Chapter 4: Trouble in the air

Keeds these days no listen to tha big Kahuna. 'Tis' sad days...
-Principal Kuno, morning speech.

Nabiki entered her home, mildly weary after another profitable day at school. Discarding her schoolbag, she hardly spared a glance at her father that was feeding the koi, striding in the kitchen.

"Hello Nabiki" greeted Kasumi, allowing herself a respite from cocking to regard her younger sister. Her smile faltered a bit when she saw the middle Tendo's troubled eyes. "Did something happen at school?" she asked softly.

Nabiki produced a pile of yen notes, depositing them in a box safely tucked above the fridge. It was almost a ritual between the two sisters, Nabiki 'displacing' money in the kitchen, where Kasumi would find them and use them to bolster the meager income Soun would get from other sources. "I'm not sure" she replied earnestly. She thought about donning her 'Ice Queen' mask, one that had been serving her well as long as she could remember herself, then dismissed the notion when she remembered whom she was talking to. Kasumi would see right through it effortlessly. "Things seemed to go well for Ranma and our little sister. I mean, these last two weeks, ever since Taro moved in, have been almost ideal, with only the natural amount of psychos running around Furinkan. And yet Akane has been edgy all day today."

Kasumi nodded. "I think we should talk to her before she does something she regrets" she offered. "But that's not all, is it?"

Nabiki shuddered despite herself. It was easy to think of the older Tendo daughter as oblivious or even addled but she knew better. Kasumi had an almost supernatural way of reading people, of peeking in their minds and hearts. Furthermore, she had a way of knowing everything that happened in or around the Tendo estate, even if she would rarely act on that knowledge. "It's about Taro" she answered plainly, cringing when Kasumi's smile widened.

"You are worried about him." It was not a question, Nabiki knew, and she cursed under her breath.

"You bet I am!" she countered, avoiding the pitfall of denial so many others would fall in. "The Taro I used to know was rude, loud and had a hair-trigger temper. When I brought him here, I expected he and Ranma would be at each other's throats all day. I do have all my bases covered, mind you. I would only profit from their fights." Nabiki sighed. "And yet, both of them keep their temper tightly checked. I know they are not pod people or anything because the emotions are there alright, but they keep acting so... mature by their standards."

Kasumi chuckled at that, reaching for her sister's shoulder and clasping gently. "Ranma changed after they returned from China. His spirit is both strengthened and frightened" she whispered cryptically. "Both he and Akane are changed. They won't tell us what happened, but it was something important." She paused, as if straining to hear something. "As for Taro, I think this is closer to who he really is. But he thinks he is forcing himself to be nice. You do realize he is looking for something, don't you?"

Nabiki huffed. "Of course I do" she retaliated, somewhat miffed. "My cameras keep catching glances of him wandering around the house while no one is looking" she added, then cursed again under her breath.

Kasumi eyed her sister critically. "You know what I think of your methods, Sis" she commented, then her features lightened again. "He has already searched under the house and even offered to help me in the garden to get an alibi. He has also searched more than half of the rooms thoroughly. He even found five out of the ten money stashes you keep in your room, although he never touched a yen."

Nabiki regarded her sister incredulously, then remembered to collect her jaw from the floor. "One day, I'm going to find out how you do that, then find a way to make a profit out of it" she declared quietly, trying to save face for her own sake. She was a control freak and she accepted it, thriving even. It annoyed her to no end when someone like her older sister knew so much she did not. "Still, I agree we can do nothing for now" she continued, raising a brow when Kasumi's smile faltered. "What's the matter?"

"Akane is back" she replied sadly, just as the door opened. "Something went wrong." They both looked to their side, seeing their sister that was trying to sneak past them, eyes bloodshot.

"Welcome home, Akane" chirped Kasumi, causing her to freeze halfway up the stairs.

"Hi Sis" she replied, though her smile was blatantly fake. They locked eyes for a while, then Kasumi sighed.

