RANMA 1/2 - THE SANE KUNO

							

	"Flight 234 from Los Angeles now arriving," the loudspeaker boomed in Japanese. It then
followed up with the same announcement, this time in English, the international language for
travelers. Despite the fact is was only mid-morning, the terminal at Tokyo International Air-
port was crowded with people. Some of the milling crowd was coming into Japan, for business or
pleasure, while some others were leaving the country for the very same reasons. Others were
waiting either for their connecting flight somewhere else or for someone. 

	The two passengers standing in the middle of the bustling waiting area were waiting for
someone. They were both male, and there were several curious glances from passer-bys who
wondered to themselves why the two weren't in school. One boy looked like he was about fifteen, 
short, slim, with dark hair that seemed to be on the edge of open rebellion against good groom-
ing. He wore a dark suit that was clean and well-tailored, but somehow looked disused. A pair 
of small spectacles perched on the end of his nose. Despite the walking cane he carried, he 
didn't look weak or infirm. If someone had taken a close look at the boy's expression, they 
would have noticed a look of quiet completion that was out of place on such a young boy. On a 
Zen master, the expression would have been expected, but this boy didn't appear to be a Zen 
Master.

	The other passenger was slightly smaller and shorter then the first. He looked younger 
then his travel companion, but was actually four years older. His dark hair was cut short 
and tight, making him look like a short, underage Marine. He was dressed in a baggy suit that 
somehow didn't interfere with his movement. His expression was a mix of eagerness, fear, and 
anticipation. He kept glancing around, looking for something or someone. [I still don't see 
him, Boss,] he said in a breathless rush, [Do you think Uncle forgot about us?]

	[I sure your uncle didn't overlook us,] said the first boy with confidence. [Recall, he's
the one that compiles the delivered mail and categorizes it.] He frowned, the said with some
sarcasm. [After all, my siblings wouldn't condescend to operate such a 'menial task'.]

	They spoke to each other in English, even though they both spoke Japanese fluently. They
had spent most of the last five years in America speaking English, lapsing into the second
language only when they wished to discuss things somewhat privately with other people present.
Since they were now in Japan, they had reversed this habit, speaking English when they wanted to
keep the conversation between themselves.

	[I suppose so,] replied the second boy, but continued to glance around. [But if another
security officer stops to ask us any more questions, I'm going to scream!]

	[Could you please compose yourself, Shingi? Your Great Uncle will he here.]

	[I hope he hurries. I'm getting worried that I'm going to hauled off to jail for not 
being in school.]

	The first boy shook his head slowly. [Shingi, You arere an American citizen, and a high
school graduate. The authorities are not going to throw you into jail just because you don't 
look your age.]

	[Why couldn't I accompanied your stuff over instead of Kam? He's better at waiting and
no one's going to ask him why he's not in school.]

	[Because you recognize how Kam despises flying,] said the first boy with a sigh that
indicated this wasn't the first time the matter had been discussed. [Also, he cannot be seated 
in a airplane seat comfortably, and he would probably unnerve the Hades out of a poor flight 
attendant the first time he opens his mouth. Besides, Kam will make sure no one interferes with 
my equipment. Face it, if you didn't recognize your relative, would you challenge him?]

	[No.]

	[Then relent and let things come as they may.] 

	Just then, a small figure appeared before them out of the milling crowds like magic. He
wasn't much taller then the two boys, but no one would mistaken him for a youth. "Master 
Kaitou," he said to the first boy politely in Japanese.

	"Great Uncle Sasuke!' cried Shingi happily, switching to Japanese himself.

	The old man smiled at his grandnephew. "It's good to see you again, Shingi. Your mother
just sent me a batch of her chocolate-chip cookies. We will talk later." He looked at the first 
boy. "Was your journey pleasant, Master Kaitou?"

	"Could have been worse," replied Kaitou with a half smile. "I think we picked up a head-
wind three hours from Japan and it caused us to be six minutes late in landing. Have you been 
waiting long?" 

	"No, Master Kaitou. I just finished delivering your brother to school."

	Kaitou frowned, then sighed. "I surmise I should ask about my kith, aside the reality
they're all loonier then TV evangelists. Are the authorities still tolerating my older siblings
running lose?"

	"Your brother is the current Regional Kendo champion and your sister is the current
Regional Rhythmic Gymnastic champion."

	Kaitou took a deep breath, then shook his head in exasperation. "I will take that as a 
'yes'. Is Tatewaki still dashing about with that bokken?"

	"Yes sir."

	"And still sprouting bad poetry?"

	"He works regularly on new poems."

	"And he is still calling himself the 'Shooting Star of Furinkan High'?"

	"Actually, Master Kaitou, he now calls himself 'The Blue Thunder of Furinkan High'."

	"'Blue Thunder'? Incredible." Kaitou looked at Shingi. "And you and your family specu-
lated why I traveled all the way to MIT for my degree?"

	"I thought it was because MIT was a good school."					

	"In part, but it was also to get as far elsewhere as I could get from the crackpot 
ensemble that contends that they're associated with me by ancestry."

	"I didn't realize it was that bad," replied Shingi with a shrug. "All I've ever heard 
about them is what Uncle Sasuke told me." 

	"After listening to this, you'll reasonably wish you'd lingered at home. Nermia is the
Twilight Zone made real, and from what Sasuke's been relaying to me, it's gotten even more
peculiar in the last couple of years."

	Shingi shrugged again. "I wanted to see Japan for myself. Father doesn't talk much about
his childhood, and outside of Uncle Sasuke, he has no living relatives here in Japan. Besides, 
had bad can your family be?"

	"It depends," replied Kaitou. He looked at his family's retainer. "Did the police manage 
to thwart that terrorist team I forewarned you about last month?"

	"Yes Master Kaitou. The Police stopped them three blocks shy of the estate and were taken 
into custody with no problems."

	"Good. Did you eliminate the formula?"

	"As you instructed. Mistress Kodachi was rather upset at its loss."

	"Better to have her agitated then permitting her formula to be purloined."

	Shingi blinked. "Am I missing something here?" he asked.

	Kaitou sighed. "My 'loving sister' accidently concocted a formula for nerve gas that 
makes Sarian look like cologne. Word managed to get out to a fringe organization looking for a 
weapon of mass devastation and they concluded they would snatch the formula, abduct my sister, 
and hold both of them for payment. I discovered the attempt and sent word to Sasuke."

	"What's so bad about that? It sounds like you saved your sister from a bunch of psychos."

	"Not exactly. I saved a bunch of psychos FROM my sister. Kodachi is about as defenseless 
as an aggravated tiger, and makes the Marque de Sade look like a boy scout. Hearsay has it her 
laugh will be pronounced a weapon of mass destruction by the UN sometime soon." Kaitou shook 
his head. "Tatewaki can be persuaded with sometimes, but Kodachi is so far out in left field, 
she owns the concession stands for the bleachers. My brother's main problem is that he was born 
three hundred years too late to be die gloriously in battle for his lord, but Kodachi's problem 
is she's just a grade A, happy-go-lucky psychopath."

	Shingi shrugged "So I was wrong."

	"It gets better. Sasuke, Is Father still at home?"

	The old man shook his head. "He's gone on an extended holiday to Hawaii, and won't be
back for six weeks."

	"Thank the gods for small blessings. Now if only Hawaii would find a reason to keep him," 
muttered Kaitou. "Anyway," he said in a louder voice, "I envy your faithfulness, Sasuke. You 
have done something I could not do, namely put up with my own family."

	"I serve them as Shingi serves you." The older man smiled slightly. "And they keep me
young, in their own way."

	Kaitou looked down at the floor. "I should say hello to them, assuming they don't know
I'm coming."

	"I neglected to mention it to them."

	Kaitou looked up, a wolfish smile on his face "Good. It's about time I gave them some
trauma in return for all the abuse they gave me -- as they say in America, 'Payback is a 
bitch,' and I resolve to start early and often, commencing tomorrow. Have you found a place 
when I can set up my lab and household?"

	"Yes, Master Kaitou. There's a house just down the street from the Tendo Dojo that is up
for sale. I have made an offer for it, in your name, contingent on your approval."

	"Tendo Dojo?" Kaitou's eyes clouded over, and his smile got bigger. For a moment, it
looked like his spectacles were going to fog up, but never quite made it. "D-does Nabiki have a
boyfriend yet?"

	"Besides money, there is no other strong attachment in her life at the present time."

	"N-N-Nabiki," stammered Kaitou softly, the smile becoming a silly grin. "My monetary
Goddess...."

	Shingi frowned. "Oh great," he muttered. "Of all the times to go ga-ga...."		

	Sasuke looked concerned. "Is Master Kaitou all right?"

	"Don't worry. He'll be find in a minute." Shingi leaned forward and whispered into 
Kaitou's ear, "Sony's stock is down three points. Do we sell?".

	Kaitou blinked, look of bliss gone from his face. "Sell Sony? What?" he muttered. He 
looked over at Shingi. "What did you do that for?"  

	"Sorry, bud," replied Shingi with a straight face, "you were heading into one of your
Nabiki spells."

	"A Nabiki spell?' asked Sasuke.

	Shingi nodded. "Whenever the Boss here thinks about this girl Nabiki, he goes ga-ga.
Luckily, we caught this spell early. I've seen him when he's having one of his bad spell. It 
isn't pretty."

	"How bad do they get?'					

	His nephew grimaced. "He starts writing and performing poetry exhorting the virtues of
this Nabiki. -- BAD poetry. At his poetry-spouting worst, I've seen him empty a crowded lunch
room in five minutes. If he starts singing love songs or playing the bagpipes, you have a 
choice of starting an involved discussion on Quantum physics within his hearing, shoving the 
Wall Street Journal in front of his face or running for the hills." He paused. "I usually head 
for the hills."

	Kaitou closed his eyes. "I'm sorry. I thought I had it under control."

	"No sweat, Boss. She must be a heck of a girl to get that sort of reaction out of you."

