Special Thanks to: Roja Cyd Maurice Phillip Dream and Angel Jourdan Bickham Byooki Desu Don Granberry Acetylene Negai And to the person reading this. If little labor, little are your gains, Man's fortune is measured by his pains. ~ Herrick Unknown ~ Chapter 11 ~ _I thought we'd finally understand each other but... well... this isn't a fairytale. It didn't last for long._ The sun hadn't risen yet, but the Saotome household was already alive. The servants were bustling about and the children were already by the gates. Nabiki was wearing her usual red Chinese outfit, her backpack already strapped on. A smile plastered itself across her face as she watched Ranma say goodbye to the children. Her foot tapping impatiently against the ground was the only thing that showed her discomfort with the affection that he gave them. It was a touching scene, and although Nabiki rarely gave more than the occasional hug, the children knew how much she really did care. "We'll be back by next week," Ranma said as he ruffled Hanae's hair and patted Sei's shoulder. "You be good under Cologne and Shampoo, okay?" They nodded and Ranma took the pack Hanae offered him. Nabiki turned to the children. "Be sure to have that oath memorized before we get back home. Your induction is in two months." "Shall we go then?" Nabiki asked Ranma. The morning was still a bit cold and the little warmth their silk clothes gave did nothing to lessen Nabiki's shivers. She really wanted to start moving and warm her muscles. If the day wasn't going to turn out hot and the hakama a bit lighter, she would have preferred the traditional garments. The walk towards Yokohama would take her three days. Ranma's jog for Nerima would take twelve hours. She just really wanted to get to Yokohama, fix the problem and get back to sewing the family crest for the children... Sewing was not one of her better skills and she needed more time to perfect it. "I didn't notice Kodachi by the gates this morning, Ranma," Nabiki commented hoping to get a reaction from her brother. "Shampoo wasn't there either." "Neither was Cologne. They're tired from Yuigahama. I asked the samurai not to wake 'em up." Ranma shrugged, his mind obviously on something else. "They're already going to put up with Hanae and Sei. They need all the energy they can muster." Nabiki raised an eyebrow at that, noting that he avoided talking about his wife. She was surprised, usually he would just bluster. Nabiki resolved to try to remedy that. "Hmmm... and Kodachi?" She really didn't expect an answer. She was surprised when he provided one. "She's resting." Nabiki didn't try to raise the topic again. According to Ifuku, Kodachi had not slept in her bed last night. Then again, Nabiki did not want to jump to conclusions. It always made things messier than they should be. "I'll check Nerima to see if they know anything, and if mother has anything on who attacked. I doubt there will be." Ranma clenched his fist. Nabiki sensed that the attacks were getting to him. "Yokohama is in lesser danger than Nerima... it's surrounded by Happosai's hans. It's a surprise we actually have problems this far north. If everything goes as planned, I'll probably see you in Yokohama... otherwise... I'll send for you by pigeon." Sending letters by pigeon was not the best option, but all trusted men were out fighting at the border or at both attacked places. A man simply could not be spared merely for message delivery. "Refrain from using letters too much." Nabiki reminded Ranma. He nodded. At least they had already arranged a code when they were younger. Any intercepted letter would not bring them danger ... he hoped. "I don't get the motive. Nerima I could understand..." Nabiki trailed off. Nerima was their main land. All their people, samurai, koku went into Nerima to be evenly distributed. It was logical to attack the central city. "But Yokohama? It's practically a poorly drained mud field!" "To anyone else it is... but to us..." Ranma looked at her thoughtfully as he left the statement hanging. "What worries me is that they attacked the Kannai, the inner city. They didn't manage to do much damage to Kangai. For them to get past the outer city..." "Kannai, that's the residential area by the hills. The farms are a bit in Kangai." Nabiki paused. That meant that the damned koku produce for the past month just went down in ashes and some of the silk was destroyed. The fields were probably a mess, and most of all they were bound to have lost people. "Whoever did this knew enough of our layouts to have broken into the cities just when there are *no* samurai around and taken down our major producer and our major city." "That means we'll have to lessen everybody's koku intake. I don't even know how we're going to account for all of the dead." Ranma took a deep breath as he tried to clear his head. "I'll asses the damage in Nerima, but I'm sure Nerima can hold its own after some days. Just as soon as I finish, I'm heading towards you. Try to keep their morale up." They stopped just as soon as the fork in the road greeted them. Ranma turned to Nabiki. "What path are you taking?" "The Tokai road. I might as well check the samurai on my way and gather a few helping hands if I can. Yokohama is going to be a *big* deal." Nabiki frowned then, finally decided she could do nothing about it while she was still in Rose Brier. Her frown melted to a smile when she remembered that Ranma would probably see their mother and she gave a small uncharacteristically impish wave. "Say hi to mother for me." "Then I guess this is where we say goodbye, I promise I'll finish up with Nerima as soon as I can. I'll meet you in Yokohama." Ranma said as he considered the distance that they were going to travel. If she had a horse Nabiki would probably reach Yokohama in two days. As it was, maybe three. She hated the reasons why people could not use a horse, especially when their town was named 'Trainer of horses'. Horses were a sign of privilege and not wealth. Happosai did not even grant his own *heir* the right to ride horses. Often times she wondered why the emperor granted Happosai that privilege. Nabiki frowned at the long walk ahead of her. It was possible that the people would have half of their houses rebuilt by the time she got there. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. See if you can get horses too." With that they both took to the trees. ~~~ Akane woke up with a smile on her lips. She didn't mind that her husband was gone for the day. She didn't mind that he was away for the week. All that mattered was that she knew he loved her. She was happy. It was the happiest she'd been in days. As last night played repeatedly in her head, she happily turned to get one of her clean day kimonos and practically skipped for the rest of the day. Her husband loved her. He couldn't deny that fact because he had shown her affection through that single kiss. She really couldn't say that there was some kind of clear evidence other than that one instance, though. In that single moment of courage, she had expected her husband to protest, leave her without proving what she had asked, but he had stayed and talked with her, something they had not done without the shouting matches they both had to endure. It had been his agreement to her favor that had boosted her courage to what she had wanted to do. What she had set out to prove failed her, but had shown her something more than she had wanted: that her husband loved her. It was this single revelation that made her walk in a perpetual state of exhilaration. At the moment, few *could* actually put a dent on her happy mood. Even the thought that she still wasn't given permission to teach Hanae hardly made a difference. She was setting her heart on training the girl and whenever she could she put in hours sparring with Ifuku and training herself for the fight that would give her the right to teach the girl. Through the days, Akane discovered that Ifuku had great potential. She was stronger than most women were, and she had a great deal of endurance. She knew the basics, so when sparring matches came, Ifuku, although mostly on the defensive, knew how to take a good hit, and could give a nasty punch from time to time. She was also very nimble, and although Akane had every advantage over her maid, she found herself losing occasionally. "How do you do that, Ifuku?" Akane asked as she took the proffered hand, from the dojo floor. "How do you manage to beat me after a few rounds?" "Well, as Lady Nabiki said, you have a pattern, my lady. You really are very skilled, but skill comes down to nothing if you don't fix all of your bad habits," Ifuku answered, then went to get a towel. "It took me a few times to get your pattern, but Lady Nabiki caught on to it in your first fight. Lord Ranma can do so too." "Well, I know of the pattern, but I really don't know how to take it out." Akane sighed as she rubbed her sore arms. "I've never really paid any attention to all of that. I can teach it, but it's really *different* when you try it." The main reason for Akane's problem was that she relied entirely on her strength to win a fight. In doing so, she would manage to knock out an opponent before her fighting pattern emerged. With the Saotomes, however, since their main skill was speed, fights with them generally tended to be drawn out endurance matches. Ifuku nodded. "Well, you should do so now. But then... how were you last night, Lady? Did you sleep well?" - Akane blushed a little. "Why do you ask?" "If Lord Ranma doesn't wish to continue with the fight, this might not be necessary at all." Ifuku looked at Akane, waiting for her answer, but it didn't come. "I'm sorry to pry, but I didn't find you in your quarters last night, and Lord Ranma did take a little time to sleep." Akane didn't mind the question, it just surprised her. "I slept in one of the other rooms, actually. Someone shifted my room around and I couldn't find it. I was terribly tired and..." The rooms had been shifted the night before because of the attacks at Nerima. It was the usual arrangement when there was trouble and she didn't think that sleeping in another room would have worried Ifuku so much. "Ranma and I talked last night. We mended our differences. He gave me my goodbye, Ifuku." A smile played on Ifuku's face as she handed Akane the towel she had fetched from the benches. "Your goodbye? The one that you sought to get when you lost my outer kimono? It sounds like we really don't need all of this after all, my lady." "Ifuku!" Akane said, a little bit embarrassed, gathering the meaning of Ifuku's probing questions. "Nothing happened. It was a goodbye, what happens in goodbyes anyway?" "Oh, I don't know..." Ifuku left her statement hanging, leaving Akane to guess what she meant. "Do you need assistance in your bath, my lady?" "No. But thank you for the offer, Ifuku. Could you please just get me a clean kimono?" Akane asked. Ifuku bowed and went to fetch the garments. Akane wiped her face with the towel and headed to the bath house only to find Shampoo by the halls. Shampoo stopped in her tracks the moment she had seen Akane across the hall. It was obvious that the woman was avoiding Akane, and Akane didn't have a clue to the reason for her behavior. She offered the girl a warm smile. "Shampoo, good morning. How is the children's training coming along?" She was a bit annoyed by the fact that Nabiki and Ranma gave someone else consent for children's training over her, but shrugged it away. In a week, she would know if Ranma was bullheaded enough to keep her from teaching the children or not. She nodded and was about to continue on her way, when Shampoo turned around and rammed Akane against the wall. In one swift movement, Shampoo was holding a dagger against Akane's throat, another arm was keeping Akane firmly pinned against the wall. It surprised Akane, for Shampoo had shown no outward hostility since they met. "Uh... Shampoo?" "I... know that you've been chosen. Your amnesia is possible to believe, and Shampoo grateful for the warm welcome you have given my Grandmother and Shampoo in Rose Brier." Akane didn't think it was the wisest time to make a wisecrack about her grammar, or ask if this was the way Amazon women showed their thanks. "But Ranma and Nabiki are both of the Amazon tribe and the Amazons don't let go of their own. Promise Shampoo that you will not harm them. Swear it on your life." She said the words with such dead sincerity, that all Akane felt she could do was to give the woman what she asked for. "Take care of Ranma, Akane." It was the first time Akane heard Shampoo refer to her by her real name. "If you don't, someone might just steal him. I don't think I can take it if another one does." Shampoo let her go slowly, putting the small dagger she had pressed against Akane's neck back into her hair, a mere hair ornament once again. "You keep your promise, Saotome Kodachi, because the twins deserve far more." Akane watched the girl retreat back into the house. Her eyes still remained fixed on the door even though Shampoo was already long gone. She rubbed her hand against her neck where the dagger managed to break her skin, a small line going across the flesh. She looked at the blood and rubbed her fingers slowly. Kodachi had probably done something wrong against Shampoo, too. But then, with Kodachi's attitude, she was willing to bet there were few whom the woman had not yet insulted. Entering the bathhouse, she sighed. Shampoo would certainly follow up on that threat that she had given her, at least she knew that she wouldn't incur the wrath of the girl. She had no plans of going against her word. - Shampoo did not let Akane see the tears that streaked her face as she ran. She had loved Ranma unconditionally, and he had loved her like a sister. When things like that happened, it was painful and difficult to let go. Shampoo loved the almost physical pain that came with saying goodbye, for that was what she had come to Japan for really... to tie up something that she had not been able to when the twins married. She loathed herself for not being courageous enough to do it in person, but Ranma had Akane now. She fervently hoped that Akane would take care of Ranma, the way she had envisioned she herself would. Cologne raised her eyebrows as Shampoo ran in from the hallway, dark lavender locks trailing behind her. She followed her great-granddaughter in and found her rocking back and forth in the corner, hugging herself. "Shampoo?" Cologne asked, trying to get the girl's attention. She stood on top of her cane while looking down at the girl. She had never seen Shampoo break down before, but since their arrival in Japan, she had done so twice, in two days. It was unnatural and overdue. Sometimes, Shampoo needed to release the feelings she had long kept hidden. "" Shampoo murmured in Mandarin, staring off into the space, taking comfort in her great-grandmother's presence, but speaking as if she