Grabbing both Nabiki and Akane with unexpected fervor, she gently but firmly ushered them to the youngest girl's room. "Sister meeting" she declared sternly, locking the door and sitting on the bed. She ignored Nabiki, who was doing her best to seem uninterested, her eyes regarding Akane who was timidly examining the floor.

The next seconds were spent in silence, both Kasumi and Akane waiting for the other to start. Nabiki knew the situation was starting to get to her when she found herself fidgeting. Nabiki Tendo never fidgeted! Sighing, she decided it was her call. "So, what did you do to Ranma this time?" she asked, knowing she had hit a chord when Akane cringed. She waited a bit before continuing. "Really, Sis, you can tell the facts yourself or have us wring them from you. Guess which is easier."

The younger Tendo looked at Kasumi, who nodded in accord, then sighed, trying to compose herself. "It was going too good these last two weeks" she started slowly. "I couldn't get that strong in five months by my own but Ranma made it seem so easy. We got along somewhat well, too. Then I had to blow it..." Akane was grateful when Kasumi embraced her. "We had a cooking class today" she went on at length. "I was so exited when I gave him some. I thought it would be good this time and he actually tried it, but he... It was horrible and he said so. I barely managed not to hit him..."

Nabiki groaned but bit back a well-deserved comment after an unbecoming glare from her eldest sister. Akane went on. "Then Shampoo ambushed us while we were coming home. It's not the first time she glomps him like that either and I know it's not really his fault, but after the last quarrel I... I just saw red and..."

"And they went flying" interrupted Nabiki chuckling humorlessly.

"In the river..." added Akane pitifully.

Nabiki groaned again, massaging her temples with both hands. "Let me guess the rest. Ranma with Shampoo in the drink. He turns to she, bimbo turns to cat, redhead freaks out and runs away screaming with cat on top."

Akane buried her face in Kasumi's lap. "He must be hating me now. He might even..." she started, pausing a while then resuming. "He might even refuse to train me more."

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Yeah, as if that is what you are worried he won't do with you" she muttered, barely loud enough for the others to hear. "Look Sis" she went on after a while. "It's not like you can actually hurt the poor guy physically, you know. As long as you don't take him by surprise, he could have a mountain dropped on him and hardly affect him. He and Ryouga duke it out all the time and both of them know how to plant a punch through steel. But of course..." she added, stopping and shaking her head.

"But of course it is the meaning behind the action that can really harm him" went on Kasumi. "You have just shown him you don't trust him at all."

Akane perked at that. "Why should I trust that triple-timing jerk!" she exclaimed angrily, just before Nabiki used a mallet to tap her on the head painfully. "What was that for!" she asked rubbing a fast-developing bump.

The middle Tendo snorted. "That's for not being honest with either us or yourself. We are not Ranma and we know you too well. Plus you need to cool down a bit."

"I don't know what you're talking about" she replied defensively. "It's not like I...I like him."

Nabiki malleted her sister again for good measure. "Look Sis... we can all see Ranma is doing an effort here. Hell, it's like he has grown three times smarter since China. I know you won't tell us what happened there, but keep this in mind. However tolerant your fiancé might be, you will lose him sooner or later if you keep this up. He is going to snap, Sis..." her mouth curved in a wicked smile. "And it's not like you have no competition. There are more than one Tendo females after all."

Akane gasped, fully turning to regard Nabiki. The middle Tendo smirked. "I did say he's getting smarter, didn't I? The whole package doesn't look half bad now."

Akane's eyes snapped to regard Kasumi accusingly. Beyond all expectation, the elder Tendo blushed. "You've got to be kidding me" she breathed. "You were the ones that pushed me on him in the first place!"

Kasumi regained her smile. "We knew nothing about him then" she explained tentatively.

Akane ouch-ed as Nabiki bobbed her a third time. "So go out there, calm down and stop feeling sorry for yourself before we decide to claim him!" she added indignantly, leaving the room along with Kasumi.

