Nabiki sat by the door, still nursing her bandaged foot. 'It's a pity I had to get up here myself.' she thought. Fortunately, she and Deru had arrived during the altercation, having roof hopped all the way from the clinic, with her carried in Deru's arms. 'I just wish I'd had my camera.' No one had noticed her sneak in via the side entrance, just before the rain started, and her lateness was unnoticed since the teacher had still not arrived.

She gazed out of the window, mentally totaling up the profits to be made from the betting pools she had set up. She had already let it be known that she had a tape of the event and was just considering how much to ask for copies, when Deru appeared at the window, waving the tape. She got outside as quickly as possible. "Why are you still here?" she inquired.

"Your cameraman had a close encounter of the thug kind. Don't worry, I kept him safe. I thought it better to deliver this in person."

"How did you get up here." she thought of the journey to school. "Never mind. It's good you helped him." 'If that tape had got lost, half my projected profits would disappear.'

"No problem. One problem. He saw me. What if he asks about me? The plan was for me not to appear, certainly not in my cursed form." Deru's expression was downcast.

"Hmm. No problem, it's not like you'll be here at school regularly." She thought for a moment. "How do you feel about being your own cousin? Something like Dera."

Deru looked thoughtful. "'Temple', yeah that'd work. Trained with me and Ranma. O.k. Whoa, got to meet Ranma outside. Good bye." He jumped off the balcony. Nabiki rushed to the edge, just in time to see Deru land and bound off, narrowly missing a Kuno who was just clambering to his feet. [Dera is actually used in compound words such as Zendera - Zen temple. I assumed a native Japanese speaker would get the pun.]

&&&

The rain had almost stopped. Ranma, drier and covered in his waterproof, waited outside the school gates.

Deru landed beside Ranma. "Just had to make sure the tape got into the right hands. So how did it go?"

"You were right. It was more fun than just smacking him into oblivion." They start walking, Deru toweling her hair. "Now to get back before dad misses us."

They take to the rooftops once more.

"You got him to promise?"

"The very words you suggested."

"Yes! With that and the tape, he can't wriggle out of it."

"I can't believe it went so well. He reacted just the way you said he would."

"Actually I'm a little ashamed."

"Why's that? Everything went perfectly."

"We took advantage of this guy's shortcomings. Rather then try to get him to understand, we tricked him into doing what we wanted. I know it had to be done, but it leaves a nasty taste in my mouth." Deru looked unhappy.

"Don't feel too sorry for him Deru. He had enough skill to be dangerous. He almost got me on that return sweep. That blade was ki charged. Add to that that he's mostly nuts, and you have an accident waiting to happen. Think about Akane instead."

"It was Nabiki who gave me enough info to figure out his weak points. She's quite a special girl in her own way."

"What would Ucchan say if she heard you?"

"If she met Nabiki she'd agree. I just meant she's smart, and cares. She was happy I'd saved her friend with the camera. To organise all that stuff.she must have plenty of friends." [He hasn't a clue has he?]

"Only kidding bro, I agree they're two special ladies."

"Three. Kasumi may be quiet, but she's the one who makes their place more than a building. She's fairly bright too. Did you notice the bookshelf in the kitchen?"

"Yeah. How many housewives keep a shelf full of well used books on Physiology and Chinese Mythology, in Chinese yet. and no cookbooks? Three then. Oh yeah, I also gave the storm troopers the advice we came up with."

"Storm troopers?" Deru looked curious.

The tale of the journey to school was retold, and the fight. Deru came close to falling from laughter at some points.

"I had fun helping Nabiki too. That doctor Tofu is a real character. He tried to sneak up on me. Would have done it too if he hadn't been carrying a skeleton. Knows his medicine though. Shiatsu points too. Had Nabiki fixed up in a few minutes. According to him it's usually Akane he has to treat." They arrowed back to the Tendo Dojo and some hot water.

&&&

The appearance of the Saotome clan was creating waves at Furinkan. Yuka and Sayuri, Akane's two closest friends were all over her as the fight progressed below. The words of the two combatants were clearly audible, and the teachers had clearly given up on restoring order.

"Who is that dreamy guy?" Sayuri asked.

"The son of one of my dad's old friends. They're on a training trip and stayed with us last night.", Akane said off handedly, confirming Ranma's declaration.

"You get all the luck Akane. First you have half the boys in school chasing after you, then you snag that hunk." Sayuri sighed.

"Hey, he's just a visitor. He'll probably never come here again. And as for those morons who attack me every morning, you can have them."

"But you're keeping Ranma for yourself, eh?" Yuka asked slyly.

