Nabiki - New Horizons Chapter 19 by G.L. Sandborn Nabiki slept fitfully, her dreams - rather her nightmares - were full of rampaging Chinese Amazons and exploding buildings. Waking from one such dream, her eyes cracked open to see a face hovering over her. She tried to focus but found the lighting so bad she couldn't tell just who it was. It was certainly a familiar face. Whomever it was also smelled familiar. Her mind sluggishly sorted through all the possibilities but couldn't settle on a single name to go with the silhouette she saw. Something took hold of her hand and squeezed. Odd, that pressure felt comforting, like a warm cuddle in the night. A cuddle. Slowly, Nabiki forced her eyes open wide and the face swam into focus. "Jeffrey," she gasped, her voice hoarse. "You've had us all worried, Nabs," he answered tenderly. His other hand slowly stroked her soft brown hair. "How..." Her voice failed either from emotion or disuse. In any case, she had more to say than her words. Seeing Jeffrey there by her side was a dream come true. Her other arm slowly rose from the bed. Reaching for his face her hand clumsily brushed his muscular shoulder. The solid feel of her husband's body caused her to pause before allowing her fingers to lovingly trace a path across his back until her arm was fully around his neck. As she pulled him down into an embrace, Nabiki Tendo-Lawrence, Elder of the Cold Moon Clan, choked back the first of her tears. "Jeffrey," she whispered as she clutched him tightly to her battered body. "I've made such a mess." That was all she could muster. With shaking body, she let loose the grip on her emotions and cried. Over and over, she whispered her husband's name. Over and over, she choked back her loneliness with words that formed deep inside but broke apart on her lips. She wasn't alone anymore. Jeffrey was here. Hours later, Nabiki was ready to leave the hospital. Despite her eagerness, she endured a lecture by the doctor on what she was and was not allowed to do for the next few days. Quietly, she nodded her agreement and vowed obedience. Once in the taxi, however, she immediately began to remove the bandages around her head. "I don't think that's advisable, Nabs," Jeff said with a worried look. "You took a pretty good shot to the head." "I'm fine," she insisted unwinding the last of the gauze binding and trying to fluff out her hair. "Stupid bandage made my hair all funny. Hand me my brush." Jeff stared at her open hand for only a moment before retrieving the requested item. As he placed it in her hand, he held it just long enough to get her attention. "I'm still worried about you, Nabiki." "I said I'm fine." Nabiki scowled into the mirror she was balancing on her knees. "Why didn't the doctors let me go yesterday? I was fine then as well." "That was Kasumi's doing --" "WHAT?" Nabiki winced at the pain caused by the sudden turn of her head. "She did it at my request." Jeff's hands gently pressed his wife's shoulders back onto the seat. "I didn't want you to go home until I got there." It was clear from Nabiki's look she didn't approve. "I wasted two days in that hospital. Jeffrey, I had to share a ward with nine other people!" Jeff's voice lowered and his expression became more serious. "Unlike your little expedition, it won't kill you to lounge around in a hospital for a few days, Nabs." "But I have --" "You have nothing to do but get better. You're off the case, Nabiki." Nabiki's look hardened. "That's not fair, Jeffrey." "That's not fair?" Jeff finally had enough. "What's not fair is a wife that hasn't been home in almost a month. What's not fair is a daughter who asks the same question every night - When's Mommy coming home? What's not fair is that you insist on doing everything by yourself. What's not fair --" "I get the picture." Nabiki waved her hand in a pleading manner. Jeff's voice turned soft and his expression the same wistful look Nabiki came to love. "What's *really* not fair is I've got a wife who is putting herself in danger without me being there." Jeff paused to caress his wife's hair. "What's *really* not fair is I might lose you. You had me worried. You had me scared." Jeff's expression changed like a thought just occurred to him. "And just what possessed you to jump through a plate glass window?" Nabiki sighed and gently rubbed her forehead with her finger-tips. "I was desperate. I was trapped. The only way out was through the window." She stopped rubbing her forehead and covered her face with both hands. "I probably killed them all," she moaned. Jeff pulled her into his arms. "No, no one was killed. The government guy was probably the worst injured and he only suffered a broken arm. The police officers had only a few bruises. Pretty tough guys. They're already back at work." Jeff stroked Nabiki's head with his cheek. "You were very lucky. Considering how skillful Cologne and Shampoo are, they probably refrained from inflicting serious injuries on purpose." Nabiki nodded and cuddled closer. She missed just being in Jeff's arms where she felt so warm and safe. "Of course, someone was playing with something pretty powerful considering all the damage." Nabiki bit her lip and glanced apprehensively at her husband. "There was a huge scorch mark from the broken front window all the way into the back room." Jeff kissed the top of Nabiki's head. "You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" "Well..." Nabiki swallowed hard. "I *do* remember a bright flash of light." "Yeah, I suspect Cologne probably had a go at you for all the trouble you've caused her." "Actually..." Nabiki rubbed her nose and flashed a pained expression. "It might have been from me." Nabiki felt Jeff stiffen, his cheek no longer pressing against her head. "You're kidding." "I don't exactly know how it happened but I suddenly felt sick, like I was going to throw up, and... IT just happened." "IT? What IT just happened?" "I'm... not really sure." Nabiki pulled away just far enough to look her husband in the face without letting go. "It all happened so fast." Nabiki failed to find further words to describe what happened as the taxi pulled up to the Tendo compound. The doors of the taxi popped open. "Just from the look of what was left of the interior, that was something pretty powerful." Jeff wasn't quite ready to get out. The driver was content to keep the meter running. "I guess so." Nabiki's eyes lowered before abruptly looking up at her husband again. "But I didn't do it on purpose." "Maybe you're turning into a shadow warrior." "That's not funny, Jeffrey." "Okay, then maybe it's part of being an elder they forgot to tell you about." "There's a lot they forgot to tell me about being an elder," Nabiki grumped. "Well, just as long as you remember to not to go off on your own like that any more, I think you've learned a valuable lesson on being an elder." Nabiki sadly nodded. She'd made a mistake in the way she handled the Chinese - one she vowed would never be repeated. ***** "How is he, Brother Toyota?" asked a young monk as he waited anxiously outside the door of the monastery's guest quarters. "Resting quietly, brother," the older monk said as he stepped through the doorway into the hall and softly closed the door. "I'm troubled by his fever." "Who is he? Was there any kind of identification on him?" "Nothing. We still have no