The look on Jeffrey's face as he descended the stairs told everyone in the house what had happened. "They're gone," he said confirming what they already suspected.
"Perhaps they just went shopping," Jamie offered hopefully.
Inspector Abe shook his head. "I fear your wife has done something rash... again."
Jeffrey nodded his agreement and sighed. "Nabiki has a history of doing this." The first trickle of sweat rolled down his face as he looked at Jamie. "The last time was when our daughter was kidnapped."
"You think the others went with her?"
"Either with her or they went searching on their own."
"How much trouble can they get into? I mean, after all, this is Tokyo. The safest city in the world." Jamie glanced anxiously at the others. "Surely, they wouldn't leave the city. Would they?"
Jeff looked between Jamie, Inspector Abe and Soun Tendo before shaking his head. "I don't know. Akane was acting strange and that new lady - what's her name?"
"Nodoka. Saotome Nodoka. She's Ranma's mother," Soun said as he stroked his mustache thoughtfully.
"I fear between the excitable Akane, the impetuous Nabiki, and now the determined mother of the missing person, we have several people to find."
"Great," Jeff growled as he pushed past the others back into the living room. "This really stinks, ya know?"
"Perhaps if we were to think about this rationally we could reach a reasonable consensus as to what we should do," Inspector Abe said as he followed.
"Yes, I quite agree." Soun nodded his agreement. "Would anyone care for some more sweets?"
Nabiki paused only a block from home. She scanned the busy streets and pursed her lips while mulling over the options available for finding Akane. There weren't many. She could make a circuit of all her sister's usual haunts but that would take time. It was unlikely Akane, in her current state, would seek refuge. She was more likely to go in search of Ranma.
Nabiki eased over to a building and leaned against its still warm brick surface. She had to carefully work this out. There was no time for running off without a plan. Nodoka was off in search of Mousse, convinced he was holding her son. Nabiki grinned when she thought of what the sword-wielding mother of Ranma Saotome would do to the male consort of the Chinese Amazons when she caught up with him. The woman would most certainly get the information she desired.
It was a good thing Kasumi was not going to stray too far from home. Akane might just return unexpectedly. She was just going to check with her husband about whether or not he'd seen Akane and pick up a few things for dinner before returning. In any case, Inspector Abe was correct when he said that there should always be a family member at home in case the kidnappers called or the kidnapped person was able to escape. In either case, Kasumi was the best choice to be home.
No, the only course was to follow the route Nodoka had picked in hopes that Akane was doing the same. Eventually, she would catch up with her sister. Then what? Would Akane act as violently as she did back home? Could Nabiki even hope to subdue or reason with her sister? Shaking her head, Nabiki pushed herself away from the building and set off to pick up her sister's trail. She'd work out later what to do should Akane turn violent. For now, she had a lot of walking to do.
Brother Toyota knocked softly on the guest room door.
"Come in," came a strong male voice from inside.
The monk opened the door enough to stick his head inside. There on the bed was a young male figure, partially in the shadows, leaning against the back wall of the room.
"Ah, you're awake," Brother Toyota said as he closed the door behind him. "That's good. I've been giving some thought to your situation. I've talked to the district police and they have provided me with a list of missing persons. Perhaps if I read them to you, one name will trigger your memory."
Ranma sighed as the monk sat on the foot of his bed. Leaning forward, he emerged from the shadows, his eyes dark with lack of sleep.
"What do ya think I've been trying to do?" he moaned. "Day and night, I've stared at the same spot on the ceiling, concentrating as hard as I could but I still cannot remember anything."
"That will pass."
"When?"
The monk shook his head. "No one knows. These things sometimes take time."
"Too long to suit me." Ranma pouted.
"Sometimes something familiar will trigger a memory. It could be a smell, or a sight, or even..." The monk waved a small stack of papers in front of him. "... a name."
Ranma sighed and shook his head. "I'll try anything. I just want to remember who I am."
"We will, my young friend. In time, we will." The monk got a curious look on his face as he noticed Ranma's hands. Taking one gently in his, he examined the backs carefully. "You are a fighter," he finally announced.
