[Ranma][Fanfic] Nabiki-New Horizons Chapter 9

[G.L. Sandborn]

Nabiki - New Horizons
Part 9 - The Shinobi Strike Back
By G.L. Sandborn

The next morning came too soon for nearly everyone. Sodoshi,
who was keeping to her own schedule, and the fathers who slept like
two drunks, were the only exceptions. Nabiki and Jeff wandered down
for breakfast, carrying a wide awake and energetic Sodoshi, who just
wanted to play with anything she could see or reach. Nabiki kept
reining in her daughter's enthusiasm while fighting off Sodoshi's
apparent attempts to go back to breast feeding. It was typical
Nabiki/Sodoshi interaction; Sodoshi seeing what she could get away
with and Nabiki grumpily denying her daughter any fun.
Akane finally staggered down still dressed in her night clothes,
her hair a mess, her eyes all blood-shot. Obviously, listening to
Sodoshi all night had taken its toll on her 'beauty sleep'.
The family joined the coffee-sipping Soun at the table, to the
sounds of Ranma and his father 'working out' on the lawn outside.
Jeff stared at the pair as they dodged, struck, and weaved all over
the grass around the koi pond.
"Do they do this *every* morning?" Jeff yawned over the sound of
a body striking the side of the house.
"Yup." Akane stifled a yawn of her own. "Every morning." She
stared at the highly animated Sodoshi. "Does Sodoshi cry like that
every night?"
"Yup. Every night."
<It's going to be a looooong visit,> Akane thought as her head
slowly impacted the table.
Kasumi was scurrying about the kitchen, preparing breakfast but
doing so while being unusually quiet. She looked only marginally
better than her little sister; her eyes red and her dress... well,
not her usual, neat and orderly appearance. Obviously, Sodoshi had
an effect on her as well. Still, there were parts of her manner that
suggested she was more upset than tired.
Ever since her American relatives arrived, Kasumi had noticed
things about Nabiki - things that didn't seem right for a new mother.
She had tried to dismiss them as just her imagination but every time
she was able to convince herself of that, Nabiki would do something
else that started Kasumi thinking again.
Nabiki had obviously stopped breast feeding. The endless stream
of bottles and formula clearly confirmed that assertion. Still, this
alone wasn't sufficient for Kasumi to brand her sister a poor mother.
A lot of Japanese women had refused to breast feed their babies.
Considering Nabiki's initial reaction to the issue, it wasn't all
that surprising.
But Kasumi had also noticed that Nabiki refused to sleep with
her infant daughter. And *that* was most damning as a Japanese
mother. She tried to rationalize that Nabiki lived in America now
and they do things differently there. But she kept coming back to
the same arguments over and over again - Nabiki was Japanese; born
and raised Japanese. She had no excuse for not bringing her daughter
into her bed unless she and Jeff had been.... Kasumi shook her head
to banish the thought that Jeff and Nabiki had confined Sodoshi to
exile for the sake of their own personal pleasure. She couldn't
believe - she didn't want to believe - that Nabiki was not the kind
of mother Kasumi had hoped she would be. Besides, there was a more
immediate problem she felt needed to be addressed.
Nabiki noticed Kasumi's preoccupation and jumped to a conclusion
about why - Sodoshi's sleeplessness at night. Feeling confident she
had her sister fooled about her real level of mothering experience,
Nabiki decided to confront the issue head on - like she thought an
experienced mother would.
After breakfast, Nabiki wandered in to have a talk with Kasumi
in the kitchen. Still carrying Sodoshi, figuring the baby would
deflect any anger Kasumi might have - just in case. At first, it
seemed to work as they talked quietly about Sodoshi and her sleeping
habits. Nabiki could tell her sister was upset about something
specific in relation to Sodoshi but refused to get to the point.
Finally, Nabiki came right out and asked Kasumi what she was upset
about.
"I know things are different in America..." Kasumi started
before losing track of exactly how she wanted to say what was on her
mind.
Nabiki, feeling her conclusion about Sodoshi's crying last night
was correct, shifted her daughter to her other hip and fidgeted
nervously. Deep down, she feared this discussion was going to go
further than just Sodoshi's sleeping habits. It might actually reach
all the way to Nabiki herself.
"I know you're young and..." Kasumi seemed to run out of gas
again.
"I'm sorry about Sodoshi." Nabiki decided to take the lead in
the discussion as she cast worried looks between her baby and Kasumi.
She didn't want this to happen. She didn't want the confrontation
with her sister. She certainly didn't need the aggravation.
"I'm talking about some common courtesy for others." Kasumi
shifted her position nervously, her eyes only occasionally catching
on her sister. She didn't want to have this conversation either but
after spending the entire morning cleaning, felt it was an important
subject that needed to be discussed.
"I'll try to keep her quiet at night, Oneechan," Nabiki softly
suggested, hoping it would satisfy her older sister and advert the
coming crisis.
"What are you talking about?" Kasumi blinked in surprise at her
sister.
"Apparently not the same thing *you're* talking about." Nabiki
looked confused as she sheepishly set her daughter on the nearby
counter and fussed with her little shirt. Whatever Kasumi was
getting at had nothing to do with Nabiki's mothering skills. That
was good enough for Nabiki.
"Nabiki, I'm talking about you... and Jeffrey... and the furo...
last night." Kasumi practically whispered the last. "Now, I know
you've become more American since your marriage but you must
understand that such things are simply not done in such a... communal
place."
Nabiki's look went from confusion to incredulous as it dawned on
her what Kasumi was talking about. Somehow, Kasumi had been spying
on her and Jeff last night. Quickly, she recalled all the times she
'spied' on others. There were the times she spied on Ranma and
Akane, on Ranma and Ukyou, on Ranma and Shampoo, on... well, she
figured that Kasumi must have planned her activities if she saw what
she claimed to have seen. Things like that don't happen by accident,
you know. Nabiki's eyes narrowed as she scrutinized her embarrassed
looking older sister.
"Jealous?" she finally asked lightly, more for a reaction than
to answer her sister. Deep down, she was still relieved that Kasumi
wasn't complaining about her mothering skills.
"Wha... What do you mean?" Kasumi stammered, her face bright red
with a blush, her eyes darting between the floor and her sister's
smirking face. This whole conversation had taken a decidedly
unpleasant direction.
"What can I say? Jeff's good." Nabiki shrugged her shoulders
and slipped back into her typical expression. There was no denying
it. Kasumi caught Nabiki and Jeff's little 'act' in the furo late
last night - it was nothing unusual... for them. It was just
something so outside of Kasumi's level of thinking that it truly
troubled the poor girl.
"Nabiki!" Kasumi hissed. "In *our* furo?"
*That* comment almost caused Nabiki to lose her composure. It
was getting hard to keep from laughing.
"I see what you mean." Nabiki faked a pensive look as she
stifled a chuckle and flashed her famous 'look'. She couldn't
believe the opening her sister left her. Either Kasumi was really
flustered or didn't want this subject voiced out loud. Whatever the
case, this was going to be more fun than she'd had in a long time.
"You're right, of course. We *have* been rather selfish and
self-centered. I'll tell you what I'll do to make it up to you.
Next time, we'll let you know beforehand and you can join us." She
grinned at her mortified looking sister. Just watching Kasumi's
reactions was more than worth the time.
"You can take notes if you want. No charge." She practically
lost her calm composure at the look on Kasumi's face when she said
*that*. "It'll come in handy. You have a boyfriend, don't you?" It
was *really* getting hard to keep a straight face.
"Well... well..." Kasumi fumbled for her words. Her hands were
fidgeting nervously with the hem of her, ever present, apron as she
looked bug-eyed at the floor. Nabiki was pushing buttons she'd never
tried before and THAT was turning out to be more fun than she ever
imagined. "Well, not everyone thinks... *that* is something done
outside the bedroom!" Kasumi hissed before stomping out of the
kitchen.
Nabiki lost control at that point and collapsed onto the counter
giggling and holding her daughter. <I can't believe this. What till
I tell Jeff.>
Her mirth was interrupted by a clearly upset Kasumi reentering
the kitchen.
"And don't you dare tell Jeffrey about this." Kasumi warned
before departing again to start her morning cleaning routine out in
the dojo.
That just launched Nabiki into another round of uncontrollable
giggling. She was laughing so hard, she was crying.
"So-chan, we've *got* to tell Jeffrey about this." She hugged
her incredulous looking daughter. Nabiki didn't spend much time
laughing and holding her daughter - it was a new experience for her.
Sodoshi was more used to a grumpy mother who had a really good grasp
of the word: 'NO'. Quietly, Sodoshi gummed her little thumb and
stared at her giggling mother - quite unsure just what to make of it
all.
Nabiki's reverie was temporarily interrupted by her little
sister who wanted to know what was so funny. Nabiki just laughed
harder and told her to go ask Kasumi. As a confused looking Akane
left the kitchen, Nabiki spasmed through even more laughter as she
thought of Kasumi trying to either explain to or evade Akane. Either
way, it was going to be a hoot and Nabiki was determined to be there
when it happened. There would be time later to share the 'furo
incident' with Akane.
She breezed through the main room and handed Sodoshi to Jeff.
Noting that there was something she simply *had* to do, Nabiki
disappeared the same direction as Kasumi and Akane.
As usual, Jeff didn't have a clue as to what was going on but
felt sure he better do what he was told anyway. Besides, Nabiki was
giggling the whole time. If nothing else, it was good to see her
laughing again.
He and Sodoshi were playing softly, when a wet Genma-panda came
waddling into the room and plopped down at the table between Soun,
who was still reading his morning paper and sipping the last of his
coffee, and Jeff, who was struggling with a more animated than usual
daughter.
"Ranma got you again, huh?" Jeff noted with raised eyebrows.
The panda just rumbled some kind of response and settled in,
staring at the far wall.
To Sodoshi, this was the neatest thing she'd ever seen. She
couldn't take her eyes off of the over-sized and furry, black and
white creature only a baby arms-length away. As she kept reaching
for the large fuzzy object, Jeff figured he would just have some fun
of his own and set her on the floor within easy reach of Genma-panda's
large posterior.
Jeff remembered when he wanted to get a dog back in Hawaii. His
mother cautioned against doing so as babies and dogs didn't always
mix - babies having the annoying habit of grabbing great, whopping
handfuls of fur and pulling. The usual result was a fleeing dog and
a bitten child. Jeff figured the human acting (well, most of the
time, anyway) Genma-panda was the perfect critter for his daughter.
Besides, he owed Genma for all the 'Saotome money-making scams' he
was forced to endure over the last year.
The first sign of success came as Genma-panda made a little
'woof' sound and sat bolt upright. Jeff and Soun turned to see
Sodoshi with two handfuls of fur attempting to pull herself upright.
The pair watched, first in amused fascination and later in awe, as
Sodoshi pulled herself, first to her knees, then, with a mighty tug
with both hands, to her feet. Jeff just stared, mouth open and eyes
wide, as Sodoshi, obviously pleased with herself, tried to hop up and
down using handfuls of Genma's fur for support. The panda whimpered
aloud again.
"Hush, my friend. My granddaughter has just reached another
milestone." Soun started to blubber as he set down his newspaper.
Watching his granddaughter stand for the first time was a most
emotional experience for him.
Jeff, too, was astounded by her feat. He expected her just to
lay on her stomach and annoy the rotund panda, not climb him. After
all, she had just learned to sit up by herself. This standing
business was a total surprise. Both men abruptly clapped their
approval, while Sodoshi, a mischievous grin on her face, squealed
with delight and tugged on Genma's fur like she was going to climb
all the way up his back.
"Look at that," Soun said proudly. "She has no fear of going
even higher. She must be shinobi."
"Well, shinobi *and* Tendo," Jeff added.
"Quite so." Soun's smile told Jeff of a grandfather's pride.
Genma, on the other hand, just kept whimpering and holding up
signs that said: 'Ouch!' 'Pain!' 'Enough, already!'.
Reluctantly, Jeff retrieved his daughter, who promptly threw a
fit at having her giant panda taken away - crying and grabbing for
her new 'toy'. Genma, unwilling to be mauled a second time, beat a
hasty retreat to the bath, only to discover it empty and drained.
Panda paws being totally unsuited to the process of manipulating hot
water faucets, Genma reluctantly waddled back into the room with Soun
and Jeff to seek help. Soun just stared at the request while Jeff
struggled with the squirming Sodoshi; still trying to reach her panda
'toy' once again.
"I'll help, Mr. Saotome," Jeff finally chuckled. "But it's
gonna cost ya."
Genma held up a sign that said: 'No Money.'
"Nope. Don't need money." Jeff grinned conspiratorially. "One
piggy back ride for Sodoshi."
Genma cast a silent pleading look at his friend only to have
confirmed that Soun thought Jeffrey's idea was a good one; besides,
he was enjoying watching Genma squirm. Convinced that Jeffrey and
Nabiki deserved each other, Genma-panda let out a reluctant 'woof' of
resignation and dropped to all fours to await his torture. All the
time, thinking how embarrassing this was for such a trained martial
artist to be reduced to giving 'piggy back' rides.
Jeff set the highly animated Sodoshi on the panda's broad back
and watched as she grabbed handfuls of fur to hang on - absolutely
thrilled with her situation.
"You know, father-in-law," Jeff sat back pensively. "The next
thing she'll want is a pony."
Soun just nodded knowingly. He remembered both Nabiki and Akane
went through the 'pony' stage somewhere around age 7 or 8. Unlike
his new son-in-law, the best he was able to do was the mechanical
riding horse on top of a local department store. He smiled to
himself as he thought how, at least, his granddaughter would have all
the things he was unable to provide for his own daughters. Such are
the dreams of grandfathers.
With a grump, Genma-panda began his lumbering 'ride' as little
Sodoshi clung to his back squealing with delight.
Outside the open engawa, Kasumi staggered past repeatedly
telling the trailing Akane: 'NO!'.
"Aw, come on Oneechan," Akane begged as she pursued her big
sister - clearly enjoying the 'game'. "What were you and Nabiki
talking about?"
"No, I won't tell you." Kasumi scurried away, totally
flustered. "You're too young."
As Akane followed, the pair were trailed by a still giggling
Nabiki. If nothing else, she was having the time of her life with
this visit.
As the trio disappeared around the corner of the building, only
the occasional Kasumi's loud 'NO' being heard. Jeff and Soun looked
at each other in amused confusion. Whatever was happening, was more
'life' than the old home had seen since Nabiki moved out. Seconds
later, Kasumi reappeared going in the opposite direction, still
protesting Akane's questions and still retreating around the building
with a loudly laughing Nabiki trailing. All things considered, this
had not been the best morning for Kasumi.

Kasumi's day took a turn for the better when a messenger arrived
around noon. It was Mrs. Suzuki, again acting as an official 'go-between'
and bearing an invitation from Officer Kenji Watanabe for an
early dinner that afternoon. Nervously, Kasumi accepted - still
flustered at her two sisters and quite apprehensive about her first
'date'. Still, Officer Watanabe was the first to show such interest
in her and she wasn't getting any younger. Besides, a policeman in
the family wouldn't be so bad. At least, he had steady work and
would be a good provider.

***** 1 *****

In a cave, not far from Nerima, Fukoono the renegade elder was
listening to reports from his latest attempts to start a 'shinobi
war'. Things were not going well - especially the key part.
"What of the child?" His voice boomed from the darkness. The
rag-tag band of shadow warriors that chose to follow him cringed at
the sound of his voice. He had chosen not too wisely nor too well.
Many who followed him were the misfits, the low skilled, and the weak
of mind.
There was also the issue of Fukoono's increasing bouts of
madness. Where once dwelled a mind as sharp as any within the
shinobi hierarchy, now resided only a dark fanaticism. His dementia
demanded the lives of Jeff, Nabiki, and especially Sodoshi Lawrence -
but NOT right away. He needed them first.
To him, Sodoshi was the key to everything. She, more than any
other, would guarantee either Jeff or Nabiki would come to him - on
his terms. She was an only child, an easily abducted infant, and the
last of the Clan of the Cold Moon line. Yes, he still hated the Clan
of the Cold Moon - still convinced that Nabiki Tendo-Lawrence found
more in the monk's cave than a worthless scroll read only by a now
dead clan woman. She knew the secrets of the cave alright. And she
passed those secrets on to her gaijin husband who, that idiot Sato,
mistakenly made a member of Fukoono's own clan.
The whole thing was a plot, you see? A plot to destroy their
clan - their people. A plot hatched by evil outsiders like Jeff and
a rival clan led by Nabiki. His foolish clan brothers didn't see the
danger but *he* did. He saw the despicable Jeff Lawrence, now armed
with the unstoppable power of the cave secrets and backed by a
vengeful Cold Moon clan, making clan after clan cower and bow to
*him* - a gaijin - a despicable gaijin. Fukoono saw himself as the
only possible savior of his people - the man who would protect his
people from being stabbed in the back by fools like his brother
elders, the misguided Master Sato, and especially that evil gaijin -
Jeff Lawrence.
His plan was simple. Abduct a member of the Lawrence family.
Use that member as bait to lure either Jeff or Nabiki to his cave
where he would brutally extract the cave secrets from them. With
such in his possession, he could take his rightful place at the head
of all the shinobi and return his people to the power and prestige
they once enjoyed so many years ago - after disposing of the
remaining Lawrence family members, of course.
Naturally, he did not fear the secrets being used against him.
As both a master shadow warrior and an elder, Fukoono felt more than
confident of his own safety - knowing full well that his magic was
always strongest in his own lair. He was certain that he could
prevail once the quarry was enticed into his trap. Still, there was
a little matter of the bait.
"Why have you not brought me the child?"
There was much exchanging of looks among the gathered as each
silently challenged the other to answer to their master. They only
had bad news for him and each understood fully what the master's
reaction was to bad news.
"Master," one, braver than the others, answered in a hesitant
voice. "We have tried but our agents have been no match for the
other clans who have swarmed to the defense of our intended victims."
"Fools!" Fukoono screamed. "Have you idiots forgotten our
ways? I know full well the layers of protection that surround
Jeffrey Lawrence and his family. I also know of your childish
attempts to penetrate that protection. Have you all forgotten the
ways of guile and deception?"
There was much shuffling of feet as the gathered contemplated
their failures. Such failures had already cost them nearly half
their number - among them the best the new clan had.
"This is all that idiot Sato's doing," Fukoono muttered.
"Perhaps we should deal with Sato first."
The gathered warriors seemed to gasp in unison at the thought of
going up against such a formidable opponent.
"Cowards! I have cowards for warriors!"
"But master, harming Sato will not get us the child. The other
clans would not abandon their protection of Lawrence-san to help a
chunin of another clan."
"Perhaps, but it would make *me* feel better," Fukoono almost
sounded rational as he pondered the problem. "Maybe a strike at
Jeffrey's parents..."
"We can not do that, master," the spokesman protested. He was
clearly becoming bolder in the face of Fukoono's potential wrath.
"His parents are protected representatives of a foreign government.
To harm them..."
"I did not suggest harm, fool."
"We have already tried to abduct his mother..."
"And...?!?"
"She cornered our agent in the pantry and beat him into
submission with a can of peas."
Fukoono groaned audibly.
"Or was it succotash?"
"Idiots!"
"She is most skilled in the way of our people, master. She was
able to detect our agent and use such simple weapons in his
capture..." The spokesman's voice trailed off as he got the feeling
all was not right with his master. He was fatally correct.
Without warning, a bolt of crimson lightning creased the
darkness and seemed to engulf the spokesman, his body snatched from
the floor and jerking like a rag doll, his cries rising in pitch and
volume until all in the cave had to hold their ears against the
unearthly din. As abruptly as it began, it was over. The victim's
smoking body dropped to the polished cave floor like a bag of old
laundry. The remaining warriors swallowed hard and stepped away from
the still sizzling carcass.
"Now," Fukoono sounded tired and almost rational. "Follow them.
Pursue them. Use your skills and your heads. They will make a
mistake. They will leave the child unguarded." His voice suddenly
switched from grandfatherly to pure evil. All shuddered at his last
pronouncement. "Do not return without that child."

