Ki Cutters: 7

The Pauper

Shampoo faced off against Akane, her stance reminiscent of the tiger. Akane held her stance loose and open, as was typical of her more recent training. "Akane, you are obstacle in hunt for husband. Shampoo must follow tradition and law and take airen back to China. How you say?"

"He's mine, sister. Because we are born to different peoples we must fight."

"Then I must kill. It gives me no joy to do this. Is challenge fight."

"I will not kill my sister. I will defeat you until we can somehow find a way to be sisters together." Akane slid one step to the side, seeing a possible imbalance in Shampoo's stance.

Shampoo charged. Her low powerful attack was avoided by an aerial leap and kick. Shampoo rolled under and leaped herself, slashing with clawed hands that Akane deflected with foot and forearm. Both struck and blocked in swift soundless fury, only the impact of flesh against flesh echoing in the lot. Shampoo rolled through fallen leaves and came up with twin gama, or fighting sickles. She advanced swiftly, her weapons substituting for the tiger's claws in this contest.

Akane frowned. Why would Shampoo use weapons? They both had shields available to them that physical weapons couldn't penetrate. She ducked and feinted automatically. Ranma had told her again and again; if you don't understand a situation, treat it as a real threat. She felt the sickles bisect her shield and pass through! Her immediate response was to kick up, cracking under Shampoo's forearm and disarming her of one of the weapons. Free of Shampoo's grasp, the sickle seemed just that, a sickle. She managed to snag it and toss it free of their arena, just in case, even as she rolled low this time, frustrating her opponent's aerial attack.

Their attacks and withdrawals became more conservative now. Shampoo surprised her at one point, using the sickle handle as a fist-load. Only her neko-boosted reflexes kept her from breaking ribs, but the bruising on her side would have to be watched. Shampoo attacked with a kick sequence, trying to force Akane to cross-counter. Shampoo's legs were about three centimeters longer and such an exchange would surely go against her opponent. Akane avoided the first kick then used her own kick to deflect rather than cross-counter the second. She yelped as Shampoo's third kick, all delivered in the space of a heartbeat, spun up to catch her just behind her jaw. The third kick had come flat-footed from the ground using Akane's deflection as leverage, sending the Amazon into a corkscrewing motion, feet first at her foe. Only shielding ki prevented the nerve clusters and blood vessels from being damaged.

Akane recovered growling and countered, throwing the attacking kicks high and coming in low. Her first punch slipped through the shields to strike Shampoo's hip, the second her sternum. Shampoo coughed as the pain started to unravel her shields. A sweeping kick finished Akane's counter-attack, sending Shampoo spinning.

Akane gasped as she began to straighten, her intent to go into a defensive posture changing instantly into a forward roll. The positioning of Shampoo's remaining sickle would drive it deep into the semi-conscious girl's body.

The impact of her body brought Shampoo back somewhat, and ignoring or unaware of the blood staining her silk blouse, she hacked down at Akane's leg with the weapon. Akane's hand caught hers and slowed the blade's descent to a crawl. It kissed the top of Akane's trousers, separating the tough fabric like a hot knife, butter. It pressed down on Akane's skin and a growing thread of red was evident. Akane was slightly stronger, but Shampoo had gravity in her favor. Akane's other hand was blocking Shampoo from going for a two-handed grip. They knelt on the ground straining, their previous excess of motion now nearly frozen.

Akane's instincts were selecting counters. Shampoo had left herself slightly open. Akane had a line to her heart, but unless she used a ki blast or the Nekoken, she couldn't hope to escape a really nasty slash of that weapon. Either of those choices might kill Shampoo. There had to be… She grimaced. This was going to look bad, but it was preferable to the alternative. She remembered how Ranma had reacted the time she had done it to his female form and hoped Shampoo's warrior conditioning wouldn't overcome the instant of shock. Still blocking with elbow and forearm, she twisted her free arm in toward the Amazon's chest and squeezed her full breast hard!

