadow seemed
to dance around sometimes.  Almost as if he really looked
completely different.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Back at the Tendo-ke, Ranma looked at the three girls.  "Well, if
we gotta, we gotta.  You sure you're all okay with doin' this?"

Akane blushed, nodded.  Shampoo looked at Ukyou.  Ukyou twitched,
blushed bright red, but gritted her teeth and gave a quick nod.

Akane turned to the kids.  "You three go straight to bed, do you
hear me?"  After a pause, she blushed, then her head abruptly
tripled in size and her tongue forked.  "And DON'T YOU DARE COME
SPYING ON US!"  The children fled.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The next morning, Ranma left for Niigata while it was still dark.
Later, but still early enough, Akane, Ukyou, and Shampoo rose and
prepared themselves for the day.

"Are you okay, Ukyou?  You look... jittery," Shampoo observed.

Ukyou's hand shook a bit as she brushed her teeth.  "Fine.
Just... trying not to think about... last night."

Shampoo, Ukyou is very embarrassed.  She's on the edge of

violence.  Be careful what you say.<

Ah.  I had best change the subject.<

"What should we do about the virus now?  Should we believe the
children that this infamous cult is responsible?"

Akane thought a moment.  "Well, we should try investigating
ourselves, since we're the only ones immune if the virus gets
loose.  We can try investigating the cult itself.  We can also
try prowling around biotechnology labs capable of producing such
a virus.  Nabiki-oneechan can help identify those."  Akane thrust
one arm and finger skyward.  "We'll show Ranma that we can
handle this mission without him!"

Shampoo looked approving, Ukyou dubious.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After breakfast, Nabiki cornered the three children, once more
armed with sweets.  "Look.  I know you three aren't going to
surrender information about the future easily, but I'm in a bind.
I have to get Oneechan together with Tofu-sensei.  Everything I've
tried has failed.  If you know anything that'll help, now's the
time.  Can you tell me if they're married where you come from?"

The three children glanced at each other for a few moments, then
Yuriko spoke.  "Nabiki-obasan, we can't tell you how things turn
out.  But maybe we can help in another way.  What is the problem?"

"You don't know?  Has he improved that much?  He gets these attacks
of silliness whenever Oneechan is present."

"Oh, right, I remember hearing now.  Linseed has studied
psychology; she may be able to help if you take her to meet Tofu-
sensei."

Nabiki looked doubtfully at Linseed, who smiled up at her.  "Try,"
she said cheerfully.

Fifteen minutes later, Nabiki and Linseed enter Tofu-sensei's
office.

"Tofu-sensei, I'd like you to meet my step-niece, Linseed, here
visiting from the future," Nabiki said breezily.

"Pleased."  Linseed stared intently at Tofu.  "Kasumi."

"Yes!  Kasumi!  How nice to meet you here!"  Tofu-sensei picked
up his telephone and put the speaker to his mouth, giggling.

"Not here!"

Tofu-sensei abruptly stopped.  He looked around guardedly,
perspiring.  "Ah..."

Nabiki glanced uncertainly between the other two.  "That was worse
that I've seen you get for a while, Sensei."

Linseed tilted her head, studying Tofu.  "Bad case.  Shoujokondou
Syndrome.  Cure tricky, doable."

Nabiki stared.

Linseed looked at Nabiki.  "Not now.  Requires plan."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Hey, here's some odd religious service being held not too far
away.  Let's check it out," Ukyou said.  "Maybe its the cult under
another name."

"You two go.  I'm going to try scouting those biotech labs in
Chiba," said Akane.  "You'll be less conspicuous if you go as a
couple."

Ukyou put on a man's slacks and shirt.  Shampoo wore an
unmemorable dress, short enough to fight in if necessary.  As they
left the Tendo-ke, Ukyou grinned and concentrated.  A faint
moustache and an Adam's apple appeared on her features.  "Finally
get a chance to use this technique," she commented.

"Ukyou really looks like a man now," Shampoo observed, then
giggled and clutched Ukyou's arm.  "Are we husband and wife?"