Ranma quickly withdrew his hands and crossed his arms. He said nothing but his look spoke of how uncomfortable the idea made him.
"Maybe, you were a boxer or a martial artist," Brother Toyota said hopefully. "Your build would certainly suggest you are a man of much physical activity. Maybe you are a professional athlete," the monk said with an excited look.
Ranma scowled and shook his head. "That doesn't feel right."
"Perhaps not. That's okay, my son," the monk said while patting Ranma's hand. "It will come to you eventually. In the mean time, you are more than welcome to stay with us. Perhaps, you would even find peace here."
"Become a monk?" Ranma asked with a curious tilt of his head.
"You would certainly be welcome."
"I donno..."
"You needn't make such a decision right away," Brother Toyota said with a chuckle. "You will always be welcome with us." Ranma nodded and forced a little smile. "Good. Then let's go through this list of names and see if anything strikes you as familiar."
For several minutes, Ranma sat silently as the monk carefully read off name after name, pausing between between them in hopes of seeing some reaction. There was none. "Shimamoto... Akane."
Ranma's hand shot out and squeezed the monk's forearm. His eyes went wide as they darted from one side of the room to another.
"Your grip, my son," the monk gasped. Ranma swallowed hard before he grimaced like something painful just worked itself free. "I'm losing all feeling in my hand." Ranma slowly looked to the ceiling, at the same spot he'd been staring at for days. His eyes narrowed and his jaw slowly set. "I think my fingers are turning blue."
"Huh?" Ranma blinked like he was coming out of a trance.
"My... hand."
"Oh..." Ranma released the monk and listened to him gasp while he worked his fingers, feeling the tingling sensation of restored blood flow.
"You have quite a grip, young man."
"I'm sorry. It's just... that name." Ranma rubbed his chin as he rolled the name over and over in his mind.
"Hmmm, it's not a very common name." The monk scowled at the printed name again. In any case, this is the first solid lead we've had." The monk got up and shook his hand some more. "I'll see what I can find."
Ranma nodded but missed the monk's departure. His mind was probing the name, trying to find some bit of familiarity to it. "Shimamoto... Shimamoto... It just doesn't sound familiar. Is it possible I'm a Shimamoto?" he muttered.
He slumped back onto the bed and stared at the spot on the ceiling again. This was going to take more thought... and meditation.
Nabiki walked for several hours, the sun high overhead causing her to stop often in the shade to cool off. She made enquiries at various eating places along the way, showing Akane's picture and describing what she was wearing, but no one had seen her. By the time she reached the edge of town, it was getting late and a familiar rumble in her stomach reminded her she hadn't eaten since breakfast. It took only a few minutes to locate a suitable restaurant - a tiny establishment, with seating for only a dozen or so patrons.
Nabiki cautiously entered and selected a table near the front. She wanted to keep a watch on the street as she ate in case Akane passed. She showed the picture to the waitress before ordering but received another disappointing denial in return. No one had seen Akane or anyone who was even dressed like her. Maybe we were wrong. Maybe she didn't even go this way. Maybe I'm wasting my time. Nabiki sighed and tried to enjoy her meal. Because of the size of the restaurant, it wasn't hard to overhear conversations. One particular exchange between the lady who owned the place and her daughter caught Nabiki's attention.
"Mother, we need to replace the tatami mats in our tea room," the girl said.
"I know but we can't afford it right now."
"What about that tatami salesman who came by last week? He had all kinds of mats."
"Tatami salesman?"
"The Chinese guy with glasses." Nabiki's head turned slightly at the description of Mousse. "He had a whole stack of mats on his cart. He must have been a salesman."
"Well, if he comes back this way, I'll talk to him," the mother said before returning to her cooking.
Nabiki stopped the girl as she came to seat a couple of men who'd just entered the restaurant.
"Excuse me miss," Nabiki said. "I couldn't help but overhear. That tatami mat salesman. How did you know he was Chinese?"
"The way he was dressed." The girl blinked like Nabiki should have been able to figure that out by herself. "He wore long Chinese robes. Of course, it could have been some Japanese pervert who likes dressing up like a Chinese."