Shampoo squawked, eyes going wide at the unexpected assault. Akane thrust the sickle hand wide and punched the nerve cluster beside the breast she was clutching. Shampoo went down hard and Akane followed through with a single mock death-strike to the side of her neck.

The movement became a stroke that pushed Shampoo's hair out of her eyes. "Oh, Shampoo! I'm sorry!"

"Sheesh, Akane," Ranma commented hurrying up. "Wadja grab her boob like that for?"

"Well, it wasn't because I was trying to be an insensitive, hentai…" she started to shoot back.

"Nice fight." Cologne hopped up and checked them both out. "Ranma, could you please heal Shampoo's wound under her breast, there? It's actually fairly deep. Akane's leg looks bad, but isn't."

Ranma glared at her. "Please, Ranma?" Akane switched from accusation to pleading. "I should have gotten to Shampoo quicker. It's my fault."

"Shut up, tomboy," Ranma grumbled. He assessed quickly that what Cologne had said was true and gingerly began stroking the ki into healing attitudes. "She was the one with the weapon and if she didn't hold it right—!"

"Ranma!" Akane snapped. Her hands were pressing tight on the gash on her leg but her look indicated a mallet wasn't out of the question. "Just heal her. Get her bruises, too. I don't want anybody to get the wrong idea about my sister." Ranma boggled at her, as he understood just what she meant. "It's no different than when you were fighting Miss Hinako. Well it is, but this is healing, so it's even less hentai. Just do it!"

Ranma moved away from Shampoo and slapped Akane's hands aside. "I'm doin' the healin' here, so I'll do it in the order I want. He pressed his hands down on her wound. After a moment, there was a thin white line that would obviously fade. He placed his hand on her ribs.

"What about Shampoo?" Akane insisted.

"I'll do it! But you've got a cracked rib here, so this is more important." He traced the lines of ki and watched how she relaxed. She had been blocking out the pain and hadn't realized how bad it was. "If Mousse sees me though, I hope everyone's happy when he chases me all over the city." He turned back to Shampoo.

They all laughed at that. "He really go crazy where Shampoo involved," the Amazon said, sighing as the pain ebbed away. "If you rub slightly and press, it feel better still," she added huskily.

Ranma jerked his hand away, face flaming. "Shampoo!" he protested.

"Oh, Ranma," Akane giggled, her jealousy shuttered by his obvious distress.

"Oh, Ranma!" Shampoo said in more normal tones. "What happen at Student Council meeting, yesterday?"

Ranma grimaced shifting gears. "Uhhh… Sayuri announced that we needed a fund-raiser to help pay for the cost of the student newspaper's new computer. Kogara bragged about the kendo club's latest victory." His brows scrunched. "Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics expects to win this year, since Kodachi won't be screwing up the opposition."

"Poor Kodachi," Shampoo sighed. "She was getting so much better."

"She was almost likeable after the martial arts tournament," Akane agreed.

"She's the reason I'm stuck with this stupid Council Presidency," Ranma grumbled, aggrieved.

Shampoo's head snapped around. "It great honor!" she retorted.

"Ranma!" Akane growled. "She may have nominated you, but the students elected you."

"They must have been crazy!" Ranma retorted. "Why me?"

"You could always resign," Cologne remarked smirking.

"Me? Give up?" Ranma was outraged. "I never give up!

"Then stop whining, Ranma," Akane said smoothly, "It's undignified."

"Whining?" Ranma struck a proud pose. "I never whine! I'm just commenting that I do such a good job at Council President, no one is going to measure up after I'm gone." No one face faulted, but the silence spoke for itself. Then the snickers and laughter spoke volumes. "Hey! I am good!"

"Good at getting other people to do the work," Shampoo said slyly.

"I gotta full plate, Amazon!" Ranma retorted. "Besides, I heard somewhere that the best government was one that keeps its nose outa other people's business."

"I have to admit, you're good at that," Akane agreed, tongue in cheek. "I guess we can't blame Kodachi that much." The girls giggled and batted their eyes at him.

"Hey…"

oOo

Kodachi Kuno looked into her mirror and giggled. "Oh, Ranma-sama! How nice of you to visit me again, if only in this way!"