"I told you it's not like that." Akane flushed.

"Cool! can I have him?"

Lightning thundered and rain fell. They heard Ranma's demand and Kuno's reply.

"That's so romantic. He fights for your honour."

"If he gets Kuno off my back, fine. Ranma's got an ego the size of the Tokyo tower."

"Wow! Did you see that." Yuka exclaimed.

"I couldn't see him move!" Sayuri replied in astonishment.

Despite herself Akane smiled. "He is pretty good." When the two of them look at her in shock, she rapidly continued ".at martial arts I mean. Not that Kuno's a challenge. I clean his clock every day."

"Oh my. I think miss 'I hate boys' has found her match." Yuka teased.

Akane shook her head. "Even if I thought he wasn't a complete egotistical jerk, which he is, he doesn't feel that way about me." They watched him stalk over to the sports thugs.

Sayuri asked, "Since when have you cared how a boy feels about you?"

Yuka replied, "Methinks she doth protest too much." Ranma tells the boys they're a disgrace.

Sayuri said, "He's sensitive too. Oh my, how did he do that." Ranma landed on the wall.

"The idiot reckons he has a sacred mission to protect all women, because they're weak."

It's unfortunate at that moment Ranma says his piece about Akane being able to take care of herself, and being a true martial artist.

"It sounds like he thinks you're exceptional. That's so sweet!"

"For the last time it's not like that. I'm not interested." Akane fumed.

"Hey girlfriend, we're just kidding." Yuka claimed.

Sayuri stated. "I'm not. He's handsome, strong, sensitive, mature, chivalrous, has a body to die for, and you aren't interested! Are you sure you haven't been hit in the head too many times?"

"Mou. I don't need a knight on a white horse. This is one princess who can rescue herself." This made her think back to the conversation they had on the way to school and she smiled. "Ran Solo indeed." she muttered to herself, but not in a disparaging way.

"Huh?"

"Just thinking out loud." Akane grinned. "Come on, lets get inside, you two kidders." They headed into homeroom 1F.

In another part of school some minutes later, homeroom 2E to be precise, a bedraggled figure dragged itself into the classroom. Upon his noble brow was a bruise which formed two katakana characters.[/-, / ] Upon his face was a dazed expression.

"Hi, Kuno baby!" Nabiki exclaimed. Most of the other students studiously ignored him, though a few glanced at his forehead and held back sniggers..

"Nabiki Tendo? What scheme do you plan this time?"

"Now is that nice? I just wanted to find out what you had on your forehead." she rummaged around in her school bag.

"Your meaning?" He touched his brow. "That foul sorcerer tricked me. He entrapped my honour and used his magics to evade me."

"From up here it just looked like you got creamed. At least you won't be after my sister any more." Her voice took on an aggressive tone.

"Why say you that?"

"Everyone heard you state you would no longer annoy Akane if you lost. From what Akane has loudly and repeatedly said that means she doesn't even want you in the same ward. You lost. Deal with it."

"A pledge won by evil magics can surely not hold a samurai." Kuno backpedals.

"Half the school heard you. Besides somebody videoed the whole thing. You gave your word. Stick by it or be disgraced." She held up a hand mirror to his face.

"The fiend. He has put some sorcerous mark upon me with his wizardry!" he grabbed the mirror.

"That'll be 500 yen. Amazing! And you don't remember being touched?" Nabiki asked, somewhat sarcastically.

Kuno's voice took on a more derisive tone. "Hmph. And at first I thought Ranma Saotome was good. But he can't even spell." He stalked over to the board. "This is how you spell Kuno!" On the board he wrote the kanji that made his family name. [Kuno - Nine abilities.] Nabiki took the chalk off him. and said, "No I think he was right." She wrote out the hirigana equivalent of the two katakana that appeared on his forehead, mu no. [Muno - No ability]

[Japanese purists are even now loading their flame mail launchers. But that's what I'd heard this joke was supposed to be. No one ever seems to explain it though. From my info Kuno writes the Kanji, Nabiki writes the hirigana, which is right for phonetic description of Japanese words. I think Ranma may have also used the hirigana in the manga, but I can't check, because I have the Viz translatons which use 'Buffoon' in English.. So why do I have him using katakana, used for foreign words and special meanings? 1) It's a pun, and therefore could be considered a special meaning. 2) The katakana for muno are a lot simpler than the hirigana, convenient when you're writing in mid flight with your finger.]

Kuno studied it for a moment then turned to Nabiki and stated. "I despise you."

