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* Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction * Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction * Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction *
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Switch: Herbs and Spices (Chapter 03 / 22) by Nikholas "Switch" F. Toledo
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Please do remember that Ranma 1/2 is a trademark and a copyright of and
by some big name people and companies I am not even worthy to introduce.
Anybody who says that I took any of their stuff better not find me
hiding. Also, great thanks to whoever reads this and likes it, good
thanks to whoever reads it anyhow, and teeny-weeny thanks to whoever else
even saw this. 
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Day 1


 Third Degree


	
	The man smiled. It was just time for lunch, and it would seem that 
plans will be taking effect as they should. The company was now 
financially secured, and the prospects have only to wait, and he was sure 
that she would deliver. He would soon have to meet with her to make the 
arrangements for the stocks, then all will be well in that department.

	Ryoga went out of the bathroom in his saffron shirt, one among 
many. He wondered why it seemed as though in the world of martial 
artists, when they've decided on a form of garb, they seem to stock their 
wardrobes with them. For him, it's always been a case of making sure 
that there's something he could wear in between transformations wherever 
he could be. Ranma's had an ensemble of Chinese shirts he's seen, and 
most of the girls have clothes changes every few days. Mousse has his 
amorphous tunic. Kuno's always wearing that kendo gi, but that's Kuno. 
He sighed. People here get too engrossed sometimes. It'll take days to 
even remember to change.
	Carefully (read: very, very carefully) retracing his steps, he 
went down the stairs into the viewing area. His tumultuous concentration 
was unreasonable at best, attuned to his temper. He had to learn to be 
more calm, he reasoned, if he didn't want to end up in Australia again. 
Keeping the air of a man who would need tearing his arms from his 
shoulders (but the face of decorum; oh yes, decorum must most definitely 
be maintained), he fairly leapt when he felt a tap.
	He was glad he wasn't any more alert than he was, or else, with his 
super martial artist reflexes, he would've knocked Nabiki's block off. 
Some martial artist reflexes. He felt himself cool down. "What do you 
want?"
	Nabiki was wearing some striped shirt and jeans, and her arms were 
crossed in front of her. For the life of him, she looked like she was 
surprised. "I was wondering what you were doing here."
	He knew the opening. "I'm just looking for Ranma. We have a match 
to settle."
	Nabiki put a hand to her chin. "Not another one. You guys seem to 
fight as often than Ranma and Akane."
	He fought to contain the bubbling emotion evoked by the simple 
mention of her name. Oh Akane. "He's always the one who starts it."
	A wide-eyed look leapt to her face. "That's what Ranma says."
	He was starting to get itchy. "All right, Nabiki. What is it you 
really want?"
	Nabiki dropped the bit. "Simple. I just caught you stealing away 
from Akane's bedroom."
	Ryoga's jaw dropped to mildly mid-torso. "You what??"
	Nabiki pursued the tag. "It may escape the attention of most of 
the people in the house, but not from moi." She loosely waved her hand 
towards her chest. Ryoga couldn't help but look raptly at it, his mind 
suddenly at warp 3. Getting caught like that, it was just too careless, 
careless. But at the same time, he ogled Nabiki as a female. It was 
getting too bizarre. "What? When? How?" he muttered through barely 
controllable lips.
	Nabiki noticed how close they were. She dared herself to get even 
closer. "I knew it from the start Ryoga. How you were always here, even 
when Ranma wasn't around, for example."
	Ryoga sweated. He wanted to believe it was the weather, but it was 
ominously clear that it was the fact that he was caught in the headlights 
of one called Nabiki, in more than one way. What he was worried about 
was that the closer she got, the more painfully clear it was that the 
mild scent of perfume was wafting in his nostrils.
	When she got as close as she had, they were standing with Ryoga 
trying to inch slowly up the wall on tiptoes, and Nabiki bent at the 
waist and peering at him, looking like she was going to buy him. There's 
no way out, Ryoga's mind moaned in his soft as jelly ears.
	It was then that Nabiki had an itch on her collarbone.
	As she held her collar, and raised it, the last thing Ryoga saw was 
Nabiki's slender neck, and ...

