'Ranma 1/2' is copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan, Inc.
and Viz Communications, Inc.  Its characters are used without
permission but with all the love and respect I can offer their
creator and copyright holders.
The story and original characters are copyrighted by G.L. Sandborn
and are for the enjoyment of the readers only.

This story is not to be posted on any other Internet web site
without permission of the copyright holder.

********************************************************

                     Nabiki - New Horizons
          Chapter 27 - Folly  , Foxes, and Flirtation
                        by G.L. Sandborn




     Jeff froze at the sound of the old man's voice.  Only his
eyes moved to regard the aging figure with a curious stare.
     "You control your emotions well, Jeffrey Lawrence," the old
man said in a surprisingly strong and deep voice.  "You must be
Shinobi trained."
     "Curious you know my name.  Might I inquire who is asking?"
     The old man chuckled some more.  "Forgive me.  Four hundred
years ave robbed me of my manners.  I am Shimazu Nariakira, a
prisoner like yourself."
     "Well, Nariakira-san, I thank you for your help," Jeff said,
adding a modest but respectful bow.  "What is this place?"
     "This is the spirit world of your ancestors.  More
precisely, the spirit world of your wife's clan ancestors.  You
somehow opened a portal from the mortal world and crossed over.
A very admirable feat, indeed."
     "I see," Jeff replied, glancing at several pairs of glowing
blue eyes in the darkness off to his right.  "That would explain
the blue haze I saw just before... well, before I found myself
here."
     "Transition can be most uncomfortable for the living.  I
myself experienced a brief period of disorientation when
entering."  The old man must have noticed Jeff's continued
glances at the glowing eyes.  Barking a sharp command in an
ancient form of Japanese, the eyes bobbed briskly before receding
into the darkness.  "Forgive them.  They don't trust you."
     "The feeling is mutual," Jeff said, looking around to see if
there were any more watchers.  Satisfied they were now alone, he
frowned at the old man seated on a throne carved out of the
cavern's odd rock formations.
     "You seem disturbed by something," the old man croaked.
     "Forgive my impertinence, but why are you here?"
     The old man sadly shook his head.  "It's a long story that
I'm certain wouldn't interest you."
     "Humor me," Jeff said, a little more demanding than he
intended.  He reminded himself to be careful not to insult his
current benefactor.
     With a sigh that could have indicated worn patience, the old
man slowly nodded.  "I'm afraid it's all my own fault.  Four
hundred years ago, I belonged to the Cold Moon Clan."
     The very walls seemed to groan and move at the man's claim.
     "I thought they were a kunoichi clan," Jeff cut in
suspiciously, his eyes searching for the reason of the odd sounds
and sudden movement.  First the threatening creatures of the
dark, followed by a spooky old man was bad enough.  Now the walls
themselves seemed to be alive.  It all left Jeff most uneasy.
     "Quite true, quite true," the old man said, nodding.  "It
was a kunoichi clan.  However, there were some males who also
took part in clan activities.  How do you think they produced
little clan members?"
     Jeff agreed that made sense but continued to eye the man
with distrust.  There was something about this place that wasn't
right.
     "In any case, a warlord of the Edo shogunate threatened the
combined Shinobi clans.  He feared their power and suspected they
would oppose the new government.  Foolishly, I believed I could
convince him otherwise."  The man's voice dropped in sadness.
"You see, he was not like other men.  Some even suggested he was
more the servant of demons than the shogun.  Whatever the truth,
he had powers that concerned all Shinobi.  In my imprudent youth,
I believed I was strong enough to withstand whatever powers he
possessed.  For the most part, I was right.
     "So confident was I in my own powers that I tried to reason
with him.  At first, he appeared to be reasonable enough.  He
even agreed to a meeting with the clans.  I knew in my heart the
clan elders would never agree to such a meeting.  So, I tried to
bring him to them and force the issue.  You see, I once had the
same power as you.  I could open portals, shortcuts through the
spirit realm to the various clan shrines."
     "Couldn't you just meet them at some neutral site?"
     "The clan elders were suspicious of both myself and the
warlord.  They refused to leave their own lands.  The only way I
could bring them and the warlord together was with some method
the warlord could not reproduce should he choose to betray my
generosity."  When Jeff started to protest, the old man just held
up a bony hand.  "I know and you are correct.  It was a dishonest
thing to do.  Please understand, Mr. Lawrence, our small island
nation had been at war for over a hundred years.  Everyone,
shogun, samurai, soldier, and peasant, suffered so much that I
was desperate to end the fighting by whatever means necessary.
So certain was I that peace could be brought to the Shinobi
people, I took a foolish chance."
     "So, what happened?"
     "My own people stopped me before I could act."  When the old
man paused, the walls again rumbled and a mournful groan swept
through the chamber.  The old man acted as if it were nothing to
worry about.  "Captured, stripped of my powers, I was thrown into
this world to spend all eternity regretting my foolishness."
     "And the warlord?" Jeff asked.  His question was met by
another groan and a series of vibrations from the cave walls.
     The old man shrugged.  "I don't know what happened to him.
After the elders stripped me of my power and imprisoned me in
this inhospitable realm, I lost touch with the outside world.  It
took a long time for me to learn the skill of tapping the various
sources here for enough energy to sustain my life.  By then, I
had become the grotesque husk of a man you see before you."
     "Okay," Jeff said before turning suddenly to face the sound
of growling coming from the darkness behind him.  "What's the
deal with those blue-eyed horrors?"
     With a disdainful short, the old man sagged into his seat.
"I believe them to be the fox people; malevolent spirits
imprisoned here by the Cold Moon Clan centuries ago when the clan
forced them from their ancestral home.  It is that land the clan
claimed as their own.  I suppose it would be fair to say that
this part of the realm is not where the Cold Moon Clan spirits
reside."
     "The 'low-rent' district, huh?"
     "That is a unique way of putting it but accurate.  This is
more of a prison than a paradise - a dungeon I share with the
animal-like spirits of the banished fox people."
     "Are they dangerous?"
     "Only to the unwary and those of the clan," the old man said
as he stood up.  "As you are neither and in my company, you're
safe enough.  Allow me to show you around my prison."

