Rendezvous with Fate : Chapter 10B

con't Rend 10A

Ranma stepped out into the evening to get a breath of fresh air. Although the gathering was limited to only fifteen people, they were meeting in such a confined space that the air in the room became stifling

It was chilly outside and he could see the mist circling the trees, it was starting to get cold. Still he wanted his solitude. He had never been much of a social person. If there were gatherings, he kept to himself or stuck to Nabiki. When he really needed to appear for something that needed fast-talking, he switched places with his twin. It had been something they had frequently done. They were seldom caught.

Nabiki socialized. He guarded her back. That was how things worked for the best. She had once told him that although she didn't take pleasure in socializing either, her dislike for it was surpassed by her love of getting information, the thrill of tricking the vast majority and her extreme pleasure in manipulating events.

He sighed as the mists settled, the sky was covered by the trees, but he was sure rain was coming. Having a Jusenkyo curse tended to make the victims sensitive about quick weather changes. It was rather useful when one didn't want to change suddenly.

His mind wandered away from Happosai's crowded room. Genma was the only one missing, Happosai had said. Knowing his foster father, Ranma expected it would take some time for Genma to arrive. He did not think this out of disrespect. The truth was, Genma simply behaved that way. At least he could sort out the things Happosai had questions about. The area was dark, samurai were patrolling around Yuigahama and there were no trails to this house, Happosai was extremely cautious in his desire to keep Yuigahama from the prying eyes of the enemy. Still, it made the other cities in Sagami vulnerable... not that he'd ever tell Happosai that.

In order for him to secure Yuigahama, just for it to be proclaimed safe enough for this little meeting of Happosai's, he had needed more manpower than necessary. Yes, he could have done it easily without extracting men from Sagami's cities and sending them to the borders, but not in time for Happosai's meeting.

Still, it meant fewer samurai in the cities of Sagami. It worried him, if all the samurai were at the border, then an enemy could attack any city and destroy it completely. It did not bode well for him.

Further musing was disrupted by a feminine scream, dulled by the distance but still clear to his ears. His head shot up at the noise. Picking the general direction of its source, he started to run towards it, when another samurai whom he recognized as one of Happosai's, stopped in front of him.

"What happened?" Ranma demanded.

The samurai bowed first before continuing, "Well sir, a woman has breached the periphery of the estate. She claims she's from the house of Saotome. She wishes to talk to Lord Ranma. Shall I go and fetch Lord Ranma, sir?"

"There's no need." The samurai was probably new, Ranma mused. Happosai was a strict dictator among his men, and he made sure that all his samurai knew the key players of his team. As it was, he had only been recognized because of the crest in his attire and the sword in its sheath. "I'll see to her, where is she?"

"Just beyond that tree, two of my men are holding her until Ranma Saotome says so." He pointed to the direction he'd come from and turned to Ranma again. "Shall I accompany you, sir?"

Ranma shook his head, he could handle the household help, but he wondered what could bring her here... and was a bit worried. Nabiki and he had only disclosed where they were going to Sara, one of the young girls, with strict instructions not to seek them out unless they were of dire need. He wondered what the problem at home was.

As he neared the trio, he could not see the girl's face but was sure it was not Sara. Sara was a fifteen-year-old girl. This one was probably in her mid-twenties. He waved his hand in dismissal of the samurai. They bowed and left. The girl looked confused for a moment then turned to him.

"Kodachi." Ranma stopped as he looked at her, he could barely see her in the dark, and there were no lights that could light the way, but there was a distinct way she held herself this past few months that assured him it was his wife. "For a moment there, I thought the house was under siege."

"Is that the way to treat your wife?" She pouted as she neared him. He recognized her garb as Ifuku's, and wondered how she had gotten past Sasuke and Omokage.

"How did you find me?" Ranma asked, knowing that Sara would not have told her.

She smiled as she whispered, "History."

"History." He repeated then shook his head a disbelieving look on his face. "What do you mean history? Will anyone else find out the way you did?"