Ukyou shuddered, then directly a glare at Shampoo.  "DON'T say
that, not today."

"Oops.  I forgot."

The service was held at an outdoor temple.  A priest dressed as
a Pure Land Buddhist performed, in quick succession, a Shinto
purification and a Christian invocation.  A long sermon followed,
the gist of which seemed to be that the speaker was Jesus Christ's
nephew, the thirteenth Imam, a boddhisatva, and an avatar of
Vishnu, and that it followed that all people should love each
other.  Specifically, all attractive females should love the
speaker, and each other.  Ukyou grew jittery again as this last
aspect revealed itself.

Calm down, Ukyou.  Idiot is not talking about you.<

I know.  Good thing he's finally finishing, though.<

We have learned nothing so far.  What should we do?<

Let's separate as the crowd disperses, and listen in to as much

conversation as possible.<

You do that.  I will go question stupid speaker, maybe ask if he

knows how to find Twelve Knights.<

Ukyou sauntered out, trying to overhear as many conversations
between outgoing worshippers as possible.  Two young men approached
her.  She vaguely remembered noting them sitting behind herself
and Shampoo.

"Hey, that's a pretty hot looking girlfriend you got there!"
one whispered, nudging Ukyou in the side and pointing at Shampoo.

"Excuse me?"  Ukyou replied in surprise.

"What's she like?  How far have you gotten with her?"

"Bet you #%* all the time.  Have you ~@&?  Is she good?"

"NO!!"

"Liar.  You've ^$C, huh?  You've probably even >#%!"

Memories of position 137 the previous night came suddenly in a
rush to a mortified Ukyou, who blushed crimson.

"AAAGGGHHH!!  I'm so embarrassed!"

At Ukyou's cry, Shampoo spun, but too late.  Ukyou, holding her
blue ki battle spatula, stood panting amid the ruins of a
completely trashed archway and two bruised, broken, and
unconscious questioners.

"Oops.  Oh well, _that_ must have gotten it out of her system."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sounds like you two didn't get anywhere.  I just need to pick up

some appropriate clothes, and I'll get started on my own
investigation.<

Akane walked into one of the branches of the department store for
which she worked, with the three children.  Akane walked straight
to the men's outerwear section.  The children detoured by girls'
school uniforms.

Not quite...  no...  this one!<< Linseed pointed.

Yes, that's Aunt Kasumi, assuming she'd ever wear something that

short.<<

Hikama produced the holo cartridge from his pocket and pointed it
at the sailor fuku Linseed indicated.  >>What resolution?<<

Highest.  Must look real.<<

Hikama adjusted a control with his fingernail, then tapped a
button.

Got it.<<

Other requirements?<<

No prob.<< Hikama smirked.  >>I'll need to use this holo

cartridge, one of the batteries and the high-res hologens from our
clothes, and your watch, Linseed.  Oh, and your drink bulb for
the gadget's container; it's made of memory plastic for ease in
recycling.  I'll have the hardware done by mid-afternoon.<<

And I should finish the software by about the same time.  Upload

the holo of the fuku to my 'band so I start rendering, Hikama.<<

Hikama held the holo cartridge up against Yuriko's headband
momentarily.  The three children rejoined Akane just as Akane
finished selecting a trenchcoat and fedora for herself.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lunchtime.  Akane, wearing her brand-new trenchcoat and with
fedora tucked down low, sat alone in a central booth at the most
popular restaurant in the biotechnology district in Chiba,
pretending to read a newspaper.  She could clearly hear the
voices in the next booth.

"Who's the industrial spy behind us?  Never saw her before."

"Got me.  Who cares?  That makes the fifth one in this place alone."

Alarmed, Akane looked around.  Sure enough, she quickly picked out
four men sitting alone, all dressed in trenchcoats and pretending
to read newspapers, sitting at widely spaced tables.