Nabiki replied. "I'm so glad." Then she pulled out her camera and pointed at him. Snap! "Say wasabi." Then she wandered back to her desk, unmindful of the slight pain in her ankle, calculating what this latest shot would be worth.

At first recess, she noticed with some trepidation, that Kuno was coming over to her desk. 'Have I finally pushed him too far?' She let nothing of this show but instead said, "Something else I can do you for, Kuno baby."

His face twisted as he started to say something that came hard to him. "I have considered the matter, and must agree that my word, once given, is inviolate, even to that foul Saotome. I must give up my intentions towards Akane, no matter how much pain it doth cause my beauteous tiger, or how greatly I feel the loss. For there is someone else I must know of.

"As I arose from the battlefield, she descended from the sky like an angel. And truly she must have been some barbarian goddess, for she moved across the earth as if it held her but lightly. Her hair shone like the sun and her exotic features captured my heart. Indeed I had intended to court them both, but alas my word is given.

"It is well known that you, even as the Furies, have much knowledge that you will share for a price. Know you anything of the beauty of which I speak?" [O.K I don't know if Kuno would use Greek mythology, if you don't like it, replace it with an equivalent Japanese oracle.]

Nabiki is having the hardest fight of her life not to laugh aloud. 'Oh this is priceless! He's fallen for Deru! Well they said they attracted lechers and perverts, and Kuno's the biggest pervert in the school.' Outwardly she maintained her poker face. "I know who you mean. 3000 yen."

"Done!"

"Her name is Dera, and she's the cousin of Ranma's adopted big brother."

"Dera? Truly a heavenly name for a heavenly lady. She is indeed a temple for I would worship her."

Nabiki proceeded to spin a short back story, using Deru's life minus the Jyusenkyo curse, but referring to Dera the whole way through. She consoled her self with the thought, 'This is the truth after all. I don't think Kuno could cope with the fact that his latest crush is a guy.'

"So the fiend Saotome has enslaved Dera, my barbarian goddess and drags her on his journeys to seek out new and more evil magics. Despite her martial prowess, she can not break free of his enchantments. Oh, the injustice!" Kuno ranted putting his own spin on the story.

Nabiki would have sweatdropped, if she were anyone else. "That's not how I would put it Kuno baby." 'Oh boy. He'd better not use the word barbarian around Deru. That guy has a zero fuse on that term if I read him right. But there's money here.' "I have pictures of her that I can bring you tomorrow. Are you interested?"

"Indeed I am. You may also bring any new pictures of your own sister Akane."

"Hey, I thought you said you would leave her alone." 'Damn, I want to keep selling him pictures but I was willing to give up on them. I can't sell any more without looking like a hypocrite.'

"I may no longer be in her presence, but my love for her only deepens in her absence. If I may not gaze upon her countenance in reality but at least by her image may I remember her."

Nabiki's face took on a thoughtful expression. "Under those circumstances, I believe I can provide them Kuno baby." Internally she grinned. 'Rationalise away. Oh well Akane doesn't need to know.' [People have long speculated that Nabiki Tendo could think her way through a corkscrew without adjusting her mental processes. I think they underestimate her.]

"You said my golden haired goddess doth abide presently at the Tendo dojo in the company of the foul Saotome. At lunch time I shall travel there and free her by destroying the author of her enslavement."

'Uh oh.' "I'm sorry Kuno baby, they were just there for the night. They've probably already left."

"Then cast your nets of knowledge gathering wide. For I will pay handsomely for their whereabouts." He tok a dramatic pose. "I shall find the angel Dera and release her from bondage. For truly I love her!"

In his dream world he does not see the teacher for the next class has already arrived and is waiting to start.

"Kuno, go stand in the hall."

"Yes sensei."

&&&

Some miles away. Deru sneezed and momentarily shivered as a cold chill swept through her body.

"What's up bro? Catching a cold?" asked Ranma as they landed in the yard of the Tendo household. The plastic bag now contained some empty boxes, which had been folded on the way out.

"Saotomes don't catch cold." Deru answered.

Soun and Genma were once again in the front room, playing shogi. They updated Kasumi on the situation, with the pretence that they were helping with the washing, and getting Deru some hot water. In truth, Deru once again stood watch against the fathers eavesdropping. Upon being told of events Kasumi once again smiled 'the Kasumi smile', the one that makes the Mona Lisa look like she's merely saying cheese.

"I am glad to hear that. Akane was unhappy about the situation. Oh that reminds me, Deru, did you talk to your brother yet about last night?"

Deru looked puzzled for a moment, then slapped his forehead. "No! With all that happened today I haven't had chance."