Akane frowned impatiently. "Not unless they plan on buying history books from my generation." She shook her head at Ranma's stare. Of course he'd just take that the wrong way. He took everything the wrong way. "No, no one will find out."

With that matter settled, Ranma turned to the less pressing issue of her presence. "Why come here? You know what any samurai would have done to you if any other relative of mine caught you instead of me."

"That's the exciting part." She gave out a small laugh at his puzzled expression. He didn't know if she was crazier before her head injury or after it, but he knew one thing for sure: she was still crazy. "Besides, I wanted to get my goodbye."

"Your goodbye." He replayed the afternoon they had set out for Yuigahama and realized he really hadn't given his wife the goodbye she was asking for, but to go through all the trouble to get something that really didn't mean anything in the long run... it was unusual for Kodachi to do something like that. "You went through Sasuke, Omokage, and Happosai's ninja, stole Ifuku's clothes and attempted to breach the meeting... because you wanted a goodbye?"

She nodded. "From me?" He asked. She nodded again. "That's crazy!" He shouted at her.

She looked down, hurt but still managing a strong voice when she demanded her request. "Well I wanted one, are you giving it to me?"

Ranma leaned closer then raised her face so that she would be looking up at him. "You sound like a spoiled child, making demands from her parent."

She pouted again. "My parent hasn't been spoiling me enough."

The drop of rain that fell across her cheek stopped any further response that would come from him. Ranma frowned and wiped it from her face with his thumb. "Damn." Lowering his hand from her face, he caught one of hers and pulled her closer so that he could see her clearly. "Let's get out of here."

"Why?" Akane asked trying to catch up to Ranma's long stride and fast pace, while squinting in the dark at the direction that they were running. There was no cleared path, no landmarks she could visibly see in the dark. She was lost in an instant. "You're scared of the rain?"

Ranma didn't answer. He was having trouble spotting the small sukiya, the teahouse where chanoyu is held, that he had spotted when they had first arrived. His visibility was already hampered by the night. Akane was complicating things. "Kodachi, if I get wet..."

"If you get wet? What's the problem? Afraid that the clothes will shrink?" Akane laughed, she was treating it all like a big joke. Why shouldn't she? She didn't know of Jusenkyo.

He didn't want to explain to his sister why he'd been caught in the rain. He didn't want to explain to the samurai present why Ranko was there and she needed hot water. There were secrets that he prized, Jusenkyo was one of them. "More of the other way around," Ranma muttered as he finally spotted the small isolated house, slammed the door opened and pushed Akane in as she knelt before the low doorway, just as the rain began to fall heavily.

"Great." Akane muttered as she looked outside, the white sheet of rain coupled with the fog and the dark, making it impossible to see past an arm's length, maybe less. She pulled the shogi close just as the wind blew the rain towards them. "Looks like I'm marooned here."

Ranma hoped whoever the vassal that owned the place was, would understand exactly why they were dripping all over the place and making a complete mess of the tatami. Ranma groped around in the dark for a lantern, thankful that the water had not been enough to incur the
change.

"Uh... Ranma?" Akane said as she tugged on his hand. "That's my shirt you're holding."

"Sorry," The room was pitch black. At best, he could only see her figure moving about in the dark and none of the details. "Try to find the lantern, or the brazier."

After a few seconds of groping in the dark, Ranma finally found the small lantern and lit it up. He opened up the brazier and lit that one too, making the room a bit less chilly than it had been before.

"How did you light that up?" Akane asked in wonder.

"Chi." Ranma answered a bit distracted as he opened the window that lead to the outside. The rain was heavy and Akane would not be able to reach Rose Brier safely if she went out now. "Have you eaten?"

She smiled sheepishly as she warmed her hands at the brazier, her hair was dripping wet and her clothes were damp -- but they were not soaked through. "I haven't eaten since lunch."

"The rashes from your allergy are completely gone," Ranma commented as he closed the window again. "That salve that Cologne gave you works miracles."