***** 2 *****

Kasumi patiently waited outside the agreed upon restaurant,
nervously checking and re-checking every detail of her appearance.
She wanted to make the best impression on her new suitor, such things
being most important in this situation. Deep down, she was excited
and a little sad. She had expected and secretly hoped that her first
real date would be with someone else - someone she knew much better
than this relative newcomer.
"Kasumi?"
Kasumi turned in surprise, her hand going instinctively to her
mouth.
"Oh, you startled me."
"I'm sorry. You certainly look nice this afternoon." Officer
Kenji Watanabe, dressed in his uniform for work, calmly approached
with a friendly smile. Kasumi couldn't help but notice how dashing
he looked in his policeman's uniform, complete with white gloves.
"Thank you." Kasumi blushed a little at someone taking notice
of *her* looks. She always considered herself a person of simple
means and needs, not someone who needed to look 'just right' all the
time for others. Still, it *was* nice to be noticed for a change.
"You'll have to forgive me for scheduling this so early. I go
on duty at 7 PM and really wanted to see you this week."
"How sweet."
"Shall we go in?" He held the door for her and smiled fully as
she glided past, the sound of her nylons and ruffle of her dress
sending pleasurable vibrations through his body.
Kasumi had spent several hours thinking of just what to wear,
how 'formal' to dress and what accessories to use. She even borrowed
some of Akane's new perfume, as she had none of her own. She was a
little worried about the effect such would have on her gentleman
friend, worried it might stimulate him improperly. Above all else,
she didn't want him 'over-stimulated'. She'd had enough of that this
morning with Nabiki.
Dinner was delicious, more so for Kasumi as she didn't have to
clean up afterwards, and the conversation limited. Both were content
to simply allow themselves to become accustomed to the presence of
each other. Kasumi kept catching Kenji's eyes and quickly turning
away, blushing. All through dinner she was thinking how handsome he
was and how polite he acted towards her. In many ways, he was so
much like the kind of person she hoped to marry. Slowly, the thought
of any rivals to this new suitor began to fade.
After dinner, they sipped tea and had a few moments to discuss
things.
"Do you like being a policeman?" Kasumi looked at him with the
half-open eyes she'd seen used in movies and magazines to make
herself look more... Western and alluring. It really wasn't
necessary as Officer Watanabe seemed to melt every time he caught her
looking his way.
"Police work is very important to the welfare of our community."
He sounded like a public relations brochure. "It is a difficult but
satisfying job."
Kasumi watched him closely as he talked and noticed small things
about his mannerisms that told her much about his character. The way
his eyes lit up when he talked about his work. The eagerness in his
voice. The way his hands clenched as he described the thrill of
chasing some miscreant. She smiled to herself, thinking how lucky
she was to have met him.
"Tell me, Kasumi," he asked, almost in passing. "Does your
family own all the land inside the walls?"
"Yes, it's been in our family for generations. Until mother
died, we ran a martial arts training school in the dojo out back."
Kasumi paused to scowl slightly at her tea as memories of her mother
passed. She really missed her mother - more so now that she was
officially dating.
"You *are* the oldest daughter, are you not?" Officer Watanabe
seemed to lean forward slightly with that question. It made Kasumi a
bit uncomfortable.
"Hai," she answered softly, barely above a whisper. "But my
sister and her..." She paused trying to fit together exactly how to
describe Ranma. "...fiance will, most likely, inherit the family
home and dojo." Kasumi paused again, this time to consider something
new. Something that made her scowl slightly. Something she had
never considered before.
She was the eldest daughter. As such, she would be the logical
person to inherit her family's possessions, providing she had a
husband who wouldn't mind changing his name. This put a whole new
light on the subject of courtship. Could Kenji Watanabe be
interested in her only because of what she could financially bring to
the marriage?
She looked at Officer Watanabe with a more critical eye but saw
only his genuine looking smile and open expression. He looked, for
all the world, like someone who was keenly interested in Kasumi and
only Kasumi. Quietly, Kasumi chastised herself for thinking such
things and dismissed all thoughts that this new suitor was less than
he appeared.
The rest of their dinner seemed to pass quickly. Officer
Watanabe shied away from any further questions about Kasumi's
inheritance or dowry and Kasumi actually relaxed in the company of
someone who treated her like she wanted to be treated.
At 6:30, they reluctantly ended their first date outside the
restaurant - no kiss, no hug, not even a handshake. Kasumi was
determined things would progress in accordance to traditional
courtship rules, regardless of her attraction to the handsome Officer
Watanabe.
As each left, their thoughts took radically different
directions.
Kasumi repeatedly reviewed the date in her mind, looking for
every scrap of detail that would help her in coming to a decision
about her young suitor. He was old enough - certainly older than
herself; a decided plus. He was good looking - this caused Kasumi to
blush as the 'furo' scene quickly replayed itself in her head, only
this time with different actors. She quickly shook her head and
chastised herself again for holding such thoughts in public. Further
along, she pondered the most significant piece of evidence she
currently had - he treated her with much respect and great kindness.
While this could be due to his desire to make a good impression,
Kasumi dismissed such as being unfair. He was supposed to be trying
to make a good impression. Only with time will she be able to
determine just how much is an act for her benefit. Satisfied she had
plenty of time to come to a decision, Kasumi happily strolled home
through the gathering dusk.
Officer Watanabe arrived at his assigned koban just in time to
start his shift. One of the sergeants kidded him about not arriving
any earlier than necessary and how such was the prerogative of a more
experienced officer. Watanabe endured his 'superiors', figuring it
was wise, for the time being, to 'suffer fools gladly'. He would
deal with them in good time.
When finally alone, Kenji Watanabe pondered the matter of Kasumi
Tendo. She was beautiful, proper, and appropriately deferential. He
smiled at the thought of Kasumi as his wife. Closing his eyes, he
tried to envision life with her - how she'd have his dinner waiting
when he got home, have his bath prepared just the way he liked it,
the house would be spotless, the books accurate and up to date, and
his children (there would, of course, have to be children) would be
properly disciplined and appropriately studious.
He leaned back in his chair, placed his feet on the desk, and
allowed himself a moment to revel in the darker aspects of such a
union. Kasumi *was* a very attractive girl. So attractive that he
couldn't resist mentally undressing her, imagining every curve and
highlight. He added more lustful thoughts along the way, always
careful to make sure Kasumi understood who was the lord and master of
their house.
The house. Yes, that too he envisioned. He could see himself
as lord of the manor, where everything inside the walled compound
bent to his will. After all, she *was* the eldest daughter and he
would be her husband. The path to complete control was very clear:
marry Kasumi; convince her elderly father *he* had rights to the
property over some younger rival; once in control of land, have the
stupid little sister and her worthless fiance or husband removed.
They could still rent the dojo from him if they wanted to operate a
school or something - he could use the extra income - but the home
and property were *his*. After all, such a place would fit the
future status of someone like himself.
A cold chuckle escaped his lips as he worked out the angles.
This was perfect. Everything was perfect. He doubted anyone in
*that* family, or anywhere else, had the mental capacity to match him
in his schemes. Nothing could stop him from gaining control -
nothing.

***** 3 *****

"What are you talking about, Ranma?" Jeff groaned as he was
trying to settle down in front of the TV. "I'm not going anywhere.
I'm hungry, I'm tired, and I'm on my vacation. I'm staying right
here." As if to prove his point, he scrunched down into the pillows
on the floor and crossed his arms.
"Shhhh, not so loud," Ranma waved his hands at Jeff and looked
towards the hallway nervously. "I don't want anyone to hear you."
"Big deal." Jeff was obviously not taking this as seriously as
his future brother-in-law. All he knew was that Ranma was trying to
drag him out to some unknown location to see some unnoted item for
some unexplained reason.
"Please." Ranma almost sounded like he was pleading. That
struck Jeff as a bit odd. Ranma, of all people, didn't seem like the
type that would beg for *anything*. Jeff reconsidered his
reluctance.
"I'll only go if you tell me where, what for, and especially,
why."
"I can't tell you here." He looked at the hallway again like he
was expecting a surprise attack. Considering his father's penchant
for such things, Jeff wasn't surprised. "It's real important to me."
Jeff looked at Ranma warily. Ranma might be immature, overly
active, and hard headed, but he was also sincere when it counted and
it was beginning to look like this was one time when it counted a
lot.
Jeff checked to see how much money he had on him. Somehow, he
got the impression that whatever it was Ranma wanted to show him, it
was going to be expensive. Besides, with Kasumi gone, they were
going to have to eat somewhere. Judging by stories he'd heard about
Ranma's appetite, he was going to need *lots* of money.
"Alright," Jeff grumbled as he started to get up. "Just so long
as this doesn't take all night."
Ranma's look of relief, mixed with fear of discovery as he kept
casting nervous glances at the hallway, accompanied the pair as they
made their way out of the house. Jeff couldn't be sure but he got
the impression that Ranma was scared of something - something, or
someone, in the house. Since there was only his wife and Akane still
at home, it had to be Akane. After all, why would Ranma be scared of
Nabiki?
"Do I need to call a taxi?" Jeff asked as they cleared the
compound. Ranma was setting a brisk pace which the longer legged
Jeff found fairly easy to match.
"No, we can walk there." Ranma's demeanor had lightened
tremendously now that they were out of the house.
"Are you going to tell me where we're going now?"
"You'll see."
That response just irritated Jeff more. He didn't like being
led to unknown places for unknown reasons. If it was anyone other
than Ranma...
Turning off the main street, they wound through a maze of back
streets, each a little less impressive than the last. After numerous
twists and turns, they came to a stop on a dead-end street with
small, family owned shops lining each side. Jeff exhaled hard and
shook his head.
"Well, the Ginza it's not," Jeff observed as his eyes wandered
over the run-down buildings and family owned shops. "Honest to God,
Ranma, I never knew places like this existed in Japan."
"Not everyone is a 'salaryman', Jeffrey." Ranma seemed to gaze
sadly at the dilapidated buildings. "Most of these people live day
by day. Those that don't own or work in one of these shops, help by
doing whatever low-paying menial jobs they can find."
Jeff, too, scanned the neighborhood. Small shops, barely wider
than their doorways, were wedged together like tattered books on a
shelf. Above each was at least one floor where laundry hanging from
the windows testified to their use as living space for the owners of
the little shops below. He could easily imagine more than one
generation crammed into each 'rabbit hutch' home - each member doing
something to help the family survive. It was a truly wretched
environment.
He was about to ask Ranma another question when a tiny noise
behind him caught his attention.
Jeff quickly looked the direction of the noise and paused with a
questioning look on his face at what he saw. A small boy, no more
than 8 or 9 was standing in the street, shuffling his feet and
looking at the ground like he was embarrassed at being caught. It
took a lot of courage for such a young person to approach the Western
looking Jeff Lawrence. What he did next took even more.
"You Amerikan?" the boy asked in very broken English, stumbling
over the words like they were unfamiliar obstacles. He looked
extremely uncomfortable, his eyes glancing from his respectful
downward gaze to Jeff's face.
Jeff surveyed the boy with a mix of pity and curiosity. He
could tell by the boy's clothes that he didn't come from a
financially secure family - they were old and well worn, his wooden
geta showed signs of recent repair, and his hair obviously hadn't
been cut in many weeks. Still, he looked clean and well cared for.
In a country where everyone seemed to have the basic necessities,
this young man represented the many who lived in the shadow of
Japan's success - not comfortably but decently and with honor. Jeff
suddenly felt very awkward.
"Hai, Amerikajin." Jeff tapped his nose with his answer and
went on to ask the lad in Japanese what he wanted.
The boy seemed to relax slightly at being able to deal with the
stranger in Japanese, in spite of the fact he was talking to, what
seemed to him to be, a giant.
"Would you like to have a dog?" The boy shifted his weight
nervously, his eyes pitifully meeting then avoiding Jeff's. "She is
still a baby. Needs a good home. Free." He looked hopefully at
Jeff, silently praying that his sales pitch was well received.
Jeff lowered his eyes and pursed his lips. A dog was the last
thing he was in the market for. On the surface, such an acquisition
was impossible. Being only a visitor to Japan, he would have to
subject the poor animal to tons of veterinary inspections and months
of quarantine back in Hawaii before being able to bond with his pet.
It would be unfair to him and the dog. This didn't even address what
Nabiki would do to him for bringing such an animal home.
"Please," the boy motioned to a little girl standing on the curb
holding a small, scruffy looking puppy.
Jeff fancied himself a pretty good judge of when he was being
taken and when those negotiating with him were lying. He didn't
detect either from the boy. That would mean that either he was VERY
good at lying or he was telling the truth. In either case, Jeff
began to feel a pressure - a pressure he'd never felt before.
"Our dog had babies. A few lived. We cannot afford to keep the
babies. I have given away the others to good homes. But we have one
left." He paused with a pout as the little girl joined him in the
street. She was holding a listless looking puppy in her arms.
Slowly, the pup raised its head to regard the two newcomers. For
several seconds, the little boy looked like he was debating telling
the rest of his story. After a couple of false starts, he finally
finished: "Father said any left when he gets home tonight, he would
drown in the river."
Jeff knelt down in front of the girl, she never tried to make
eye contact, as if she was ashamed at having to approach strangers on
the street to save her dog's babies. She also looked sad at having
to help give away those puppies. Jeff could tell she loved the
little puppy she was holding by the way she stroked its head and,
every now and then, rubbed her cheek against the dog's muzzle when it
looked up at her.
"Is this the dog?" Jeff asked as he tilted his head. He knew
full well this was the dog in question. He only asked as he suddenly
felt tongue-tied and it was the first thing that came to his mind.
"Hai, a little girl dog," the boy answered hopefully.
Jeff shot a quick glance at Ranma to see him looking wistfully
at the puppy. Ranma was the consummate protector of the helpless - a
champion for those who needed protecting. And *here* was someone
that really needed protection. However, here was also a situation
unlike any he ever encountered. A situation where there was nothing
he could do to protect the threatened. He couldn't adopt the puppy -
the Tendos were unlikely to allow him to have such an animal while
living with them and his mind simply failed to come up with any
plausible solution to saving the animal otherwise. His frustration
was clearly etched in his face.
Jeff examined the puppy carefully. Her eyes were clear and
bright, like two shiny brown buttons, but her general listlessness
and bloated belly spoke of worms.
"She is very healthy. She is a very happy baby. She will make
a good pet." The boy was really laying it on thick. It was getting
late and Jeff was likely his last chance.
"I won't take your dog," Jeff said seriously as he stood back up
shaking his head.
The boy's shoulders seemed to sag at the announcement. The girl
looked like she was going to start crying.
"I will, however, buy the animal from you." Jeff reached into
his pocket as Ranma shot him an incredulous look. The two kids just
stared wide eyed. "In America, such a fine animal as this would go
for..." He held out a 10,000 yen note. Collectively, the kids eyes
bugged out. Neither had ever seen such money.
"Too much," the boy protested as he waved his hand in front of
him. "Too much."
"It is a fair price for such a magnificent animal." Jeff idly
ran a finger over the scruffy head of the puppy. The animal seemed
to sense that Jeff was coming to her rescue as her muzzle followed
his hand while her nose soaked in the myriad of smells that clung to
him. "Take it or leave it."
The boy and girl exchanged excited glances. In their young
minds, they were going to be rich. That's when Jeff dropped the
other shoe.
"All under one condition." He reached into another pocket and
pulled out one of his business cards. Taking a pen, he wrote the
Tendos phone number on the back. "You take the mother dog
tomorrow..." He emphasized the word 'tomorrow'. "Take her to a
veterinarian, *any* veterinarian, and tell him to fix her so she
cannot have any more babies." Jeff used simple terms as he didn't
know the Japanese word for spayed and wasn't sure the kids would
understand anyway. "Give him this card and tell him to call me. My
name's on the other side. I will pay him to take care of your dog.
You'll never have to go through finding homes for her puppies again.
Deal?"
The boy stared at the gaijin with astonishment. He was getting
10,000 yen, unloading his last puppy, AND getting his dog fixed so
she wouldn't have any more babies. This was more than alright.
"HAI!" he practically yelled with a deeper than necessary bow.
Jeff handed the boy both the money and his card. The boy looked
at the card carefully, as if he was trying to memorize the phone
number, before bowing politely and happily leaving. The girl handed
over the puppy to Jeff and, with an almost sad look, kissed the
animal's head before following her brother. Jeff felt a momentary
stab of regret at taking the girl's puppy - children and puppies just
naturally went together. Still, he reminded himself, if he hadn't,
her father would have surely drowned the poor animal when he got home
from work.
"Nabiki's gonna kill you," was all Ranma could say as he shook
his head.
"What's the matter, didn't you ever want a dog?" Jeff answered
as he stroked the pup's scruffy little head.
Ranma paused to consider Jeff's question. He'd spent most of
his time on the road. The only real contact he ever had with dogs
was when they chased him or tried to bite when he got too close. He
never really considered them as companion pets - someone to share a
lonely night or the remainder of your food. He watched as his future
brother-in-law happily stroked the contented looking dog's head.
"Still, Nabiki doesn't like dogs. You won't be able to keep
it."
"Who said the dog's for me?" Jeff answered as he held the animal
up and stared into its eyes. He frowned as he noticed the little
critter had fleas too.
"Then who?"
"Don't know," Jeff shifted the dog's tiny body to his arm and
chuckled as she tried to push her head between his arm and the side
of his body in a rooting motion. "Haven't given it much thought."
He grinned lazily Ranma's way and endured the incredulous return.
"Oh yeah, I forgot. You're a cat person."
Ranma made a face and shook his head. <Smart ass brother-in-law.>
"Anyway, I know you didn't drag me down here to buy a dog."
Jeff looked at Ranma with a satisfied expression.
"Oh, right... right." Ranma pointed towards a small building
wedged in between a green grocer and a book store. Jeff squinted at
the sign.
"Jewelry?"
"Yeah, come on." Ranma quickly closed the distance between the
street and the little shop's doorway. Screeching to a halt just
outside, he turned to Jeff and lowered his voice in genuine
seriousness. "You gotta promise not to tell anyone - even Nabiki."
Jeff just shrugged and agreed. He was willing to go along with
Ranma until given a good reason not to.
They quietly entered the little family owned shop, passing a
large fan that provided some relief to the afternoon heat. A wave of
odors struck the pair and quickly enveloped them as they crossed the
threshold of the store. Old musty wood scents mingled with the odors
of someone cooking vegetables in the back room - probably the owner's
dinner. In the gathering darkness, the store's poor florescent
lighting gave the room a sickly yellow tint. Jeff looked casually in
the aging glass display cases while Ranma made a beeline to a special
case.
"Over here." Ranma anxiously motioned for Jeff as he stared
into the glass case.
The shop's owner emerged from the back room as Jeff was looking
in the same case as Ranma.
"Ah, Saotome-san," the owner crowed as he slowly worked his way
over to the new customers.
Jeff glanced up at the man briefly before returning to what was
in the display case. In that momentary glance, Jeff gathered enough
information to tell him all he needed to know about the shop owner.
He was an older man, perhaps 45 or 50 years old, who walked with a
slight limp, like his hip or leg hurt. Jeff noticed two things on
the wall behind him as he approached; a picture of several men
dressed in nice suits - on of them the current shop keeper, and a
certificate honoring the man's service to his company - a well known
international firm. Secretly, Jeff wondered if the man was a recent
victim of Japanese companies 'downsizing'. He'd heard how tough it
was on many of the victims - how they often had to rely on old family
businesses to survive - how they struggled to recover their shattered
lives. With another glance at the dozing puppy in his arms, Jeff
vowed to keep a closer watch on his own companies - no CEO was going
to get a bonus for laying off workers if *he* could help it.
"You haven't sold it yet." Ranma sounded excited as he
repeatedly pointed out, what looked like, a diamond ring. The only
problem was that the 'diamond' looked too large and, even in the
lousy light of the shop, Jeff could tell wasn't a real diamond.
"It's... ah," Jeff struggled with an appropriate answer he could
give without causing hurt feelings. "...Impressive."
"Yeah, she's gonna love it." Ranma longingly stared at the
ring, like he was mentally fitting it on her finger.
"Who's going to love it?" Jeff already knew the answer. He was
just stalling for time as he tried to figure out how to help Ranma
without insulting him.
"Akane, who else?"
Jeff's eyes slowly rolled back into his head as he contemplated
what Ranma was getting himself into.
"And that's where you come in." Ranma pressed ahead, figuring
there was no time like the present to deal with the most important
part of this transaction. "I'm working now - down at Inoue-sensi's
dojo - teaching a class three nights a week. It doesn't pay very
much, but I've already saved almost 30,000 yen."
Jeff glanced at the price tag in front of the ring in question.
It read: 80,000 yen. Jeff immediately didn't like where this was
going.
"I just need..."
Jeff raised one finger in front of Ranma to stop him. Turning
slowly to the shop keeper, he asked if they could have a moment
alone. The man immediately nodded and moved over to another case and
started dusting.
Certain that there was no place possible to have a serious
discussion of the type they were about to have anywhere inside the
shop, Jeff pulled Ranma by the arm back outside.
"Eighty Thousand YEN?!?" Jeff whispered *very* loud once they
were outside. "Have you totally lost your mind?!?"
"But..."
"Do you even know what it is you're buying?"
"A diamond..."
"Not even close. I've seen 'Ring Pops' that looked more
convincing."
"But he *said* it was..."
"NOT ON ITS BEST DAY!"
Ranma pouted at the sidewalk. He had come close to making a
very expensive mistake. Having Jeffrey point that out to him only
made it worse.
"How did you even find this place?"
"Some of the guys as school..." Ranma paused as he swallowed
his mistake. "They said it had the best prices in town."
"Maybe, but not *that* ring."
"Oh...." Ranma looked totally dejected. Fighting, he knew all
about. This buying things for Akane was all new to him. He was
going to need help.
"Look," Jeff shifted the puppy to his other arm. "I have a
cousin who's in the diamond business in New York. I spent part of a
summer with him once and he showed me how to rate a diamond. I'm no
expert but I can keep you from making a really bad mistake. Let's go
back inside and I'll help you pick out something nice for Akane."
"Really?" Ranma looked surprised that Jeffrey would help him
this way. At first, all he wanted was to show Jeff the ring. Then
he was going to see about a small... loan. The loan. Ranma groaned
to himself. How in the world would he be able to ask Jeffrey for a
loan if he helps Ranma pick out the ring? He hesitated. This was
worse than going to Nabiki.
"Now what's wrong?" Jeff quickly picked up on Ranma's
hesitation.
"Well, I was going to show you the ring and then ask if you
would... ah,..." Ranma ran out of appropriate words. With a hand
behind his head in embarrassment, he cast a pleading look at Jeff.
"I smell a family loan here." Jeff shifted the puppy again
while giving Ranma a withering look. "I sure hope you weren't
thinking of spending more money than you have for this."
"Actually...." Ranma took a deep breath and forced it out. He
*hated* doing this - it involved depending on others, something he
was never good at. "Well, yeah... sorta."
"I thought so." Jeff's look was pure Nabiki.
Ranma remained silent for several uncomfortable seconds.
However, that didn't mean his mind was quiet as well.
<Humph, I should have known. He'd pay 10,000 yen for a mangy
mutt but won't loan, LOAN, a paltry 50,000 yen to his future brother-in-
law. It's not like he won't get his lousy money back. Boy, I now
know why Nabiki would marry *him*.>
"Ranma, I didn't say I wouldn't provide you with the money." It
was as if Jeff could read Ranma's mind. "It's just that you
shouldn't start a relationship with someone deep in debt. And
borrowing money to provide an expensive ring for someone is just not
a good idea."
Ranma stared at the ground while he digested Jeff's advice.
There was a different, 'more Ranma' type reason for choosing that
specific ring.
"It's just that you gave Nabiki such a nice ring for your
engagement and I wanted Akane to have, at least, as good a ring for
hers."
There was a long pause as Jeff regarded his younger companion.
Jeff had been dealing with his 'money problem' now for almost two
years. He'd been challenged by older, more established people on a
regular basis. Time after time, he had been belittled, put-upon, and
treated like a child. Throughout it all, he'd maintained his quiet
shinobi-taught dignity. Now he was being challenged by Ranma Saotome
- a kid with more spunk than business sense - a kid who had no more
financial wherewithal than the kid who sold him the puppy. At first,
he didn't much like it.
"Don't try to compete with me financially, kid. I have too much
of a head start." Jeff scowled at Ranma, his voice flat and ominous.
He used the same look on Ranma he'd used in the past on Nabiki
whenever she got 'uppity'.
While what Jeff said was quite true, Ranma would never be able
to rival Jeff financially, it nevertheless represented a challenge
which caused him to instinctively bristle. Fortunately, Jeff had
matured enough to act like a 'big brother' instead of a rival.
"What I mean is that you have to learn to live within your
means." Jeff's expression was that of an older brother trying to
help a younger sibling. "Stay out of debt, Ranma. You'll be a lot
happier in the long run." He placed a hand on Ranma's shoulder.
"Besides, if it comes from you, I'll bet Akane will be happy with
whatever you give her."
Ranma peeked up at Jeff, feeling better and a little closer to
his future brother-in-law. Maybe Jeff knew what he was talking
about. Maybe Ranma would have made an expensive mistake. Maybe
Akane would be happy with a simple ring. With a sheepish smile,
Ranma nodded his agreement and they returned to the shop.
A half hour later, Jeff had helped Ranma pick out a pure diamond
ring in a nice setting. It was only a half carat, but as close to
flawless as the little shop had. The best part was that the shop
owner was willing to settle, after a little bargaining, on 40,000 yen
for the ring - a fair price anywhere. Jeff sprung for the extra
10,000 and Ranma had the symbol of the most important step he had
ever thought of taking in the palm of his hands.
As they emerged into the early evening darkness, Jeff carrying
his 10,000 yen puppy and Ranma his ring, they were met with the
smells of cooking. It reminded them of their hunger.
"I don't know about you, but buying things makes me hungry."
Jeff noted. "I think that's why they put food courts in shopping
malls."
Ranma smiled at Akane's new ring before suggesting a place for
dinner.
"You ever have okonomiyaki?" He grinned like he knew a deep
dark secret.
"Once," Jeff admitted. "It was pretty awful."
"That, big brother, is because you don't know where the best
okonomiyaki in Japan is." Ranma surprised himself with how easy the
phrase 'big brother' rolled off his lips. The more he thought about
it, the better he liked the sound - especially when applied to Jeff.
He never had a sibling of any kind, much less an older brother. As
he looked over at the American husband of his fiance's sister, he
started to think how lucky he was.
"And you know of such a place?"
"Of course. I even know the owner."
"A man of your appetite. I'm not surprised."
As they strolled down the narrow street, a thought suddenly
occurred to Ranma.
"We didn't cheat that man, did we?" he asked with a scowl.
"Are you kidding?" Jeff laughed. "He made a good profit on the
ring. Trust me. The diamond is probably Chinese and the setting has
the feel of white gold - nicely made, don't get me wrong, but worth
what we paid for it." He laughed again. "Everybody won this time."
Ranma grunted his relief and continued to stare at the ring as
the two happily made their way to the best okonomiyaki in Japan.