"Ma'am," a pleasant waitress addressed her, "we're having a special
on microphone rental today, if you're interested."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Are you finished, Hikama?<<

Yep.  The bulb's memory plastic's now got two stable shapes,

this brooch and a wand.  The battery's good for years at the load
she'll put on it, maybe decades.  The mike and the processor from
your watch are hooked up and tested.  How's the software coming?<<

The holo projector will follow her movements and hide whatever

she's really wearing.  I've brightened the fuku up a bit, too.
Just needs a trigger phrase; it's set to capture and remember
whatever she first says to it, then it'll trigger the holo
whenever her voiceprint re-utters the trigger phrase.<<

Understood.<<

Linseed walked confidently into the kitchen.  Making sure that she
was alone with Kasumi, she casually pressed Kasumi's shiatsu sleep
spot, then carefully sat Kasumi against one wall and put the
brooch in her hands.  "Dream," she said with a carefully
calibrated intonation.

    Kasumi found herself running through a forest with cute
    little woodland creatures humming along with her.
    Happy butterflies accompanied her, dancing in the air.
    Finally she reached a tree where a Wise Old Owl sat on
    a branch.  The Owl raised one claw and released
    something, which Kasumi caught without looking.  "This
    is your mystic talisman, my dear.  It awaits only the
    utterance of your transformation phrase."

    "Thank you, oh, thank you, Owl-san!"  Kasumi waved.

Linseed poked Kasumi's wakeup spot, then casually sauntered out
of the kitchen and rejoined her brother and sister.

REAL psychologists don't NEED to control minds directly,<<

she smirked.

The three children watched carefully as Kasumi woke up, checked
her surroundings, looked at what she held in her hand, then
dashed up the stairs.

Breathlessly, Kasumi entered her room and stood before her full-
length mirror.  She calmed herself with a few deep breaths, then
grasped the brooch carefully with both hands.  (A Transformation
Phrase...)

"Good!   Housekeeping!   APPROVAL!"  Kasumi cried.

A swirl of light surrounded her briefly.  When it faded, Kasumi
gasped at her image in the mirror.  She was wearing a bright,
shiny sailor fuku, white with pink trim, and holding a bright pink
plastic wand, topped with a fork ornament.

Kasumi turned and twirled a bit before the mirror.  (This does
look fairly good on me, she thought.  I wonder if Tofu would like
it if she saw it...)  Kasumi blushed at the thought.  (It really
is much shorter than I normally wear.  I never imagined being a
Magical Princess would be so embarrassing; I'll have to go out in
public dressed like this!)

Kasumi stopped twirling and stood still in front of the mirror.
She took a deep breath.  (I have to do this right.  It's part of
the job.  This feels so silly, but I have to practice; the world
may need me.)

Striking a dramatic pose with crossed forearms and hooked fingers,
Kasumi spoke out in a clear voice, "Excuse me, please, Horrible
Destructive Monster-san, but I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to
stop that.  It's for your own good."

Looking down, Kasumi slumped her shoulders.  (That just didn't
sound like a Magical Princess should.)

Taking another deep breath, Kasumi struck another dramatic pose,
one arm horizontal and one vertical, forefingers pointed.  "In the
Name of Cleanliness and Good Nutrition, I shall pun...  shall...
ummm... would you terribly mind behaving just a bit better?"

I just don't think I can do this, Kasumi thought sadly.

Linseed sweatdropped.  Hikama and Yuriko smirked back at Linseed.

REAL psychologists wronk screwwise when they get upcockity.<<

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Akane and Ukyou spent most of the afternoon trying to obtain data
on biotech firm employees to cross-check against cult membership,
only to find, repeatedly, that nobody collected the latter type
of data, and the former gave them too many names.  Finally, Ukyou
thought of comparing the past and present membership lists
of the Japan Bioengineering Association, and investigating
dropouts.  This quickly reduced to two names local enough to
check quickly.

Ukyou crouched on the windowsill of the apartment belonging to
her quarry, one Hentaino Yume.  She made sure she was invisible,
then pried the window cautiously open with a spatula.  Inside,
she could make out a figure working away at a lab bench.  A few
white mice peered fearfully out from cages.

