I do not own anything written by Rumiko Takahashi or Kosuke Fujishima.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

Nabiki sleepily opened her eyes, and looked around her room. She definitely wasn't in Mad King Ludwig's bedroom. She smiled down at the cute naked redhead sleeping curled up in her arms even as she blushed beet-red. And this definitely isn't a muscular, black-haired guy — not exactly experienced, but definitely a fast learner with endurance to spare. Wow, what a dream! She took a sniff of the air. I'm definitely going to need to thoroughly clean up before school today.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

Nabiki slid her left hand up Ranma's arm and gently shook her shoulder. As Ranma came awake and sat up (and immediately started to sink into the bed before she caught herself) Nabiki frowned thoughtfully, so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice Ranma's blush on seeing her. That dream was rather odd, though. I mean, sure, Ludwig's bedroom was romantic enough, a great place for a tryst, but why would I dream of a prince that's younger than I am and dressed in a worn gi?

"Nabiki, are you awake?" came Kasumi's voice through the door. "You're late for breakfast, and you'll be late for school if you don't hurry."

What!? Even as Ranma floated up from the bed, Nabiki was out of bed and diving for her toiletries. "I'll be right down, Kasumi, thanks!" she shouted towards the door as she glanced at the clock. I slept right through the alarm! I haven't even slept till the alarm went off in years! Still, I do feel great, I'm going to have to sleep with cute redheads, or at least a particular cute redhead, more often, Nabiki thought with a grin.

"Uh, Nabiki?" Ranma said nervously, rubbing the back of her head, "I'd better get back to China. Pop is gonna be wonderin' what I'm up to by now, an' as fun as it is to make him squirm sometimes I don't want him to get to askin' too many questions ..."

Nabiki nodded distractedly. "You're right, you need to get back. Come on, there's hot water in the furo."

Nabiki quickly dashed down to the furo, with Ranma flying after her. Even as Nabiki started to lather up, Ranma flushed and looked away and floated over to the furo. "Bye, Nabiki, see ya later," she said as she sank into the hot water and disappeared.

Nabiki watched with a wry and slightly lustful smile, the aftereffects of the previous night's dream still echoing through her. Shaking off an idle daydream, she quickly but thoroughly washed herself off and dressed in her school uniform, grabbed her school supplies, then rushed to the family room. She arrived just in time to see Akane headed out to school, and Kasumi waiting for her with an unusually large bento.

"You're too late for breakfast, so I made you twice as much as usual for lunch," Kasumi said with her usual serene smile firmly in place, then glanced at their father, still sitting at the table reading the morning paper, and walked with Nabiki to the front door. In a low voice Kasumi asked, "Ranma headed back to China?"

"Yeah, she said she needed to get back before her father got too curious about where she's been. Barring more rain we probably won't see her until tonight."

"I see. Well, you had better get going before you're late," Kasumi replied, and watched pensively as her younger sister strode off in Akane's wake. It really isn't proper, sleeping with a naked girl like that, even a nature spirit — especially when the girl is actually a boy. And if I'm right about the way little sis swings ... Still, she seemed unusually cheerful this morning. Kasumi sighed, then stiffened. What was that? She glanced around subtly — nothing. I could have sworn for a moment I felt a presence, a powerful one. I must be getting jumpy. Kasumi closed the door and with a small sigh turned back to the breakfast dishes and the day's cleaning.

/\

Outside, twenty feet up in the air, two goddesses hovered and watched as Kasumi closed the door, then turned and watched Nabiki stride off toward the school. "Urd, you should be more careful," Belldandy gently chided her older sister. "You left my obscuration field for a moment; Kasumi sensed you."

"Well, I expected you to follow Nabiki," Urd grumbled. "So why aren't we?"

"Because my task is done, big sis, it is time to go home," Belldandy replied serenely, smiling as Nabiki vanished from sight.

"What, already? But you hardly did anything, how can you be done? You sure you just don't want to get back to Keiichi?" Urd responded, glancing slyly at her younger half-sister.

Belldandy blushed slightly and sent a small frown Urd's way. "No, as much as I've missed Keiichi he has nothing to do with this. It is simply that the mission is complete."

"Just like that, huh? And why was I sent along to watch, anyway?"