"Was anyone with him? A young Japanese man or perhaps a red-headed woman?"
"No," the girl answered while glancing nervously at the impatient guests in the doorway. "I really must go."
"Just one more question," Nabiki said as she held up a 50,000 yen note. The girl's wide eyes glued themselves to the wavering paper money. "This is very important to me. Was there anything unusual about the salesman's cart or mats?"
"No, not really. Although I thought the mat on the very top of the pile was really big."
"Big? You mean long?"
"No." The girl shook her head. "It was larger around than the others, like it was much longer."
"Which way did he go?" Nabiki shoved the yen note into the grateful girl's hand.
"Northwest. About a week ago." The girl pointed before bowing. "I really must go now."
Nabiki returned the girl's bow and watched her seat the two men at a table. If she was telling the truth, Nodoka's analysis of the situation was exactly right. Mousse *did* have possession of Ranma and *was* transporting the kidnapped Saotome in a rolled up tatami mat thrown in the back of a cart. Where Ranma went, Akane was certain to follow. It's getting dark, Nabiki thought as she stretched and yawned. No point in wandering around in the dark. Besides, Akane's got to rest some time.
Nabiki paid for her dinner and wandered back the way she had come earlier. She remembered passing a small inn that looked suitable a few blocks back. The first hints of autumn blew down the street causing Nabiki to hug herself from the chill. The air itself smelled of the approaching change of season. It reminded her that she had little time left in Japan before she would have to return home. She needed to wrap up this mystery quickly, rescue Ranma and return Akane to her old sane but reactionary self.
"Oh sure," she said to herself with a snort. "Like I'm going to be able to do all that."
As she approached the inn, a lone female figure emerged from an alley and stood for a moment like she was unsure of where to go. Nabiki slowed her walk. Something about the girl was familiar. Squinting her eyes in an attempt to pierce the gathering darkness, Nabiki started to walk faster as the figure turned away. Could she be so lucky as to find her sister on the first try? In the twilight, the girl's profile was right. She was wearing the same cut of clothes and had the same hair cut. Nabiki's heart beat faster as she approached. The girl must have sensed her presence because she suddenly stopped and turned towards Nabiki. The effect on the middle Tendo daughter was immediate. She jerked to a halt just a few feet from the girl and blinked.
"I'm sorry," Nabiki said with a bow. "I thought you were someone else."
The girl nodded and resumed her journey to wherever she was bound. Nabiki wiped her brow and glanced around to make sure no one saw her embarrassment. Satisfied, she slipped through the door of the inn. A good night's rest was all she needed, she thought. Tomorrow will be better.
A gentle breeze flowed through the Tendo yard, causing trees to sway and hiss softly. It also caused something else to swing like a pendulum in the wind. Suspended from the largest branch of the Tendo's biggest tree hung Genma Saotome, bound at the feet and hanging upside down.
"How I suffer for you, old friend." Soun Tendo sauntered towards his dangling training companion while eating a bowl of ice cream.
"Couldn't you at least loosen the bindings around my arms?" moaned Genma. He wiggled a futile attempt to free his hands as proof of his dilemma.
"I can't do that. Your wife was most explicit in how long you must remain in your current position."
"I'm hungry. It gets cold at night. All the blood is stuck in my head." Genma wiggled some more. He was rewarded by the ominous sound of a branch cracking. "And I don't think this limb will last much longer."
"Not if you continue to struggle like that," warned Soun while casting a worried look at the stressed branch. He rolled the delicious ice cream around in his mouth and tried to look worried.
"You know I don't like to beg..." Genma's voice trailed off as another gust of wind caused him to sway further. "But don't you think I've suffered enough?"
"Oh, *I* think you've suffered enough but somehow I don't think your wife will agree." Soun spooned another mouthful of ice cream.
"I'm begging you. PLEASE!"
"Well..."
"Look, I'll go away on a really long training trip. We can break the branch and you can claim I fell to the ground - really hard - and was gone before you could get out here. Tell her you were in the bath or something."