was talking to no one in particular. "" Amazons were devoted to their laws, and laws were usually ingrained into its people. One of those laws was common decorum inside someone else's house. Laws also tended to punish severely. "" Shampoo's head shot up, "" "" Cologne put down her staff as she gathered Shampoo into her arms, something she had not done in years. It was a strange sight to come upon, Shampoo's purple hair falling forward as she leaned closer her head resting on Cologne's lap. "" Dark splotches spread through the red silk Cologne wore. Her child was crying. "" Cologne stroked the girl's hair. "" "" Shampoo's voice carried over to her ears faintly, "" "" Cologne said sternly, her hand slapping the side of the woman's shoulders lightly. "" Shampoo shook her head at her grandmother. Sometimes people refused to understand what had already been plainly said. Her love for Ranma was something that could not be snuffed out in a moment's time. She had given her heart to him, and she had not thought that he would reject her... it had taken her seven years to get used to the idea. It would take more for her to move on. " Shampoo almost whispered as she looked up to Cologne, "" " The older woman lifted the girl's chin so that she would look her in the eye. She offered a comforting smile to her great-granddaughter, "" "" "" Cologne answered as she tried to comfort her great-granddaughter. Ranma came too early in their lives. Shampoo had been a girl when he defeated her. He became so much a part of the girl's life that even now, when he obviously did not want her, she desperately clung to the small strands he left behind. "" " Shampoo whispered sadly. "" There was nothing left to say. It was everything Shampoo had kept inside for the long years and Shampoo had been hurting for a while now. It had been seven years... Cologne had always thought that she had lived and let live. Apparently she had been wrong. Shampoo was not the child she had comforted in her bed when she was young. She was already a grown woman, and the sickness of the heart was wasting her away right now. Cologne didn't know what she could do for her, except to give the comfort she sought. ~~~ Nodoka looked at the current state of Nerima, brushing a stray lock away from her face. The damages were more than enough to keep the whole town busy. As the acrid smell of smoke touched her nostrils, she nearly coughed. It wasn't a pleasant smell... a fusion of burnt wood and flesh. The smell of burnt flesh stung her most of all. Many died the night of the fire, and she was lucky to sustain only minor burns. She sighed as she looked at the house she had formerly occupied. There were five samurai dead, fifteen injured. The peasants had the worst of it, *their* body count was still rising. The report was fifty dead, forty injured, and more to be dug out of the fires. It had been nighttime and the fire had taken them all by surprise, even her. They shouldn't have had such a problem since there were ample samurai guarding the gates for any suspicious-looking person to go about torching the place. The problem was, with Ranma and Nabiki trying to extract more of the men from each city, it left them weakened from such inside attacks. It was even more suspicious, because it had happened *just* at the night of the Yuigihama meeting, when all of the best fighters of the Saotome Clan were out of their stations and reporting the findings of the past year to Happosai. Either it was a coincidence, or the torchbearer had waited for the Yuigahama meeting just to set the fire. She was inclined to believe the latter. 'Why burn Nerima in the first place? Rose Brier is far easier to access if they want to get Ranma or Nabiki. Nerima brings unnecessary risk and added detection.' 'The only reason that makes sense is that Rose Brier is near Yuigahama, any blaze would bring ten of the best Saotome warriors bearing down on them.' Nodoka frowned at the implications of that thought. Few knew of the Yuigahama meeting, to strike at the appropriate moment meant that the person who orchestrated all of this knew the Saotomes' plans inside and out. It worried her. Nodoka wiped the sweat from her face as the samurai rebuilt the structure of the house. 'I'm getting too old for political wars.' She rubbed the long gash in her sword arm that she incurred that morning by fighting with several of the ninja. It was beginning to itch. Her maid, noticing her discomfort, offered a small white handkerchief for her. She refused, and the maid bowed and continued to shield her with the small parasol she held in her hands. "Are all the ninja dead?" She asked one of the nearby samurai. He stopped to put down the dismantled shoji and looked at her. "All we could get our hands on, my lady. Still, I would advice you to be cautious tonight. Ninja are tricky enemies." She nodded absentmindedly. She had some respect for the Silent Ones. Ninja were always something of a taboo among the samurai, but she taught her children the same respect she felt, for without respect for your enemy, you could never win. "Is there no one left to question?" "I doubt they would say anything *when* questioned, Lady Saotome," the samurai looked thoughtful, but shook his head. "They are well trained, my lady, most of them had killed themselves before they were captured." She thought as much. Ninja hated loose ends. That's why they were usually the assassins. She dismissed the samurai and to find out where she was needed, but there was nothing she could lend her hand to. Nerima was a well-oiled machine... even in a crisis. "Mother!" Nodoka turned around to smile at her son. "Ranma, you're here. Thank goodness." She turned to her maid. "Please see to getting us a room." The maid bowed again, left her the parasol that she was holding and ran towards the less devastated part of the city. Nodoka turned to study her son again. "Son, I hope we did not interrupt you at a bad time. How was Yuigahama?" "Well enough I suppose..." Ranma trailed off as he looked at his mother. "Happosai has accepted an alliance with the Amazons. That's to be expected, I guess. Some of the daimyo want him out of his seat, but then they don't want him knowing *that*, though I think he senses their unrest. He's setting up Edo as a gift to Tokugawa, so we'd best prepare for someone higher up ordering us around." She always had an interest in the Saotome affairs. Having a son with a title of daimyo tended to do that. Her father also taught her the benefits of knowing what was going on around her. Nodoka was an astute woman, and she could handle herself if the circumstance presented itself. "I thought Happosai formed an alliance with Tokugawa?" Ranma snorted in disbelief. "The old man? The way he sucks up to the regent you'd think he's the Emperor. This time next year, we'll have a liege lord *to* our liege lord. The other things are from the other Saotome lands. None of them are interested in Sagami, thank the gods. There's still trouble at the border... and Yokohama was set on fire." A lot of bad news, but then, Yuigahama was *usually* bad news. That was the reason why Happosai had set up the sparring matches in the first place, to keep them out of the bad news. She couldn't see why Hanae was eager to go to it, it seemed extremely dull. A thought sprung to her mind, 'Protect me from my friends, I can protect myself from my enemies.' "Was there any good news?" "Well... Nabiki sends her love..." That earned a smile from her. "And... I don't know if you take this as either good *or* bad. I'm hoping you'd think it's good." Nodoka raised her eyebrow at her son's fidgeting. "What is it, son?" "Well... It's about Akane..." He trailed off, watching her. Nodoka raised her hand to her mouth and shook her head, eyes wide in disbelief. "You think it's bad..." He hadn't even said what it was, and yet Nodoka knew what her son was going to tell her. The mere *tone* that he had pronounced Kodachi's newly baptized name spoke volumes. He loved her. She only hoped that he wasn't making a mistake. "Mother, that is... I--" He stopped unsure of himself, where to begin, whether Nodoka would accept a proclamation that he himself was unsure of. Nodoka raised her hand to his arm. "You do not need to tell me something if you are not ready to say it. I have a feeling that you're going to tell me--" She shook her head, "I fear that this is not the time for secrets. Let us just arrange what you have to do in Nerima so you could join your sister. I think Yokohama needs you more than Nerima does." ~~~ The Tokai road was extremely busy, and extremely hot. It was one of the reasons why Nabiki took to the trees. Since there was no formal public transportation, and the only way to get from place to place if you weren't a special retainer of some liege lord was by foot, people tended to walk together. The bigger the group, the better. That worked fine for Nabiki, except that she preferred to be with people with a faster pace, maybe someone as fast as Ranma. Even her foster father would do. So when she traveled on busy roads, Nabiki tended to take to the trees more than the paths. Then again, it all really depended on the situation. Nabiki looked behind her. Sure that for a while now, someone was tailing her. Her tail was not using the conventional methods either. He had also taken to the trees as she had. Jumping off the tree, she landed in the middle of the Tokai. The people's steady movement immediately hid her from view. She hoped that was enough to keep the person following her off her trail, because she certainly didn't want a fight in her hands so close to one of the seki, the military checkpoints. Although she could probably bluff her way because she was samurai, she didn't like delays. She kept close to a group of six women who carried infants some days old. Nabiki smiled. 'They're probably going to the Shinto shrine, to name them and record the day of birth.' One of the mothers smiled at her noticing her proximity, and showed her the oldest, which looked about four months old. "What's his name?" Nabiki asked as she looked the boy over glancing sideways towards the path she came from to try to sense if her tail was still following. "Hideki." The young mother smiled, oblivious of Nabiki's other worries, her mind centered on her son. "He's having his first eating ceremony." Something constricted in Nabiki's heart. The first eating ceremony was something done when a child was four months old, where a mother would sit with him holding a small rice bowl and help the baby eat with chopsticks. The others were probably going because when a boy was thirty-two days old or a girl thirty-three days. At these ages, the child was taken to a Shinto shrine. There, a priest recorded the name and date of birth and the child formally became a member of the community. She missed out on Sei's. His foster mother was the one who took him. "You must be terribly excited." The woman nodded. "Oh, yes. I am. Pardon me, but are you traveling alone? You could come with us if, you like." It was not unusual to be offered companionship because women, generally, didn't travel unaccompanied. Nabiki opened her mouth to decline, when she felt a dagger point across her back. "There you are, my dear, I was looking for you. You're terribly hard to catch." The soft words were spoken loud enough for the woman in front of Nabiki to hear, but soft enough for Nabiki to understand its true meaning. This man was the one following her earlier. "That was the point," Nabiki fumed. By the grip the man was holding her, she was sure she couldn't get the knife before anyone got hurt. She would have to play it out for a while. "Ahh, I wouldn't think that a lovely lady like you would travel alone. Pardon me, if I have insulted you." The woman traveler bowed once to Nabiki, then once again to whoever was sticking the dagger at her back. She then gave a small wave, going back to the group she had been with. "No trouble at all," muttered Nabiki as she watched the woman get away. She would have insisted to stay with her if not for the child she had carried. But then, Nabiki could take care of herself. "Do you mind?" "Let's step over behind the food vendors, and we'll talk," he whispered to her. "I promise I won't do anything untoward to you." Nabiki gave out a very unladylike snort, but complied. Just as soon as they were behind the stall with no one looking, she whipped around, pushed him off her back, disentangled her backpack and threw it at the ground so that its weight would not be an added burden to her if she needed to fight. "What is it you want?" "Ifuku's description holds you no justice, Lady Nabiki," the man observed and smiled as he slowly laid his dagger on the ground. "You are more than 'slightly skilled'." "You know Ifuku?" Nabiki demanded uncertainly as she adopted a more casual stance, although her guard was not lowered. "Who are you?" "I'm Ifuku's husband." Nabiki blinked at him. She had been tracked and called 'more than slightly skilled' by a peasant! She'd die if Ranma heard about it. 'I lost to a peasant? It didn't have to be an assassin, maybe samurai. But a peasant!' From the worn out blue cloth he wore, she could also tell he was a particularly poor peasant. 