	Nabiki was glad that she had backed away quickly. Blood seemed to 
be everywhere, just gushing out of Ryoga's nose. Nabiki just smiled. 
She dragged him by the scruff of his neck on the way out. He deserved 
it, she reasoned. She looked back into his face. For being a bad boy. 
My sister doesn't take to perverts easily, so you can't ask me to help 
you there. Besides, I already have plans.

	Soun turned off the set. The morning animes had ended, and the 
early noon news was on. He didn't care for midday information anyhow. 
The best time to take your medicine was in the morning, he always 
thought.
	He stared at the young man across the table. He knew that look. 
He bent over to knock on the kendo champion's head. Empty.
	It would look like young Kuno was going to be around for lunch, he 
thought. Hope he'd have regained consciousness then. Morning anime 
always seemed to have this effect on him.
	He caught the sight of Nabiki dragging along a body. She said, 
"he's just going to join me in going to the bank, daddy. Something about 
protecting and ladies, or something." She lopsidedly smirked.
	Soun just waved her off. "Have a care." He saw her drag the young 
man in yellow away.
	I can only hope she's not after the young man's money this time, 
Soun thought.

	It was about early lunch when the Ucchan's opened. Although 
okonomiyaki was a staple breakfast (and all-around) meal, it was rare 
that people went out to eat that there. One reason was that the 
Ucchan's, along with some landmarks such as the Tendo dojo, the Furinkan 
high school, the Kuno mansion, and the Cat Cafe, were trouble magnets. 
This was mainly because this was where a certain Ranma Saotome would 
visit every so often. Also, there was an oblique loneliness about the 
place which did not bode well for the occupants within. But come lunch 
time, the scent of the secret ingredients and cooking batter held a 
sonata to the nose that almost none could avoid.
	It could be reasoned that the Ucchan's, along with the Cat Cafe, 
both had the distinction of having good food, great entertainment (since, 
in some way or another, all Nerima residents had an insatiable urge to 
watch all-or-nothing fights up close and personal), and terrific service. 
Indeed, a percentage of the regulars would stay there just to ogle at the 
proprietor (or proprietor's relatives or friends). But, Ukyo reasoned, 
they would choose the Ucchan's more often, because it was there they felt 
most at home.
	Ukyo had the personality for small chat and large talks, and knew 
most of the people who came in by face. She felt that the ambiance that 
she had created for the place echoed her need to be among others, and for 
others to be around her. Still, she held herself aloof. Her heart had 
many rooms for others, but the one she was in was always cold, always 
alone.
	She needed someone. She knew, in that same heart, that he lived 
just nearby. His door was open, but never all the way.
	The regulars started pouring in, with a few fresh new faces. A 
little nod or two, some kind words, and some batter and sauce. It was 
the start of a good day.
	The summer heat had forced her to open the windows. Again, the sun 
bridled through without love. She sighed without contentment.
	After an order for two yakisoba was bandied about, and she was 
wondering whether to get a waiter (or waitress), she watched as Akane 
walked in with Ranma-chan. She smiled openly at them, and started to 
make four okonomiyaki along with the soba noodles for the earlier order. 
In five seconds, she had prepared the modern yaki on plates and had 
tossed them with her left hand to the right table. While some thanks 
were shouted from that side, with her right hand she brought the other 
two on plates to where her two classmates sat.
	Ranma-chan spared no expense other than to bellow out thanks before 
engulfing the extra large helping he had been served, while Akane rolled 
her eyes at him. She took a section she had sliced off and bit on it. 
She then tastefully ate it, then turned to talk to Ukyo.
	"How is it?" Ukyo began.
	"It's good," Akane replied, when Ranma-chan added, "as usual." He 
smiled broadly.
	She quickly prepared another generous helping. "What leads you to 