"AH HA HA HA!  Mine!  All mine," her target gloated as he
eyedroppered a steaming concoction into the mouth of one of the
test subjects.  "The fools laughed at me, BUT I'LL SHOW THEM!"

I think I may have the right guy, Akane.  I'll sneak in for a

better look.<

Ukyou gently opened the window a bit wider and snuck inside,
careful to block any give-away breezes.  She tiptoed over to the
lab bench.

"Yes!  YES!  It WORKS!"  The doctored white mouse, a male, was
surrounded by a horde of starry-eyed female white mice.  "My Male
Enhancement Potion WORKS!"  Grabbing a large beaker of potion,
the man raised it to his lips.

"Errrp!"  Ukyou fled for the window as fast as she could.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Meanwhile, Akane, still wearing her trenchcoat and fedora, bought
a notepad and several pencils, then stuck two pencils and a
presscard into her hatband.  She rang her target's doorbell.

"Oh, the press?  Already?  Come on in!  I'll be happy to grant
an interview!"

(Damn.)

"My theories haven't gotten the attention they deserve.  True
geniuses are always ignored in their own time.  My contention,
as I'm sure you're aware, is that a species of sub-microscopic
lifeforms, completely overlooked by orthodox scientists, exists,
and can explain many mysterious phenomena.  I believe that these
lifeforms are intelligent, you see, and that seers and
sensitives throughout history have been able to listen..."

Two hours later, Akane was finally able to break away.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Linseed glowered as she walked back into the kitchen, ignoring the
snickering behind her.  Again, she poked Kasumi's shiatsu sleep
spot.  "Dream."

    Kasumi again found herself in the forest with the cute
    little woodland creatures, facing the Wise Old Owl.

    "Just checking up, my dear.  How is everything?"

    Hope and despair warred in Kasumi.  "I... I don't know
    if I can do this, Owl-san.  I don't think I can fight Evil."

    "They also serve who only clean and cook, my dear.
    Fix those problems you can, in your own way; the world
    will take care of itself."

    "Is that... okay?  You've given me such power..."

    "Just enough for your mission.  One you care for greatly
    awaits your touch even now, to dispel the confusion that
    besets him.  Simply say the word and it will be done."

This time, Linseed studied Kasumi carefully for a while, before
sighing in satisfaction and pressing another shiatsu spot to let
her wake up.

REAL psychologists have to use a little mind control after all,

don't they?<<  Hikama and Yuriko snickered.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Shampoo paced back and forth in Nabiki's room while Nabiki tried
to study.  "Stupid cult killed two dozen people in gas attack.
Why don't the authorities arrest the entire cult?"

Wearily, Nabiki looked up.  "The Constitution guarantees freedom
of religion.  The police usually interpret that to mean complete
hands off any cult or other organized religious group."

"That is stupid.  Good governments must always ensure order.  If a
religious group makes trouble, they should be arrested, the same
as any other group.  Why does a nutty religion change sensible
policy?"

"I don't know," answered Nabiki, "ask the Americans; they wrote
the Constitution.  Don't spout Confucian ethics at me; I'm
trying to study."

Shampoo continued to pace.  "If the police didn't arrest cult
members, did they even investigate it?"

Nabiki pounded her head on her desk.  "They arrested the three
cultists who actually released the gas.  They probably questioned
some cult leaders and let them go.  Can I _please_ get some
studying done?"

"I go."  Shampoo left, via the window, pulling out her cellphone
as she went.

"Sumizu-san?  This is Shampoo.  Can you find out if police records
of the Twelve Knights case include the addresses of any cult
offices?"  Shampoo paused.  "No, I don't CARE if I can't legally
use that information."  (Stupid Japanese legalisms!)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Okay, Aunt Nabiki.  Everything's set."

"Plan complete.  Tomorrow.  Need meeting.  Sensei and Aunt
Kasumi."

"And we gotta be there too."

Linseed stuck her tongue out at Hikama, who glared back.  "This is
too important for you ta get fancy!"