***** 4 *****

Kasumi's return home from her date was greeted by a barrage of
questions from her sisters. Both were determined to know just how
far she was willing to let this courtship go before making a
decision. Deftly, Kasumi deflected their questions as she made her
way to the refuge of her room - saying little and smiling much. As
Kasumi quietly closed the door to her room (as well as the subject in
question), Nabiki and Akane gave up, at least directly.
"I can't believe she's doing this to Dr. Tofu," Akane grumbled
as she stomped away from Kasumi's room. Her face was fixed in a
locked jaw scowl as she bitterly thought of how she willingly gave up
her hopes of the doctor returning her love in favor of her oldest
sister. This wasn't fair to him... or Akane.
Nabiki, sensing her little sister was about to do something
rash, followed purposefully. She, too, thought Tofu and Kasumi were
perfect for each other but now had the maturity to realize that
sometimes things just don't work out the way they are supposed to.
Besides, she thought, perfection was in the eye of the beholder. If
Kasumi was determined to abandon the reluctant Dr. Tofu for a more
energetic suitor, who were either Akane or herself to object.
"Akane, I hope you're not planning on doing something stupid,"
Nabiki finally suggested as she caught up with her more athletic
sister.
"Depends." Akane turned suddenly and scowled at Nabiki.
"On what?"
"On what the doctor says."
"Oh good, Akane. Like going down to Tofu-sensei's clinic and
confronting him is going to change things."
"I've *got* to do something." Akane was waving her arms in
frustration - her voice becoming almost loud enough for Kasumi to
hear behind her room's door. "If I don't..."
"If you don't, things will work out anyway." Nabiki finished
while looking at the floor. She, too, was a little surprised at
Kasumi's sudden interest in a strange man. But, he *did* come
through a 'go-between' so his motives were above question and he
*was* doing everything the proper way - not like his father and her's
made some goofy arrangement without consulting the two parties
involved. It was now up to Kasumi as to whether or not she concluded
the courtship with an engagement. It was, in fact, out of all their
hands. Nabiki sighed as she glanced up at her sister. If she could
just keep Akane from doing something stupid.
"I just think Dr. Tofu has a right to know," Akane grumbled
while looking at the floor.
"Well, therein, lies the problem," Nabiki folded her arms and
leaned against the wall. "Letting him know is acceptable. But
storming into his clinic and demanding he do something about the
situation is totally out of line and you know it."
"I wasn't going to 'storm into his clinic'," Akane answered with
a sassy voice, her pretty little nose wrinkled in disgust. "It's
just..."
"It's just he should know about this," Nabiki interrupted. "And
since you're too emotional to do the job properly, that job falls to
me."
"I am NOT EMOTIONAL!"
"Oh?"
The two glared at each other for several seconds before Akane
began to back down slightly.
"Well, I've gotten better." Akane turned and placed her
forehead against the wall while softly kicking the baseboard out of
nervousness. What Nabiki had said was quite correct; she *was* too
emotional, at times. "I've taken your advice and started listening
more. It's really helped with Ranma."
"I'm glad." Nabiki pushed herself from the wall, slid her hands
into the back pockets of her jeans shorts, and sighed. "You two were
beginning to get on my nerves."
Akane continued to scowl at the floor while she tapped the wall
with her toe.
"So, what are we going to do?" she finally asked.
"Leave it to me," Nabiki sounded confident, like she always did
when she had a plan.
"Tofu-sensei has wanted to see Sodoshi ever since she was born,
so I'll just take her down to the clinic tomorrow morning and
casually mention to him that Kasumi is dating another man. If he has
any interest in Kasumi at all, he'll do the right thing.
Otherwise..."
Both knew what 'otherwise' meant. If he had any feelings at all
for Kasumi, he would make an effort to... well, let *her* know,
anyway. If not, then the issue of Dr. Tofu was dead forever.
"Anyway, we've got somewhere else to go tonight," Nabiki grinned
at her sister. "Yuka and Sayuri are meeting us at the neighborhood
baths. They want to see Sodoshi and I could go for a hot bath right
now. Go get Kasumi. Tell her I'll pay for her admission if she'll
come along." Akane willingly agreed. As she scurried down the hall
towards Kasumi's room, Nabiki added: "And tell her to bring a swim
suit." <I can't believe I used to run around naked in front of a
bunch of strangers.>