The face in the mirror looked back in obvious delight, its strong chin and brilliant blue eyes presenting a visage many girls sighed over. To Kodachi, he was her very reason for existence, a strong protector, a supreme martial artist and a kind soul who had seen her loneliness and reached out as much as honor allowed, granting her a taste of paradise.

"She's looking in the mirror again," said an observer from behind a section of one-way glass. "Gods, what a loon."

"She's got some kind of a narcissus complex?" asked the other observer. "Though considering what she looks like…" He ogled her appreciatively. Kodachi had been keeping up her gymnastics and was as fit as ever.

"Idiot! She thinks she sees this guy she'd got a hang-up about." The first shuddered. "She gets to see him every time she gets hot water and it's the damnedest, strangest thing you'd ever want to see."

"Oh! What shift does he work?"

"Moron," the first observer said. "Look, you're new here."

"Yeah! So?"

"The Kuno girl is suffering from something Hash-head calls Extreme Topographical Morphology due to Identity Stress."

"Hash-head?" the other asked frowning. Insulting the boss behind his back was not exactly reassuring.

"I give you a week and you'll be calling him that, too," his co-worker wagered.

"Right. What's Extreme Top… what you said?"

"If she gets into hot water, you'll see." The first observer shook his head. "And just to warn you, if she does get hot water, be prepared to run." He shuddered. "She… transforms into this guy…"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"She can also rip your head off," added the speaker, irate at the other's laughter.

"Oh, come on!" the second man indicated the passive, smiling girl. "Her?"

"First of all, she's a martial artist, a good one." The first man looked in as Kodachi laughed gently, her 'Hohohohoho!" eerie through the glass. "She overcame a horrible beating at the university martial arts tournament last month to almost win."

The other man sobered. "The martial arts gymnastics?" His associate nodded. "I saw that on TV. That's her?" He got another nod. "Damn, that's a shame!" He gazed on the room's occupant with obvious sympathy.

"Hey! Don't go there, man," he was warned. "She looks nice enough here, but she's been skirting the edges of sanity for years. I heard she almost killed a girl in Hawaii, and her brother and father are nearly as bad. If they didn't own the place, they'd have all been committed a long time ago."

"Wait a minute! Were those martial artists who won called… the Nerima Martial Arts Federation or something?" He did a double-take. "She's from Nerima?"

"Yeah! That's where the Kuno family home is. What's wrong?"

"My brother, Tobeko, lives in Nerima. I thought he was pulling my leg!"

"What did he say?"

"He said there were these martial artists and magicians and monsters, and they all ran around attacking people. And there was this one guy with about a dozen girls after him, but the guy turned into a girl…" His voice trailed off as his eyes bulged in horror. "You mean this is…"

"Nah! This is one of the girls who chased him. She did something and now she changes like that guy does. In fact she looks just like the guy she used to chase."

There was a moment of horrified silence. "You mean it's contagious?" The new man jumped to his feet. Neither noticed the disdainful look that crossed the patient's eyes as she glanced at the edges of the 'mirror' in her room.

"Settle down." The first grimaced. "Moron! No, it's not contagious. If you think that's scary, you should see the guy we brought in a couple of weeks before her." He nodded thoughtfully. "Now he's scary! According to the records I've seen, he was a freelance trouble-shooter on the international scene. He's all withered like a mummy and screams a lot. Keeps talking about a demon worm eating him."

"A demon worm…" The new man shuddered thoughtfully. "I thought he was just an old guy with the DT's."

"You've seen him? Well get this. That old man is supposed to be thirty-nine years old…"

Kodachi shook her head. They were both morons. Just because she couldn't see them, they assumed she couldn't hear them. And they watched her constantly, regardless of what she was doing. Of course, she was the inmate and they were the keepers, but that could change. Oh, yes! She wasn't being held here because of her sanity, she believed. It was because of the curse she had foisted on herself. Extreme Morphological Topology, indeed. The next time she managed the transformation into delicious Ranma-sama, she would master that technique she had heard them talking about: the Nekoken.