"All right, let me make sure I have this straight.  You three, and
Kasumi, want to meet Tofu-Sensei.  Is his office okay?  What time
of day?"

Hikama and Yuriko looked at Linseed.  "Yes."  She thought a
moment.  "10:42:37."

Nabiki boggled.  (They're putting me on.  They've GOTTA be...)

"Okay if I'm there too?  I want to see whatever you're going to
do."

"Okay.  Not US.  Kasumi."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"You WILL tell me, unless you want to look like this desk!"
Shampoo stood in the private office of a cult sub-leader, holding
her bonbori.  As she spoke, she casually brought one down on her
victim's desk, smashing it, and the telephone on it, thoroughly.

"You can't _do_ this!  I have rights!  WE have rights!"

"Who's going to stop me?"

The cult leader gibbered, then talked.  "Tomorrow.  There's a big
meeting tomorrow.  Something about the big day, all we've planned
towards.  The leaders will explain it all tomorrow."

After getting time and place, Shampoo bound and gagged the cult
leader and stuffed him in a closet.  She left the cult offices,
carefully invisible, and ran over the rooftops to the subway
station.  (Stupid Japanese police.  They use tactics like
this all the time on harmless Chinese immigrants, but on very
dangerous religious cult?  No, "can't"; "unconstitutional".)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ranma got home from Niigata about mid-morning the next day.  After
the welcome-home greetings, he, Akane, Ukyou, and Shampoo got down
to business.

"Seems like you guys spent most of yesterday chasing fruitless
leads," Ranma remarked, pulling his pigtail.

"Like you would've done any better," snarled an incensed Akane.

Ranma shrugged.  "No, I don't think I would have."  Akane,
surprised, calmed down quickly.  "I'm an tactician, and you guys
needed a strategist yesterday, or a detective.  I kinda wish..."
Ranma abruptly shut his mouth.

"YOU PERVERT! YOU WERE GOING TO WISH KODACHI WAS HERE TO HELP US,
WEREN'T YOU!"

Ranma said nothing for a few moments, standing very still with
his shoulders hunched.  Then, "sorry, Akane.  Yeah, I was gonna
say that.  It don't mean I wanted anything more."

Akane slumped as well.  "I'm sorry too, Ranma.  But listen to what
you're saying.  'Team needs' are what got us where we are today,"
nodding towards Ukyou and Shampoo.

Shampoo looked troubled.  "Husband, fellow wives:  my mind is
divided.  I know I would not be here today if our teamwork was not
important enough to you that you welcomed me into the rest of your
lives.  So it is hypocritical of me to say that team needs should
be ignored.  Husband is right that Kodachi has talents that none
of us has, that would be helpful to our team.  At the same time,
I do not wish to share Husband with a fourth wife."

"Geez!  Who said anything about that?  I'm just sayin'..."

Ukyou put a finger to Ranma's lips to silence him.  "Ranchan,
enough.  We believe you don't want a fourth woman in your life
right now.  We're worried that might change.  But enough of this;
we need to get to that cult meeting, so we'd better get started."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Noon found Ranma, Akane, Ukyou and Shampoo, dressed
inconspicuously, seated separately in a large meeting hall.
Ayatsuru, dressed in a gaudy robe, mounted a podium towards the
front.

"Followers!  Today is the day!"  He shouted, arms raised.
Ragged cheering greeted his announcement.

"Let's try that again.  TODAY IS THE DAY!!"

Two hundred followers chanted, in semi-unison, "Today is the day!"

"Our Masters shall emerge into this world!"

"...masters merge with world..."

"All Praise the Kagema!"

Huh?  Did I just hear...<  Startled, Ranma, Akane, Shampoo, and

Ukyou missed the genuflection that the other followers performed
in unison.  >Oops...<

"Heretics!  Unbelievers!  Spies!  Intruders!  Seize them!"

The horde of followers began grabbing.  >Invisible!  Jump!<
Ranma snapped.  All four disappeared.  Akane, Ukyou, and Shampoo
leapt into a back-to-back circle in a clear space, then
reappeared; Ranma stayed on the ceiling, invisible.