'I would have felt better if I had lost to pops!' Her pride stung making her completely forget that she hadn't asked for his name. "That's impossible! Ifuku has worn no marital comb, has had no ceremony that I have heard of." "You don't expect us peasants to take you away from your duties, just because we were *married*, do you?" he mocked. "Besides, she doesn't wear her comb because Lady Kodachi refuses to wear hers, and Ifuku claims it won't be polite for her to try to do something that her mistress has refused to do." "Of COURSE you should have told me! Ifuku's my vassal. If I don't know what's happening inside my house, then I'm not going to be able to handle what goes outside of it," Nabiki raged, frustrated at his answers. Still, he knew Kodachi, he knew Ifuku. It must signify he knew enough of them to be Ifuku's husband... or a spy. "I'm sorry if I have in any way offended my lady. In the future, any marriages performed will have my lady's permission," he granted, his sarcasm rankled on her nerves. "But if you really doubt me..." He took something out of the folds of his kimono. Nabiki tensed up, but only found that he was showing her a plain lacquered comb. "This is my marital comb. I gave this to Ifuku when we were married and she has asked me to keep it until her mistress wears hers." She still had her suspicions... Nabiki sighed, the comb really proved nothing than that the man had a few coins to buy himself a nice trinket, or that he was a skilled wood carver, but she didn't voice all this. "Why are you following me?" He smiled charmingly at her, which deepened her frown even more. If he thought he was going to charm her through this entire ordeal, he was going to find out that Nabiki was made of ice. Finally, he said, "Ifuku sent me to tell you about the Tendos." "Let us not talk about them in the open." Genma taught them that conversations about anything important should never be held in public. And the Tendos seemed important enough for secrecy. The Tendos. Nabiki stared at him for a long time, questions plaguing her mind. What could a maid have to do with a clan so far down south, so small that virtually nobody was interested in their territory and so inactive that no one knew them? She was intrigued nonetheless. Especially at the apparent skill that Ifuku's husband was showing her. She knew she should have just sent him to Rose Brier rather than let him accompany her, but she found herself saying, "I don't have any other choice but to trust you. So we'll have to keep strict rules." The man nodded. The man seemed more amused than compliant, and that irritated Nabiki to no end. "So we shall, my lady." "Don't do anything stupid, and we'll get along just fine," Nabiki said as she dipped her foot towards the knife the man had left on the ground throwing it up in the air with her foot and catching it in her hand. She examined it closely then dropped between her breasts. It had been small enough to fit within the bindings she had placed there. When she looked up, the man was looking everywhere but *at* her. Nabiki raised her eyebrows at his prudishness. Most men in their age would not turn away. Still looking away, the man asked, "What constitutes as stupid, then?" "Oh, that's simple," Nabiki assured him as she slung her backpack again. She turned back to him to give the sweetest smile she could muster. "Anything *I* don't like." ~~~ Kodachi watched from the shadows of the house that had once been hers and smirked. Running her hands against the wall of stone near the beach, Kodachi smiled as it reached the small lever, finally finding what she was looking for. She pushed the rock-like switch and it revealed a small cleverly concealed doorway in place of the wall she had been looking at which opened into a spacious room. She lit up the small lamp she was holding and closed the wall behind her. Faintly, she could hear the grinding of the stone door as it shut and smiled as she saw her lab. It was something she had taken pride in, her lab. She looked at the fine amount of dust that had accumulated in the half year she was absent. She ran her hands against her worktable. A small brazier in the middle, some glass containers, and a good number of ingredients were still left. "Sorry, loves, I'm here for only a short while," Kodachi murmured passing her hands against the small bottles, taking a few, blowing the dust off the liquid filled containers then hiding them in her kimono's sleeves. Her hands trembled at the rows of potions that had lain dormant for the past months, eager for her use again. "I'll be back soon, my loves. Soon." Nothing had changed much in her work area, so it meant that someone had yet to find it. That was lucky. At least no one had been tampering with her things while she had been out playing dead. There were still some things that Akane Hibiki had to learn about this place. When her father had acquired Rose Brier for her, she had been given a huge allowance to 'redecorate' it. Her parents had been eager to please and too loose with their money. She managed to pull strings to have it built, and she had made magic with it ever since. Other than changing the d�cor of her room, and adding her secret lab, she stashed the money away for further use. Now was as good a time as any to use it. She went up to a bookcase and pushed it away, revealing a long staircase that led up towards the halls of Rose Brier. She unlatched it and peeked over the wooden floor, pushing the shoji away. There was no one around. She remembered the fool Gosunkugi's plea for her to stay by his side tonight, but she couldn't... not when her plans were at their critical stages. Ranma and Nabiki weren't home tonight, from her observations of the house earlier Cologne and Shampoo were distracted teaching the children, and no one would sense her discreet entrance. 'But why go to the house? You have nothing to get there. You have all you ever wanted here.' Gosunkugi protested when he learned where she was going. 'You can execute your plans here.' She had laughed in his face and left without a word of explanation. Gosunkugi was at best a pawn that she could either break or use. She did not need to explain things to him. How could a simpleton like him understand that what she was doing was an important part of her plan as any of the schemes she had ordered to bring the Saotome House to chaos? No. A simpleton could not understand the grand plans she had. Pulling herself up from the hole, she sealed the place quickly, covering the hollow floor with the tatami once more. Straightening herself, she dusted her kimono and tried to get her bearings, frowning a bit. The arrangement of the house had changed. It only meant that they perceived some amount of danger. It was good for her plan but terribly disconcerting for her. Kodachi set out to find her room, and smiled at her luck, she found it in a matter of seconds. She recognized her room, not by the way it looked but by the materials that were set around it. The maids prepared the room for a young woman's rest. Since Shampoo and Cologne were staying in one room, it was logical to conclude that the room that held a single tatami with a woman's night kimono was Akane's. Hanging the lamp in one of the pegs, her eyes strained at the sight as she fumed silently. The woman had changed her wonderful shoji and beautiful furniture to the drab pastel colors. She had changed it into sunny themes that conveyed happiness that thoroughly revolted Kodachi. She shuddered lightly then turned towards the alcove where her clothes were kept. As she shifted through the clothes she sighed again, all of them had the drab colors of yellow, blue and purple. She neatly placed them in the tatami, the key to all cloak and dagger games was not being found out. Leaving the room in a mess was a gong waiting to be struck. She pushed her hand back into alcove and found what she was looking for: a small scroll, a bag of coins and her marital comb. It was still as good as the day Ranma had presented it to her. Carved from something similar to ivory, the workmanship was exquisite. The arch was made into a dragon entwined in a rose and the eyes studded with two small blue gems that sparkled when the moon touched it. It was simple and elegant, yet no one had ever seen her wear it. Only Ranma, Ifuku some of the upper liege lords and possibly Nabiki knew what it was. Now she needed it as proof of her identity. Her benefactor would probably kill her if she went up to him in this body. Without him, she would not get the resources to keep all of those bushi foot soldiers, and warriors not born Samurai, sohei or temple warriors, and the occasional Kensai the wandering weapon masters, paid to attack the borders. How could her plans to pry Ranma's fingers on his fief work if she had no manpower? She set the comb into her hair, just above the small band that tied her ponytail together and kept the scroll and the bag inside the sleeves of her kimono. It was good Ifuku still moved the items with her dresses. It took less time to find it. Standing up, she returned the things carefully. It wouldn't do for them to find something amiss this early. Still, no one would sense her presence in the house. And they wouldn't really *know* who she was, now would they? Turning to leave through the window, she passed by her full length mirror before she leapt out into the night, it had managed to catch a ray of the moon's light and had caught her eye. She stopped to look at it again. It was probably the only fixture that had not been changed in the room. She touched the smooth glass and looked at her face for the first time. Mirrors were an expensive thing of luxury, the more you had, the more wealthy you were. They also tended to be smaller, which is why Kodachi had sought out this particular piece. It was also the reason Kodachi had never seen the face she now possessed. Kodachi trailed her finger across the short bluish black hair, the small nose and the large brown eyes. The face was softer, subtler than what she was used to. The eyes were bigger, more expressive, the hair straight and had the slightest tinge of blue when the light hit it. A beautiful face all in all, but looked far less than her own. Then she frowned, angry at what stared back at her. She wanted to punch the face that stared back but knew that it would be an unwise decision as it might bring the household's attention to her. She was still an outsider in that home, and she would be persecuted the moment she got caught intruding. A small gleam of wickedness flashed through her eyes as she whipped a black rose from her sleeves, the black rose she had picked from the arches of Rose Brier. She had terribly missed her roses. She drew her hand back and threw the rose at the mirror deeply imbedding itself on the frame. There was a small cracking sound, but the mirror didn't fall apart. Not a single piece fell from its frame. Her rose struck clear in the middle of the web of glass she had made. 'You'll be sorry you have chosen me for an enemy Akane Hibiki. I *will* see to your death,' And as the multiplied images of the peasant she now possessed stared back at her, this time, she couldn't suppress the urge to laugh. - jkl; Ifuku's head shot up as she heard it, the unmistakable sound of Kodachi's laughter through the air. She gave a shudder, then pushed the tray she had been about to deliver to her mistress to Sara's hands, then wiped her own against a clean towel. A determined look set across her face as she went to see to her mistress. Lady Kodachi was back. "Ifuku, no..." Sara whispered wide-eyed, while holding the tray and insistently pulling on Ifuku's sleeve. "Don't do this." "We have all prepared for the moment of Lady Kodachi's arrival, and I'm going to do her service. Just as is my duty, Sara." Ifuku gave the young girl a reassuring smile. She talked as if Lady Kodachi had been on a vacation. "Please, let me go or we might all be in trouble." Sara nodded as she released Ifuku's sleeve. Ifuku wasted no time in running towards Kodachi's current quarters. She found Kodachi standing and staring at the cracked mirror. The rose that protruded from the said device, left no doubt as to who could have done it. "Do you need me, my lady?" Ifuku asked in a light voice. Akane turned around slowly, fear laden in her eyes. "Oh... Ifuku, No. Thank you, but it frightened me." She motioned towards the mirror and smiled trying to cover up most of that fear. "It's all right, my lady. You need not be scared of who you are." Ifuku said in the most comforting voice she could muster. "Your memory is just resurfacing." "My memory?" Akane asked bewildered. She looked at the rose then at Ifuku. "You mean Kodachi? Kodachi is back? But... how?" "If memory serves me correct, child, you *are* Kodachi." Ifuku turned to see the Elder Cologne enter the house, the two children and Shampoo closely behind her. "But-- but!" Akane protested as she pointed to the mirror. "I didn't *do* that, you have *got* to believe me. I can't even handle a dart, much less a projectile that *big*. Not with that much accuracy anyway. I couldn't have struck the mirror to crack it, it's impossible." Cologne raised an eyebrow. It was difficult to believe an impossibility that has been proved otherwise. Especially since the proof was right before their eyes. "Hand me the rose, child." There was a moment's hesitation before Akane reached out for the rose and extracted it from the mirror. Its withdrawal upset the precious balance that the glass had created temporarily when the rose had been imbedded on it. The shards all fell to the floor breaking into smaller pieces. Ifuku winced at the mess, wishing that Kodachi had not been insistent on buying the Portuguese glass mirror and choosing a normal silvered bronze one instead, as Akane handed the flower over to Cologne. Cologne studied the rose for a moment. "This is -- has always been your favored means of attack, Kodachi. As I recall, you are rather skilled at it." Cologne threw the rose up, just as she would a dagger, balancing it in her fingertip and doing so again. None of the petals fell off as Cologne tested its balance against her fingers. Akane watched with mild curiosity. "It was before my amnesia. I assure you. I've forgotten." "You have forgotten a lot it seems." Finally Cologne snapped it up into the air and flicked it towards Akane's direction. Akane caught it with her right hand just as it went past her ear, her cheek grazed by a thorn. "An excellent catch, Lady Akane." Cologne bowed then turned towards the children, as if nothing had happened. "Go to bed children, the night is done. I'm sure Akane needs her rest." They scampered away. Ifuku took note of it and wondered at Cologne's actions, then turned back to her mistress, not knowing whether to address her as the Akane she respected or Kodachi whom she feared. ~~~ Nabiki hated inns. They made her squeamish, they were impersonal, and the next person who checked in could be her next assassin. But then, she had already said she'd rather face an assassin than her current companion. It was also because of her current companion that she chose an inn to sleep in. She would rather sleep in the ground with the stars as her roof, with an obnoxiously loud panda and her twin in the cold night. It was irrational compared to the comforts offered at a local inn, but no one ever said Nabiki was a purely rational being. Besides, the benefits outweighed the detriments. She needed a neutral ground that would separate her from Ifuku's husband. The inn seemed to be a good enough place to stay. She could've just kicked a stupid vassal out of his house, but she was too tired to talk to the incompetent baka that was their vassal in this town. Even the waki-honjin, the official lodgings, were unusable to her because some other noble had gotten to it first, and since waki-honjin were designed only to accommodate one party, she found no other choice. Even if she could get to a waki-honjin or a honjin, she'd be explaining half of the time because travelers usually sent word and reserve accommodations in advance. Besides, it hardly would've been 'neutral ground'. A cheaper kichin-yado would suffice, but it was more dangerous there, even if she could save coin, since people could share rooms. And there was the matter of the meals. They had to cook it on their own if they had stayed in a cheap hotel, and Nabiki simply had no energy to cook tonight nor did she trust Ifuku's husband to cook for her. So here she was in a hatago, paying more money than she would like. At least the mistress of the inn didn't have chance to put up her name over the door, she was in enough trouble as it was without