Chaotic Rebirth Chapter 2, a ranma fanfic

Title: Chaotic Rebirth

Author name: Trugeta

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ as well as Naoko Takeuchi and many others. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Note further that I don't own any of the trademarks mentioned in this story.

This story takes place after the failed wedding in the Ranma series and the defeat of Galaxia in the Sailor Moon Series. It's an AU, and reviews are welcome and appreciated.

Chapter 2

Friday April the 7th, 2006 was a particularly warm and sunny day, but two women sojourning in Shakujii Park couldn't have cared less. These women, one Nodoka Saotome, mother to one of Nerima wards' premier martial artists, and Ayame Kagote, agent in the service of Clan Saotome, were seated on the grassy soil the park provided in abundance.

Nodoka was still leaning against the tree the agent of her parents had propped her up against, and gauging from the blank look on her face the auburn-haired woman had no inclination to alter her position, which was no surprise seeing that her mind had to be reeling from everything she had just learned. The younger woman, Ayame, hadn't changed her position either and remained seated in front of Nodoka, Indian style, her eyes not leaving the daughter of her employers.

Suddenly Nodoka's attention seemed to return to the present, and it was easy to see that she still had a lot of questions. Making a quick decision Nodoka determined that it would be the wisest course of action to inform Kasumi that she wouldn't attend dinner, and the Saotome Matriarch made motions to get up. "I have to place a call to inform Kasumi that I won't be home for dinner tonight. I have seen a telephone-booth a kilometre away, so I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Here," Ayame spoke up and produced an elegant looking black cell-phone before Nodoka could prop herself up, "You can use my cell-phone if you know the number, Mistress. If not we can call the directory enquiries. Walking to the public phone and back would just take too long, and time can be used much more efficiently."

The Saotome matriarch took the offered mobile phone and thanked Ayame. A few moments later Kasumi had been informed that Nodoka would be taking a longer walk than anticipated, and the talk with Ayame could continue.

"What are the immediate plans?" Nodoka wanted to know and involuntarily leaned forward. "How would the... procedure commence?"

Ayame's face became expressionless. "First question. We intend to remove Ranma from the Tendo Dojo. I'm sure that sufficient reason for this course of action will present itself considering the jealousy and distrust Akane Tendo has shown in the past."

"But..."

"Merely stating the facts, Mistress. The girl is inept at getting her anger under control and hits your daughter for banalities, and sadly Mistress Ranma takes this 'punishment' in hopes it would get better, in hopes that the Tendo girl would come around and change. But that will soon be water under the bridge. Second question. This is a bit more... complicated. We have genetic material from the Queen, but as mentioned before, Ranma's genes have to be passed on, which will be ensured through a method our scientists developed. But more to that later," Ayame said, and her tone of voice made it clear that the topic was closed.

Nodoka knew better than anyone else that Ayame, agent of Clan Saotome or not, wouldn't take orders from her seeing as she was estranged from her parents and let it go. "How can there be genetic material of queen Serenity after 15,000 years?" she wanted to know.

Ayame took a deep breath and met Nodoka's intent gaze. "Your ancestor, Kami-sama bless his soul, retrieved it before everything went up in smoke. You must know, the man known as Tenma Saotome, brother to the Queen, was one of the leading scientists and commanders of his time. He wanted to stay behind to fight till his death as you have surely 'seen', but the Queen gave him the direct order to get to safety. An order is an order, and brother or not, he had to obey. But he knew that Serenity would give her life to achieve victory, and he also knew of the precautions she had taken seeing as he had been the one to suggest them in the first place."

"Clever," Nodoka commented. "'Be prepared for anything, constant vigilance,' one of my tutors used to say, and she was right time and again."

Ayame nodded, the ghost of a wolfish smile gracing her lips. "Wise woman, that. Anyway, your ancestor retrieved the samples, which was necessary considering the chaos that reigned. You saw it yourself, the war had turned ugly, and both sides ruthlessly beat the crap out of the other. The man known as Tenma Saotome knew that the Silver Millennium was doomed, and he retrieved as much material and technology as he could. Well, enough for him to survive and enact the plan to bring the Queen back."

"How did he do all that? Where did he hide? It was war after all, and all planets aside from Earth were rendered lifeless. Kami-sama!" Nodoka breathed, her eyes going wide. "All nine planets once held life! And the war..."

"Killed billions of people on nine planets and rendered eight planets uninhabitable, yes. Beryl used devilish weapons, experiments her scientists had worked on. Something to do with an anti-magic warhead, but I'm no expert for Silver Millennium weaponry. Let's just say it was beyond nasty and leave it at that," Ayame suggested, the dark look in her eyes speaking volumes.

Nodoka nodded, pale-faced. "What Pluto has in mind is something similar. Unbelievable. She has to be stopped," she said with conviction. "But back to my ancestor. How did he manage to survive? Where did he hide?"

"He knew that the Silver Millennium was coming to an end. He had seen planet after planet fall, and knew what the Queen intended to do. After he had been ordered to evacuate he mused that no one would miss the starship prototype that stood in the hangar. It was equipped with a new cloaking device and had been designed for espionage missions, but hadn't been tested at that time. The war and all, you know. As the first prototype it was only equipped with light weapons, but considering that it was intended for long spying missions it had quite a tonnage. To make a long story short, Tenma Saotome stuffed the technology he needed into the ship, boarded it and tested the cloaking device."

"Which worked, quite obviously. Otherwise we wouldn't be sitting here," Nodoka commented dryly.

"Indeed," Ayame replied in the same tone and inclined her head. "According to the data from his journals he then used the cloaking device to collect data about Atlantis, Beryl's stronghold on Earth at that time. This data ultimately allowed the Queen to deliver the decisive blow, but as we know, it cost the Queen her life.

"Well, after Beryl and her minions had been banned to the pocket-universe that served as their prison Earth was nothing more than a nearly completely devastated mudball. Very few humans were left, no technology, no support from other planets, nothing. They had to start from scratch, and when your ancestor saw how fast the survivors had turned into barbarians he chose the cryo-sleep in favour of aiding the survivors and programmed his capsule as mentioned before. He wanted to wake up in a time where no one knew the brother of Queen Serenity."

"Something he managed to accomplish alright," Nodoka commented with a wry smile.

"Everyone aside from Pluto was long dead, yes," agreed Ayame with a shrug. "And that he found himself stranded in the 16th century was either bad luck or Fate. Pluto was still around of course seeing as she is immortal, according to the memories and journals of Tenma. But that doesn't mean she can't be killed," she added with a wolfish grin.