Then they would all pay…

oOo

Ranma and Akane walked along beside Kuno peacefully, a rare occurrence indeed. It had been two weeks since the tryouts for Nutcracker Suite and Ranma was trying to come to grips with this latest challenge. He wasn't sure they wouldn't end up in the loony bin himself the way his head was spinning these days. On top of that, Kuno was underfoot all the time and inevitably sparks flew, as cold and hot water did their fated alterations on Ranma's gender. Because of Marinara-sensei and Akane's forceful demands of 'no fighting', the two adversaries were spending more time talking, even if it was just devising insults for one another.

"Buffoon."

"Dim-witted ego-maniac."

"Stick for brains."

"Cur."

"Cur, huh? If I hada dog that looked like you, I'd shave its butt and make it walk backwards."

Kuno blinked at this sally then reddened. He was physically restrained by the dark-haired girl beside him who growled a timeout.

"I wish to understand, Akane Tendo," Kuno seethed, "just why Saotome is so agreeable about seeing my sister?" The kendoist and Ranma walked on opposite sides of Akane, to better avoid the violence that was their usual interaction. "She was hardly among his favorite peccadilloes."

"Kodachi was becoming a friend, Kuno," Akane explained. "We can't just abandon her."

"She's not a Picka… peck…," Ranma grumbled weakly. "Hell! I'm not interested in her that way, Kuno!" He didn't have direct memories of Kodachi's nicer side. It had been with some difficulty that Akane had persuaded him to come at all. Only a sense of responsibility made it possible. Kodachi had been almost sane, and Ranma knew what techniques had been used previously. If he could visit regularly enough, maybe Kodachi could be cured. Whether a sane Black Rose was a good thing or a bad thing, he hadn't decided yet.

"Are you certain you have no interest in my sister?" Kuno asked Ranma suspiciously.

"How often do I have ta say it?" replied Ranma with some heat. "No! I ain't interested in Kodachi!"

Kuno sniffed. "A pity, really. If you were, I might woo Akane in relative peace."

"Drop it, Kuno," Akane warned. "I had quite enough of your wooing before you graduated."

"In retrospect, that was a stupid challenge I issued," Kuno reflected. "I had thought to show you how base your other choices were and shine by comparison."

"So ya say now," Ranma said dryly. "Why were ya out there with 'em, then?"

Kuno looked thoughtful and they walked on in silence as he digested the concept. Suddenly, he stopped dead and smacked his own forehead. Ranma and Akane stopped a little further on and looked back curiously. "Aaugh! I knew I'd overlooked something!"

Ranma and Akane face-faulted.

"In any event, the past is past and we are well rid of it," Kuno continued, recovering. "As to the future, it is with in our grasp to shape and mold into the lives we would live…"

"About your sister?" broke in Akane, before Kuno could go into declamation mode. "Do you think we can see her?"

"You will come as my guests."

The furor that resulted at the door of the facility was interesting to say the least. The nurse at the door took one look at Ranma and hit an alarm. "Facility lock-down!" the nurse yelled into a phone while staring fearfully at Ranma. "Presence at lobby level!"

Kuno frowned and looked about as various individuals charged into the lobby and surrounded them. They were armed with nets and various poles tipped with hypodermics and were aggressively closing in on Ranma who was beginning to get pissed. "What is the meaning of this?" snapped Tatewaki.

Nets were thrown at Ranma. He and Akane almost contemptuously dodged or destroyed the nets. The poles were more of a problem. While Tatewaki Kuno attempted to explain their presence to the rattled reception nurse, a dodge by Ranma resulted in the solid planting of a needle in Kuno's buttocks.

"My gueshts an' I arrrrrr mos' displissssed…" Kuno slumped to the floor.

"Scratch the door, Akane!" Ranma yelled, dodging away from her and drawing most of the attention with him. "Get Kuno out, then I'll use the techniques!"

Akane leaped back and used the Nekoken to slice the hinges and locks from the door. The entryway, deprived of its inner door released a cloud of gas. Akane staggered back. "R-r-ranma…" She slumped and tried to crawl away from the gas.