*****

     "What are you doing?" Sodoshi Tanaka asked as she leaned
against the smooth white wall, her arms crossed.
     Nabiki was on her hands and knees trying to find a way
through the wall that blocked their way.  Peering through a tiny
hole at the wall's base, she evaluated their position.  "There is
a chamber on the other side.  If I can just get this stupid panel
to open."
     Sodoshi watched Nabiki link her fingers in the hole and tug.
She allowed it to go on for several minutes, as Nabiki alternated
between tugging and kicking the hole, before sighing.  "You're
going about it the wrong way."
     "Well, at least I'm doing something," Nabiki growled before
kicking the tiny hole again.  "You're just standing there."
     Sodoshi sighed again and shook her head.  "The spirit realm
is a lot more complex than you imagine."  She stepped over to the
wall next to Nabiki and caressed its cool surface with her
fingers.  Finding the spot she was looking for, she grinned at
Nabiki and lightly hammered it with the side of her fist.  A
small access door popped open.  "And a lot simpler."
     "You knew that was there all along?" Nabiki gasped, not
certain she was amused or angry.  "When were you going to tell
me?"
     "When you finished kicking the wall."  Sodoshi pressed a
small stone inside the access panel and smiled again as the wall
slowly dissolved.
     Nabiki just rolled her eyes and led the way into a chamber
much larger than it first appeared.  She couldn't believe getting
past that wall was so easy.  Reminding herself to look at things
from more than one angle in the future, she stopped and took in
her surroundings.
     The room was about the size of a small gym with a smooth
black floor, its walls arching above and disappearing into
darkness.  A few waist-high pots stood around the edge of the
room.  Strange yellow flames burning from their open tops caused
the two women to cast eerie dancing shadows as they moved.
     In the middle of the room, stood an old wooden chest the
size of a large shoe box perched on a gleaming white pedestal
about the same height as the urns.  It looked new and untouched.
     "What's in here?" she asked, bending over to get a better
look.
     "Don't touch that!"
     Nabiki jerked upright at Sodoshi's warning.  With a frown,
she asked: "Why not?"
     "I'm not sure," Sodoshi admitted.  "I was told when I first
got here to leave all chests and boxes alone.  I was never told
why but I got the feeling they meant it."
     With a skeptical expression, Nabiki turned away from the box
and began looking around the room.  There really wasn't much to
see.  Other than the way they entered, there appeared to be only
one exit; across the room from where they came in.  "Where does
this go?" she asked.
     "Don't know," Sodoshi replied, squinting at the darkened
tunnel.  "I've never been in this part of the realm."
     "Is all of it like this?"
     Sodoshi shook her head.  "No, there are much nicer parts.
>From what I remember, this is the Realm of Outcasts.  There's
only those who don't deserve to enter the Great Beyond and those
creatures our clan banished over the centuries."
     "I see," Nabiki said in a soft voice.  "Then why don't we
look for Jeffrey where our ancestors reside?"
     "Because he can be no where other than the Realm of Outcasts
since he's not of our clan."
     "Then the elders can help us," Nabiki said hopefully.
     "I doubt it.  This is not a place where their spirits can go
freely.  I'm not really sure they can help us here."
     "Oh."  Nabiki wandered over to the chest again.
     "Anyway, I was told there are trials and traps scattered
amongst the things we find here.  They're meant to torment those
they imprison in this realm.  There are also things that might be
useful to us," Sodoshi replied, her attention drawn to a couple
of pots stacked along the wall.
     Nabiki watched as Sodoshi began examining the pots.  The
first two were obviously worthless.  By the third one, it didn't
look like she was going to find anything useful among them.
     With her friend occupied, Nabiki again turned to the small
chest.  Its top changed colors as she moved her head, like it
consisted of an oily fluid.  On the front was a small lock that
glimmered in the reflected spirit lights like a small jewel.  It
couldn't hurt to look at it, she reasoned.
     Bending over, she noticed something written on the lock but
it was partially obscured by a bit of dirt.  If she could just
wipe some of if off, she might be able to read the inscription.
After all, it could be a clue.
     Casting a quick glance over her shoulder to assure that
Sodoshi was still busy, she hesitantly reached out and touched
the lock with her index finger.
     The instant she touched it, the lock snapped open with a
loud 'click'.
     "Don't touch that!" Sodoshi yelled, rushing to grab Nabiki
and pull her aside.
     Before she could get close enough, the lid popped open with
a loud 'bang'.  What emerged headed straight for Nabiki's face.
Screaming, the current Cold Moon Clan elder ducked as the white
object whizzed past her head.  Sodoshi saw Nabiki duck but wasn't
as quick.
     With a sickening 'splat', it struck her full in the face,
knocking her backwards until she stumbled and fell on her butt.
     "I'm sorry," Nabiki sputtered, rushing to Sodoshi's side.
     Muffled curses came from behind the white mass as she clawed
at the gooey mess.  Great clumps of yellow and white drooled down
her face, dropping onto her white yukata.
     Nabiki knelt next to her and frantically helped scrape off
the goo.  It was a little runny and smelled of lemons.  Out of
curiosity, she held up a bit and sniffed.
     "It's a cream pie!"
     Spitting and coughing, Sodoshi finally scraped enough of the
stuff off her face to growl: "I noticed!"
     "I'm really sorry.  I... I didn't think it would open if I
just touched the lock."
     "Didn't I tell you to leave it alone?"
     Nabiki hung her head.  "Yes."
     Grabbing a cloth from one of the pots, Sodoshi wiped the
mess from her face and glared at Nabiki.  "There's a reason I
told you that.  You don't know what's inside.  It could have been
something dangerous."
     Nabiki scooped a clump of lemon filling from Sodoshi's hair.
"Only to a dieter," she mumbled.
     Sodoshi just growled and frowned at Nabiki again, like she
couldn't decide on a suitable punishment.
     Nabiki, however, glanced up at her friend and started to
giggle.
     "What's so funny?"
     "You should have seen your face before it hit."  Nabiki
practically doubled over with laughter.  "I wish I had a camera."
     "Very funny," Sodoshi snarled.  "Since the box is open, we
might as well look inside."
     The two wandered back to the now open chest, Nabiki still
chuckling and Sodoshi pulling clumps of pie out with her fingers.
     "Now I need to wash my hair," the older girl grumbled.
     "It was just a pie."
     "It could have been something else."
     Nabiki didn't answer.  She was too busy trying not to giggle
again.
     Sodoshi spit out a bit that had stuck to her lips and
examined the open chest.  A spring arm, obviously held in place
by the lid, now stood fully erect after throwing the pie.
Attached to the arm was a small slip of paper.  "Remember:
Curiosity killed the cat," she read.
     "Only if they're allergic to lemons," Nabiki replied with a
half-suppressed giggle.
     Sodoshi closed one eye and made a face that issued a clear
warning to her clan sister.  It was wearing thin.
     Waving a hand, Nabiki got the message.  "Okay, I'll be more
careful in the future."
     "You better or I'll feed you to the first fox creature that
comes along," Sodoshi warned, pushing past and heading towards
the exit tunnel.  "This place is unpredictable.  You have to
watch every step or else --"
     Her voice ended with a sudden scream as the floor gave way
beneath her.  Sodoshi's scream echoed from the darkness as she
slid down an incline that was once the floor, ending with a
cacophony of sounds, like someone fell into a full closet.  Glass
breaking, boxes falling, a cat yowling and finally a loud gong
came from the darkness below.
     Nabiki rushed to the edge.  A section of the floor was now
sharply angled downwards like a long slide.  "You okay?" she
called.
     There was a hesitation before Sodoshi's irritated voice came
back.  "Yeah, I'm just fine.  Give me a minute to stand up and
get my bearings."  A moment of silence was suddenly pierced by
more sounds of things falling, the last sounded like a hubcap
spinning down on a concrete floor.
     "What's down there?"
     "Seven hundred years of junk.  I think I found the Cold Moon
Clan's Lost and Found."
     "Anything we can use?"
     "How should I know?" Sodoshi growled from the darkness.
     Her friend's snarl caused Nabiki to flinch.  "Fine.  Think
there's a way out down there?"  When Sodoshi made an exasperated
sound, Nabiki held up her hands in resignation.  "I know.  Stupid
question."
     "I might be able to climb back out if you give me your
hand."
     Nabiki lay flat on the floor and extended her arm as far
down the incline as she could.
     "I can't reach it."
     "Try jumping."
     Sodoshi did.  As the two linked hands, it quickly became
obvious that the older girl, now in a solid human form, was
heavier than she looked.
     "WATCH OUT!" Nabiki yelled as she felt herself being pulled
over the edge.
     A short slide into the darkness was followed by another
series of crashes, breaking glass, falling boxes, and finally a
horse whinnying.
     Then silence.
     "Idiot!"
*****
     Kasumi trudged home with her load of groceries.  They felt
heavier today, like her mood.  Her whole world had come apart
with the announcement of Akane's pregnancy.  With a deep breath,
she chastised herself for such feelings.  It wasn't right to
blame her sister for what happened.  Akane had no way of knowing
she was also pregnant.  If only one or the other had waited a day
or so to announce, it wouldn't have been such a big deal.  But
she had planned her announcement for two days.  It was supposed