idea of his identity." "What about his wallet?" "He has no wallet." Brother Toyota paused. "You really need to spend more time in meditation, Brother Suzuki. Your continual relapse into concerns about material things troubles me." "How so, brother?" "Like the computer. I know I originally agreed with you about purchasing a computer and establishing a web site. It has proven to be a most efficient way of sharing enlightenment with the people. But sometimes I wonder if you've gone too far." "I've just been in search of other followers of Zen." "I understand, brother. A worthy endeavor. But I think you went overboard when you wanted to contact that person in Tennessee?" "Well, he talked in third person. He was so humble. He liked the Lovely Angels. I just thought he might be ..." "I told you, Elvis is dead." "I thought no one really died, Brother Toyota." The monk sighed. Brother Toyota frowned at his young companion. "In any case, your creeping materialism is most distressing." "Yeah, well, computers are expensive. It's difficult surfing the net and searching for enlightenment at the same time." "Still in search of Nerdvana I see." ***** Little Sodoshi Lawrence wandered silently toward the large wood doors at the end of the richly carpeted hall. She was hungry and smelled food cooking somewhere beyond those doors. Her grandmother, Anne Lawrence, had left her alone in the embassy play room at the other end of the hall but it was past her lunch time and she was hungry. The enticing smells of cooked food drew her like a magnet. Her father had left her in the care of his mother and the embassy staff earlier that morning. It wasn't often Anne Lawrence got to see her only grandchild and delighted as she was to see Sodoshi, the affairs of state got in the way. She needed to be somewhere for only a little while. Figuring Sodoshi would be fine in the rarely used play room, she left the child in the care of one of the younger members of the staff. When a phone call distracted the impromptu baby sitter, the hungry Sodoshi decided to take matters into her own hands and follow her nose. Sodoshi stopped at doors and listened carefully. Inside she could hear the sounds of dishes, laughter, and running water. Her father had drilled her over and over again about how important it was to consider carefully before entering a strange place. She should have waited but her hunger quickly won out over her five year old discipline. Carefully, she pushed open one of the swinging doors. Her eyes roamed over the activities in the embassy kitchen. People were scurrying this way and that, carrying clean dinnerware and wiping down the kitchen. The lunch rush having ended, the kitchen staff was winding down and looking forward to a break between serving meals. "Well, what do we have here," came a friendly voice from over by the pans. Sodoshi stood her ground and stared as a pudgy, middle-aged Japanese man wearing a cut-down version of a chef's hat approached while drying his hands on a large towel. "And who's little girl are you?" The man paused with a tilt of his head. Sodoshi's eyes darted over the rest of the kitchen staff. Some were smiling, some were looking at her questioningly, but none seemed to be all that concerned by her presence. A young lady, probably only a year or two out of high school, quietly approached Sodoshi and bent over. "Are you lost?" she said in polite Japanese. Sodoshi shook her head. The lady smiled. "Are you hungry?" Sodoshi eagerly nodded. "And you expect me to start cooking again?" The man in the chef's hat pouted with his hands on his hips. Sodoshi couldn't be certain if he was serious or not. "Hush, Satouro-san," the young lady admonished with a scowl. "You would turn away a hungry child from your kitchen?" She reached out and slowly stroked Sodoshi's long hair. "Don't listen to him. He's always such a bully." Sodoshi smiled briefly at the lady but continued to frown at the man. "Aw, you make Satouro sound like a monster," he said while waving his hands in front of him. "I like children." He leaned over towards Sodoshi and grinned impishly. "Especially in a good teriyaki sauce." Satouro's laugh set off the rest of the kitchen staff. All except for the nice lady. "Don't listen to him. He's just teasing." She gently picked up Sodoshi. Surprisingly, the girl didn't resist. Instead, she instinctively put an arm around the lady's neck. The index finger of her other hand remained fixed in her mouth as she stared at Satouro. An older lady scurried over, followed by two others to coo and make a fuss over Sodoshi. "Who is she?" "Don't know. She just wandered in." "Think she belongs to one of the other staff?" "No, I've never heard any of them having a little girl her age." "Maybe she belongs to a visitor. Her mother is probably worried sick." "I'll call the front desk," offered another young lady as she made a bee-line for the kitchen phone. Satouro, however, wasn't impressed. "All this fuss over some cleaning woman's little girl." He snorted and crossed his arms. "Come on, Satouro-san. It's time for our afternoon dart game," called one of the assistant cooks. He already had uncovered the well-used dart board and was tossing a few warm-up throws. "Yes, go play your little boys games," the young lady holding Sodoshi said with an air of importance. "This is woman's work." She ended with a gentle cuddle of the girl in her arms. Sodoshi smiled and giggled at all the attention. To an affection-starved child like her, all this female attention was better than a good meal - almost. That reminded her of food. Her frown returned as she pointed towards the grill. "She's hungry. Remember?" one of the older ladies said with a shake of her head before leaning in close. "You want a hamburger?" Sodoshi removed her finger from her mouth only long enough to crow happily: "Hai!" All the ladies giggled and the older lady hurried to restart the embassy's grill. "Don't make a mess," warned Satouro as he concentrated on his dart throwing. "Hush, Satouro-san. The child's hungry," the lady holding Sodoshi admonished with another cuddle. A little later, Sodoshi Lawrence sat happily at the counter eating a freshly cooked hamburger on a trimmed-down bun. The ladies kept coming and going, bringing her potato chips, chopped vegetables, and cups of drink. The couldn't seem to do enough for her. In the mean time, she watched the men's activity with increasing interest. As she chewed a big bite of hamburger, catchup drooling down her chin, she carefully studied the technique of each player. The dart game ended once again with Satouro's victory. As the men laughed and joked among themselves, Sodoshi took advantage of a momentary lapse in attention from the ladies to crawl down off her stool and quietly walk over to the men. "Oh Ho, Satouro. You have a new challenger," laughed one of the men. Mr Satouro looked down at the little girl who was seriously examining the pointed objects in his hand. "You play darts?" he asked like a friendly old grandfather as he held out the objects for Sodoshi's closer inspection. Sodoshi looked over the little darts with a serious frown. They certainly looked like the things her father practiced with every day - except for the plastic bits on the end. Carefully, she reached up and picked one out of Satouro's hand. "You want to try?" he asked with a