Akane's hand shot up to her face, she hadn't even realized that it was truly gone. When she had left Rose Brier, they were dwindling and had reduced to a few minor dots. "I guess."

"I'll get you something to eat." Ranma said as he opened the doors, letting the cold breeze in for a moment, "I hope you have nothing against okonomiyaki?"

"Not unless it has kamboko." Akane offered a weak smile.

Nodding, Ranma was gone in the dark night, shutting the door quietly behind him.

-

Nabiki-kun looked at the people milling about the room and frowned, his twin wasn't to be found anywhere, and he was starting to get worried. Ranma's ability to slip out even in a room full of samurai astounded him, but worried him to no end.

Happosai was not a very patient man and Genma's tardiness was starting to affect his mood. Happosai's mood had left him pondering heavily, so he was easily taken by surprise when something hit him in the head -- and quite forcibly at that. Catching it as it fell, he looked at the small rock in his palm.

The small stone that hit Nabiki-kun's head was no coincidence, when it hit him a second time, he caught it, tossed it a few times in the air and searched for the person who could have thrown it to him. It didn't take him long.

He found Ranma-chan swinging from the ledge on the window waving at him... all this while she was upside down. If Nabiki-kun was fond of hitting his head against the wall, he would have done so now. 'His aim is still good.' He thought as he went towards his sibling and raised an eyebrow. There had been only some centimeters between him and the next samurai.

"I take it you want some hot water?"

"Mphhh phee--"

Nabiki-kun snatched the wet wristbands Ranma had been biting a while ago. "Continue please."

"Yes, please." Ranma-chan smiled, her hands and feet now clasped on the roof shingle. "And some blankets, a couple of towels and an okonomiyaki."

"Why don't you get it?" Nabiki-kun asked as he threw her one of the pebbles that Ranma-chan had thrown to get his attention at him. "I'm not a servant you know."

Ranma-chan evaded neatly, which didn't surprise Nabiki-kun all that much, just added to his irritation. "Yeah, yeah. You're my sister. That makes it better."

"I swear if--"

"I wasn't your twin, you'd get revenge. Yes, I know," She finished, the line being overly used by Nabiki. She smiled sweetly. "Is that anger and frustration I sense coming from you, Nabiki? That's not good for your chi output you know."

"If I was Ranma Saotome, who depends on his ego for a chi blast, of course it wouldn't be good." Nabiki smirked a little, "But I'm not Ranma Saotome, am I?"

Ranma-chan grinned. "At the moment, you are. Now would you please get the items I've requested, dearest brother of mine? I'm getting tired of hanging on this ledge."

Shaking his head, Nabiki-kun turned to comply with Ranma's request. "You know, this isn't exactly the way you should treat someone you're asking a favor from," he returned in a few minutes, all items wrapped in a furoshiki. "Your items, my lady. Mind telling me where you've been playing?"

"Around."

He hadn't really expected an answer from Ranma.

Nabiki-kun rolled his eyes, if Ranma didn't want to be found that was his problem. If Happosai looked for him, stalling the liege lord would be next to impossible. "Now scoot out of there to whoever you're talking to and be sure to be back before Genma gets here. I'd really like to know if that samurai he's fetching is panda friendly." He was already growing suspicious by the articles she had asked him to find.

The rain would surely hamper Genma's arrival. Ranma-chan had to smirk at the thought, especially since Genma would be a panda at the moment, and he wasn't the wisest of all people either. She just had the sudden urge to find out if the man Genma was supposed to fetch really was 'panda friendly' as Nabiki has termed.

"Yes, ma'am," Ranma-chan answered as she slung the bundle over her back and jumped off the ledge to disappear into the night once more.

"Ranko! Wait!" Nabiki called out, Ranma-chan looked back and ran up to him again.

"What is it this time?" Ranma-chan groused as she laid the furoshiki down.

Nabiki-kun held out the tea kettle he had been holding in his other hand. "I can't take this out of the house," He poured the hot contents over her, then not waiting for the transformation to finish, handed him a bangasa, an oiled paper umbrella. "Do your best not to get wet."