Belldandy sighed. "Kami-sama sent you along to observe, big sis, because while you have a good heart you lack subtlety and flexibility. Remember that saying Keiichi used the last time you tried your potions on us: 'If all you have is a hammer, all your problems look like nails'. Urd, there are situations for which your potions are neither needed nor helpful. Nabiki needed a true and honorable friend to steer her from the path she was following, and thanks to my minor and occasional interference with her summonings she now has one. And no, not 'just like that'. They are very different people, and will have their rough moments. But they are both also very lonely, and unlikely to let those rough moments get in the way of their friendship, and perhaps even a stronger bond."

"Really?" asked Urd doubtfully. "Even when Mara takes notice that the wheels are coming off her nice, tidy seduction and starts working to break them up or turn this to her advantage?"

"Even then," Belldandy replied. "Mara is unlikely to be able to overcome their need for each other or corrupt Ranma. But even if she does, that will be their choice — I have given them a chance, now it is up to them to accept it or not. Now come, sister, let's go home." She blushed again. "You are right that I've missed Keiichi these past few weeks and am eager to see him again."

The two goddesses moved unnoticed into the Tendo household, and Belldandy watched Urd vanish into the TV, then eagerly headed to the furo and vanished into the mirror there, returning to her beloved Keiichi.

/oOo\

Nabiki walked down the street toward the school, still unable to get the memories of her dream out of her mind, an image of the black-haired, muscled, slightly taller hunk and what he'd done to her playing on the screen of her mind's eye. Wow, girl, when you get frustrated you really get frustrated! Still, it was a bit odd — Mad King Ludwig's bedroom was no surprise, but finding a shy young hunk in a battered, dirty gi instead of the usual older prince sure was. I wonder if Ranma had anything to do with that? She's certainly confused enough! She was so cute this morning.

For a moment, the black-haired hunk from her dream morphed into the tiny, naked redhead she'd spent the night cuddling up to, before Nabiki jerked to a stop and shook her head to dispel the image. Whoa, watch it, girl — you've got a great thing going here, so don't go getting ideas! As shy as she is, you make one pass and she'll bolt. The fact that she'll get bounced back to you whenever she — he — gets wet won't help either. She'll end up feeling trapped and resent it like hell. Nabiki glanced around, and was disturbed to find herself a block past the entrance to the school grounds. Girl, you haven't zoned out like that in years. Just because you have a friend now doesn't mean you stop being careful. She turned and strode back toward the entrance as the image of a redhead sinking down toward the furo rose up into her mind.

/\

Yuka stood beside Sayuri at the school building's main entrance, the two watching a panting Akane standing over and scowling down at a once again unconscious Upperclassman Kuno. Yuka sighed. "You know, Sayuri, these morning brawls are getting really old. Leaving aside that it's impossible to get a date now, I really don't like what it's doing to Akane."

Sayuri idly nodded. "Agreed, but what can we do about it? There isn't much point to complaining about Kuno, and so long as the underclassmen are afraid of him nothing is going to change." Sayuri's gaze wandered over the groaning and/or unconscious boys scattered around Akane and up toward the gate and froze, her jaw dropping.

Yuka glanced at her shocked friend. "Sayuri, what's up?"

"It's Nabiki, she's smiling!"

"What!?" Yuka whirled to face the gate and stared. "I don't believe it!"

Sayuri shook herself out of her shock and strode toward Akane through the morning battle's debris. "Hey, Akane, what's up with Nabiki?"

Akane looked up at one of her two best friends, her scowl fading to be replaced with confusion. "Nothing that I know of, why?"

"Turn around."

Akane turned and stared at her older sister, approaching them with a gentle smile on her face and apparently oblivious to everything around them. "Wow, I don't think I've ever seen Nabiki look like that!"

Yuka joined the other two, also watching the approaching Nabiki, and grinned. "I've never seen that look on Nabiki, but I've definitely seen it before — on my older sister during her last big crush. Have there been any boys hanging around the Ice Queen you haven't told us about?"

Akane glared at her other best friend, and growled, "No! If any of those perverts had come around I would have sent them packing." The glare faded to a concerned look as her gaze shifted back to Nabiki and in a worried tone she added, "She hasn't been out of the house enough in the last week to meet any pervert somewhere else. When she hasn't been in school she's been in her room playing on her computer or working on her calligraphy." She strode to meet her sister and reached out to grasp her shoulder.

Nabiki jumped at the touch, and her smile faded as she focused on Akane. "Akane, what's up?"

"I think that's my question."

Nabiki stiffened and shrugged. "Nothing's up, why do you ask?"

"You seem a bit different today. You aren't somehow meeting one of those perverted boys, are you?"