friendly smile. Sodoshi nodded as everyone backed away slowly. A child with sharp objects she could throw was not to be taken lightly. Sodoshi had seen her father practice almost every day at home. She was impressed with how he could hide the little bit of metal in his hand and throw it with hardly a movement. With a serious frown of concentration, she carefully placed the dart length-wise in her hand so that it's tip extended beyond the ends of her fingers - like she'd seen her father do. Satouro frowned at the unorthodox grip. It reminded him of another dart player long ago. Sodoshi dropped into a five year-old's version of a Shinobi fighting stance, her legs perpendicular to the target, her weight on the leg farthest away, and held the dart in a hand draped lightly above and behind her head. Her other hand was held palm forward towards the target. Her face became a determined scowl. The kitchen staff exchanged nervous glances and backed a little further away. "I sure hope she at least hits the wall," one mumbled. "I just hope she doesn't hit one of us," another said a little louder as he continued to back away. Sodoshi glared at the target. You could see her breathing slowing down as her eyes narrowed. Satouro decided not to take any chances either and backed away himself. With a tiny cry, Sodoshi hopped towards the target and snapped her rear hand forward. The tiny dart wobbled unsteadily for a moment before completing its flight to the target. With a solid 'thunk' the dart embedded itself in the dart board about two thirds the way out from the center. "Not bad," Satouro chuckled as the others clapped their approval. "Not bad at all." He stroked his chin as he examined the little girl carefully. There was something disturbingly familiar about her. One of the other kitchen workers pressed a fresh dart into Sodoshi's hand and urged her to throw again. With a smile and bow, she assumed her position again, went through the pre-attack scowl and tossed a second dart. This time it stuck much closer to the center. The men exchanged excited comments as Satouro continued to try and remember where he saw that throwing style before. "Just what is your name?" he finally asked. His answer came from an exasperated voice from the kitchen door. "Sodoshi Lawrence! There you are. I've been looking all over for you." Anne Lawrence stalked into the kitchen, shaking her head and looking annoyed. "She belong to you?" Satouro-san said in English with a bow. Things were beginning to fall into place for him. "Then she must be daughter of..." "My son, Jeffrey," Anne said with a smile as she reached for Sodoshi. "And my daughter-in-law, Nabiki." She wiped Sodoshi's face with her fingers. "So messy." Sodoshi just made a face and allowed the cleaning. "Ah, now Satouro understand," he finally said in English with a wide smile as he bounced a couple of shallow bows. "Explain dart throwing style. Very unusual." "I hope she wasn't any trouble." "No. Satouro always welcome daughter of Jeffrey Lawrence in kitchen." His dart playing might have improved but his English was as bad as ever. Anne kissed her granddaughter's cheek and smiled. "Did you have fun?" Sodoshi nodded and pointed to a little knot of kitchen ladies who were cleaning up her mess. "Got hungry. Nice ladies gave me hamburger." "Forgive us for not asking first," the one who first encountered Sodoshi said with an embarrassed bow. "I hope the child is not restricted from such foods." Anne chuckled and lightly waved her fingers in front of her face. "I'm certain everything was just fine. Thank you for taking such good care of my granddaughter." She ended with a light bow. The ladies giggled together, their hands almost obscuring their faces as they looked at each other. "Say goodbye to everyone. It's time for your nap." Anne started for the door. Sodoshi, looking over her grandmother's shoulder, waved to everyone. As Mrs Lawrence disappeared, the kitchen ladies were left with a bit of a puzzle. "Sodoshi? Why on earth would anyone name their child 'Tumultuous Death'?" "Beats me. I heard Jeffrey Lawrence married a girl from some mountain clan and you know what kind of people *they* are." "Yeah. Strange." ***** "Where's Akane?" Nodoka asked as she entered the kitchen. The family had finished breakfast and she was helping Kasumi clear the dishes. "Still up in her room," Kasumi said with a sigh. "She's been that way ever since Ranma disappeared." She paused to blush towards the older woman. "Except for the time she wandered off and you found her." Nodoka smiled and chuckled softly. "Actually, she found me." "Well, in any case, she refuses to come down until Ranma is found." Kasumi looked towards the ceiling. "She's still blaming herself over his disappearance." "I know." Nodoka placed the plates she was carrying on the counter. "She told me everything." Kasumi bit her lip nervously. "She did? I hope you don't hold her responsible for all the deceptions when you came to visit in the past." Nodoka shook her head. "No, *that* I understand. She was honor bound to protect Ranma's secret. I respect that." She smiled pleasantly. Kasumi, an expert on smiles, couldn't help but admire the sincerity behind Nodoka's. "That's very kind of you to say. Akane would never do anything to betray her family name." "Good. I was hoping to hear that." Nodoka placed a hand on Kasumi's shoulder. "You've done a fine job raising your sisters. You should be proud." Kasumi shook her head. "It wasn't all my doing. I had help." "Of course, your father is a good man..." Nodoka looked towards the open engawa and scowled. "Unlike someone else I could mention." Kasumi acted like she was going to say something else, something about the *other* source of help she received over the years but hesitated. It would be too much too soon. Nodoka didn't need to know about mother just yet. Perhaps later. "If you don't mind, I'd like to go up and talk to Akane." "Certainly. You can take her something to eat as well." Kasumi dried her hands and quickly put together a small tray of food. Not too much, just enough to sustain her little sister until she felt like coming down and eating with the family. Nodoka carried the tray upstairs to the room her son, until recently, had shared with the youngest Tendo daughter. Knocking lightly on the door, she slid it open and stepped into the room. she thought while surveying the mess in the family main room. It looked like Akane hadn't cleaned in over a week. Clothes were stacked or thrown in haphazard piles mixed with old magazines and parts of newspapers. Nodoka frowned. This was no way to run a home. "Akane?" she called. She was answered by sound back in the bedroom. Curious as to why Akane failed to answer, Nodoka crept towards the door leading to the bedroom. "Akane?" "I'm in here, Auntie Nodoka," Akane said sadly from beyond the door. Nodoka paused at the closed door debating what to do next. "Can I come in?" "If you wish." Slowly Nodoka pushed open the door. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom of the darkened room, she spotted her daughter-in-law kneeling in the corner facing the wall. Nodoka stared at her, curious as to why she was in such a position. Silently, she chose to join her daughter-in-law. Setting the tray on the floor, Nodoka knelt in a seiza position near Akane. "I brought you something to eat." Akane continued to stare straight ahead. A long pause dominated the room as Nodoka considered what to do next. "Is this some sort of meditation?" she finally asked. "No." "Then... why are you kneeling in the corner?" Akane took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "When I was a little girl and couldn't control myself, my father would often place me in a corner to contemplate my failures. In time, I would understand how my actions were inappropriate and what I needed to change." "I see." "Since I..." Akane paused to sniff and bite her lip like she was trying to keep from crying again. "Since I was fortunate enough to be found by you, I've been thinking of my inappropriate actions. I've come to the conclusion that I'm not a fit wife." "Nonsense," Nodoka snorted with a shake of her head. "You're just young, that's all." Akane's head turned just enough to look at the older woman out of the corners of her eyes. "Would a good wife strike her husband and drive him away?" Nodoka stared at her knees for several seconds. "You were just upset," she whispered. "You needn't say such things for my sake." Akane turned back to the wall. "I already know the answer." "Things are not always as they appear." It was Akane's turn to snort and shake her head. "You sound like my sister." "Maybe that's because we're both older and more experienced in the ways of the world." "Things *are* as they appear - always." Nodoka sighed. "You're so wrong, Akane. Most things are never as they appear." Akane looked at Nodoka as if she were trying to determine if the woman was sincere or not. "Akane, do you believe everything you've been told about Ranma?" "I guess not." Akane hung her head as she remembered some of the wild tales she'd heard about him. "Do you believe everything you've been told about Genma... and me?" Akane didn't answer. It was true she'd accepted at face value everything she'd heard, from Ranma and others, about his parents but she couldn't understand what importance this had and how it effected her. "Akane, when you came to my home the other night, you took me into your confidence and told me things no wife should ever tell about her husband. Because of that, I feel there is a bond of trust between us. Do you understand?" Akane slowly nodded. "There are things a mother carries in her heart, unspoken things that can never be shared except with the person that marries their child." Nodoka took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I want to tell you something but you must promise me it will never leave this room." A short frown crossed Akane's face - just enough of one to prompt the older woman to tell her tale. "When I was a little girl, the Saotomes were land-owners up near Sendai. They owned large tracts of land and were considered wealthy. My family, following the new rules of the American occupation, were allowed to farm a section of that land and, if we were lucky, would be able to buy the land from the Saotomes. "Things went well for a few years but a couple of failed harvests and my family fell far into debt to them." Nodoka took a deep, ragged breath before continuing. Akane, whether she showed it or not, hung onto every word. "They had a son - a gruff bully of a boy - who terrorized everyone in the district until his grandfather took control of him. By the time he reached maturity, he'd become the heir to their method of martial arts. He was still inconsiderate and inappropriately blunt to people but no longer the bully he once was. For the most part, people tried to ignore him, figuring he'd grow out of such behavior as he aged. Mind you, he wasn't a bad person, just one who thought little beyond his martial arts. "When it came time for him to marry, my family offered me as a wife in order to settle their debt. At first, the Saotomes were resistant. I was from a poor family and marriage to their son wouldn't improve the Saotome family name. Two years passed as they tried in vain to find someone to marry their Genma. By then, the Saotome family fortune was almost gone and no longer was the male heir of their family considered a good marriage prospect. One cold winter evening, Genma's father came to our home and accepted me as his son's wife. "The wedding was forgettable and the wedding night a nightmare. For one so skilled in the martial arts, Genma was terrible in bed. Enduring sex with him was akin to rape. I hated it. I hated him but submitted because it was my duty." Akane had turned completely towards the woman now. She could see even in the dim light of the room a single moist trail streaking Nodoka's cheek. "Despite repeated attempts, I was unable to conceive a child. We consulted doctors, priests, even prostitutes attempting to find out what it was I was doing wrong. In shame, he began to take long training trips to refine his martial arts, leaving me alone for months at a time. "At first, it wasn't so bad. His parents treated me well enough and the people of the village regarded me with pity. Soon, however, the whispers began. People would look at me on the street like I was a failure of a wife. They said I'd driven my husband to take long trips to avoid me. The shame was unbearable." Nodoka drew another ragged breath and closed her eyes before plunging forward into the rest of her story. "One day, while I was shopping for something to fix for dinner, I met a vendor pushing a yatai. He was everything Genma was not. He was kind, friendly, and attentive to me. "At first, I just stopped to sample some of his cooking each afternoon. He was a most talented cook. His okonomiyaki seemed to melt in my mouth. He was married too but took little joy in his own forced marriage. "The more we talked, the stronger I felt about him. Akane, forgive me, but I was alone. I was young and pretty. My husband was gone." Nodoka choked before covering her mouth with both hands. She slowly began to rock back and forth, her eyes screwed tightly shut. "It was only one night. It was everything I ever dreamed it would be like. He was gentle. I'd never felt anything like it. I know I shouldn't have..." Akane gently took Nodoka's hand in an effort to sooth her. "When Genma returned," she choked. "He took me once again - differently, like he actually cared about me. I don't know if it was because he'd learned something on his last trip or because he'd heard rumors about me. A few months later, it was obvious I was pregnant. By spring, I'd presented him with a son, Ranma." "But why are you telling me this?" Akane whispered. "I *have* to tell somebody. It's a secret I've carried for over twenty years." Nodoka forced a painful smile. "You were so good about keeping Ranma's secret, I just know you'll keep mine." "Is Genma Ranma's father?" "I don't know." Nodoka closed her eyes again and set her jaw. "I just don't know. I made love to both men just days apart." "But --" "The point is that I know you love Ranma more than I ever loved Genma. I know how you're suffering over his absence just as I suffered when my husband was gone. But you must NEVER blame yourself. Ranma is a product of his father." Nodoka forced a painful smile. "Genma is not an evil man. He's selfish, self-centered, impulsive, driven by his desire to secure his own future but not an evil person. Since you told me about his curse, I've come to view it as something imposed upon