(Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or any of the characters and stories associated with it.)

Brother and Sister

From the last chapter: Tatewaki Kuno's eyes blazed as he withdrew the Kuno honor blade from its sheath, "So be it!"

Kodachi snickered, "So dear brother, you choose to use the family blade against me.

Tatewaki held the blade in front of him as light glinted from its polished surface, "I do not wish to kill you, my sister. Leave now or face my blade."

The Back Rose raised an eyebrow, "Face my blade?"

She narrowed her eyes and pointed at Akane, "I am of your same blood, Tatewaki. This commoner has no right to even be here and yet you protect her as if she were your wife."

The boy's eyes blazed, "I gave you a chance, sister. Now die!"

Tatewaki charged the girl with the blade overhead. Kodachi easily read the move and jumped over her brother while twirling her ribbon around his sword arm. He quickly swapped hands with the blade and sliced the ribbon away. She tossed the now useless ribbon aside, "Well, it seems I have underestimated you, dear brother."

The gymnast began doing cartwheels around her sword welding brother. As she twirled around him, she tossed several spiked clubs at her opponent. Tatewaki was not to be done in by such a tactic and easily deflected each of the clubs to the side. When she stopped, he laughed, "You have forgotten that I know all of your tricks."

"Hohohoho. Not all of them, brother."

Kodachi leaped up and into the air. As Tatewaki followed her movement above, he readied the blade to strike, "What goes up must come down."

"Have you have forgotten who I am, Tatewaki. Storm of the Black Rose!"

A sudden flurry of black rose petals engulfed the boy, blocking his view of Kodachi. As he waved his free hand to clear the rose petals she descended and struck him in the head with a vicious kick. Tatewaki staggered momentarily while shaking his head. His eye caught a movement to one side and quickly swung the sword in a vicious slash to the right. The girl sensed the approaching steel and arched her back in mid air, avoiding the blade as it skimmed underneath. As she flipped over backwards, the blade just clipped the back of her calf, causing a streak of blood to splatter the ornate wallpaper.

Kodachi gritted her teeth in pain as she backed up quickly from her brother, "You dare to actually use that blade against me?"

Tatewaki's eyes were cold as he slowly approached his sister, "I gave you fair warning. Leave now, or I will be forced to kill you."

She glared as she limped towards the entrance door, "This is not over, dear brother. You will regret this day, I swear it!"

* * *

Back at the Tendo's Ranma and Nabiki had just returned home and were discussing the day with the rest of the family. Kasumi was nearly finished preparing dinner and Nodoka was having another little talk with her husband, Genma. Soun wisely kept his face to the newspaper while his long time friend endured Nodoka's wrath. Within a few minutes, Kasumi had begun placing dinner on the table.

She called out, "Time for dinner, everyone."

As was now customary, Soun sat at the head of the table while Nodoka and Genma took their place to his right and Ranma and Nabiki sat at his left. Kasumi entered the dining room with the rice cooker and seated herself across from her father. When everyone was seated, Kasumi began to quietly fill the bowls with rice while everyone began to eat dinner. It was a quiet meal for the most part as the family felt uncomfortable eating while the youngest Tendo was still missing.

Soun was on the verge of turning on the waterworks once again, "It just doesn't feel right without my little baby here!"

Kasumi looked up, "Father! Please try and control yourself. We all need each other's strength right now."

Soun looked up sharply at his oldest daughter. She still looked as sweet as ever, but for some reason she seemed…older. The head of the Tendo household swallowed as he thought this over, "Yes, you're right, Kasumi. It's just I'm so worried about her. Here we are sitting here about to eat dinner when she is somewhere out there in the night and all alone."

Nabiki spoke up, "Daddy, we will all be going out to look for her right after we're done eating."

Soun nodded and noted the comfortable closeness Nabiki and Ranma seemed to have with each other. The two of them were calmly eating dinner together with no teasing, arguing, or fighting. Comforted by the sight, he smiled a bit and began to eat.

Ranma ate his dinner quickly but not at the insane speed needed when his father was usually present. Before his mother and the Tendos were halfway finished, he held out his bowl, "That was great, Kasumi!"

The elder daughter blushed slightly, "Why thank you, Ranma. Done already? Would you like some more rice."