Nodoka frowned. "Presumed that we can, do we have to kill her, and the other Scouts? Kami-sama knows we have to stop Pluto, but is there no other way?"

Ayame sighed, and true regret shone briefly in her eyes. "I wish there was. One would have to convince the other Scouts that Pluto's vision of utopia will be built upon the bones of billions of innocents. And something tells me that they already know or at least suspect and have hazarded the consequences. Which would leave us with few options."

"How can they?" Nodoka wondered, disbelief edged on her face. "They have always fought for love and justice, and hadn't you shown me the memories and what you uncovered I wouldn't have been the wiser. How can they live with a decision that dooms billions?"

The dark-clad woman sitting in front of her sighed once more. "They can, if you consider the following: the Scouts have fought hordes of enemies, faced overwhelming odds and probably saw horrors beyond our wildest imagination. If you could end it all, if you could create a utopia by sacrificing some of the human race, wouldn't you? And before you answer keep in mind that these women are tired of fighting and killing, Mistress."

Nodoka mulled over Ayame's words and tried to view the situation from every possible angle. Finally she came to a conclusion. "Even considering everything, no, I couldn't. I'm no God to decide who lives or dies, neither are the Scouts. I can understand why they want to create their utopia, but to build it upon the corpses of billions, innocents they have sworn to protect is just unacceptable. If we could convince them that they're in the wrong we might be able to overthrow Pluto without having to kill her."

"Easier said than done, Mistress. Despite her many failings, the Scouts depend on Pluto due to her experience, and they listen to her, and, more importantly, they trust her. She is over 15,000 years old, and I can only guess that the Scouts must feel like kids compared to her. In essence, they are kids, kids with sufficient magical power to ensure that their dream of utopia comes true. They may be too set in their ways, and we may have no other choice but to resort to extreme measures to stop not only Pluto, but all of them," Ayame said, her tone without a trace of emotion.

"You mean 'kill them'. I see. I hope you're wrong, Ayame, I really do. But only time will tell," Nodoka mused and fell silent. Then a thought crossed her mind. "Talking about time, how can we ensure that Pluto won't learn of our plans?"

"A good question, Mistress. The answer is Silver Millennium technology. When the Scout Project was started back then in the Moon Kingdom Tenma was responsible for the creation of the Gates of Time, among things. The Queen and he ensured that technology was developed that could block Pluto's powers. Your ancestor was also clever enough to copy the relevant data before he evacuated, and seeing that he was the brother of the Queen he had the required security clearance to access and copy everything he so chose. Along with the technology he managed to save a lot of blueprints, and the Saotome line was able to recreate a lot of technology. The result is a device that makes us undetectable to the Gates of Time and Pluto's powers.

"We are literally in her blind spot. Tenma always knew that Pluto was the most dangerous Scout, and when he found traces of her activities he ensured that his own activities were well concealed," the dark-clad woman elaborated.

"You mean he detected Pluto's doing in the 16th century? How?" Nodoka asked, raising her eyebrows inquiringly.

"Simple. When he came out of his cryo-stasis Tenma was faced with a decision. He could either have gone back to cryo-sleep in hopes of waking up in a time that had become more modern, or he could have stayed in this time and rebuild in secret. According to his journals one occurrence tipped the scales in favour of option two: he detected Pluto's energy-signature thanks to his equipment. He was very careful and tapped the Gates of Time without Pluto noticing, and found traces of her manipulations. Ever since then the Saotome line has prepared in secret, and now the time has come where we are forced to act," Ayame said, a look of stubborn determination appearing on her face.

"I see. And the public can't benefit from our technology because Pluto and the Scouts would swoop down on us like harpies. Splendid," Nodoka commented and barely resisted the urge to massage her temples.

"Correct, Mistress. But we can and will use the medical technology we have available to ensure that all of the human race survives. You said it, no one has the right to decide who lives or dies, even if they leave the decision to chance."

Nodoka tried to paste a neutral expression on her face, but knew that her worry for her son had to be visible. "How soon does my family want to implement the plan?"

"As soon as possible," came the prompt reply. "It is planned that I accompany you to the Tendo Dojo at your earliest convenience, Mistress."

Nodoka nodded, having expected this answer. "You want to use Akane's jealousy against her."

"Yes. I always suspected that you let things be to spur Akane's competitiveness. But as things are now it's safe to say that this approach has failed, as has the plan of the fathers to use P-chan to make Ranma angry and jealous so that she would admit her feelings to Akane. Forgive my words, Mistress, but Akane is just too thickheaded to add two and two and come to the conclusion that Ryoga is P-chan."

"WHAT!" Nodoka exclaimed, disbelief written on her face. Slowly the disbelief was replaced by understanding, and then anger. "But of course!" she muttered smacking a fist into her palm, "Now it makes sense. Now I finally understand why my s… child acted the way he did. And you say husband and Soun kept it under wraps to push Akane and Ranma together? Those fools! But why? Why didn't Ranma ever say a word?"

"She was bound by honour not to," Ayame, who hadn't expected a reaction this strong, replied after quickly overcoming her surprise. "We learned that Ranma was partially responsible for Ryoga getting cursed, and once she learned what and how it had happened she swore an oath to never reveal his weakness or use it against him. It is something she has regretted many times."

"And with just reason," Nodoka growled, her fists clenched in anger. "Now I finally understand why Ranma was always so frustrated when Akane took that pig into her bed. She was sleeping with another man without knowing it, and my child wanted to stop the slights to her honour. Oh my, what a mess," she muttered, massaging her temples to ward of the growing headache.

"True, Mistress. Yet it won't be of our concern. Besides, Ryoga has stayed away from Akane ever since the failed wedding, and our agents reported that he seems to be involved with a girl named Akari Unryuu," she reported and got to her feet in one elegant, fluid motion. "The plan is to retrieve Ranma from the Dojo, let her meet her grandparents and accompany her to the Clan manor where everything will commence. Ranma trusts you, and that is our advantage. Once inside the house we have ways to block her powers, and then we can get started. Are you ready, Mistress?"

Nodoka got up as well and rolled her head a few times to losen her joints, then she bent down to pick up her sword. "Yes," was her simple reply, but inwardly she had the feeling that she'd just agreed to the ultimate betrayal. Hopefully Ranma would be able to forgive her in time.

-.-

Ranma Saotome, martial artist extraordinaire and all around happy-go-lucky young individual was not a happy camper. And quite female at the moment. Which was, all things considered nothing new on both accounts lately. The boy-turned-girl growled softly to herself and wrong some excess water out of her long pigtail, her bare feet making pitt-patting noises on the pavement.