to have touched off the kind of attention her sister got.
Instead, she was once again shoved into the background, a
convenient maid and house servant instead of an honored eldest
daughter.
     A wave of self-pity rolled over her, forcing a pause in her
stride as she fought the inevitable reaction.  No, she mustn't
allow herself to give in to such emotions.  She should channel
her feelings into a positive action, such as arranging for
another place to live.
     The thought of leaving the only home she had ever known only
reinforced her despondency, this time resulting in a pause long
enough to attract attention.
     "Are you alright, Tendo-san?" came a voice from behind.
     Sniffing and setting down one of the bags to wipe her eyes,
she glanced over her shoulder to see a police officer from the
local koban approaching.
     "I trust there's nothing wrong," he added with a concerned
look.
     "No, Officer Kobiyashi.  I'm fine," she lied, knowing he
could probably see right through such prevarication.
     "Perhaps you should sit down for a moment.  You look pale."
He stooped to pick up her bag.
     "No, really, I'm fine."  She tried to add one of her better
smiles, the one she usually saved for when Ranma tried to
apologize for breaking something.  "I really must get home.  It's
getting late."
     "Very well," he said, handing her the bag.  "It's only two
more blocks.  I'll walk with you to make sure you get home okay."
     "Thank you," she said softly.
     "I had coffee with your husband this morning.  He stopped by
the koban to talk, like he does nearly every morning."
     "I didn't know that."  Kasumi tried to hide her surprise at
discovering her husband's early morning activities.
     "Yes, he comes by and tells us what's going on in the
neighborhood, noting little complaints he's heard, and even
giving a quick treatment to those of us not feeling well.  He
says it's just part of being a good citizen.  We appreciate
that."
     A more genuine smile graced Kasumi's face as she thought of
how lucky she'd been in marrying such a thoughtful man.  Tofu had
turned out to be everything she dreamed her husband would be.  He
was always home when she wanted him to be and gone when it suited
her.  He knew when she needed comforting and when she needed to
be alone.  The ideal husband.
     "I suppose congratulations are in order," the officer said
with a shy grin.
     Kasumi's smile faded as she braced herself for another round
of 'Akane praising'.  Why was it always Akane?
     "Yes, all of us down at the koban are hoping it's a boy."
     Her chin fell at what she perceived to be a reference to her
sister's condition.
     "First, Nabiki and now you.  I'll bet your father is beside
himself with joy."  Officer Kobiyashi grinned while rubbing the
back of his head with a white-gloved hand.  "I just wish our
neighborhood had more people like you and your husband."
     Kasumi glanced at him in surprise and then blushed, shyly
concealing her response with a hand.  "Thank you," she said.  "I
really must be on my way.  Tofu will be expecting dinner when he
gets home."
     "I'll walk with you.  Just to make sure you get home okay."
     She thanked him and smiled to herself.  She liked Officer
Kobiyashi.  He was one of the more thoughtful officers, always
checking up on people in the neighborhood and offering assistance
whenever there was any sort of domestic problems.  She felt safe
walking with him, knowing any neighbors who might see them
together would correctly assess the situation as simply a
policeman doing his duty.
     At the Tendo compound gate, he touched the bill of his hat
with a hand and bowed politely.  Thanking him again for his kind
consideration and words, she stepped through the gate.  Her mood
had brightened considerably.
     That mood was quickly tested when she saw who was waiting
for her.
     "Welcome home, Oneechan," Akane said with a friendly smile.
     Kasumi forced herself to return the greeting and smile while
thinking of how she could get past her younger sister and into
the house without facing the kinds of questions her sister had
been pestering her with over the last few days.
     "Let me carry those for you," Akane said eagerly.
     "They're not heavy.  I can manage."  Kasumi tried to skirt
around her sister.
     "Can I help with anything?"
     "No, thank you.  I just have to start dinner."  Kasumi
almost felt bad about the way she was dismissing her little
sister but she just wasn't ready yet to face another round with
Akane.
     "Oh, okay," Akane replied, her chin dropping.
     Without waiting for her sister to restart their brief
conversation, Kasumi opened the door and stepped inside.
     The cooler entryway gave Kasumi a moment to sigh
contentedly.  She hadn't realized just how hot it was outside
until she stepped into their home.  Summer was coming and she
would need to make sure all the shogi panels slid smoothly on
their tracks.  They would need to work smoothly if she was going
to keep the house cool during the hottest months ahead.
     Changing her shoes, she looked up to see who was coming down
the stairs.  It caused her to abruptly question her sanity.
     "Hi, Kasumi," Akane said, as she reached the last step.
"Need any help?"
     Kasumi glanced at Akane, then to the front door, and back to
her sister again.  Something wasn't right about this.  Didn't she
just leave Akane outside?
     "What's the matter?  You look like you've just seen a
ghost."  Akane giggled.  "Imagine, a ghost in the middle of the
afternoon."
     "Yeah.  Imagine."  Kasumi snatched up her bags and retreated
towards the usual safe haven of her kitchen.  How did Akane get
inside so fast?  And how did she get upstairs from the front walk
without her noticing?
     Her emotions were running so high when she encountered the
first Akane that she failed to adequately probe to see if she was
real.  By the time she thought to examine the second, the girl
was gone.  Disappointed in her lack of attention, she rounded the
corner and ducked into her kitchen.
     She flinched to a halt at what was waiting for her.
     "Hi, Kasumi," Akane said cheerfully.  "I'm just doing a
little cleaning so that everything would be perfect when you got
home."
     Kasumi dropped her bags and took a step backwards.  Leaning
over slightly, she stared down the hall towards the front door.
Glancing between the Akane cleaning her kitchen and the empty
hallway, she frowned.  A quick probe of this Akane caused her to
recoil further.  It felt like she was touching a dead space where
nothing existed.  Just a black void where Akane stood.
     As she stood there staring at Akane wiping the counter, she
heard someone approaching from the laundry room.  It was another
Akane.
     "I'm just finishing the laundry, Oneechan," Akane said.
"Did you get everything you needed for dinner?"
     Kasumi blinked at Akane and glanced in the kitchen again.
That Akane was still wiping the counter.  A quick mental probe of
this new Akane confirmed what she already suspected.  Neither one
was the real Akane.
     Thinking fast, Kasumi tried a gentle smile on her
approaching 'sister'.  Motioning for her to come closer, she
watched warily for a reaction from either.
     "Yes, Kasumi?"
     Kasumi pointed to the kitchen and waited.  Akane's reaction
was priceless.
     "AAAAAAAHH!" both Akanes yelled when they saw each other.
     "Who's THAT?" the second Akane squealed, one hand covering
her mouth and the other pointing at her duplicate.
     "I'm the real Akane," the one in the kitchen said.
     "No, Oneechan, I'M the real Akane," insisted the other.
     "Neither one of you is real," Kasumi said with a firm
expression.  Both Akanes started to protest but stopped when they
noticed Kasumi's look of irritation.  After a few guilty glances
at each other, they lowered their eyes and appeared to pout.
     "Kasumi?" came Akane's call from the front hall.  "What was
that noise?"
     Holding up one finger as a warning, Kasumi silenced the
other two Akanes.  "I'm back here."
     Another Akane came down the hall wearing a broad grin.
"Have you seen Father?" she asked just before reaching her
sister.
     Kasumi mentally probed this new Akane, her expression
changing to disgust when she felt the same dead response.  "No,
but I think you better come into the kitchen.  I want to show you
something."
     "Really?  Is it something you bought?  I can't imagine
what --"  Akane's voice choked when she saw the other two
standing sheepishly next to each other.  Glancing between the
twin Akanes and Kasumi, Akane number three shook her head like
she didn't believe her eyes.
     "Get in there with the others," Kasumi ordered the last
Akane, her voice firm like a mother chastising a child.
     The third Akane's shoulders sagged and her chin dropped as
she complied.
     Standing together, the three Akanes glanced nervously at
each other.  Kasumi just crossed her arms and frowned
disapprovingly at all three.
     "I'm going to ask you all only once.  Who are you?  More
importantly, WHAT are you?"
     The three shifted nervously, each holding their hands
together in front of their identical skirts.  They could have
been triplets to anyone not able to detect they weren't real.
     "I TOLD you this was a bad idea," the first Akane growled at
the other two.
     "How was I to know she could detect we weren't real?" the
second Akane protested.
     "Yeah, you were the one that said Akane was the person most
on Kasumi's mind," the third sniffed.
     "I did not!"
     "Yes, you did.  You said we could fool her."
     "You're crazy!"
     "Am not!"
     "ENOUGH!" Kasumi yelled before reminding herself to be calm
and in control.  She had to admit, all three had her sister's
temperament.  "I want to know WHO you are and WHY you're here."
     The three pouted at the floor for a few moments before the
first Akane sighed.  "We're... kitsune spirits," she finally
admitted.  "Our master sent us here to..."  She hesitated, a
confused expression crossing her face, before turning to the
other two.  "Why are we here again?"