Ranma looked back and forth, puzzled. "What are you two on about?"

Deru looked sheepish. "Ah.well. I was having trouble sleeping so I made a drink. Kasumi was downstairs and we got talking." He took on a more determined expression. "Ranma, I've got to have this out."

'Aw man, this can't be good.' Ranma thought. A dark cloud, fugitive from the earlier storm blocked out the sun for a minute.

Deru glanced aside to Kasumi and continued, "I've got to say I'm sorry about the curse, your curse. The whole mess."

'Huh?' Ranma looked nonplussed. "It's not like it's your fault, bro. If pop hadn't taken us there."

"I should have stopped him. I should have stopped you falling in when I realised what was going on. Instead."

"That's what's been giving you grief? Bro, next time, before you buy tickets for your guilt trip, let someone else in on your destination. Like you could have known those springs were for real? I didn't believe it even when I saw pop turn into a panda. I got knocked off my perch because I forgot a basic rule. Expect it. Whatever it is."

"Even so, I should have been able to make a save." Deru's eyes were firmly on the floor.

"Pop's to blame bro, not you. You did what you could, more than you should. What part of nearly getting yourself killed seemed like a good idea? You in return for no curse is a bad trade."

Deru looked up. "I still feel responsible somehow." But he saw no accusation in those eyes.

"And they say I have a big ego!" Ranma exclaimed, "Welcome to the human race! I mess up, you mess up, pop messes up big time. Give someone else credit for their actions for once. Stop beating yourself up over the weather." a thought struck him. "That's where the cash for those new waterproofs came from. I thought it was odd that pop had sprung for them." He shook his head. "You O.K now? Breast fully beaten? Or do you need to stick a tanto in yourself a couple of times too?" [knife, suitable for sepukku]

Deru smiled at the daft image. "Thanks Ranma. I guess I did go a bit overboard."

"No charge. Let's get on with going home." Ranma headed back into the kitchen.

"May I add something?" Unnoticed while this reconciliation went on, Kasumi now stepped forward, empty washing basket held in both hands.

Both guys turned to face her. "Yes, Kasumi-san?" Deru asked.

"I am glad to see that you have resolved things. But have you considered that you may be looking at your situation too negatively? I believe that Deru last night mentioned making things come out right rather than moping. Could you not consider your unusual ability just that, to be used the same way your martial arts skills are, and any problems it causes as challenges, rather than misfortunes?"

Ranma looked interested. "Hey, I never thought of it like that. A challenge."

Deru looked at Kasumi with an impressed expression. He nodded. "Maybe we should consider the things our new bodies can do, rather than the things they stop us doing. "

Kasumi continued. "I believe so. From what I have heard, so far you have made wise use of your dual nature. I do not think Akane would have been so open if she had not realised you shared experiences in common."

Ranma looked thoughtful, "I guess you're right Kasumi. That'd of been a crying shame. Hey, bro, why didn't you think of this?"

Deru put his hand to his chin, "Maybe I couldn't see the wood for the trees. We're not out of the forest yet though bro. We've still got mum and Ucchan to go."

"Hey with our wits, our skills and our winning personalities." Ranma is upbeat.

"We're doomed.utterly doomed." Deru retorted, but clearly not seriously, since he's grinning. He turned to face Kasumi again. "Thank you, Kasumi- san, for this food for thought."

"That was the other thing I wanted to tell you. I prepared bento boxes for all three of you, as a thank you for your help."

All three want back inside the house.

&&&

Genma looked up as Ranma and Deru entered the main room. "So, if you've finally finished with your womanly work, maybe we can head home." The fact that he was loosing the current match was a possible cause for his disgruntlement, and his wish to leave.

"Hey pop, at least we're helping out around here." Ranma growled.

"Now dad, you wouldn't have wanted us to refuse Kasumi." Deru supplied.

Genma looked thoughtful for a moment. [First time for everything I guess] "Ranma, Kasumi is a nice girl. Have you considered asking her to be your fiancee."

Ranma was about to explode, but for once Soun beat him to the punch. "Now Genma, let's not be too hasty. Possibly someone closer to his own age, Nabiki for example. [Translation: Not the cook!!! Take the mercenary!!!]

Deru sighed. "Dad, Tendo-san, we settled this last night. Any engagement you made is no longer valid. We agreed this with them. You would not ask us to go back on our word of honour."

Soun continued. "That does not exclude any new arrangement between Ranma and one of the girls."

Ranma interrupted, "I'm very sorry Tendo-san, we must go upstairs and pack."

They left, Soun still trying to recapture the thread of his argument.