Hold your position for a bit, guys; I'll try grabbing the big

man.<

Ranma crawled along the ceiling until he was within leaping
distance of Ayatsuru.  The latter, however looked directly at
Ranma and smiled nastily.

"Well, well, if it isn't Tendo Ranma!"  Ayatsuru picked up two
nearby chairs and threw them at Ranma, forcing Ranma to drop
off the ceiling to the floor.  Ranma dropped his invisibility
as he touched down.

"That one!  Seize him!"  Ayatsuru shouted.

Ranma became a whirlwind, rendering dozens of cultists
unconscious.  Ayatsuru smirked.

"Stop it, stop it!  Don't you all see?" Ayatsuru shouted.

"Eh?"  Fifty more cultists paused.

"He whose strength is unlimited, who tires not, and knows no
fear..." Ayatsuru chanted loudly.

Suddenly the fifty cultists closest to Ranma were on their knees,
bowing abjectly to the floor.  Ranma stopped fighting and looked
around, confused.  While he was scratching the back of his head,
six husky young men produced a carved wooden throne mounted on a
platform.  Placing Ranma on the chair, the six shouldered the
platform and started off.  The other cultists sang hosannas,
bowing.  "Thrice greatest...  all hail... "

Nice to see _someone_ knows real talent when they see it,<

grinned Ranma, waving at his new followers as the parade left
the building.

"RANMA!" screamed Akane.  "YOU JERK!"

Great.  This guy knows Ranchan's greatest weakness, and went

right for it.  His ego.<

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Now, how's this supposed to work?"  Nabiki glared at Linseed
suspiciously as she whispered, making sure that Kasumi was
out of earshot.

"We told you, Linseed's a psychologist."

"GOOD one."

"She's still Ranma's and Shampoo's daughter.  Forgive my
understandable skepticism."

"Precisely applied stimulus/surprise will fix Sensei.  SOOOO
elegant."  Linseed swooned at the thought of her own handiwork.

Nabiki snorted as the five approached Tofu-sensei's clinic and
entered.

"Ka- Ka- Kasumi!  What a surprise to meet you here!"  Tofu said as
his glasses fogged.

The children waited until all waiting patients had fled, then
Linseed nodded at Kasumi, "now."

Kasumi nervously smiled at Tofu, then, "Good.  Housekeeping.
APPROVAL!" she shouted, pointing her right arm skyward as her
fuku appeared in a swirl of light.

Nabiki stared.  The children grinned.

"MIND FOG ELIMINATION!"  Kasumi waved her magic wand and made
Tofu-sensei's mind all better.  Linseed, head cocked, watched
closely with a stopwatch in one hand.

"Ka- Kasumi.  It's... you.  I... can think now.  You did it.  I
don't know how, but you did it!"  Tofu embraced Kasumi for a few
minutes, then backed off, got down on one knee, and looked up at
her hopefully.

"Tendo Kasumi, will you marry me?"

Nabiki hustled the children out.  "How the HELL did you do that?"
she hissed once outside.

Yuriko intoned, "the Force can have a strong effect on the weak-
minded."  Hikama and Linseed nodded solemnly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Now, Ladies, or should I say 'Officeladies'?  Your protector is
gone."  With the cultists gone, Ayatsuru advanced on Akane, Ukyou,
and Shampoo.

Akane ran forward, fists clenched.  Ukyou produced her blue ki
battle spatula and leapt.  Shampoo produced her bonbori and leapt.

Ayatsuru was elsewhere when they landed.  The three girls collided
and landed in a heap.  "Am I supposed to be impressed?" he
laughed.

Akane jumped to her feet.  "Mouko Takabisha!" she cried, cupping
her hands.  Ukyou backflipped, throwing several hand spatulas.
Shampoo jumped and threw one of her bonbori.

Ayatsuru stood still, hands on hips, laughing, as the three
attacks collided and canceled each other out.

"All right, you!"  Akane decided to change tactics.  "What do the
Kagema really want?"