	Kaitou's eyes began to glaze over again. With a sigh, Shingi said, "Boss," he said in a 
low voice. "If you go ga-ga on me again before we get out of the airport, I'll canceled your
subscription to Fortune Magazine."

	The threat seemed to have the right effect. The dazed expression faded, and the same look
of quiet completion returned. "That will not be necessary." He swallowed slowly. "I think I 
have arrived home at the right time."

	Sasuke pointed at the two bags sitting next to the boys. "Is that all you luggage?"

	Kaitou nodded. "Most of my other stuff was shipped ahead with Shingi's brother. Once I've 
decided where I'm going to live, we'll make the arrangements to have it moved."

	"You could come home to the Estate. You room could be ready in a couple of hours."

	Kaitou frowned. "That hasn't been my home since Mother died," he said flatly. "And I'm 
not sure I have all the revised counteragents for my 'dear sister's' latest compounds. I don't 
suppose the UN has sent an Inspector to check her lab for banned bioweapons?"

	"There's a possibility that Midorigame ate him, Master Kaitou. I found some scraps of
cloth and half a pair of glasses near his pool last week."

	Oh, Shame," muttered Kaitou. "I suppose it's too late to turn around and go back to the
US?" 

	"Relax, will you?" said Shingi cheerfully. "As the saying goes, "there's no place like
home."

	"That's because whoever coined that phrase never lived with my family." He leaned down
and pick up a bag. "Let's get going. Let's go take a look at this house you've found, Sasuke."




Chapter 1



						
	Morning at the Tendo Dojo.

	"Take this, Pop!"

	*splash*

	"Ha! You're getting slow in your old - "

	"Rolf!"

	"Ack!"

	*splash*

	"Oh man!"

	"Ranma! Mr. Satome! Breakfast!"

	The same old thing. . . . 

	After Ranma, Akane, and Nabiki headed off to school, and Gemna left for his job in Dr.
Tofu's clinic. Kasumi sat at the dinner table, carefully checking her shopping list. Soun sat 
at the far end of the table, reading the newspaper and occasionally sipping from a cup of tea. 
After several minutes, she smiled and stood up. "I'm going to the market now,  Father. I'll be 
back before lunch."

	A grunt from behind the newspaper was the only answer she received. Humming to herself, 
she picked up her basket and went outside. It wasn't until she strode out the front gate did 
she see the two cars parked down the street from her. She stopped, and looked carefully. 
Despite her demeanor, there was very little that Kasumi Tendo didn't notice, and she knew both 
cars weren't part of the neighborhood. The first car was a mid-sized, fairly new model that she 
didn't recognized, but the second look a lot like the Kunou family's car.

	Frowning, she walked slowly towards the cars. The property the cars were parked in front
of had been up for sale since late last year. Smaller then the Tendo home, it also had a wall
surrounding it, but neglect and age had taken some toll on the property. As she got closer, she
heard several voices coming from just inside the open gate.

	"I am not amused!" said a male voice angrily.

	"Do we have to put up with this Baka, boss?' asked a second voice with some irritation.

	"I am not fabricating this, Mr. Yosan," replied a third, calm voice that sounded to Ka-
sumi to be awfully young. "Here is my bank's phone number. Ask for Mr. Ikasu Geru. He will 
confirm that I have an account and the amount of money in it is sufficient to purchase this 
house. This is the phone number for Professor Tetsujin at Tokyo University, who is my thesis 
advisor. And this is the phone number for Furinkan High. They will substantiate my graduation 
from there five years ago."

	"You expect me to believe that you have this type of money, or that you're some sort of
boy genius?"

	"I expect you to at least attempt to authenticate what I have told you. Will you please 
now do so?"

	By now, Kasumi had reached the gate and she looked in. A tall, thin man looking very 
irate was glaring at a trio of shorter figures. One was the Kunou's servant, Sasuke, who stood 
several feet away from the other two, looking impassive at the argument. What's he doing 
here? thought Kasumi with a frown.

	She focused her attention on the other two people in the yard. *They're just boys!*

	The boy that seemed to be doing most of the talking was short, slim, with dark hair that
looked like it need some combing. He wore a dark suit and a pair of small spectacles perched on
the end of his nose. In one hand he held a walking cane, nut-brown in color, and was lightly
tapping on the stones of the courtyard with it. There was a quiet, confident look on his face 
as he watched the real estate agent.

	Kasumi frowned. *He looks a lot like Kaitou. But Kaitou's in America!* Memories of a shy 
boy who was always reading sprang to her mind.

	If the first boy was composed, the second wasn't. He was slightly smaller and shorter 
then the first with very short dark hair. His suit was baggy and rumpled, but his movements 
didn't seemed to be impaired from the way he was bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Let's blow 
this place, Boss," he said. "He doesn't believe you."

	"You damm right I don't believe you!" shouted the agent "When I was told a Kunou was
interested in this place, I thought it was a joke. Now that I'm here, I know it's a joke! Just 
wait until I tell your parents!"

	Kunou? thought Kasumi with a smile. It is Kaitou!

	"That will be hard to do," replied Kaitou. "First, my father, and I use that designation
loosely, is on sabbatical in Hawaii for six weeks, hopefully longer. Second, my mother is dead. 
As for Shingi's parents, that is even more difficult. First, he is already a high school 
graduate, and second, his parents are in the United States of America. Exhibit your passport, 
Shingi."

	The second boy reached into his pocket and pulled out a passport. He handed it to Mr. 
Yosan. He opened it up and stared at something inside, then at Shingi. "It says you are 
nineteen years old." He peered closer at the boy. "You don't look nineteen."

	"You want my birth certificate too?" asked Shingi in irritation. He turn and looked at 
the sky. "Why do people find it so hard to believe I'm nineteen years old?"

	Kaitou ignored his friend. "Are you accusing us of forging passports?" he asked mildly. 
He handed the agent a card. "Here's the phone number for the US Embassy. Ask for a Miss Katrina 
Wright."

	"Excuse me," said a quiet voice from behind Kasumi.

	Kasumi was startled. She turned quickly, wondering how anyone could walk up behind her 
without her noticing. Instead of a face, Kasumi found herself staring at a male chest. A VERY
large and broad male chest. She looked up and said, "Oh, my."

	The man who stood there loomed over her the same way skyscrapers loom over small houses. 
He was almost half again as tall as Kasumi, and four times as wide, none of it fat. A broad
face with long dark hair tied into a short ponytail. He had sad, puppy-dog eyes and looked
gloomy. He wore a brown vest over a blue t-shirt, blue jeans and working boots.

	A shout from inside the gate startled Kasumi. "Kam?"

	The large man brighten slightly, but still looked glum. "Hi, Shingi. Hello, Mr. Kunou.
Hello, Great Uncle Sasuke."

	Shingi walked out of the gate, followed by the other boy, Sasuke, and the agent. Shingi
looked at Kasumi, a faint gleam in his eyes. "Who's your friend, Kam?"

	The man mountain shrugged. "I don't know."

	"I-I'm Kasumi Tendo" the eldest daughter stammered.

	"Kasumi?" said the first boy, stepping out from behind Shingi. "Is that really you?"

	She tilted her head slightly. "Kaitou?"

	The boy smiled. "It's been five years, Oneesan."

	Kasumi smiled back, thinking of the small boy that had stayed at the Tendo dojo for
several months after his mother had died. "Has it been that long?"

	"Afraid so."

	"Oh. My."

	"Who's the babe, Boss?" Shingi asked with some interest.

	"That 'babe'," replied Kaitou dryly, "as you so elegantly put it, is Kasumi Tendo, Soun
Tendo's oldest Daughter."

	"She's Nabiki's sister?"

	Kaitou's eyes clouded over, and his smile becoming a silly grin. "My economic Divinity..."

	"Oh, bother," said Shingi. "I KNEW I shouldn't have mention her name." To Kasumi and Mr. 
Yosan's surprise, Shingi yelled into Kaitou's ear, "Disney and Microsoft are merging - the new 
company is to be called GENOM!"

	Kaitou shook his head, the mindless smile gone, his eyes now clear and bright. "Thank 
you, Shingi," he said stiffly. "I doubt that merger will occur anytime soon though. Where was 
I?"

	"You were about to introduce me to Kasumi here."

	"Shingi," said Sasuke, a quiet note of warning clear in his tone.

	"I'm just trying to be friendly, uncle."

	"Yes," replied Kaitou in irritation. "Kasumi Tendo, the uncouth boy here is my compatriot
and nursemaid, Shingi Kashin."

	Shingi bowed slightly, smiling. "Please to meet you." 

	"And the rather large entity there is his twin brother, Kamokuyama Kashin. We call him
Kam for short."

	"Hi." said the giant.

	Kasumi smiled up at the giant. "Hello."

	"In case you're speculating," continued Kaitou, "Shingi and Kam are fraternal twins."

	"Oh. Is he here with you two?"

	"Yes," replied Shingi quickly. "We sent the Boss' stuff ahead and Kam came with it."

	"Speaking of which," said Shingi with a frown. "Kam, did all the equipment make it OK?"

	"Yes."

	"Now wait a minute!" shouted Mr. Yosan. "I don't have time -"

	Kaitou turned and looked at him. "Why do you not go and investigate those phone numbers I 
have furnished you?" he said in a calm voice. "Knowing Kam, it is going to take us twenty 
minutes for him to narrate everything to us. Why do you not go and do something advantageous in 
the meantime?"

	Mr. Yosan turned and stalked over to his car. Kaitou turned back to Kam. "Did you have 
any problem with customs?"

	"No."

	"Is my equipment stored away securely?"

	"Yes."

	"How was your trip, Bro?" asked Shingi.

	"Fine."

	"Did you get seasick?"

	"No."

	"Oh, my. You don't say much, do you?" asked Kasumi.

	The giant looked down at her. "No," he said in, what sounded to Kasumi, a sad voice.

	"I'm afraid Kam isn't much of a talker, Miss Kasumi," said Shingi apologetically.

	"But he is a very competent chef," said Kaitou.

	Kasumi brighten. "Really?"