With a laugh, Nabiki shook her head and gazed around at the human detritus surrounding them. "One of these gutless wonders? Please! I have better taste than that." Just then, the bell signaling the beginning of the school day sounded. Nabiki shook off Akane's hand and moved toward the school entrance, calling back over her shoulder in a sarcastic tone thick enough to cut with a knife, "Come on, girls, time to once again brave our marvelous halls of academe!"

The other three exchanged confused looks and gave a group shrug, before following Nabiki into the school.

/oOo\

Gernma stalked down the trail in his panda form carrying both packs, and fuming. Sure, the rain last night had done its usual job of turning him into a panda and his son invisible and insubstantial, but Ranma had then wandered off who knows where! Genma wasn't about to admit it, even to himself, but he was getting worried — not that Ranma wouldn't be able to find him again, he seemed to be able to do that easily now, but that he was getting completely out of control. Sure, before Jusenkyo Ranma had been verbally disrespectful, but that was just a sign of spirit and he'd still done whatever Genma had demanded. Now, though … refusing to tell his father how he was changing back to his normal form was bad enough, but purposefully turning himself invisible and insubstantial and wandering off whenever he felt like it was worse. Genma didn't think that Ranma was going to take the news of the Tendo engagement well, and he couldn't think of a single way to make the boy stay if he chose to leave — that ungrateful brat was going to throw away Genma's retirement, er, his future running a dojo! Now Genma was beginning to regret mailing that postcard —

With a puff of displaced air, Genma's naked son popped into existence next to the panda, startling him into a growling fighting stance. "Hey, Pop, if ya keep growlin' like that they're gonna think you're dangerous and stick ya in a zoo somewhere! Gimme my pack." The panda growled again but relaxed and passed Ranma's pack to him, then moved off the path and started gathering wood as best he could while his son pulled his clothes out of the pack and got dressed. Both ignored the bird calls coming from farther up the trail.

/\

Shampoo sighed softly to herself as she watched the panda stalking down the path towards the ambush carrying two backpacks. The hunt had taken longer than expected. Shampoo frowned, thinking of the pursuit of the last few weeks even as she glanced to the side, making sure the members of her hunting party on her side of the trail were under cover. It had proven harder to track her fugitive — shudder — husband than she'd expected. It hadn't helped that they could never be sure whether they were trying to find a man or a panda at any particular moment. And then there was the boy that witnesses sometimes reported traveling with the man/panda, where had he come from, and why wasn't he around all the time? Shampoo shrugged slightly even as a panda strode into view, and her magic ring verified the approach of a Jusenkyo-cursed human — now that they'd finally managed to get ahead and set up an ambush they'd have their answers soon enough. Shampoo tensed, getting ready to give the signal and charge.

Suddenly, a boy somewhere around her age popped into view out of thin air, and her necklace, one of the tribe's magical treasures, a detector of magic in operation, briefly but strongly flared on her chest even as her ring's detection of Jusenkyo curses doubled. So the boy had a curse as well, but where had he come from? He couldn't have just been invisible, that wouldn't have stopped the ring from picking him up. And what had the necklace detected at the instance of the boy's appearance, some form of teleportation, perhaps? Shampoo frowned in hopeful thought — while the older man was a powerful and skilled martial artist, he wasn't exactly what she had been looking for in a husband. If this boy was the son he had spoken of back at the village, and if the boy was some sort of mage powerful enough to instantaneously jump across miles, perhaps the exception to the Kiss of Marriage made for powerful mages and their relatives would apply. Even as the panda and the boy moved off the trail, she gave the bird call signaling to the rest of the hunting party to fall back from the ambush and regroup.

Several hours later the Amazons had regathered back at their last camp site, the older women listening as Shampoo explained why she'd called off the ambush. Klensur, Shampoo's second in command (and minder), nodded thoughtfully but gave her decades-younger leader a suspicious glance. "What you've said makes sense, but you're still only guessing. How do you think we should verify this?"

Shampoo, having spent the last few hours considering just that question, already had her plans made. "Klensur, you will take all of the hunting party except me and Harbrus back to the village and let great-grandmother and the other Elders know what we've learned. They will know better how to determine if the boy is truly a mage, or if there are any Jusenkyo curses that could give him the power he used." Shampoo reached into her belt pouch and pulled out two polished pebbles, one of which she gave to Klensur. "Here's a tracking stone, I'll keep the other with me so you can find me later with whatever the Elders say." She turned to a slight but sleekly muscled girl only a few years older than her. "Harbrus, since you're the best stalker and tracker here, you're with me. Tonight you are going to sneak into the panda's camp and plant another tracking stone in his backpack, so the two of us can follow him wherever he goes while we wait for the Elders' response." Then Shampoo cocked an eyebrow at Klensur with a knowing smile.

