Chapter 1: Forerunners (Tuesday December 31st, 2002)

Akari, Ryoga, Maomolin, Chiyoko and the rest of the Tendos and Onos waited as Tofu and Kasumi thanked the last of their "guests" - Toshio Kuno. The billionaire seemed to be discussing a timetable with the couple regarding tomorrow's wedding. Meanwhile a work crew, arranged for by Judge Sanu, was cleaning up the late lunch buffet that Sanu had arranged for everyone including all the guests, bodyguards, and family.

"What happens now?" Chiyoko asked Maomolin.

"We head back to the dojo residence and change for the evening, so we can celebrate New Year's Eve," he told her. "I think everyone is heading there but the newlyweds. Kasumi and Tofu will want some time alone."

"Let's just say the Clinic is off limits for a while," Ranma smirked. He was promptly doped-slapped by Akane, Nodoka, and Nabiki.

"The dojo residence will be open for everyone though," Nodoka reassured Chiyoko. "There are four new bedrooms in the dojo basement, spare cots and futons in the dojo proper, and more futons in the living room. That's why we insisted you skip the hotel and stay with us tonight - we have plenty of room for four more. This way, the family - which includes you, dear - can watch the town's midnight fireworks from the house and ring in the New Year with mochi and sake together. Then you don't have to worry about going back to the hotel. Please say you and Maomolin will be there?"

"That sounds wonderful!" Chiyoko exclaimed. "We do the same thing at home!" Maomolin smiled as she glanced at him for agreement and he gave a small nod.

"There's also food at the house…" Nodoka continued, but was stopped by a worker who handed her leftover food. She immediately dumped it on her son and daughter-in-law-to-be. "Make that more food at the house," she finished. "I know you couples each have a romantic evening planned, but you can fill up at the house and not waste your money."

"Yes, Mother Saotome," Maomolin sighed dramatically.

Nodoka laughed and patted his cheek - just before she accepted another bag from a worker. This bag she dumped on Nabiki who automatically dumped it to Mousse. She looked at the self-proclaimed brother and sister and asked: "And do you two have dates tonight?"

"Yes," Nabiki answered. "I have a date with a gentleman named Sora and he has a date with a lady named Kairi."

At Nodoka's confused look, Mousse chimed in: "They're characters from a game called 'Kingdom Hearts'. It's a one-player game, but Nabiki and I have been taking turns playing it on the PS2 at the house."

As Nodoka gave a small laugh, Nabiki added serenely: "There are some two player games we play too. Both of us want a night away from 'the wheel of dating' - it's too exhausting with everything else happening around here." Mousse just nodded his agreement.

Maomolin summoned his suitcase and opened it. Strictly speaking, he did not need one, but sometimes it helped to fit in. With a thought he switched clothes and set up his suit for tomorrow's formal wedding. Chiyoko knocked on his door - he could feel her presence and knew it was her. "Come in," he called out.

Chiyoko opened the door and commented: "This is a spare too. Ranma and Mousse's rooms have more character."

"Ryoga and Akari are in those. It's a waste though, they only need one room," Chiyoko laughed.

"Leave Nodoka her illusions - even if she doesn't believe them herself," Maomolin grinned back. "Mousse and Ranma haven't slept in those rooms yet - they won't until tomorrow night. Don't worry about it." Suddenly he stopped cold.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

He turned his head ever so slightly and held up a finger to request a pause and said: "Give me a moment, Love." Her eyes widened and she held very still. Maomolin stood there straining all his senses. "Can't pin it down," he mumbled to himself. "I can hear them, but I can't fix their location." He thought for a moment, and then touched Chiyoko's shoulder as he moved passed her into the hallway. She followed him with her eyes, but stayed still.

"Ryoga!" Maomolin called down the hallway.

"Yo!" the Lost Boy yelled back.

"The bracers that Tofu gave you…wear them tonight!" Maomolin ordered.

"What?" Ryoga said confused as he stepped into the hallway.

"The wrist bracers - wear them tonight!" the Cat repeated.

"But…" Ryoga began and then stopped. "What's out there?" he asked instead.