letting half of the world know she was in the area. - The landlord was a little irked by the late arrival but promptly called all of the servants with the landlady. They rubbed their knees and hissed their welcome and respect through their teeth. The landlady's head touched the small tatami while telling Nabiki in a reassuring manner of one who doesn't want to lose a customer that she would lodge Nabiki in one of the larger rooms. Two of the maids liberated them of their shoes while two others led the way to their rooms. Nabiki dropped her belongings on the tatami and sat down on the open space, although the wooden boards were already up blocking the outsiders' view of what was happening inside the house. The maids brought in the hibachi, which did not promise much warmth for the night, followed by other maids who were bowing while delivering the trays of food. She thanked the maid for bringing the trays out. The maid was still groggy from her roused sleep but she put on a mask of pleased deference. The maids brought in a small dining table before Nabiki decided that she liked her privacy for the night more than a few serving girls pouring sake every ten minutes. "Thank you but I'll serve the sake," Nabiki said curtly, trying to add a pleasant tone to her voice but failing completely. "I'll summon you when we are ready to retire." The maids bowed in respect and were promptly gone. She sighed as she placed her hands on her hips. She could use a good bath, a good soak in the furo, but then she didn't want to trouble their host more than what was necessary. Damn the man for making her late. She raised her eyebrows as the maid shut the shoji leaving them to their dinner. "This is hardly fair." "And why is that Lady Nabiki?" Ifuku's husband asked taking his seat before one of the trays that were set on the table. "You seem to know everything about me, and I know nothing about you." Nabiki muttered sitting across him. "Who are you? What is your connection to Ifuku--" "Wait, one question at a time!" He made a warding gesture that was not lost on her. "I'm Sohin." Small gift. His parents must have waited very long for a child. Or he sold small gifts. "I told you before that Ifuku sent for me because she said you wanted to find out about the Tendos." "And why would she send for you?" Nabiki asked suspiciously as she took the chopsticks from the pockets of her Chinese drawstring pants while watching him take out his own. "Because I know the Tendos," he shrugged looking at her. "Ifuku almost got into trouble because she sent word for me. She was almost killed by a samurai named Omokage, just so that I would be here to tell you what I know." "And what do you know, Sohin-san?" Nabiki asked, curious as to what someone like him could know of a samurai. Samurai were exceedingly careful in their talks around men. "What do you want to know?" He asked, taking a piece of everything that was set before them, not waiting for Nabiki to eat. Nabiki snorted at his disrespect but let it go, she was too focused on her questioning for that to matter. "The heir. Who is the heir of the Tendos?" There was a pained expression in his eyes that was gone in an instant. Nabiki almost thought she imagined it. "The Tendo patriarch had only three children. All were from different consorts, none from his legal wife. The eldest was a boy that would be thirty about now. The middle child and the youngest were both born within one month of each other. If I am not mistaken they would be around twenty-five years old, they were both girls." "Were?" Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "You speak as if they're dead." "We don't really know that... but they most probably are." Sohin answered, he stopped eating for a moment then looked at Nabiki. "They were banished when their father died, and that was twenty years ago. The Tendo matriarch, Chisei(1) wanted them dead because her husband had pronounced that they would be his heirs." "But the three children are still alive?" Nabiki demanded, her dinner long forgotten. There was a long pause before Sohin put his bowl of rice down to answer her, "I don't know." "Lady Tendo banished them because they were the children of consorts? She sounds extremely jealous." Nabiki rubbed her forehead with her fingertips as she processed the information. "Did she order them killed?" "Yes." He answered, pushing the bowl out of his way and drinking some of the tea that the maids had served. Chisei seemed to be an extremely imbalanced woman. Nabiki leaned closer as Sohin said something else. "But they escaped before they were caught." "Ever hear of Snow White?" It was a Portuguese tale that had been brought to her by one of the priests. She waved her hand at his blank stare, although his telling of the Tendo heirs' plight sounded similar to the fairytale. "It doesn't matter. Your answer doesn't answer my question. Who's the heir now? More appropriately, who holds the title now?" "A seven year old boy," Sohin looked up to see Nabiki's expression clearly. "They were ordered killed before there was replacement?" At seven years old, the boy would not have been born before the Tendo children were banished. Nabiki was surprised at such an order. With no heirs therefore no rulers, how could a house stand on its own? No wonder the Tendo House has a low profile. "I guess Lady Chisei holds the Clan's strings for now. Who was their daimyo before the boy was born?" "Lord Tendo's brother. He was ill from a lung disease. He died five years ago. It's his son that holds the Clan now, and Lady Chisei acts as 'regent' until he comes of age." Nabiki's head started to hurt, if that boy didn't get ample protection, he was going to end up dead as well... or being controlled by Chisei. It didn't make any sense. All it told her was that Kodachi stole the title of a seven year old boy. 'Could be that she and this Chisei person has formed an alliance? It's highly unlikely due to Chisei's jealous nature. She would want to rule for herself, get up by herself... unless she double crosses her supposed partner.' Then again, Kodachi had an extremely jealous nature as well. "The Children who escaped, what are their names?" "Eruchii, Shori," Earned Place and Victory. Did the names mean anything? Should they mean anything at all? She looked expectantly at Sohin for the final name, he had closed his eyes in a moment of thought, when he opened them again he had her answer, "and Akane." Akane Tendo. Something bothered her about the name, as if there was something she should know about it, but escaped her grasp, but somehow, it seemed perfect. It glided over her mind's eye easily. "Akane Tendo." Her eyes snapped open. Why had Kodachi chosen this name out of all the names that she could have made up? Why choose an identity of a real person, when it would have made her life more difficult? "Where is Akane Tendo?" "I -- I don't know." Sohin stammered, surprised at her sudden demand. "Why do you know this Sohin?" Nabiki asked suspiciously, her eyes watching his every move. "And why come when Ifuku summoned you. What are you to the Tendos?" "I know things because I do, Lady Nabiki," Sohin hedged. "You would not reveal your sources, and neither shall I." "I was not the one who *volunteered* information. You'll be accompanying me until I go home and Ifuku confirms that you are who you say you are." Nabiki stood up abruptly, understanding why he refused her and hating his principles for it. "Goodnight, Sohin-san." He inclined his head but continued eating. She slipped the unused chopsticks into its case and clapped three times. Two maids appeared and instructed them to split the room into two, although it could have easily been five. She could've gone for a smaller one, but decided that it was too late and she was too tired to be talking to their hosts. When the maids finally finished preparing their beds and the rooms Nabiki entered the other side of the room effectively separating her from Sohin. Nabiki took her backpack and rooted for the night kimono her maid had packed for her. Nabiki smiled at the unnecessary thoughtfulness. Inns lent out free summer robes for the guests to use while they stayed, and if worse came to worst, she could always drop cold water and sleep naked. But it was a nice thought. She lay on the futon the maid prepared for her, from the other side of the room she could hear Sohin retiring too. Even though she had announced her intent to sleep, sleep was long in coming. She lay awake, thinking of Kodachi. Kodachi took the name Akane, she also took the name Tendo... and there exists one Akane Tendo. Is that coincidence? Could she have kidnapped the three children so she could take a new name? Or perhaps she had an agreement with the children, protecting them if they gave her service. But what would three samurai children know? They had been far too young when they were left. Five and Ten. That would mean Eruchii had taken both of them on his shoulders to survive. She closed her eyes for some well earned sleep. They'll just have to continue this tomorrow. - Sohin roused again after hours of trying to sleep then went towards the balcony, a letter for Ifuku in his hands. He did not know how she would receive it, and there were exactly no pigeons in the area to give it to her, but he had written it anyway. He did not know what they had started when they did this, but it seemed like they were in deeper trouble now than before. 'Why did she single out Akane's name?' He wondered. Ifuku's letter had arrived barely in time, and in the few hastily written words she said that he must go to Nabiki Saotome. The samurai that delivered it explained the rest, but not the reasons why the Saotomes were intent on learning about the Tendos now. He carried nothing when he went to seek out Nabiki, nothing but the clothes on his back and a few koban, strung just enough to fit his wrist(2). Ifuku's request took him by surprise, and the urgency of the note had startled him. For the Saotomes to seek out the Tendos... well, it might prove bad for both of them... the last time a major house had sought the Tendos, it managed to get Lady Chisei time to track the three heirs down. He hoped that this time, he was close enough to prevent any such disaster. His head snapped up as he heard the soft moan of anguish coming from Nabiki's room. Thinking that she had been attacked, he opened the shoji divider that separated them to find her thrashing in her futon. A bad dream. According to what Ifuku told him every year, Nabiki did tend to have bad dreams ever since she had returned from her husband. He didn't know what else to do but try to stir her from the nightmare that had taken her thoughts for the night. He touched her shoulder lightly, and she woke up almost immediately. For such a light sleeper, Nabiki did not wake from her dreams as easily as she had from an outside touch. "Ranma, It's that dream again. Damn it." Her kimono was soaked through with sweat but it had not transformed her. She also seemed to have forgotten where she was. "I thought I have gotten over that." "Maybe it's trying to tell you something." Sohin suggested. Nabiki's head snapped towards his direction, then suddenly, as if realizing for the first time who he was, sat straight from her futon. "Sohin-san, dreams about your own sword sticking through your brother-in-law's back is hardly informative." She pulled the evening kimono that had slightly exposed her shoulder closer. "Well then, it must have been a traumatic event." Nabiki's eyes narrowed down to slits. "You think?" She pulled a small hair that seemed to hold all her hair together, then carefully set it beside her, raking her hands through her waist-length hair. "Thank you for your concern, Sohin-san, but I would rather sleep now." "Are you sure? Should I get you--" "Thank you Sohin-*san*," she answered her voice a little strained. "I am merely tired, which is probably the reason my dreams trouble me. Please leave me. I wish to be alone." "But--" Nabiki's eyes flashed in anger and irritation. She did not deal with insubordination well. "Is there something in what I said that you did not understand?" "I understand, Lady Nabiki," Sohin said as he turned to go murmuring, "You're just too afraid to tell anyone what you feel." "I would prefer if you keep your comments to yourself, Sohin. You know nothing about what you are talking of and less about me." Nabiki got up and took her backpack, a small flask of water peeking out. "You cannot second guess someone you barely know." "You're just upset someone is better at reading your character than yourself." Sohin shot back at her. In an instant she was beside him, her hand against his throat, the backpack forgotten on the tatami, its contents spilling out. "If you really want us to continue to Yokohama with you in one piece, I suggest that you do as I order. I don't care if you're Ifuku's husband, but you will learn how to respect me. Understand?" "Perfectly." His answer came out as a whisper, Nabiki's hand hampering the wind from escaping his throat. She released him. For someone who was roused from a nightmare, Nabiki knew how to immediately get to her wits. He turned his back to return to his side of the divided. After a few minutes, he could hear Nabiki's soft weeping, muffled by what he thought was her blanket. ~~~ Kodachi's breath came in small gasps as she leaned against the shoji of Ifuku's room. She had not been able to escape outside because Akane came almost immediately. Had she gone outside for safety, Akane would have probably spotted her. Maybe even Cologne. The old hag had a remarkable reaction time. She was there in seconds, considering the location of the dojo and the second floor of the house. She placed the scroll away, her ear shamelessly pressed against the shoji, waiting for them to take their leave. She sighed when she heard Cologne leave as well. She was the only potentially dangerous person there. She turned to exit when a tap on her shoulder stopped her. She turned around slowly to find no one. "Down here." She almost groaned then, looked down at Cologne. 