     "The third Akane shrugged.  "I don't know.  I thought YOU
knew."
     "No way.  Ask HER."  She pointed to the second Akane.
     "Hey, you're the leader.  You're supposed to know what our
mission was."
     "I am not!  I was never the leader.  You were the one who
last time pretended to be Kasumi and came back bragging how easy
it was to fool the Tendos."
     "Oh, sure, blame me for thinking the rest of the family is
as stupid as the fathers."
     "Well, that little stunt with the axe certainly got their
attention."
     "Was that you?" Kasumi gasped.  "YOU put a hole in my living
room floor?"
     "Uh-oh," the three said together.
     "She wasn't supposed to find out about that," the third
Akane said out of the corner of her mouth.
     "Way to go, big mouth."
     "I was just trying to scare them," the first Akane said
contritely.
     "I don't believe this," Kasumi groused.  "Do you know how
much it's going to cost to fix that?"
     "Sorry."  The three 'Akanes' exchanged nervous glances.
     Kasumi was still trying to think of what she was going to do
about the fake Akanes when Ranma stumbled down the stairs,
yawning and scratching his head.
     Before she could think of any way to detour him, Ranma was
squeezing his way past her and into the kitchen.
     "Hi, Akane," he mumbled as he passed the first duplicate on
his way to the sink.  "Sorry I overslept.  With a baby on the
way, I need to run classes later at night.  It really takes a lot
out of a guy," he said, pulling down a plastic glass and filling
it with water.
     Kasumi watched all this with profound disbelief.  The boy
was amazing.  How could he possibly wander past THREE identical
versions of his own wife without noticing?
     Yawning, Ranma stretched and groaned.  "I think I overdid it
last night."
     "You poor baby," the three Akanes said together.
     When Ranma looked their way through the bottom of his
plastic glass, he froze and blinked.  A frown crossed his face
before he lowered the glass, dribbling water down the front of
his shirt.  He blinked again and rubbed his eyes.
     "You want me to wash that glass when you're through?" the
third Akane asked.
     In an instant, he was wide awake.  The empty glass bounced
off the floor as he stumbled back against the counter and stared
at the three.  "Wha... what's going on?" he finally gasped.
     "It would seem we have some visitors," Kasumi said.
     "Why do they all look like Akane?" he demanded.
     "Don't you know your own wife?" the first Akane said in a
demanding tone.
     "Huh?  Oh... yeah... heh, of course I do."  He stepped
forward just enough to take the first Akane's hand.  "I'm sorry,
Akane.  I should have recognized you right away."
     When he looked to Kasumi for confirmation, all he saw was
her slowly shaking her head.
     Swallowing hard with an apprehensive expression, he slowly
let go of the first Akane.  "Sorry... uh, Miss.  I must still be
half asleep."  With a nervous chuckle, he moved over to the
second Akane but hesitated.
     "Honestly, Ranma, I can't believe you don't know your own
wife," the second Akane growled.
     "For crying out loud, Akane, I... I'm just not awake yet.
That's all," he protested.  "You all look so much alike."  He
forced a self-conscious snicker before glancing once again at
Kasumi.  She was still shaking her head.
     He turned back to the second Akane and gave a little nervous
giggle, his left eye twitching.  She might not have hammered him
in a long time but he got the feeling that was all about to
change - by a factor of three.
     "Then..." he said hesitantly, pointing to the third Akane.
Chancing a peek at Kasumi, her disappointed expression and slow
shake of her head confirmed this wasn't the real Akane either.
     With wide eyes, he backed towards Kasumi, always keeping his
eyes on the three perfect duplicates of his wife.  At least he
could be certain SHE was real.
     "Okay, you three, what did you do with the real Akane?"
Kasumi demanded.
     The three fakes glanced at each other before looking down at
the floor.  "She's asleep out in the dojo," the first said.  "We
didn't hurt her.  We just made her fall asleep."
     "We wouldn't really hurt anyone," the third added, still
looking down at the floor and fidgeting.  "We don't like hurting
mortals.  That's why nobody likes us in the spirit world.  Even
our own kind are mean and nasty to us."
     Kasumi sighed.  She could tell they were being honest.
"Okay, I believe you."  Shaking her head, she looked at the
shaken Ranma for only a moment.  "You better go out and see if
your wife is okay."
     Like a flash, Ranma was down the hall and out the door.  His
frantic footsteps fading into the distance.  An awkward pause
filled the room as Kasumi regarded the three imposters and tried
to think of what to do.
     "For starters, you better change.  Those identical Akane
outfits are a little... unsettling," Kasumi said with a frown.
     The three looked at each other and shrugged.  "Okay," they
said together.
     Kasumi blinked as the three bodies seemed to shimmer and
blur before reforming in their solid form.  However, she was
certain this change wasn't for the better.
     Both hands covered her mouth in surprise as three naked
Akanes stood shamelessly in front of her.
     "Is this better?" the first Akane asked.
     Kasumi quickly looked away.  "Absolutely not."
     The first two Akanes traded confused looks.  The third had
other things on her mind.
     Cupping her bare breasts, she jiggled them and frowned.  "I
don't get it.  What are these for?" she asked innocently.
     Chancing a peek, Kasumi whimpered and covered her eyes.
"Please stop doing that."
     "Okay, but I really don't see what good these things are,"
the third Akane said as she switched from jiggling to poking.  "I
mean, they've GOT to serve some purpose."
     Kasumi closed her eyes and slowly counted to ten... and then
to twenty, all the time reminding herself that Tofu said she
would be experiencing certain mood swings due to a temporary
pregnancy-induced hormone imbalance.  All she had to do was calm
down and relax.  Her natural balance would eventually return.  At
least, that was HIS opinion.
     When she looked again at the three, the other two were
beginning to mimic their confused partner.  Kasumi suppressed a
groan.  "Okay, let's approach this logically," she said, her
hands sliding up to hold her head between them.  "We can't have
three Akanes running around with the real one.  So the first
thing we need -- WILL YOU PLEASE STOP THAT!"
     The three Akanes instantly dropped their hands to their
sides.
     "Thank you," Kasumi said with a sigh of relief.  "We need to
find different forms for each of you that won't alarm everyone in
the neighborhood."  She looked around until her eyes caught on
her 'Modern Japanese Homemaker' magazine on the counter.  It was
normally used to pass the time while things were cooking.
     She thumbed through the pages until she found three models
that looked acceptable.  Assigning each of the fox spirits one to
duplicate, she sighed in relief as they transformed into perfect
duplicates of the girls in her magazine.
     "That's better," she said.  "Now all we have to do is give
you names.  Uh, do you already have names?"
     "Of course but we rarely use them," one of the girls said.
     "How do you tell each other apart?"
     "We each smell different, especially around the --"
     "I get the idea," Kasumi said quickly, cutting the girl off
before a truly disgusting image formed in her head.  She wasn't
totally successful.  "Let's call you Eiko," she said, point to
the first one.  "We'll call you Biko and ... no, that won't work.
No one's going to believe Anime names."
     The three blinked at her like lost puppies.  She wasn't sure
she liked that look.  It reminded her that getting rid of them
might prove harder than giving them names.
     "Oh, I give up.  I'll just call you Yumi, Fumi, and... uh,
Kumi," she said with an exasperated flap of her arms.
     "Yumi?" the first asked with a serious expression, like she
was rolling the name around in her head.
     "Fumi?"
     "Kumi?"
     After a few moments of them repeating the names, accompanied
by Kasumi silently counting to a hundred, they finally agreed.
     "Fine," Kasumi said with a sigh of relief.  "Now, if you
three will just go in and watch TV until I get dinner started, we
can deal with your problem."
     Kumi, formerly the third Akane, cast Kasumi a worried look.
"Can we stay here with you?  We don't have anywhere else to go."
     "Yeah, we don't want to go back to the spirit world.  It's
all dark and icky there," Yumi added.  "Nobody would miss us."
     "Please," Fumi begged.  "We won't be any trouble at all.  We
can even help around the house."
     "We'll see.  For now, just go watch TV so I can get some
things done here in the kitchen."  Kasumi tried her best
'motherly' smile.  "I'm late getting dinner started."
     As the three turned towards the living room, Kasumi sighed
and began unpacking her groceries.  "By the way, do you want
something to drink?" she asked, remembering her hospitality.
"I've got water, juice, tea, and..."  She paused to open her
small refrigerator.  "Oh, I see we still have three cans of Coca-
Cola."
     "COKE!  COKE!" the three called like little kids.
     Kasumi smiled to herself and placed the three cans on a
little tray.  At least this part of hosting these three seemed
normal.
     Carrying her tray into the living room, she paused to see
what they had picked to watch.  It was some mindless Anime show
about kids training odd-looking creatures.  Not the best thing to
help them understand the modern world but she didn't see how it
could hurt.
     Placing the tray on the table in front of them, she asked:
"If you're new to the outside world, how do you know about Coca-Cola?"
     Fumi returned an incredulous look.  "We have it in the
spirit world."
     "You have Coke in the spirit world?"
     "Kasumi, Coke is everywhere."
     Returning to the kitchen, Kasumi couldn't help but
skeptically mumble: "That must be some route."