	Kam nodded, a smile coming to his lips. "Mama taught me everything," he said proudly.

	That started several minutes of discussions involving ingredients, cooking methods, and
presentation. Starting slowly at first, Kam proved he knew cooking and was soon chatting away
with Kasumi like a couple of old friends. Several of the things discussed were mentally filed 
away by Kasumi for later use in her own kitchen. At one point, Kasumi noticed that Shingi had 
stepped forward, evidently to interrupt the conversation, but Kaitou put a restraining hand on 
his shoulder.

	After that, the conversation drifted to Kam's reasons for being here. "....And when Mr.
Kunou decided he would come back to Japan, he asked Shingi and me to come along and give
him a hand setting up."

	"Kam," said Kaitou with an expression of pain flickering across his face, "will you 
please designated me as Kaitou or 'Boss'? Every time you proclaim me Mr. Kunou, I start looking 
around for my father, and I want to encounter him about as much as I want to acquire the 
plague."

	The giant hung his head."Yes sir."

	"Did you have a problem with the directions?" asked Shingi. "I thought you would have 
been here before us."

	Kam shrugged. "The cab driver dropped me off several blocks away. He said this area was
crazier then most of Nermia and he wasn't going to go into it if he could help it."

	"Well," said Kaitou with a shrug. "It does not astound me. This area is, after all, where 
the Kunou family's sanatarium is."

	"Do you have to disparage your family so?" asked Kasumi mildly. "Especially in front of
Sasuke?"

	Kaitou looked at her reproachfully. "You know as well as I do that my entire family is
deranged. Pretending it doesn't exist won't resolve the trouble. As for Sasuke, I am glad he's
around to ride heard on them. He's a better man than I am."

	Kasumi detected the strong trace of bitterness in his voice and she sighed quietly 
sighed. You're too young for that much contempt, she thought to herself.

	"Mr. Kunou?" said the real estate agent, suspending the current conversation.

	Kaitou turned and looked at him. "Yes?"

	Mr. Yosan looked nervous. "I called the numbers you gave me, and. . . ." He hesitated,
looking for the right words. "It seems that you were telling the truth," he said in a rush. 
"Mr. Geru confirmed that the amount in your account is sufficient to purchase this property, 
and he has assured me he will handle all the necessary finances. Furinkan High confirmed your 
graduation, and asked me to ask you if you wouldn't mind being a substitute teacher for them, 
if needed. And Professor Tetsujin told me to remind you about an appointment you have with him 
at ten o'clock Monday morning."

	"Are you prepared to bargain then?"

	"Certainly. We can go over the papers at Mr. Geru's office. If all goes well, you should 
be able to move in officially tomorrow."

	Kaitou nodded. "In that case, Shingi, Kam, go and schedule my equipment to be transported 
here tomorrow."

	Shingi looked crestfallen. "But I wanted to stay and talk to Kasumi."

	Kaitou sighed. "Kasumi is apparently on her way to the grocery store, and has squandered
too much time conversing to the three of us as is. You will have plenty of time to speak to her 
in the future. Go."

	Looking glum, Shingi walked off down the street, trailed by his brother. Kaitou shook his
head, then turned to Sasuke and gave him a small bow. "Thank you for you time today. I hope I
haven't interfered with your duties to my siblings any."

	The ninja shook his head. "You are part of my duty, Master Kaitou, one I have taken great
pleasure in performing again."

	Kasumi saw tears forming in the corner of Kaitou's eyes. "Your service to my....relatives
is your paramount interest these days. Your nephews can handle the small demands I make. If you
want to stop by to teach them the family's art, or even for a cup of tea, you are always 
welcomed here."

	"Thank you, Master Kaitou. I may take you up on the training offer. However, I must 
leave. Master Tatewaki usually needs some first aid when he returns home from school, and I 
find it best to be ready for his needs."

	"I won't withhold you any longer, then." He reached out and hug the family's retainer. 
"It is good to see you again, Sasuke."

	The ninja returned the hug. "It is good to have you back, Master Kaitou, even if you are
not staying in you family's home."

	"Maybe one day, Sasuke. But it is time I stop being in the shadows of both my siblings
and be my own man."

	They release the hug and Sasuke left quickly. After he had driven away, Kaitou turned to-
ward Mr. Yosan. "If I can trouble you for a ride down to the bank, I would appreciate it. How-
ever, I first need to talk to Miss Tendo for a couple of minutes alone."

	"Of course," replied the real estate agent briskly.

	"What did you wish to talk to me about?" asked Kasumi softly once the agent was out of earshot."

	"I just wanted to forewarn you about Shingi."

	"Why?"

	"Shingi's is a really nice guy, but he presumes himself to be a romantic figure, complete
with women who will swoon in his arms. A pretty face will turn his head quicker then a pile of
cash. In the last two years, he's had seventy-four rejections, sixteen irate boyfriends chal-
lenge him to fights, ten incensed fathers who have chased him, and a love-sick female basket-
ball player by the name of Sandra who would move Heaven and Earth for him."

	At Kasumi's puzzled look at the last statement, Kaitou grinned. "Shingi's scared of her
because she's significantly taller then him, and doesn't fit into his ideal of womanhood."

	Kasumi still looked puzzled. "In what way?"

	"Sandra's spent most of the last two years pursuing him, and he's scared of aggressive 
women. Which is a pity, because she's a really nice girl. She pretty, nice personality, 
athletic, and a good cook." He shrugged. "Don't ask me why - determining the decay rate of an 
isotope is easy. Figuring out relationships? That's hard."

	"What about Kam? He seems so, well, depressed."

	"That's the way he's always been." Kaitou shrugged. "A man of hidden depths. Beneath that 
massive interior is the soul of a gentle artist. You wouldn't think someone his size would be
so mild, but he is. Don't let the brooding demeanor fool you - he's slightly smarter then his
brother, but he's not the type to express himself like Shingi."

	"And what about you?"

	"Well, I haven't changed. I'm still the some old Kaitou - smarter then anyone else in my
family, and more lucid by a long shot." He smiled at Kasumi's mild disapproval. "It's true."

	"It's still not nice." Kasumi sternly.

	"Neither was growing up with them. Still, they were the force behind my drive to go away
and attend college, so I have something to thank them for."

	"When are you going to see them?"

	"Tomorrow morning."

	"Tomorrow is a school day."

	Kaitou's smile became slightly cold. "Then I know where to find them. Could you do me a
favor though?"

	"What?"

	"Don't tell anyone I'm back. I want to surprise everyone, starting with Tatewaki and
Kodachi."

	"I suppose so...."

	"Thanks, Oneesan." He gave her a quick hug, and walked over to the Mr. Yosan's car.

	After they drove away, Kasumi stood there for several seconds, frowning. It's nice to 
have you back, Otoutobun. I hope you're not here to cause trouble. She shrugged. She had to 
get to the market, and she wanted to try a couple of Kam suggestions in tonight's dinner....




Chapter 2



	

	The rest of the morning went the same as it always did in Nermia - the daily Kunou launch
from the  Furinkan High yard, random UFMA (Unidentified Flying Martial Artists) sightings, odd
weather patterns of isolated rain clouds, and the occasional collapsed or shattered wall. How-
ever, by evening, Nermia became quiet - a rare event that a few long time residents took as an 
ominous sign. Some decided right then to go visit relatives who lived outside of Tokyo, while 
others purchased as much food as they could, and secured their homes. A few others quietly sat 
and waited for what the future would bring with stoic calm.

	All this uneasiness was missed by Ranma Satome, heir to the Anything Goes School of 
Martial Arts. That's because he was a she right now.

	"Ow, Man," the short, buxom redhead moaned, looking down at her dripping form.

	"I told you to look out for that car," said his companion, a short haired brunette, who
would have qualified as cute if she didn't look so angry.

	They were standing on the sidewalk about two blocks from the Tendo Dojo. The car that had 
splashed Ranma disappeared around the corner, it's driver never noticing the gender change. 

	"How was I suppose to know there was a puddle there?" asked Ranma.

	"By looking, you baka!" Akane shouted back.

	"You could have warned me, you uncute tomboy!"

	"You deserved it after what you did with the lunch I made for you today!"

	"It wasn't my fault that the biology club thought it was a new species! They wanted to
examine it further, and I said yes!"

	"You could have said no!"

	"Akane, it was moving under it's own power! It tried to crawl out of the bento as I 
opened it!"

	"You're exaggerating!"

	"Then why did it take three biology club members to get it into the sample case? It was
using my chopsticks to defend itself!"

	"YOU BAKA PERVERT!"

	Akane's mallet appeared in her hands and she swung it back, intending to send the redhead 
on a short, low-orbit flight. Halfway trough her back swing, she felt the mallet hit something 
solid with an audible thud. A voice behind her shouted, "Hey! Watch where you swing that thing, 
lady!"

	Akane stared at Ranma. She was looking at something behind Akane, a puzzled look on her 
face. "Where did you two come from?" she asked, frowning.

	Akane turned and was startled to find two boys standing there where they hadn't been any-
one five seconds before. The first boy, whom the mallet had struck, towered over Akane, giving 
her a brief flash of vertigo as she looked up at him. A face with broad features and framed
by long dark hair tied into a short ponytail. A pair of sad, puppy-dog eyes looked down at her,
and she felt a flash a sadness in those eyes. A quick glance told her that he probably weighed 
more then Kasumi, Nabiki, Ranma-chan and herself combined, but he looked to be very fit and 
light on his feet -- how else could someone of his mass be able to approach her without her 
hearing him? He wore a brown vest over a blue t-shirt, blue jeans and working boots that were 
all worn but clean.

	"Kam, are you all right?' asked the same voice that had told Akane to watch it with her
hammer.

	Akane opened her mouth to answer, but the giant said, "I'm fine."

	Startled at the sudden appearance of an actual giant, it took several seconds for Akane 
to notice the second boy standing next to him in any detail. He was shorter then her, with very 
short dark hair. His wore a baggy and rumpled suit, but she noticed that his movements didn't 
seemed to be impaired. Unlike the other boy, who stood silent and still, this one was bouncing 
slightly like a hyperactive hamster. His smile had a slightly predatory gleam.