Ranma looked from the umbrella to Nabiki opening it. "I can handle rain, Nabiki." He ran out again.

Shaking his head as he watched his twin go, Nabiki-kun closed the small shoji window, not even noticing as Cologne hopped up close to him. "What do you find amusing in the night, Lord Shizukama?"

"Oh, nothing elder... just the wind."

-

Akane shivered slightly as the small shoji doors opened, letting the cool night air into the less than accommodating shed. Thankfully, her teeth weren't chattering and Ifuku's clothes were more comfortable than she had thought they would be.

Akane looked up from the brazier as Ranma knelt to get in. Such doors were called 'a humble entrance' and were usually found in these teahouses. She smiled as she watched him set his Chinese slippers outside and drop the bundle he had been holding on to the floor. This was the closest she would ever see Ranma as 'humbled'.

"I got some towels an' some blankets. You'd better get out of that wet kimono." Ranma threw her one of the larger towels. Akane caught it happily thinking that the statement had showed his concern for her. "Besides, Ifuku might feel bad when you return her a soggy dress."

"Oh..." Her spirits plummeted. She looked around, but the sukiya was a small single room house. There was nothing to hide behind to change.

"I really didn't bring any extra clothes, because if Na-- Shizukama went around asking for one... well, they might get suspicious." Ranma took an okonomiyaki, wrapped in a small thin paper and some wooden chopsticks from the small bundle and handed it to her. "There isn't any other food in the house. You'll just have to settle for this until you get home."

Accepting the food Akane nodded then shivered at the cold. Paper houses really didn't do much for protection from the cold elements of the weather, and the brazier was smaller than the traditional fireplace usually located on the main houses.

"You wouldn't get cold if you just took off those damp clothes of yours and wrapped yourself up in a blanket." Ranma suggested sitting opposite of her. "But you really don't have to follow that, it's just an idea, really."

Akane raised an eyebrow at the sarcasm that tinged his voice. 'Well if he wants it that way...' She tugged on the obi that held her dress, undoing the ribbon from its place.

"What are you doing?"

"Well, you suggested to 'take off those damp clothes'. What does it look like?" Akane asked as she pulled out the small ribbon that held her hair in the ponytail Kodachi seemed to favor, spilling it over her shoulders. She hadn't noticed that Kodachi's hair reached below her waist before... she really needed a haircut.

"Yes, but..."

It was the first time she had seen Ranma uncomfortable other from an argument, it was weird, she stopped undressing. "Well, you are my husband, aren't you?"

"No!" He stopped and then realized what he had just answered. "I mean, yes."

"If it makes you uncomfortable..." Akane gave him a teasing smile.

"It doesn't make me uncomfortable at all!"

Akane stared at him dubiously, the look on her face suggesting that she really didn't believe it. She took out the outer layer of Ifuku's kimono but left the under-kimono on and wrapped herself around the blanket that Ranma had offered her, folding Ifuku's outer garments with her shaking hands. "Sure, that's why your right eyebrow is twitching."

"Don't start."

"Start on what?" She found out that she enjoyed teasing him. He was extremely easy to tease. "I haven't started anything."

They stopped for a moment, and Akane looked him over. He was wetter than she was. Whereas she had damp clothes, he had soaked through his shirt and drawstring pants. His pigtail hung limply to the side and baby hair clung to the sides of his face, dripping water all over the tatami.

"You know, I heard somewhere that men get cold faster than women do. It's a scientific fact." Akane whispered over her piece of okonomiyaki, wondering if there was such a word as science in this time and age. "Come nearer the fire."

He didn't budge. "Afraid I'd bite?"

He inched closer. She resisted the urge to laugh, "Am I so evil? So much so that you wouldn't dare come near to your wife?" She doubted it was the reason for his hesitation, but let it rest at that.