Passers by weren't even giving her a second glance seeing as the absurd was normal around Nerima and had been for the better part of three years, which suited the redhead quite well. At least her clothes had luckily remained intact, or even the jaded Nerimans would have gone bug eyed what with her having developed even more in the bust department.

Her curse had activated during a wild goose-chase through Nerima with half of the NWC as chasers and her as the goose, and all of that due to a triviality, as per usual. She didn't even remember what the instigating factor that had triggered the latest conflict had been, but these brawls were getting really annoying. And that wasn't the worst.

Ranma laughed mirthlessly. Being chased by Mousse, Shampoo, both Kunos and Ukyo was bad enough, but that Akane had just given up half-way throughout the chase was alarming. She was genuinely worried, for something had changed in her fiancée after the failed wedding. And everything had looked so promising at first, all things considered. She had finally admitted that she loved Akane and might even have brought her back from the dead, and despite how the wedding ceremony had come about, she would have said yes.

She had even stomached the great personal loss that had been the destruction of Jusenkyo, but she had told the truth when she had said that the curse didn't matter to her any longer. She'd had every reason to believe that her life would begin to settle down after the climax that had been Jusendo, but what had happened? Her friends and rivals had ruined the wedding, had acted like nothing had changed after Jusendo.

The wedding had been Akane's special day, that much she had learned from her mother. The wedding day was the most important day in a woman's life (aside from giving birth, her mother had said), and it had been ruined. Nobody had outright said that it had been her fault, but the looks had been enough.

Akane's reaction had been worse, though. It hadn't been anger or fury, but resignation. It seemed as if she had given up, and in the month ever since the failed wedding she hadn't been able to get Akane out of her brooding. Nothing had helped.

The redhead sighed as she trudged along the road that led to the Tendo Dojo. Maybe, just maybe Akane had come out of her funk, as unlikely as that was. Her fiancée was a very emotional person, and moods like these could last for a long time. She pushed the door open with another sigh and entered the house. Shrugging her morose thoughts off she called, "I'm back!"

"Hello, Ranma-kun," came Kasumi's melodic voice from the kitchen, and it lifted her spirits inexplicably. The older woman was like a sister to her, and she was one of the few who didn't judge her. Quite refreshing, that.

The redhead entered the kitchen with a smile, her worries pushed aside for the time being. "Hello, Kasumi. You got some hot water ready? The others chased me once again and the curse got activated."

Kasumi smiled her kind smile. "That much is obvious, Ranma-kun. I'm in the middle of preparing dinner right now, and I'm terribly sorry, but you'll either have to wait and stay a girl or change back in the bathroom once Nabiki comes out. Heating up water here isn't possible seeing that I'm using all hobs, and the water-heater has given out on us a few hours ago. But you'll get beef stroganoff as compensation."

Ranma licked her lips and smiled. For something that delicious she'd gladly stay a girl. "No sweat, Kasumi. Don't matter if I'm a girl a few more minutes. But don't tell anyone or it'll ruin my image," she whispered conspiratorially.

The other girl giggled. "You have my word, Ranma-chan," she replied with a mischievous grin.

"For your beef stroganoff I'll let even that slide, Kasumi-chan," she retorted, and looked around, only noticing now how silent the usually vibrant house was. "Where is everyone?"

"Akane is in her room, Nabiki is in the furo, the fathers and grandfather Happosai have gone to the public bath, and your mother has gone for a walk," Kasumi listed, all the while tending to the many bubbling pots with expert ease.

"'kay. Did Akane say anything?" Ranma asked and tried to sound as casual as possible.

"No, Ranma-kun, she just went to her room without a word. Has anything out of the ordinary happened?" Kasumi asked while preparing the flesh.

"No more than usual, Kasumi. But I fear that that's the problem. The insanity has become routine, and after what happened at the wedding... I think Akane has had enough," she mused with a sigh and leant against the kitchen-counter.

"Oh my!" Kasumi exclaimed, her worried eyes meeting Ranma's. "You might be right! This would explain her recent behaviour..."

"Yup. And I haven't got the foggiest what I could do," Ranma admitted with a sigh.

"Me neither, Ranma-kun, me neither. I've never seen Akane like this. I..."

"We're back!" came a voice from the front-door and effectively interrupted what Kasumi had wanted to say, causing her to return her attention to the food she was preparing.

"Oh my, could you help me with dinner preparations, Ranma-kun?" Kasumi asked hopefully. "I didn't expect them back for another hour."

Ranma, always the helpful one, nodded. "Feh, they were probably thrown outta the bathhouse 'cause the old lech was his usual self. But I'll gladly help you. What would ya have me do?"

"Please wash and prepare the salad, and you can cook rice. That would be most helpful, Ranma-kun," Kasumi said with a smile.

The redhead smiled back. "Anytime, Kasumi," she replied and took an apron. "Just bought a new pullover from my hard earned savings. Don't want it ta get ruined or nothing."

Kasumi nodded in acceptance and turned to brown the meat. "Very thoughtful, Ranma-kun. But remember what I taught you about etiquette. It's not proper to speak like that, not in your normal form and especially not in your present form."

"But Kasumi!" Ranma whined with a pout as she washed the salad.

"No buts, Ranma-kun. Society expects a certain behaviour of us, and we don't want to be seen as roughnecks, do we?" Kasumi asked sweetly.

"No, Kasumi," Ranma sighed and used her Martial Arts cooking skills to chop the salad.

The door was opened of a sudden and a flashbulb went off. "Nabiki," Ranma growled, irritation creeping into her voice.

"Yes, Ranma-chan?" the middle Tendo daughter asked mischievously and took another picture.

Ranma sputtered in indignation. "What do you want now?" she asked angrily as she filled one of the steaming pots with Basmati rice, lacing the older girl with a burning glared.

"My, my, we are testy today. Is it that time of the month for you?" Nabiki retorted teasingly.

Ranma became red-faced. "Why, you!"

"Nabiki, that was neither proper nor called for!" Kasumi scolded. "You should apologise."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. This nice shot of you will get me a nice amount of money from Kuno. His pig-tailed goddess in an apron... the perfect little housewife. Ta ta!" Nabiki grinned, rubbing her hands in glee.

"Why you little..."

"Apron?" Genma's curious voice came from the door. "Is dinner ready?"

The door was pushed open, and three men entered. Ranma looked away from the target of her ire and met the gaze of her father. A gaze that grew steadily more furious. "What is this?" he exclaimed. "Why are you a girl, and why in the name of Hades are you wearing women's clothing?" he demanded.