'There goes a good plan.' "Tell me young lady... what exactly are you doing in Ifuku's quarters?" Cologne asked. It really was suspicious when a commotion had just happened on the other side of the room. "I'm cleaning, elder." The younger woman answered. "In the dead of the night?" Cologne asked. "Lady Nabiki," it took pains to say the words for she had never shown any kind of respect for the woman, "would be disappointed if I left what I was supposed to do today for tomorrow, yes?" "It's a nice ornament you have there." Kodachi's hands flew to the comb, the only thing on her person that was close to an ornament, "It is, elder. It's a gift." "Ahh, you've chosen a nice young man for one to give you such a wonderful betrothal gift." Cologne commented. Kodachi didn't know if the questions were leading to somewhere, only that she mustn't anger the old woman. "May I see it?" Kodachi took a step back. "It's personal, elder. I don't really want to jinx my marriage by showing off my comb when the vows have not been said." "Superstitious..." Cologne chuckled, but made no move towards Kodachi. The old woman shifted her staff. "I haven't seen you here before, have I?" "No, elder." Another lie. Kodachi frowned imperceptibly. The more she told the greater her chances of getting caught. "I work the night shift." "There's a night shift with the servants?" Cologne cackled, amused at her answer. "I didn't know the koku intake of the Saotomes were high enough to let their servants have *shifts*." Kodachi bowed. "Could I take my leave, elder? I need to work now, and I am sure they are already looking for me." Cologne watched her try to leave with steely eyes. "Girl, what is your name?" Kodachi's eyes almost crossed, she was not the most inventive of persons when it came to names. She called her alligator Mr. Turtle if that was any proof of her creativity. "Murasaki." "Murasaki?" Cologne repeated slowly as if turning the name over in her head. "I thought servants had the names of their jobs? Of course I may just be an old Chinese woman who can't remember anything straight." There was little chance that Cologne could get her facts wrong once she remembered them, and this one was dead in its accuracy. Kodachi almost cursed having forgotten such a simple thing. "Yes, which is the reason why my mother was beheaded." Now she hoped the woman would stop asking questions and leave her to her escape. "You know that comb you wear reminds me of something, Murasaki." Cologne nodded towards the object in question, as she rubbed her thumb against the top of her cane. "It's a common bought comb, elder." Kodachi answered in the most subversive tone she could use. Knowing that when Cologne focused her attention on something, she would not let it go. "It serves no end." "Ah, but my child, it's not as common as you think." In one quick motion, Cologne plucked out the comb from her hair. Kodachi could only whirl around to where Cologne landed and face her squarely. "This is my student's gift to Kodachi when they were betrothed. Nabiki has one of similar design. Both were carved at the same time, some seven years ago by one of Ranma's vassals as a gift for their lord's marriage." She didn't need to know the story, she had been told of it when it was presented to her. She could almost laugh at the irony. She had never been caught at anything, and here she was, caught *stealing* what already belonged to her. "You are a suspicious one, Murasaki," "Am I?" Kodachi asked running a hand through her ponytail. "You do not look like a common thief and you have stolen nothing else of importance." Cologne looked at her up and down. "Go back to your duties." "Thank you, elder," Kodachi answered as she towards the inner rooms, feeling Cologne's eyes on her back, cursing that she had worn the comb instead of keeping it in her sleeves. - jkl; Cologne didn't stop and watch the girl as she left though the doors, jumped out of the window to find Shampoo, who had been by the dojo with her. Becuase they were persuing a girl in secret, Cologne spoke to her great-granddaughter in Manderin, "" "" "" Cologne frowned, it would be good training experience for the girl and Murasaki did not seem to be too much of a threat for Cologne herself to follow her. "" Shampoo nodded as she jumped to a high tree just in time to spot the woman leaving Rose Brier. Shampoo then jumped to another tree as discreetly as possible while trying to keep her prey in sight. Cologne watched her great-granddaughter go. There was something about the Murasaki woman she could not pinpoint. Something was amiss. Her withered hand grasped the old staff she held. 'What could be going on in the Saotome house?' She smiled. 'Well at least extracting the secrets from a hidden weapons specialist has become of some use.' Cologne thought, while fingering the now empty bottle she had used on Murasaki moments ago. ~~~ It had been an entire day's run that led them out of the city's seki. It would probably be another five hours or so before they reached the next juku, a small lodging town. Since it was already too dark to continue, Nabiki decided it would be best to stop and rest at the road. Usually travelers get to the next juku before the day ends, so that they could get a room and some food, but since Nabiki and Sohin were heading to Yokohama, a small city, the juku's were farther apart and smaller than what they would have gotten rather than if they had been traveling towards Edo. Taking out a water flask, Nabiki was dismayed to find it empty. Tipping the flask to the ground she glared at Sohin. "If you drank less of our water, we'd have more right now. What the hell were you thinking when you went to find me without *provisions*?" "Speed," Sohin muttered then turned towards a nearby well, which he had spotted down the road. "Don't worry, my lady, we can have more water." Nabiki glared at him then followed towards the well he pointed out. She threw the flask at him, which he surprisingly caught. That only added to Nabiki's irritation as she watched him pull up water and then drink. She tapped her foot impatiently. "Go ahead, dry up the damned well." Sohin flashed his cocky smile at Nabiki. "There's more than enough water for both of us, my lady." Nabiki frowned. Sohin's gaze challenged her as he rolled back the sleeves from his muscled forearms and proceeded to draw water from the well. 'The man has too much arrogance for a peasant,' Nabiki mused. Rummaging around her pack, she found some of the rice she had bought from the rice merchant residing next to the inn that they had stayed at. She had packed it neatly into two bento boxes she bought before they left the town. At least it was more than the dried fruit and fish she'd been eating before. It was a refreshing change. Still, that kind of food would only last a day, and she only bought enough provisions until that evening. Dropping her bag on the grass, she moved towards Sohin, who was finishing up with the water. "Dinner," Nabiki declared tartly, handing the black bento over to him. He hesitated before accepting and then turned sat down cross-legged, motioning for her to do so as well. Nabiki fumed at his egotism, he smiled at her annoyance. She moved towards her pack before she sat down, well away from him. He shrugged then opened the small bento box, then proceeded to eat with the chopsticks that were wedged between the rice and the vegetables. "I never knew that the rice merchants sold a complete set meal." Nabiki snorted. "They don't." He raised an eyebrow in question and Nabiki answered, "I arranged the provisions. It was something to do when I was young and when we approached an inn. Oyaji stressed the need to be prepared to be a good wife." "You'd probably make a good one then," Sohin commented as he paused to look at her. The preparation of the dinners had been extremely sophisticated for a mere dinner outing and the presentation had been too attractive for someone who she attempted to kill once every hour. "But... you're too insubordinate for a wife." "And you're too insubordinate for a peasant." She opened her bento box to eat. Then to pass time, she started to ask the questions that she had formulated while they were traveling. "I thought you guarded a small boy. Where did you leave him for protection?" "You're terribly inquisitive, Lady Saotome," Sohin observed as he took ate up another piece of rice. "What does the boy mean to you? Why ask of things that you don't really need." "You're just being evasive," Nabiki accused, and then impolitely pointed her chopsticks at him. "You don't know what I'll need in the future. Answer the question." "I don't know what you'll do in the future, so I better not." The challenge in his voice was blatant. "What makes you look for the Tendos, Lady Saotome? Don't tell me you wish to gain more lands through the heirs." Giving out a short laugh, Nabiki waved her free hand at the land. "Don't you see all of this Sohin? Why would I want more land when Sagami is already enough trouble as it is? I'm not ambitious enough to go for Tendo land. Besides, it's too far, too ill-prepared, too ill-managed to be of use to me." "Not interested, huh?" he asked as she ranted off the flaws. "I merely do my research," Nabiki shot back then turned back to her bento. "Lady Chisei is not a fit ruler for that small land. She mishandles the koku, squanders the koban... and the people don't even like her. She keeps the people through fear, a string too fragile to hold for too long." "Tell me, Lady Saotome, how do you suppose she got her samurai?" Sohin asked, and Nabiki could see the interest in his eyes. "From what I heard, she promised majority of the samurai a good part of the land. Those who were faithful to the original Tendo patriarch's wishes were banished or killed." Nabiki placed her bento down and shook her head. "Since most of the samurai that were bought were no good scoundrels, the people under her suffered a lot. It's a wrong judgment and then the next for her. Most of the resources of the Tendos go to finding the heirs that they lose track of the real reason for being liege lord... protecting the people themselves." Sohin nodded, and Nabiki was glad that most of her presumptions were accurate. At least it meant she read Chisei's character rather well. Closing the bento box, Sohin stood up and handed her the flask of water. "If you were Chisei, what would you do if you found the Tendo heirs?" Accepting the flask, Nabiki shrugged. "That depends if I want to keep the land or not. In either ways I'll grant the heirs asylum, provide an alliance, test their capability and hand them the land. Provided I become their liege." "Why?" "They've been hiding most of their lives," Nabiki reasoned running a hand through her hair and then looking up at him. "They probably lived worse than peasants seeing that nobody would take three children off the street. This way, I'll win the people's favor, I get the lands, and the people who have power to usurp me stays under me." "What if they refuse?" He tidied up the place with her, but with her initial anger at his help, he stopped and then watched her. "That's fairly simple." Nabiki took the bento boxes and cleaned it depositing the two in her bag. "I'll kill them. Although I doubt whether they will refuse, this is a chance to free people from their suffering. Suffering that only they can take away. But I'm not Chisei, am I?" "And what would you do, Lady Saotome?" "That depends on what I find out from you," Nabiki answered sharply. She turned around so suddenly, that she startled Sohin who had been watching her idly from a few steps away. "You have gotten enough answers from me. I want to know to whom and where you left your charge." "How did you know I was taking care of a boy?" The way he asked a question for one of her own hindered her from finding out more about him. Nabiki resisted the urge to give him a pounding. "The juku had a pigeon from a samurai in the house, sending word for your arrival. He said that you were in charge of a small boy," Nabiki explained reluctantly. Although that confirms his presence, it still didn't say if he really was who he claimed to be. Someone might have killed the real Sohin down the road to give her an assassin instead. It would explain some of his skill. "Will you stop asking questions and answer mine?" "Will you stop being impatient and listen?" he asked wearily. Nabiki glared at him when he finally answered, "He's with the monks at one of the temples I usually visit with him. He'll be safe there. He's my cousin." "That wasn't too hard, was it?" Nabiki asked sweetly as she moved around one of the trees lining the road while taking her pack with her. Since she thought she wouldn't be getting any more answers from him she said. "I'm sleeping. Good night, Sohin-san. Keep to your side of the road." He stared at her before he made himself comfortable. "Women." He muttered. It was the last thing Nabiki heard from him before she fell asleep. ~~~ Nabiki walked past the seki signaling their entrance in the inner Yokohama, she winced at the sight. Three days after the fire and it still looked like a charcoal field. Outer Yokohama was a plain bordered by two rivers, which was the reason why the fire had not spread down there. The fire did take its toll on the inner city though. A young woman walked past her, a baby strapped to her back, a small tray of food and calling out to the workers for their lunch. The small boys were pulling out whatever they could scavenge from the fire and the young girls were helping out in handing out the food while keeping the babies quiet. The samurai and men were busy trying to clear the fields and rebuild. Nabiki dropped her backpack to the ground. They had not noticed her because important samurai usually had an entourage when they entered the city. She had none. She brought her hands to her lips and whistled. Everyone stopped working, looked at her and bowed in respect. She winced... now she remembered why she didn't whistle when she arrived at a crisis area. She got the royal treatment. Most of the men knew her, after all, Yokohama was one of the important cities. She motioned for them to stand. "I need to talk to everyone in the city. Starting with the samurai. We'll do this in alphabetical order. Is the inn still standing?" There was a chorus of yes and she nodded. "I'll stay there. After the first round of questioning, I'll talk to the merchants, peasants and then eta. I'll need a list of the city's inhabitants. Is the Shinto temple still standing?" There was another chorus of yes. Nabiki nodded again. The Shinto temple was where the registry was at. It was unusual to ask for the eta, but she needed to talk to anybody who might know anything and the eta knew a lot more than they let on. "Good, get me a copy of that list. Who's the head of the samurai?" A man stepped forward, she nodded to him. "I'll talk to you first then to the rest of the samurai stationed here. Any other questions?" "Lady Saotome..." There was no question of what house she was from. All the peasants knew who their daimyo was. "There's a samurai here... a Lord Tatewaki Kuno." Nabiki's eyes narrowed. "Kuno? What the hell is *he* doing here?" The samurai could only shrug. Nabiki's eyes widened as she turned to Sohin. "That man that's walking over here, no, don't look now, damn you. That pompous looking arrogant... anyway, the one on the blue hakama, can you see him?" "Well..." Sohin trailed off as he shifted his eyes towards the villagers discreetly. "Yes..." "If he comes over here and talks to me... don't counter anything I say, even though it sounds outrageously stupid." Nabiki gave him a long stare that brooked no argument. Her voice hardened, "I trust even you can follow that order?" "I can follow reasonable requests, yes." Sohin answered slowly. Nabiki