him by the gods for is past deeds." Nodoka drew herself up so she displayed her proudest posture. "Anyway, It now falls upon the women to maintain the honor of the Saotome family name. You now share that burden with me. Together, we can assure that no one will ever question our honor - regardless of what those idiot men do." Akane hesitated only for a moment before melting into Nodoka's arms. The two women held each other, giving comfort in their loneliness as they faced the daunting task of protecting and preserving the family name of Saotome. "Now," Nodoka said as the two women separated and she wiped her face with her hands. "Let's say no more about this and go down stairs to rejoin the family." As the two women passed through Akane's main room, they paused to look outside. Nodoka wanted to check on her husband. "Auntie, how long are you going to leave him like that?" Akane asked as she surveyed the rotund Genma strung upside down from a large tree in the Tendo compound. With crossed arms and wearing a pout, he swung gently in the breeze. "Until Ranma is found, dear." Nodoka smiled. "Then I'll cut him down." "He doesn't look very happy." Nodoka shepherded Akane out into the hall. "He's not supposed to, dear." ***** "Brother Honda, we've asked you here because you're the most knowledgeable about medical matters," Brother Toyota said with a respectful bow. "Well, I was a gynecologist before I joined the priesthood." "Ah... yes... well, I know this is a little outside your expertise but would you please take a look at the person in our guest room?" "Certainly. I'm more than willing to lend a helping hand." Brother Honda reached under his robes and produced a pair of surgical gloves. Snapping them on, he smiled as the other monk opened the door for him. "Please wait out here and I'll return in a few moments." Brother Toyota watched his fellow monk enter the room and quietly closed the door behind him. "How's our mysterious visitor?" Brother Suzuki asked as he joined Brother Toyota in the hallway. He was casually leafing through a 'Zen for Dummies' book he'd purchased earlier in the week from Amazon dot com. "He's being examined by Brother Honda now." Brother Toyota leaned over to see what the young monk was reading. "You really need that book?" "Naw, I just got it for the cartoons." He held it up to show a cartoon about two space aliens discussing transcendental meditation and how it related to interdimensional space travel. The two monks spent the next half hour thumbing through the book until the door to the guest room slowly opened. "Well, how is our guest?" Brother Toyota asked idly while continuing to examine Brother Suzuki's book. "Oh, fine, I guess." Brother Honda snapped off his gloves. "Of course, I'll have to complete the pap smear before I pronounce her perfectly healthy." He held up a microscope slide to the light and smiled. "I'll say this much for her, she's a very healthy *looking* specimen." The two other monks looked at each other and blinked. "She?" they asked in unison. In a sudden rush, they tried to squeeze through the door at the same time. Inside, Brother Toyota looked carefully at the dark haired male still slowly writhing on the bed. He even went so far as hold up the blanket long enough to determine that the person in bed was indeed a male. "I think Brother Honda has been here too long." "I agree," Brother Suzuki said with a solemn nod. "What bothers me is how he did the pap smear." The two monks looked at each other for a few seconds before saying together: "Ewwwwww." Brother Honda was still in the hallway when the two other monks emerged from the guest room. "Healthy looking female, ne?" he said with a confident smile. "Uh... well, not exactly." Brother Toyota exchanged looks with Brother Suzuki. "Not exactly what?" "Brother Honda, when was the last time you had your eyes examined?" "Last month. Why?" "Well, that 'female' isn't really a female, if you know what I mean." Brother Toyota looked at the older monk with pity. "Don't be ridiculous. I examined her. How do you think I got this?" Brother Honda held up the slide. "We'd rather not know." "Oh for..." Brother Honda pushed past the other two monks and back into the guest room. Once again, a red-headed woman was nakedly sweating gloriously all over the bed. He paused to make certain 'she' had all the right equipment before shaking his head and calling in the others. "You call *that* a man?" he asked while looking at the other monks and indicating the now dark haired male with his hand. "Well, he's not as big as Brother Nakajima but he's definitely a 'he'," Brother Toyota claimed with a frown. "How do you know about Brother Nakajima?" the young monk asked. Brother Toyota frowned. "After the temple basketball tournament last month I saw him in the showers. Hung like a --" Brother Honda's shriek interrupted their conversation. They turned to see the medical monk holding his mouth and pointing to the figure in the bed. As all three watched, it turned from male to female and back again. "Well, there's something you don't see every day." "Now *there's* a guy in touch with himself. That is, if he *wanted* to touch himself." "This is way above me," Brother Honda finally said, his hands shaking. It was beginning to look like he'd picked a bad week to give up smoking. "This looks like a job for --" "No! Not *him*." Brother Suzuki gasped. "I'm afraid we have no other choice." Brother Toyota started for the door. "He's the only one who can explain what's happening here." "The man has been in meditation for years," Brother Suzuki whined. "He hasn't left his chamber for the last ten months. He doesn't eat, he doesn't drink, I heard he hasn't gone to the bathroom since the last time Japan hosted the Olympics." "Well, that's not so long. The Nagano Olympics were, what, last year?" "I meant the last time we hosted the *summer* Olympics." "Fasting will do that to you," Brother Honda said seriously. "Well, we will have to make a stop at the toilet, order a pizza, and get him a Fosters or two but he is still the only person who can solve this mystery." Brother Toyota disappeared down the hall as Brother Suzuki and Brother Honda watched their strange visitor change genders several times. "You know, I wonder if he's really a 'she' who's cursed to be a 'he' or the other way around." "Beats me." Brother Suzuki shuddered. "Gives me the willies." "You just need more meditation, brother." Brother Suzuki watched the stranger transform into a woman again and shook his head. "Either that or a girl friend." "Well, there's nothing I can do to help you there." Brother Honda paused as a thought struck him. Holding up the pap smear slide. "Wanna sniff?" Brother Toyota returned with the oldest monk in the monastery. He had to be close to 150 years old but in surprisingly good shape. "So, you say the war's over," he said between bites of his pizza. Brother Toyota handed him the one liter can of Fosters from which the aging monk took a long drink. "Damn, that's good to hear. Who won?" "The Allies." "Oh, that's fine. What do you suppose they'll do with the Kaiser now that the war is over?" Brother Suzuki exchanged dubious looks with Brother Honda. "This will never work." "Button it, junior," the elderly monk growled. "So where's the goy?" All three monks pointed to the guest room. The elderly monk gulped