"I'm a girl because you got me cursed, remember that?" Ranma asked with a glare.

"Don't smartmouth me, boy. Why haven't you changed back yet? And why are you wearing that... that... thing?" Genma demanded, his annoyed gaze piercing his son-turned-daughter.

"Because it makes her look cute!" a wizened old voice interrupted before an unimpressed Ranma could retort. "And I'm sure my Ranma-chan will wear this for me, won't you?" Happosai asked, producing a black lace bra.

Ranma's glare shifted to Happosai and intensified. "Over my dead body, old lech," she stated in a cold voice.

"We'll see about that. HOTCHA!" he yelled and shot forward. Genma and Soun took this as their cue to leave the kitchen, seeing as they were wise enough to not get caught in the crossfire that was more than likely to occur.

The moronic duo otherwise known as the fathers had barely made their escape when Happosai's outstretched fist was about to meet Ranma. But while the Anything Goes Grandmaster was fast the lightning-quick fist that knocked him against a cupboard courtesy of Ranma was faster. "And that takes care of that," huffed the redhead and crossed her arms underneath her chest.

"You're no fun, Ranma," Happosai grumbled with a pout and sprang to his feet.

"On the contrary. Saotome is loads of fun if you know how to exploit his weaknesses," Nabiki spoke up with a smirk as she re-entered the kitchen, taking another photo, much to Ranma's annoyance.

Happosai looked at Nabiki with big, innocent eyes. "Would you teach me, Nabiki dearest?"

"Sorry, Happosai, but puppy dog eyes don't work on me. And you can hardly expect me to reveal the secrets of my success," Nabiki drawled in a bored tone.

Happosai used his best bambi impression, but had to realise that it didn't work either and quickly returned his attention to the undergarments still in his hand. "Whatever. Now, which set of silky darlings would suit my Ranma-chan best…"

"Can't one have some peace and quiet in this house?" came a disgruntled female voice from the door.

"Saotome, you're so in for it," a smirking Nabiki commented as Akane entered the kitchen.

The redhead sighed, knowing that Nabiki was probably right. "And why is that? Is it my damn fault the old lech is obsessed with stuffing me into… into that?" she complained to the heavens.

"Hmm, black lace or black silk? Why can't I have both?" the old master complained and completely ignored the going ons around him.

Nabiki grinned. "Of course, Saotome. Would you show some feminine modesty in this form he might not be so fixated on you. Some girl training would really do you good," she teased.

Ranma glared hotly at the older girl. "Why you…"

"Ranma, stop it. I've had enough of these quarrels," Akane, who had watched the exchange in unusual quietness, spoke up, unusual tiredness tingeing her voice.

"Akane, my sunshine, what's wrong?" Happosai asked in what seemed to be genuine concern.

The youngest Tendo girl sighed, and it sounded like she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. "Everything. I'm tired of these constant fights, I'm tired of the insults, I'm tired of everything always being destroyed. I'm so sick of it."

"A hug will surely comfort you. HOTCHA!" Happosai exclaimed, shooting forward once more.

He didn't get far seeing that his forward momentum was arrested by Ranma's fist. "You just don't learn, old perv, do you?" she growled.

"But… but I only wanted to comfort my Akane-chan! The poor dear needs a hug!" Happosai complained and tried to look innocent.

Ranma's brow climbed into her hair in irritation. "Suuure. Tell us another one. I-"

"Ranma," Akane interrupted very quietly, "I didn't need your help. I could have handled the situation myself."

The redhead was taken aback. "B-but I just wanted-" she protested.

"I'm a martial artist, and if you doubt my abilities I'll have to get angry," Akane stated flatly, not giving Ranma the chance to finish her explanation.

"Oh my, why don't we eat?" Kasumi interjected in an effort to diffuse the situation; an effort that worked, much to her relief.

Luckily she had become a quick chef due to constant practise, or the situation could have turned ugly indeed, the oldest Tendo sister thought to herself, and quickly roped Ranma into setting the table while asking Akane to carry the dishes into the living room.

Little later the Tendos, Saotomes and Happosai were seated around the table, but it was a far cry from the usual lively dinner time in the Tendo home.

-.-

Nodoka and Ayame were well on their way to the Tendo Dojo, and the Saotome matriarch had learned a great many interesting things during the walk. Mostly about her daughter. According to the tests that had been conducted Ranma had the highest aptitude for all things magical ever recorded in the Saotome line, and these recordings reached as far back as the 16th century. Her Ranma, always the extraordinary one.

Considering this and Ranma's apparently good genes she was the logical choice indeed. But that her family was involved in something like this was... mind-boggling, and hadn't she 'seen' what she had seen she wouldn't have believed it. At all. As it was she was still having trouble accepting it, but everything she had learned was true, that much she knew from her awakened memories.

Her family was descended from a Queen who had ruled a large part of the galaxy, which was hard enough to accept. Yet it was even harder to accept that her son-turned-daughter should be the one to give birth to a genetically altered reincarnation of said Queen, but she was slowly coming to terms with it.

After all, doing it and nearly saving all of Earth's population was the manly thing to do. She had fully made up her mind during the walk with Ayame and decided to go along with her parents' plan despite her reservations for one good reason: time was getting scarce, and her son would be a hero.

The Scouts had made fewer and fewer public appearances lately, that she had noticed as well, and according to Ayame it could only mean one thing: they were making preparations for the Great Freeze. Clan Saotome's scientists didn't know yet how the Great Freeze would occur, but they were still conducting an increasingly frenzied research in every direction imaginable. The most probable scenario was an asteroid-impact, but even with their technological possibilities, they hadn't detected any signs of an impending extra-terrestrial threat up till now.

Nodoka shook herself out of her musings and paid more attention to her surroundings. She noticed right away that Ayame really knew her way around here as evidenced by the fact that she had chosen the quickest route to the Dojo. The women continued to walk in silence, until Ayame came to a full stop one block from the Tendo Dojo. "Mistress, it would be best if I appeared at the Dojo alone. Considering past occurrences I'd be suspected to be a new fiancée. The people there are awfully fast to jump to conclusions, and we will use that to our advantage."

Nodoka nodded her assent after quickly mulling Ayame's suggestion over. It was a good plan and most likely to paint a realistic picture of how things stood at the Dojo which might even reinforce her decision. "Considering what I know now I must say that the agreement between the families has become rather unimportant. Do what you must, Ayame. Maybe I'll even see proof that things are indeed as bad at the Dojo as you claim them to be if I'm not on site."