Klensur chuckled at her young leader's unspoken acknowledgement of her status as Shampoo's minder, then nodded. "Good thinking, let's move." The hunting party quickly broke down their camp and separated, Shampoo and Harbrus setting off after the two males and the rest heading west toward their village.

/oOo\

"I'm home!" Nabiki called out, stopping just inside the front door to remove her shoes.

"Nabiki, you're late!" Kasumi called from the kitchen.

"Yeah, one of my teachers asked me to stay after school. For some reason, he thought I seemed distracted and wanted to make sure nothing was wrong."

Kasumi appeared around the corner. "Nabiki, it is such a beautiful day, and dinner will be simple enough that I can take a break. Would you care to join me for a short walk in the park?"

Nabiki frowned slightly and sharpened her gaze at her older sister for moment, then nodded. "Sure, will Akane be joining us?"

"Oh, no! She's busy practicing the Art and I would hate to interrupt her."

Nabiki's frown disappeared into her usual calm poker face and she nodded. "I see. Just let me drop off my school bag in my room and change out of my school uniform, and I'll be right back down."

/\

Nabiki gazed at Kasumi walking along the park path beside her, and then looked around — nobody else was within earshot. "All right, sis, what did you want to talk about sensitive enough that we couldn't discuss it at home?"

Kasumi seemed to struggle for words for a moment, then sighed. "Nabiki, last night you said that nothing was going to happen if Ranma spent the night in your bed."

Nabiki stopped and stared at her sister in confusion. "But nothing happened, what makes you think differently?"

"The calls I've received today from old friends still in school asking who the lucky boy is that's melted the Ice Queen's heart."

"What!?" Nabiki shouted, then blushed and looked around to see if her outburst had attracted anyone's attention. She started walking again and Kasumi hurried a few steps to catch up. "I'm telling you, Kasumi, nothing happened except the best night's sleep I've had in ages, and I'm not about to ruin a good thing by trying to change that."

Kasumi nodded, then glanced sharply at her sister as she caught a low mutter of "Only in my daydreams." She frowned again slightly. "What was that, Nabiki? I didn't quite hear you."

"Only in your dreams!" Nabiki hurriedly said, and thought quickly, looking for a distraction. "Kasumi, last night when you said we still had things to talk about, you emphasized the name 'Saotome' as if I should know it. Why?"

Kasumi continued to frown thoughtfully at Nabiki for a moment longer, then sighed and accepted the change of subject. "I take it you don't remember Auntie Saotome?"

Nabiki stared at her in shock. "Auntie Saotome? No, I don't."

Kasumi nodded. "I suppose there's no reason you should, really. She was one of mother's best friends and used to visit regularly, but stopped coming by after mother died. She didn't spend much time talking to any of us but mother, and I seem to remember that she seemed sad, even ... pained whenever she'd look at us children. Perhaps it had something to do with her son, she stopped by briefly a few years ago to ask if we'd seen him or his father — it seems they went on an extended training trip and she hadn't heard from them in a number of years. I told her that neither had ever visited, of course."

Nabiki found she'd come to a stop again as she stared at Kasumi and quickly resumed walking as she thought. "You know, I am coming to really detest Ranma's father. Are you sure that it's the same two?"

Kasumi nodded. "I cannot remember the first name of either that Auntie Saotome asked about, but I find the coincidence unlikely."

Nabiki nodded herself. "Agreed. What was Auntie Saotome's first name?"

"I can't remember hers, either," Kasumi admitted reluctantly. "All that I can recall is a tall, regal woman with fading red hair dressed in a formal kimono and carrying a katana all bundled up."

"Sounds like I have my work cut out for me locating her," Nabiki groaned.

"Are you sure that's wise? Ranma's father could have a good reason for his decision not to visit."

"From what Ranma's said I seriously doubt that," Nabiki remarked dryly, "but nothing says that I have to let Ranma know about her when I find her. I'll do a little research, see what I can learn and let you know before we tell her."

Kasumi nodded, then glanced at her watch. "Oh my! I completely lost track of time, we must get back home immediately so I can finish dinner."

Nabiki sighed softly in relief, and the two turned back toward home.