down the last of the pizza and took one more swig of beer before handing the can to Brother Suzuki. "Here, hold this. I'll be right back." The monk rolled up his sleeves and stumbled through the door. It was silent for a few moments before they heard him exclaim: "Holy Sister Agnes Marie!" The three remaining monks scrambled for the door only to get stuck as they all tried to enter at the same time. After some struggling, Brother Toyota finally popped free and fell face first onto the stone floor. "Gimme that beer, kid," the elderly monk growled as he snatched the oversized can out of Brother Suzuki's hands. Taking another long swig, he glared at the other monks. "You made me break my fasting and meditation for some bimbo who got herself cursed?" "It could be a 'he'," Brother Honda ventured. "Whatever!" The elderly monk dismissed the assertion with a wave of his hand before draining the last of the beer. Shoving the empty can in Suzuki's hands he growled: "Get me another, kid. And while you're at it, bring me the big red book on my top bookshelf. It's the one under the 'Kama Sutra for Dummies' book you got me last New Years." He nudged Brother Toyota and winked. "Damn fine book that one. You ought to borrow it some time. The pictures alone will keep you meditating for the better part of a year." While they were waiting, Brother Toyota filled the elderly monk in on the details of what they had discovered. "We think this person is married by the wedding band he or she wears." "It's a 'he', you doofus. That's a guy's ring," the old monk growled as he bent over and examined the patient's left hand. "Oh, okay. Then we can assume this is a 'he' cursed to be a 'she'." The elderly monk pinched Brother Toyota's cheek. "You're a bright one, you are." "So what kind of curse is it?" "A curse that turns a man into a woman, ya schmuck." The elderly monk scowled at the door. "Where is that kid with my book?" As if on cue, Brother Suzuki scurried in gasping for breath. Under his arm was a large book that looked centuries old. In his hand was a fresh can of Fosters. "I had a little trouble getting the beer," he gasped. "So where did you go for it? Australia?" the elderly monk growled as he snatched the can out of Brother Suzuki's limp hand. Popping open the lid, he took a long drink before handing it to Brother Honda to hold. He hesitated then took the can back and handed it to Brother Toyota. "Sorry, kid, but there's no telling where your hands have been." Taking the heavy red book he dropped it on the bed, pinning the writhing figure's legs under it's weight. Thumbing through the pages, he mumbled at each entry. "You didn't know this monastery used to be dedicated to a specific Zen order, did you?" "What order?" "We used to be called the Keepers Of Odd Knowledge. We gathered trivial bits of lost wisdom from all over Asia. This book is the sum of their labors." "What happened to them?" "The KOOKs? We had a kegger one night and the police raided the place. I only escaped because I was passed out in the trunk of an abandoned '37 DeSoto down by the street. Damned lonely around here after that." He tried to wet his finger several times and failed due to his age or all the fasting he'd done. So, he stomped on Brother Suzuki's foot causing the young monk to yell. Wiping his fingers on the monk's exposed moist tongue, he calmly went back to turning the pages. Brother Suzuki, holding his foot with his free hand while making sure not to spill any of the old monk's beer, frowned at Brother Toyota. "I told you getting him was a mistake." "Aw, stick it in your robe, kid. If you didn't have me, you'd be sitting around the bed in here drooling on your sandals." The old monk paused when he found the page he was looking for. "Here it is. What you kids got here is a victim of..." He leaned in close to the book. "Nyanniichuan. Wonderful, Chinese crap," he mumbled sarcastically. "What the hell is that?" Brother Toyota blurted out. "What do you think it is, baka? You got a guy here that fell into some Chinese cursed springs - probably that miserable excuse of an ancient amusement park those Chinese clowns called Jusenkyou." "A what?" "The old Chinese royals had a bunch of natural springs cursed by some wizards about 3000 years ago or there abouts. They got their jollies by throwing odd combinations of critters in to fix the curse to a particular style and then tossed in various peasants to watch them change." "That's entertainment?" "Better than TV, kid." "So what's this guy's story?" Brother Toyota asked while gulping down some of the elderly monk's Fosters. "Who knows?" The old monk shrugged and snatched the can of beer out of Brother Toyota's hands. "They closed down that loser of a park when one of the Emperors started throwing in odd combinations like... oh, a yeti riding a bull carrying a crane and eel. Real weird stuff." He took another long gulp of the beer and wiped his mouth on the back of a hand. "Got so bad there were all sorts of creatures wandering about the countryside. No one could tell who was related to who anymore. People were starving because they couldn't eat anything on account it might be somebody's brother or aunt." He nudged Brother Honda in the stomach. "You wanna fetch me some more of that pizza? It's much better than last time I went off my fast. Had to eat squid on a stick. You ever eat that garbage?" "Uh... not that I can recall." "Just as well. This 'pizza' stuff is a marked improvement." Brother Honda started to protest being dispatched just when things were getting interesting but Brother Toyota just waved him off. "Anyway, the tract of land sat idle for a couple of centuries, catching the odd passer-by, until about 200 years ago when a bunch of martial arts types thought it would make a fine place to train." "You're kidding." "Well, the upkeep on the property was killing the dynasty. Just keeping people around to chase after the poor unfortunate folks that fell in was costing them a bundle. So, when a bunch of crazy martial artists showed up wanting to buy the place, the authorities thought they'd died and gone to heaven. The clowns paid cash too." He shook his head and chuckled. "Couldn't deduct the interest on their taxes you see." "That's insane." "They were a loony group all right. Stuck a bunch of poles in the pools and practiced hopping from pole to pole while doing 'the crane' or 'the wombat' or whatever goofy style they were into." The old monk drained the can of beer and crushed it against his head. "Learned that one from Ted Kennedy. Anyway, in about fifty years or so, most of them had fallen in themselves or their students had been transformed into panda bears or yaks. The rest decided to cut their losses and the place was abandoned. Nobody in their right mind goes there anymore." "Didn't Japan have something like that too." "Now you're pissing me off, kid." The old monk scowled at Brother Suzuki. "Yeah, we had some too. But we got smart and drained them years ago. Earthquakes did the rest. Nothing left." Brother Toyota shook his head. "So what can we do for this poor soul," he said indicating the transforming figure now naked to the waist. All three of the remaining monks watched the female form jiggle a few times before reverting back to male. "Well, we could get a camera and make a movie," the old monk chuckled. "I understand