Ranma saw a threat to Akane. "Bastards!"

Ranma went from defense to offense in an eye-blink. Five seconds later, the last attacker dropped unconscious and Ranma drew in his will. "Mouko Takabisha!" The outer door went sailing into orbit. Ranma grabbed Tatewaki and Akane and left post-haste.

Seconds later, the phone on the floor began to squawk. "What's going on? Kodachi is secure! What are you people doing up there?"

oOo

Several hours later, Dr. Hashibara met Tatewaki Kuno at his limousine at the back entrance of the facility. A small, balding man dressed in an impeccable three-piece silk suit, his large high-browed head looked alien on his scrawny neck. The brow was, at the moment, sweating buckets.

"I'm so terribly sorry you were inconvenienced…"

"Save your excuses, doctor," Kuno cut him off. "I have questions regarding the incident and, for that matter, your presence here." He cut off an open-mouthed protest with a wave of his hand. "What was the meaning of the attack on my person and on my guests earlier today?"

"I'm certain it was a misunderstanding," Hashibara whined.

"Then what are you doing here? My sister's request and my own orders bar you from any part of Kodachi's treatment and care."

Hashibara whitened. "I have other patients at this facility, Kuno-sama. I did not think you wanted me to reassign them as well, and the facilities here offers advantages not found elsewhere." He licked his lips. "I have sought but to serve your family…"

"Please, grovel elsewhere." Tatewaki stepped out of the car. Following him were a black-haired girl and a redhead both of considerable beauty. Hashibara stumbled to a verbal halt. "These are my friends, Akane Tendo and Ranma Saotome. They wished to visit my sister as well."

Hashibara froze and a glisten of new sweat appeared on his balding brow. "These are the girls you…" His hands wrung themselves. "Well, now­! I think we can…"

The redhead moved forward and took him by the shirtfront, actually lifting him off the ground. "We ain't here fer yer hentai fantasies, chum. Ya have no idea how close ya are to a hospital visit." She dropped him. "We wanna see Kodachi. Now!" As the psychiatrist staggered back, Ranma huffed and rocked back and forth on her heels.

"Man! And to think I agreed to come as a girl so we wouldn't freak out the staff," the redhead muttered as she turned back to the limo. After they had escaped, it had occurred to them that they had mistaken Ranma for a transformed Kodachi. It had also occurred to them that the security av available might be used even more effectively sans misunderstanding. Thus, an advance en force was planned - perhaps a very good idea considering the presence of Kuno Industries' Chief Psycologist. "C'mon guys."

From the car stepped a violet-haired girl and a slender young man who wore glasses; both dressed in silk of an exotic cut and style. The girl drew Hashibara's eyes immediately as the cut of her dress allowed an impressive display of cleavage. Following them, a tall, rough-looking man unfolded himself and stood up, brushing his hair out of his eyes. He smirked, showing fangs. After him came a slightly older man with violet eyes surrounded by thick lashes. He reached in and handed out a slender gaijin woman dressed in clothing distinguished by oddly thick seams.

"That's quite a nice limousine," the gaijin commented. "Very comfortable despite us all being in there."

"Perhaps you would all like to come to my office," stammered Dr. Hashibara. He hadn't quite expected an invasion.

"Let us proceed," said Kuno firmly. "I have no wish to dispute out in the streets like some common fishmonger."

"Master Kuno?" Satsuke wound down the window to speak to his employer. "Would you like me to come as well?"

"That is not necessary, good servant. Just stand by should I call."

"As you wish." The window wound up and the limo slowly pulled away.

"Now," remarked Tatewaki Kuno dryly. "You wished to show us your office?"

oOo

The office was impeccable, with thick rich rugs and original art of quality. The desk was huge and glossy. The chairs were comfortable. Tea and cakes were set on a side table. A pitcher of water and glasses stood to one side, for those who didn't want tea. Obviously, the good doctor was attempting to present a good face.