She was surprised to find him glaring at her. "What is it you want Kodachi? Don't tell me this is another one of your mind games. If it is, it's getting old. Happosai is just beyond that door, my sister is covering up for me, and we're just lucky that my old man isn't here yet. Other than that, would you please hurry up? Do what you want to do and get it over with."

She didn't know where she went wrong, it had been going smoothly, they had not been fighting, she had not said anything to provoke the hostility she was receiving. "I really came for what I said earlier. I'm not leaving without it."

"Your goodbye," he echoed. "Tell me a good reason why I should?"

He got her there. Why should he give her a goodbye? Why did it seem so important to her anyway? She could've just stayed home and gotten her good 'ole goodbye some other time. It was just a word.

"I only wanted to hear it from you, Ranma. Maybe even a..." 'Maybe even a kiss if I was lucky.' She didn't know what had possessed her to say that. Ranma was distant enough as it was. Such an admission would push him even further. She did not know she said her thoughts in a small whisper, but enough for him to hear.

She stood up, the blanket dropping to her feet, forgetting the fact that she was only wearing her under kimono and that the rain was still raging outside. "Maybe I should leave. I've disturbed you enough as it is. It looks to me that you see me as a problem." She took a moment to stare at him. "Am I a problem? If I'm a problem to you..." She didn't finish her sentence.

"No, wait. I didn't mean --" She heard him curse as she ran outside. The rain greeted her. She was soaked in an instant, her hair blocking her view, the ground muddy at her feet. 'Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.' Akane thought as she tried to get her bearings.

Someone caught her hand, and she tried to snatch it back. "Ranma, let me go, I already said I was sorry, okay."

"I -- I'm not Ranma."

Turning around she found Ranko staring back at her, still holding her hand, she was giving her on odd look that bordered on uncertainty. "Oh... Ranko... I'm sorry... I thought you were -- "

"Ranma." The small girl frowned, "I know. You told me. Don't you think you should wait out the rain?" She gave a little cough, motioning towards Akane's current state of undress, "Besides... you're half naked."

Akane looked down at herself. She had forgotten that she had left her outer garments by the small house, but she shook her head. "I'm not going back to him. I've taken enough humiliation as it is."

"You think going back to get your clothes is less humiliating than running around Yuigahama in your under kimono." Ranko looked at her incredulously, mockery tinting her voice. "I can see the logic there, Akane."

"Why is it that you people only remember to call me that if you think I'm upset? If Ranma sent you here to scorn me, tell him I'm not interested. Besides, who the hell would take notice in me?" Akane tried to snatch back her arm from Ranko again, but found out the girl had a surprisingly strong grip. "Would you please let me go my own way now?"

"First of all, you'd be surprised at exactly who'll notice a twenty-five year old woman, who's half-naked, by the way, walking alone in the dark, isolated streets of Yuigahama. I should know." Ranko gave her a look that told her to listen, and Akane was uncomfortably sure that Ranko was right. "Secondly, how are you going to find your way back to Rose Brier, with your energy reserves almost depleted, only a half eaten okonomiyaki in your stomach for dinner, and tired from running?"

"I got here, didn't I?"

"That was different." Ranko answered, and Akane could see that the advice Ranko was giving her was the sensible thing to do, but hell would freeze over before she admitted that. "You had daylight. Let me remind you that you didn't find Yuigahama, the samurai found you. What would they do to you when you breach the border a second time?"

It was true. All of it was true. If she had been thinking straight, she would have asked how Ranko could possibly know that. She brushed her soaked locks away from her face, the rain trailing down her face, and the image she portrayed seemed so fragile, that Ranko didn't know if Akane would survive if she let her go, "I'll manage. I'm not exactly a porcelain doll."

"You're distraught," Ranko sighed, her look bordering on patience she really didn't feel. "I understand that. You've had a fight with Ra-- with Lord Ranma. I understand that too. Now... would you please reconsider? I won't fetch him. I promise."

Akane looked dejectedly at her hands, and Ranko let her arm go. "Tell my why he doesn't understand I'm trying then? At least tell me that."