Americans really go for that kind of smut." Brother Toyota frowned at Brother Suzuki before the two men shook their heads. "Naw, it would be tough to explain to the authorities." "Okay, then we could try to cure him." "You can do that?" "Donno, never tried before." "Then --" "Hey, what harm could I do?" the old monk asked with a grin. "He could get stuck half way. His wife might not approve." "Suit yourself." The old monk snapped shut his book and started for the door. "Well, we *are* supposed to help others seek the true path to enlightenment," Brother Suzuki said to Brother Toyota. With a sigh Brother Toyota nodded his agreement. "Very well. Let's at least try to help him." "That's the spirit," the old monk crowed as he rubbed his hands together and returned to the bed. "Brother Takahashi, have you ever heard of anyone curing this before?" Brother Toyota asked the old monk. "Not really. I have a relative down in Tokyo who wrote 38 chapters of a manga on the subject once." "What happened?" "She couldn't figure it out either." ***** Nodoka Saotome leaned lightly against the wall of the Tendo kitchen and listened intently to the men gathered in the living room. Nabiki's husband, Jeffrey, was leading an intensive meeting with another gaijin he called 'Jamie', the former police Inspector Abe, and two other Japanese males that looked dangerous. Kasumi scurried about fetching tea and edible things for the men. Akane and Nabiki just huddled together near the back of the kitchen and spoke in low voices. As the men began to debate the geopolitical considerations of their search for either the Chinese suspects or Ranma himself, Nodoka sighed. "This is ridiculous," she muttered while pushing herself upright. "All men do is *talk* about doing something." She intercepted Kasumi on her way to the living room with a tray of sweets. "Let me take that for you, dear." Kasumi smiled happily and relinquished the tray to 'Auntie Nodoka'. She had other things to do in the kitchen. Lunch was only a couple of hours away and with all the company she felt obligated to produce something really special. Nodoka took a deep breath as her face assumed a vacant, submissive, properly subservient wife expression before gliding into the room with the men. "More sweets, ne?" she said in a syrupy sweet voice that sounded like it should be coming from a 12 year old. Inspector Abe acknowledged Nodoka with a stoic nod and went back to listening to Jeffrey Lawrence passionately describe how necessary it was for *him* to take the initiative in seeking out his kidnapped daughter. "Excuse me," Nodoka said in a high pitched, sing-song voice. "Could I just borrow this for a moment?" She pointed to one of the survey maps open on the table. "It looks so pretty." When Inspector Abe just nodded and dismissed her with a wave of his hand, she bowed deeply several times and snatched the large map from the table. "Oh thank you, kind sir. You are most generous." With map in hand she scurried back to the kitchen. Nabiki and Akane were waiting with arms crossed and frowns gracing their faces. "Well, *that* was a thoroughly disgusting performance," Nabiki said flatly. "Yeah, I thought you were more independent than that," Akane sniffed. Nodoka just sighed. "When dealing with men who think they are in total control, you must sometimes appear to be less than you really are." She glanced back at the men and sprung a sly smile. "Besides, by the time those idiots get around to doing something, I'll be too old to enjoy my grandchildren." Akane blushed deeply at her Auntie Nodoka's remark. It didn't help that her sisters both giggled at the comment. "Come on," Nodoka took Akane's arm and waved the survey map in front of her. "Let's all go up to your apartment and make a few plans of our own." As the three other women left the kitchen, Kasumi hesitated. Looking between her initial preparations for lunch and the retreating women, she was torn between her usual domestic duties and the excitement of what Nodoka was up to. With a final sigh of resignation, she threw a towel over her chopped vegetables, wadded up her apron and followed Nodoka. "Excuse me, daughter," Soun leaned away from the table and gestured with a free hand. "Could you fetch us some more tea?" "Not now, I'm busy." Kasumi never broke her stride as she hurried after the others. Soun blinked several times in stunned amazement before slowly rolling over onto his back, Kasumi's words still ringing in his head. "But... I want my tea," he blubbered softly. Up in Akane's apartment, Nodoka spread the survey map over the table in the living room. Akane opened the curtain that covered the sliding glass door to the deck to let more light into the room. Nabiki and Kasumi pushed aside some of their sister's mess and made room for themselves at the table. "Alright," Nodoka said while leaning over the table and studying the map carefully. "We're here." Her finger tapped a blue 'x' that covered the Tendo neighborhood on the map. "And Nabiki caught up with the Amazons here." All looked at a red 'x' over a place down by the harbor. "Now, I understand the police searched the Amazon hiding place before the trouble began." Nabiki nodded and frowned at the map. She felt a pang of guilt about the mention of her disastrous expedition. "Only the two female members of the group were present, correct?" Nabiki nodded again. She wished Nodoka would hurry up and move on. She didn't particularly like having to rehash this debacle in front of family. "And they didn't find any sign of my son." "... or Mousse." Nabiki exhaled hard and crossed her arms before leaning heavily on the table. "From the way Cologne and Shampoo acted, I believe they were as surprised to find Ranma gone as the police were. I'm certain where ever Mousse and Ranma are, they're together." "Fine. Then we don't have to locate the two females, only Ranma. I think it's safe to assume that he's with this... Mousse person." Nodoka bit her lip and glanced between the three other women in the room. "If you wanted to hide, where would you go?" Kasumi scowled at the table before looking at Nodoka. "Well, if I were trying to hide just myself, I'd hide in a big city. It's easier to get lost hiding among thousands of people who look like me." "True," Nodoka slid her index finger thoughtfully across her chin. "But we're dealing with an obvious Chinese male and his captive. I'm assuming my son would not willingly go with them." "Of course not!" Akane gasped. Only the hands of her two sisters kept her from leaping to her feet in protest. "I was just suggesting we now need to look for a way of moving Ranma around the country without attracting any undue attention. As I doubt this Mousse person can operate a vehicle, he would naturally need to have some simple transport for his captive." Nodoka tried a painful smile on Akane in hopes it would calm her down. It seemed to work because the girl relaxed enough for Kasumi and Nabiki to release their grip. The look on the girl's face however warned Nodoka she was getting too close to a sensitive topic. "Perhaps a cart of some sort," Kasumi offered hopefully. Nodoka nodded as she tore her eyes away from Akane and refocused on the task at hand. "Yes, that would be logical. And since he would not want to be around many people, I'd suspect he'd head out of town into the