	"Oh, wow," he breathe, "Babe alert."

	Akane scowled, her mallet coming back over her head. "Back off, wise guy," she growled.

	The smile slipped slightly, and he flinched. Before he could say anything, the giant 
said, "Apologize to the nice lady, Shingi. Sandy's not going to be happy if she finds out you 
were flattened by another girl."

	"Kam," moaned the shorter boy.

	Ranma-chan cracked her knuckles. "You heard him. Go ahead and apologize Akane before I 
pound one out of you."

	The giant looked at the redhead. "Please stay out of this. It doesn't concern you."

	Ranma-chan looked annoyed. "Look here," she shouted. "Akane's my fi-"

	"Cousin!" cut in Akane quickly. She turned and gave the redhead a hard glance. "Ranko's
my cousin."

	"My name," rumbled the giant, "is Kamokuyama Kashin. This is my brother, Shingi
Kashin. We are sorry if we startled you."

	"I'm Akane Tendo, and this is my cousin, Ranko Satome."

	"Tendo?" asked Shingi. "Are you related to Kasumi Tendo and Nabiki Tendo?"

	"They're my sisters."

	"Does Kasumi had a boyfriend?" asked Shingi eagerly.

	Akane lifted her mallet higher. "Why do you want to know?"

	"Shingi," rumbled the giant, a hint of sadness in his voice. "If you do not shut up, Miss
Akane is going to flatten you with her mallet. And if Miss Akane leaves anything, Miss Ranko 
will finish up. I would prefer not to have you die because you did something stupid."

	"I don't mean anything by it."

	"Apologize, Shingi."

	Shingi looked deflated. "Okay," he said sullenly. "I'm sorry if my action were un-- "

	"SWEETO!"

	A small, fast object shot out of the tree above Ranma-chan and glomped onto her chest.
With a scream of outrage, the redhead struck quick and hard at the object, but the wrinkled 
form continued moving, avoiding most of the blows.

	"Wow," said Shingi. "An aggressive prune."

	"PRUNE?" shouted the object in outrage. 

	"An aggressive, talking prune," continued Shingi, looking shocked.

	"That's not a prune!" shouted Akane. That's Happosi!"

	"What type a prune is a Happosi?"

	"I'm Happosi!" shouted the prune. Unfortunately, the wizen master stopped long enough for 
the redhead to pry it off her chest and hurl him away. Happosi landed on his feet and glared at
Shingi.

	"Don't you come near me, you Hentai prune!" shouted Ranma-chan as she shifted to a
defensive stance.

	"Not only just a prune," said Shingi, peering at the diminutive grandmaster. "It's a
aggressive, talking, Hentai prune."

	Happosi growled, "Boy, I'm The grandmaster of the Anything Goes Style of martial arts.
And it's time I taught you some manners." With that, he pulled out a pair of silk panties and
started to fondle them. "Yes, yes," he cooed.

	Shingi looked slightly pale. "An aggressive, talking, Hentai prune with a panty fetish?  
The boss was right -  Nermia is the Twilight Zone."

	"ENOUGH!" the short pervert cried. "Now I will teach you a lesson!" With that, Happosi
leapt at Shingi, intent on showing the boy who was the master.

	Unfortunately, he didn't see the large, long-handled frying pan until he crashed into it.

	Like a tennis pro smashing a volley, Kam sent the old pervert far off into the night sky.
Shingi shielded his eyes from the nonexistent sun and watched Happosi until the old pervert was
swallowed up by the darkness. "What area of the city is that over there?"

	"Jubban, I think," replied Akane in a quiet voice.

	"Oh bother," muttered Kam, examining a large frying pan that hadn't been in his hands
several seconds before.

	Ranma-chan blinked. "What happened?" she asked cautiously.

	Kam looked depressed. "I was trying for Tokyo Bay."

	Akane pointed in the opposite direction. "The bay's that way."

	"Besides," Ranma-chan said with a smirk. "Jubban's suppose to have this group of girls
calling themselves the Sailor Senshi who fight evil monsters. Happy'll fit right in over there."

	"Who was that Prune?" asked Shingi.

	"That was Happosi," replied Ranma-chan, allowing some irritation to creep into her voice.
"He's an old pervert who get his jollies from glomping women and stealing their undergarments.
He is also an Grandmaster martial artist and tough to kill. He'll be back in a couple of days."

	"Eep," replied Shingi.

	Akane frowned. "I would have thought the old Hentai would have avoided Kam's frying pan."

	"That's assuming he had seen Kam," replied Shingi with a shrug.

	"How could he have missed someone that big?"

	"People do it all the time."

	"Yes," replied the giant, looking remorseful.

	"Could you teach me how to do that?" asked Ranma-chan, looking interested.

	Shingi scratched his head. "I don't know. I think it's just a talent Kam has. It's not
anything he was taught, that much I do know." 

	The look of interest turned to disappointment. "Oh."

	"Did you live here?" asked Akane. "I don't recall seeing you two around here before."

	"We're new to the area," replied Shingi. "The Boss is buying the house just down the
street from your home."

	"The old Mitshima place?"

	"Yep. We were looking over the place when we met your sister Kasumi this morning."

	"Who's your boss?" asked Ranma-chan suspiciously. "Is he a gangster, martial artist, or
something?"

	Shingi frowned. "The boss just finished his Master's degree in Physics and he's decided 
to came back and get his doctorate here. He isn't Yakuza." He rolled up a sleeve. "See? No 
tatoos."

	"Mama would kill us if we got tatoos," mumbled Kam.

	"Besides, the boss is a sharp businessman in his own right," continued Shingi. He glanced
down at his watch. "Whoops, got to scoot. Me and Kam are meeting up with the boss at a local
restaurant in about ten minutes. Nice to meet the both of you. Time to boogie, bro."

	Akane and Ranma-chan watched the oddly-mismatched brothers walk away from them, Shingi 
having to take three strides to his brother's one to keep up. Akane glanced over and saw the 
frown on Ranma-chan's face. "What's wrong?"

	"I don't trust those two," the redhead said flatly.

	"Why? They seem like nice guys."

	"They didn't tell us who their boss was."

	"So?"

	"They danced around the question, and left before I could ask them again."

	It was Akane's turn to frown. "I don't understand."

	"Come on Akane. How many people have moved into this area with the expressed purpose of 
dong something to me or Pop? You have Cologne and Shampoo, not to mention Mouse, Happosi -"

	"Ukyou," said Akane woodenly

	"Leave Ucchan out of this. She's a friend," said Ranma-chan sharply.

	"Well, EXCUSE ME!" shouted Akane.

 	The redhead rolled her eyes. "Then you have Royga and Taru who show up every so often
looking for a fight, not to mention Herb and Saffron...." She exhaled slowly. "Oh great," she
muttered.

	"WHAT?"

	"I just know I'm gonna to have to fight some super-type martial artist because you would
have gotten careless and managed to get kidnaped, probably by those two."

	"WHAT?"

	"Of course, I don't have any idea why anyone would kidnaped an uncute tomboy like you
and -"

	The rest was lost as Akane swung her mallet and hit Ranma for what would have been a
triple in any Major League baseball park. Still smoldering, she stormed off after him, 
determined to hit him for the cycle. She didn't see the shadow lurking in the tree above her 
who watched the entire scene with amusement. "Better and better," it murmured before it dropped 
out of the tree lightly and faded into the shadows. 



Chapter 3



	
	The next morning at the Tendo Dojo.

	*Splash*

	"That's it! You're going to get it Pops!"

	"Stop talk and start fighting, boy. Words are no good in - omph!"

	*Splash*

	"Rolf!"

	"Come on, you furball! Now we're even!"

	"Ranma! Mr. Satome! Breakfast!"

	The breakfast table was it ususal cross of the morning meal and Australian rules foot-
ball. Ranma and Gemma eating like there was no tomorrow, dueling for each bite on their (and 
anyone else's within reach) plates. Nabiki was scanning the business section of the newspaper, 
while Soun kept the rest for himself. Akane's attention was divided between protecting her 
plate from the twin Satome juggernaut and thinking about the two guys her and Ranma-chan had 
met last night.

	Kasumi swept into the room with another plate of food. As she set it down on the table,
Akane asked, "Kasumi?"

	"Yes?"

	"Do you know a couple of guys named  Kamokuyama and Shingi Kashin?" 

	Kasumi smile. "Yes. I met them on the way to the market yesterday. They seemed like a
couple of nice boys. Kam's a very good cook."

	"That would explain the frying pan," muttered Ranma, blocking Gemma's multi-layered
attack against his plate.

	"Frying pan?" asked Nabiki.

	Ranma counter-attacked, seizing several morsels from Gemma's plate before retreating to
protect his own plate. "The one he used to send Happosi on an air express trip to Jubban last
night."

	Soun looked out from behind his newspaper. "What happened last night?"

	"We met them on the street on the way home," replied Akane, "and we talk for a while.
Then Happosi attacked, and they managed to send him on his way."

	"Who are they?" asked Gemma.

	"They working for some guy who's buying the old Mitshima place."

	Nabiki perked up. "That's interesting," she said. "That's place's been up for sale for 
nearly a year. The person buying it must be loaded. Did they tell you who was buying it?"

	"No."

	"Probably some wacked out nut who's going to declare a blood feud against us, or kidnap
the uncute tomboy here," muttered Ranma.

	"Ranma," said Akane, her aura beginning to become visible in the daylight.

	He shrugged. "It's not my fault you're so kidnapable. Maybe if you stop stuffing your 
face with food and worked ou -"

	*WAM!*

	Kasumi smiled, but disappeared into the kitchen before anyone could think of asking her
anything else. She made a note to call the furniture repairman to come and fix the Ranma-sized
hole in the dinner table.





	The walk to school was a silent affair. Akane was too angry to even speak to Ranma. 
Ranma, on the other hand, had one of his rare flashes of insight and kept his mouth shut, 
preferring to walk along the top of the fence in silence. Nabiki had gone ahead of them, 
wishing to avoid the chill that had settled in between the two lovebirds.