"You must understand that there are things that are hard to accept. Especially if these things come from you." Ranko peered at Akane's downcast eyes, not really knowing what Akane wanted to hear from her. "There are things that take time."

She looked straight at Ranko, her voice lowering to a mere whisper, unsure why she was confiding to Ranma's supposed consort of all people, but finding herself trusting the petite woman that came to her. "How long does he want? I don't think I can wait forever."

"I don't think he can either." Ranko answered in the same lowered voice Akane had used. Ranko looked at Akane and the mess she has started again, quite uncertain where she would go from there. She was also very worried for her sake. Happosai was not an easy man to handle, to be caught, Kodachi or not, meant an extreme penalty. Happosai was not a lenient man.

"Ranma!" The feminine voice came from the larger of the two houses. Akane identified the thickly accented voice as Shampoo's. "Is that you?"

Ranko's head shot up at the call, and Akane heard a faint curse coming from the girl. It was dark and the rain coupled with the fog hindered the visibility. But Ranko's red hair made her easy to spot in the night. Still, Akane wondered why Shampoo had associated the color with Ranma.

"Do you remember the way back to the sukiya?" Ranko whispered urgently as she looked at where the Shampoo was standing. A few more steps and they'd have an instant cat at their hands.

"No." When she ran out, she had no point of origin. She just ran blindly, not knowing where she would go.

Ranko cursed again. There was an urgent tone in her voice now that Akane had not noticed earlier. Taking out the shorter of her two swords, she handed it to Akane, "Here, take this. When a samurai stops you at the periphery, show it to them. They should recognize it as a Saotome's sword. Tell them it's Lord Ranma's."

There was only time to give Ranko a confused look at the sudden change of plans, not knowing how to handle the weapon that had just been handed to her. "Why, aren't you going with me?"

There was a pained expression in Ranko's face as she turned to look at Shampoo. "I can't. If anybody finds you. I can't." Ranko gave Akane a small push towards the woods. "Go."

Akane turned to run, clutching the short sword tightly against her chest. The insistent tone of Ranko's voice convinced her that it was imperative for her not to be caught.

Many unanswered questions filled her mind. Still, one thought burned clear: She had sought Ranma out, and when it was his time to do so, he wasn't the one who came for her. Though she had hard feelings before she left him, Ranma wasn't the one who went to get her. She had desperately wanted Ranko to be him.

Ranma-chan watched as Akane stumbled towards the dim path, and then turned to look at Shampoo. She was wisely keeping to the small wooden porch outside the house that was still shielded by the roof.

She looked grimly at Shampoo, knowing that she was the one who needed to advance towards her because of Shampoo's curse. It would be a very difficult situation -- not to mention embarrassing -- for them if Shampoo decided to take a walk in the rain.

"Shampoo?" Ranma-chan called out, but was sure it was the Chinese girl. "Wait for me there." Shampoo knew that, but she wanted to make sure that she didn't hear Akane's feet running across the trees.

She didn't know if Shampoo would tell on them or if Shampoo would even realize that she was supposed to tell on them, but somehow it had been her first instinct. Ranma-chan stepped up to the small porch, and flicked her pigtail away, " Something you want, Shampoo?"

Looking over Ranma-chan's shoulder, Shampoo looked at her inquisitively. " Weren't you talking to somebody?"

" No, I was just walking in the rain." Somehow, Ranma-chan doubted if Shampoo would believe that. Jusenkyo cursed victims tended to have an affinity towards anything water related that they couldn't control. Rain was their chief opponent. " I was caught in the rain that's all. Pops is a bit late."

" Hmmm... I wonder how his charge reacts when they realize the panda is your foster father." Shampoo smiled lightly, entertaining the thought of the samurai killing the panda. It seems like everybody wanted to know that particular story. After all these years, Shampoo still harbored anger towards Genma -- she had known the girl could bear grudges -- just not for seven years. " It would sure be interesting to know."