"I'm not sure - something…something unusual. Wear the bracers. And the bandana that Akari gave you - the one Akane made. Wear that too," Maomolin ordered again.

"Should we stay put?" Ryoga asked.

"I don't know," Maomolin admitted. "The power surges may have nothing to do with us. It felt like Elemental energy, but we've had Elementals flowing into Nerima for the last couple of days. They only settled in and stayed idle - probably forerunners of the Storm. These felt like they were on the fringes of Nerima. And tell Akari to wear the pendant you gave her for Christmas."

"There's nothing magical about that," Ryoga stated.

"I know, but have her wear it anyway," Maomolin replied. "Just an odd feeling. I want to lend her a silver bracelet too. I'll find it."

"All right," Ryoga agreed.

"We'll talk in the house," Maomolin said as he turned around. "Meet us there in half an hour." Ryoga agreed and returned to his room.

Maomolin walked back into his room and Chiyoko was exactly where he left her. The fact that she hadn't moved startled him a little. "Are you all right?" he asked her.

She turned to look at him. "You called me 'Love'," she stated.

Maomolin paused for a moment and ran the last few minutes back through his mind. "Oh," he said a little sheepishly. "I guess I did."

"Did you mean it?" she asked.

"Yes," he admitted simply. "I didn't mean to upset you with it. I love being with you. When I'm not with you, I'm thinking about how soon I can get back to you. I love you. I'd say I'm not trying to complicate your life, but that's a lie: things always get complicated when people get together - there's no avoiding it." He sat down on the bed. "How about, I'm not trying to unduly complicate it."

Chiyoko smiled briefly, but it was replaced by a serious face. She sat down beside him and reached to grab hold of one of his hands. "Maomolin? How old are you?" she asked once she held his hand.

He winced a little at that. "That's a tricky question," he admitted.

"Maomolin, no one has gold eyes like you do. There are human amber eyes that sort of look like gold, but that's not you - you have pure gold eyes. I know that you look like you could be Ranma's and Ryoga's biological father, but they are your foster sons - not your genetic sons. Ranma and Ryoga are not genetically related to each other at all," she stated. Maomolin just nodded his head. "I've seen you do magic, just like I've seen Ranma and Ryoga do magic. I know there's more to you than what I see." He sighed again. "Please, how old are you?" she pressed.

"I was born over two thousand years ago as you reckon Time," he stated heavily.

Chiyoko look stunned for a few moments. "You lied to me. You said you were named after that Chinese story," she said.

"No," he answered firmly. "I evaded the question. I asked you if you had heard the legend. I've never lied to you. That's not a way to build a relationship, even if it's just a friendship."

"You just want to be my friend?" she asked incredulously.

"How about 'I'll take what I can get'?" he replied. He squeezed her hand and continued: "One thing I have learned over the years is that you cannot force Love. It either blossoms or it doesn't. I was attracted to you - I still am. You were attracted to me - I think you still are." She nodded her head. "From there, we dated and became friends. Then we became confidants. Then we kissed and we moved to boyfriend/girlfriend. I do not want to demand more than you can give, but I will take what you want to give and give what you want to take."

"Maomolin - Ghost Cat – I am I your lost love?" she asked in a small voice.

Maomolin rubbed his eyes slowly. "I don't know," he admitted. Then he took a deep breath and added: "And I don't care." She looked surprised at him. "My lost love died," he said. "Through no fault of her own; and she has moved on. I should have too. That's in the past. You're here in the now with me. I'd love to have you in my future."

"Maomolin? Can you change back into your original form? Please?" she asked.

"Well…"

"Please?"

Maomolin sighed and then became a giant white wildcat. Chiyoko gave a small yelp and leaped up. She turned to look with wide eyes at the giant cat sitting on the bed whose head touched the ceiling. Then she began to giggle. "Maomolin, I don't think you were that size when you first met your wife," she stated.

"Umm…no," he admitted. "I can't make myself that small anymore. Smallest I can make myself is about 100 kg."

"Oh dear…you're not really a cat anymore, are you? You're something else."

"I'm a Cat Lord," he said with a shrug.

"A Bakeneko," she said. "A fully sentient creature. Fully developed emotions. You have a soul."