"You mean your mentors haven't told you?  Really.  I'm surprised.
Well, it's not a secret; to destroy magic items.  And magic
people," Ayatsuru added, pointing a finger at Shampoo.  A laser-
like burst grazed Shampoo's side as she desperately dodged.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Pop's wronking up.<<

Screwly.  Ego hugetime.<<

We can't be seen there, guys.  Be very, very careful.<<

Ranma, waving at the crowds praising his name, felt a small stir
in the air behind him.  A smell came to him:  Ryugenzawa.
(Akane!  She might be in trouble!  Gotta get back in there!)
Standing, Ranma leapt the crowd and dashed back.

Inside, Ayatsuru paused in his firing at Shampoo.  Something
nearby... a presence...  Abruptly, he stopped, turned, and ran.

Akane, about to dash after him, paused as an idea came to her.

Ukyou!  That door!  I'll get the other!<

Ukyou threw, stapling one door shut; Akane reached a second before 
Ayatsuru and jammed it shut.

Ayatsuru stopped.  "You three are still no match for me..."

The roof directly above him shattered.  "How about me?"  Ranma
called as he fell directly towards Ayatsuru.  Casually dodging
the laser-like blasts, Ranma gathered his ki between his hands,
then fired.  The blast hit Ayatsuru full on.

Ukyou, throw!  Akane, fire!  Shampoo, in reserve!<

Ki spatulas and a second Mouko Takabisha hit Ayatsuru before he
could move, smashing him across the room and into a wall.  His
shape wavered, then changed.

"What th..  DA WA?!"  The small Tibetan Buddhist monk smirked
at them, then his shape wavered again.  A batwinged demon
leapt for the hole in the roof.  Several more spatulas and a
bonbori missed as the demon made it through and away.

"Damn.  Well, spread out.  Check out this whole place.  He must'a
had the virus nearby if he wanted all those guys ta distribute
it."

Ranchan, here!<  Ukyou stood looking down at a frightened-looking

short woman just emerging from a closet.

"Heh heh.  Won't hurt me, will you?"  The woman raised her hands
nervously.

"Depends," said Ranma, cracking his knuckles as he advanced on
her, grinning.  "What can ya tell us about that virus?"

"It's here, it's here!  All of it!  Really!  Please don't hurt
me!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Back home, Kasumi gave her wand a few practice swings as she
looked from the doorway at the mess in Nabiki's room.  (Maybe
I can't fight Evil, but I can do some good in the world.)

Nabiki glanced up from her computer at Kasumi in her fuku, and
shuddered.  (It's a bad dream.  It's gotta be.)

Posing, Kasumi said in a clear voice, "Nabiki, clean your room at
once, or, in the Name of Cleanliness, I WILl PUNISH YOU!"

"AAAUUUGGGHHH!"  Nabiki screamed.

Kasumi smiled.  This, she could do.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Later, everyone was back at the Tendo-ke celebrating when another
small boy appeared over the dining room table.  Visibly younger
than Hikama, Yuriko, and Linseed, he was dressed in a glittering
superhero suit and mask.  In one hand he held a mirror and in the
other an action figure matching his own clothes.

"Surudoma!  What are you doing here?"

"Father sent me to get you.  Mother says you've spent enough time
in the past, ho ho ho."

"Ahh, do we gotta go back?  I was just gettin' used to it!"

Yuriko stands and bows.  "Dad, Mom, Akane-Okasan, Shampoo-Okasan:
this is our younger brother, Surudoma.  He's five.  We have to
go home now."

Surudoma stuck his lower eyelid out at Hikama, Yuriko, and
Linseed.  "You guys missed the Vietnam-Afghanistan match for the
world championship.  And I won't tell you who won!"

Akane rapidly compared Surudoma's features with Ukyou's and
Shampoo's, then gave Ranma a quick glare before looking at
Surudoma suspiciously.  "And just who is your mother?"

Surudoma hesitated momentarily, then smiled and looked Akane in
the eyes and winked.  "Secret."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A number of tearful hugs later, Yuriko held the Nanban Mirror
under her eye.  Hikama, Linseed, and Surudoma stood beside her.
Hikama looks over at Nabiki.

