Ryouga eyed Himeko from the side of the table while the copper-haired girl ate daintily. He could see traces of Ranko in her face, though honestly his memory for faces was about as bad as Ranko had said.

"So you went to the Nekohanten?"

"Yes." Himeko replied, dabbing her mouth with a napkin after finishing. She poured herself another cup of tea – though Ryouga noted she seemed to prefer black tea with milk in it. Sipping daintily, pinky finger extended as she did, Himeko smiled at Ryouga.

"I'm glad you found her. Us. Me?" Himeko sounded wondering a moment. "We're the same person, in a different light. A different facet, perhaps." She giggled. "Still, yes, I went to the den of vipers itself. As you can see, I am still here."

Ryouga shrugged as the three of them stood. Nabiki had been quietly tapping away on a laptop keyboard, occasionally interjecting but seeming content to let Himeko tell the story. She put the laptop away and smiled at Himeko. "We still have to get your set of pictures later on today, Himeko-chan." She said.

Himeko made a face. "Ranko prefers it."

"But she doesn't have your lovely hair." Nabiki countered.

"Kyouko wouldn't mind…"

"Kyouko is kind of a bitch, Himeko-chan. That and she's somehow a worse glutton than Ranko, so she'd eat me out of house and home. And Ai wouldn't let me. So, I've got you and I've got Ranko."

Himeko sighed and turned to Ryouga, though she was smiling. "You see what I must put up with sometimes, Ryouga-kun?"

Ryouga shook his head. "I think I woke up in a strange dream this morning."

Himeko patted his arm. "Never mind, Ryouga-kun. Let me tell you what happened at the Nekohanten."

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Himeko stood outside of the Nekohanten, trying to control the panic running through her. It was to her credit that her image didn't waver once while she wrangled her emotions into gear. Checking her face in a compact from her handbag, she took a few minutes to touch up her makeup, enhancing some of it and making sure the veil of her ki was running tightly. Nodding in satisfaction, she grinned and closed the compact, putting it back into her handbag.

The door opened with a merry tinkle and Himeko entered the restaurant, looking around with apparent interest. She spots the counter and makes her way over, walking heel to toe. For some reason, the click of the heels of her boots makes her feel better about this. Making sure to keep herself in her Himeko self, she approaches the counter where Shampoo is working.

The lavender-haired Amazon looked up and spotted Himeko, her face freezing in a friendly 'can I help you' smile. "Hello honoured customer!" She bubbled enthusiastically. Her eyes roamed up and down Himeko and the ginger girl could almost feel Shampoo's appraisal of her wealth by her clothes alone.

Himeko cleared her throat politely. "Good afternoon." She said with a shy smile. "I'm here to make an order for food to take away to my auntie's home."

Shampoo nodded and started punching things into an ancient till. "Certainly, honoured customer. What ordering?"

Himeko made a show of bringing out a list that she'd had her mother write of the food to order. "Two seafood special ramen bowls, fishcakes and a meat special, please."

"Will be drinks?"

"No thank you, although may I have one of the smaller bowls of vegetable ramen to have here as well? I am somewhat peckish and a single okonomiyaki, while fattening, is hardly a complete meal. The ramen is for supper, you see."

Shampoo brightened and motioned to a table. "Certainly! Please sit."

Himeko paid her due amount and sat down, heart hammering in her chest. In the tiger's den. She felt exposed, naked, like Cologne would come out at any moment and drag her away. She felt like she was being watched all the time and knew she probably was, so she made a show of reading through the menu, then pulling out a notebook and some of the schoolwork she was catching up on.

A bowl was placed in front of her and Himeko looked up at Shampoo with a smile. "Ah, my thanks." She said softly, putting her notebook away and starting to eat. Shampoo smiled at her.

"No worries, honoured customer, is too-too nice ramen. Shampoo hopes you enjoy."

Himeko nodded. "I am sure I will, thank you." She said, beginning to eat politely.

She heard some rapid-fire mandarin behind her as Mousse was harangued for something; likely hugging a planter and calling it Shampoo.

She heard the creaky voice of Cologne in the back, then the tap-tap of the stick on the tiles as the diminutive elder made her way over to where Himeko sat eating.

"Hello there." A voice sounded next to her and Himeko pretended to jump at the suddenness of it. "Oh, I do apologise honoured customer." Cologne's voice sounded… Well, actually apologetic, and the matriarch moved around the table. "One does get used to sneaking about."

Himeko straightened her hair and clothes out from where they'd ruffled from her jumping and she smiled. "It is fine, honoured elder." She said, nodding. "I understand it can be fun to play tricks on the young as well. My own grandmother is fond of it."

Cologne's eyebrows raised. "Oho?"

Himeko tittered. "In truth, she taught me much of what I know, though my auntie is my true sensei. I know well how boredom makes a grandmother wish to play tricks on her youngers."