"More likely than not," he admitted again.

"And you have a consistent human form. Would our children look human?" she pushed.

"Yes. They would be mostly human. The shape change is near perfect. They might have my golden eyes, and a bit more strength - spiritual and otherwise."

She reached out with both hands and placed her hands on the big cat's cheeks. "Change back," she ordered. Instantly, Maomolin's human form was back and Chiyoko held his head in her hands. "Idiot" she said as she gave him a fierce kiss.

"Does this mean I can keep on loving you?" Maomolin asked her with a trace of astonishment as she broke the kiss.

"Yes, idiot," she said with a smile. "As long as you're falling in love with me, and not the memory of your wife."

"Not an issue," the golden-eyed man answered.

"Good, because I am in love with you too," she said firmly. "Part of me knew who you were when we first met. There was something about you that just connected with me. Admittedly, I hoped you were the real Maomolin; the idea of a yokai lover excited and entranced me. Maybe I am the reincarnation of your wife, but if I am - I've changed. I'm me now, not her then." He just nodded and she continued: "I'm a very conservative person - I want a proper relationship. You don't get to love me and leave me."

"I'm not planning on doing that to you!" he protested.

"Good. For now, we stay boyfriend/girlfriend," she stated. "We continue not to see others. If you try and give me a ring before summer, I'm going to stick it in a safe deposit box and refuse to give you an answer until the fall. I've heard enough about this Storm." He looked surprised at that. "I'm not always asleep when you think I am," she added with an admonishing finger. Now he sighed. "You will concentrate on surviving it and getting the rest of us through it. Understood?"

"I think you were a general in a previous life," he replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Understood?" she pressed again.

"Understood," he agreed.

Ranma and Akane walked through the New Year's Eve crowds at Ginza. Ranma was wearing the same outfit he had worn to Tofu's bachelor party: a deep blue shirt and matching pants with black shoes. The shirt was adorned with a red dragon flowing from one shoulder and across his chest. Akane was wearing a deep blue dress that matched Ranma's clothes. The dress's neckline was cut just high enough so that the modest young lady was comfortable, but low enough to catch Ranma's attention despite being a "leg man" - much to Akane's delight. Her dress was fairly long, but had a slit on one side that displayed a healthy leg here and there. Unlike many of the women around her, Akane's shoes were very comfortable with a short heel - something she could wear for long periods of time and even run in. Both of them wore leather jackets despite the seasonable weather. Unlike the people around them who wore similar outer wear so they could show off their clothes, the couple was not bothered by the cold and did not feel the need to bolt through the streets. As a result, the two had a much more confident bearing that caught bystanders' attention as much as the clothing the couple wore.

"What did you think?" Akane asked Ranma as they left the Sony Building.

"We own everything worthwhile right now," Ranma said with a snort.

Akane gave a light laugh. "All right, the Star Wars games were a little lame," she admitted.

"A little? C'mon - not nearly enough fighting. Too much plot, too much driving spaceships. If I had a light saber, I'd never touch a blaster - ever," he stated. "And the race games - driving with Ciren is a lot more exciting."

Akane laughed again. "You mean terrifying," she corrected.

"That too," he said with a shrug and a smirk. "Where to next?"

"Mitsukoshi," Akane stated.

"A department store?" he moaned. Ah, c'mon…What's there?"

"Bright colorful window displays, coffee that doesn't cost 1000 yen, and free chocolate cookies," she coaxed.

"Free? Why didn't you say so?"

"Thought that might catch your attention," she said smugly. The look dropped from her face as an Otherworldly shiver passed over her. Ranma felt it too. "What was that?" she asked surprised.

"I don't know," he said slowly. "Give me a second…" Ranma reached out with his mind and scanned the crowd. There was a mix of people in the area, and some Others, but nothing that alarmed him. "Nothing," he stated. "Give me your hands," he ordered. She held his hands and he braced himself using her as an anchor. "Rera!" he called internally.

"Yo!" his companion called back.

"Did you feel that shiver?" Ranma asked the Sprite.

"Yes, but I don't know what it was…or where. Can we go somewhere and get Apay in on this?" Rera asked.