***** 5 *****

Jeff jerked to a halt as soon as the sign of Ukyou's place came
into view.
Ranma, looking confused at his future brother-in-law's reaction,
stopped as well.
"What's wrong?" Ranma glanced around trying to see what Jeff
was so hesitant about.
"Ucchans?" Jeff almost growled. "You were taking me to
Ucchans?" Ranma could tell by the expression on Jeff's face that
something serious was amiss. However, try as he might, he couldn't
understand what Jeff was so upset about.
"Well, she's a friend..." Ranma's voice began to trail off as he
caught Jeff's incredulous look.
"Excuse me," Jeff waved his free hand at Ranma as he scowled and
tried to compose his thoughts. "You've just purchased an expensive
ring for Akane - supposedly a ring to mark your acceptance of the
engagement - and now you want to skip over to an ex-flame's place for
a few snacks?" Jeff's voice had risen with his final question. He
had become loud enough for passerby's to wonder who was the noisy
gaijin holding the puppy.
"Hey, it's not like that."
"I sure as hell looks like it."
"She's a *friend*."
"I'll bet." Jeff rolled his eyes. "Does the phrase: Two-timing,
mean *anything* to you?"
"She listens to me! She feeds me!" Ranma protested before
looking at the sidewalk in embarrassment - his voice suddenly
dropping back to lower than normal. "She makes me feel better when
I'm unhappy."
"What about Akane?" Jeff caught Ranma in his icy stare. He
knew of all the phone calls between Akane and his wife. He knew all
the work Nabiki was putting in on helping her little sister improve
her relationship with Ranma. He knew Akane was trying harder -
Nabiki told him so. Ranma was something Akane now admitted she
wanted. Now, he finds Ranma slipping back into his old habits - and
so soon after Jeff helped him buy a special ring for his fiance.
"I donno..." Ranma shrugged his shoulders as he thrust his hands
into the pockets of his pants and grimaced at the sidewalk. "She's
different."
"Different?"
"She's... I mean, we...." He seemed stuck.
Jeff regarded his future brother-in-law with a critical eye.
Somewhere in what Ranma said was genuine affection for his wife's
sister - you just had to dig for it under all the 'macho Ranma-
denial' horse manure.
"Do you really love her?" Jeff asked as he critically eyed Ranma
and waited for his reaction.
Ranma hesitated before nodding like someone forced to admit to
something embarrassing. He also seemed relieved at not really having
to say 'that' out loud.
"I thought so," Jeff sighed with relief. "So, when are you
going to tell..." He gestured towards Ucchan's.
Ranma quietly fingered the little box in his pocket that
contained Akane's ring. Jeff was right, of course, Ukyou would have
to be told.
"Come on," Jeff started towards Ucchan's. "I'll stay with you
if you want - for moral support, you understand." To Jeff, Ranma
looked positively miserable. He looked like someone who was about to
lose his best friend. In a way, he was.
Inside, Jeff was surprised to see few customers, if Ranma's
claim of the 'best okonomiyaki in Japan' was to be believed.
As they moved to the counter, Jeff bumped into a cute waitress.
The dashing American seemed to jerk taut in surprise. He'd bumped
into a lot of girls in his time, even made an art of bumping into the
real pretty ones when he was younger. But *this* girl was... well,
anything but. Dressed in a cute waitress uniform, the 'girl'
certainly looked feminine, even cute. Still, when they collided,
Jeff was certain she had more and less equipment than a typical girl,
Japanese or not, was entitled by God to have. As Ranma selected a
place at the counter, Jeff just stood in the middle of the room - a
goofy look plastered on his face as he tried to sort out all the data
his collision had provided him with.
<Get a grip, Jeffrey. That *had* to be a girl,> he thought
before joining Ranma. <Maybe you've been married to Nabiki too long.
Not every girl is built like her.>
Ukyou soon made her appearance, emerging from the back room
carrying a large bowl of some topping mixture. Initially, she looked
tired - like she'd spent too many late nights worrying about her
business. That all changed when she saw Ranma. Like the return of a
long lost lover, Ukyou bounded over to the counter, bubbling with
enthusiasm at seeing her old friend and would-be fiance.
"Ranma! It's been ages. How are you?" She plopped the bowl
down in front of Jeff. Cautiously, Jeff eyed the contents while
trying to listen in on the interesting Ranma/Ukyou conversation close
by.
"I'm okay," Ranma replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "It's
only been a couple of months."
"A lifetime for me. What have you been up to?" She leaned her
elbows on the counter, resting her chin on the backs of her folded
hands. Her flowing black hair was done up with a cute bow and her
working ukata easily emphasized her attractive figure. Jeff scowled
slightly at the wistful looks she was giving Ranma. The girl was
obviously madly in love with young Mr. Saotome.
"I've been working and going to school, you see and... there's
not much time for anything else." Ranma sounded nervous but glad for
something else to talk about other than how to dump Ukyou gracefully.
Jeff set his puppy on the counter and leaned on its polished
surface to listen in on the couple's conversation. Ordinarily,
having such a large gaijin eavesdropping so openly would have been
most annoying to both Ranma and Ukyou. But today, Ukyou was too tied
up with her Ran-chan to notice or care who listened in. The puppy,
obviously hungry as well, started helping herself to whatever was in
the bowl Ukyou had set in front of Jeff. Curious, Jeff examined what
his dog was eating. It was dead, fishy, but didn't look like it
would be fatal to the pup. With a modest shrug of his shoulders, he
resumed his eavesdropping.
"And you took time off to visit me," Ukyou beamed at her Ran-chan.
"How sweet."
"Yeah, well..." He cast a nervous look Jeff's way. Jeff just
grinned back and continued to pet his puppy as she ate.
"Still living at the Tendo's?" Ukyou's eyes seemed to be
caressing every visible inch of Ranma. Those parts she couldn't see,
she made up and lavished the same loving attention. In any case, for
the time being, Ranma was all that existed in her world.
"Don't forget to tell her about the ring, Ranma," Jeff added
with a friendly smile.
"Ring?" Ukyou sounded hopeful - even a little excited at the
prospects.
"Is there somewhere we can talk privately," Ranma asked while
glaring at Jeff. This *wasn't* how he wanted to approach the topic.
Actually, he wasn't sure he wanted to go anywhere near the subject -
at least not before he ate.
Ukyou motioned towards the back room and smiled wistfully as
Ranma slowly slid off his stool.
"Be gentle," Jeff whispered at a solemn looking Ranma as he
passed. "It'll be alright."
Ranma nodded with a weak smile as he trudged around the counter
and followed Ukyou into her back room - Ukyou seeming to walk on air
and Ranma looking like someone taking his dog to be put to sleep.
With a look of satisfaction, Jeff casually turned around on his
stool and scanned the patrons of Ucchan's until his eye caught on the
strange waitress again. Coolly, he reevaluated the waitress - taking
careful note of every feature and motion. She certainly moved like a
girl, looked like a girl, acted like a girl. So why was it he
couldn't shake the feeling that she was something else. A thought
crossed his mind that the shinobi clans were keeping an eye on his
family and the Tendos. Perhaps this was one of their people,
following their long tradition of dressing for deception. As the
waitress passed by, Jeff felt compelled to get an answer.
"Excuse me," he casually tossed the waitress's direction. The
waitress silently stopped and stared in anticipation of an
okonomiyaki order.
"Pardon me, miss," Jeff tried his best 'Colombo' voice - which
must have sounded extraordinarily strange in Japanese. "I couldn't
help but notice when we collided back there that you are a most...
unusual female. Would you care to account for that."
The waitress's reaction was a stunned look of obvious distaste
for the forward young American. Jeffrey might have gotten an answer
too if not for the commotion suddenly coming from the back room.
"You have the nerve to come here and show me Akane's engagement
ring?!?!?" Ukyou screamed.
"Ukyou, I'm just trying to..." His voice was cut off by Ukyou.
"Well try this!!!" A loud crash in the back room heralded
Ranma's hurried escape back into the diner followed by Ukyou swinging
a giant spatula.
"Now cut that out!" he yelled as he assumed a defensive stance.
It didn't seem to have an effect on the 'mild mannered' Ukyou.
"I'll cut it out! You worm! You mongrel! You... you..."
"Two-timer?" Jeff offered.
"Thank you. You two-timer!" She punctuated her last
declaration with a strike at Ranma's mid-section with her spatula.
He leaped high to avoid being sliced in half as the giant blade
imbedded itself in the wall, sending a shower of plaster in all
directions.
Ranma landed lightly, crossed his legs nonchalantly and leaned
on the handle, giving Jeff a disgusted look, while Ukyou yanked and
struggled to retrieve her weapon.
"I tried gentle. Got any other ideas?" he accused while holding
the spatula blade in the wall so Ukyou couldn't use it on him again.
Jeff just shrugged his shoulders and smiled at the transsexual
waitress once more. Ranma glared at his friend until he noticed that
Ukyou was no longer trying to pull her spatula out of the wall. He
groaned slightly at the sight of Ukyou holding a handful of throwing
spatulas.
"Now Ucchan, calm down. I'm just trying to be reasonable,"
Ranma cautioned with raised hands. He had no idea she would take
this all so... emotionally.
"I'll show you 'reasonable'," she growled plucking a throwing
spatula from the bunch and twirling it in her fingers in preparation
of throwing. "You worm! You mongrel! You... You..."
"Insensitive jerk?" Jeff offered with a grin.
"Thank you. Insensitive jerk!!!" The first spatula impacted
the wall just over Ranma's head, showering him again with bits of
plaster.
Ranma tried to escape by jumping, pushing off the wall, and
attempting to use the handle of the imbedded giant spatula as a
springboard to bound over Ukyou and gain the front door.
Unfortunately, as he landed on its handle, the giant spatula
dislodged from the wall, leaving Ranma in a heap on the floor,
showered once again with chunks of plaster.
He had scant time to contemplate his failure as Ukyou's next
spatula struck between Ranma's outstretched legs, quivering only
inches from his crotch. A short look of panic washed over his face
as he glanced in surprise between the lethal looking projectile and
Ukyou's angry face. She had the expression of someone thinking: "If
I can't have it..." Both Ranma and Jeff grimaced at the thought of
where the next spatula might land.
Figuring now would not be a good time to try and reason with
Ukyou, Ranma bounded to his feet and, using his superior skills,
escaped through the front door, a whole flock of throwing spatulas in
hot pursuit.
"You know, you really should calm down. He was just trying to
let you down easy," Jeff dead panned with crossed arms.
Ukyou spun around, out of throwing spatulas but not anger, and
glared at the gaijin.
"Just who ARE you?" she snarled.
At this point Jeff had three possible choices: He could claim to
be a simple hungry American tourist; He could deny any relationship
with the recently departed Saotome; or He could just tell the truth.
Funny how Jeff seemed to pick the wrong answer when under pressure.
"I'm with him," Jeff pointed to the exit Ranma had just used.
The highly animated Ukyou growled a warning and snatched her
giant spatula from the floor giving Jeff time to grab his puppy off
the counter.
"You wouldn't hit a fellow with a puppy in his arms, would you?"
Jeff offered as he held his puppy up as a tiny shield. The puppy
just grunted and belched. Still, both had a chance to duck just
before Ukyou brought the heavy flat blade down on the counter with an
ear shattering 'clang', just over Jeff's ducked head.
"Apparently, you would," Jeff mumbled before he bolted for the
door, only inches ahead of Ukyou's giant spatula.
Her few stunned patrons just stared quietly as Ukyou came up
short of the door, satisfied that she had dispensed with her
irritating 'guests'.
"Humph. Come in here showing me the engagement ring he bought
for someone else," Ukyou mumbled loud enough for her strange waitress
to hear as she stomped back to the counter while flicking strands of
her beautiful long black hair out of her face. "Smashing is too good
for them both."
She angrily snatched up a broom to clean the plaster mess and
scowled at the retreating Ranma.
"Ranma Saotome, if you think this is the end of the issue,
you're badly mistaken," she growled at no one in particular.
Just then Jeff stuck his head back inside the diner.
"By the way, is there a McDonalds anywhere around here?"
With a yell of frustration, Ukyou dropped everything and reached
behind the counter for another set of throwing spatulas.
Jeff, being at least smart enough to know better than to ask
what she intended to do with the new set of spatulas, made a dash for
safety weaving between people on the street like a halfback - his
puppy tucked safely under his arm like a football.
"Did you see that?" one young lady asked her friend as Jeff ran
past them.
"See what?" her friend replied.
"That gaijin running down the street carrying a puppy," the lady
insisted.
"Nope, didn't see a thing." her friend dead-panned as she
casually stepped over a pair of still quivering spatulas. "Lunch at
McDonalds alright with you?"
The first young lady just shrugged her shoulders and they
continued on their way like this sort of thing happens all the time
in Nerima.
Jeff finally caught up with Ranma around the corner of a nearby
building. More precisely, he was yanked to cover by Ranma as he
tried to run past.
Gasping for breath, Jeff took the opportunity to peek back
around the corner to see if it was safe. The impact of a throwing
spatula in the wood near his head loudly claimed it was not.
"Ya know, *that* one has a real nasty temper," Jeff gasped as he
checked his puppy. The poor dog looked a little sick from all the
handling. "What did I say to set her off?"
"She's a little touchy about the new McDonalds down the street."
Ranma looked wistfully back at Ucchans as they carefully left their
hiding place and began the trek back to the Tendo residence. "That
little restaurant came in and took almost half her business in the
first week alone. It hasn't been easy for her since."
"So I guess suggesting we go eat dinner at McDonalds now would
be a bit out of line."
Ranma looked one more time at Ucchan's before shaking his head.
After a short thought, he suggested a small yakatori shop down the
street. It wasn't as good of food as Ukyou's place but it was cheap
and quick. Jeff agreed and the puppy belched again.
As the pair headed for dinner, Jeff asked Ranma to remind him to
stop at a veterinarian's on the way home to have the pup wormed and
given her shots. Leaving the dog with the vet for a couple of days
would give him time to consider what to do with her. He still didn't
know who he was going to give the dog to, feeling certain that, as
Kasumi would say, all things work out for the best.