     Ranma found his sleeping wife, wearing her workout gi,
curled up on the dojo's smooth floor under one of the windows.
Despite its hard surface, she looked so relaxed and comfortable,
he almost hated to wake her.
     Dropping to his knees, he watched her sleep for several
seconds.  She looked so cute like that; all curled up in a fetal
position.  It was hard to imagine that inside her young body was
growing another life; their first child.  He blushed at the
images that replayed themselves in his mind of the night they
began that new life.  His eyes caressed her features as he
remembered how innocent and frightened she looked that night.  It
reminded him of the first time he saw her, when she found out
about their engagement.  Much of the same fear and uncertainty
was reflected in her face that day as well.  Despite his best
efforts, he lost his heart to her the moment their eyes met.  Oh
sure, they both acted like they resented the whole event but she
admitted after they were married that she only acted badly
towards him because of all she had gone through before they met.
She told him how she secretly hated herself for each and every
angry word and physical beating.  Only at night, in her bed, did
she allow herself to dream little dreams of how much she really
wanted him.  It may have taken her the better part of five years
to come to grips with her affection for him but she insisted it
was worth it in the end.
     Drawing a deep breath, Ranma closed his eyes and thought
again how lucky he had been having her for a wife.  She might not
be the best at domestic chores but how many other husbands can
say their wives can break a stack of bricks with their bare
hands?
     With a sigh, he reached out and gently shook her shoulder.
     It took a couple more shakes to rouse the sleeping Akane but
when she woke, it came with a jerk and a frantic series of
glances around the room.
     "It's okay, Akane.  We're alone," Ranma said.
     With a shudder, Akane looked at him with wild eyes before
pulling herself into his arms.  "Oh, Ranma, I just had such a
terrible dream.  I was in here working out and suddenly I got the
feeling I wasn't alone.  When I looked around, three ghosts
appeared.  I was so afraid, Ranma.  They looked like wild animals
- BIG wild animals."  She shuddered again and clutched him
tighter.  "I wanted to run as they approached but I couldn't
move.  When they touched me,...  That's all I remember.  Ranma,
it was horrible."
     "Three ghosts," Ranma repeated, looking back towards the
house as he held her trembling body close to his.  Surely, she
didn't mean the three he just left alone with Kasumi.  They
didn't seem dangerous.  At least, Kasumi didn't act like they
were any kind of threat.
     "You do believe me, don't you?" she moaned into his chest.
     "Akane, I've been all over Japan and much of China.  I'd be
crazy not to believe in ghosts."  He smiled at her in a
reassuring way.  "Of course, I believe you.  Ghosts can be
anywhere but they're usually not dangerous.  I have a feeling the
ghosts you encountered are pretty harmless.  In any case, you're
safe now."
     Akane drew a ragged breath and seemed to relax in his arms.
While he was glad she was okay, he couldn't help but wonder what
they were in for.  How could he tell her the three ghosts she saw
were right now inside their home and in the care of her older
sister?  No, that wouldn't be a good idea.  She'd probably want
to run to her sister's defense.  Besides, her worrying wouldn't
be good for either her or the baby.  She needed something to take
her mind off her 'dream'.
     "Why don't you help me set up for my first class?" he asked.
     Akane blinked up at him.  "You really mean it?  You've never
let me help before.  You usually don't even want me around the
dojo when you're having classes.  Are you sure you want me to
help?"
     "Yeah, why not?"  He helped her to her feet.  "It'll go
faster with the two of us."
     Fifteen minutes later, the dojo was properly set up and
ready for the night's classes.  Akane, having shed her fears over
the appearance of the ghosts, quickly recovered to be her old
self.  At least, the self that had developed along with her
pregnancy.
     "Done in record time," Ranma said, wiping his brow and
surveying their work.  "Wouldn't you say, Akane?"
     When his wife didn't answer, he quickly glanced around for
her.  The room appeared empty.  The only place he couldn't
readily see was inside the closet.  With concerns that she might
have returned to the house, he checked the closet.
     As he got close, he sensed Akane's presence.  Stepping
inside, he was surprised and pinned against the closet wall.  He
didn't fight because he knew who it was.  He didn't speak because
his mouth was already engaged, responding to a soft pair of lips
that seemed relentless.
     When Akane broke the kiss, he gasped for air until he looked
into her beautiful brown eyes, shimmering in the muted light of
their tiny sanctuary.  "What?" he asked with a nervous smile.  He
never fully understood his wife's moods.  But then, few husbands
ever do.
     "We have almost two hours until your students arrive," she
said in a soft voice.  "There are two mats left and I want you so
bad."
     Jolted by the aggressiveness of his wife, he remained stuck
to the wall, even when she released him and began to undo the
belt of her gi.  His jaw dropped a bit when her belt fell to the
floor.  She backed towards the mats, the front of her gi jacket
open enough to show the gentle swell of her breasts.
     Slowly dropping to the mats, she held out her hand,
beckoning him to follow.  Her expression was almost one of
desperation.  "Please, Ranma.  I can't explain why I feel this
way but I need you right now, right here."
     "But... this is the dojo, not our bedroom," he stammered.
He could feel himself becoming unstuck as his body began to react
to the tempting scene before him.
     "Please.  In a few months my body will be all swollen and
ugly.  I saw what it did to Nabiki and how Jeffrey reacted.  I
don't want that to happen to us.  I need to know you still love
me - that you still think I'm pretty."  When she reached out to
him, one of her breasts peeked from behind its hiding place.
"Please," she whispered.
     That was all it took.  Pushing the door shut behind him, he
melted into her arms, his own gi disappearing into a pile on the
floor.  It was soon joined by Akane's.