/oOo\

Ranma was really taking a bruising. Usually, he had no problem fending off his father's attempts to surprise him as they hiked, but today he kept getting distracted thinking about the dream he'd had the previous night. Where had he seen anything remotely as luxurious as that bedroom he'd dreamed of him and Nabiki meeting in? He must have seen something like it somewhere, but he couldn't think of where. And I can't have forgotten anything like that, if only 'cause of the shouting when Pop tried to steal everything in sight. And after all this time seeing Nabiki nude with only the faintest hint of distortion from her see-through clothing, actually seeing her covered, if not much, had seemed strange. Not that she'd stayed dressed very long... Ranma blushed yet again and Genma, currently human and long since recognizing the signal of certain distraction, promptly bounced Ranma off the nearest tree then frowned at his son as Ranma got back to his feet. "Boy, I know you can't match me on your best day, but this is pitiful. What is your problem!?"

Ranma rubbed his shoulder and glared at his father. "Just tryin' to figure out how to tell people about this bust of a trip when we get back to Japan. Wait, I know, I'll just tell 'em how my idiot of a father used a guide book over a century old, that'll explain everything!" Then Ranma gave a cocky grin as Genma charged with a growl almost as good as he could give as a panda and flipped his father into the stream running beside their path. As Genma crawled out of the stream, Ranma glanced at the setting sun and shrugged off his backpack and quickly undressed, and with an "I'm tired of your whining, Pop, see ya whenever," stepped into the stream and vanished from his frustrated father's sight.

/\

Nabiki, dinner long over and her homework complete, sat back in frustration and glared at her computer monitor. Amazing how many Saotomes there are in Japan. There's no way to whittle the list down without making assumption on assumption, and if any of my guesses are wrong the entire exercise will be a waste of time. She gazed out the window at the moonless night, then glanced at the clock. Hmm, it should be getting on to nightfall around where Ranma should be in China, I'm surprised she hasn't shown up yet. Then she grinned as the long (Nabiki tried to pretend not 'and anxiously') awaited curvy redhead popped into view, floating above the bed. "Ranma, good to see you. I'm surprised you didn't get here sooner."

Ranma rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Aw, I didn't wanna make Pop any more curious than I had to."

Nabiki nodded as she shut down her computer and started changing into her night clothes. "Sensible. Well, come on, it's been a long day, let's get to sleep."

"Ah, Nabiki, I-I really think I ought t-ta spend the night on the lawn," Ranma stuttered, blushing.

Nabiki paused in the middle of pulling on her top and frowned at her naked guest, trying to keep an appreciative gleam out of her eyes. "Now, Ranma, it would be an insult to have you sleeping on our lawn, and we can't have that! Now, be a good girl, ah, boy," Nabiki quickly corrected when Ranma flinched, "and come on!" she stated firmly as she finished dressing for the night. She turned out the light, strode to the bed, and threw back the covers and climbed in, motioning for Ranma to join her.

Ranma reluctantly again lay down on Nabiki's outstretched right arm, stiffened as both Nabiki's arms encircled her waist and pulled her up against Nabiki's front so that they were spooned together, then slowly relaxed as nothing else happened. Just as she started to drift off, Nabiki murmured something in her ear. "Huh? Whazzat?" Ranma asked drowsily.

"I asked what you remember about your mother," Nabiki replied more loudly.

Ranma came back awake a bit and shrugged. "Nothin' really. Just a few memories of a nice woman with red hair." Ranma chuckled sleepily. "Guess we know where my red hair comes from." After a moment's hesitation she added, "Pop never talks about her, and when I used to ask he'd just ignore me and come up with another stupid trainin' method."

Ranma felt the soft air from Nabiki's snort blow on the top of her head. "Figures," Nabiki said. "You don't even remember her name?"

Ranma shook her head. "Nah, 'fraid not. Why d'ya ask?"

"Oh, just curious," Nabiki said, then yawned. "Good night, Ranma, sweet dreams."

Ranma felt her face warm as she blushed beet-red. "G'night, Nabiki," she replied, and together the two quickly drifted off to sleep.

A half-hour later, the two were so deeply asleep that neither stirred when a beam of light fell across the bed as Kasumi cracked open the door and peeked into the room. She gazed at the two for a moment, sighed to herself, then yawned, quietly closed the door, and headed off to her own bed.

No major rewriting this time, but I did shuffle things around a bit to put them into chronological order rather than separating them out by location as in my original Anime Addventures episodes.