He watched his guests nervously as they took over his office. Ryoga and Ranma grabbed some of the food immediately. Taro looked over the book-lined walls, picking out volumes that might interest him. He ran a finger over the tops of the books and grimaced. Obviously, the books were there for show. The hidden dust showed none had been referenced recently. Akane, Shampoo and Marinara-sensei took seats, commenting on the rich leather and fine woodwork. Kuno also took a seat and waited for Dr. Hashibara to stop fluttering. Mousse wandered into a corner and leaned against a wall, his eyes closed as if sleeping.

Finishing her cake, Ranma looked about and poured a cup of hot water. She swirled it around, waiting for it to cool a little for her purposes.

"Now, concerning my sister…"

"She is quite a difficult case, Mr. Kuno. A definitive case, I might say," Hashibara commented from the relative safety behind the huge desk. "I could say she may overshadow stigmata in case histories of self-induced psychosomatic symptoms."

"Other than these… symptoms, would you say she is competent for release?"

"She is also quite violent. That is why we had to institute such stringent security measures."

"I'd be violent too, if I were imprisoned against my will," murmured a low voice. Hashibara bit back a rejoinder as Tatewaki replied to his statement.

"I keep hearing this phrase, 'We', doctor. Who, pray tell is 'we'?" Kuno demanded irritably. "Is 'We' the name of my sister's doctor? If so, I wish to speak directly with him."

Hashibara swallowed and shook his head slightly. "That's not possible today. It is… his day off! Yes! Perhaps if you came back tomorrow…"

As Kuno started to answer him, Shampoo growled, "You blind, stick-boy? You no see lie when it slap you in face?" She glared at Hashibara. The doctor was beginning to feel decidedly uncomfortable.

"Indeed. I think, doctor, that you have failed in your duties to my family," Kuno leveled at him.

"Really, dear boy. Kodachi Kuno is not well." The doctor steepled his fingers and smiled. Obviously, the gig was up. "I know you would like me to release her, but that just isn't reasonable." The path to power was fraught with peril, and no two-bit spoiled rich kids were going to take it from him. At least he had his documentation duplicated at his house. "I had hoped to avoid this, dear boy, but you leave me no choice. I am using my authority as a legally licensed practitioner of psychology to commit your sister to the state-run hospital in Kyushu. You may fire me from Kuno Industries, but I can and will continue to investigate her condition." Hashibara smiled as he saw the anger in their eyes. "I've already set in motion the necessary political actions that will insure I have full access and governmental approval for this project for years to come. Meanwhile, your sister will be getting the finest help available for her condition. Even so, it may be years before the physical side effects…"

It was obvious where this was going. Ranma poured the hot water over herself and changed.

Hashibara gaped like a fish. He was frozen, staring at the transformed martial artist. "What?"

Ranma eventually noticed that a drop of drool was escaping the gaping jaws of the man and threatening his fine clothing. "You got a problem?"

"You…you…" The psychiatrist got up enough available RAM to point at Ranma. Ranma couldn't help but smirk in return.

"What about it?" Ranma said with deceptive mildness.

"You, you… You're the man Kodachi's fixated on!"

"She still is? Damn! I hoped she was over that."

Hashibara got excited. "You're another victim of Stress-Induced Extreme Topographical Morphology. This is marvelous! I mean how terrible for you! We must run tests at once. I'm certain we can have you join…"

As Hashibara babbled on, Akane picked up a glass of water and looked at Shampoo. The other nodded and stepped back so that Akane could loop one arm around her waist. The doctor glanced at them just as Akane poured.

Shampoo shrank away and Akane fumbled just a bit in catching the girl-turned-cat in a comfortable manner. "Sorry," she muttered. Shampoo quickly worked her way out of the wide neckline and hopped onto the doctor's desk.

"Miau?" she said. She sat down and licked her paw, smoothing fur ruffled by Akane's handling. From time to time, she glanced at the doctor to gauge his reaction.

Ryoga walked over and put his large hands down flat on the desk. "This Extreme Topographical Morphology doesn't mean you feel like a lunch item, does it?" he asked with a wicked show of canine.