	The chill stayed all the way to the school. Akane frowned at the mass of would be suitors
waiting for her at Furinkan High's front gate. *Kidnapable am I? Weak am I? I'll show them all
that Akane Tendo isn't some weak girl that any idiot can kidnap!*

	Akane?" asked Ranma, the first word he'd spoken since they have left the house.

	She turned and glared at him. "Yes?" she said in a voice that could have been used for
deep freezing.

 	"Be careful today, Okay?"								


	"I will be." She turned and stared at the waiting mob. "It's them that have to worry." 
With a scream of rage, she charged into battle.

	"That's what I'm afraid of," Ranma mumbled as he watched Akane crashed through the
first rank of the rabble, sending bodies in every direction. The second rank collapsed several
seconds later as the whirlwind known as Akane went through it.

	"Excuse me," said a voice at Ranma's elbow. "Is this Furinkan High?"

	Ranma, startled, almost fell off the fence. He regain his balance in time and turned to 
stare at the speaker, and found himself face-to-face with a broad face and a pair of sad, 
puppy-dog eyes. "Kam?" he blurted.

	The giant frowned. "Have we met?"

	He's never seen me as a guy! "Er, no, but Ranko did describe you accurately."

	"You know Ranko Satome?" asked Shingi, looking up at Ranma. The smaller boy was bouncing 
on the balls of his feet, just like last night.

	"She's my sister," said Ranma quickly. "I'm Ranma Satome."

	"Ah," breathed the giant.

	"Ranko talked about us?" said Shingi eagerly.

	"She said you help her and Akane Tendo beat off Happosi."

	"Yea, the prune."

	Kam pointed at the mob scene. "What's going on?"

	Ranma sighed. "Daily ritual. You know of the running of the bulls in Pamplonia? Here in
Nermia, it's the running of the Tendo."

	Shingi frowned and scratched his head. "This place is really weird," he muttered. "Is 
there a reason for this, or are these guys just -" He stopped to grimace at the short flight 
of a Kendo club member, then continued,  "- into serious pain?"

	"Tatewaki Kunou let it be know that the only way anyone can get a date with Akane Tendo 
was to beat her in combat."

	Kam raised an eyebrow. "Tatewaki Kunou?"

	Shingi copied his brother. "Akane Tendo?"

	"Yea. Seems he has a thing for Akane, only Akane doesn't want to have anything to do with 
him."

	"Sounds like a smart girl," said Shingi with a grin. Just then, one of the Sumo club flew 
up into the air like a rag doll. "Strong too," he continued matter-of-factly.

	"Interesting form," commented the giant in a quiet voice as he watched the fight. "I'll 
have to remember that technique with the tennis racket."

	"Does this happen every day?" asked Shingi.

	"Yea. Akane seems to think it helps in her training." Ranma shook his head as a trio of
Kendo club members went for a short trip straight up. "Fighting that many opponents at once
means you have to use speed and movement instead of power."

	"Her elements are Earth and Fire," said Kam softly. "Strength, power, and passion are her
keys."

	Ranma frowned. "What did you say?"

	The giant shook his head. "It is nothing."

	"The boss said that Tatewaki was nuts," said Shingi quickly, "but I didn't realize he was
this nuts." He looked wistfully at the battle. "Pity about the babe, but she's a bit too 
violent for me."

	"That 'babe' is Akane Tendo, and my fiancé," growled Ranma. "Remember the mallet?"

	"In that case, she's definitely off my list."

	"Shingi," rumble Kam. "Be nice."

	"We'd better get going. Looks like the fight is winding down. The Boss wanted us nearby,
just in case."

	"Who is your boss?" Ranma asked, his suspicions flaring again.

	"No time," replied Shingi cheerfully. "Later!"

	Scowling, Ranma jumped off the fence and followed them into the schoolyard. The fight
had finished, with it ususal outcome, forcing the martial artist to avoid the moaning forms of 
those who had been unlucky enough to get too close to the angry brunette. He found Kam and 
Shingi near the middle of the yard, the giant's size creating an island in the crowd of school 
bodies. Ranma strode up to them. "What are you two doing?" he asked.

	Before either could answer, a annoyingly familiar figure stepped out of the crowd in 
front of Akane. Ranma moaned, "Not now."

	Kam frowned at the tall youth with the wooden bokken. "That's Tatewaki?"

	"Yea. I'd better go give Akane a hand."

	"Wait a minute," said Shingi. "Let our boss handle Tatewaki. Just get your fiancé out of 
the way."

	"Who is your boss?" hissed Ranma.

	"Fair Akane!" Tatewaki Kunou shouted. "Thou art a true flower in the light of the sun.
How can -"

	"Oh, please, Tatewaki," said a loud mocking voice from the gate. "You're incurring
stodginess in your old age. That sort of discourse expired about the period of the last 
Shogun."

	"WHO DARES MOCK TATEWAKI KUNOU?" the Kendo champion bellowed, glaring at the boy standing 
at the gate. "I AM THE BLUE THUNDER OF FURINKAN HIGH!"

	The boy adjusted his spectacles and smiled. He was short, slim, with unruly dark hair,
wearing a dark suit. A pair of small spectacles perched on the end of his nose, and he rested 
both hands on a walking cane. He had a quiet look on his face, the type of look that Ranma knew 
very well -- the look of complete confidence.

	"More like the 'Blue Blunder of Furinkan High'," the boy said with a shrug. "You haven't
altered any in five years - Tacki."

	Akane glanced from Tatewaki to Kaitou and back again. Before she could say anything,
Ranma grabbed her arm and dragged her into the crowd, out of the line of fire.

	Tatewaki went white with anger. "Kaitou," he hissed. 

	"Ah, you recognized me," said the boy dryly. "I see you're still wielding lumber. Hit any
home runs lately?"

	Ranma dragged an now struggling Akane over to where Kam and Shingi were standing.
"What did you do that for?" hissed Akane.

	"I making sure you don't end up in the middle of that!" Ranma hissed back. "Shingi, is 
this new guy there your boss?"

	"Yep."

	No one paid attention to this quiet conversation, everyone too engrossed in the drama
between Tatewaki and this new boy.

	"What rock did you crawl out from under, Demonspawn?" Tatewaki sputtered. "And what
foul beasts have you been consorting with?"

	Kaitou shook his head. "You do disillusion me, Tacki. You retention has really stumbled
since we talked last. The 'rock', as you so plainly put it, was MIT, one of the finest schools 
in the world. The foul beasts question? I do have some friends that are geeks, some who are 
nerds, and even a couple that were jocks, but they weren't 'foul beasts.' by any stretching of 
the imagination, including yours."

	"YOU ADMIT IT!" shouted Tatewaki. In a low hard voice, he continued. "Foul sorcerer. Are 
you an ally of Ranma Satome?"

	The boy looked puzzled. "Who?"

	"Do not deny it!" Tatewaki hissed, pointing the bokken at Kaitou. "You are an ally of 
that accursed cur, Satome! What unholy alliance are you bound together by?"

	"You've been inhaling Kodachi's tonics again, haven't you?"

	"Slanderer! Villain! Vile master of young women!"

	"I have one word for you, Tacki - Prozac."

	Tatewaki's aura became even stronger and brighter. "Do not try to enslave me with you
evil words of power!" 

	"Now why would I want to do that - " he cocked an eyebrow, "oniisan?"

	The crowd started whispering among themselves. The questions were roughly like, "Tatewaki 
has a brother? Why haven't we heard of him before?"

	"Kunou has a brother?" asked Ranma.

	Akane nodded, a smile pulling at her lips. "Kaitou Kunou. He's the younger brother of
Tatewaki and Kodachi."

	 "When did this happen, and why didn't Tatewaki mention even mention him? I mean he is
his brother. . . ."

	"Do not clam a relationship with me, Demonspawn!" thundered Tatewaki. "You are not
worthy to be a Kunou!"

	". . . .Or maybe not," finished Ranma lamely.

	"Hey," said Kaitou. "I'm not the one rushing around with a wooden sword like a time-
displaced Samurai. Get a grip on the old marbles, Bro! This is the Twentieth Century, not the
Seventeenth. Running around like a Ronin is obsolete, not to mention inappropriate. Of course, 
if we were in America, they would either lock you up or elect you to public office. But this is 
Japan, and we do have to uphold the guidelines."

	"I do not like your tone." the elder Kunou rumbled, taking several steps toward his brother.

	"That's nothing new. You've never like my tone, my voice, or even me."

	"I tried to teach you the ways of the Samurai, but you turned you back on them!"

	"If you define teaching me 'the ways of the Samurai' as seeing how often you could crack
me over the head with a bokken, is it any wonder why? Face it Bro, you're an example of
displaced anger at a world that has passed you by."

	"Who is this Kaitou?" Ranma whispered into Akane's ear. "Where has he been?"

	"He's been going to school in America," Akane whispered back.

	Tatewaki's face darkened even more. "Why have you returned now, O profane one?"

	Kaitou smiled. "I've graduated, Bro, with honors, and I decided to come home and get my
doctorate here. I arrived yesterday."

	"What's wrong with going to school here?" Ranma hissed to Akane.

	"Because a university over there offered him a scholarship," Akane hissed back.

	Ranma frowned, sorting out Akane's words. "You mean high school."

	"No, Baka, I mean a college, as in University."

	"He can't have been going to college. He's looks like he's younger then us!"

	"The boss is a genius," cut in Shingi, earning a dark glare from Ranma

	"Kaitou is smart," agreed Akane, smiling slightly. She glanced up at the school. "I 
wonder is Nabiki knows he's here?"

	"What's that got to do with anything?" whispered Ranma.





	In her Homeroom, Nabiki Tendo sneezed, then looked up from her notebook in puzzlement. 
"Amiko," she said to one of her lieutenants. "What's going on out there? Who's Tatewaki 
bellowing at?"

	The thin girl slipped out of her seat and stared at courtyard below. "Boss," she said 
slowly, "Kunou's squaring off against some guy I've never see before."