***** 6 *****

The party of Tendo sisters plus Sodoshi met Yuka and Sayuri out
front of the public baths. The two college girls performed the time
honored ritual of 'cooing' and pawing the new baby while telling the
mother how lucky she was. Nabiki took all this baloney in stride,
making sure to smile and nod her agreement to everything her former
associates told her.
Kasumi was unusually quiet, trailing the group with her painful
little smile securely in place - like someone with something
important on her mind. Nabiki kept casting nervous glances at her
sister, having misinterpreted Kasumi's silence for some level of
disapproval. Nabiki didn't know what she had done wrong now, but
felt certain that *she* was the cause of Kasumi's odd behavior.
Inside, the girls passed quickly through the changing room to
the washing area. Nabiki, her 'mommy' sense cranked up to 'high' -
or at least her sense of what would look good to her sister - made
sure to obtain a foam pad on which to lay little Sodoshi for her
washing.
Living in Hawaii with Jeffrey had 'Westernized' Nabiki just
enough so that she was quite uncomfortable sitting naked in a room
full of people washing herself and her baby. Knowing Kasumi was
watching her every move only increased her discomfort. Carefully,
Nabiki washed and rinsed her baby, paying special attention to
keeping the soap out of her face and making sure she paused every now
and then to 'coo at' or tickle her daughter.
Sodoshi accepted the washing from her mother, after all it
wasn't as if Nabiki never washed her daughter at home. And she
always enjoyed her mother's touch, in so much as her mother was
obviously uncomfortable doing this anywhere - much less in public.
Still, like every child before her, Sodoshi craved her mother's touch
- rejoiced every time her mother held her; all things Nabiki did too
little of.
To Nabiki's relief, Sodoshi responded appropriately in all the
right places - giggling and kicking her legs happily whenever her
mother did something meant to entertain her.
After quietly washing, the girls padded excitedly towards the
large pool, obviously forgetting their agreement about swimsuits.
Nabiki hesitated. She was uncomfortable enough in the washing area,
but bobbing naked in a large pool of strangers, for some reason,
really irritated her. She dallied behind the others, half hoping
they would notice and remember their agreement. When they
disappeared into the pool, Nabiki sighed her resignation and
stubbornly put her swimsuit on. The baby could go as she was.
With the increased confidence that came with being 'properly
covered', Nabiki joined her sisters and friends in the pool. Placing
Sodoshi in one of the little baby rings provided by the facility,
Nabiki huddled with her former associates, excitedly chatting about
boys, school, and who in her high school class was seeing whom.
Sodoshi bobbed happily splashing and turning her head back and forth
as each new sight or sound caught her attention.
Kasumi was content to settle back along the shallow edge and
sighed contentedly as the steaming water seemed to seep into every
pore, relaxing her entire body. It had been a long time since she
had allowed herself this kind of luxury. It was a perfect setting
for someone deep in thought. Akane quietly joined her, content to
stay close to her Oneechan while casually looking around to see if
she knew anyone there.
At first, Nabiki seemed to be doing alright. She had a hand on
Sodoshi's little ring and looked like she was keeping close tabs on
the baby in the large pool. Somewhat relieved, Kasumi closed her
eyes, confident that even Nabiki wouldn't be foolish enough to take
her eyes off her baby in such a place. When she opened them again,
something didn't seem right. Sodoshi was still bobbing happily in
her ring, only now Nabiki was no longer holding on to it. In fact,
Nabiki was huddled with her former schoolmates gossiping, their backs
to the baby.
Before Kasumi could say or do anything, Sodoshi lunged towards a
brightly colored ball floating only a few feet away. The float ring
instantly tipped over, spilling the tiny child into the steaming
water. In a second, Sodoshi sank out of sight.
Time seemed to stand still for the stunned Kasumi - all her
senses kicked in to provide samples that burned themselves into her
mind. The sight of her sister Nabiki, still huddled with Yuka and
Sayuri, her back turned towards her baby - laughing and gossiping,
oblivious to her baby's plight. The patch of water where Sodoshi,
only a heartbeat before was playing happily, was now only an empty
float ring and a few bubbles marking where she went down. The joyous
cries of other children playing in the big pool. The bright lights.
The smells. Things Kasumi would remember forever.
Shocked beyond action, all Kasumi could do was utter a tiny,
choked cry.
Fortunately, Akane was still paying some attention. In a flash,
the youngest Tendo sister closed the distance between herself and the
spot where Sodoshi had disappeared. She easily retrieved the
sputtering baby from 3 feet of water and was busily wiping water from
the child's face when a peeved Nabiki turned back around.
"Akane, you don't need to hold her all the time," Nabiki
chastised with a scowl on her face. Obviously totally oblivious to
the fact her child almost drowned and her younger sister was the
child's rescuer. Kasumi continued to stare in shock at both her
sister's inattention and her callousness towards the just rescued
child.
Akane retreated from her older sister to the safety of the
shallow edge, still holding the baby as if the child's life depended
on it. To her, it did.
Nabiki just shook her head and followed her sister.
"And you shouldn't dunk her head under water, Akane," Nabiki
continued to chastise, certain that she was doing the right thing in
front of Kasumi. "It gets her hair all wet."
Akane just stared at her sister in horror. Nabiki obviously
didn't have a clue as to what just happened. Because it was her
sister, Akane was, uncharacteristically, speechless. Kasumi,
however, was not.
"I'm going home," she abruptly announced, getting out of the
water and striding briskly towards the changing rooms. Kasumi had
much more to say about the incident but this was certainly not the
place for such things.
Akane, torn between following Kasumi or remaining to further
protect Sodoshi, froze in place still holding baby. Sodoshi, none
the worse for her experience, was back to looking around for the
brightly colored ball.
"I better go too," Akane said while staring at the water.
"Would you like me to take Sodoshi home?"
"No," Nabiki sighed. "I guess I should go with you and get her
ready for bed."
Akane didn't wait around for Nabiki to extend her regrets to
Yuka and Sayuri. She bolted for the dressing room, little Sodoshi
pressed tightly to her chest. Her mind was a whirl of
contradictions.
She was holding her sister's baby. She was protecting someone
who was supposed to be protected by her mother. She saw Kasumi's
look and knew what her reaction to the incident was. Kasumi would
deal with Nabiki but only within the family. This put Akane in the
middle between two sisters. She didn't want to be caught in the
storm of what was to come. She knew Kasumi. She also knew Nabiki.
The two had never crossed before. Akane was certain that clash was
about to take place.
Nabiki finally wandered in to the dressing room to help Akane
with drying and dressing little Sodoshi. She couldn't help but
notice that Kasumi was already gone. That alone was strange, but
Akane was unusually quiet, and *that* made her even more
uncomfortable.
"Are you still upset that I yelled at you for dunking Sodoshi?"
Nabiki asked as she fit the baby's socks on.
Akane just stared at the bench between them trying to avoid
having to answer. Unfortunately, Nabiki wasn't going to take silence
for an answer.
"I can't believe you're making such a big deal out of this," she
grumbled while picking up her daughter. "If it will make you feel
any better, I'm sorry. Okay?"
"Fine," Akane softly exhaled and stomped out of the dressing
room, heading home alone. She didn't want to fight Nabiki - not
here, not now. She didn't like fighting in the family - except when
Ranma deserved it.
With an annoyed shake of her head, Nabiki quickly changed back
into her clothes, muttering to herself about touchy sisters. Sodoshi
just continued to look around the room, totally unconcerned about
what had just happened or about what was going to happen. With a
sigh of resignation, Nabiki gathered up her daughter and their things
and slowly started the trek back to the house.
All the way home, Sodoshi was more talkative than usual. If
Nabiki hadn't been brooding she would have noticed. Every brightly
lit shop they passed, Sodoshi would point and call out the same,
unintelligible words. At times, she would even turn to her mother,
like she was seeing what *her* reaction to Sodoshi's new discovery
was. As Nabiki was paying even less attention to her daughter than
usual, Sodoshi was reduced to looking for something else to get her
mother's attention. She pointed to a Western male she saw and called
out 'dada' as she looked at Nabiki. That seemed only to irritate her
mother.
"Yes, we go home to 'dada'," Nabiki bitterly mumbled in English.
"Not 'mama'."
Mama. Sodoshi rolled the word around in her mind, even going so
far as silently mouthing the word. It was a nice word; a warm,
friendly word - it seemed to easily form on her young lips. She
wondered what it meant.
As Nabiki approached home she noticed that the whole house was
dark, except for the lights in Akane's and Kasumi's rooms. Nabiki
figured the fathers were off to Mr. Miyagi's place again. Heaven
only knew where Jeff and Ranma got off to.
Entering the darkened house, Nabiki struggled with her shoes and
thought how many times she had done this very same act, never
dreaming some day she would have to do it while holding her baby.
Not that Sodoshi was cooperating or anything. She kept squirming and
saying: 'dadadadadada', which irritated Nabiki even more than before.
Silently, Nabiki climbed the stairs. She figured if she could
just get to her room without any interruptions, she would be fine.
At the top, she paused to listen carefully. Only Akane's radio
playing softly in her room broke the silence.
<Geez, kid. You still have the worst taste in music,> Nabiki
thought to herself as she wrinkled her nose.
Checking the hallway, Nabiki stole the remaining distance from
the stairs to her room. Without so much as a Sodoshi 'dada', Nabiki
and child were safely behind the closed door.
"Let's get you ready for bed," Nabiki mumbled softly to her
daughter. Sodoshi just sucked on her thumb as her mother laid her on
their bed. A few more 'dada's' and Nabiki was in little mood for
even the most perfunctory 'goodnight' to her daughter. She couldn't
be sure, but it was beginning to sound to Nabiki like her daughter
was taunting her - using 'dada' around Nabiki because she knew how
much it irritated mommy.
Nabiki had just placed Sodoshi in her crib when she heard a soft
knock at her door. With a sigh, Nabiki opened the door to reveal a
serious looking Kasumi, still dressed in the same clothes she had
worn to the baths.
"We need to talk," Kasumi said flatly as she moved like she was
going to enter Nabiki's room. Nabiki stood her ground, blocking her
sister's entrance; her face locked in her typical slit-eyed, scowl.
She may have had to defer to Kasumi's 'big sister' routine in the
past, but she was a married woman now - a woman with a child. As far
as Nabiki was concerned, that put her two points ahead of her older
sister.
"Nabiki, where did you learn to take care of a baby?" Kasumi's
question was direct and to the point. It was also the one question
Nabiki had hoped to avoid.
"What difference does it make?" Nabiki defiantly shot back.
"She's *my* baby, after all."
"A baby is more than an object to be possessed." Kasumi's look
was pure incredulity.
"I take care of her." Nabiki was on the defensive now.
"Nabiki, I've been watching you..."
"I *thought* so! Always spying. Like in the bath."
"No, it's not like that," Kasumi stammered, trying to void the
image she had again of Jeff and Nabiki in the furo.
Nabiki, sensing she had the advantage, pressed her attack home.
"You've been watching, all right. Always hoping to catch me in
a mistake with my daughter, Miss Expert On Babies. Tell me, where
did *you* learn how to take care of a baby?"
"That's not the point..."
"It sure is! I give my daughter the best of everything."
"Even the best of yourself?"
Nabiki glared at her sister. "Maybe I should take my daughter
and go home," she growled.
"That's not what..."
"It's none of your business how I raise my daughter!" Nabiki's
yelling at her sister obviously had an undesirable affect on Sodoshi
as she started to cry.
"SHUT UP!" Nabiki screamed at her baby.
For several seconds, time stood still. Nabiki could hear her
sister gasp at her actions. She could still hear Sodoshi crying.
She closed her eyes and groaned to herself. This was exactly the
situation she had nightmares about back home. This was exactly what
she feared would happen with their visit. This was exactly her worst
nightmare coming true.
"Nabiki!" Kasumi gasped in disbelief. "I can't believe you just
did that!"
Nabiki couldn't believe it either. Slowly, she ran a hand
through her hair as she sagged against the door frame. Sodoshi
continued to cry.
"I've tried," Nabiki finally sighed. "I've really tried but I
just can't do anything right."
"Why didn't you ask for help?" Kasumi's question was logical
and reasonable, considering the situation. However, this didn't take
into account the fact she was dealing with Nabiki.
"Because you're too much like mother." Nabiki's reply came more
as an accusation than an answer.
"What about mother?" Kasumi's voice lowered and went flat.
Something in Nabiki's accusation sparked inside Kasumi, like a blade
striking armor.
"You're so much like mother, you'd try to make me like her too."
Nabiki glared at the floor. "I told you before - I'm not going to be
like mother," Nabiki growled, her eyes aflame with determination. "I
have ambition. I have goals. I have..."
"A baby," Kasumi finished firmly.
Nabiki hesitated, like such a revelation would totally void her
arguments. The only way around that was to go further on the
offensive.
"That's *not* going to stop me. That child," Nabiki gestured
towards the crib with the still crying Sodoshi. "will not hold *me*
back. I saw what children did to mother. That's not going to happen
to me. I'm going to become someone!"
"You already *are* someone - a mother." Kasumi insisted.
"I mean somebody important!"
"A mother *is* important!"
"Not to me!" Nabiki look was as much fear as it was anger. She
truly believed that her mother suffered from having children. It was
a something Nabiki was totally determined to avoid herself.
Kasumi gasped in shock at her sister's pronouncement. She
couldn't believe what she was hearing. To her, mother devoted more
time to Nabiki and her 'problems' than to both of her sisters
combined.
"I've done pretty good with my baby considering I had no mother
to learn from."
"Your mother did the best she could with you."
"My mother," Nabiki spit in anger. "Punished me, nagged me,
harassed me, and made my life miserable."
Kasumi was rapidly approaching the last boundary of her control.
She was beginning to tread uncharted territory with her anger. Never
before, had she ever felt so upset with anyone as she was now with
her sister. With her hands clutching the front of her dress, Kasumi
stepped forward towards her sister in a genuinely aggressive manner,
their faces inches apart.
Nabiki had just pushed the wrong button.
"Your mother," Kasumi growled. "Sacrificed everything for you.
Your mother, cared for you, covered for you, cleaned for you,
suffered your independence, endured your insolence, and cried her
self asleep at night trying to think of what she could do to get you
to love her."
"She could have left me alone!" Nabiki was practically
screeching now.
With a frustrated flap of her arms, Kasumi cast her eyes towards
the ceiling.
"What am I to do, mother?" she called in frustration.
"And stop with the phoney 'talking to mother' routine," Nabiki
screamed. "It's sick! People will think you're crazy! Mother's
dead! Accept it!"
Nabiki finally crossed the line. Kasumi snapped.
"HOW... DARE... YOU..." Kasumi's voice was pure malevolence,
her eyes aflame with anger, her hands clenched in fists of rage, and
her face bright red. Her whole being was vibrating.
The look on Kasumi's face actually frightened the usually
unflappable Nabiki. She'd never seen her sister so angry. Instead
of fighting, Nabiki took the easy way out. Stepping quickly inside
her room, she slammed shut the door in her older sister's face.
For almost a minute, all that could be heard was Sodoshi's
crying, Akane's radio, and Kasumi's ragged breathing as she trembled
through the last of her unspent anger.
Into this loving environment, Jeff and Ranma returned. Ranma,
knowing better than to get between fighting sisters, ducked into his
room and, eventually, onto the roof. Jeff, however, walked directly
into the cross-fire.
"What's going on?" he asked cautiously. "Is there anything
wrong?"
"Fine," Kasumi hissed between clenched teeth. "Everything's
fine." She suddenly turned and stomped back to her own room.
Pausing only long enough to slam her door loud enough so that Nabiki
could hear.
Cautiously, Jeff entered the room he shared with his family. He
was not prepared for what he found. Nabiki was angrily pacing,
Sodoshi was crying, and Akane's radio was loud enough to shake the
wall.
"What did you say to Kasumi to get her so upset?" Jeff asked as
he reached for his daughter. Nabiki couldn't help but notice that
her daughter was actually reaching for her father in turn.
"What did *I* say?" Nabiki stopped pacing and stared at her
husband like she had just been betrayed. "Why do you always assume
*I* caused the trouble?"
"Now, Nabiki, that's not..."
"And why do you always take the other person's side?" Nabiki
now found a new target for her anger - a familiar one at that.
"Why don't you *ever* stand by ME?"
"I'm not taking any sides. I just want to know what happened."
Sodoshi had stopped crying but was clinging to her father like he was
the last refuge on earth. The sight of the two of them together only
poured gasoline on Nabiki's fire.
"I never wanted to be a mother. That's all *your* fault."
Nabiki began to stalk her husband. "I've tried, but I'm not good
enough for Kasumi." She practically spit out her sister's name.
"Since that baby's come, my whole world has come undone. Rachel's
turned against me. My friends in Hawaii think I don't have time for
them anymore. And, now, my sisters hate me!" She was really close
to Jeff now. "AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"
Jeff swallowed hard but stood his ground. He could see her red
face, angry expression, tense body, and especially her clenched
fists. Realizing that his next words could very well determine the
fate of his marriage, Jeff chose them carefully.
"You're not going to hit me again, are you?"
Nabiki's anger quickly dissolved into shock. She stepped back
slightly, her mouth trying to form words, her face a mask of fear,
her eyes stunned open. Only Sodoshi said anything. Unfortunately,
she used her favorite word: "Dadadada."
With a tiny cry of anguish, Nabiki flung open the door and
bolted from the room. The sounds of her frantic footsteps on the
stairs marked her flight from the house. The slamming of the front
door punctuated her grief.
Jeff didn't notice Akane's radio suddenly going silent. He
didn't even notice his daughter patting him with a tiny hand while
saying over and over: "Dada-dada-dada."
He *did* notice Akane's entrance. She looked concerned and
upset.
"Did I say the wrong thing?" Jeff asked as he continued to stare
at where his wife fled.
"I don't know, Jeffrey," Akane said with a sigh. "I've never
seen them act this way before."
Jeff and Akane stared at the hallway, each lost in their own
thoughts, while Sodoshi sucked on her thumb and looked between her
aunt and her father.
"I guess I better go and try to calm her down," Jeff said softly
while placing Sodoshi back in her crib. "Maybe she'll listen to
reason now."
"No, *I'll* deal with Nabiki," Akane answered firmly as she
started for the door. "You just get Kasumi downstairs. If I can get
them together, maybe I can put an end to this fighting."
Jeff didn't know what the youngest Tendo had in mind but figured
she knew them better than he did. With a sigh of resignation, he
walked silently down to Kasumi's closed door. He listened carefully
for a second before lightly knocking.
Moments passed before a red-eyed Kasumi opened the door
abruptly. At first her expression was like she was expecting someone
else - someone unwelcome.
"Oh, Jeffrey-kun," she chirped in a tiny voice as her face
flushed with embarrassment. "I thought..." She shook her head and
instinctively bowed. With a tiny sniff, she stepped aside and, much
to his surprise, invited Jeff into her room. Nervously, he accepted,
squeezing sideways past the uncomfortably close Kasumi. Once inside,
he marveled at the ambiance of her simple existence. With quick
glances all around, he quickly summed up her life; neat, tidy, and
very boring. When he turned to look at Kasumi she was staring at the
floor like she was going to cry again. That only made Jeff feel
worse about what happened.
"I'm sorry about Nabiki," Jeff offered in a soft voice. "She's
having a few adjustment problems right now."
"No." Kasumi shook her head again and hugged herself like she
was cold. "It is I who should apologize for my actions. I shouldn't
have lost my temper like that. It was most inexcusable."
"Aren't you being a little hard on yourself?" Jeff crossed his
arms, more out of not knowing what to do with them than anything
else.
"You don't understand. I *never* lose my temper. A good
Japanese wife must always be in control of herself." Kasumi sniffed
again.
"Nabiki has a way of bringing out the worst in just about
everyone," Jeff offered, not sure if it was the right thing to say or
not. This comforting females thing was harder than it looked.
"I'm just so confused," Kasumi whined as she fought a losing
battle with her emotions and covered her face with her hands.
What happened next stunned Jeff beyond words. As he was about
to suggest something about her taking a walk or cleaning something to
feel better, Kasumi lunged forward, burying her face in his chest,
her hands clutching at his shirt. At first, Jeff just held his hands
up in panic like he was surrendering. The *last* thing he needed was
to do *anything* that could be misinterpreted as encouraging her.
As Kasumi's tears began to wet his shirt, his sense of pity took
over and he slowly began stroking her hair while looking around
nervously. This was clearly above and beyond what he expected to do
when he agreed to deal with the older Tendo sister. For Kasumi, of
all people, to react like this - well, she must have taken the fight
with Nabiki far harder than he imagined.
"Mother has stopped talking to me, I've made Nabiki angry, and
the only person who's shown interest in me is not...." Kasumi whined
into Jeff's chest between sobs. It had all been just too much for
the Tendo family stalwart. Before, she could cope because of her
daily talks with her late mother along with the sure knowledge of her
family's love. Because of everything that had taken place in the
last few days, she felt more alone than anytime since her mother
died. She hadn't needed comforting or someone to hold on to since
'that night'.
Jeff looked around the room, hoping for Kasumi to regain control
of herself soon and for him to maintain his own control.
He noticed her frilly curtains...,
<Perfect for a girl like Kasumi,> he thought. <Very practical.>
...her many books on cooking, homemaking, and how to be a good
marriage prospect...,
<Hmmmm, I thought *she* wrote the book on being a good marriage
prospect.>
...her stuffed animal collection...,
<Kawaii. Very, very kawaii.>
...her perfectly made bed...,
<Jeffrey! Don't you dare even THINK that!>
...Ranma standing in the doorway...,
<EEEP!!!!!!!>
Ranma, looking like a deer caught in the headlights of a car,
froze staring at the couple. Jeff's look of surprise only caused him
to start slowly backing away from the open door - his eyes huge, his
mouth open in shock. He had caught his brother-in-law in the arms of
another woman - the substitute mother of the family. Comforting her
or not, it *looked* suspicious. Ranma recalled how Akane pounded him
for less.
Jeff shifted his expression to that of irritation which only
made things worse. Before Jeff could say or do anything, Ranma
silently bolted down the hall and was gone.
<GREAT!> Jeff chastised himself. <Now I've got THAT to explain.>
"Jeffwey, you'wre sqwueezing mwe," Kasumi's slightly panicked
and muffled voice came from where Jeff had accidentally pushed her
face hard against his chest. Jeff's arms had instinctively tightened
when he caught sight of Ranma, causing an almost stifling pressure
around Kasumi's head. Quickly, he released the embarrassed Kasumi
and watched sheepishly as she felt her nose for damage.
"Sorry about that," Jeff muttered.
"No, it is *I* who should apologize for my inexcusable actions,"
Kasumi tried to bow slightly, a totally miserable look on her face.
This had been the closest she had ever been to a man and it wasn't
all that bad, just... inappropriate, especially in her bedroom.
Kasumi blushed deeply when she thought of what people would say if
they knew.
"Perhaps, if you were to make us some tea," Jeff swallowed hard,
trying to find *any* acceptable solution to this current situation -
not to mention one that would get the eldest Tendo sister downstairs
as Akane wanted. "We could talk in a more... appropriate
surrounding.
Kasumi painfully smiled her acceptance and thought how clever he
was to think of such a solution. She was more than slightly nervous
as the full impact of what she had just done became apparent. With a
sharp, nervous gesture towards the hallway with her hand, she
directed Jeffrey out of her room. She followed a discreet distance
behind her brother-in-law, pausing only long enough to turn out the
lights and close the door. Her mind shyly peeked back at the scene
she and Jeff just shared. She reviewed the emotions and feelings of
that moment and smiled quietly to herself. Jeffrey had endured her
foolish display of emotion. He allowed himself to be embarrassed by
his sister-in-law, in her own room, and came away with his dignity
intact. She reminded herself how lucky her little sister was in
finding such a catch.
However, when her mind wandered further, she remembered what
being pressed up against Jeff's firm body felt like. It really
wasn't all that bad. In fact, it felt kind of... good. Kasumi
blushed harder when she thought perhaps *this* was why Nabiki married
Jeffrey - and why all their... activity.
Nabiki. That name stung her with guilt. She had fought with a
sister, something she promised her mother she would never do.
Silently, Kasumi wished she could have a few minutes with her sister
to straighten things out.