"Yes. Give me a few minutes."

Ranma opened his eyes. "Coffee and cookies - enough for four," he told his fiancée.

"We're going to do this now?" Akane asked surprised.

"Something's wrong - Rera's worried. Do you know how often that happens?" he shot back.

"Good point. C'mon." With that she pulled Ranma in the direction of Mitsukoshi.

Ten minutes later, they were seated in a corner booth out of the way in a third floor café belonging to the department store. Each of them held a cup of coffee and a bag of cookies in their left hands on the table. "Let's go," Ranma told Akane. With that, they joined right hands and then slid their hands up so each other's fingers touched the wrist bracers hidden under their jackets. Ranma never got the chance to say "Meditate." With a jolt, his consciousness was yank out of the World and into Akane's Spirit World.

Ranma hit the ground and managed to catch himself, only falling as far as one knee. He immediately stood up in time to catch Akane as she dropped into his arms. She was busy making sure the coffee and the cookies didn't fall. Rera, in his ten-year old form, appeared wearing his gi and dropped to the ground, falling on his rump. "Sure…you save the fiancée, but let me hit the ground," he groused. Ranma shoved a cookie in the Sprite's mouth as he set Akane down.

Apay appeared (likewise looking ten years old) before them wearing her yellow dress. She snatched a cookie from Akane's hand. "We need to get back to Nerima," she commanded imperiously.

Nabiki lay on the couch watching the screen and waiting her turn. Mousse was on the floor concentrating on the game. "All-in-all, this worked out better than I planned," she reflected silently. "Give him a little harmless support, hold his hand when a panic attack came, and I thought I'd get a servant out of the deal - he was use to taking orders from women. But I didn't count on the submission being burned out of him along with his love for Shampoo. He doesn't tell me go to hell, he just raises an eyebrow and stands there unmoving. He's got the silent rebuke down pat."

She switched her eyes to him. "He's used to treating women as equals. Enough so, that unlike Ranma, he doesn't think twice about socking a woman in the jaw if she attacks him. Or marching me home when he's had enough. He's intelligent, loyal, and good looking - he'd make a wonderful golden retriever except he'll only take so much and he does get even." Nabiki rolled her eyes at the memory of 'someone' nailing every shoe she owned to the floor - both here and in her dorm room. She had to borrow a set of slippers to go to class and later borrow two hammers to pry them off the floor carefully. She was fairly sure Mousse did it. He was the only one chuckling at her story - the rest were rolling on the floor with laughter. "When I strike back, he retaliates again, upp'ing the ante slowly but surely." The last round stopped because Nabiki dropped the ante - pulling a very minor prank that he was satisfied to let stand. "He knows I have to have the last word," she mused. "And he's happy to let me have it so long as I get his message." He was the one male she couldn't either frighten, annoy, out-wit, or wrap-around her fingers. Nabiki went from annoyed, to amused, to interested, to fascinated by his enigma.

And then there was his vulnerable moments: when Tofu's spells failed and the entire neighborhood heard him screaming in terror until Ranma or Tofu could wake him up. Nabiki remembered once running to the clinic with Tofu and her sisters to see Ranma restraining a trembling Mousse with every ounce of strength the pig-tailed man had. It had taken both Tofu and Kasumi to break the nightmare's hold. That pity caused the last of Nabiki's barriers to fall regarding Mousse. If Shampoo ever came back, Nabiki would see that the bitch burned in hell.

After that night, she had to evaluate her relationship with the young man and figure out exactly where she and he stood and what she wanted from him. She even had to figure out what she had to offer him - something that annoyed her slightly. Still, she had made accommodations for Ranma and Tofu - one more wouldn't kill her. She wasn't interested in a lover or a boyfriend of any sort at this stage of the game, which was fine because he wasn't interested either - he had been burned too badly. But she had to admit she cared about him and even loved him - in a sisterly fashion. The more she thought about that, the more the idea grew on her. She'd never had a brother - Ranma was her brother-in-law; he belonged to Akane. But there was something comforting about having Mousse sit beside her at the dinner table - someone who wanted nothing from her but company; someone who she didn't have to play.