     From the dojo, had anyone been there, all that could be
heard was Akane's giggle and the heavy breathing of two people in
love.

*****
     "Ugh! What is that smell?" Rachel gasped, holding her nose
and blinking her watering eyes.
     "Is special potion to kill demons," Jade replied as she
stirred the bubbling concoction on the stove.
     "I can believe that.  It's almost killing us."  Rachel set
her bag of purchased herbs on the counter.  "I got everything on
your list.  The shopkeeper was curious why you wanted all these
odd items."
     "What you say?"  Jade paused her stirring to fix Rachel with
a serious frown.
     "Just what you told me to tell him.  That you're trying to
duplicate an old Chinese cure for the flu."  Rachel choked and
moved further away.  "He seemed to buy that."
     "He should," Jade replied, going back to her stirring.
"Only difference is two ingredients."
     "Why do you care if he suspects anything?"
     Jade paused her stirring and cast Rachel a firm look.
"Would be better to tell him we making demon potion to protect
from evil fox creatures?  If man know real reason, he make very
much trouble.  All Chinese people believe in demons.  Very bad he
discover demons here."
     Rachel couldn't argue with that, although she couldn't
fathom what reaction the Chinese community might have with that
knowledge.  Surely, they were beyond such superstitions.  Why
would anyone even listen to some crazy old man about demons
rampaging through Hawaii?  The Chinese-Americans she knew were so
completely Westernized it was hard to imagine any of them
reacting in the manner Jade described.  Dismissing the girl's
warning, she went to gather squirt guns for the potion.

     When the doorbell rang, little Sodoshi scampered to answer.
When she saw who it was, she squealed in delight.
     "Hi, Sister!" she shouted.  "You're just in time to fight
the demons."
     Sister Angelica patted Sodoshi's head.  "Oh, you playing
some new game?"
     "No, Sister, we're fighting REAL demons," Sodoshi insisted
with a serious expression.  "They stole Daddy."
     Sister Angelica frowned at the child.  "I see.  Where's your
mother?"
     "We can't find her," Rachel answered from the hallway, her
arms full of supersoaker squirt guns.  "Mr. Gaffney called all
around Tokyo looking for her.  There was no answer at the Tendo
residence and the hotel where her business associates said she
was staying claim she left a couple of days ago.  She must be
planning on coming back because she kept the room and left her
luggage behind."
     With a deep sigh, Sister Angelica shook her head.  She knew
Nabiki could be impulsive at times but her absence when Jeffrey
was in trouble went beyond even that.  Perhaps she was in Japan
to find her husband.  There was some talk about people there who
disliked the Lawrences.  "Where was Mr. Lawrence last seen?" she
asked.
     "Mr. Lawrence is in intensive care at the University
Hospital," Rachel corrected, entering the living room.
     Following, the nun hesitated at Rachel's claim.  "But, I
thought she said he was 'stolen.'"
     "Some part of him was," Rachel said like she wasn't certain
just how to explain.  "At least, that's what we believe happened.
He's in a coma and the doctors don't know why."
     "I see."  Sister Angelica stroked Sodoshi's long hair and
smiled at the little girl.  "You're being very brave about this,"
she said.
     Sodoshi reached for a squirt gun.  "We're going to beat the
demons and rescue Daddy," she declared, as if it were little more
than a game to her.
     "Perhaps you shouldn't be here," Rachel noted with a look of
concern towards the Sister.  "If what we suspect is coming, you
could get hurt."
     "Honey, I grew up in a Korean orphanage.  I don't think
anyone has more devils and demons than the Koreans.  The Sisters
there used to call them 'Satan's emissaries.'  If there is any
way I can help, I'll stay."
     Rachel shrugged.  "Suit yourself.  You know how to handle a
squirt gun?"
     "I'm afraid I don't use weapons," Sister Angelica said with
a smile.  "My order kinda frowns on that."
     "How are you at cooking disgusting-smelling demon-killing
potions?"
     The nun wrinkled her nose.  "Is that what I smell?"
     "Jade claims it's guaranteed to work," Rachel replied with a
pained expression.
     "I'm not surprised.  The smell alone is enough to chase off
a sewer rat."  Sister Angelica took Sodoshi's little hand and
walked with her back to the kitchen, instinctively using part of
her nun's habit to cover her mouth and nose as the odor got
stronger.
     "Potion ready," Jade declared with a satisfied glint in her
eye.
     Rachel helped load the squirt guns, handing each to little
Sodoshi as they were filled.  Sister Angelica continued to cover
her nose while fanning the fumes with a free hand and worrying if
there was any way of washing the odor out of her habit.
     "I wish spirit-Sodoshi was here," the little girl said with
a pout, her arms full of fowl-smelling water weapons.
     Rachel sighed and stroked the Sodoshi's hair.  "She's
helping find your father.  No one can be in two places at once."
     "I know."  Sodoshi pouted some more.  "I just miss her.
She's a good fighter."
     "Spirit-Sodoshi?" Sister Angelica asked with a confused
expression.
     "It's a long story.  Let's just say that she's a very good
friend of Nabiki's," Rachel replied with a sigh.
     The nun's next question was derailed by the door bell
ringing again.
     Rachel shook her head as she looked towards the door.  "This
place sure is getting busy."
     Sister Angelica nodded with a helpful smile.  "I'll get it."
     When she opened the door, her smile broadened.  "Mr Bateman,
how nice to see you again."
     Jim Bateman shook the nun's hand and ushered his guest
inside.  "Sister Angelica, this is Troy Tomita.  He's a Shinto
priest from up north."
     "I'm very happy to meet you," she said with her beautiful
smile beaming as she extended her hand.
     Troy gently took her soft hand but paused when their eyes
met.  For several seconds, all he could do was hold on to her and
stare.
     The nun's smile wavered slightly, embarrassment haunting her
eyes as she glanced at Mr Bateman.  "I... I did a report on
Shinto for the Sisters at the convent last year," she said,
trying to get some sort of impersonal conversation going.
     "Uh-huh," was all Troy could mutter as he continued to stare
at her with a glazed expression.
     "Well, I'll just leave you two to get acquainted while I
check on the others," Jim said, slipping away from the pair with
a silent chuckle.
     "You know, your religion is most interesting."  The Sister
returned to smiling in a friendly way towards the speechless
Troy.
     "Uh-huh."
     "Ummm, I don't want to sound rude but could I have my hand
back?"
     "Uh-huh."
     She could feel her hand getting sweaty and her heart beating
faster.  She wasn't sure but she might have been blushing as
well.  "So, you've come to help?" she said while trying to
gracefully slip her hand out of his.  The sweat helped.  Once her
fingers slipped free, she clutched her hand to her chest.  The
cold metal of her cross helping her remember her vows.
     "Uh-huh."
     She was certain she was blushing now.  Her cheeks felt like
they were on fire.  "This is very awkward for me," she said in a
hushed voice while looking down at the carpet.
     "Uh-huh."
     She glanced up to see his continued wistful expression.
With a painful grimace, she held up her left hand and wiggled her
fingers in his face.  "I'm taken.  Sorry."
     "Uh-huh."
     When there was no reaction, she leaned over a bit and looked
questioningly into his eyes.  "Hello?"
     "Uh-huh."
     "Put green root in potion," came Jade's voice from the
kitchen.  She was obviously making more of her demon concoction.
     Since he looked to be in his twenties, Sister Angelica had
an idea.  Taking Troy's hand again, she started for the kitchen.
Inside, she towed him towards the Chinese girl at the stove.
     "Jade, I want you to meet Troy Tomita.  He's a Shinto priest
who's come to help," she said with a demure little smile.
     When Jade looked towards Troy, she froze.  Her expression
dissolved into one that closely matched his as the two stared
awkwardly into each other's eyes.
     The Chinese girl swallowed hard and touched the front of her
simple blouse like she was embarrassed to be seen wearing
something so unflattering.  When her eyes broke contact with his,
she looked down at the floor and tried to smooth her hair back
towards her pony tail.  "Jade honored," she whispered in a hoarse
voice.
     "No, it is I who is..."  His voice trailed off as he too
looked at the floor.
     Sister Angelica made a little face and turned to leave.
"I'll just let you two kids get to know one another."  Walking
away, she glanced at the ceiling and muttered: "I expected I
would be tempted at some point but I never expected it to be like
this.  Wow, you sure know how to pick 'em."