***** 7 *****

Outside, Akane searched for Nabiki. Feeling confident that her
sister wouldn't bolt for parts unknown, opting instead for somewhere
familiar and reasonably safe, she confined her search to the family
compound. It was amazing how many hiding places there could be
inside the walls of their compound. Eventually, she found Nabiki out
behind the dojo, leaning against the outer wall, arms crossed and
staring sadly at the ground. Akane could tell she had been crying
again. She could also tell in the dim light that approaching Nabiki
in this state could be highly dangerous.
Carefully, Akane crept closer, stopping ever so often to check
for a reaction from her sister.
"Go away, Akane," Nabiki growled sadly. "I'm not in the mood."
"I just happened to be coming outside for some air and noticed
you standing here." Akane sounded genuine and innocent; which she
was not.
Nabiki must have thought so too as she rolled her head Akane's
direction and shot her a look that, even in the darkness, clearly
conveyed her disbelief. Akane looked sheepishly at the ground before
assuming a position against the dojo wall opposite Nabiki, her hands
behind her and her legs crossed.
"Look, if this is about my yelling at you earlier, I've already
apologized once." Nabiki looked at her sister with a bubble of
anger.
Akane went from hesitantly meek to irritably confrontational in
a heartbeat.
"You don't have a clue, do you?" she snapped at Nabiki.
"What are you talking about?"
"In the baths, while you were gossiping with your friends,
Sodoshi dumped over and fell out of her float ring." Akane paused as
Nabiki's look went to stunned. "She sank to the bottom, Nabiki.
Right in front of Kasumi."
Nabiki continued to stare at her sister, her mouth slackly open,
denial grabbing firm control.
"No... nonononono," she denied with repeated shakes of her head
- her deep brown hair fanning out with every turn. "No, you removed
her. You were playing with her. I saw you."
"Nabiki!" Akane couldn't determine whether or not to continue
in anger or pity. "Your daughter almost drowned because of your
inattention. I saw it. Kasumi saw it. It happened."
Nabiki's denials continued but with less conviction. She
recalled talking to her friends - they were gossiping about a former
classmate's abortion. She remembered hearing a splash and when she
turned around, there was Akane holding Sodoshi dripping wet. Still,
she pleaded with herself, this couldn't have happened. It just
couldn't have...
"I just can't believe..."
"Believe it!" Akane collapsed back against the wall again, her
arms crossed, a scowl on her face. "You screwed up and Kasumi caught
you."
Nabiki just shook her head sadly, totally at loss for words.
"I.... I just don't know how to deal with Kasumi anymore,"
Nabiki lamented with a pleading look Akane's way. "She's so
different from what I remember."
"It's not Kasumi that's changed."
"What? Surely you're not suggesting *I'm* somehow different."
"You *are* different," Akane pressed. "You're a mother now."
"Being a mother hasn't changed *me*." Nabiki bristled at the
charge.
"Well, it should." Akane glared at her older sister. "You have
to think for two people now. You have to put someone else first in
your life. You have to subvert your own feelings in favor of your
daughter."
She paused to gauge the effect she was having on her older
sister. From where she stood, Nabiki looked positively miserable.
"You could get away with being self-centered around Jeffrey,
he's so in love with you I doubt you could run him off if you tried."
Akane paused again, this time to imagine what it must be like to be
married to someone as understanding and patient as Jeff Lawrence. It
only made her angrier when she thought of what Nabiki had done to her
family. "But Sodoshi *needs* a mother. Like it or not, *you're*
Sodoshi's mother. So you better start acting like it!"
"Not you too," Nabiki murmured in her defense.
"Look, I'm no expert but even *I* could tell you're
uncomfortable around Sodoshi. It's also obvious that you're making
Jeffrey do all the work." She changed her expression to almost
lethal with her final accusation. "I can't believe you're doing that
to him - making him do all the things *you* should be doing. What
kind of mother are you?"
Nabiki groaned as she rolled her head back, whacking it on the
stone wall.
"I... I don't know anymore."
"Well, Kasumi's certainly noticed and she's not a bit happy
about it either."
"So that's what's got Kasumi so upset," Nabiki moaned lightly.
"It's more than just that." Akane was starting to get herself
worked up now. Nabiki deserved this and Akane wasn't going to let
such an opportunity slip by.
"More?"
"What you said earlier. Kasumi's been able to absorb a lot of
the craziness around here without complaint. Sometimes I wonder just
how she does that without going crazy herself."
Nabiki snorted a response.
"There's a lot of things you can pick on Kasumi about; her
clothes, her quietness, her unbelievable optimism," Akane pushed
herself upright and bored into Nabiki. "But when you picked on
mother. Well, I can't blame her for how she acted."
"Aw, come on," Nabiki finally protested as she scowled at her
little sister. "Surely *you* don't believe in that 'mother' bit as
well?"
"I don't know, Nabiki. All I *do* know is that Kasumi does and
that's good enough for me."
Nabiki groaned again as she shook her head.
"Listen, Miss Money-britches," Akane stepped even closer to her
sister, her posture clearly aggressive. "Oneechan gave up everything
to fill in after mother died. She lost out on all her junior high
activities, her senior high clubs and trips, and she gave up her
chance for college to see to it we had a mother around the house."
Akane's hands were on her hips as she leaned in closer still to her
sister. Nabiki could clearly see, even in the dim light of the
compound, the determination on her sister's face. "So if she
believes that mother is still around here talking to her, I believe
her."
The two looked at each other hard, neither willing to back down.
Slowly, like for the first time in her life she was willing to
publicly acknowledge the obvious, Nabiki lowered her eyes in
submission.
"I know she gave up a lot for me," Nabiki seemed to sag into the
wall as she spoke. "And I'm appreciative, really." She paused,
sniffed and tried to smile at the still aggressively postured Akane.
She had used up all the irritation she had in her. Almost
uncharacteristically, she didn't want to fight any more.
"Maybe you should listen to some of your own advice." Akane
looked firmly at her sister. "'Start listening more and hitting
less'. That's what you told me."
"I'm a great one for giving advice," Nabiki snorted as she
kicked the wall with her heel.
"Well, maybe you felt qualified."
"Because I'm rich?"
"No. Because you're my older sister and you care a lot about
me." Akane paused with a sly smile.
"Well how do you suppose you got that idea?" Nabiki shot her
sister a sour look. It didn't work. She wasn't fooling anyone -
especially Akane.
Akane just grinned.
"Oh, stop it, stinky," Nabiki growled with much less than her
usual seriousness.
The 'stinky' tag didn't bother Akane as much as it once did.
Where before it dug at her insecurity of being the youngest, it now
was a soothing taunt from her big sister - something that let her
know Nabiki still cared.
"Maybe we're both growing up. Growing up enough to stop
fighting like children." Akane congratulated herself on being able
to finally get the conversation around to where she wanted it.
"You've been listening to more than just me," Nabiki noted as
she regarded her sister with a cocked head.
"Yeah, well, Kasumi's been talking to me too," Akane shyly
admitted.
"Hmmm, I should have known."
"Come on, it's getting cool out here. Let's go inside and have
some warm tea. I've got the feeling we can talk more now."
Nabiki chuckled to herself. <Little sister, I think *you've*
grown up more than all of us put together.>
Akane took Nabiki's hand like a little girl would when hoping to
be led by her oneechan. Nabiki hesitated. This 'big sister' thing
was not as easy as it looked. Together, they walked back to the
house.
Inside, Jeff had successfully gotten Kasumi into the main room
where the two were quietly sipping tea and talking about child
raising. It seemed that Kasumi was well read on the subject and
shared information frequently with old school friends who,
themselves, were having children. In the short time they had been
talking, Jeff learned much about what he was and wasn't doing wrong
with Sodoshi. To Jeff, Kasumi was her old self again - confident,
motherly, and easy to talk to.
Kasumi's suddenly stiffened posture and averted eyes told Jeff
they were no longer alone. Slowly, Jeff turned in his seat to see
the other two sisters standing in the hallway looking serious. True
to her word, Akane had gotten Nabiki back in the house. Now it was
all up to Akane's negotiation skills. Something in the back of
Jeff's mind screamed: 'Are you out of your mind?' but Jeff paid
little attention. He had plans of his own. Namely, clearing out of
'ground zero' as soon as possible.
Quietly, Jeff got up and escorted his reluctant wife to his
place at the table, directly across from Kasumi. Each went out of
their way to avoid looking at the other. Jeff checked quickly with
Akane, noting she was most pleased with the arrangements and
confident in her ability to resolve this conflict, before retiring
upstairs to keep an eye on Sodoshi. Nabiki's parting look towards
Jeff was clearly unforgiving.
For several minutes, the house was totally silent - broken only
by the ticking of the clock and an occasional 'sipping' sound.
Nabiki and Kasumi continued to stare at the table in front of them
while Akane, resting her elbows on the table and holding her cup in
front of her face, casually sipped her tea and cast glances back and
forth between the two sisters waiting for something to happen.
Finally, Kasumi couldn't stand the silence anymore. Without so
much as glancing at her sister, she offered her opening apology.
"I was only concerned about the well-being of Sodoshi," she said
to the table. "I shouldn't have questioned your raising of your
child. That was most unforgivable." She bowed abruptly like a child
when forced to give an apology.
Akane calmly looked at Nabiki over her tea glass. Nabiki
fidgeted nervously and glanced at Kasumi before looking at Akane and
scowling. This little 'tea and talk' session was not supposed to
include Kasumi.
"I reacted badly," Nabiki said in a low voice. All present
could tell that this was hard for her to do. But then, neither
sister thought that was particularly unusual. Nabiki *hated* to
apologize to anyone.
"I shouldn't have said the things I did. They were unkind,
unfair, and..." Nabiki swallowed hard with this last admission. "I
didn't really mean them."
Akane casually shifted her gaze from Nabiki to Kasumi for her
response. It was like a slow motion tennis match, with Akane acting
as the judge and spectator.
"I should not have confronted you about Sodoshi," Kasumi almost
whispered. "Tonight's accident..."
"Was... unfortunate...," Nabiki stalled searching for the right
words. "I understand I have Akane to thank for Sodoshi's rescue."
She briefly glanced at her little sister. "It would appear I chose
well when I picked her as one of Sodoshi's protectors."
Akane acknowledged her sister with a slight bow before resuming
her passive listening position. She was going to make her sisters
work this out if it takes all night. Not that she was going to wait
*that* long.
For several, long minutes, all that could be heard was the
ticking of the clock on the wall and Akane's loud sipping of her tea.
Getting two stubborn sisters to resolve this feud was turning out to
be harder than it looked. Neither seemed willing or able to proceed
beyond their current positions. In spite of the fact that both had
sort-of apologized, they were still like two warring parties at the
peace table - neither willing to swallow enough pride to follow
through with the peace making.
"That's it?" Akane set her cup down hard enough to cause the
remnants of her tea to slosh over onto the table, attracting the
attention of both sisters. She couldn't believe this wasn't working
out as well as she planned. Glancing between her sisters, she
returned their shocked looks with a meaningful scowl.
Kasumi slowly hung her head and stared at her cup of tea still
sitting untouched on the table. Nabiki just lingeringly twirled the
little cup with her index finger and tried to look unconcerned.
Akane, however, had had enough of this 'negotiation' business.
It was time for things to be resolved - her way.
"Nabiki is terribly sorry for all the things she said tonight,"
Akane blurted out, looking only at Kasumi while making this offer.
She was through with this nonsense. She wanted a resolution and she
wanted it NOW.
"And Kasumi is sorry for causing the fight in the first place,"
Akane said while turning to look at Nabiki. This speaking for others
was easy. Akane wondered why she never thought of it before.
"And Nabiki wants you to know that she honors mother's memory
every time she holds her baby." Akane was shooting these rapidly,
back and forth, before either of the other sisters could say
anything.
"And Kasumi offers to help you become the mother she knows you
want to be by teaching you everything she knows about babies."
"And Nabiki is grateful for anything you are willing to do to
help her." Akane cast a sly look Nabiki's way. "Oh, and she
promises no more sex in the furo."
Nabiki looked mortified by the revelation while Kasumi,
surprised that Akane even knew about it in the first place, hunched
over a little in embarrassment of her own.
"And Kasumi accepts your apology and wants to know that you and
Jeffrey are always welcome in her home. Just so long as you behave
yourselves but keep sharing all the juicy parts with your little
sister." Akane giggled lightly to herself.
"And Nabiki offers to take us all out for ice cream so we can
get back to normal around here... her treat... whatever we want."
Nabiki and Kasumi stared at each other for several seconds after
Akane finished with her 'negotiations'. Slowly, they began to
chuckle, quietly at first, but growing louder as the full impact of
Akane's methods became clearer. Soon the sound of three girls
laughing engulfed the room, casting away the dark clouds of doubt and
animosity and reuniting the sisters.
It was really a silly fight in the first place. Nabiki, deep
down, had hoped Kasumi would help her learn how to take care of
Sodoshi but was afraid of displaying just how deep her ignorance of
child care went. Kasumi only wanted to help but felt awkward in a
situation where Nabiki refused to ask for such help. In the end, it
took Akane to make them realize the only real way out of their
dilemma - openly admit their errors and ask each other for
forgiveness. Akane provided both.
As the girls got up to leave, Nabiki slipped next to Kasumi and
did something boorishly American - she hugged her Oneechan and
whispered: "I really do love you, Kasumi. I'm very sorry about
earlier tonight. It won't happen again."
Kasumi was surprised at first but quickly learned that an
American hug felt just right between sisters who loved each other.
Kasumi held on for an uncomfortably long time as she banished her
final demons of guilt. When they separated, both were their old
selves.
"Can we take Sodoshi?" Kasumi asked shyly.
Nabiki checked the clock and nodded. "Why not. It's still
early. Besides, she's a Tendo girl too. We gotta stick together."
The three sisters happily climbed the stairs to fetch Sodoshi,
earlier misunderstandings dismissed. There would still be much to do
if they wanted things to change permanently, but they had a good
start. For now, the night would be just for them. The 'boys' would
have to fend for themselves.

***** 8 *****

The next morning found Nabiki casually pushing her little
stroller with Sodoshi towards Tofu's clinic. While to those who saw
her, she was just another Nerima housewife hurrying on her way to
somewhere important, to Nabiki it was a most unnatural and
uncomfortable situation. Passers by smiled and nodded their approval
as Nabiki appeared to be a new mother following the Japanese
tradition of getting married and having babies. Little did they know
that she was far from traditional.
Little Sodoshi was at her talkative best - alternating between
sucking on her thumb and excitedly pointing at things that caught her
attention - sometimes adding a look up at her mother to see her
reaction. Unlike the previous day, such activities didn't seem to
bother her mother. Nabiki acted most attentive, nodding and
responding with the proper word in Japanese for whatever her daughter
indicated. For both, it was turning out to be a pleasant walk.
A few former class-mates spotted Nabiki as she turned onto the
street that ran past Dr. Tofu's clinic. At first, they seemed to
hesitate - Nabiki's past reputation still fresh in their minds. But
the lure of a baby, even Nabiki's baby, was simply too much. They
approached cautiously, ever mindful of what their former classmate
was capable of. Nabiki eyed the girls suspiciously before trying out
a friendly smile. The girls looked at each other, as if questioning
Nabiki's sincerity. Nabiki decided to try something else.
"Wave at the nice girls, Sodoshi," Nabiki finally said as she
knelt down next to the stroller and used Sodoshi's free arm to wiggle
her tiny hand like a wave.
With giggles of relief, the girls scurried over - performing the
time honored tradition of making a fuss over the child. For the
first time in her life, Nabiki was the middle of an excited frivolous
conversation about boys, babies, and things in general. She'd never
been included in such before; with her reputation and all. Secretly,
all this fed a distinct need in her for group acceptance - something
she seemed to get now only with Sodoshi.
For Sodoshi's part, she accepted all the fuss with her usual
thumb in mouth expression, as her head turned from one girl to
another. She noticed something else - something different. Her
mother was smiling and laughing. Sodoshi repeated the visual circuit
of the strangers several times, always ending with her mother's
smiling face. She quickly came to the conclusion that she liked her
mother this way and wondered why mommy wasn't like this more often.
Sodoshi finished by smiling broadly at her mother - an act totally
missed by the preoccupied Nabiki.
In all too short a time, the visit was over and the girls
departed to their destination, waving their goodbyes to both Nabiki
and her baby. All were convinced that Nabiki had changed and
credited Sodoshi for the transformation - noting that if a baby could
turn such a cold-hearted miser like Nabiki into a decent human being,
well, there was hope for objectionable people everywhere.
With a sigh of relief, Nabiki resumed pushing her stroller,
heartened at having passed her first encounter with former
classmates. She knew how the old school grape-vine worked. Soon
word would get around that Nabiki had *really* changed. Maybe this
motherhood thing won't be so bad after all.
Nabiki struggled a bit getting Sodoshi's stroller through the
door to Tofu's clinic, cursing slightly her own clumsiness and the
designers of the door for not taking in consideration a mother with a
stroller in their designs.
Inside, she found an empty waiting room.
<Looks like Oneechan's been here,> she thought with some
amusement. <It's got all her special 'touches'.> She eyed the central
flower arrangement. The one thing Nabiki *did* learn from that
worthless flower arranging class she was forced to take in high
school was that each arrangement reflected the personality of the
arranger. The flowers in Tofu's waiting room practically screamed
'Kasumi'.
Poking her head through the inner door, Nabiki called for Tofu-sensei.
Moments later, the smiling doctor emerged from his office to
acknowledge Nabiki.
"Nabiki, how nice to see you again," he chirped with a
respectful bow. "And who have we here?" He bent over to look at
Sodoshi who stared back suspiciously. She was entering her 'wary of
strangers' phase and let Dr. Tofu have her full effect - leaning
slightly away from the black-clad doctor and scowling while sucking
on her thumb.
"We were in town and decided to pay you a visit," Nabiki offered
innocently as she pulled Sodoshi from the stroller.
"How nice of you. Would you like for me to give her a quick
check up?" He asked with a friendly smile.
This was working out better than Nabiki had hoped. With a
return smile of her own, she placed the skeptical looking Sodoshi on
an examining table and removed her little shirt.
"So, have you noticed anything unusual in her behavior?" he
asked lightly as he began to gently probe the silently staring
Sodoshi.
Nabiki, standing slightly out of the good doctor's field of
vision, scowled apprehensively. She hadn't anticipated having to
answer any questions that could prove... embarrassing. She tried to
stretch out the inevitable.
"What ever do you mean?"
"Oh, like tenderness in any part of her body, inability to sit
up straight, or... not sleeping at night." The doctor stopped his
examination to tickle and coo at the baby who responded with her
usual giggle and flourish of arms and legs.
"Well...," Nabiki hesitated, trying to think of some way of
avoiding answering directly. "She, ah, sucks her thumb a lot,"
Nabiki finally offered as she noticed Sodoshi working over her little
thumb in her usual, sloppy way.
Dr. Tofu quietly checked the baby's mouth and lips before
asking: "You're not breast feeding her, are you?"
"Well, no. It got too time consuming. I'm going to college and
there is simply no time to stop whatever I'm doing an feed Sodoshi."
Nabiki congratulated herself on such a logical and straight forward
answer - certain it would deflect the doctor from her more damning
shortcomings. It didn't work.
"I'll bet she's not sleeping too well at night either," he
finally turned his head to look Nabiki's way - his eyes, not accusing
but clearly serious - in spite of his usual smile.
Nabiki tried to hide her irritation by pushing some stray hair
out from in front of her face and 'smiling it off'.
"That's really not all that unusual for young babies. If she
wakes at night, just reach over and rub her back lightly - just to
let her know you're still there." Tofu smiled at the nervously
sweating Nabiki. "Most often, she just needs to know she's not alone
at night."
"Um, okay," Nabiki mumbled as she looked at the floor
sheepishly. She certainly *wasn't* going to tell the doctor the
truth about her sleeping arrangements - that Sodoshi slept alone in a
crib, usually in a different room.
Dr. Tofu gently rolled Sodoshi onto her stomach and lightly
probed her back with his fingers. All the time, Sodoshi lay still
and allowed the doctor to apply his therapy, her little head turned
towards the wall.
"I see Kasumi's been here," Nabiki offered as she tried to
redirect things towards the whole purpose of her trip. "I could tell
by her flower arrangement in the waiting room."
Tofu smiled slightly. Just enough to cause Nabiki to suddenly
worry about the welfare of her daughter. Knowing Tofu's long history
of 'Kasumi Lunacy' and its unfortunate effects, if mommy said the
wrong thing, Sodoshi could get the adjustment of her life.
"Yup, she's really growing up." Nabiki leaned over slightly to
gauge the effect her words were having on the good doctor. From the
way he was frozen in position, staring blankly at little Sodoshi's
back, Nabiki felt certain she had the doctor's attention.
"She's reaching that age where a woman needs to be married.
Wouldn't you agree?" Nabiki, certain she had the good doctor hooked
and ready to land, leaned back against a nearby counter, crossed her
arms, and waited for everything to sink in before delivering her
punch line. She didn't have long to wait.
Dr. Tofu slowly nodded his head as he raised his eyes enough to
look at Nabiki over his glasses - his hands still poised over the
softly babbling Sodoshi. He had an almost wistful look of longing as
his eyes unfocused and he looked right through Nabiki.
"I'm glad you agree." Nabiki cocked her head slightly as if
she were measuring Tofu for a knockout blow. This wasn't going to be
pretty, but it had to be done. "You see, she's started dating some
guy named 'Watanabe'."
If she was expecting some wild or even obvious reaction from the
good doctor, she must have been disappointed as his face seemed to
drain of emotion and his new found control reclaimed him.
"How nice for her," he said in a calm voice.
"Yes, she really seems to be impressed with him." Nabiki
pressed her senses to the limit to grasp an angle that would give her
the kind of edge she required here. Unfortunately, the doctor was
too good at shielding his inner emotions. Nabiki was getting
absolutely nothing of value from her senses.
The only thing she could be sure of was, the discussion had
reached its apex. What would come next would either guarantee the
kind of action she desired or blow her sister's chances for happiness
with Dr. Tofu forever. It was just the kind of challenge she was
best at.
"Of course, it's all too early to be making wedding plans."
Nabiki looked off to her right and lightly tapped an index finger on
her arm. "After all, they just started dating."
Tofu slowly turned away from Nabiki and silently started for his
office. He walked like a man who had just witnessed a disaster - his
motions being slow and zombie-like. His forgotten patient continued
to kick and coo on the table. The patient's mother just watched him
go - a sardonic smile slowly spreading across her face.
<All in the timing,> she thought with some satisfaction.
Tofu quietly entered his office and gently closed the door.
"Well, So-chan, it looks like we better be on our way," Nabiki
said softly. "How about I take you home so you can go shopping with
Akane and her friends?"
Sodoshi's response was to coo and babble even louder as her
mother slipped her shirt back on. Nabiki was just settling her
daughter into the stroller when the door to Tofu's office flew open
and the good doctor stuck his head out.
"Did you say Kasumi was dating?" he asked absently, his glasses
totally fogged up.
"Hai, just this week," Nabiki answered with a confused scowl.
She was starting to think she had laid it on just a little *too*
thick.
Tofu nodded thoughtfully and reentered his office, quietly
closing the door again.
"Well, *that* certainly wasn't what I expected," Nabiki admitted
to her daughter as she tucked the girl into her stroller.
She was just about to open the door back out into the waiting
room when Tofu's door abruptly swung open again. Nabiki paused to
incredulously survey the doctor - his glasses still fogged but now
his hair was badly mussed up. He looked like a man who's parts were
slowly coming unattached from his body.
"Did you say Kasumi just *started* dating?" His voice even
sounded mussed up.
"Hai, sensei. Just this week."
Tofu nodded again and ducked back into his office, closing the
door a little harder than last time.
Nabiki, figuring there was more to come, parked the stroller and
leaned against the wall, crossing her legs and arms. Her patience
was rewarded when the door to Tofu's office opened again. This time,
she didn't even give him a chance to ask.
"Hai, sensei. Kasumi just started dating this week."
Tofu stood in the doorway stunned - his glasses still fogged,
his hair still mussed, but now his tunic was partially askew. The
man was slowly falling apart.
Nabiki shook her head and sauntered over to the doctor, her look
of pity clear - if Tofu could have seen it. Blinded by his full
blown 'Kasumi Lunacy', Tofu stood his ground and stared past Nabiki.
"Tofu-baby, you've got to pull yourself together," Nabiki said
seriously with a hint of sweetness in her voice. All the while she
was adjusting his tunic and brushing lint off his sleeves. "My sweet
sister has simply gotten tired of waiting." Nabiki paused with a
little smile as Tofu's expression slowly melted into fear. Gently
removing his glasses, Nabiki looked deep into Tofu's eyes and
growled: "So you better get off your butt and tell her how you feel
or she'll be gone forever and you'll have no one to blame but
yourself."
Nabiki turned to leave before discovering she still had Tofu's
glasses in her hand. With an irritated look and a snort of
exasperation, she spun back around, grabbed his hand and slapped the
glasses into his palm. She paused only long enough to shake her head
in amazement at his lack of reaction before quietly leaving with her
daughter.
Tofu, still staring into space, was frozen to the spot, his face
blank, his mind stuck on the image of Kasumi marrying someone else.
Like a man in a trance, Tofu turned back into his office and softly
closed the door. It was time to have a heart-to-heart talk with
Betty.