resisted the urge to do him bodily harm. She wasn't the violent type, but Ifuku's husband always angered her. In the three days that they traveled, she almost hit him five times and started a fight two times. His answers always seemed like he was mocking her. "Just do as I--" "Lady Saotome, I didn't know you'd be in such a desolate place." Kuno had not changed since the last time she saw him. He still needed a translator for a commoner to understand half of what he was saying. "Your beauty radiates in this blackness that seeps through your land." "Why thank you Lord Kuno," Nabiki said in a tone that clearly meant she was anything but thanking him. "I appreciate your flattery, but what brings you here so deep in Saotome territory. I hope you weren't the one who set this fire?" "Lady Saotome! For you to insinuate that I have done such a dastardly crime shows your fraught attempts to catch the arsonist have been all for naught." He turned towards his samurai and dismissed them. "I am here merely for the fact that a certain rumor has reached my ears, and I am here to ascertain the veracity of such a claim." "Rumor tends to be false, Kuno." Nabiki said in a dry voice. "But pray, do tell, what's this rumor that you want to know?" "Ah... my Lady Nabiki, Rumor is the voice of the people!" He said triumphantly quoting something she had read through her studies. "I am here to gather information on my love." Figures. It was the only thing Kuno would risk his life and limb for. She envied Ranko in that sense. She had the undying love of a man... however neurotic he may be. Still... there were a lot more disadvantages to Kuno's advances than good. For one thing, he didn't listen to reason. He still didn't believe in the curse and orders prevented Ranma from saying anything to him. Having a half-crazed man declaring his love for you every single day tended to give headaches, especially since Ranko wasn't really a girl. "Ahh, Kuno, your *love*, I don't think she's here at the moment." "Hmm... highly unfortunate, but I will await her arrival a few more days." Kuno answered in his most irritating voice. Nabiki's nerves were raw from listening to him, but she kept a half smile on her face. "I'm to be betrothed you see and I wish to tell her things...." "Married? You're getting married?" Nabiki hid her surprise quickly but the words were already said. If Ranma had not married Kodachi, she would have been stuck with Kuno for the alliance. According to Happosai though, it was more profitable if Ranma was the one who was tied down. There had been a bet of sorts issued about their marriage. She could not remember the specifics, but she knew it had something to do abut her having a husband when Kuno found a wife. It had been done shortly after her banishment at the Ikkaseis. "Will you wish me well on my finding a wife?" Kuno's voice was mildly searching. "Congratulations, Lord Kuno." Nabiki answered trying to save her face, hoping that Kuno didn't particularly remember anything about the bet they had started on... "It may appear that I have won our little wager, Lady Saotome." Kuno broke out into a smile. Nabiki almost let out a curse. "I do look forward to seeing you dance for my wedding." 'So *that's* my end of the bargain! I had completely forgotten! But the fool Kuno...' Nabiki's half-smile almost cracked. "You haven't won yet, Kuno. You see... I'm engaged too." "Engaged?" Kuno asked the surprise in his face was evident. He didn't even bother to cover up for it. "I do not see a comb, nor have I heard any news of your wedding." It was a nice time for him to break out of the haze that was his mind, a fine time. Nabiki wished she could strangle him. "I haven't told my brother yet. It isn't formal, but I hope it would be." "Impossible, I do not see it. The clause of my sister's marriage includes the Kunos having all information about you, Lady Saotome." Nabiki had momentarily forgotten about *that* piece, it looks like she couldn't bluff her way unless she shows Kuno a husband. "My sister's life is closely related to yours that the Kunos take pains in seeing to what you do, exactly the way you do it." "I have hundreds of fianc�s, Lord Kuno," all of them gone after she married. The Ikkaseis held to their end of the bargain. "Don't you think that one of them would pursue me?" "Not after all the time that you spent away." It looked like Kuno would get her to dance on his wedding night after all. "I am engaged to a perfectly good man who--" "Well... dear," It had been Sohin who interrupted her. Nabiki's smile cracked another centimeter. This was not good at all. "I really don't know why you should keep it a secret..." He pulled her braid, coiled it around and put Ifuku's comb to hold it. "After all we *are* going to be married." - "This is *not* good!" Nabiki fumed as Sohin looked at her from the rock he was sitting on, watching her wear down the riverbed. "You *are* aware that my brother is coming here tomorrow, aren't you?" "Well, yes... but..." Sohin didn't seem to have anything to say. Nabiki plucked the comb out of her hair and threw it at his feet. If she was married to him, it would have signified her want for a divorce. "You *are* aware that I spend most of the time with you trying to kill you, right?" Nabiki asked. It was an exaggeration, but something not far from the truth. "For us to *pretend* to be engaged is one thing, that's a nice enough plan because I could say that it was omiai. But to pretend with this bet on our heads? It means that I was the one who chose you." Walking around in circles was not helping her get her temper down. She *could* tell Kuno the truth about Sohin, but then, that would make her even *more* embarrassed. She should have just consented to dancing for Kuno and his wife. What had she been *thinking* when she set the whole damned bet up? Dancing was not one of her strongest suites, dancing with only a few pieces of garments... "You're welcome." Sohin answered as he picked the comb up from the small rocks, flicking the soil that it had managed to acquire, cleaning it gently. He handled the piece as though it were made from glass. Nabiki stopped walking and turned to face him. "Did you *hear* any thank you's in my statement, Sohin-san?" "No, but given enough time, you would've." Sohin shrugged as he met her gaze. "I know pride runs strong among samurai, and it might have taken a while, so I just acknowledged it." "Do you realize who *you* are? *What* you are?" Nabiki demanded, her voice soft enough so that it would not carry over to the people, but loud enough for him to hear the threat. "You are *married*. You are married to the maid of my sister-in-law. Married to the sister of the man that you had just lied to. *Married*." Sohin flicked the comb up in the air and caught it in his hands several times before answering. "What irritates you more, Lady Nabiki? The fact that I am married, or the fact of *what* I do for a living?" Nabiki steeled, if she was close enough she would have slapped him for the insult. She settled for another glare instead. "I do not think of social *status* Sohin-san. I do not think that people are born below me. If you ask your wife, you will realize that I treat her as I would a samurai who works for me." He smiled at her then slowly said, "Then it must be because I'm married." "Are you suggesting, Sohin-*san*, that I am attracted to you?" Her eyes had narrowed down to dangerous slits. Nabiki was clearly more than angry. Her hands were balled to a fist and her head tilted, eyes promising hell if he answered wrongly. "*You* said that." Nabiki wanted to know where he got his subversive attitude. Peasants rarely stood up against samurai. Hatamoto even. He had the gall to rile her. She who was known for her wrath, as well as her skill in battle. "I asked a question, I did not state it as fact. You have not answered it." Nabiki waved her hand. She didn't want it answered anymore. "When I meet my brother we will have a *long* talk." Straightening herself up, Nabiki tried to wipe away the tension that Sohin managed to place there in the small amount of time that he claimed to be her fianc�. She put on a fake smile and opened her palm, as if asking for something. "Now hand me that damned comb." He tossed it at her, and she caught it with her outstretched hand. "And Sohin?" She waited until he looked at her before she said in the sweetest tone she could muster under the circumstance, "This constitutes as STUPID in my book." ~~~ The moment Kuno stepped into his room at the inn; it was obvious that he was not in a good mood, so the samurai shied away from him. He nodded to them in a dismissive act then went straight to confine himself. He was not left alone however, and his eyes rose to greet the lone samurai that had stayed. He threw his two swords down the tatami and raised his eyebrows at him, "Is there something you'd like to tell me? Something like Lady Nabiki's *engagement* perhaps?" "Lady Saotome is engaged?" He seemed just as surprised as he was when he heard of it. Spies at the Saotome territory were very few. Most of them on Nabiki, but Nabiki was a very elusive target. It was as if she winked in and out of existence. Kuno glared at him. "I pay you to get my information for me, so that I would not look like a fool in such cases, *not* to be equally flabbergasted when I tell you something of significance." "I am sorry, Lord Kuno." He bowed, but Kuno sighed. There was no way for them to have known anyway. Nabiki keeps her secrets close. When it came down to it, Nabiki was also one of the best spies in the Saotome Clan. No one could beat her in her own game. "Perhaps if you offered her marriage, then? It would cancel the wager equally." "Are you daft? I told her I was marrying in the fortnight!" "If I may ask, just who *is* going to play the bride, Lord Kuno?" The man asked, surprised again at the particular announcement, but had better preparation for it than the first. "I have heard no orders from your father..." "That's because she was supposed to be Lady Nabiki." The man was taken aback. It was obvious that Kuno was infatuated with the Lady Saotome for him to keep close tabs on her whereabouts. But Kuno had guarded his secret well by playing for the pigtailed one. He didn't know why Kuno kept it a secret. He suspected no one did. "I didn't know you planned to ask her. Why didn't you just do it the old-fashioned way?" "Because I knew no other way," Kuno was irritated by the spy's questions, questions that he couldn't answer correctly. He had been playing the game so much that he had forgotten how to break away from it, because he knew if he chased Nabiki she would never come to him. Just as she never accepted her multiple engagements. Just as she never accepted her marriage. "Get me information on this Sohin character." ~~~ Nabiki was not someone who was usually startled. She knew everything one step before everyone else, but she had to be honest. The fire had completely taken her by surprise. She knew that there might be an attack from their enemies, and Nerima was something she half-expected, but Yokohama was a complete shock. It was too deep in Saotome property to be bothered by *anybody* and it looked like an isolated village without any use at all. She cleaned the quill and placed it beside the small plate of ink the villagers had kindly provided for her. Every report looked the same, the samurai knew nothing. Ninja attacked, they set the fire, they were out instantly. It was a simultaneous event when most of the villagers were already fast asleep. No one was able to spot the fire until it was too late to save anything. Most of the samurai were put to death by the ninja and the few that were left were alive only because it was not their time to watch. The crime was clean, and there was no evidence of the ninja's presence except for the fact that samurai would have been sloppier. Other than that pure assumption, there was no evidence at all. It matched everything the attacks at the border to some extent... but at a larger scale. Their enemy was getting desperate... or careless. 'But why? And to what end?' They were as close to this as it was a year ago, and whatever her brother said, she could only think of one person... 'Yet, she seems to have no motives, and she seems to be secluded. Am I wrong in thinking of Kodachi?' She thumbed the small paper she placed Sohin's testimony on, wondering what was the connection between the Tendos and the fires. She could find nothing, except for the missing link. Akane Tendo. 'Where will I find Akane Tendo?' The soft hiss of the shoji brought her back from reality, she shuffled the papers together. "Sohin, what have I said about knocking?" She asked in a stern voice, not bothering to look up. "Well *you* don't knock when you enter my room." Nabiki's face broke into a smile as she recognized the voice of her brother. She stood up immediately and went to greet him. "Ranma! You're early." "You don't like it?" He teased lightly, dropping his backpack carelessly on the floor looking around the room for something to eat. "I hurried over. Nerima is a very efficient town. They hardly need me to look over their backs." That was true. Their father had set up Nerima to be like that so that they would have no trouble when they came to power. Nerima could handle a few more assassination attempts and mercenaries. She pointed at the papers on the working table the inn had managed to salvage. "It's all there." They had long since agreed that they should take down notes so that there would be a second look on the matter, whether it was Nabiki or Ranma who was gathering information. "Thanks, sis." He didn't look at the papers, but looked at her thoughtfully. After a long pause he asked, "When did you get engaged, Nabiki?" It took a while for her to answer that one. "How did you hear about that?" "You make a habit to wear a marital comb recently?" He asked lightly, and Nabiki's hand shot up to her hair. She sighed as she pulled it out then tossed it over to Ranma, her long brown locks falling. Catching the comb deftly, Ranma examined it, noting the dragon whisker curled around the last two teeth of the comb. The dragon whisker, as a rule, had no effect on women but made trouble for Nabiki when she was a guy. She usually kept it close to her person, but usually took it off when she had fair chances of not incurring the Jusenkyo curse. "It's beautifully made, Nabiki. Simple but worked hard upon." "Is that supposed to cheer me up?" Nabiki frowned then dismissed it with a wave, remembering that he didn't know it was just an act. "Never mind, " She spoke the last words in Chinese, fearing that others would listen in. "Oh, *that* bet." Ranma resisted the urge to chuckle, having been there when the bet was made between her and Kuno. "What's so bad about dancing with a geta?" "Nothing." Nabiki dead-panned, crossing her arms in front of her. "But then if it's the only thing you're wearing, it does tend