*****

     Master Sato kept his vigil at the entrance of the Cold Moon
Shrine.  Assuming a position of meditation, his eyes barely open,
he watched the 'village' below, knowing full well its ghostly
inhabitants were watching him.  He felt an odd sense of calm
despite being from another clan.  He knew he didn't have to fear
their reaction.  Centuries of being hunted had reduced their
spirits to cautious, almost timid souls.  He hoped they
understood he was here to help.
     Allowing himself to doze, he could feel an occasional
tingling, like someone or something was probing his mind.
Perhaps it was just curiosity.  Maybe it was them trying to
communicate.  In any case, he tried to ignore it - after
shielding himself as best he could.
     It just was after one of his short periods of sleep when he
got the feeling he was no longer alone.  He could feel a presence
nearby, a presence every bit as shielded as his own.  It made him
uncomfortable enough to chance a peek.
     Standing not more than a meter from him was a glowing figure
of a man.  Dressed in the simple clothes of a farmer, the ghostly
entity appeared to be staring at the wooden portal.
     "Welcome, my brother," the figure said without looking, his
voice sounding as alive as if he were a mortal being.
     "Konbenwa."  Master Sato drew a deep, cleansing breath.
"Forgive my presence."
     The ghostly figure merely held up a hand as if to stop
Sato's apology.  "You do not need to explain.  I understand.  You
are here to help a clan member.  That is sufficient for me."
     Sato tried to show no emotion, his gaze returning to the
lights in the village below.  "You seem to know much."
     "Perhaps," the figure said with an enigmatic smile.  "But I
have an interest in the outcome of my clan member's quest."
     "How so?"  Sato to look towards the village.  He could see
faces peeking out from windows, watching him and the ghostly
figure.  He wondered if they and he were somehow connected.
     "Forgive me, Sato the Ronin Shinobi Master.  I am not being
a good host.  Almost three hundred years have robbed me of my
ability to feel things as you mortals.  It is cold in these hills
at night.  I can tell your bones ache from their age."
     Sato wondered why the figure would ignore his question,
instead choosing to express concern about his well being.  He
straightened up slightly, his chin rising in defiance.  "I've
endured worse."
     "So you have.  But we all grow old with time.  Allow me to
offer the humble hospitality of our village."
     Another glance at the ghostly dwellings below was all it
took for Sato to shake his head.
     "I understand.  You fear what my people would do to you, a
chunin from another clan."
     Sato shook his head again.  "No, it is because I must remain
vigilant.  The battle is not yet won."
     "Agreed."  The ghostly figure waved an arm, producing a
rough-hewn blanket of dark red material.  "Allow me to at least
make you comfortable."
     Before Sato could protest, the blanket was around his
shoulders.  He was mildly surprised when it began to radiate
heat, soothing his stiff joints.  His whole body relaxed under
the pleasant warmth.
     "You have been awake for more than a day.  Why don't you
sleep awhile.  I will stand watch."  The figure smiled in a
friendly way.
     "Why are you doing this?"
     "I have a personal interest in what's happening in there.
You see, one of my own is involved."
     Sato glanced at the wooden door before eyeing the ghostly
figure.  The man looked familiar in the moonlight.  "You are a
Tendo?"
     "No, the last of my blood and the finest shadow warrior our
people ever produced accompanies our only remaining elder on her
quest.  I know this because I am Akikazu Tanaka - the last
Shinobi Master of the Cold Moon Clan."  The figure's eyes glowed
dark red with his pronouncement.
     Instinctively, Master Sato bowed as well as his position
would allow, his head almost coming in contact with the shrine's
cold stone floor.  Akikazu Tanaka was a legend, even among his
own people.  He was part priest and part warrior - the ultimate
balance between two worlds.  It was said he could perform the
most amazing feats of shadow warrior skills.  There were none who
could hope to ascend to Tanaka's level of skill - even Sato
himself.
     "Sleep, my brother.  I will stand watch.  You must be fresh
when the time comes to act."
     "Hai, sensei," Sato said reverently.
     "No, Sato-san.  Simply 'brother' will do.  You are closer to
my legacy than you know."

*****
     Ami trotted home happily from her rounds in the
neighborhood.  From a dog's perspective, it had been a good day.
The local restaurants had fresh garbage to pick from, some of
which even missed the trash cans, she had discovered a new and
delightfully powerful-smelling spot in one of the green areas to
roll in, and a couple of the neighborhood children had even
stopped long enough to play 'chase' with her.
     With a yawn, she squeezed through the gate and back into her
own domain.  She paused to mark a couple of times, just to make
sure any trespassing animal knew this was HER territory.  One
couldn't be too careful in a city with so many animals running
free.  With Kasumi nowhere to be seen, she chased after a couple
of squirrels who dared to come down to the ground in her absence.
She had to make certain they understood who ruled here.
     Satisfied that everything was as it should be, she yawned
again, snorted once and trotted up to the engawa.  The sun was
high and Kasumi would be preparing a meal.  She always had
'bites' for a cute little dog who knew how to beg properly.
     Up on the engawa, she sniffed the air once more.  There was
something different about the house.  Not threatening or
dangerous, she concluded, but different.  Shaking herself like
she always did before entering, she skipped lightly over the open
shogi track and immediately skidded to a halt.  Three humans in
the room froze, their heads turned to look her way and their eyes
wide and unblinking.
     At first, Ami was confused.  The house often had strange
humans - some stranger than others - but these were on a
different level of strange.  She sensed they weren't totally...
human.
     Sniffing the air again convinced her these were not what
they appeared.  A low growl rumbled from her throat as her ears
flattened.  This was HER home, her territory.  Whatever they
were, this was not the place for them.
     When none of the three moved, she decided to assert herself
with a series of sharp barks.  A sudden flurry of movement by the
three only caused her to intensify her angry barking.