***** 9 *****

The aging and slightly rotund Sgt. Fujimoto nervously adjusted
his tie as he stood in the doorway of the police koban watching the
people pass by. He had good reason to be nervous. Reports had been
circulating down at headquarters about deficiencies in duties of the
post under his command. That was bad enough but there was also talk
of replacing him if things didn't improve.
Sgt. Fujimoto may have been the only person nervous, but he was
not alone in the koban. Officer Kenji Watanabe was also present,
calmly seated at his desk in the corner. He never like the location
of his desk - feeling it was demeaning to a person of his ability.
His corner was where all young, rookie police officers were expected
to sit - a situation that galled Watanabe every time he thought of
it.
<I won't be here forever, you inferior tub of lard,> he thought
to himself as he sneered at Sgt. Fujimoto's backside. <If the
district inspector doesn't finish you, I'll think of something else.
No one will keep me from getting what I want. No one!>
"It is very important we make a good impression with the
District Inspector, Watanabe." Fujimoto's voice sounded tired as he
still faced the open door while talking. Watanabe smiled to himself.
"I understand completely, sir."
Fujimoto turned towards his junior associate and straightened
his dress coat, his white gloved hands smoothing its pocket flaps.
His face looked older, more tired than Watanabe could remember.
<All the better,> he thought. Seeing Fujimoto looking like an
old man could only help his situation.
"I just can't understand who could be sending such unfavorable
reports to the District Office," Fujimoto lamented with a sad shake
of his head. "I've always been so close to all the people in this
neighborhood."
"I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding. Perhaps a malcontent of
some sort." Watanabe looked serious and concerned, which he was not.
His people had done well, submitting carefully timed complaints to
the District Office about Fujimoto's 'lack' of attention to his
duties. If all went well, Watanabe would be in control of this part
of the district within a month. That thought left him with a warm
and confident feeling. Things were going as planned.
"Please forgive me, Watanabe," the sergeant said in a hushed
voice while bowing slightly to his junior officer. "I have not been
the best mentor to you." He really looked distressed at his apparent
failure to guide and direct Watanabe's development.
"Not so, sir. Everything I am, I owe to you."
"You are too kind, Watanabe. I am most fortunate in having such
a trusted and reliable officer such as you assigned to this post."
Watanabe's reply was interrupted by an authoritative voice from
the doorway.
"Sergeant Fujimoto?"
The sergeant spun around, surprise clearly etched on his face.
Only his years of experience prevented what could have been, under
different circumstances, a most unfortunate first meeting. His smile
of relief betrayed him slightly as the voice was attached to the last
person from headquarters he expected to see.
"Hai, Inspector." He snapped to attention. Watanabe followed
suit in his best Police Academy manner. Both examined the district
officer before them.
He was younger than expected, perhaps 35 or 40 with only a hint
of gray in his perfect police official haircut. It was obvious, even
under his official uniform jacket, that he was a powerfully built
man. His glasses gave him the look of one who'd spent too many years
behind a desk, typical of someone who had earned his lofty position.
His uniform was spotless and befitting one of his rank. Watanabe
tried to size up this newcomer to his little plot. Try as he might,
there was no way of telling just whose side this officer would come
down on when the situation warranted. Watanabe decided to play it
cautious... for now.
The three men bowed appropriately before the Inspector broke
into a grin, extending a white-gloved hand to Sgt. Fujimoto.
"Good to see you again, Fujimoto," the Inspector almost chuckled
as the relieved looking sergeant gratefully took his hand.
"Inspector Abe," the sergeant grinned. "I had no idea they
would send you."
"Well, when I found out your koban was being investigated, I
thought: 'This doesn't sound like the Sergeant Fujimoto I know'. So,
I asked to be assigned to the investigation and do the preliminary
interview."
Watanabe scowled inwardly at this new development. He expected
a more 'hostile' investigator, one that would put the sergeant
through the wringer over the reports. Instead, he was getting an old
friend who would be more sympathetic to the local situation.
"Forgive me, Inspector Abe." Fujimoto turned to the younger
officer. "This is my most promising young officer, Officer
Watanabe."
Watanabe did all the proper things in greeting a superior
officer but was slightly disappointed in the almost casual manner
that the Inspector greeted him - like an understanding uncle instead
of a 'by the book' investigator.
With the formalities out of the way, the three sat down around
the koban's small meeting table. Watanabe did his duty, pouring the
previously prepared tea as Abe and the sergeant removed their gloves
and chatted amiably. Again, Watanabe grimaced inwardly at the sight
of the two being friendly towards each other. No, this wasn't going
like he planned at all.
"As it would appear that someone within the district itself
harbors ill will for you Fujimoto, perhaps it would be appropriate to
begin this investigation by going over the results of your recent
block visits." Inspector Abe leaned back in his chair and eyed the
two officers across the desk from him. He was looking for more than
the simple answers to complaints filed down at headquarters - he, and
he alone, suspected there was more afoot here than a few random
complaints about an aging police officer who'd always been the model
neighborhood policeman. Too many odd things were happening in the
district; too many mysterious transfers, too many odd retirements.
His concerns were carefully worded in dispatches to his superiors at
Tokyo Police Headquarters. Two weeks and numerous meetings later,
all agreed that something strange was going on in the district and
Abe was assigned to the unusual task of an 'internal' investigation
of his own district.
Officer Watanabe retrieved the stack of block visit reports and
slowly began to go through them, reading each out loud and adding his
personal observations. Abe and Fujimoto listened attentively,
nodding at key points and acknowledging each household.
Things went well until Watanabe got to the Tendos. He started
alright, mentioning the 'elderly' father and the daughters, but
seemed to skip over the rest of the occupants.
"Only two daughters?" Inspector Abe asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I seem to recall there were three."
"Hai, Inspector," Watanabe replied, his mind racing to determine
the significance of Abe's observations. "The third daughter married
and moved away."
Fujimoto and Abe exchanged quick, amused glances.
"Any other people living at the residence?" Abe casually asked.
Watanabe cleared his throat. "Well, there *is* a young man
engaged to the youngest daughter." This was an oversight on
Watanabe's part; one that embarrassed him in front of a superior.
"Saotome Ranma and his father, Inspector," Fujimoto added
without emotion.
"Ah, yes," the Inspector chuckled as he pulled out his pipe and
began loading it from a small pouch. "The famous 'Saotome
Incidents'. We haven't seen many of those in recent months. I trust
it's because he's calmed down somewhat."
"Somewhat." Fujimoto chuckled as the Inspector lit his pipe,
sending a cloud of sweet smelling smoke to hover lightly over the
table.
"I suspect the youngest daughter is responsible for that. She
always struck me as a 'take charge' type of girl."
"Well, I think 'struck' is the appropriate term here," Fujimoto
laughed openly. The Inspector joined him as he remembered the
physically aggressive youngest daughter of Soun Tendo. Watanabe just
feigned his laughter, totally lost as to what the joke was about.
"This certainly explains the Saotomes." The Inspector blew
another puff of pipe smoke with his laughter. Watanabe only forced a
painful grin.
"Don't forget little Ranko and her pet panda," Fujimoto added
while wiping a tear from his laughter. If nothing else, the Tendos
had provided a welcome diversion to the usually quiet koban station.
"So, we have the father, two daughters, a fiance and his father,
and a red headed girl with her pet panda." Abe summed up the
situation in preparation for his last set of questions.
"Hai, Inspector," Watanabe snapped formally. He didn't like
where this was going - setting *him* up to be the inefficient one
here. It was supposed to be Fujimoto that was the negligent officer.
It was Fujimoto that needed to be transferred. It was Fujimoto that
was unfit to serve. Watanabe flicked nervously at the corner of the
Tendo report.
"You have left out the most important frequent visitor to the
Tendos; who, I believe, is staying there this very minute."
Inspector Abe leaned forward, resting his hands on the table.
Watanabe swallowed hard and looked at the Inspector. He
couldn't read anything in the Abe's expression but felt certain that
he had committed a second, more serious gaffe in his report. He
*really* hated that.
"You left out the middle daughter and her family," Fujimoto
crossed his arms and looked at his junior officer with an expression
that matched Abe's. Like the model neighborhood policeman that he
was, he knew all the comings and goings.
"All I know is that she married some American and moved away."
Watanabe's nervousness caused him to switch from flicking the report
to adjusting his collar.
"Close, Officer Watanabe. Close." Inspector Abe leaned even
closer with that announcement. "Do you have any idea who the
American is?"
"I didn't think it important...," Watanabe admitted as he looked
over his report again. He had *really* made a mistake this time.
"Not important?" the Inspector chuckled. "Did you hear that,
Fujimoto? Not important." The two shared another laugh at their
young colleague's expense.
"Who is he?" Watanabe's voice began to take on a tinge of
concern. This could complicate everything he had worked for.
"He is the son of the assistant to the American Ambassador here
in Tokyo." Fujimoto chuckled loudly shaking his rotund frame like a
Japanese Santa Claus.
"Not only that," Inspector Abe interjected as he leaned back in
his chair again. "He is probably the richest person you'll ever
meet."
"Rich?" Watanabe's interest went from mild to intense in a
heartbeat.
"Whomever marries into *that* family will be fixed for life.
Isn't that right, Fujimoto?" Abe blew another cloud of smoke and
carefully watched the young officer's reaction. He knew more about
Watanabe than he was letting on.
"Quite right. Jeffrey Lawrence and his wife Nabiki are worth...
millions." He leaned towards the Watanabe and said conspiratorially:
"And that's in American Dollars."
The Inspector and Fujimoto broke into hoots of laughter at their
young associate's omission. Watanabe just stared off into space, a
tiny grin spreading lightly over his face.
<Well, *this* certainly changes things. Millions, huh,> he
thought coldly. <Kasumi Tendo, prepare for the courtship of your
life.>

***** 10 *****

That evening, Jeff and Nabiki took Ranma and Akane out to dinner
at a fancy restaurant. Nabiki claimed it was to pay back her little
sister for her quick thinking at the baths. Jeff agreed because he
thought it would be an opportune time for Ranma to present his little
'surprise' to Akane. He purposely hadn't told Nabiki about the ring
- mainly because Ranma asked him not to but also because he knew his
wife. If she even suspected such was afoot, she would have been
hatching all kinds of plots aimed at setting just the right
atmosphere for her little sister to get properly engaged. Jeff,
however, felt it important that this is one thing the pair would have
to do on their own. No Nabiki meddling allowed.
Kasumi offered to stay home and watch little Sodoshi. She
claimed there was a particular television program she was anxious to
see and that there was no other babysitting arrangement feasible.
The fathers were off to Mr. Miyagi's bar again, thanks to
arrangements made earlier by Jeff to pay for whatever they wanted.
An arrangement both fathers were determined to take full advantage
of.
Just after dark, Kasumi settled down to her television show with
her sewing and mending, having put Sodoshi down to sleep in her crib
up in Nabiki's room, when a lone figure slipped over the wall of the
compound and ducked quickly into the shadows. For several minutes,
the figure's eyes swept the compound to ensure he was unseen before
scurrying in practiced ways towards the back of the residence. With
the movements of a trained martial artist, he climbed to the roof and
slipped silently through an open window on the second floor.
Alighting quietly on the floor, he crouched just inside the
window and scanned the room. A small night light gave enough
illumination for him to see a small crib with the sleeping child
curled around a stuffed kitty, intermittedly sucking her tiny thumb.
Without hesitation, he silently drifted to the door and opened it a
bit; enough to look into the hall and assure his presence was still a
secret.
As he opened the door a little further, attempting to check the
rest of the hallway, he heard a noise behind him. Spinning into an
aggressive crouch, he looked quickly for the source of the sound only
to have his eyes catch on the baby, now on her stomach, her head
raised and staring his direction.
His eyes narrowed as the two stared intently at each other.
Quietly, with muscles tense and nerves alert, he crept over to the
crib and looked inside.
Little Sodoshi Lawrence, last daughter of the Clan of the Cold
Moon, looked defiantly at the intruder, her eyes ablaze with fear.
Someone had broken into her room. Someone had woken her up. Someone
was going to pay for this. Devoid of any of her ancestors'
formidable fighting skills, she resorted to the only weapon she knew
- she began to cry.
Ryouga Hibiki staggered back from the crib, gesturing wildly for
the child to remain silent, while quietly 'shushing' the baby. It
had no apparent effect as Sodoshi let loose her first squall.
Thinking quickly, Ryouga started to make faces at the baby and
hopping silently on one foot as he did so.
That seemed to have the desired effect as Sodoshi stopped
crying, figuring this person was no danger - only someone who came to
play. With a look if mixed suspicion and anticipation, Sodoshi
slowly pushed herself into a sitting position while Ryouga continued
going through his funny faces.
Ryouga was desperate to keep the child quiet - needing only a
few minutes to stash his clothes safely before dousing himself with
cold water and turning back into P-chan so he could crawl tiredly
into Akane's bed. A noisy Sodoshi would only bring the babysitter to
his attention, spoiling his sudden return.
He knew now that he had picked the wrong room to enter. Instead
of Akane's room on the end, he had chosen Nabiki's old room in the
middle. Noting that the baby was looking bored again, he slipped off
his bandana and held it up for the baby to see. Sodoshi just pointed
to the yellow and black piece of cloth and said something
unintelligible before smiling and slapping her little legs in
delight. Whatever it was about the bandana she liked, Ryouga was
grateful for.
As the two looked at each other, he making funny faces and
dangling his bandana while she cooed and chuckled, Ryouga began to
feel something about this child that he hadn't felt about anyone
before.
She was so little and helpless, yet not afraid of him. Perhaps
*that* was the difference. When he looked into her deep chocolate
brown eyes he saw no fear, just happiness at discovering a new
playmate. Something inside him melted with her smile. Ryouga
cautiously stopped making faces and peered in at the squirming
Sodoshi.
"Who's baby are you?" he asked in a voice barely above a
whisper. Sodoshi just sucked her thumb and stared at Ryouga.
"You want to play?"
Sodoshi answered by pulling her thumb loudly out of her mouth,
pointing to Ryouga and saying: "Babababa". Ryouga chuckled before
reaching in the crib and softly feeling her dark hair. When he
smiled, she smiled back, apparently ignoring his oversized canine
teeth and odd dress. Such things mean nothing to a child. To
Sodoshi, he was a new-found friend who just came to play - nothing
more. Sodoshi permitted the touch, enjoying the gentle attention of
the strange boy, before yawning and starting to babble again.
Nervously, Ryouga tried to shush her again, gesturing lightly
for her to not make any noise.
When Sodoshi started babbling louder, Ryouga looked anxiously
around the room for something to quiet the child. Spotting a glass
of water on a nearby dresser, he got an idea. Sodoshi ceased her
talking and stared at the 'lost boy' as he tried to hand the glass to
her. Making a face like she didn't want a drink of water, she again
started to babble, only louder.
In desperation, Ryouga held up his hand to get the child's
attention before dumping the whole glass over his head. Sodoshi's
eyes went wide when the inevitable transformation took place. Where
once stood a slightly amusing human, there was now a little black
pig.
Clapping her hands with joy she giggled and crowded up closer to
the bars of her crib to get a better look at this wonderful new
playmate. Ryouga, anxious to amuse the baby, disengaged himself from
his clothes while making little 'oinking' sounds. Soon, the two were
engaged in a type of play, the likes of which had not been seen in
the Tendo house before.
As quietly as he could, Ryouga ran around in circles 'oinking'
as he went. Sodoshi loved it - clapping her hands and cooing
excitedly as he made each circuit. He ended each round by sitting up
on his hind legs, pausing to make a simple 'bwee' sound before
rolling comically onto his back. Sodoshi, laughing with delight,
duplicated her new friend's backward flop each time. She was totally
thrilled with her new found playmate as they repeated their play over
and over again. Ryouga, even in his pig form, smiled and chuckled to
himself at sharing the simple act of play with someone else. As one
who lost much of his childhood in training and misdirected
adventures, he never had a real playmate before - not since Akane had
someone accepted him so openly and without reservation. Sodoshi's
innocence was not lost on Ryouga. Her smiles were genuine, her
laughter infectious. Her friendship honest.
But the hour was late and it was far past time for little
children to be asleep in their beds. After a few more rounds of
'oinking' and more back flops, Sodoshi began to tire of the game and
finished by laying back down, thumb in mouth, stuffed kitty under her
arm. Moments later, the exhausted child fell fast asleep.
Ryouga waited patiently while Sodoshi dozed off before
considering his immediate problem; namely how to get his clothes down
the hall into Akane's closet in his pig form. He approached the door
to check the hallway. For some reason, he couldn't remember leaving
the door quite this far open before the transformation. Discounting
the whole issue as just the difference between human and pig
perceptions of time and space, he poked his snout through the open
door to find the hallway empty... with one exception. On the floor
just outside the doorway was a large pan of steaming hot water.
Suddenly afraid that his secret was no longer, he slunk timidly back
into Nabiki's room to assess the possible ramifications. The pan
wasn't there when he checked to see if the coast was clear the first
time. Therefore, someone *had* to have placed it on the floor
sometime *after* he transformed. That would mean someone now knew
his secret. Someone who would, most certainly, tell Akane. Slowly,
Ryouga's snout lowered to the floor as he closed his eyes and prayed
for a miracle.
Almost five minutes passed before he concluded that whomever
knew his secret would do what they would with it regardless what
happened next. With a pig-sigh, Ryouga silently padded over to the
pan and jumped in.
For some reason, the transformation back into human always hurt
more than going the other way. He couldn't explain it but just
figured it had something to do with the radical change in size he had
to go through. This too was another reason to hate Ranma. He was
certain that Ranma didn't have the same pains in transforming;
compared to Ryouga's fate, going from boy to girl must have been a
snap.
Naked, wet, and miserable, Ryouga sadly gathered up his clothes
and started to dress.
"When you're done, Ryouga-kun, please come downstairs," came
Kasumi's light, reassuring voice from the bottom of the stairs.
With a small whimper, Ryouga finished dressing and paused,
considering the option of just slipping back out the way he came and
disappearing into the night. Akane would understand. Akane. The
thought of her discovering his secret tore at his heart as he thought
of all the nights he slept nestled in her arms, his head resting
comfortably against the firmness of her small breasts. He groaned
lightly as he thought of how she would hate him and curse his name -
all because he wanted to be close to the one person that ever showed
him a tiny bit of love.
"I'm waiting, Ryouga." Kasumi's voice sounded more like a
mother awaiting her child than a guardian looking to punish an
intruder - an intruder with an embarrassing secret.
Reluctantly, Ryouga descended the stairs, taking each step
deliberately, like a man going to his own execution. What awaited
him at the bottom scared him more than any of the other members of
the family. Akane would have just pounded him. Nabiki would have
probably sold him into slavery - or worse. Kami only knew what Soun
would have done. But Kasumi scared him. She was too nice, too
understanding, too controlled. To him, because she was no fighter,
she had no weaknesses he could exploit.
He paused at the bottom of the stairs, looking between the
freedom represented by the front door and the warm lights of the main
room where Kasumi was. With a sigh of resignation, he trudged
wearily into the room with Kasumi.
He stopped in the doorway to assess his situation. Kasumi was
seated on a large pillow at the table, her sewing set aside in neatly
arranged piles. The TV was still on but was showing only dull
commercials, Kasumi's TV program having ended. On the table in front
of Kasumi was a tea pot with two cups waiting patiently to be used.
"Please come in, Ryouga-kun," Kasumi chirped as she started
pouring the tea. "I hope you'll accept my hospitality and my tea.
I'm sorry Akane or the others aren't here."
Nervously, Ryouga bowed abruptly and clumsily staggered to a
cushion across the table from Kasumi. He winced slightly as he sat
down; the transformation process always left his joints a little
tender for the first hour or so.
Kasumi handed Ryouga a cup of tea and sat back with a motherly
smile. It didn't help. It only made Ryouga more nervous.
"How did you know...?" he stammered as he stared at his tea. He
couldn't figure out just how Kasumi knew he was in the house. What's
more, unless she actually saw him transform, she wouldn't have known
that P-chan and himself were one in the same.
Kasumi considered her answer for only a few moments.
"This house is very old. It has a personality and life of its
own. I have long since learned how to listen to its moods."
"You heard me come in," he stated flatly.
"I heard you come in."
Silence reigned in the Tendo residence as both were lost in
their thoughts. Kasumi was considering how to approach a delicate
subject and Ryouga was just thinking of how to get out of all this
with his secret and dignity still in place.
"Ryouga-kun," Kasumi began softly. "I think what you did for
Sodoshi was sweet."
'You saw me?" He fought the urge to look at Kasumi's sweet
face. She was more of a mother to him than his own.
"Yes, I saw you playing with So-chan."
"At first, I just wanted to keep her quiet," he answered with a
small voice while shrugging. "She really is a nice baby."
"Yes, Sodoshi is a sweet child and very perceptive too. She
knew you wouldn't hurt her." Kasumi smiled at Ryouga again. "And so
did I."
Ryouga could only nod his agreement and wait for the rest of
Kasumi's thoughts.
"Ryouga-kun, I... I want to talk about you... and Akane."
Ryouga closed his eyes and awaited what he knew and feared would
come.
"I know of your... problem. I also know much you like Akane."
Kasumi was looking directly at Ryouga now. He could only hang his
head. "But it's not fair to her for you to continue with this...
deception." She paused to allow the full impact of what she had said
to take effect. "It's not much of an honorable person who would
deceive Akane in order to sleep in her bed."
"It's not like that!" Ryouga protested loudly before recovering
himself and adding modestly: "I *wanted* to tell her but Ranma kept
getting in the way."
Kasumi smiled at her young guest, trying to measure his
sincerity. She didn't think of him as a bad person, just one who was
lonely and friendless.
"I only wanted to be near her. I've never intended it to be
anything more." His voice sounded sad - like he was on the verge of
tears. It had been many years since he'd felt like crying. Kasumi,
in her mother role, was just the type of person who could make Ryouga
admit things he'd never consider admitting to anyone else.
"I understand. But you must accept that Akane will marry Ranma
someday. Nothing can stop that." Kasumi was speaking with
confidence and certainty, sounding more like a mother carefully
explaining things to a child than the older sister of the girl he
secretly loved. "Your interference will only cause pain for Akane.
And, eventually, yourself."
"I know." His voice barely above a whisper.
"Ryouga-kun, I want to be your friend. You'll always be welcome
in my home." Kasumi poured Ryouga some more tea. Ryouga, showing
he'd been properly raised, reciprocated by filling Kasumi's cup. "I
want you to promise to never deceive Akane again as P-chan."
"You won't tell her, will you?" Ryouga looked aghast at the
possibilities should Akane know the truth about him and her favorite
pet.
"No, that would only cause her pain," Kasumi replied with a
shake of her head. "I want you to promise me, Ryouga."
Kasumi's firm voice accurately conveyed the seriousness of her
request. Ryouga reluctantly agreed, in exchange for Kasumi's
silence.
"Will I still be able to see her... and Sodoshi?" he asked
timidly.
Kasumi's smile reassured him of her friendship. "Of course.
You'll always be welcome here."
"Thank you for that." Ryouga sighed and swallowed another gulp
of tea. He had to admit, Kasumi certainly made good tea. Something
worth looking forward to with each visit.
"I think you, Akane, and Ranma could become good friends."
Kasumi should have left well enough alone. So long as she kept
the discussion to about him and Akane, he could be reasonable - even
conciliatory. The hint of his long time rival and hated enemy - even
if it *was* a one way hate - triggered his usual, aggressive self.
"NO! For Akane I will honor your request." He staggered to his
feet and struck a menacing posture. "But I will NEVER forgive that
coward Saotome for what he did to me. NEVER!"
"Ryouga..."
"NO!"
With that, he bolted out through the engawa and into the
welcoming darkness of the night.
"Oh dear," Kasumi muttered. "Perhaps I went too far."