"Why… no, not that I am aware of...," stammered Hashibara, whose eyes threatened to shoot out of his head. "It means…"

"Then perhaps you can explain this," Ryoga interrupted. Akane poured again. A pig kicked off its shirt and sat down beside the cat.

"Perhaps you could explain my additional symptoms, doctor," said Mousse in his impeccable Japanese. "In addition to the 'Lunch Item Syndrome' I feel quite… confused, might I even go so far as to use the term: bird-brained? Why is that do you suppose?" Ranma splashed water at him and soon a duck landed beside the pig and cat.

"What do you turn into?" Hashibara fearfully asked Akane.

"Oh, I don't! But she turns into an elephant!" She splashed.

"BbbbBBBRRREEAUGH!" What little hair Hashibara had, was blasted horizontally by the trumpeting. Marinara stopped the trumpeting with an apologetic rumble and patted the hair flat again with her trunk. Hashibara developed a twitch along the left side of his face.

"Wait till ya see what he turns inta!" exclaimed Ranma, with a twinkle in his eye. He was pointing at Taro who was leafing through a book he'd found with the obliviousness of a true scholar. Water splashed.

"MMMMMMmmmMRRAOUUWW!" Taro was caught off guard and, irritable to begin with, complained vociferously.

oOo

From the corridor, personnel attracted by the growing clamor, gathered just inside the outer office door. The roaring and screaming were definitely not customary to the quiet halls, and his secretary's attempts to page the inner office were unsuccessful. But it was not until a screaming Hashibara tried to escape his sanctum, only to be drawn back by a snatching tentacle, that alarms were sounded. Security rushed for his office. A patient, waiting for his exit interview in the outer office, pursed his lips, stood up and went back to his room. Obviously, he was not yet ready to leave if he was seeing things like this.

Several floors down, an orderly, feeding lunch to a straight-jacketed Kodachi, heard the alarms and stood up. Some of the alarms going off were ones he had never heard before! About the only thing he hadn't heard were the civil defense sirens! He looked at the secured young woman and came to a decision. Locking the door behind him, he hurried to discover what the tumult was about. He had been a martial arts instructor for the Defense Forces and felt his presence might be critical.

Kodachi wondered at the alarms herself, but was not willing to forego the opportunity. She shifted, whined a bit as her position became painful, then sighed in relief as she managed to twist one shoulder out of its restraint. Far more flexible than they gave her credit for, she slipped out of her straightjacket and stood free, or at least as free as one could get within the padded walls of her prison. She turned to the pot of tea on her tray but was un-surprised when she found it less than tepid.

"OHOHohohohoho! As if this will stop the Black Rose…" She departed to the bathroom and found that only cold water was available in her room. "Oh, drat! I shall have to think of something else, then!" She plumped onto her bed and tucked herself into a meditative position. She had seen Ranma do this a few times prior to her immersion in the Ranma-iichuan hot pool. She could do this when she was in his form! She should be able to… After all, she enhanced her ribbon the same way her brother enhanced his bokken. It was simply a matter of end result. In a few minutes, a tiny ball of light appeared shimmering between her palms. She focused and quickly discovered how to produce heat.

She barely contained her squeal of delight. "Oh, yes, Ranma-sama! I will do you proud!" Swiftly and carefully she glided over to the pot and maneuvered the ball to center itself in the cool tea within. Within moments a hissing bubble proclaimed her success. She disrobed and emptied the water over her head.

"Yes!" Blue eyes glared from under black bangs at the mirror and an evil smile revealed even white teeth. Black hair retained its waist-long ponytail but coarsened considerably. "Now what was that technique called? Oh, yes! The Nekoken!" Kodachi, now wearing the form of a certain male martial artist, grimaced as odd sensations suddenly flooded him. Doubts assailed him but he pushed them back. Freedom! Yes, and revenge! He raked his fists back and forth across the mirror.

It shattered. The observation room behind was fortunately empty. He leaped forward and burst into the hall. Kodachi rose from his crouch and looked about. Where the hell was everybody? His fingers popped tendons while he looked for someone to rend as payback for the weeks of humiliation since that damned demon talked Kodachi into making that damned Ranma-iichuan!