	Frowning, Nabiki stood and went over to the window. "Where's my sister and Ranma?" she 
asked. "Are they involved?"

	"They don't seem to be." Amiko pointed to a small knot of people standing by themselves.
Nabiki frowned at the large figure standing next to Ranma and Akane. What's going on? she
asked herself.

	She stared at the figure standing at the gate and her throat tightened. Oh no! her 
mind screamed. It can't be him! She quickly did some math It's been five years. It is 
him!

	Amiko watched her boss go pale. "Are you all right?" 

	"I-I don't feel well," Nabiki muttered. "I'm going down to the nurse's station. Keep an 
eye on things here."

	"Sure thing, boss."

	Moving stiffly, Nabiki walked out of the room.





	"Do not think you can slink back into you family's heart!" shouted Tatewaki angrily, his
battle aura flare to life like a runaway fire. The bokken came up into guard position. "Prepare 
to defend yourself!"

	Kaitou smiled. "You can try. I'm not your whipping boy anymore."

	"I've never seen Tatewaki this pissed before," said Ranma, keeping his voice low.

	"The boss said there was bad blood between him and his siblings," replied Shingi.

	"I thought it would have blown over by now," said Akane

	"Not for the Boss, and not for his brother by the look of it."	                    

	Ranma stared at Kaitou, trying to judge the boy's skill. "How much training has your boss
had? Tatewaki could kill him. He can do more with that bokken then wave it around."

 	"The boss knows what he's doing," said Shingi confidently. Ranma nearly missed the "I
think," Shingi muttered under his breath.

	"There he goes," said Akane in a soft voice.

	Tatewaki charged Kaitou then, moving towards his brother at an all out run, bokken held
high in the air. In response, Kaitou shifted his stance slightly, but did nothing else. The 
distance closed between them. 

	Ranma watched the coming confrontation with interest and concern. "I don't see anything
about Kaitou that tells me he had a chance against Tatewaki."

	"That is because you are looking in the wrong place," replied Kam in a low voice. Before
Ranma could ask what he meant, he noticed Kaitou pull back his right sleeve and tap a silvery 
band that encircled his wrist. 

	Immediately, a shimmering blue globe like a soap bubble formed around the younger Kunou, 
startling everyone with the exception of Tatewaki. "YOU HAVE SHOWN YOURSELF AS A FOUL WIZARD 
AT LAST!" the elder Kunou bellowed in triumph, the bokken a blur as he threw himself at his 
brother.

	"What is he doing?" asked Akane.

	Ranma frowned."Who?"

	"Kaitou!"

	"I don't know! Whatever it is, it isn't Ki."

	"It's a device the boss invented," replied Shingi, with some pride.

	Crack! Crack! The bokken struck at Kaitou again and again, only to be stopped by 
the shimmering globe. Each time a blow struck the globe, there was a short crackle of energy. 
Kaitou looked somewhat bored as he watched his brother tried to break through. "Getting tired 
yet?" he asked, his voice somewhat muffled by the bubble.

	"Fight me as a man!" Tatewaki growled. "Man to man, with no sorcerer's spells!"

	Kaitou sighed. "What spells? I'm using technology, bro. But then again, to you, anything
more advanced then a fountain pen is magic!"

	"Fight you coward!" Tatewaki stopped and slid back into a defensive stance, bokken ready
to strike.

	"Oh, very well," said Kaitou in irritation "But step back first."

	Tatewaki shuffled back several steps, bokken ready. Kaitou tapped the band on his wrist
and the bubble disappeared. Kaitou smiled at Tatewaki. "Happy now?"

	Tatewaki charged him, the bokken a brown blur. Just as quickly, Kaitou stepped to his 
left, the cane now in his right hand coming back over his left shoulder. Startled by his 
brother's motion, Tatewaki tried to change the angle of his attack at the last second, but he 
had already lunged past his brother. With a thud, the foot of Kaitou's cane connected with the 
back of Tatewaki's head. 

	The elder Kunou took two steps forward, then turned and glared at his brother. "You...
hit...me," he said slowly. Then like a puppet with its strings suddenly cut, Tatewaki collapsed 
in a heap.

	The schoolyard was still for several seconds, then Kaitou called out, "Kam! Could you
please take my brother to the nursing station? It seems I underestimated my brother's skull
thickness."

	"Excuse us," said Shingi. "Boss needs our help." The mismatched brothers trotted over to
where the two Kunous were standing.

	Akane frowned. "I think Kaitou's learned some other things at college."

	"Like what?" asked Ranma.

	"Like how to use a walking cane," Akane replied. "Kaitou wasn't very good with martial
arts when I saw him last." 

	"Well, it's not like he has to be that good to beat Tatewaki," replied Ranma. "Hold on,
here he comes."

	 Kaitou strode over to them, his cane held loosely in his right hand, Shingi bouncing
alongside. Behind them, Kam had slung Tatewaki over his right arm like a wet dishrag and was
walking toward the school, The crowd was beginning to break up now, most streaming into the
school, leaving only small clumps of students scattered around the yard.

	"Akane," said Kaitou, smiling as he stopped in front of the youngest Tendo. "I thought 
I'd find you here."

	Rama stepped in front of Akane. "Hold it a second. What do you want to talk to Akane
about?"

	"Ranma!" said Akane, startled by his reaction.

	"I'll handle this Akane," said Ranma firmly.

	Kaitou blinked, puzzled. "Who are you?" he asked.

	"I'm Ranma Satome, Akane's fiancé."

	"Ranko's brother," Shingi put in.

	Kaitou raise an eyebrow. "Satome? You the one Tacki was bellowing about being some
sort of 'foul sorcerer', aren't you?"

	"Yea. What do you want with Akane?" Behind him,

	"She's a friend I haven't seen in five years."

	"You don't want to marry her?"

	Kaitou frowned. "No,"  he said firmly. "My heart has already been lost to another." 
Shingi rolled his eyes.

	"Does Nabiki know you're here yet?" asked Akane, leaning around Ranma to see Kaitou.

	"N-nope," replied the youngest Kunou with a goofy grin. "I-I'd thought I'd surprise her."
Ranma noticed that Shingi was staring closely at Kaitou, and the shorter boy looked worried.

	"Are you all right?" Akane asked Kaitou.

	"Nabiki...." The look of sheer bliss floated across Kaitou's face. My Material Girl...."

	"Oh, Bother," hissed Shingi.

	"He's still getting these spells?' asked Akane, looking worried.

	"Oh, yea," replied Shingi. "Keep him here until I get back, Okay? And what ever you do,
DO NOT let him near a set of bagpipes or let him start with poetry - not if you value your 
sanity." With that, he dashed for the school, his baggy suit not interfering with his movement.

	"What sort of spells?" asked Ranma, feeling uneasy.

	"Nabiki," Kaitou burbled. "Oh sweet deity of thrift..."

	"You know the spells Doctor Tofu gets when Kasumi visits him?" Akane asked.

	Ranma took several steps back. "Er...yea?"

	"Kaitou has the same sort of reaction when he starts thinking about Nabiki, only he 
doesn't start dancing with skeletons."

	"Huh? "He's in love with Nabiki?"

	While Ranma was distracted with this sudden revelation, Akane stepped around him,
smiled at Kaitou, then glared at Ranma. "Do you find that so hard to believe?"

	"He's in love with Nabiki?" Ranma repeated, trying to reconcile the fact that someone was
actually in love with the middle Tendo daughter. "Doesn't he know what's she's like? All she's
interested in is money."

	"We can discuss that later," replied Akane. 

	"She moves in mysterious ways," Kaitou sang quietly, a look of complete euphoria on the
younger Kunou's face  that reminded Ranma of his father when he'd had too much sake to drink.

	"We'd better leave him," said Ranma quickly, "or we're going to be late."

	"We can't leave him here in this state!" said Akane in shock. "He might get hurt!"

	"Then, what do you suggest we do?"

	Akane took Kaitou by an arm. "Help me get him to the nurse's station," she said firmly.

	"I don't think that's a good idea," replied Ranma nervously. "That's where Tatewaki is. 
Do you want these two to continue their fight INSIDE the school?"  

	"Do you have a better idea?"

	Ranma opened his mouth to reply, but he couldn't think of a good answer. Taking a deep
breath, he grabbed Kaitou by the other arm and all three started toward the school.



Chapter 4



	

	Nabiki walked into the nurse's station and looked at the man sitting behind the desk. The
man, reading a newspaper, looked up from it. "Can I help you?"

	"I have a headache," she said quietly. The man nodded. He was young and fit, with the
bearing and fitness of a JSDF soldier, which he was.

	Because of the 'weirdness' that occurred on a regular basis in and around the school, no
nurse was willing to work there for any length of time. Then, several months back, someone in 
the government got the bright idea of rotating JSDF medics through the school as a way to give 
them some 'practical experience in combat medicine'. Because of the amount of injuries that 
occurred there, six weeks was considered enough time to give the medics the experience without
overexposing them to the bizarreness that was uniquely Nermia's. So, about every month and a
half, Furinkan High got a new nurse.

	"What type of headache?" asked the nurse.

	"A bad one."

	The medic nodded, rose from his chair and went over to the medicine cabinet. He withdrew
a bottle, shook out two tablets into his palm then turned and started to say, "Take two of -" 
He stopped suddenly, looking at something over Nabiki's shoulder with a half surprised, half 
amazed expression.

	"Excuse me," said an unfamiliar voice from behind Nabiki. "Is this the nurse's station?"

	Nabiki turned, part of her mind wondering who it was, another part mulling over why the
voice had been speaking from a point a good half meter over her head. She got both answers at 
the same time when she found herself staring at the largest person she had even seen. It took 
two seconds for the fact she hadn't heard him walk into the room to alert her mind. Another two
seconds passed before her eyes nudged the brain into noticing Tatewaki Kunou slung over the
Giant's arm like a dish rag.

	The giant looked down at her with mournful eyes. "Sorry," he rumbled.