The dinner party returned in typical fashion. Typical, that is,
for a Tendo dinner party.
"I can't believe you, Ranma!" It was Akane's voice, as angry as
Kasumi had ever heard.
"How was I to know? They set it in front of *me*!" Ranma was
in his usual denial mode - loud denial mode.
"They set it in front of US!" The rest of what Akane wanted to
say to her fiance was lost in the pounding of two pairs of feet as
they stomped their way up the stairs. A pair of slamming doors
terminated the evening's activities.
Jeff and Nabiki calmly entered the residence and removed their
shoes in the entranceway. Like patient parents, they had endured an
evening with the children with as much dignity as they could. It
wasn't easy, considering what they both expected - a quiet evening, a
good meal, and pleasant conversation. What they got was quite
different.
Oh, it started out alright, Akane and Ranma acted nervous but
manageable enough considering they were seated in a fancy Italian
restaurant, among well dressed patrons, in a quiet setting - quite
out of their element. Jeff even had hopes that Ranma would use the
occasion to deliver his ring to Akane. The atmosphere was right.
The time was right. Unfortunately, Ranma insisted on acting like
Ranma.
Jeff had ordered the 'Lovers Meal', entrees designed to be
shared between two people, for both couples. Ranma, being the hungry
and nervous boy that he was, pounced on the meal the moment it
arrived and proceeded to gulp down everything delivered for the
couple like a starving dog. While Akane and the others stared in
shock, Ranma displayed the table manners he was known for - sloppy,
loud, and embarrassing. By the time Jeff got Ranma's attention, the
boy had eaten both portions, all the bread, and was busy scooping out
the dipping sauce. The rest of the evening kind of went downhill
from there.
Needless to say, the ring was never delivered. On the plus
side, nobody got hurt in the ensuing Ranma/Akane altercation.
For now, at least, Akane's engagement ring would remain a
secret.

***** 11 *****

The next morning, Nabiki was patiently holding her squirming
daughter, trying to feed her breakfast. Under Kasumi's patient
tutelage, Nabiki was discovering how easy caring for a baby really
was. All it took was a little planning and patience. The former she
knew all about. The latter was going to take a little practice.
Sodoshi was more animated than usual, talking a blue streak -
like she was telling her mother something important about the night
before. What was even more puzzling to Nabiki was the fact that
Sodoshi started making new noises along with her usual babbling. She
couldn't be sure, but it sounded like 'oinking'.
Kasumi had been careful not to reveal anything about last
night's visit by Ryouga - feeling certain she was doing the right and
honorable thing by abiding by her agreement. Still, there were
subtle hints being dropped by one who never agreed to such a deal.
After the usual breakfast mess, complete with a baby version of
a food fight, Nabiki finished by wiping her daughter's face. Kasumi
just smiled from across the table. Nabiki was acting almost as if
she were comfortable holding and feeding her daughter. That pleased
the eldest daughter.
As the two sisters chatted, Sodoshi repeatedly reached for
Nabiki's tea glass. With an indulgent smile and a note to Kasumi
about how Sodoshi was learning how to drink from a glass (at least,
that is what Jeff had said before they left), Nabiki handed the glass
of tea to her daughter. Before Kasumi could offer a word of warning,
Sodoshi dumped the entire contents over her head, squealing with
laughter.
"Sodoshi!" Nabiki wailed. There mother was again; saying 'NO'
to all Sodoshi's fun. The child stopped laughing and scowled at her
mother defiantly.
Nabiki, however, missed it all as she was looking at her older
sister with exasperation. There were some things about caring for a
child that simply defied explanation.
"What ever, do you suppose, possessed her to do that?" Nabiki
asked with a silly look on her face. She could feel the tea running
down into her underwear. No doubt about it, both were going to have
to take baths this morning.
Kasumi, biting her tongue, could only look at her sister and try
to keep from laughing out loud. Her eyes expressed surprise and
shock at Sodoshi's actions but behind her hand, she hid her
amusement.
"I haven't a clue," she lied, leaving the table to find
someplace quiet to laugh.

***** 12 *****

Early that afternoon, Kasumi was pushing Sodoshi in her little
stroller as she went shopping. Kasumi, basked in the approving looks
of those she passed, enjoying the image of motherhood; even if it
wasn't hers. At every stop the pair were greeted by friendly people
who spared no effort in fussing over the baby. Kasumi enjoyed every
minute. Sodoshi, however, was wary of each new stranger and
constantly looked to Kasumi for hints on how to react. Each time she
saw her aunt smiling and chatting happily with store owners or other
customers, she would reluctantly allow herself to be pinched, patted,
and fingered by adoring strangers - her thumb comfortably tucked in
her mouth. Midway through the shopping trip, Sodoshi finally got
bored with the whole exercise; letting the rhythm of the stroller's
wheels on the street and the almost constant buzz of admiring people
lull her to sleep.
Kasumi's schedule led her past Tofu's clinic. Laden down with
bags and packages, Kasumi fought her instinct to continue walking
past without stopping.
<That wouldn't be very polite,> she thought. <Besides, I haven't
seen him in over a week.>
She looked at the sleeping Sodoshi and smiled slowly. It would
only be a short visit. Certainly not long enough to inconvenience
her little niece. Besides, she had planned on stopping by his clinic
by herself anyway. There was something she really wanted to ask him.
Something she *had* to know.
With remarkably little trouble, Kasumi maneuvered the stroller
into Tofu's waiting room. Two young patients were already there,
quietly reading while apparently waiting their turn with the doctor.
"It's 'her'," one whispered to the other from behind her
magazine.
Her companion could only nod nervously and begin to tremble just
enough to make the magazine he was reading start to flutter. Neither
liked this but both were determined to see it through.
Pushing open the inner door, Kasumi called out Tofu's name. He
was quick to respond.
"Oh, Kasumi," he lightly chirped as his glasses started to fog.
Obviously, Nabiki's earlier visit had pushed Tofu back into his
'lunacy' when it came to Kasumi. "Why, we were just talking about
you." He gestured towards his clinical skeleton over in the nearby
corner.
Kasumi quickly noted there was only one other person in the room
with them; a young lady already stretched out on a treatment table,
apparently resting from a treatment.
"And what a cute baby," Tofu babbled as he patted one of the
shopping bags hung from the stroller's handle. "Nabiki has one just
like it." There was no question about it; for some reason, he had
reverted to his former self around her. Kasumi, slipping back a bit
herself, tried to pretend she didn't notice.
"This *is* Nabiki's baby, sensei." Kasumi flashed her usual
innocent smile Tofu's way.
"You don't say," he giggled. "They *do* look remarkably alike."
"Sensei, could.... could we talk," Kasumi blushed as she made
the suggestion. This was being extremely forward for her but she was
feeding an urge that demanded she say something to Dr. Tofu about the
'go-between', Officer Watanabe, and other important developments.
She didn't know why, exactly, but she felt he needed to know
something about the situation - something very important.
"Certainly, Kasumi. What's on your mind?"
"Not here," Kasumi said softly as she cast a nervous glance at
the resting patient. "Somewhere private."
"Of course. How about my office?" he offered indicating the
toilet.
Kasumi scowled slightly before resuming her pleasant smile and
starting for the doctor's real office. Surprisingly, he followed -
after pausing at an empty treatment table, patting the pillow, and
telling the 'patient' to rest for a few moments and he would be right
back. Kasumi noted the real patient, her face turned towards Kasumi,
looked surprisingly young for someone needing Tofu's full treatment.
Still, there was something in the girl's face she didn't like -
something.... not right. Kasumi quickly dismissed her suspicions,
thinking the poor girl must be in much distress to come to Tofu's
clinic in the middle of the day like this. Probably missing work to
do this as well.
Tofu's office wasn't large enough to accommodate the doctor,
Kasumi *and* Sodoshi's stroller. Kasumi looked at the sleeping child
and figured that she would be okay parked just outside the doctor's
door. After all, this *was* the doctor's clinic. What could happen
here? Just to be safe, she left the door partly open.
Once inside, the doctor offered Kasumi some tea. Flustered as
to what to do next, Kasumi accepted.
As Tofu spooned sugar into the tea pot instead of tea, Kasumi
sighed and shook her head.
"Perhaps, I should make the tea, sensei," she offered as she
reached for the tea pot.
As fate would have it, their hands met at the tea pot's handle.
For several seconds, they froze together, her hand covering his.
For, what seemed like a lifetime, they noted the feeling of each
other's hand and stood rooted to the spot, barely able to breathe.
Both blushed like school children.
"Per.... perhaps I should sit down," he offered weakly, making
no move to remove his hand. Kasumi could only nod and slowly
disengaged herself, clutching her hands together in front of her,
staring at the floor and blushing.
Tofu, totally lost to his lunacy now, sat down heavily on the
floor, still clutching the tea pot. Kasumi decided that, perhaps,
tea wasn't exactly the right thing for the moment.
Reaching down deep within her for enough strength, she began her
carefully rehearsed speech.
"I believe in tradition," she said softly.
"Oh, yes. Tradition. Good idea, that." Tofu had removed his
hand and slowly slid it down through the opening on the top of the
tea pot - reaching for what, neither would ever know.
"Yes, well, I believe in tradition in almost all things." She
was beginning to feel flushed, sweat breaking out on her forehead.
She was also beginning to feel faint. She had rehearsed this speech
almost all night in hopes she would be able to carry on in *any*
situation. She knew this was going to be tough but was determined to
follow through regardless.
"I quite agree." Tofu was trying to remove his hand from the
thin opening of the pot. Obviously, it was easer to get his hand
inside than remove it. "After all, where would we be without
tradition?" He finished with a ridiculous chuckle.
"I believe that tradition should usually extend to when a girl
is introduced to a young man - for courtship, I mean." She couldn't
continue while facing the doctor. She nervously turned to face the
counter, her fingers intertwining repeatedly.
"Courtship, huh," Tofu asked absently as he concentrated more on
removing his hand from the pot.
"Hai. And I think that a woman should be married before she
turns 25. Don't you agree?"
"Oh, absolutely. Anything older would make her a 'Christmas
Cake'."
"Still, a girl mustn't ignore her obligations." This was
getting harder for her with every passing second. Panic began to
sneak out of its hiding place and fight for control of her actions.
"Obligations are important too." Tofu was now waving the tea
pot stuck on his hand in an effort to dislodge it.
"But if a girl is confronted with a traditional courtship when
she clearly desires another.... Should she continue with the
courtship or follow her heart?" There, it was finally out in the
open. The real reason she made this visit. She closed her eyes and
prayed that her Tofu would choose the latter.
"Well... it would be very hard for her to ignore the tradition
just because her heart is in the wrong place." He was banging the
pot on the floor now. "After all, if we all ignored tradition, where
would we be?" The pot finally gave way and shattered, freeing his
hand.
Slowly, Kasumi's chin dropped to her chest as her shoulders
sagged. It was the wrong answer. It was Tofu admitting that her
decision to accept the 'go-between' had sealed their fate together.
Because of the traditional courtship being carried on by Officer
Watanabe, Tofu would feel honor bound to step aside and relinquish
his feelings for Kasumi. Slowly, her hands slid over her face to
hide her disappointment and shame.
Such was not lost on Tofu. He could see Kasumi's reaction. He
could tell she was in tears. Tears *he* was the cause of. The last
thing he wanted was to hurt the one he loved.
"Of course, there *are* situations where the girl's feelings
should take precedence," he offered, nursing his bruised hand. It
was beginning to dawn on him that Kasumi was not speaking of her
sister Akane. He couldn't be sure, but it sounded like she was
talking about herself.
Surprised by his answer, Kasumi spun around and looked at the
gaping Dr. Tofu. She couldn't help but notice his youthfully
handsome face and his kind eyes. Yes, he would be the best catch of
all.
"Do you really mean that?" she almost whispered, praying he
would agree - her face a mask of joyful optimism.
"Hai, I agree with you totally. You should not be forced to
marry against your feelings." He blinked at Kasumi, wearing his
usual helpful smile and praying he had guessed right - that all this
was about Kasumi.
They grinned at each other like two kids; he out of nervousness
and she because it was as close to she was ever going to get to what
she wanted to hear. He still wasn't sure he said the right thing.
All he knew was it felt good and she was smiling.
"I'm sorry to have taken so much of your time, sensei," she said
politely while bowing. "It's getting late and I really must be
going."
"Of course," Tofu seemed to come alive with the announcement of
her departure. "Obligations."
Kasumi blushed, "Hai, obligations." She thought again how good
a catch he was and how natural it felt being around him - like she
and he were destined to be together. She felt so lucky.
This had all worked out better than she expected or even hoped.
Opening the door back into the treatment room she reached for
Sodoshi's stroller. In spite of the many bags attached to the
stroller, she could tell something was wrong; something her mind
refused to acknowledge.
Looking frantically this way and that, her mind fought for
control of her emotions as she looked for the missing item. No
matter how she tried to look at the stroller, she always came up with
the same result - Sodoshi was missing.
"Tofu!" she screamed, her voice rich with panic.
Stumbling through the door, Dr. Tofu arrived at her side and
quickly diagnosed what was wrong. He even jumped to a suspect. A
quick glance at his empty treatment tables confirmed his suspicions.
The woman patient he had been treating for the last week, never
seemed to get any better despite his treatments. That was suspicious
enough, but she always asked about his 'assistant' and when she would
be back. Anger and panic now dwelled in the heart of Tofu Ono. He
had been set up - used as a trap for Sodoshi.
Without a word, Tofu dashed out through his now empty waiting
room to the street beyond, looking frantically for any sign of
Kasumi's niece - or his wayward patient. He asked several passers-by
but no one had seen a young woman carrying a baby leaving his clinic.
Whomever snatched little Sodoshi Lawrence had done their job well,
leaving behind few clues and no witnesses to the act itself.
Reluctantly Tofu returned to his clinic. The police, of course,
would have to be called as would Jeff and Nabiki. However, that
could all wait - he had an even harder task to perform first.
Finding Kasumi still standing by the now empty stroller, he
quietly closed the door to the waiting room and started for Kasumi.
Her look was of panic, her eyes unfocused, her mouth aimlessly trying
to form words to the question she feared to ask. Tofu instinctively
knew what she wished to know but could only shake his head sadly and
look at the floor. It was *his* fault this happened. It was *his*
patient that took the child. It was in *his* clinic, a place that
was supposed to be a haven for those in need, that this heinous crime
took place.
Kasumi could only stand and tremble, clutching Sodoshi's little
stuffed kitty as she stared at Tofu with pleading eyes. As Tofu
slowly looked again at his secret love, she could read in his eyes
that Sodoshi was truly gone - taken from her in a moment of
inattention, a moment she would forever regret.
"NOOOOOOOO!" she screamed before passing out, collapsing on the
smooth tile floor of the clinic.