to give a draft." She thought that Kuno was joking when he accepted the bet. She had miscalculated the extent he would go to humiliate her. This time, Ranma didn't manage to hold back his laugh. Nabiki glared at him, and he managed to stop it before she could enact bodily harm. "So, who's the lucky guy?" He teased lightly. "Sohin." Nabiki looked at the ground trying to hide her uneasiness, which bewildered Ranma. Nabiki was used to pretending -- maybe not complete lies, but she loved the game of half-truths. Pretending to be engaged shouldn't have been much of a problem. She had hundreds of fianc�s. "Small gift," he noted wryly, noticing exactly the same thing Nabiki had. It *was* a curious name. He moved towards her arranged her hair in a simple ponytail with the dragon whisker and finished it off with the marital comb. He waited expectantly bringing his hands on her shoulders. "And?" "He's..." Nabiki's voice gradually dropped so much that even though Ranma was just behind her, he could not clearly understand what she had said. "Nabiki!" He said exasperated, then moved in front of her so that he could look at her eyes. She quickly averted her gaze by scanning the papers in front of her. "What's with your fianc� anyway? You don't have to be ashamed. I mean, I'd be surprised if it's someone with a Jusenkyo curse, but by this time, surprises tend to run old." "Really," Nabiki asked sarcastically, looking up to him. She scowled when she saw he was still holding a lopsided smile. She spoke in Chinese again, "" He was silent for a moment, then his forehead creased in concentration in the most childish way. Nabiki couldn't stand it when he tried to adopt *that* thinking pose. Taking a deep breath she steeled herself. "You can laugh now." He obliged her with a loud raucous laugh. Nabiki hit Ranma's head with the palm of her hand playfully. She scowled again. "What's so funny?" Ranma stopped laughing and smiled at her. "I never really knew Ifuku had a husband." Nabiki resisted the urge to whack him behind the head. Here she was having a crisis on her supposed fianc� all he could do is look at it jokingly. "What's Kuno doing here anyway?" "He's looking for you." Nabiki shrugged as she sat again at the small cushion calling for the maid to bring another one. When the servant left, she looked at Ranma. "It's the usual." "What, he wants to kill me because I took his sister away, or his small infatuation?" Ranma asked. Kuno never really went so deep into Saotome territory. He wasn't stupid enough to make false moves in neutral ground. The fact he was there without say so meant he was desperate on finding the pigtailed girl. Infatuation was a sad thing. "His small infatuation." Something clicked inside Ranma's brain. Something about the bet Nabiki made with Kuno. "With him getting married? He's looking for Ranko when he's getting married? What's that guy up to?" "I think he wants to say good-bye." Nabiki shrugged. It was really hard to second-guess someone who's crazy. Sometimes, she thought that Kuno was just as crazy as his sister, maybe even worse. "Or maybe he wants to kidnap you." "Heh, I think it's more of the kidnapping than the goodbye." The maid came in with the cushion, and Ranma sat down facing his sister, opposite of the small table she set-up. He rearranged the pieces of papers across the table. "I'm inclined to agree." Nabiki muttered folding her hands in front of her and resting her head on it, watching Ranma sift through the papers. "He's always been such an idiot. Who knew he was the type who wanted harems?" "Uh... that was kind of obvious when he refused to stop chasing some other girl in the lower corners of Japan when he saw his pigtailed goddess you know." Tatewaki Kuno held Rose Brier along with his sister for the sixteen years that had been assigned to him by his father. It was the reason why there was an abundance of roses in the vicinity though it was not indigenous to the parts. Kodachi's love for black roses was equal to her brother's obsession to the red ones. "Who knows what his motives are? I bet the idiot doesn't know either." She shifted uncomfortably, not liking the topic of their conversation. "I couldn't get rid of him and I needed your help." Ranma stopped looking at the papers and stared straight at Nabiki. "Don't tell me he managed to beat you?" "Don't be silly." Nabiki answered tartly, "I couldn't manage to kick him out of sight. He's my brother-in-law. It's one of those inane clauses in your marriage with Kodachi. You should look at your marriage contract more often. What other things should we look into before this turns into Kuno-bashing day?" "We also have a problem with the large cat infestation in Sagami." Ranma growled as he looked back the way he came. "It's getting worse. Sagami isn't supposed to be a 'cat' place." They didn't get to answer as the shoji slid open again, Nabiki didn't turn to look up, peering at the papers along with Ranma, even if she was looking at it upside down. "We'll have lunch here, Shinko-san, and please hurry with the cushion." Nabiki said, naming the maid who was serving them. "Will you have soup with the regular course?" Nabiki and Ranma looked up from the papers they were looking over, both of them standing up immediately at the unusual question. The village being on fire left no choice on the food, Shinko would have just brought what was available inside. "Ranma, Sohin, Sohin, Ranma. And *why* are you still wearing your clothes?" Sohin patted the tattered cloth that he had worn since he had caught up with Nabiki. He had no change of clothes so Nabiki had provided for him from the spare hakama the samurai had offered her. "This works for me. I am certainly not an exhibitionist." Nabiki ignored the goading. "When I said *change*, I meant change your clothes, not your hairstyle." Nabiki lectured in a controlled voice that instantly signified she was extremely angry. His once almost shoulder length hair, which could have been put in queue just as most of the samurai, was now extremely short. She promised herself that after this experience she was going to pound him to the ground. "With what? The people here are already having trouble with what they have. They don't need to give things to me." It was a noble thought, but one that would put their so called engagement on the rocks. "You don't seem to understand, Sohin-*san*." Nabiki drawled walking towards him, driving her finger at his shirt. "You are supposedly my iinazuke. Being that, people are giving us *wedding presents*. If you don't wear them, people are going to take it as an insult." Ranma took interest in Sohin, it was rare that he saw someone who could ignite such anger from Nabiki. She was rarely angry and not so much so that she snapped, which made Sohin an interesting person to look into. "But --" "No buts, you wear every single cloth they goddamn give you and you better do it with a smile on your face." She turned her back at him to see Ranma biting back another round of laughter. She glared at him, then turned back to Sohin and glared at him as well. "You started this, Sohin-san, so you better live up to what Yokohama expects you to be." When he left to change, Ranma finally let out a laugh. Nabiki sent him another irritated look. "Stop laughing, you can't possibly find everything amusing." It took him a moment to catch his breath and point out, "Nabiki, you shouldn't have been too hard on him. He was obviously trying hard." "Easy for *you* to say." Nabiki pouted, and seemed almost like a ten-year-old child having a tantrum when she went back to her seat. "You're not the one engaged to him." "Are you sure being 'engaged' to Sohin is a bright idea, Nabiki?" Ranma prodded in concern. Not only did they have a pseudo-wedding to pseudo-plan for Kuno, but they also had to explain to Ifuku. "He's not a pervert if that's what you're getting at." Nabiki muttered, and Ranma sat down again. "He's been the perfect gentleman the whole trip." "I wasn't thinking about that," Ranma mused, deep in thought. "You're required to stay close to Sohin the entire stay at Yokohama..." Nabiki frowned, not knowing where Ranma's thoughts were taking him. Ranma looked at her suddenly. "Just make sure you don't fall in love with him, Nabiki. If it's a game, it's a dangerous one you're playing." Snorting, Nabiki laughed, leaning forward, her hands pressing on the table. "Oh, so that's what you were worried about... Ranma, don't concern yourself over me. I've had a lot of practice with Genma giving me fianc�s as I recall and I've always managed to pretend in enemy ranks. What makes this so different?" "I don't know. You might just be the one who gets hurt." Ranma sighed, then imitated her pose. "Why don't you just tell Kuno that you broke the engagement?" Nabiki's eyes flared. "You know the answer to that! You have just as much pride as I do, Saotome Ranma, and this is one thing I'm not going to lose. Sohin started this and I'm going to finish it. It's too late to back out now. Kuno is going to laugh at me for the rest of my life!" She leaned back, regretting that she had lost her temper, but it was too late to take back the words. Nodding, Ranma piled all the papers up. When Nabiki sets her mind to do something there was no turning back. It was a matter of pride. Both of them knew that. They were similar in that aspect, and he understood her perfectly. "I just don't want you to get hurt." "I know," Nabiki agreed, as he picked up his backpack to go to the adjoining room the maid had prepared for him, not intending him to hear. "Why can't you see that's what I'm trying to do with you and Kodachi too?" ~~~ Ranma looked over the destruction that had wrecked Yokohama. The samurai who were supposed to guard the night was changing shifts. The few whose houses had been left untouched by the fire hosted those people who had none. There were no signs that there would be trouble and yet something disturbed him. It was a feeling that had started long ago. "Sometimes, Sagami isn't worth having," Ranma grumbled as he turned around to face Sohin, who had been staring out at the destruction as well. Ranma had been surprised to find him there, and this was the first time they had ever really *met*. Sohin turned to him slowly. "A lot of people would willingly take it out of your hands." Ranma nodded. There was something different about Ifuku's husband. It was a feeling that he didn't know if he could trust. "Sagami is not mine to give." Few of those who keep their fiefs think like him. "Then who can give it if not the ones who control it?" There was an education behind his words, something rare in a peasant. There was wisdom behind his thoughts, something rare in a man. Smiling Ranma answered. "No one can give her away. We inherited Sagami to protect her. By giving her, we turn our back to a duty that we were born into, and when we lose her grasp, we hope that she clings to someone who can hold her." Pausing for a moment to digest his words, Sohin moved his head to look at Ranma with more respect. "You speak as if the land lives." "Do I?" Ranma shook his head, not really wanting to talk about what had been ingrained into both he and Nabiki when they were children. He tried to change the subject. "Thanks for saving Nabiki like that. When she's angry, she speaks before she could think. It's something we both have in common." He was surprised at Ranma's words. No samurai has ever thanked a peasant for doing what was supposed to be done. He could see why Ifuku liked working for them. He could see why she didn't want to break away. "You're welcome." He paused for a moment, uncertain whether the samurai would take is question the wrong way, but asked it anyway, "Are you close? Your sister and you?" "She's my twin." Ranma stated it as if it answered everything. "We grew up together. When we were young Lord Happosai took a woman from the village, she looked into our destiny. She said we would die together." "She is a peculiar person..." Sohin trailed off as he looked at the inn where they were staying. It had two floors one below for eating and the upper for the rooms of the guests. It was on a cliff that overlooked most of Yokohama. Ranma watched him. "Nabiki is very... I don't know... different." "She is that..." He turned back to face him again. Ranma would have said something more when he heard his sister's scream, his head snapped to her direction. "Nabiki..." He ran towards the inn and jumped up towards his floor, his ears registering the sound Sohin was making across the field. He was running as well. Ranma landed lightly on the roof and opened the window to their room. Stepping inside, he was by her side in an instant. Nabiki had sat up straight and was clutching the small blanket that had protected her. "Nabiki, what's wrong?" "I stopped having my nightmare a long time ago, Ranma," She took a deep breath as she leaned her head against his shoulder, giving her some of the comfort she had sought. "I don't know why he's come back to haunt me." "It was different, this time it was my husband..." Nabiki looked at Ranma through the little moonlight that filtered through the shoji. "I've been having it since I arrived here." Ranma took out the small comb that she had carelessly worn in her sleep. Her hair was damp with sweat and she was still breathing hard. Taking her hand he handed her the small comb. "You're tired. Maybe it's because of all of *this*." "No, not all of this..." Nabiki sighed, not knowing what troubled her, and yet not wanting to talk about it. She was far more comfortable about someone else's problems. Just as long as they weren't her own. Having calmed down visibly, she sighed as she looked at him. "Tell me, what troubles your thoughts that you have not slept yet." "Who's supposed to be comforting who here?" Ranma asked with his trademark smirk, but she gave him a serious gaze that meant she wasn't giving up. "Akane, mother, you... everything." "Akane..." She frowned as she repeated the name then tightened her fist around the comb. "It's the second time I've heard you call her that. I can't believe you've fallen in love with her." Because he has never been comfortable around love, it was very difficult for Ranma to admit to such emotion. Nabiki reached out her hand to touch his face, and she stared into his troubled eyes. "Yes, I think you do love her." "Why ask? It seems like you've already made up your mind on the answer." He frowned at her as she stared at him, and he knew instantly that he couldn't back out of this one. "You've always poked your nose where it didn't belong." "A trait you find valuable." She put her hand down from his face and embraced him. "It's because you'd have never admitted it to me. I've feared for this day." "That I'd find someone to love?" It seemed harsh to anyone's ears but Nabiki didn't mind, knowing that Ranma only meant to clear it. Yet, through that answer she learned that she had been right. "That you'd love someone who's incapable of returning it. I've been obsessing too much with your love life haven't I?" She had known for a long time that Kodachi was not someone that could easily be dismissed. Now that she had her brother's heart, she hoped she would never be able to command it. She pushed herself away. "Thank you for coming to me." "I always do." He hesitated a bit before speaking again, "You should sleep." She shook her head, not wanting to return to the world that she didn't understand, to the dreams that she couldn't decipher. Not understanding frightened her. "I don't want to sleep yet, for there is no solace in sleeping for people like me. I take your time, Ranma, sleep, for there is work to be done tomorrow." He didn't sleep until she had finally surrendered to the weariness that the day had brought upon her. - Sohin straightened from his previous position of leaning against the shoji. Having been assured that there were no assassins, kidnappers or imminent danger, he resigned himself to go to his room to sleep. 