Ayame inclined her head. "May I suggest that Mistress appear on site in ten minutes? I'll record everything that will happen anyway, but it might be even better if Mistress got a firsthand impression of the likely fallout."

"Excellent suggestion!" Nodoka agreed with a nod. "If my dear husband acts up make perfectly clear who sent you. I'm sure that will work wonders."

"I'll keep that in mind, Mistress," Ayame said with a glint in her eyes. Then she was gone.

-.-

Ranma was still dissatisfied with the current state of affairs despite having changed back, and when the young Saotome was frustrated he usually ate, which led to him currently being busy devouring his third helping when suddenly the bell rang. Looking up from his food he saw that Kasumi had already gotten up to answer the door. Sure, who else but the house's backbone?

"Oh my, who might that be? And so late?" Kasumi muttered almost to herself as she made her way to the front door.

"We haven't had a new fiancée in a good, long time, did we?" Nabiki drawled, smirking suggestively at Ranma.

"If you count last week as a long time, then yes," Akane muttered with a scowl on her face.

It was this scowl that gave Ranma hope, hope that Akane hadn't given up on him. Maybe it wasn't over after all. "Mom managed to deflect them so fast their heads spun. And you'd do well ta remember it wasn't my fault."

"Whatever, Saotome," Nabiki retorted in a bored voice, the Ice Queen having decided to tone it down a bit before Akane could get really worked up.

Before anyone could say anything else Kasumi returned to the living room, and all eyes were upon her. "Father," she said to the Tendo patriarch, who was busy playing Shogi with Genma, "We have a guest."

She stepped aside and revealed Ayame, who entered the room with confident strides. "Good evening, I'm Ayame Kagote, and I have come for Ranma Saotome."

Nabiki looked at Ranma speculatively. "5,000 Yen up front if I'm to keep this from the fiancée brigade."

Ranma groaned and barely resisted to bang his head against the table. "You know as well as I do that I'm broke."

"I'll put it on your tab," Nabiki retorted with a smirk.

The raven-haired boy waved it away and focused on Akane, who had been strangely quiet. Too quiet. The only thing one could hear from her was a muttered, "I knew it."

"Excuse me, Miss," Ayame addressed Akane, "But what did you know? What is going on here?"

Akane propped herself up on the table and got to her feet. "I knew," she began in a deadly quiet voice, "that you were a new fiancée. I knew the moment you entered the room. What was offered this time? Money? Food? Other commodities?" she asked still in that flat, tired voice.

"No..." Ayame tried.

Akane smacked her palms on the table with enough force to make it groan in protest, and her face was red with rising fury as she laced Ranma with a burning glare. "I'm sick and tired of this, Ranma! It has been one month, one month since the wedding, and three new fiancées have come out of the woodwork. Three! I can't go on like this, Ranma, and I won't! Take your new hussy and leave," she said with tears streaming down her face and plopped onto her cushion.

"But Akane!" Ranma exclaimed, his hands held up in a placating gesture. "This isn't-"

"RANMA, HOW DARE YOU CHEAT ON MY LITTLE GIRL!" Soun's booming demon-head amplified voice interrupted before Ranma could even begin to argue that it wasn't his fault.

"Yes, boy," Genma growled, taking the same line as Soun, "What do you think you're doing? Why haven't you told this girl off already? The schools must be joined, so apologise to your fiancée immediately!"

"For what? I ain't done a thing!" Ranma growled back, resisting the urge to send his father into the koi pond just barely.

"Sure, Ranma," Akane growled, her puffy red eyes glaring angrily at her fiancè, "It's always just another coincident. Always. That excuse is getting old, and I'm sick and tired of it."

"Saotome, if I'm to keep this under wraps its going to cost you. 5,000 Yen up front and a photo shooting," Nabiki said with a barely concealed smirk.

Ranma turned his head to the middle Tendo daughter and glared at her. "I already said that I'm broke. And what do ya want these photos for anyway? For selling them to Kuno? Or for making porn pics outta them and sell them on the net?"

"Ranma!" Akane growled, her hands gripping the edge of the table hard. "Stop picking on my sister! She'd never do that!"

"Yes, son," Soun spoke up, "That was way out of line. Apologise to Nabiki!"

"What for?" Ranma exclaimed in frustration. "For telling the truth?"

"RANMA NO BAKA!" Akane yelled, giving her own pent-up frustrations an outlet.

Her mallet caught Ranma in a rising uppercut that sent the Saotome teen through the roof, and moments later a loud splash could be heard. "Now you can show your hussy your feminine side, you baka! The engagement is over!" she said with finality.

Ayame, who had been silent throughout the whole incident, shook her head in disbelief. "You people are unbelievable," she almost growled, reminding the residents that she was still present.

"You!" Akane growled and turned her head to lace the black-clad woman with a heated glare. "What are you still doing here? Get that womanising baka and leave!"

Ayame didn't let the anger she was feeling show, and her face was expressionless, but the forceful look of her cold eyes caused Akane to flinch ever so slightly. "I gladly would-"

"What are you waiting for, then? We. Are. Through. So take your new fiancè and go. He's all yours!" Akane interrupted with a scowl, missing Ranma's hurt expression altogether.

"My baby-girl, aren't you overreacting a bit? I'm sure things can be patched up once Ranma apologises." Soun spoke up before Ayame could retort, worry for the fate of the schools shining in his eyes.

"No! I've had it! I've given him Kami-sama knows how many chances, and now I've finally had enough! This ends here!" Akane growled, crossing her arms underneath her chest in defiance, her burning glare threatening to sear a hole through her father.

"Daddy," Nabiki spoke up with an almost imperceptible shake of her head, "give it a rest. Akane has just had a meltdown, so let her cool off. Things will look very different tomorrow."

Soun mulled it over. "Maybe you're right..."

Ayame laughed mirthlessly. "I stand corrected. You people aren't just unbelievable, you're pathetic," she said, spearing Genma and Soun with her gaze. "Even a blind man can see that your daughter doesn't want to marry Ranma, Soun Tendo, so all your hopes are in vain.

"But enough of that, I didn't come to engage in mindless drivel," she said coldly, ignoring the angry outbursts that followed. "I'm here to retrieve Ranma, but you never gave me the chance to explain why I am here, did you? You just jumped to conclusions and assumed that I was a new fiancée."

"You're not?" a dripping wet Ranma-chan asked from the door, a strange look of surprise mixed with hope on her face.

"No, I'm not," Ayame confirmed, while Kasumi handed a towel to Ranma who took it with a smile and towelled herself off.