this neck of the woods, at lunchtime? Last I heard, Kasumi was at home."
	With Ranma-chan wolfing down his (first) seconds, the two fiancées 
had to continue the conversation. "She's at Dr. Tofu's," she said 
wistfully. "Now she'll probably be there until a bit later, just to fix 
up a bit."
	"You two were just there, I take it."
	"Yup," she said plainly. Ranma-chan took up the topic, "I had to 
see him about my mustache."
	Some nearby gents overheard the last comment, and turned discreetly 
to pick up on the rest of the conversation. Their hopes were dashed with 
a sharp look from the blue-eyed redhead.
	Ukyo was piqued. "What about your mustache?" Another helping.
	Akane let go of her chopsticks and started applying a napkin to her 
lips. "Apparently, it was being affected by the dragon hair he digested 
some time back."
	"Doesn't it lose effect or something? It was just ingested 
anyhow."
	"I don't know," said Akane, her blue-black hair shining. Ranma-
chan stared at the two of them. "What's with the 'ingested' and 
'apparently'? You two on the drama club or something? Gettin' ready for 
a play?"
	"You wouldn't know anything," Akane shot back.
	Ranma-chan shrugged, which brought their blooming argument into the 
ground. While he dug into the remains of the last okonomiyaki, Ukyo 
whispered, "there's something wrong with him, all right. He can't carry 
a decent word war with you." 
	Akane could only shake her head. "You're right."
	Ranma-chan looked up at the two of them. "What with the two of 
you? Sounds as though my birthday's comin' up or somethin'."
	Ukyo motioned to make two more hefty platefuls. "Maybe it is."
	Ranma-chan took a bite of the first one that came. Then he snapped 
his fingers. "Come to think of it..."
	This had the two other girls straighten. Akane was the one who had 
the nerve to say, "it is?"
	Ranma-chan just shrugged, "nope."
	This was enough to get him dagger looks from his companions, which 
in turn was enough to shut him up through the next two hotcakes.
	Ukyo just said, "so that's why he's eating even more than usual."
	Again, the shorthaired girl assented. "And he's still having 
lunch. Ranma," the last directed at the obvious, "you'd better leave 
some stomach for lunch, you know."
	"But it'll be afternoon when Kasumi comes back," he reasoned.
	"I'll be cooking lunch."
	Ranma-chan tried the path of least resistance. He failed. He 
gulped audibly.
	Ukyo had thought a bit, and started baking three okonomiyaki. She 
was glad no one had come in during the past few minutes, this being lunch 
hour. These okonomiyaki were definitely an emergency supply. Akane was 
busy staring at Ranma-chan, determined to see him through to her lunch. 
She smiled. This, she believed, was the overall reason as to why she'd 
end up with him: Akane couldn't cook to save her life. Tying up the 
fresh batch in a delivery box, she motioned slightly to Ranma-chan. She 
slipped him the parcel with a wink. He smiled broadly again, and 
whispered his thanks. Coming into a suspicious gaze of Akane, they went 
to the door.
	When they left, the self-styled ninja felt her shoulders sag under 
an empty weight. Together, they were. Don't they know how entirely 
destructive to a psyche that was. She shook her head and smirked. This 
was getting melodramatic. With what little patience she had left, she 
returned to open a crate of eggs.

	Nodoka was surprised that the doorbell rang.
	Opening the gate, she saw no one.
	"What a weird happening," was all she said, before she went back in 
for cooking.

	Kuno woke up with a start. He was holding the hand of a mustached 
old man. He let go of it immediately.
	"I'm glad you chose to rejoin the world," said the mustachioed man, 
returning to his newspaper. Kuno, with some confusion, got up and 
returned to his house for lunch.

	A lone figure leapt through the forest. The forest was the best 
route for any diminutive martial artist to take during the hot high noon. 
He had gotten the hang of lugging along the lanky device. But he was 
sure that it was going to be worth it. It was probably best if he was 
controlling the fight from the start. It wasn't fair, but who said life 
was?