"Feh!" He snorted and turned on his heel. Any female would have enjoyed the lack of apparel. None of Kodachi's clothing fit the Ranma body. He was hoping he'd run across some 'gentleman' he could discuss the clothing issue with, preferably someone his size. Armed with conscious control of the Nekoken and Ranma's superb reflexes and conditioning, Kodachi began to make his way out of the clinic.

oOo

Inside Dr. Hashibara's office, Marinara-sensei flung back a large tarp and emerged looking herself, once more. "Thank you, Mu Tsu," she said brightly to the Master of Hidden… things, who smiled in return as he quickly folded the tarp and stored it. They looked around the room. Everyone was back to normal except Taro, who held the struggling doctor in his tentacles. Simone Marinara giggled. "God! You look like a Lovecraft monster! Do you think someone who jumped in your pool might have inspired him?"

"MwwRAUgh, Mmmm Mmrooo!" Taro suggested before sighing and giving up. His half-bovine, half-yeti mouth just couldn't seem to get the hang of human speech. He lowered his head to let Marinara do the honors with hot water. "Actually," he said. "I've used two pools to gain my present cursed form. I have to admit I get a kick out of people's reaction when they see me."

"I'll bet!" she laughed. Hashibara had, of course, used this opportunity to run screaming from the room. Babbling, he practically forced the rescue team ahead of him into the office where they confronted the bored-looking, neatly dressed teenagers.

"They turn into monsters! Monsters!" he babbled.

"Whatcha talkin' 'bout?" drawled a cute perky redhead who rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet. "You were yappin' 'bout some stigma-thingy and seafood, and then ya started throwin' water around and screamin' about the giant octopus after yer hide." The others nodded and stared at the doctor, who babbled and wept in a fury of dismay.

"Liar! If what you said was true, then what are these?" he flung his collar aside and revealed several bruised looking marks on his neck. "What do these look like? Sucker bites?"

"Oh, doctor," cooed Marinara, gliding up to him. He flinched. "You were so… manly…" Ranma choked. "…describing your techniques that I couldn't help myself! I'm sorry I lost control like that!" she added contritely.

Tatewaki moved to interrupt the by-play by reaching within his jacket to remove an impressive sheaf of documents. "Dr. Hashibara, your failings have made this necessary. This is your letter of termination. This is a copy of the contract you signed, along with the listed consequences. Your private files will be removed and sent to you. You are dismissed as a Kuno Industries employee and lose all benefits as the termination is with cause. You have five minutes to leave all Kuno properties. Do I make myself clear to everyone?" He glared at the assembled orderlies and doctors. "It is my intent to examine everyone's credentials at this facility. Despite my strict orders, Dr. Hashibara overstepped his authority and no one advised me of this. If you have guilty consciences, I expect to see your resignations on the morrow. If my sister has come to harm, I'll have your heads." There was a general drawing in and backing up. Hashibara, face white, stood there, defiant and trembling. He hoped he still had that offer from certain important persons. If not, he might be out in the streets. "Now, get out!" As they left, he turned to the secretary. "You! Get those stupid alarms turned off! I expect to be conducted, with my guests, to my sister, immediately!"

Slowly, the sirens and alarms were silenced, but peace had a short reign. Even as a younger doctor with a bobbing Adam's apple came to show them to Tatewaki's sister, another clanging warning rang through the halls. The young doctor froze and gulped.

"Now what?" demanded Kuno.

"I'm afraid, sir…"

"Yes? What is it?"

"That alarm means your sister has…" He gulped again.

"What? What?"

"She's escaped."

oOo

Kodachi smiled at the nice hole he had cut in the nice fence. He wondered how easily he could cut nice holes in his rivals? Once the richest young woman in town, he would have to use his wits to survive. But penury is a relative term, for how better to challenge his new environment but as the strongest martial artist around? Laughing, he leapt out and disappeared into the streets of Tokyo. He did not notice that while passersby pointed and commented on the streaker, no one cringed at his laughter.