Disclaimer: I can't believe they make us do this every single time. No, I still don't own the rights to either Ranma or YYH, and I still want to. Happy?

Starling: The administrators probably are.

Niana: You be quiet.

Chapter Six: A pocket full of surprises.

*********

"Are you sure you want to try him, Akane?" Rei questions a few days later as they finish up the last class of the day and their own workout. Akane nods firmly.

"The style we've been working on feels really good, Rei. And it's about time I show him I'm not someone who needs protecting all the time."

"Now that is a feeling I understand perfectly," Rei sighs. "Dratted boys always think I'm a china doll to be wrapped in bubble-wrap and stuck on a high shelf. Until I break a few heads, anyway." Akane laughs: she hasn't felt this strong in ages--she might actually be able to show Ranma a thing or two, since he hasn't sparred with her since that Sunday evening.

"Okay, I'll give him a call and have him come over for a session. I just won't tell him with who!"

***

Ranma blinks from where he lays on the dojo floor, staring up at the ceiling. What the hell was that?? One minute he's standing in front of Akane, waiting for the match to start, and the next thing, this. Did he miss something?

Someone comes into his field of view. Takes him a second, but his brain finally comes up with a name. "Hi, Rei."

"Welcome back to the world of the waking. Did you enjoy your nap?" Her voice is full of amusement as another person leans over him. His brain id's her almost immediately.

"Akane, what did you do?"

"Rei's been helping me develop a new branch of Anything Goes. Well, some new techniques, anyway. How's your head?" she asks as they help him to his feet. He shakes the cobwebs from his skull and grins lopsidedly.

"Might sound weird, but did you even move?"

"Told you you'd gotten faster," Rei murmurs to Akane. The short-haired girl grins in glee.

"So that's where those scratches came from," Ranma growls, but his heart isn't in it. He's busy trying to figure out what Akane did so fast. Slowly it comes back.

"Geez, how the hell did you blur your feet like that?"

"Kenobishi technique similar to your rapid-fist, except this concentrates on feet rather than hands," Rei tells him cheerfully. "Akane's a real natural when it comes to the speed techniques. Now that you've gotten a taste of what Akane's capable of, how about we get a real sparring match started?" Ranma just shakes his head in shock and starts laughing in earnest.

***

It is later that evening that Rei once again takes refuge in her peculiar pocket dimension, sighing as her gi once again changes into a gown; though this time it is much simpler, just a sleeveless bodice and loose skirt in dark green plush.

Threads of rainbow colors spin themselves from air around her, and one hand reaches up and 'captures' a particular one. It glows a grim grey-blue, a very depressive color for spirit energy. Rei sighs and runs it through her fingers, the color brightening in a bit. "Well," Rei sighs tiredly--the whole day and keeping this secret of hers around all of these people is starting to wear her out, not to mention keeping track of the minute changes the presence of a Chaos Card inflicts upon her weavings--"Let's see if I can finally meet this brother of mine."

***

Ryoga is very confused. This doesn't look like Hokkaido at all. Damn. Damn, damn, damn. Every time he tries to leave Nerima so he can get his head straight he always gets himself turned around. He shouldn't be surprised, he mocks himself in his mind, he's always lost--right?

If only he can get Akane off his mind! Life wouldn't be nearly so bad as it is now if he could just forget her and repay the humiliation that damned bastard Ranma keeps giving him.

"Now that's a pretty grim face," a cheerful voice says from his left. The Eternally Lost Boy snaps from his train of thought and sees the girl who was nice to him at the Cat Café sweeping the sidewalk in front of a spacious home. "What's got your spirits down--Ryoga, isn't it?"

"I didn't know you lived in Hokkaido," is Ryoga's startled response. Rei laughs and keeps sweeping.

"This isn't Hokkaido, silly! This is northern Nerima district."

"Crap." He knew it. He'd gotten lost again, like always. Rei chuckles and cocks her head to one side. Ryoga turns bright red.

"So, like I said, what's got you so down, hm?"

"Want a list?"

"Tell you what," Rei says, leaning her broom against the stone wall and dusting her hands off, "why don't you come inside and have some breakfast? You look like you haven't eaten--or washed properly--for a couple of days."

"I don't want to be a bother," Ryoga mumbles, but Rei shakes her head and grabs his arm.