     "What in the world?" Kasumi muttered, the sound of Ami
barking in the living room caused her to suspend her fluid
vegetable-chopping motions in mid-stroke.
     Wiping her hands on a towel, she went to investigate.
Curiously, the seats where she had left the three fox creatures
were now empty.  Only the barking Ami, still standing just inside
the room was all she could see.
     "Hush, Ami-chan," she commanded in a voice that sounded
almost too sweet to be giving orders.  "Behave yourself."
     When she entered the room and looked at why the dog was
barking, she clutched the towel to her chest and gasped.
     "Oh, my."
     There, perched on top of the television, were the three
spirits, one on top of the other.  Their eyes were wide and
staring at the aggressive little dog.
     "We can't have this," Kasumi said, scooping the still
growling dog off the floor and carrying her out of the room.
Ami-chan switched to simple whining, like she knew what was
coming.
     With a sigh, Kasumi opened the door to the laundry and
placed Ami on the floor.
     "You will just have to wait here until I can think of what
to do about my three visitors."
     Shutting the door, she returned to the living room.  The
three were still perched on the TV.
     "Will you please get down - carefully," she said.
     The fox spirits traded glances like they were silently
daring each other to go first.  Kasumi was in no mood for
hesitation.
     "Get down NOW!"
     In their mad scramble to obey, the three human-looking
females tumbled to the tatami mats, landing in a tangled heap.
     Kasumi held her head in a hand and counted to one hundred -
very fast - before her control was regained and her three house
guests got to their feet.
     "You didn't say anything about having a dog," Yumi said in
an accusing voice.
     "Yeah, we don't like dogs," Kumi added.  "And they don't
like us."
     "Hey, I think I just figured out what these are for," Fumi
muttered, squeezing her breasts through her blouse.
     "STOP THAT!"  Kasumi drew a deep breath and dispensed with
counting.  It wasn't working anyway.
     "Sorry," the three answered.
     "Okay, we obviously have a little problem between you three
and Ami-chan," Kasumi said in a calm voice.  It wasn't easy.
     "What's an Ami-chan?" Yumi asked.
     "The dog," Fumi chided out of the corner of her mouth.
     "Oh."
     Kasumi collapsed onto one of the pillows that surrounded the
family's table, her face a worried scowl.  She had to think.
There must be a way to let all parties coexist under the same
roof.  After all, they worked out a way for Ranma and his father
to live there.  "I'm sure with time Ami-chan would accept you."
     "I doubt it," Kumi replied.  "Dogs always chase us."
     "Yeah, you'd think we were some sort of prey or something,"
Yumi added.
     Kasumi looked towards the ceiling and tapped her chin with a
finger.  "Well, until I can figure out something, you'll have to
stay somewhere else."
     "Oh, that's no problem," Fumi chirped with a silly grin.
"We can stay where we've been hiding for the last week."
     "Where's that?"  Kasumi eyed the trio, unsure she really
wanted to know.
     "We've got a really neat den under your shed out back," Kumi
said proudly.  "It's big enough for all three of us, has soft
moss for our beds, and lots of tasty mice and grubs to eat."
     Kasumi made a face before her slender hand covered her
mouth.  Closed eyes made it hard to hide her struggle to control
a case of nausea brought on by an image of the three eating mice
and grubs.
     "It really is a nicer place than where we came from," Fumi
said thoughtfully.
     Swallowing hard, her control over the nausea tenuous at
best, Kasumi forced a shaky smile.  "I'm sure it is.  Why don't
we just leave it at that."
     "Then we can stay?"  Yumi sounded hopeful.  "The dog won't
bother us there."
     "You're sure?" Kasumi asked.
     "Of course.  We can live there and still be close enough to
visit."
     Kasumi looked between the three.  They seemed so sincere and
innocent; like children begging a mother to sleep a night in
their treehouse.  Of course, this 'treehouse' was buried
somewhere under the family's three meter square storage shed.
"Very well.  You may stay."  The celebration by the three spirits
was cut short by her raised finger.  "Providing you only appear
in your human forms when you visit.  I'm not sure the rest of the
family is ready for fox creatures living under the shed out
back."
     "We promise," the three said together.
     "Fine.  I've got to get dinner started so you better go home
to your..."  She paused.  "What do you call it?"
     "We call it a foxhole."
     "Figures," Kasumi muttered.
     The three fox creatures, still in their human forms, started
for the open engawa when Yumi stopped and looked again at Kasumi.
"Uh, I almost hate to ask but could you do us one little favor?"
     With a sigh, Kasumi held her head in a hand.  "What is it?"
     "Could you leave a six-pack of Coke out behind the shed?  It
goes really well with grubs and mice."
     Kasumi made a little 'urp' noise, her hands covering her
mouth before she nodded briskly.  Mice, grubs, and Coke.  Tofu
was NOT going to believe this one.

*****

     Are you sure this is the way we're supposed to go?" Nabiki
asked as she balanced on one foot, rubbing the other in hopes of
making the soreness go away.  She hated the rubber-soled tabi she
was forced to wear.  She longed for her expensive cross-trainers
with the special arch support.
     They had paused in a dark tunnel that seemed endless.  Only
a dim glow from an occasional flaming pot lit their way.
     "This was the only exit from that pit we fell into," Sodoshi
said in an offhand manner.
     "That YOU fell into," Nabiki corrected.  "I was pulled in."
     Sodoshi waved a hand her direction.  "Details.  Details."
     "How long have we been in here, anyway?"
     "Time has no meaning here.  To those on the outside, we
could have been in here for as long as a century."  Sodoshi
paused to examine some symbols etched into the blackened cave
wall.
     "A century?" Nabiki gasped.  Suddenly, her foot didn't hurt
so much.
     Sodoshi's wry grin betrayed her amusement.  "Or less."
     "How much less?"
     "Could be only a few seconds."  Sodoshi's broad smile told
Nabiki it was most likely the latter.  "But since you're a
mortal, I suspect time for you has remained constant."
     She hated when her clan sister teased her this way.  "You
have a mean streak, Sodoshi."
     "I'm just taking after the one I'm tasked to protect."
     "My daughter doesn't have a mean bone in her body," Nabiki
growled in protest.
     The cave rumbled and moaned, like it was reacting to a far-
away disturbance.
     "Clearly, you don't know much about her," Sodoshi replied,
her eyes roaming the rough-hewn walls in search of whatever it
was that caused the disturbance.  To her more sensitive ears, it
almost sounded like a voice shouting a warning.
     Nabiki bristled.  "What's THAT supposed to mean?"
     Sodoshi's response was cut short by a low growl that came
from the darkness ahead.  Both women froze for just a moment
before, at Sodoshi's urging, they began to slowly back down the
tunnel.  Another growl was followed by a third.  Then silence.
     "What was that?" Nabiki whispered.
     Her answer came from the darkness behind them.  It sounded
like laughter - at least, the kind of laughter one would expect
from a wild carnivorous beast, if such a creature could laugh.
The two spun around to face the largest, fur-covered beast either
had ever seen - in or out of the spirit realm.  Over seven feet
tall and almost as wide across the shoulders, it displayed
saliva-dripping teeth behind a hideous-looking smile.
     Sodoshi's sword sprang to her hand, its blade glowing bright
yellow.  Nabiki scrambled to put her clan sister between herself
and the slavering blue-eyed beast.
     The two backed up the tunnel in slow, measured steps.  All
the time, keeping their eyes on the advancing creature.  The area
flooded with the same overpowering stench Nabiki remembered from
the realm entrance.
     Nabiki's retreat was stopped when she collided with
something large and armored.  She swallowed hard and felt
tenuously with a hand.  Whatever it was, felt like she was
touching a mummy.  She gulped again and turned to look.  A
strangled scream escaped her lips as she beheld a decaying figure
dressed in full fifteen-century samurai armor.  Its lips were a
shriveled mass drawn back from rotting teeth and the skin on its
neck hung in tatters, overlapping the armor in places.  Dull
white bones showed in places, decorated with decaying muscle and
dangling veins.  Its odor was overwhelmingly of death.
     Reaching back towards Sodoshi, her hand met with no
obstruction.  Chancing a glance her friend's way brought a new
horror; the barely glowing figure of Sodoshi Tanaka, face down on
the floor with a dozen or more of the animal-like creatures
closing in.
     That was all she remembered before a blow to the back of her
head made everything go black.


Email:  sandborn@kc.rr.com

Web:  http://home.kc.rr.com/sandborn





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