"Ahh..." An uneasy silence settled on them, Shampoo didn't want to broach the topic of Hanae and Ranma was forced not to tell. The situation was more awkward than the two were willing to let on. In the end Shampoo was the one who broke the silence, deciding to keep Rian's past for another day.

" I was wondering... Ranma," Shampoo whispered, biting her lip in indecision, wondering if she really should continue with what had been a moment of insanity. " Would you mind terribly if I asked him a favor?"

" Anything for a friend," Ranma-chan smiled. That wasn't quite true, she really couldn't handle a request for a kiss at that moment, but then she doubted that Shampoo would ask that of her now. Especially since it was widely known that even after the curse was found out, Shampoo hated Ranma's girl side.

"Ranma," Shampoo looked away, " Couldn't you..." there was another pause signifying how hard Shampoo was trying to get the words out. Ranma-chan gave the Chinese Amazon a supportive smile. " Can't you... love me for one night? Even if it was just pretend?"

She wasn't prepared for that either, Ranma-chan froze at her place, her eyes grew wide, and almost shouted out 'What!' then schooled her face before Shampoo turned to look at her for the answer.

He always thought Shampoo got over him, that the Amazon girl chose to forget the past. He always thought she had found someone else. The Fiancée Wars had been a trying time for all of them, and it was not easy to look back. When it was proclaimed over, everyone had a hard time trying to change their ways but Cologne had always given him the impression that Shampoo had moved on. She had seemed far too deep in the Amazon matriarch's training now and had less time for anything else.

He wasn't the smartest chip out of the block when it came to things like his fiancées, and he had not noticed any change in Shampoo's attitude at all, just that she was more withdrawn, more introspective. Now, he realized that what he mistook for pensiveness had been a deep sadness. Shampoo was terribly depressed.

Before he could answer however, a panda shoved the two apart followed by a sword-swinging samurai. 'Well, there goes the rest of our party.' Ranma-chan thought as she shouted, "Pops! Can't you for once look at where you're going?"

Ranma-chan jumped from the position Genma had pushed her into, chasing after them before Shampoo could ask her question again, Shampoo following behind. 'I'm sorry Shampoo. This is just the way things are.'

-

Ukyo cleaned up the grill, putting the extra batter away for some other samurai who'd find themselves starving. She didn't turn the grill off completely, just scraped off the dough that stuck to it. The night was a bit cold and the grill provided the warmth that her kimono could not.

It was promising to be a cold month. She put away the zabuton and wondered exactly what her Aunt Kashiko had been telling her about the fun at Yuigahama. It seemed like any straightforward meeting.

Samurai, liege lord, daimyo, a couple of Chinese Amazons for spice, nothing out of the ordinary, and nothing that was really special. Yuigahama was just like any other samurai meeting she chanced upon.

The excitement really had started and ended with Genma Saotome's arrival. Genma had entered with his sign that said 'Please don't kill me!' A samurai she didn't know, but who was probably a Saotome, Ranma-chan was trying to get the samurai off the panda, Shampoo walking dejectedly in, Nabiki-kun calling for hot water, Happosai ordering them to the next room... and in a second, they were all tucked away behind the shoji. Leaving her alone.

She had been too amused to help them then, and now she really didn't know what to do. The sounds of battle reached her ears, and she shook her head, 'Well at least they sound like they're having fun over there.'

The rain had lessened but the air turned more than chilly and Ukyo suppressed a light shiver. She had not brought anything for the cold. Pulling a small rug, she started to wipe off the plates that she finished washing. If the samurai wanted more okonomiyaki later -- they'd just have to wait for the batter to heat up. She was fresh out of pre-made okonomiyakis

After a moment, Nabiki-kun slid out of the shoji, shutting the doors behind him, leaning against it. He looked like he'd been through hell and it was a rare sight to see him -- her as such.

"Nabiki!" Ukyo called out, but he didn't look. "Okay, Shizukama, then."

Just as she said the words, Nabiki-kun turned and stared at her offering a weak smile, as if he'd only seen her now. He really was frazzled and Ukyo had never seen Nabiki frazzled before. "Come sit by the grill. It's warmer."