Ranma sighed as she finished wringing the water out of her clothes. She then left the park bush she was hidden in, dodging a man-eating plant and trying to remember the way home. She had never noticed when, but somehow she had come to regard the Tendo estate as a true home. After ten years on the road, her whole life essentially, she could appreciate the commodity.

Home is where your heart lies, after all. Ranma stopped cold as her brain performed the equivalent of a somersault. "Where did that come from" she mumbled shaking her head as she resumed walking. "It's not like Akane would ever see me as anything more than a teacher or friend and that's laying it thick." Memories from Jusendo came rushing through her mind and the redhead suppressed a shudder.

Think about martial arts and weapons and deadly foes. Oh yes, deadly foes are safer. Ranma sighed again. "It's like what I was afraid it would be. Akane will be in serious trouble if I don't act soon. I will try training her to use that as soon as I get home. I just hope she's ready..."

The buxom redhead stopped mumbling as soon as she felt a familiar presence nearby. She knew the person in question had seen her and was approaching. She had dreaded the meeting.

"Hi Ranchan!" came the cheerful greeting, but Ranma could tell not all was right. Ukyo's voice held a subtle note of fear and anxiety.

The redhead found herself indecisive. Part of her wanted to forgive her friend for what she did two weeks ago. Another part ached to coil her hands around her neck and violently throttle her. Ranma sighed and decided she would choose later, after making a point. She found sliding in the Soul of Ice was becoming easier and easier these days. "Hi Ukyo."

The chef in question looked as if she had slapped her. Her cold undertones combined with her use of her normal name conveyed the message Ranma was positively enraged and trying to hide it. Ukyo recovered fast though and decided to ignore her gut feeling that told her to back off. "I've been busy these last weeks but I'll be back at school soon" she added lightheartedly, hoping to derail Ranma's anger.

Ranma swallowed a frown. "Good for you" she replied, then tried to keep walking. A hand on her shoulder stopped her.

Ukyo sounded almost desperate. "Are you mad at me Ranchan?" she asked numbly. "I wasn't trying to hit you with that bomb, I was aiming for Aka..." The chef stopped talking as Ranma turned abruptly, shrugging off her hand and looking her directly in the eyes. Ukyo gasped at what she saw. The blue-gray orbs were the same she knew and loved and yet she could feel something different, a ferocity telling tales of blood. "What happened to you in China, Ranchan?" she asked, wanting to sound demanding but lacking the resolve to do so.

"Nothing you'd like to hear" she retaliated and Ukyo could see the sadness.

"I'm your friend! You can tell me" replied the brunette, gasping when she saw Ranma trembling in rage.

The redhead kept her eyes closed, taking some deep breaths. She let some time pass before opening them again and replying. "I don't mind too much if my friend interrupts my wedding or lobs bombs at me or tries to claim me as some kind of sick prize. But throwing bombs that can hit civilians and innocents, claiming to be a martial artist of all things, just crosses the line. I expected that from Kodachi or Shampoo but not from you Ukyo. I had hoped you were better than that."

Ukyo felt a pit opening below her stomach. "But I love you, Ranchan" she whispered pitifully.

Ranma sighed. "Look Uchan" she started calmly. Ukyo's delight after the use of her pet name dissolved as soon as she saw her gaze was still hard. "I want you to think very carefully if you want to love me like a friend, a suitor or hate me like an enemy." Her voice became almost a whisper as she added, "I fear that the first category has been painfully empty."

Ukyo's eyes went wide both at the words and at the fact her fiancée was fading from view. "Wait Ranchan!" she pleaded, but the redhead ignored her, donning the Umisenken. Ukyo saw a droplet of water falling on the ground, just before it started raining.

Taro cursed aloud as he felt the searing pain knifing through his belly again. He could see the Tendo estate just a block ahead, so close but so far away for his injured body. He tried to take it one step at the time, limping badly while leaving bloody imprints of his hands on the wall beside him. He took two more steps with nothing more than sheer will, then collapsed on his knees, panting loudly.