Ranma was about to thank her when there was a knock at the door. Kasumi got up, "It looks like we have visitors. I'll get the door."

A few moments later they heard Kasumi gasp, "Oh my. Ranma? Would you come here and give me a hand, please."

Ranma got up and went to help Kasumi and moments later returned carrying a woman in a black leotard. Nabiki jumped up, "Kodachi! What's she doing here?"

As Ranma followed Kasumi to the bath, Ukyo entered the dining room, "I found her crouching in the bushes by the entrance. When I approached her, she jumped up, staggered a bit and fell back down. It was then I noticed the large cut on her calf and I knocked on the door."

Nabiki looked over towards the bath, "Did she say how it happened?"

Ukyo nodded, "It was her own brother. He attacked her with the family blade."

Nabiki shook her head, "Tatewaki's a loon, but he would never attack his own sister like that. There must be a mistake."

The chef shook her head, "Ever since I arrived in this town that idiot has been waving that boken around at Ranma and everyone else. It seems logical enough he'd eventually start waving live steel."

"But his own sister?"

Ranma entered the room, "Kasumi says she'll be okay. The cut looks a lot worse than it is. It isn't deep, it's just long. Might need stitches, so she's going to call the doc."

Ukyo turned towards Ranma, "Did she say anything about what happened?"

Ranma nodded, "Yeah, something about Akane taking over her brother's will. Sounds a lot like Kodachi got into her own powders if you ask me."

Soun stood up, "At least we know where she is."

Nodoka looked over at her son, "I don't understand. How could she take control of someone?"

An ancient and tired voice answered, "I'm afraid that was partially my fault."

As the Cologne entered the dining room, Nodoka asked, "What do you mean, Elder? There wasn't anything you could have done about this."

Cologne smiled, "I could have been more accurate, child. While I was in the hospital, I contacted the elders in China and found that there was an error in the scroll. It was placed there to prevent anyone from accidently summoning the demon. No one realized that the demon might already know this."

Nabiki raised an eyebrow, "So what does this mean?"

The old woman sat down next to Nabiki and took a few breaths, "The demon has made its presence known. He not only has given her the strength and power she always dreamed of, but knowledge of the forbidden dark arts as well."

Nabiki raised an eyebrow, "Dark arts?"

"If what the young Kuno girl said was true, your sister has already learned one forbidden technique, 'Chains of the Mistress'. A truly evil means of putting a spell on a subject that causes them to mentally become the slave of whoever casts it. The Kuno boy believes she is his mistress and will do anything she says, even if it means yours, or his death."

"Whoa."

"It get's worse. As the boy serves her, she rewards him with a highly perverted form of positive ki. This ki will be like a drug to the boy and the longer he is under the spell, the more he will enjoy it. Eventually he will become so addicted to the rush he receives from serving her that he will die if she is taken away from him for even a few minutes."

Nabiki shook her head, "Kuno has some skill with that wooden sword, but even so, Ranma can usually beat him with no problems as long as he doesn't get over confident. I get the feeling there is more to this."

The old woman nodded, "Indeed Miss Tendo. Because he is now enslaved to her, he is also benefiting from the demon's influence. His skill with the sword will continue to increase by several fold."

Nodoka spoke up, "She should be safe in the Kuno estate, especially with the boy guarding her. We can prepare ourselves and hit the mansion in the early morning hours."

Cologne shook her head, "I'm afraid there won't be time for that. I said earlier that there was an error in the scroll. The error was in the timing and was put in place to make sure the caster missed the deadline. Unfortunately the demon knows this and has probably instructed the girl on the correct time for the enchantment."

Ukyo placed both of her hands on the table and leaned forward, "As I understood it, this spell casting was originally set for tomorrow night after midnight. How much time to we have now?"

"She will cast it immediately after midnight, tonight."

Ranma swore, "Crap."

Nabiki placed her hand on his shoulder, "We just have a few hours and none of us knows our way around the Kuno mansion. How are we going to find her?"

"I'll show you."

Kodachi limped up to the table. She was now wearing a pair of dark blue slacks that covered her bandaged leg, "The Kuno estate has several anti personnel systems in place and only Tatewaki and I know their location."

Nodoka turned towards the Kuno girl, "My dear, we do appreciate your help, but are you sure you're up to this? That was a nasty cut we saw you with earlier and I don't want to see you hurt further."