"You're not?" echoed Soun, and his face broke into a large grin. "There's still hope, Saotome!"

Genma grinned as well. "Yes, Tendo. Akane and Ranma will join the schools, just as we've always envisioned!"

Ranma sighed and plopped down onto her usual cushion. She briefly considered expending the energy that was needed to show the fathers the error of their ways, but one look at Akane revealed that she was already prepared to tear into them, so she allowed herself to relax.

"The hell I will!" Akane growled fiercely, her fiery temper and burning glare easily cowing the men. "Read from my lips: I won't marry Ranma, not now, not ever. My life is a train-wreck because of the last so called wedding," she didn't say 'because of Ranma', but everyone understood the meaning anyway, "and I can well do without another blasted wedding! As far as I'm concerned, this is over!"

"But Akane…" Soun began, only to be silenced by a death-glare from his youngest daughter and the order to summarily "Shut up,".

Ranma just wore a deeply hurt look on her face and sunk deeper into her cushion, her heart having been shattered by the seriousness and sobriety her ex-fiancèe had displayed.

"I'll be in my room," Akane said finally and completely ignored the redhead as she stormed off.

Soun wandered out of the room few moments later in a trance-like state, muttering about how the schools would never be joined and that he needed a strong drink or twenty.

Nabiki turned her head to Ayame. "If you're no fiancée, why are you here?" she asked, ill-concealed suspicion tingeing her voice.

Ayame met her look with an icy-cold gaze that nearly froze even the Ice-Queen. "I'm here because of my duties, Miss Tendo. And were it not for the fact that you are in the same room as Mistress Saotome you wouldn't learn a thing," she said, and turned her to look at a gob-smacked Ranma, "Mistress Ranma, my employers sent me to extent an invitation to you," Ayame concluded, looking at the redhead and ignoring anyone else.

"Invitation? Who'd invite me?" Ranma asked incredulous, forgetting to be annoyed at being called 'Mistress' by the strange woman.

"One moment here…" Nabiki interjected, her suspicions growing stronger by the second, "How can you be so calm about the fact that Ranma here just changed into a girl?"

"Good point, Nabiki! What are you up to, girl? What are you playing at?" Genma asked with a stern expression.

The dark-clad woman ignored Genma completely and focussed her cold violet eyes on Nabiki. "My employers know everything about the curse, Miss Tendo. And they know everything about you," she said coldly.

The surprise that permeated the room was palpable. "They know?" Ranma uttered, a frown making her forehead crinkle. "Who are they?"

Ayame smiled, a real smile t is time. "Clan Saotome, Ranma. More specific, your grandparents."

Ranma's mouth formed a big O, conveying just how surprised she was. Her father's reaction was unlike stronger, though, for he had gone white as a sheet. "They… They know?" he managed to utter.

Violet eyes flashed, and this time they locked firmly on Genma. "They know everything, Genma. Every single, ugly detail. We have watched you the whole time, and were the decision up to me you'd be a pandafur-rug in under ten seconds. But alas, the decision is not up to me, and my orders are to accompany Ranma and deal with any resistance I meet, nothing more. Sadly."

Nabiki met Ayame's cold look unflinchingly and matched it. "Ranma can't leave tonight. She's booked for a photo-shooting," she stated coldly.

"Is that so?" Ayame asked, her tone even frostier.

"Yes. She has a debt to work off, and I've decided that she starts tonight." Nabiki retorted and refused to break the staring contest.

The glaring contest continued for a few minutes before Ranma growled, "What debt?"

"That I'd like to know as well, Miss Tendo. Just out of curiosity, what does this debt entail?" Ayame asked in a dangerously calm tone, her posture decidedly predatory.

Ranma was surprised that anyone, especially a woman she didn't even know, would stand up for her, and she, like the others, looked at how Ayame would respond to the answer she was about to get.

"For a wide range of services I offered as well as for several costs she caused this household," the middle Tendo girl stated neutrally, her eyes two chips of eyes that betrayed no emotions.

"I see. That wouldn't coincidentally be keeping quiet about a new fiancée or the other? Charging her for warm water so that she can change back? Hiding her from the so called fiancée-brigade you mentioned? A really nice scope of services, Miss Tendo," Ayame spat acidly.

"A debt is a debt," Nabiki retorted cooly, her Ice-Queen mask fully in place.

"How much?" Ayame asked without beating about the bush.

"Excuse me?" the Ice-Queen asked, not showing her surprise.

"That was not too hard a question. How much does Ranma's 'debt' amount to in total?" Ayame asked coldly.

Nabiki reached into the pocket of her jeans and retrieved a red-covered small book. With a look of concentration she paged through it. "That would be 1,500,000 Yen in total."

"WHAT!" Ranma interjected into the ping-pong match, "There's no way in hell that can be right! Last time I checked with you it were 50,000 Yen!"

"Care to explain this discrepancy, Miss Tendo?" Ayame inquired with a dangerous look. "I don't like to be ripped of, nor do my employers. And in contrast to Ranma I've got no qualms about making my displeasure known."

"Oh my!" Kasumi exclaimed worriedly.

"Is that a threat, Miss Kagote?" Nabiki asked levelly, a delicate brow raised.

"A fact, Miss Tendo," the older woman replied coldly. "So, how do you explain the discrepancy?"

"Ranma is right, the debt was down to 50,000 Yen. It goes without saying that it went up after the failed wedding and all the expenses I had," Nabiki stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"How dare you shift that on me?" Ranma growled. "I wasn't the one to cause the wedding to go up in smoke, I wasn't the one to destroy the dojo. So, how dare you blame and accost me for the costs?" she added with righteous fury.

"Simple, Saotome. It were your friends and rivals that trashed our home, that makes you responsible. Your whole prior behaviour, your inability to choose, led up to this, and its only just it is you who pays for it," the middle Tendo daughter explained calmly.

"I see," Ayame said, speaking up before Ranma could explode; the dark-clad woman reached into her cloak and retrieved a cheque book, scribbled something and handed a cheque to Nabiki. "Here's the money you so obviously crave. Not that you deserve it," she added acidly.

"That's not up to you to judge," Nabiki retorted without batting a lash at Ayame's less than friendly tone, and looked down to examine the cheque. Her eyes instantly flashed in anger upon what she had found. "Clan Saotome´? Is that some kind of joke?" she asked frostily.

Ayame's eyes flashed dangerously, daring the younger woman to say more. "If you insult my employers, the Clan I have sworn servitude to, you may find yourself on the receiving end of a lot of unpleasantness. Clan Saotome, in contrast to this sorry excuse for a Saotome," she shot Genma a condescending look, "is more than capable of paying its debts. I suggest you choose your words more carefully in the future, Miss Tendo."