She took out the zabuton she had just kept, but Nabiki-kun had turned to look at the window instead. The rain was still pouring lessening to a slight drizzle.

Ukyo turned towards the door, a soaking wet furoshiki leaning against the wooden planks, a small oiled umbrella, and a half-eaten okonomiyaki that Nabiki had turned to get before he went into the 'briefing room' as Ukyo had termed it. "Are those yours?"

Nabiki-kun turned towards it, a puzzled expression in his face then nodded. "Yeah, they're mine."

"Do you want to talk?" Ukyo asked, Nabiki-kun seemed to be a little more preoccupied than the usual, and he seemed to need a friend right now. She wanted so much to give to Nabiki what Nabiki had given her all those years ago. "Is there a problem?"

Nabiki-kun turned to look towards the window. To Ukyo, it looked like he was seeing much more than the trees, the fog and the rain, and his gaze lingered for far more. "It's not so much as a problem. It's more of a..." He stopped to think for the appropriate words, "Riddle I can't fix."

That was a new one. Nabiki Saotome always had the answer to everything. "It'll plot its own course. In time, you'll get your answer. Some riddles... aren't meant to be answered." She wished she had more advice than vague words, but Nabiki-kun didn't seem to mind.

"Ucchan... about last --"

Whatever he was about to say, was cut off by a samurai opening the door, a dead pigeon in hand and a wet and crumpled note in the other. The samurai left his wet slippers out of the room and padded up to the tatami. He waved the note in the air, eyes searching the room. "Where's Lord Happosai?"

Both of them pointed to the shoji that Nabiki-kun just came out from. "Just make sure what you have there is important. Lord Happosai doesn't like interruptions."

The samurai didn't answer him as he barged in the shoji. Nabiki-kun raised three fingers, a smile playing on his face. "Three."

"What are you doing?" Ukyo whispered.

"Just watch," he brought it down to two.

"Are you sure about this?" Ukyo asked skeptically.

"Perfectly." It was down to one now. "I'd stay clear of that part of the shoji if I were you."

"Why?"

There was nothing left, a loud crash was heard and the samurai they had been talking about flew out of the shoji, and impacted into the wall opposite them. "Lord Happosai's predictable, as always."

"I'm glad you find this amusing, boy." Happosai puffed from the wrecked shoji as he stepped out, the samurai were still seated in order that he had left him, Shampoo and Ranma bowed to each other, it had been the two of them Happosai had chosen for the fight before the samurai was interrupted.

He walked over to the man and picked out the letter from his hands. "Make sure he gets treated." One of the samurai rushed to comply, "Who owns this house?"

"Kindoshi, one of the wealthier merchants of the region." Ranma answered.

"Make sure his shoji and tatami are replaced." Happosai ordered as he turned to read the letter. He then turned towards Nabiki. "Ranma, why are you out here?"

Ukyo placed her hand against her mouth as she stared at Ranma, whom a while ago she had thought was Nabiki in her cursed form. She had her chance to talk to him and she had blown it because of utter stupidity. After all this time, she still couldn't differentiate one from the other in an instant. Damn.

Nabiki-kun had noticed this and raised his eyebrows.

"The important things were finished a while ago. You were pitting me up against almost every one of my relatives. I was getting tired." Ranma shrugged. "I needed some fresh air."

"Tired when you were winning?" Happosai shook his head as he threw the letter at Ranma, who deftly caught it before it cut him across the cheek, "If that's true then Genma hasn't trained you the way you should be. You should be interested in the contents of that letter, boy."

Ranma unrolled the parchment paper that had been inside the small cylinder at the bird's leg, and scanned it. His head shot up searching for and catching Nabiki's attention in the process, a frown starting to form on his face.

"What's wrong?" Nabiki-kun asked as she strode towards him. Ranma handed the letter over to his sister.

"We've got to go," Ranma said frowning as he straightened. "It's from mother. Someone has torched Nerima to the ground."

</span> Con't in Rend 10C