"Oh, by the way, Aunt Nabiki.  No future information, but...
with the gold crash coming, you might want to consider investing
in..."  he paused, expectantly, then continued, "...zinc."

Inwardly, Yuriko smiled.  >>That was mean, Hikama!<<  All four
children waved as they disappeared.

Immediately, Nabiki was on the phone.  "What?  Twenty yen... for a
THOUSAND KILOGRAMS?  Yes, I think you can sign me up for a few
thousand..."

THE END
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Notes:

 The inspiration for this story is a weird mixture of Sailor
 Moon's Chibi-Usa; the Ranma fanfic "Descents and Inversions",
 by Ross John McKenzie Jr.; the movie "12 Monkeys"; and the
 actual Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo.  Blending the latter two
 occurred to me first; then, while wondering who should come back
 from the future to bring warning, the rest just hit me.

 I'm not sure WHERE all the events surrounding Kasumi came from.

 Hikama means "bright horse"; Yuriko means "lily child"; Ren Si
 means "Gentle Sword"; Surudoma means "sharp horse."

 The 'rensu' is adapted from Dr. Edward E. Smith's "Lensmen"
 series.  The children's capabilities owe more than a little
 to this series finale.

 Yes, the zinc line at the end is from "Barney Miller".  The
 children's clothes are inspired by a story by William Tenn; the
 beverage bulb from Henry Kuttner; one of the joke punchlines from
 C.M. Kornbluth, and the other from Babylon 5.  The prophecy which
 Ranma fulfills is from A.E. Van Vogt's "The Book of Ptath."
 There's probably more in here I forgot.
 
Situation at end of previous story:

  Ranma, Akane, and Ukyou graduated from Furikan High School
  about six months previous to this story.  None are in
  university, but Nabiki is.  Akane and Ranma are now married,
  as Tendos.  Ukyou is now an adopted Saotome son, and, with
  Akane's less-than-enthusiastic agreement, is also Ranma's
  mistress.  Shampoo is a second mistress, but her own
  description of the situation is that Ranma has three wives,
  Akane the senior.  Nodoka helped engineer this situation.

  Ranma, Akane, Ukyou, and Shampoo have all learned Happosai's
  ki-recharge technique, involving intimate contact with the
  opposite sex.  Frequent use of this technique was the reason
  offered by Happosai for the increased physical toughness and
  strength displayed by all four.

  Ranma, Akane, Ukyou, and Shampoo now each possess personal
  'rensus', small magical jewels which glow when in contact with
  them, but are dark otherwise, and painful for others to touch.
  These allow the wearer to understand any language, spoken or
  written, to speak to another person in that other person's
  native language, and to converse telepathically.  They may
  possess other attributes, as yet undiscovered.

  Ranma, Akane, Ukyou, and Shampoo have been working for well over
  a year as security personnel, working for two agents of the
  Imperial Household Agency's security division.  Most of their
  work has been guarding receptions and conferences disguised as
  female caterers, but they've also been sent as couriers to
  Hong Kong and as spies to Qinghai in China.  Twice, their
  fights at major events made the national news.  Both times,
  the government denied that the "officeladies" involved were
  in any way unusual.  Nabiki developed an anime series, "Typical
  Uninteresting Officeladies," featuring four familiar kimono-clad
  figures combatting demonic evil.

  During the spy mission to Qinghai, on which Nabiki involuntarily
  accompanied Ranma, Akane, and Ukyou, they learned of the Kagema,
  legendary demons who instigated widespread destruction in
  Qinghai.  The Kagema have since been responsible for a series of
  thefts of magical items in Japan.

  Nabiki spent the just-ended summer break interning at Mitsutomo
  Trading Corporation, where she met the gaijin Mr. Jason.  Ranma
  is now an advanced martial arts instructor for the Self-Defence
  Forces, traveling from base to base.  Akane is a purchaser for
  the clothes department of a large department store chain.