"Whoa, Taro! Who gutted you that good?" The cursed warrior in question turned his head to see a familiar redhead running towards him from behind. He smirked despite his wounds.

"You know something femboy" he gasped weakly, just as Ranma reached him. "Out of all your fiancées, you have the larger bust. How fair is that?" The world was spinning around him now and he felt darkness gnawing at the edge of his sight.

Ranma frowned, taking a good look at his injuries. "Just for that, Pantyhose, I should leave you bleed all over the pavement. But I feel sorry... for the pavement." She sighed as Taro let a dry chuckle, then lost consciousness. "You so own me for that, Tentacle boy" she muttered, effortlessly and gently picking up the larger boy and sprinting back home.

Ranma didn't bother with the door, leaping cleanly above the outer fence and taking Taro directly to his futon. "Call the doc" she ordered, passing next to Nabiki and using a no nonsense tone. "Taro is down" she added, running back to the guestroom carrying a hoard of first aid supplies.

The middle Tendo knew not to question Ranma, grabbing the phone and calling Dr. Tofu. After a while, she entered Taro's room where Ranma and her father were trying to stop the bleeding. Nabiki cringed when she saw a large red scar, starting from Taro's right shoulder and ending at the left of his pelvis. "Did he run into Rouge or something again?" she asked in her usual neutral tone.

Ranma stood up. "Don't think so. He has no burn marks. This was made with a claw or a horn. It's not clean enough to be a weapon or chi blade."

Nabiki raised a brow as the redhead entered the bathroom, washing the blood off her hands, then using a handy hot water kettle to switch genders. "Are you in medicine too now Saotome?" she inquired.

"Anything goes" replied the now male Ranma casually, entering the kitchen.

Kasumi and Nodoka were hard at work readying lunch. "Is Taro alright" asked Kasumi worried after they both greeted him. "We are almost done here."

Ranma fidgeted a bit. "We are waiting for Dr. Tofu, Kasumi and..." he hesitated.

Kasumi sighed sadly. "I'll try to stay out of sight until he treats him" she offered.

"Sorry about that" replied Ranma sheepishly, drawing a curious glance from his mother. "I'll tell you later, mom. Let's try to deal with only a couple problems each time..."

Speaking of problems, Akane chose that moment to enter the room, causing both other women to stiffen. "Are you sure you need no help with..." she started, then stopped cold as she noticed the pig-tailed martial artist. "You are back Ranma. I..." she tried hesitantly.

Ranma stopped her with an unreadable glance. "An hour after lunch I'll be at the dojo" he stated. "Then we'll talk." Akane went to complain, but they all fell silent as Genma turned the television on in the living room.

'This is Nerima news, brought to you by Kuno toothpaste. Chaos in the middle of Nerima today as a fight broke between many strange creatures, positively identified as flying Minotaurs. While there had been sightings of such creatures before, we have never seen more than one at the time. The following video came from amateur sources.'

The screen went black for a while, giving everybody in the house enough time to come by and watch. Seconds later, three monsters came into view, each busy demolishing a building. The picture blurred and what seemed like another monster, plus eight tentacles, fell on the other three. The ensuing battle was swift, impressive and thoroughly brutal.

'All combatants, along with a couple of local vigilantes that tried to interfere, escaped the scene before the authorities could come. Miraculously, there have only been mild injuries and no losses. More serious is the collateral damage, estimated to fifty million yen. In other news, a vicious cabbit has been invading grocery stores stealing large quantities of carrots. The scientists believe that...'

"That would explain Taro's wounds" mumbled Ranma, just as Dr. Tofu Ono arrived, prompting Kasumi to unwillingly drop out of sight.

17-12-2006: I hope this chapter explains Taro's attitude a bit. You are free to guess what exactly he has been looking for. The Ukyo portion was difficult to write, mainly because I wanted her to realize what she did without having her dropped from the fiancée game. As for the sister meeting, I'm surprised I have yet to see another story using it. It just makes perfect sense...