Nabiki's eyes gleamed and it was quite obvious she didn't take Ayame's words seriously, but a stern glance from Ayame that practically screamed danger stopped her in her tracks. "We know your modus operandi, Miss Tendo. If you try to rip us off you won't like the results. And now that the debt is paid, let me make a few things perfectly clear, so listen, and listen good: if you try to make profit off of Ranma ever again, in any way or form, be it selling her photos in any way or anything else, we'll know. In that case I can promise that you will spend the rest of your life in jail as someone's bitch."

Nabiki's reaction to the threat was a cold, mocking laugh. "I just love empty threats," she giggled, and her face suddenly twisted from amused to cold. "I have yet to determine if this cheque," she eyed it suspiciously, "is covered. But I highly doubt it. From what I know of the Saotome Clan it's impotent, so your threats mean nothing to me."

Genma coughed and shook his head rapidly, drawing Nabiki's attention. "As much as I hate to say it, you're wrong, Nabiki, dead wrong," he stated solemnly. "Clan Saotome has more than enough power, money and influence to pull off just about anything."

Ayame smirked wildly, delighting in seeing the look of confusion on Nabiki's face. "What do you mean, uncle?" she asked, "I thought you were the Head of Clan."

Genma shook his head in the negative. "No, Nabiki. Things are a bit more complicated than they seem. You see, No-chan's parents never approved of me-"

"I wonder why," Ayame snorted disdainfully.

"-and her father nearly kicked No-chan out of the Clan when we made marriage plans. It was only thanks to No-chan's mother that a solution was found. We were allowed to found an independent sub-branch of the Clan with Nodoka as the Head and enforcer of our family honour," the overweight man admitted.

"Hello, I'm home!" came Nodoka's voice from the front door just when a gobsmacked Nabiki started to realise that she might have been the one to open a can of worms this time around.

"We're in the living room, mom!" Ranma yelled, eager to find out if what she had just been told was true.

Steps could be heard, and Nodoka entered the living room a few moments later. "Hello, everyone. I see you've already made Ayame's acquaintance."

"So it's true," Ranma muttered quietly, almost to herself as she stared at her mother.

"What is true, my child?" Nodoka asked, sitting down across from her.

"Everything Ayame has said. That my grandparents want to see me. They know of the curse, and despite that they want to see me," the redhead said in wonder, happiness and sadness intermixed in her voice. "Why did you never tell me that I still have grandparents?"

"No-chan, is it really necessary to tell the boy? Can't we live on as we always have?" Genma asked almost pleadingly.

Nodoka looked at him sternly. "No, husband, we cannot. Things have come up that make it impossible to carry on as usual. Our child deserves to know. Ranma," she looked at her son-turned-daughter, "I had personal reasons for keeping quiet about them. I know it was selfish, but I was stubborn and wanted to lead our Clan by myself. You see, when I married your father it caused a friction between my father and me."

"Friction, mom? What kinda friction?" Ranma asked and leaned forward, eager to learn more.

Her mother sighed and firmed her jaw. "Both my father and me are very stubborn, my child. He was dead-set against Genma, and I was dead-set on marrying your father. I pushed through in the end with the help of my mother, but as a result father and I haven't talked to each other for over eighteen years. My parents have never met their grandson, or, appropriate to your current gender, their granddaughter. Has Ayame told you that we were allowed to found a sub-branch of Clan Saotome with me as the Clan Head?"

Ranma nodded, her mother's question overriding her surprise at having implicitly been called a girl by her mother. "Yes. But doesn't that mean that our family honour hasn't been reducee to itsy-bitsy shreds by what Pops has done?"

"Hey!" Genma exclaimed indignantly, only to be silenced by three sets of glares.

The Saotome matriarch focussed on her daughter again. "Sadly, no. We are an independent sub-branch of the Clan, and sullies to our honour have to be bared by us and us alone. That was a clause my father insisted upon, and he was obviously wise to include it, seeing how things turned out," she sighed.

"I see," Ranma said, and she did. "So the fiancée mess continues."

"I'm afraid so, Ranma. But that is a matter for another time. Now we should get ready to leave," Nodoka said.

"But what about me?" Genma asked, trying to sound indignant. "Am I not invited?"

Ayame glared at him. "Do you think you'd survive an encounter with your father-in-law after what you did? Yes," she said, as Genma blanched, "he knows everything. Every little bit of what you did to the grandchild he never came to know. Can you guess that Xenma Saotome is not very pleased?"

Genma shuddered and nodded slowly, but Ayame was not finished yet. "That is nothing on Lady Saotome. If you ever come within a hundred metres of her she'll rip out your spine and beat you to death with it. She's beside herself because of what you did to her grandchild in the name of training. You might have managed to make Ranma into the best martial artist of her generation, but it is consensus within the Saotome Clan that the cost was way too high. So, need you ask again if you'll have a chance to fill your fat belly at my employers' expense?"

"N… no," Genma replied and quietly slunk into the background.

"Good. Mistress, you're more than welcome to join us," Ayame said towards Nodoka with a smile.

"Will you be coming with us, mom?" Ranma asked hopefully, for she was still unsure of what to expect from her grandparents, and the support of her mother would be more than welcome.

Nodoka smiled warmly. "Of course, my child. I'm happy that my parents have extended their invitation to me as well. I have decided to let bygones be bygones. Oh, one more thing, my child…"

"What, mom?"

"My parents know everything about the curse, and they have got no problem with it; you needn't fear their rejection," Nodoka assured, and smiled at the smile that bloomed on Ranma's face. "Your grandmother issued a special wish, as Ayame has told me: she wants to meet her granddaughter," she added, bracing for the impact.

However, Nabiki's dry laugh quenched any reaction. "Bwahahahaha! That is just too funny. I'll make a killing out of that," she guffawed and wiped away tears of mirth.

"The heck you will, Miss Tendo," Ayame stated icily. "If you or any of your employers or others associated with you take shots of my mistress you'll find yourself in more trouble than you can imagine; being someone's bitch in jail will be your least worry then. Try to make profit off of her and you'll regret it till the day you die," she promised.

Kasumi exclaimed an "Oh my!", and Genma looked at Nabiki with a serious expression. "You should listen to her, girl. Agents of my in-laws," he shuddered, "are known to keep their word."

"Yes," Nodoka added, "my Clan is well known to act or their threats. That has been this way ever since the 16th century. With my Clan superiors involved matters have been taken out of my hands, and slights to my childs' honour will not be tolerated."