'I can't afford to fall in love,' Sohin thought as he retreated to his quarters. 'Especially not to Saotome Nabiki.' ~~~ The next morning found Ranma and Nabiki hard at work rebuilding Yokohama, not minding the mud that caked their Chinese slippers, the sweat that stuck to their hair and the charcoal that smeared their faces. Downtown Yokohama occupies a triangular plain bordered by narrow streams on two sides and by the bay on the other side. It was probably the reason why the fire hadn't spread on that part. The problem lay on the more residential areas among the hills where water was hard to flow. True, Yokohama was little more than seashore with sparsely spaced houses, but there must have been a reason for the arsonist to burn the place, just as there had to be a reason for the arsonist to burn Nerima. Since the city was far from civilization, the task of rebuilding took longer than necessary. The wood needed to rebuild was taken from afar, but they were starting to have progress. Workers from the adjoining cities already started to come and help rebuild Yokohama. Everyone was busy, and you could see everyone working on the street, at the fields, by the river. There was no place that wasn't occupied by people who were bent on renewing the city. Nabiki could see a stonecutter in the distance working on the immaculate white stones found in the river bank for the steps of a house. There were sawyers using bamboo-handled saws to separate planks from the bigger blocks of wood. Some women dipped a string in ink and touched it to the boards that the men were sawing so that the wood was cut straight. There were even braziers that had been scavenged on the houses. Some samurai carried new ones by a bamboo pole slung across their shoulders with the braziers attached with rope on either edge. By the river, a few men started making the big buckets that were needed as silos for the rice and other materials. Some of the finished ones were sent to the ladies who were washing the men's clothes and dying the cloth. There were even women starching newly bought cloth over to make as kimonos or shoji. A few of the younger girls were holding a rice basket for winnowing. Some of the older girls were cooking. Most of the boys were out in the field trying to harvest what was left while the others planted what they could. A few of them had gone out on the river to fish. Nabiki took it upon herself to check up on the supplies, managing who would do what, and that all were fed properly and were rested. She had a haori, a shawl specially designed to hold a baby on the back, which was holding an already soot-faced baby for one of the ladies. Ranma was currently trying to help the men build the foundations of the houses. Nabiki nodded, everything was coming out slowly, but it was to be expected. She turned towards the women to check on their progress. All of them were been divided into groups, washing, dying, starching and sewing some of the cloth that would stretch over the frames to make the walls. They smiled at her as she squatted beside two ladies who were sitting around a large wooden pail, to help them wash the dirt stained cloth that they had salvaged from the fire. The women made some space for her but protested at her presence. "You should be dying the pastels on the cloth, my lady," One of the women said shyly as she plunged the cloth into the already gray colored waters of the vat. "Not with the dirtied linen." They thought anything dirty was something that was reserved for peasantry, they didn't know how much dirtier it was with the nobles. Nabiki wanted to curse the caste system, but kept her thoughts to herself. "Nonsense." Nabiki said plunging her hands into the cold water, scrubbing the cloth right along with them. It was harder to scrub than to sew or dye. "You need help more than those women do." "But you're to be married!" The other one protested, not really trying to keep her away from the task, but putting up enough fight so as not to insult Nabiki. Not that Nabiki saw any logic why being engaged should prevent her from household chores. If that was the way she thought, she'd have starved when she was sixteen with Genma and Ranma. Still, she had almost forgotten about that. She almost sighed, and the child she carried on her back began to cry. She had almost forgotten what it was to have a child crying. She took the straps off her back, wiping her hands on her pant legs and smiled at the one-year-old toddler gathering him in her arms, "Come now. Don't cry on me." The two women watched what she did in silence. Somehow, Nabiki knew that what she did here would be important to how these women would see her. Yokohama was a faraway town, and though most of these women knew her by name, they didn't know *who* she really was. "Hush now," she began to rock the child lightly back and forth. "We don't have much food, so we have to sacrifice a bit." "Here," Nabiki looked up to find Kuno standing over her. She stood up immediately, knocking the basket over, holding the boy close to her chest. "The child can have all of my provisions." Nabiki looked at his offered hand. A small bowl of rice and a few pieces of fish that she had not noticed earlier was on it. Nabiki started, "You won't get any food from the village Lord Kuno, there's nothing much in the village. We're drinking watered soup to fill our stomachs." "All the more reason to accept my most gracious offer." Kuno answered, Nabiki shifted the toddler so one of her hands was free and took the bowl from his hands. He had been probably out to eat. "Thank you." Nabiki would have bowed if she could, but with her charge she could only let out a small forced smile. She didn't like concern from a person she was duping. "Shall I feed the child, my lady?" One of the ladies offered, wiping her hands at a nearby rag that was kept close to the dirtied linens. "My lord might want to speak with you." Nabiki didn't have time to decline as the baby was taken out of her arms and the bowl quickly taken from her to feed the child. Seeing that the woman had everything under control, Nabiki turned back to her gracious benefactor. "How unlike you, Lord Kuno, giving up something that you needed for a child you do not know." Kuno opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it, nodded and turned away. Somehow, Nabiki felt guilty about *that* particular gibe. She took hold of his shoulder. "Don't tell me you're hurt." "Shouldn't one be when an obvious insult has been laid in front of him?" Kuno asked then turned to go again. Nabiki had always thought of Kuno as no more than an idiot savant, but she had to admit, she had overstepped her boundaries. He had walked a good distance when she tried to catch up with him. "Hey, I didn't mean it to come out *quite* as it did." There was a hint of apology in her voice, and Kuno knew she wouldn't give him more. There was a significant pause while they walked towards the inn where Kuno was currently staying. In an attempt to keep talking with her, Kuno asked, "How has my sister been?" There was obvious concern in his voice. Kuno protected his own, even if they were deranged little maniacs like his sister. "I hope she has been well." "She's recovering," Nabiki answered, then quipped, "I think sickness rests well with Kodachi. She's been livable these past few months." That got his attention. He stopped walking and turned to her. Nabiki almost crashed against him at his abrupt halt. "Define livable, Lady Saotome." She looked at him, bewildered at his question, but it seemed like he valued the answer she was going to give so she humored him. "Livable, she's being *nice*. She's never been nice before." The transformation from deep concentration to profound amazement rippled across Kuno's face slowly, beginning with his eyes down to his mouth. He stared at her not believing the news she brought. "I cannot believe she listened to me." A growing suspicion nagging her mind, and a pain spreading from her heart began to engulf Nabiki when she heard the words. She was filled with dread over what he was going to tell her. "Listened to you?" she repeated. "I told her I'd make her commit seppuku if she continued mistreating your family." The admission shattered everything. Every possibility for a future. They had been partly right, Kodachi had been pretending, but whereas before Nabiki knew no motive, now it was clear as glass. Kodachi did it so she could continue living. If Nabiki felt so betrayed... She had not realized that she would be this upset over Kodachi's betrayal. No... she wasn't upset too much about the betrayal, she had expected that. She was more troubled by the repercussions. She closed her eyes and thought about her brother. 'Imagine how Ranma would feel.' She shook her head involuntarily trying to deny it, more because she wanted her brother to find love rather than trust in Kodachi. Kuno was starting to look at her oddly, so Nabiki tried to clear things up a little. "You *threatened* her to be nice?" "I would not say threaten, Lady Saotome--" She closed her eyes at the explanation, not wanting to hear the highfaluting words that he was spouting, and the long roundabout way he had of talking to people. She shut everything out and breathed hard. At least Ranma doesn't know about it yet. "Every emotion charged towards us was *staged*?" He paused in his explanation, then frowned. "Why would that be so? Should emotion be staged when you are merely trying to be civil?" He did not understand anything, did he? "*Civil* if you're Kodachi Kuno, I'd be expecting damned civility." Nabiki shouted. "That wasn't civility that she had shown, it was outright niceness." By now, Kuno was extremely puzzled at what Nabiki was telling him. "Then why be so angry?" "Because everything was a *game*!" Nabiki answered furiously, Kodachi had played with everybody's damned emotions. There was nothing real behind the smile, the loving words that she was trying to coax. She was willing to change her life so that she would live. "Don't you understand?" When she looked at him, she knew he didn't. "Don't tell anybody. *Anybody* that we talked about this." She turned around to find Ranma, a frozen smile across his face, carrying a small folded kimono across his arms. She froze when she saw him. "Ranma." "Lord Kuno, Nabiki." He acknowledged them both with a nod, the smile now more of a grimace. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to congratulate you on your marriage, Kuno. Nabiki, I brought one of your wedding gifts." He thrust the kimono into her hands and nodded to Kuno again, then turned to walk away. Nabiki stared at the kimono her brother had given her, a light blue one embroidered with clouds. "Oh, Ranma." ------------------------------------------------------------ Footnotes: (1) Chisei: intelligence (2) The money then had holes in the middle so merchants and peasants when carrying them strung them together (well they had no wallets, okay?) ------------------------------------------------------------- Author's Notes: This is the pre-FFML version. :) Everybody finally decided that my grammatical errors in this version is at the minimum. (Sometimes I wish grammar wouldn't get in the way of writing *sigh*) I have a couple of questions and I would appreciate your opinion on the matter either on a review or a personal e-mail. :) a) Do you think Akane cries too much? b) Do you think there are too many parties? c) What's your opinion on Kodachi's reappearance? d) What's your opinion on the new characters? e) Hehe... give a nice estimate on what chapter this is going to end. (I just want to guage how much you think needs to be written out) f) Do you think the chapters are too long, too short you don't really care or just right? If you're still unsure of the heirarchy I'm using, I copied one history book down at http://iCe.esmartdesign.com/resources_1.htm Actually, try to pass by my webpage some time, there's fan art there too. :) it's http://iCe.esmartdesign.com/ :) Thanky, thanky to all the compliments that I've recieved. I'm very flattered and all :\ (Don't do it too much because my head might bloat up :) On Saggit's questions : (which I cannot answer personally because I don't know your e-mail addy :) On the original plotline, Kodachi was never supposed to appear, which is the reason why she came in so late and so suddenly. I'm still looking for a good reason *how* she appeared :) Anway... I respect your opinion of Kodachi and thanks for telling me about it. Plus, I hope you don't mind, I liked your review so much I quoted you on another person's review... I forgot to say that it was a quote from you because I forgot who exactly I quoted from until I saw the review... gomen... On another note, they haven't asked a shinto priest to determine Kodachi's possession because a) they're supposed to Christians now remember (Portugese were Catholic in the 1600's right?? I can't remember...) and b) I can't have a shinto priest spoiling the whole story :) Although the lack of acceptance is only on Ranma's part because he was the only person Akane told the dying and living again bit. Her supposed 'possession' now is amnesia, which everyone is doubting. Besides, Kodachi's personality has always led me to believe that she won't be believed for a drastic change. (I mean everyone thinks she's crazy and all). I think that's all for this chapter folks. Thanks for patiently waiting. See 'ya ~~ iCe ~~ mail me: siuane@gmail.com site: http://iCe.esmartdesign.com livejournal: http://ice-of-dreams.livejournal.com and if I ever get the mirror done: http://rend.atspace.com ||-----------^_^-----------|| PS. I hate Calculus. I blame Calculus (specifically integration) for the lateness of this. (Ahhh, now I feel better) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~||-----------^_^-----------||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I write when the spirit moves, and I make sure it moves every day. ~~ unknown