	Nabiki shook her head slightly, her mind accepting the fact that a human behemoth was
standing in front of her.

	"What happened?" snapped the medic, hurrying around the desk and over to the newcomer.

	"Blow to the back of the head," replied the giant, in a calm, though slightly sad, voice.

	The nurse waved towards one of the beds. "Put him down there."

	After the giant stretched Tatewaki out on the bed, the medic began to examine the
unconscious kendoist. Nabiki glided up to the giant. "Who are you?" she asked in a breathless
voice.

	The giant opened his mouth to answer, then someone in the hall shouted, "KAM!"

	The giant turned, quicker then anyone his size had a right to do. "SHINGI!" he bellowed,
and for an instant, Nabiki fought the urge to cover her ears.

	A small form came flying into the room. He was short, looked absurdly young, and looked
to be in a panic. "TheBossishavingaNabikispell!" he blurted, eyes scanning the room for some-
thing.

	"How bad?" asked the giant.

	"Badreallybadbagpipesandpoetrybadand...RanmaandAkaneandwatchinghimand...HA!" The
boy grabbed the telephone lying on the desk, pulled a small notebook from a pocket, opened it,
consulted it, then started dialing frantically. After several seconds, he said, "Hello! Is 
Professor Washu there please?"

	Nabiki blinked. She recognized her name in the rapid-fire conversation, as well as 
Ranma's and Akane's. Nabiki spell? Kaitou?

	A trio of voices floated in from the hallway.

	"Watch where you're going, Ranma!"

	"If you would keep him from leaning on me, I could do so!"

	"She's got Betty Davis Eyes...."

	"Watch where you're going, Baka!"

	"We should have left him out there!"

	"She'll expose you, control you...."

	"I'll hold, miss...er, ah, Sasami-chan." The short boy glanced over at the medic. "Is
Tatewaki still out?"

	"Like a light," the medic replied, not looking out from his patient.

	"Make sure he stays that way for the next several minutes."

	Nabiki started to slide towards the door, her headache gone in the sudden realization 
that the situation was rapidly moving beyond any chance of control. She had taken two steps 
when a trio of figure appeared in the doorway cutting off her escape.

	Akane and Ranma stared at Nabiki, open-mouth. "What are you doing here?' they chorused. 

	Nabiki was known at Furinkan High as "The Ice Queen". Very few things surprised her or
scared her. But supported between Akane and Ranma, one of the few things that could scare
Nabiki Tendo was lifting his head to look at her. Two clear, brown eyes burning with the same
intensity she'd remembered locked onto her. "Nabiki?" he asked with a smile that would have 
done a manic proud.

	Nabiki felt her mouth go dry. "Kaitou?"

	The boy nodded. "NABIKI TENDO!" he shouted. "I WILL DATE WITH THEE!" He somehow managed 
to break free from the stunned Ranma and Akane and started towards Nabiki. She backpedaled, her 
calm replaced by uncertainty.

	"Shingi," said the giant urgently. "Give the boss the phone."

	"But I'm still on hold!" Shingi replied frantically. "Wait...Professor Washu? Thisis
ShingiKashinandIneedyoutospeaktoKaitouKunourightnow!"

	The smaller boy slipped between Kaitou and his target. "Look!" he shouted at Kaitou,
holding the phone in front of his employer's face. "Professor Washu's on the line and wants to
speak to you!""

	Kaitou eyes shifted to the phone. Slowly, he reached for the phone. "Washu-chan?" 

	Taking advantage of the sudden interruption, Nabiki dashed out the door, not caring who
saw her. Kaitou didn't notice, but continued with his phone conversation. "I am doing fine. And
yourself? . . . That is good. I got in two days ago...I haven't set anything up yet....Your 
lab?" The bright madness in his eyes that had been there at the beginning of the conversation 
was replaced with deep interest. "I would be honored, Prof -- er, Washu-chan. How about this 
weekend?....Fine. Let me give you my phone number and you can talk to Shingi and set it 
up....By the way, how did you know I was back?" His face fell as he listened. "Oh, I see. Why 
don't I let you talk to Shingi. Thank you, Washu-chan. I hope this woman, Mihoshi is there. 
I've never seen chaos personified and I'm looking forward to it....I will. Thank you again, 
Washu-chan. We will see you early Saturday. Good-bye." He gave Shingi the phone, then looked 
around "How did I get here?"

	"You had a Nabiki spell," said Akane. "And a bad one."

	Kaitou stopped smiling. "Nabiki was here, right? I think I remembered seeing her...."

	"Yea," replied Ranma. "She was here. She took off when Shingi distracted you."

	"Oh." Kaitou's face took on a look of anguish, and he trembled slightly. "Ex-excuse me,"
he said stiffly. He walked calmly over to the wall, carefully removed his spectacles and placed 
them into his jacket pocket. Then, he started banging his head against the wall.

	Both Ranma and Akane stood there in shock. But before Kaitou's head struck the wall for
the third time, both Kam and Shingi grabbed him. "Stop it, Boss!" shouted Shingi. "This isn't
helping anything!"

	Ranma turn to say something to Akane, but she had darted past him and was helping the
Kashin brothers with the younger Kunou. "We're going to be late," he muttered.

	The nurse strode over to the quartet. "Will you be requiring any medical attention?" he
asked.

	"Only for a broken heart," mumbled Kaitou miserably.

	"I can't help you there."

	"We'll take care of him," said Shingi. "Come on, Boss. Your stuff should be at the house
by now. Kam." The brothers guided their dispirited employer out the door.

	The nurse looked at Akane and Ranma. "I think you two should get to class."

	"Er...right," said Ranma. "We're going to be late...."

	"I'll give you a break this time," said the nurse. He went over to the desk, took out a 
pen and a sheet of paper. He wrote a short note, then handed it to Ranma. "You helped a fellow
classmate to the nurse's station. That's why you are late."

	"Sure...thanks!"

	"Like I said, I'll give you a break this time. Just don't make a habit of it."

	"Don't worry, we won't." He grabbed Akane by the wrist. "Let's go."

	The nurse waited until the two had left before he checked on Tatewaki. The kendoist was
still unconscious, but it wouldn't be out much longer. Nodding to himself, he went over to the
phone and dialed. It rang twice, then answered. /Yes?/ 

	"Byakko here. I have some information...." 



Chapter 5



	
	The rest of the school morning passed uneventfully. The teacher took the note and
accepted the excuse with a frown. Not wanting to give the teacher any more trouble, both Ranma
and Akane paid attention to the morning's lessons. 

	Even lunch was notable for nothing happening -- no Shampoo or Ukyou trying to feed
Ranma, no Ryouga or Mousse stumbling in to challenge Ranma. In fact, the lunch was too quiet.

	This didn't bother Ranma any - he was too busy consuming his Kasumi-made lunch under
he favorite tree. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Akane walking up to him, a worried frown 
on her face.

	"Have you seen Nabiki?" asked Akane as she sat down next to Ranma.

	"Not since she ran out of the nurse's station," Ranma replied, stopping long enough from
his inhaling of lunch to reply.

	"I just talked to one of Nabiki's lieutenants, and she hasn't been in any of her classes. 
I checked the nurse's station, but the nurse hasn't seen her recently."

	Ranma frowned. "Did you call Kasumi?"

	"Not yet."

	The pig-tailed boy took a deep breath. "Can you tell me something?"

	What?"

	"What is it with Kaitou? I mean, why does he go ga-ga over Nabiki?"

	Akane shrugged. "I suppose it goes back to the time Kaitou stayed with us."

	"What's the deal behind that?"

	Akane took a deep breath. "When Mrs. Kunou died,  Kaitou's family fell apart. Mr. Kunou
had his hands full with Tatewaki and Kodachi, so Father volunteered to take care of Kaitou for 
a while. He stayed with us for about four months, then went back to his family." She shook her 
head sadly. "I now wish Kaitou had stayed with us. In those four months, the Kunou family had 
changed into what you see today."

	"And Nabiki?"

	"Kaitou related to each of us differently. He thought of Kasumi as his big sister and 
spent a lot of time in the kitchen with her. With me, I was his friend. To Nabiki...." She 
stopped for a minute. "You have to understand that even then, Kaitou was smart. He was already 
three grades ahead of everyone else his age, and pulling away. While I'm struggling with simple 
math, he's working on complex algebra problems. Nabiki was having problems with math, so Kaitou
volunteered to tutor her."

	"Nabiki had problems with math?"

	Akane gave him a hard look. "Yes, she did." She frowned. "Unfortunately, he went a little
too far...."

	Ranma looked shocked. "He didn't try to -"

	Akane smacked him on the back of his head. "Not that, baka! It was Kaitou who explained
basic economic theory to Nabiki and showed her how to make money."

	Ranma rubbed the back of his head. "You mean Kaitou was the one that turned Nabiki into
the 'Ice Queen'?"

	"Not exactly. Nabiki just got a jump start, thanks to Kaitou. He fell in love with Nabiki
when they were together - she seemed to be interested in making money, and he could show her
how. I don't know if Nabiki had any romantic feelings for him, but I do know she became nervous
around him."

	"Oh." The pig-tailed boy thought for a minute. "But that doesn't explain why Kaitou goes
nuts when he see her."

	"He's still a Kunou."

	"Well, yea, but he seems fairly normal until Nabiki gets mentioned, then wham! He gets
that same goofy look that Dr. Tofu gets around Kasumi. What is it with your sisters that makes
some men drooling wrecks?"

	"I don't know."

	"Well, don't expect me to start acting like those two. You're never going to see me 
acting like a love-sick idiot."

	"Oh?"

	Ranma missed the warning tone in Akane's voice. "Yea. I mean I've got more control than
that. It's not that hard - after all who's going to go goofy around an uncute tomboy like --"

	*WHAM!*

	Several of the students closest to the pair looked up, noted that Akane's hammer was
buried about an inch into the ground. As she removed the hammer, Ranma slowly removed his
head, which had been under the hammer, from the impact crater. He spat out a mouthful of dirt,
and said, "What did I say?"  