Kodachi chuckled dryly, "Kasumi Tendo is quite skilled in the art of patching people up. Contrary to what you might think of me, I do love my idiot brother. And although I know he would like nothing more than to be the Tendo girl's slave, I can't sit by and let him be consumed by this."

Nabiki eyed the girl for a moment, "Are you feeling okay, Kodachi? You look a bit shaky."

The younger girl looked down a bit, "I have not been around my plants for several hours. Some of the plants I raise produce an addictive powder. I'm afraid I no longer function very well without it."

"Hmm, that does explain a lot."

Ranma chuckled, "Sounds like you need a new hobby."

Kodachi turned to glare at Ranma for a moment as Kasumi walked past with a tray of medical supplies. Just as she neared Ranma, her foot caught on the rice cooker and she stumbled slightly. Before she could catch her balance, the small bowl of water on the tray tipped, splashing Ranma and triggering the curse.

Ranma rolled her eyes, "It never fails. Seems like I can't go a single day without water finding me."

Nabiki gave him a wink, "It could have been a lot worse, Ranma. At least you're really cute like this."

Ranma was about to comment when she heard a high pitched gasp. She turned and saw Kodachi was pointing at her with a shaky finger, "It's you!"

Ranma sighed, "Of course it's me, Kodachi. It's always been me. I'm Ranma."

Kodachi was shaking her head, "No, no, no…this can't be…"

Ranma reached over and grabbed Kodachi's wrist with one hand and picked up a cup of tea with the other, "Listen Kodachi, I've been trying to tell you and that loony brother of yours for months now that I have a curse. I am a boy, but if I get splashed by cold water, I turn into a girl."

Kodachi was still shaking, "Ca-can you turn back?"

Ranma smirked, "Sure. All it takes is hot water."

She turned the cup of tea over her head and triggered the curse once again, "See Kodachi. It's still me."

He was still holding her wrist and she reached out and touched his hand, "Ranma?"

He nodded, "Yep."

"Does that hurt?"

He shook his head, "It used to tingle a bit, but now I hardly feel it."

Kodachi was starting to calm a bit, "How did such a thing happen?"

Ranma pointed to the old woman, "Cologne and my old man will agree with me on this. There are some really bad things in China you never want to visit, Kodachi."

* * *

As Ranma gave Kodachi the shortened version of how he and his father became cursed, across town a bit, another Kuno was walking through the underground catacombs of the family mansion. He approached a massive wooden door with large black iron hinges and knocked. A voice called from the other side instructing him to enter. After Tatewaki entered the room he dropped to one knee before the young woman standing in the room. She placed a hand on his shoulder, "Why have you come here? I instructed you to guard the entrances and keep the others away until I have finished."

Kuno kept his head bowed, "Forgive me, my mistress. I discovered something that might have some importance to you."

He then held out a small black object to her. Akane's smiled as she reached out and grabbed the little black pig, "P-Chan! How in the world did you find him?"

The boy smiled at her happiness, "The piglet was wondering the catacombs. I remember you had such an animal as a pet, Mistress. But I was not sure is this was the same pig."

She smiled and rubbed her hand though the boy's hair, "You have done well, Tatewaki. Please continue with your duties."

Tatewaki stood up and bowed deeply, "As you wish, Mistress."

After the boy had turned and left, Akane held the little pig up to her face, "P-Chan you naughty little pig! I've been so worried about you."

The little pig was a bit confused and 'bweed' softly.

She walked towards the back of the room while holding the little pig next to her chest. When she got to the far side of the room, she opened a large door and entered the next chamber. P-Chan wasn't paying attention to his new surroundings and looked around in confusion as the girl he loved so dearly held him out away from herself by the scruff of the neck. Akane smirked as she let go of the pig over a large tub of hot water, "Bath time!"

After a small splash, the much larger and very naked form of Ryoga Hibiki found himself face to face with the last person he wanted to see. Akane reached out and grabbed him by the hair and pulled him closer, "Well, well…If it isn't Ryoga."

The Lost Boy was in a near state of panic, "I-I can explain-."

Akane smirked, "That you're P-Chan? Oh yes, I'd love to hear it."

Before he had a chance to say anything more, Akane reached around the boy and hit four points on his back.