"Nonsense. It'll be nice to have someone else in the house besides my parents and me." And giving him no chance to refuse, she drags him into the house, he protesting weakly the whole time.

***

"There, I'll bet that's better, ne?" Rei says in satisfaction a little while later at the breakfast table. Ryoga is seated across from her, looking much better now that he's had a chance to wash and put on clean clothes. Mrs. Kenobishi smiles at him as she sets out a large meal, Mr. Kenobishi grinning at him.

"So, my daughter's seems to have taken an interest in a boy! That's a surprise."

"Da-ad!" Rei half-rises in protest and Ryoga notices something glinting around her neck. It looks awfully familiar…

"Hey, Rei, is that a locket?"

She blinks at him, distracted from the playful argument she and her father seem to have gotten into. "Eh? Oh, hai. Do you want to see it?"

"May I?" With a sound of agreement Rei undoes the catch and hands it to the black-haired boy, who immediately goes white and stares at it--and the pictures inside--with a look of utter shock on his face.

"But…but this is…"

"What is it, dear?" Mrs. Kenobishi asks as sweetly as Kasumi can, a bright twinkle in her eyes. Rei's already explained everything to the two adults. Not answering, Ryoga reaches into his oversized and heavy backpack and pulls out a small blue velvet pouch, spilling something into his hand and comparing it to Rei's locket. When the red-head leans over she is unsurprised to see another locket like hers lying in his palm.

"Ranma mentioned that my brother looked like you," is her only comment. Ryoga looks like someone poleaxed him and then whacked him on the head a few times with it.

"But…but how?" he demands plaintively. Rei takes her locket back and puts it back on before answering, telling him what had happened when she was two. Ryoga yanks out a cell-phone from his back and hastily dials a number, still looking stunned.

It rings a few times before a voice on the other end answers with a cheery, "Moshimoshi?"

"Dad?" Ryoga asks hoarsely. The voice on the other line is instantly concerned, worry carrying to the other listeners. "What happened when I was three?" A noise of startlement, then incomprehensive information. Ryoga goes whiter. "Did I have a baby sister?" A query. "'Cause I think she's sitting right in front of me." A shout of shock easily heard by everyone. "So I do, don't I? Why didn't you tell me?!" Rei grins. "That's not a very good answer, Dad. Okay, fine, I'll hold while you call Mom." He puts his hand over the speaker and looks over at Rei.

"Looks like Fate's being nice today," is her only comment. Her adoptive parents are grinning like crazy and hugging each other as they watch. The teen girl walks around and sits next to her brother, leaning against him happily. There is a sound from the phone and Ryoga puts it back to his ear, taking it away the next and looking pained.

"Ow, ow! Mom, stop shouting, yes, she's here right next to me." He hands the phone to Rei and she takes it, smiling.

"Moshimoshi!" The sound of joyous weeping from the other end. "It's really been a long time, hasn't it, mother?" Mrs. Kenobishi sniffles a bit, but is still smiling. "No, I don't blame you for what happened. From what I've seen from Ryoga, it looks like I'm the only one with a sense of direction that can get me to the same place without trouble. Must've skipped me."

"Hey," Ryoga protests softly. Rei grins and sticks her tongue out.

"Yes, I'd love to see you again. Do you have a GPS?" A pleased sound. "Oh, good. Just look up Kenobishi Dojo in Nerima. It's where me and my adopted family are." Sound of sadness. "They've taken wonderful care of me, and I love them very much. Don't worry, everything will work out, you wait and see." Ryoga notices a small, secretive smile on his newly-discovered sister's face as she bids their parents a wistful goodbye and ends the call. "Well, on the bright side, I found my biological family."

She is swept up into a rib-cracking hug--literally. She squeaks as her lungs are compressed almost painfully, and quickly hits a pressure point. A muffled sound of pain and Ryoga releases her, looking at her reproachfully as he cradles his numb arm. Rumpled, she glares back. "If you're gonna squish me like that every time, you aren't going to be getting many hugs."

***********

Niana: Bet that hurt.

Rei: Yes, it did. Don't have him do that again, okay?

Niana: But he's in character when he does it!

Starling: That doesn't seem to be much of a concern of yours.

Niana: Okay, so they act somewhat OOC. Big whoop. If anyone doesn't really like it, they don't have to read this fic. Or, the kind, gentle readers can politely point it out. That's their job, not yours.

Starling: :p