Nabiki looked calculating. "I see. Ranma, I'd like to have a few words with you in my room."

The redhead looked surprised, but at seeing the urgent look in the other girl's eyes she got up. "Lead the way."

-.-

"Saotome," said Nabiki, who had seated herself on her bed, "first off, I didn't say what I said to spite you."

Ranma snorted, but the middle Tendo daughter carried on as if she hadn't heard the redhead's deragoratory exclamation. "There's an explanation to my behaviour, so bear with me. The reason I acted like a cold, money-grubbing bitch is that I wanted to see how far this Miss Kagote was willing to go. Only this method promised to yield results. If I hurt your feelings in the process, well, that can't be helped," she said bluntly, her tone that of deadly seriousness.

"Go on," Ranma muttered, interested despite herself.

"Saotome, they are willing to do just about anything to have you meet the Clan Heads, your grandparents. Trust me, something is up here. All my instincts are screaming at me that something is very wrong," Nabiki warned urgently.

The redhead, who'd initially been cross with Nabiki, looked puzzled, her anger forgotten. "So you only said you had first dibs on me tonight 'cause you wanted to see how they'd react? You said all these things about me 'cause you wanted to provoke Ayame?"

Nabiki nodded, her serious expression not changing one yota. "Yes, Saotome. Come on, you should know me by now. I have my business interests in you, but you'll have to agree that I left you alone most of the time in recent times. When was the last time I did something underhanded to you? And today doesn't count," she smirked.

Ranma saw nothing but honesty in Nabiki's voice and aura, and she racked her brain to find any such situation in recent times, but couldn't really come up with anything. "You're right. But what makes you so mistrustful? Ayame seems very nice."

The middle Tendo daughter shook her head. "Saotome, Saotome, this naivety of yours is going to cost you some day. People always have secondary motives, and I have made it my job to find out about those. Trust me, this Ayame has secondary motives. The first clue I had was that she was willing to pay just about every sum to unglue you. I could have demanded 3,000,000 Yen, and she would have paid. The second clue, why now? Why after all this time? She said they had been watching you for a long time, so why now if they don't want something out of you? My third clue was your mother. She had this dreamy expression on her face, you know, the one she always gets when she's dreaming about grandchildren. They're planning something, Saotome, and I want you to be careful. Very careful," she said seriously.

Ranma had been about to dismiss Nabiki's warning, but the serious look in tge other girl's eyes stopped her. Nabiki had used all of her talents to get a realistic impression of Ayame, and had even taken her on - even if only verbally - risking 'a lot of unpleasantness' in the process. She found that she believed that Nabiki had acted, and in the middle Tendo daughter's mind there was apparently enough reason to be cautious. "Okay, Nabiki. I will be cautious. But what do I tell them if they ask me why you wanted to talk to me?"

Nabiki made a tsking noise. "You really have to use that brain of yours for something other than just Martial Arts, Saotome. Just tell them we had an agreement to terminate a contract we had made, now that your debt has been paid. Tell them I'll no longer be your manager."

"But you never were in the first place!" Ranma protested.

"That's for us to know and for them to find out, isn't it?" Nabiki smirked.

A lightbulb seemed to appear over Ranma's head as the redhead caught on. "Clever," she nodded, and got up from her chair. "I'll go downstairs now, Nabiki. Thanks for the warning, I'll take it seriously."

Nabiki inclined her head, and her gaze told Ranma that she was dismissed. When the redhead had closed the door the middle Tendo daughter shook her head. "Take care, little bro. I just hope you don't blunder into one of your usual adventures…"

-.-

When Ranma arrived downstairs her mother and Ayame were already waiting for her. "What did Nabiki want, Ranma? Did she apologise for her rude behaviour?"

"Not explicitly, mom," the younger redhead replied and chose to act somewhat airheaded and clueless. "But we ter… terminated that contract we had, now that my debt is paid. You know, that contract that made her my manager."

"I see, Ranma," Nodoka said with a thoughtful expression.

Ayame smiled a smile most sharks would have envied. "Too bad she gave in so easily. I'd have loved to show her what Clan Saotome can do. Anyway, she'll never make any profit off of you again, Mistress," she said towards Ranma. "If she tries she'll regret it till the day she dies."

Ranma had in the meantime realised that Ayame had talked about her. "M… Mistress?" she asked confused.

The dark-clad woman nodded. "Yes, Ranma-san. You're my Mistress in this form."

Genma shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose in an apparent attempt at warding off a headache. "I think I'll join Soun in whatever bar he ended up. I need a drink," he muttered darkly and left the living room, inwardly vowing that he'd get really, really plastered.

"O… Okay." Ranma drawled slowly. "So, grandma wants to meet me in this form, huh? You sure that it's not unmanly, mom?"

Nodoka winced. "Child, I have thought long and hard about that topic. You have fulfilled the contract and proven that you are a man many times over. Now it's time for me to stop judging you. From now on you shall follow your own judgement and no one else's."

Ranma nearly toppled over in surprise. "You… You mean it?" she asked, stumped.

The Saotome matriarch nodded, but her smile didn't reach her eyes. "Yes. You are old enough to hold your own counsel, so go however you want. I won't think it unmanly if you meet my mother as my daughter."

"Err, who are you and what have you done with my mother?" Ranma asked half-seriously, the change in attitude freaking her out. "That's so… unlike you, mom. Normally it's 'Ranma be manly this, Ranma be manly that,'. What has happened to change that?"

"I have had an epiphany that put things into perspective, my child. Or is it that you want me to judge you?" Nodoka asked, raising a delicate auburn brow.

"Kami-sama, no!" the younger redhead exclaimed instantly, presenting warding signs. "No offence, mom, but that was really getting on my nerves!"

"I see. Now shoo and go get dressed. My parents are expecting us in half an hour at the Ritz in Juuban," Nodoka said with a fake smile to hide her true feelings.

"Did you say 'dressed', mom?" Ranma asked with growing dread.

"Yes. The outfit I bought for you four months ago would be fine. I'm sure you remember it."

Ayame smiled at the expression on Ranma's face. "Yes," the redhead replied testily. "Do I hafta?"

"Absolutely. We'll be dining in a first-class restaurant, and no child of mine will look like a tramp. Now get a move on," Nodoka commanded.

"Yes, mom," Ranma sighed and trotted upstairs, muttering curses under her bath. "And here I thought my life couldn't get any worse…"

Little did Ranma know that her life was about to get a lot worse.

to be continued…