	The afternoon dragged on. Akane made it a point of ignoring Ranma, and after mumbling
something about 'uncute and brutal tomboy' returned the ignoring. Of course, the tension level
went up in the classroom as students waited for another explosion.

	The walk home wasn't much better. Akane strode ahead of Ranma, while Ranma walked
along the fence top. Halfway home, he finally said, "Akane?"

	She slowed slightly. "What?"

	"I guess I should say I'm sorry."

	"Guess?" She turned around to look at him, her expression dark. "You should!"

	"Er...."

	"Do you think I like be insulted on a regular basis?"

	Ranma rubbed his head where her hammer had connected with earlier in the day. "I know
you don't like being insulted. BELIEVE me, I know."

	"Then why do you continue to do it?"

	"I...er...well..-"

	"Hohohohohohohohohoho!"

	Both Ranma and Akane became alert, their argument forgotten. Ranma dropped to the
sidewalk and stood next to Akane. "Do you see her?" he asked.

	"No," Akane replied, her eyes searching the trees and roofs.

	A lithe form dropped out of a tree ten meters in front of them. Twirling a ribbon, 
Kodachi Kunou smiled at Ranma "My love!" she said gleefully. The look she gave Akane would 
have frozen boiling water. "Peasant," she sniffed.

	"Hello to you too, Kodachi," snarled Akane. "What is this time?"

	"I have a new powder to try," the manic gymnast replied, gliding towards them. "I'm sure
you'd be willing to help me test it."

	"I don't think so," said Ranma.

	"Oh come on now," purred. "Surely you're not going to stand in the way of science?"

	"In you case, yes."

	"Hohohoho -"

	"FIRE!"

	*SPLAT!*

	Something wet struck Kodachi in the back of the head. She staggered, spun and snarled
"What peasant dare attack the Black Rose?"

	Standing twenty meters away, Kaitou Kunou raised a tube off his shoulder and smiled at
his sister. "Peasant? I thought I was your favorite guenia pig."

	"You!" hissed Kodachi, Ranma and Akane forgotten for the moment. Water dripped down
her back and pooled at her feet. "I thought you were gone for good!"

	Kaitou shrugged. "And deprive my siblings of the chance to bond with me? It's nice to see
you again aneue. How many people have you poisoned lately?"

	"You cur!" sputtered Kodachi. "You dare interfere in my courtship of Ranma Satome?"

	Her younger brother shrugged. "From what I seen, you're as about as wanted around here
as a thermonuclear reaction."

	"It's time big sister teaches you to stay out of her -- HA!" Kodachi's ribbon flicked out
towards Kaitou with a sharp crack. 

	The younger Kunou hopped backwards and lowered the tube to his shoulder. "Cool off,
Sis!" he yelled, pulling a trigger located on the tube. The tube started belching a steady 
stream of globes, all aimed at Kodachi.

	The daughter of the house of Kunou may have been stark raving mad, but there was nothing 
wrong with her athletic ability. She ducked, wove and dodged her way through the storm, her 
ribbon continue to slash its way at Kaitou. Several of the globes burst as they struck the
sidewalk or were struck with the flicking ribbon, dousing the area with water.

	"Oh, damn!" Ranma shouted. "That's water! Retrea -"

	A globe struck the sidewalk at an oblique angle, flew up and hit Ranma in the chest 
before he could move. The globe bursted, activating the curse and leaving one soaking wet, 
well-built redhead.

	"THAT'S IT!" she (actually, he) snarled. "I'm going to pound that little twerp into the
ground!"

	"I would ask you to please not do so," said a deep voice from behind her.

	"Hello Kam," said Akane politely.

	Ranma-chan jumped and spun in one motion and found herself staring up into the increas-
ingly familiar features of the giant. "Will you stop doing that?" she shouted.

	"Sorry," rumbled Kam. He removed a towel lying on his shoulder and gave it to Ranma-chan. 
"I think you need this."

	The redhead took the towel and began wiping off the water. "Thanks. Where's Shingi?"

	"He's supervising the movers at the house. Are you all right?"

	"Yea, yea, I'm fine." Ranma-chan looked back at the extreme example of sibling rivalry,
which had moved into close combat. "What's with the free bath?"

	"Mr. Kunou wanted to test his new invention. He decided that since his sister use to test
her new compounds on him, he thought he'd return the favor."

	Akane watched as Kaitou ducked under his sister's darting ribbon, the tube that had been 
in his hands replaced by his cane. "I've never seen him this angry."

	The giant sighed. "He is a very private person."

	Kaitou stepped in and drove the tip of his cane into Kodachi's thigh. With a grunt of 
pain, the gymnast collapsed, both hands clutching her thigh.

	"We'd better get over there," said Akane, looking worried.

	It took them seconds to reach the Kunous. Kodachi was still on the sidewalk, her face a
mask of pain. Kaitou was a couple of meters away, leaning on his cane and watching his sister 
with a detached interest. He looked up and smiled at the oncoming group. "Akane!" he beamed, 
then took a closer look at Ranma-chan. "Are you all right, Miss...."

	"Miss Ranko Satome," rumbled Kam. "Ranma's sister."

	"I'm fine," growled Ranma-chan. "Just watch where you're shoot that thing next time, all
right?"

	"I'm sorry." said Kaitou politely. "It's just that seeing my dear sister after five years
brought back so many memories that I couldn't help myself."

	"You weakling!" shouted Kodachi. "Coward!"

	Kaitou sighed. "I think I should see to my sister first. Sasuke!"

	The diminutive ninja seemed to materialize out of thin air.  "Yes, Master Kaitou?"

	"Will you see that my dear sister gets home safely? She is in need of some aid."

	Sasuke bowed. "I will see to it, Master Kaitou."

	"Good. Mind if we walk? I think we'll have a more congenial conversation if we keep
down the distractions. And my sister is a major distraction to good conversation." The four of
them walked off, leaving a fuming Kodachi and the faithful Sasuke. Kam stopped long enough to
pick up the water bazooka before the followed the others. 

	Akane waited until they had turned the corner and out of Kodachi's sight before she 
asked, "What's with the attacks on your brother and sister?"

	Kaitou shrugged. "It's a small reminder of what they did to me when I was growing up."

	"Isn't that a little extreme?" asked Akane.

	"So is what they did to me," replied Kaitou. He glanced around. "Akane, can I speak to
you in private?"

	"Wait a minute!" said Ranma-chan. "Why do you need to talk to Akane?"

	"Is she always like this?" Kaitou asked Akane.

	"Sometimes," replied Akane. "Ranko, will you get out of my way so I can talk to him?"

	"He's a Kunou!"

	"So? He's not like Tatewaki or Kodachi."

	"For one thing, I'm sane," said Kaitou brightly. Ranma-chan gave him a dirty look, Kaitou
smiled back. "Well, mostly sane."

	 "Did you graduate?" Akane asked Kaitou.

	"Master's degree in Physics," said Kaitou proudly. 

	"All right, otoutosan!" Akane said happily. She gave him a brief hug then stepped back. 

	"Otoutosan?" mumbled Ranma-chan.

	Akane gave him a look most people save for stupid animals. "I kind of got use to having
him around, as did Kasumi. We cried when he went back to live with the rest of the family."

	Ranma-chan digested this, thought for a moment, then said, "So he doesn't want to marry
you?"

	Akane's smile looked eerily like Kaitou's. "Nope."

	"And he doesn't want to kidnap you?"

	"Nope."  

	"And he doesn't want to fight me - er, my brother?"

	"Nope."

	Kaitou frowned. "Why would I want to do that? My brother doesn't like your brother, so
that already puts you one up in my book. Besides which, I'm a scientist, not a warrior."

	"You seemed to handle Tatewaki fine. Nice move with the cane, by the way."

	"Tatewaki is good, but he's predicable. I know his style better then he does, usually 
from being on the receiving end of his attacks. As for the skill with the cane. . . ." He 
shrugged. "It's amazing what people are willing to trade for when they need help with their 
classes and have no money. One guy traded ten lessons with the cane for help in an astronomy 
course, while another student taught me enough Tang Soo Do and Hapkido so I can hold my own 
against the average mugger." He jabbed a thumb in Kam's direction. "Besides, Shingi and Kam are 
better martial artists then I'll ever be." 

	Akane turned to look at Kaitou. "What brings you back here?"

	"Several things," replied the younger Kunou. "I wanted to get my Doctorate here. I 
already made arrangements with a local University, so I'm ready to get started as soon as I'm 
settled in."

	"How did you afford to buy the Mitshima place?"

	Kaitou shrugged. "Summer job."

	"What type of summer job pays that good?" asked Ranma-chan.

	"When you work for Team Banzai, they pay you what you're worth." He gave them a half
smile. "I was worth every cent they paid me."

	"Huh?"

	"Top secret stuff I can't talk about."

	"Oh."

	"Anyway, I've been hearing about the changes that have been going on around the district
since I've been gone, and I thought it would be a great place to set up my lab." Kaitou rubbed 
his palms together. "Now, if reuniting with my siblings has an upside, it's that I've really 
worked up an appetite. Would you like to have a meal with me? My treat."

	"Er -" began Akane.

	"Sure!" said Ranma-chan quickly. Akane gave her a hard stare.

	"Good," said Kaitou, smiling. "I've head some good things about a Chinese restaurant -
the Neko Hanten ."

	"Is that such a good idea?" asked Akane.

	"Is there something wrong with the food?"

	"No, the food is good, but the people running it -"

	"Are a bit strange," finished Ranma-chan.

	Kaitou blinked twice. "And they are abnormal in what way?"		

	"Well, the old ghoul running the place is a...." Ranma-chan continued her explanation as
they walked along. As they moved away, none of them noticed a figure standing in an alley 
across the street. He waited until the quartet had disappeared before he stepped out of the 
alley. Nodding to himself, he turned and walked in the other direction. Wearing a bland shirt 
and pair of pants, he was a nondescript sort, with nothing to distinguish him from any other 
person on the street. Nothing except a black ring on his right hand that belong to a group long 
thought dead....





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