So, she embarked on a new campaign; she would increase the attachment between them, but she would also work at throwing other women at him. There was a slight danger that it could backfire and Mousse would settle down with a girl too soon, but Nabiki was sure it would be a few years before that - by then the sibling attachment would be complete. Sayuri was a godsend; the young woman wanted playmates, but not attachments. When Sayuri started to 'feel out' Nabiki regarding Mousse, the two women quickly came to an understanding. Both of them talked to Tofu together to let him know the game was a foot. The doctor only cautioned them to take it slowly, but he did not stop them. Then Tofu's Bachelor Party happened and Nabiki decided her brother was ready to start dating again. She hung a sign on the Cat Café (with Cologne yelling "Don't….Stop…Don't…Stop…" at her between laughing fits), gave Sayuri a 'heads up', waited thirty minutes, and then started the gossip chain. Since that moment, Mousse's life had been a blur. He had single/unattached women throwing themselves at him from all sides. There was only one respite from all of it, one single young woman who left him alone - Nabiki. Mousse took the available shelter. If he smelled a rat, he never admitted it.

As a reward for her services, Nabiki fed Sayuri information about Mousse's schedule (and mental state) and worked to derail Sayuri's rivals. Sayuri used the information to the best of her advantage and managed to snag a real date with Mousse. The date was a major success, making Sayuri ecstatic, restoring a little wonder to Mousse, and bolstering his spirit once more. The day after Sayuri's date - Christmas Day - Nabiki stated her common ground with Mousse and laid claim to him as her brother. When Mousse teasingly called her 'Shark Lady', Nabiki knew she had succeeded.

Now she watched her brother beat the crap out of Heartless using Sora's Keyblade. Unlike Ranma and Akane, Mousse shared Nabiki's love of games with more storylines and puzzle solving. It was hard to keep up with a Martial Artist's eye-hand coordination (even for the game console sometimes), but Kingdom Hearts was not a one-on-one game, and it allowed Nabiki to use a maxim from "Raiders of the Lost Ark": "Very dangerous, you go first." She would watch Mousse play and see what worked and didn't work. She would also look out for things that he seemed to skip.

Mousse finished a sequence and saved his game. He looked over at Nabiki who was jotting down some notes and commented: "You know, you could just buy the cheat guide."

"What?" Nabiki answered in mock horror. "Spend my own money?" As he chuckled at that, she continued: "Besides, *life* doesn't have a cheat guide. This is practice for real life. You should make some notes yourself - and not just for this game."

"Maybe…" he admitted as he handed her the controller.

She started to bring up her game as Nodoka came in with some sandwiches. "Here, both of you should eat something," the mother told them.

"It was a big lunch, Nodoka," Nabiki replied. "And I'm not a Martial Artist," she added looking meaningfully at Mousse who accepted the sandwich gratefully. "Kasumi and Akane have had to increase their food intake so they don't waste away. I don't have that problem."

"You still should have something," Nodoka insisted. "If nothing else, I'll get some fruit and cheese for you." Before Nabiki could object (having been distracted by her game), Nodoka had set the sandwich down and ran back to the kitchen. Nabiki sighed.

"Next time, just accept the sandwich," Mousse advised her. "Even if you just eat a small bit, it won't go to waste."

"Not in this house," Nabiki agreed. She went back to playing her game.

She played for another five minutes when a shiver raced up her spine. Mousse bolted into a sitting position and seemed to be listening for something. Then her eyesight began to grey out. "No!" she thought urgently. "I don't want this! I didn't ask for it! I'm the normal one!"

Her vision faded completely, and was replaced by an image - she saw Ryoga laying on the ground and a large translucent humanoid creature standing over him. "Kill him," a high pitched voice said from nearby. The creature nodded and stomped on Ryoga's throat. Nabiki heard bones snapping. "That should do it," another voice responded. "Let's go."

"NO!" Nabiki shouted breaking the vision. Mousse stood up and looked wildly at her. "GO!" she commanded. "GO HELP RYOGA, NOW!" The Chinese gentleman vanished in a blur.

A/N: Next - Shock Troops