Disclaimer: Hey, you've read this far, so obviously you've noticed that I don't own most of this stuff. Why do you keep making me write this? And no, Genma, it's not because I don't have a child to offer the creator as a wife or husband for another child.

Ranma-Papa, Shampoo-Mama

Chapter 13

Ukyo cursed as she gave up to the inevitable and hammered the broken heating coil with her wrench. Her griddle had given out half way through last night's dinner rush, forcing her to use a small propane kit she used for travel and special events. When she came down to try to fix it earlier that morning it became painfully clear that she needed a new part, and that she couldn't work through the day with it. Aside from being out of gas, it was Saturday and there was no way she could keep up with even a fifth of the lunch shopping crowd.

"Konatsu, could you come out here?" She called, crawling out from under her cooking counter. The feminine looking ninja-boy quickly appeared.

"Yes, Ukyo-sama?"

"Can you do me a favor and run to Hiroshi's Kitchen Supplies?" She asked, writing the part information down on a slip of paper. "I'll stay here and do the inventory. I'm afraid we're loosing a day's business thanks to this stupid grill." Her voice stated exactly how much she didn't like that idea.

"Of course, but couldn't we open late?"

"No. I've had to replace one of these jackasses before. It will take me all day and it's a one-person job." She grinned. "I guess you have to finally take that day off you've been fighting me over." She raised a hand before he could argue. "No. Go play with my Amazon husband. No Arguments." She chuckled at his stricken look.

"Yes Ukyo-sama. Perhaps I can help Nodoka-sama with her home for Ranma-sama."

"Whatever you want honey. You'll go after you get me that part."

She watched him leave then shook her head. Picking up the phone next to her counter. "Mrs. Saotome? Oh, sorry... Mom..." Ukyo couldn't help but give a happy, girlish squeal at that. "My waitress, well waiter, Konatsu is coming over there later. It's his day off so would you please do me a favor and not let him do house work? It's the first time I've gotten him to take a day off in months and I'd like him to do something other then work."

She giggled at something Nodoka said. "He is that. Well, I've got to get back to work. Bye."

Hanging up the phone, still chuckling, she began to turn when she heard the front door open. "I'm sorry but we're closed." She froze when she realized the people who had entered weren't customers. Three men in the black uniform of the classic ninja's had slipped in the front door. A noise behind her drew the chef's attention to two more entering from the back room, and the door beyond.

"Who are you?" She demanded, slipping into a stance. She cursed silently to herself for leaving her mega-spatula in her bedroom that morning.

The men approached slowly, and never spoke. She tensed, waiting for their attack. She didn't wait long.

The one behind her, in the crude circle they had formed, sprung at her with a loud cry. He received a quick and savage back kick as a response.

The first attack was like a bell to the other ninja's. The two to her sides rushed in and grabbed her arms. With an evil laugh Ukyo used that against them, dropping into a crouch and forcing them to take all of her, surprisingly significant, weight. They hadn't gotten steady footings yet so they both stumbled forward, their heads smacking against each other.

She quickly pushed them away and came up from her crouch like a rocket, driving a long uppercut into the fourth mans jaw, taking him out of the fight by surprise. Unfortunately she'd lost track of the fifth man who drove the tips of a pocket Tazer into her side.

Ukyo slumped to the floor, never giving them the satisfaction of screaming.

Troika entered a few moments later, looking over his four unconscious men and their victim. He looked at his single, aware warrior. "Wake them up. We don't know how long the other woman will be gone. We must leave.

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Himeko ran an expression of intense concentration on her face. The man behind her was a determined pursuer, and she already had a painful stitch in her side!

She risked a glance behind her, looking at the running form of Ranma behind her, thinking 'This is a special technique? Run away?' Normally she didn't think badly of her ersatz father, but this one was a bit much for her to believe.

"I'm going to get you and beat you up!" Ranma yelled, playing a "Bad Guy" to the hilt.

'And he's a ham too.' she thought with a mental giggle.

That morning at breakfast Ranma had declared his intention to teach her the "Infamous" Saotome Special technique. The terms her uncle Genma had used to describe it had certainly seemed impressive, but she'd soon found out it consisted of running from Ranma, who'd said he'd kick her in the rump if she went to slow.

Of course her drifting thoughts had distracted her from running, and true to his word Ranma gave her a firm (but not painful) kick in the rear.

Himeko grunted, falling from the fence to she'd been running across. Tucking into a tight ball she rolled to absorb the impact, though she ended up on her back a little dizzy. She noticed a figure on the nearest rooftop to their position, watching them, but quickly thrust it from her mind as Ranma's first came into view. 'At least I get to use what Grandpa Happi gave me.'

Ranma smiled as she avoided the blow, moving in to keep the pressure but froze. When he noticed an odd hissing sound.

Himeko jumped away only moments before the Happo Darakin went off, leaving Ranma out cold in a crater.

It wasn't until powerful arms went around her that she remembered the watcher from before.

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Ranma groaned and regained awareness of his surroundings slowly, the sound of someone calling his voice helping to wake him up. It took him several tries before he finally called out. Fortunately that gave the pig-tailed warrior time to identify the voice. "Konatsu, I'm over here."

Groaning, he sat up just in time for the bishonen ninja to hop the fence and land on his head. "Ouch!"

"Sorry!" The feminine young man apologized. "Ranma, someone kidnapped Ukyo-sama!"

"What? When?"

"She sent me to get a part for the stove. It was sometime within the last hour I know."

"Right. Gotta get going then. Himeko, we have to go... Himeko?" Ranma looked around. "She didn't run off without me, did she?"

"Ranma, this has your name on it."

Ranma froze when the ninja-boy handed him a note addressed to him. Carefully he unfolded the piece of paper.

[I have taken your daughter. If you want her back you'll have to fight me for her. Meet me at the burnt out warehouse three blocks from here at sundown.]

"HIMEKO!"

AN: Duh duh duh! Yep, it's the Fox Cliffhanger once again!

For those who don't know, Konatsu is the name (Assuming I remembered correctly. I checked, Honest.) Of a young man whose rather cruel stepfamily raised as a girl and a servant. He dresses like a woman, in Japanese apparently uses the feminine form of speech, and in general is odd. Ukyo and, I believe Ranma, rescued him from his rather weird family and he works for Ukyo, living in the shop with her.