countryside. Less chance of being caught by a Tokyo policeman, you see." All agreed with Nodoka and leaned over the map trying to figure out how Mousse would get himself and a cart containing Ranma out of the city. Several potential routes were plotted and rejected, mostly because they'd pass through too many shopping areas where a person pushing a cart would be obvious or because they'd involve too many uphill stretches. Only one route seemed plausible. Ironically enough, it took the fugitive and his cart right past the Tendo home. Akane did not take this news at all well. This time, her sisters weren't fast enough. Leaping to her feet, Akane bolted for the door, evading Kasumi's grasp and sidestepping Nabiki's attempted open-field tackle. Only Nodoka was able to get a hand on the girl. Akane spun around in her mother-in-law's grasp, her eyes blazing. "Let go of me," Akane growled venomously. "Don't give in to your anger, Akane. It won't help Ranma. Remember what we talked about." Akane responded only with a martial arts move that was so fast and powerful that Nodoka had only time for a short cry of alarm before she felt herself tumbling backwards, colliding with Kasumi before they both ended in a tangled heap on the floor. Akane was beyond words now, her anger recapturing her reason and plunging her headlong into hasty action. Only Nabiki stood a chance of stopping her. Nabiki, untrained in martial arts, made the mistake of grabbing her sister's arm. Akane quickly bound her sister's arm with her own, pinning Nabiki's hand with her armpit and snapped her other hand forward, grasping Nabiki's throat painfully in a vice-like grip. "Akane!" Nabiki croaked as she felt her windpipe constrict from her sister's grip. With a look of pure panic, she frantically grabbed at Akane's hand. Akane's expression changed only slightly. She still looked frighteningly out of control, like homicide of her own sister in pursuit of her husband was not out of the question, but her eyes softened as if some spark of control still existed. Instead of crushing Nabiki's throat, she hooked a foot behind Nabiki's legs and shoved her over onto her back. Nabiki's body painfully bounced off the tatami-matted floor while she clutched at her damaged throat with both hands. In a heart beat, Akane disappeared out the door. Like a ghost or a trained Shinobi shadow warrior, she vanished from the Tendo residence before the three women could recover. Only Kasumi could follow for any distance but she ended her pursuit at the open front door. Akane was nowhere to be seen. "Daughter? Is there something wrong?" Soun asked as he poked his head into the front hall. "No father. I just thought I heard something, that's all." "Oh. Then would you get us some more tea?" "Get it yourself. I'm busy." Kasumi scowled at her father in a manner that suggested she meant it. "Yes.... I... suppose that would be best," he said after a hard swallow. "Yes, it would," Kasumi growled as she stomped back up the stairs. "Must be that time of month," Soun mumbled as he shook his head and started for the kitchen. "Better mark it on my calendar so I know when to watch my step around her." Despondent, Kasumi returned to Akane's living room. Nodoka was holding Nabiki's head in her lap while slowly stroking the gasping girl's forehead. "Is she going to be alright?" Kasumi asked as she quietly shut the door again. "Yes, but she's going to be badly bruised tomorrow." "What made Akane do that?" Kasumi dropped to her knees next to her sister, her face screwed into a mask of disbelief. "I've never seen her so possessed." Nodoka sighed. "She still blames herself for Ranma's disappearance. I thought our talk earlier today had some effect but I guess not. I'm afraid until Ranma is found she's going to be this way." "We have to find her before she does something to hurt herself." "I agree but we also have to follow our plan for finding Ranma. Time is of the essence." Nabiki took Nodoka's hand and painfully pushed it aside as she tried to sit up. "I'll go after her. You two find Ranma." Nabiki tried to get to her feet. "Are you sure that's wise?" Nodoka asked as she helped Nabiki stand. "After all, she could have killed you here." "Could have - but didn't," Nabiki answered running a hand through her hair. "I saw something in her eyes just before she tripped me. She's scared. I've only seen that look one time before,..." Nabiki looked at Kasumi. "...the night mother died." Kasumi gasped and covered her mouth in surprise. Slowly, her hands slipped downward until they were clutching the front of her house dress. "Of course. I remember now. She was so terrified of being alone that night." Kasumi glanced at Nabiki before frowning at the floor. "After that night, she wouldn't sleep alone. I had to sleep with her for two years until she would even go into her own room without someone being there with her." "She never allowed herself to become attached to anyone else all these years." Nabiki placed a hand on Nodoka's shoulder. "Then Ranma came along." "When she finally accepted him, it was the first time she had allowed *anyone* to get that close to her." Kasumi took a deep breath and sighed. "She didn't blame herself for Mother's death but I fear that after allowing Ranma to get that close to her and driving him away like she did..." She shook her head. "That would explain why she wouldn't let me leave the room the night she stumbled into my home," Nodoka said with a knowing nod. "She's teetering between rational fear and..." Nabiki swallowed hard. "... and something much worse. That's why I have to find her. If she was going to hurt me, she would have done it here." "But why you?" Nodoka asked. "Because of who I *don't* represent. Kasumi is too close to Mother and you..." Nabiki ended with an exasperated gesture. "I'm Ranma's mother, her mother-in-law." Nodoka shook her head at the floor. "You're right, of course. You are the only one she doesn't associate with her mother *or* Ranma. Very well, Kasumi and I will follow our original plan while you try to find your sister." "Auntie, why don't we just give what we've discovered to the men and let them find Ranma?" Kasumi asked with her head cocked slightly. Nodoka sighed heavily. "They won't listen to us, dear. Men always think they have all the answers. They posture and pontificate but are really only good at procrastination. No, if we want anything done, we women have to do it." "Come on." Kasumi took her sister's arm as they left the room. "I've got some herbs down stairs that Tofu gave me for a sore throat. It'll help you swallow." She glanced at Nodoka. "Anyway, I have to get father his tea. If I allow him in the kitchen too long, he'll just make a mess." "Typical," Nodoka said sarcastically. ***** "You must learn to breathe properly," Brother Kawasaki said sternly. "Seek your inner self, my son." "It's so difficult, sensi." "Concentrate." "How can I concentrate when I don't even know who I am?" "That will pass, my son. Brother Takahashi assures me that your amnesia only is temporary." "But what if it's not?" "Never neglect that what is by fearing that what is not." Brother Kawasaki repositioned himself next to the young, dark haired male and assumed a matching meditation position. "We will begin again." Issuing a pair of low, throaty hums, the two once again began their meditation.