Cologne's face broke out in a smile and Himeko felt her ki scanning her. She seemed taken aback a moment and then nodded. "Ah, that particular art is new to me." She commented.

Himeko made as if to preen a little, though maintaining her demure smile. "Oh, I walk the Path of the Silken Breeze, honoured elder. I would be surprised if you had heard of it, it isn't a largely followed path. It is far less flashy than most, and most are used for demonstrations these days."

Cologne nodded. "Practicality then?"

"A love of the Art. I am not the best at it, but I believe I make up for that in enthusiasm if nothing else." She giggled again, hand to her mouth. Cologne produced a takeaway box for the restaurant and placed it on the table.

"Well, young lady, I hope to see you in action someday. You do realise though, that we deliver?"

Himeko giggled again. "I am aware, but I believe my auntie has heard some of the stories of your delivery girl's tendencies regarding her son and probably wishes her house to remain intact. I can hardly believe some of the tales I've been told just today…"

Cologne hopped onto a chair. "Oh? Do tell, child."

Himeko ate some more of her ramen and then put a hand to her cheek. "Oh! My apologies, elder. I had not introduced myself. I am Nayotake Himeko." She stood and gave a deep bow of respect, copper curls bouncing, then sat back down. "My auntie is named Saotome Nodoka, a master on the Path of the Silken Breeze."

Cologne's eyebrows rose. She peered at Himeko a moment and then barked a laugh. "Oho, I see, I see. Yes, you do look like him. Not a great deal, but the bone structure is there. He always had such pleasing beauty in his feminine guise."

Himeko managed to keep her tension under control and simply smiled indulgently. "Ah, this curse thing again." She said, giggling. "The stories here are certainly interesting. When I meet my cousin, I think I'm going to spend a day splashing him to check. It seems such pure nonsense, though."

Cologne laughed. "Not at all, child. I can assure you such curses exist. Hey, Mr. Part Timer!" Himeko watched as Mousse made his way over. Cologne grinned at her. "You'll like this, girlie." And she took a glass of water from another table and splashed Mousse with it.

The boy squawked as he fell into his clothes. Himeko blinked and made her face look shocked. "Where is…" An annoyed duck emerged from the robes and quacked angrily. "O-oh… oh m-m-m-my…" She said, sounding faint.

Swaying, she leaned back against the chair she sat on and Cologne looked at her, concern suddenly running across her features. Himeko felt a wrinkly, tiny hand taking her own.

"Breathe, child. Don't get too overwhelmed. Here." She produced a glass of water and held it to Himeko's lips. Himeko drank it and made a show of coming to more clearly. She put a hand to her forehead and winced.

"Oh… My apologies, I'm…" She eyed the surprised duck on the floor and swayed again. "S-sorry. That is… He turned into a duck! H-how?"

"He has a curse." Cologne said, leaning back in her chair. "I apologise. I should have remembered the effect of such curses on those unused to such things."

Himeko swallowed as the duck dragged its robes into the back of the restaurant.

"My goodness. S-so it's true." She said, sounding dazed. "So… So… my cousin turns into a… a…"

"A very attractive girl, yes." Cologne replied, nodding. She rummaged in her pocket and brought out a photograph each of both Ranko's forms. "See?" She held out them together and Himeko eyed them, shock on her face. She then clapped her hands together after a moment more of staring.

"Oh! She's so pretty! Wow!" She gushed. "And he's so handsome… If he weren't my cousin…!" Himeko giggled. "Oh, I could take her shopping with me anytime!"

Cologne laughed raspily. "I think son-in-law would have something negative to say about that. He hates anything 'girly' because his father is a misogynistic, backwards idiot."

Himeko deflated. "Oh. I… suppose it's to do with that pledge Auntie Saotome seems to carry. Something to do with him being a 'man amongst men' whatever that means. But if he's not, he has to commit seppuku. Seppuku! In this day and age!" She sighed. "I think I might have to talk to Auntie about that one. He wasn't even five when he signed it."

Cologne actually looked concerned, which make Himeko curious. "A seppuku pledge? How… Rigorous. And also difficult with a man like Saotome Genma raising the young man. Though it does explain some of the oddities of the boy's upbringing."

Himeko shrugged. "I haven't met my cousin yet, Elder." She smiled at Cologne. "But I hope I do soon."

Cologne patted her on the arm and Himeko felt a spike of ki flash onto her aura. She smiled inwardly. Cologne wasn't usually so clumsy. The elderly woman's eyebrows rose.

"Such a lot of chi for a young woman, though of course, nothing on some of the artists around here. Aspects of the wind to it, I see."

Himeko nodded and smiled again. "The Path of the Silken Breeze is still a ki path, though it hasn't many applications. It is based heavily on a few old ninjutsu techniques, as well as other stealth ones. We share an ancestry of sorts with the modern kunoichi." She motioned out the door. "I had a wonderful conversation with that lovely waitress at the okonomiyaki place nearby earlier. She is trained as a kunoichi, and I'm excited to speak more with her."