	He'd never seen it before. Nabiki was brimming with unadulterated 
glee.
	Ryoga had barely caught up with Nabiki's bright steps. She wasn't 
showing any signs of emotion beyond the gait in her walk. And that gleam 
in her eyes. It was as though she could do one of the more perfect Tiger 
Fireballs that Ranma had belted before. 
	They had passed by most of the shopping complex in the commercial 
district of Nerima. She started slowing down near the entrance. He 
wasn't surprised, as they had had the pace since they left the bank.
	Having been confused by the earlier events of the day (as he was 
wont to do), he promptly forgot most of the events leading to him 
escorting Nabiki. The only sure thing was that the sun started to beat 
upon them as though it was lunch somewhere on his more foreboding trips, 
not the friendly streets of the downtown.
	As luck would have it, the next turn led them face to face with the 
okonomiyaki shack. Nabiki entered without much delay, with the lost boy 
in tow.
	As the two entered, Ukyo glanced sharply upward, in a lightning 
reflex to what she thought was danger. Upon sighting Nabiki's face, she 
felt a chill when she stared into the shorthaired woman's eyes. In an 
instant, she knew (with that famed woman's instinct, for those redoubting 
males), what Nabiki was planning to do. Seized with indiscernible terror 
and panic, she stood paralyzed as Nabiki broke contact and hefted Ryoga 
into the darker corners of the shop.
	Ukyo was stunned. There was a slight wave of nausea that held her, 
but otherwise, the past moments held no clue. She wasn't exactly sure 
what had transpired, but it had something to do with the latest two 
patrons. Without realizing it, she brought two orders of lunch to the 
table huddled in the shadows (as shadows can huddle in the noontime, that 
is).
	Nabiki was sure of it, giddy as she was. This was all part of the 
grand scheme. It just wasn't very sporting of her to get the upper hand 
in the impromptu battle of wits, but she wasn't backing down. No, she 
wasn't giving him up without a fight. The young warrior seated in front 
of her was confused, but she planned to give him something to think 
about.
	This wasn't right, Ryoga thought. There was something about the 
presence of shadows in a room with windows open at half-past noon to keep 
a martial artist who's dealt with magic, ghosts, demons and perverts on 
his toes. And the tension in the air was palpable as the young 
entrepreneur went over.
	She let the plates in her hands lay themselves upon the table. Her 
eyes never left the back of the head of the brown-haired girl, before the 
latter slowly turned to view her hostess.
	"Well," she said evenly.
	"Well," responded the long-haired ninja, voice thick.
	It was a glad thing that the corner of the room was conceivably 
obstructed, as certain corners of diners were, to facilitate backroom 
dealings and underworld contracts. Nabiki knew all these at the back of 
her head, and had had a few choice encounters of her own. 
	The presence of the okonomiyaki chef outside her customary grill 
was enough to get the attention of most of the regulars. Unfortunately 
for them, the corner was as tight as it could get.
	Ryoga was feeling pretty normal at this point.
	Nabiki held Ukyo in their second war of wills, with neither giving 
way. It was awkward to view such a tournament in the confines of the 
Ucchan's (if not the district), and so some of those watching started to 
fall back into the better lit areas of the restaurant. It fell on dead 
ears that, in the end, Nabiki actually won. It helped that she knew what 
this battle was about, and that her opponent did not.
	After a few minutes of the staring match, it surprised many when 
the middle Tendo sister gave the unsuspecting Hibiki a full kiss in the 
mouth. Before he could properly faint, Nabiki was gone.
	Standing in leftover okonomiyaki bits, and a sea of misplaced jaws, 
Ukyo waded through the small pool which separated her and Ryoga, who had 
his face in a plate.

	Tsubasa yawned.
	He had had enough trouble with the bamboo costume, he decided. He 
had been sidetracked, and bopped as well. On top of that, he was getting 
hungry. One always takes care of one's stomach in Nerima.
	Also, in Nerima, the best way to get a free meal was to follow 
one's nose. That exactly was what Tsubasa was doing when he smelled the 
smell of fine cuisine wafting in the late morning breeze. Trailing the 
silhouetted figure jumping through the rooftops, he went the shortest 
path to his stomach.