"Indeed? Well, I wish you the best in your training, young lady." Cologne said, nodding in approval. "More women in this backwards country learning the Art and making the men rue trying to wrest control from the rightful hands is always good."

Himeko blushed and giggled. "I… think I should thank you for that, Elder? I assume it was a compliment?"

"It was. Well, child, please do take your food home to your aunt and pass my regards on to son-in-law's mother."

Himeko smiled. "I think I can do that though I suspect she'll balk at your calling him 'son-in-law', Elder."

Cologne shrugged. "I simply state things as they are." She said. Himeko inclined her head, not wanting to get drawn into an argument over the laws that had caused her other self such trouble.

Not least because if she outed herself both as herself and as a woman, Cologne would probably try to kill her.

Standing up, Himeko picked up the delivery bag containing the ramen, securely sealed to prevent spillage, with a grunt and strain. She grimaced at the weight.

"Goodness me, Elder, you certainly do pack it into them, don't you?" She asked. Cologne grinned.

"You'll have to get stronger if you want to live around here, child." She said, and Himeko guessed it had been another test. Strangely, it didn't seem as if she were suspicious that Himeko was really Ranko, but rather to test her level of strength and whether she'd be a threat.

Himeko supposed it was a fifty-fifty bet that Cologne would kidnap her if 'Ranma' ever came back and had met her; though she figured that for now she was safe from demonstrating anything more than an aptitude at an apparently low-strength martial art thanks to the fact that she'd made it clear that Himeko had never met Ranma.

Which, ironically, was somewhat true. After all, she'd been Ranko when she created Himeko. Ranma had been long dead. Well, not long, maybe a few months but eh.

Himeko made her way out of the restaurant without any incident, and again used her ki to manipulate the wind again, though this time more passively.

"Ranma has cousin?" Shampoo's voice sounded surprised. "Sure is not Ranma in disguise?"

Cologne's voice sounded weary. "Feh, not a chance. It had possibly crossed my mind, but even Son-In-Law isn't that stupid. Besides, she's barely strong enough to even survive one of the lower-level fights here. I think even the Tendou girl's middle sister could have a good chance of taking her on."

"Oh. Great-Grandmother is right."

"Of course I am!" Cologne snapped. "That girl could be useful leverage in future, though. If Son-in-Law ever meets her and begins to care for her, she'd definitely represent a weaker link than the Tendou or Kuonji girls."

Himeko let it drop and then stood, dumbfounded. Unless Cologne was able to sense her technique – and she'd tried to sense it when her mother did it and found nothing – then she'd absolutely fooled the ancient matriarch.

Without really even trying or doing that good a job.

Either that or she was playing a long game, but that wasn't her style.

Himeko was still a little stunned walking out of the Nekohanten absolutely scot-free. Even Ukyou and Akane had had doubts and queries, but Cologne had bought the lies instantly, not a single flicker of doubt.

Why?

Did she just trust her ki sense so thoroughly that if someone appeared who they said they were by their ki she'd take it face value?

That didn't seem like the clever matriarch she'd known for so long. Then again… Cologne hadn't seemed like she was in any way suspicious, even when Himeko had almost given herself away.

Heading to the outskirts of Nerima with her bag of food, she shook her head dazedly when she almost ran into a girl with bouncy, curly light-brown hair. "Oh! My apologies miss!" Himeko said, flustered that she'd lost track again.

"That's alrighties Ranma-kun!" The girl said. "Azusa forgives you!"

Himeko's blood ran cold. "I'm… What?"

Azusa peered at her, pink bow in her hair bouncing. "Oh! It is you, Ranma-kun! How have you been?"

"I-I'm not Ranma, I'm Nayotake Himeko!" Himeko managed, completely floored. Her image hadn't wavered, so how had this ditz known?!

"Ohh you transitioned? That's wonderful! Widdle Azusa got some very eggy vibes from Ranma-kun during that fight and then she heard about your curse and put two and two together, isn't she clever?!"

Himeko froze and then sighed. "I… suppose so. But can you not tell anyone?"

Azusa stopped skipping happily at being proved right. "Oh! Of course. Azusa wouldn't out another girl without her permission! Skater's Honour!" She saluted and then giggled. "Say, Himeko-chan's not seen widdle Charlotte-chan around has she? Only Azusa really misses him."

"Sorry, no. Not for some time." Himeko said. She felt a slight pang. Ryouga was one of her friends, but she at least figured he was seeking some space. She missed him too, if nothing else for a good spar.

"Aww, too bad! Well, never mind!" Azusa blew Himeko a kiss. "Azusa was glad to see Himeko-chan! Congratulations for your cracking!"

The ditzy brown-haired skater bounded off, kidnapping a soft toy from some child's hand as she did and being chased away.

Himeko managed to restart her heart and make her way home.

"What." She mumbled to herself. "The hell?"

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A/N: A short chapter but the following scenes felt like they belonged afterwards.