Soun scooped another spoon-full of ice cream and tried to look non-committal. He wanted to help his friend - he really did - but Nodoka made it VERY clear she wanted her husband to remain where he was until she returned. She also hinted at the eventual result should Soun help his friend.
"It's gonna rain tonight. You know what happens to me in the rain. The rope around my legs will cut my feet off," Genma pleaded.
It must have worked. Soun finished his ice cream and set the empty bowl aside. Looking over the prospects, he stroked his mustache. "This doesn't look too difficult. All we have to do is break the branch you're hanging from."
"Yes, but -"
Soun interrupted his friend by jumping up and grabbing the rope just above Genma's feet. Wrapping his legs around Genma's barrel-chest, he began to tug on the rope.
"Uh, Tendo, I don't think -"
"It will just take a few more," Soun said as he continued to tug on the rope, causing them to bob and weave dangerously close to the ground.
"But... AAAAAAAAAAAHH!" The branch broke with a loud 'snap'. Soun, realizing his mistake, made futile grabs at the air for something to prevent the inevitable. The pair plummeted to the ground with such force that Genma's head was driven into the soft earth up to his shoulders. Soun rolled free in time to be struck on the head by the falling branch. "Ouch," came Genma's muffled voice.
"I'll have you out in a minute, old friend," Soun said while rubbing his head.
It took only a few tugs to extract the rotund martial artist from the earth.
"There, now you can sneak off and Nodoka won't be any the wiser." Soun picked up his ice cream bowl again and smiled. Genma picked a few clods of earth from his eyebrows and pulled a healthy-looking earthworm from his ear. "There's just one thing more."
"Oh?"
"I need some money - not much, just enough to get me some provisions for the trip." Genma spit out some grubs.
Soun fearfully looked at his friend. "I don't have any money. Kasumi keeps track of all that."
"What? I thought you had an allowance."
Soun sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Every time we go somewhere, you always plead poverty and I wind up paying."
"Oh, that's right."
Soun hesitated and looked nervously at the house. "I do know where Kasumi keeps her emergency household funds. It's not much but you should be able to buy some of what you need with it." Soun looked hopefully at his friend.
"It will have to do," Genma said as he started for the house.
They walked in silence until reaching the engawa.
"Uh, Saotome, you don't really think Nodoka would have...
you know."
Genma fixed his friend with a cold stare. Reaching down he separated the crotch of his pants where there was formerly a sturdy seam. "And she did that on the back-swing."
"Oh my."
Ranma ran his hand lightly over his recently shaved head. "Feels funny."
"It will pass, my son," Brother Toyota said with a chuckle.
"It also reminds me of something. I'm not sure what but it feels like... maybe..." Ranma finally flapped his arms in frustration. "Oh, I don't know. It was so close this time."
"Your memory is coming back. In time, you will remember everything."
"I guess so." Ranma rubbed his head some more like he was trying to work a memory to the surface.
"Anyway, we're most pleased that you have decided to join us - even if it is only until you regain your memory. We don't get many recruits anymore."
"Well, that explains Brother Takahashi."
"Nothing explains Brother Takahashi, my son. In any case, you need to begin your meditation. Come with me."
Ranma followed his mentor down the ancient stone hall, its floors dimly lit by the late afternoon sun. He shrugged his shoulders and tried to readjust his new garments. "Are these robes supposed to be so uncomfortable?"
"They remind us of our humility and struggles we must undergo before finding nirvana."
"They're kinda drafty." Ranma pulled down the back of his robe to cut off a sudden cool breeze he felt running up his back side.
"That reminds us of how insignificant we are in this world."
"They're itchy too."
"That's probably the detergent. Brother Suzuki did the wash this week. Real goober when it comes to choosing detergent," Brother Toyota said with a shake of his head.
"Does that teach us something?"
"Yeah, it teaches us not to let Brother Suzuki do the wash anymore."
It was late morning before Nabiki left the inn. A morning headache complete with a bout of depression caused her to dally longer at the inn than she expected. Despite her many miles of travel, she hadn't gotten any closer to finding her sister than she was when she started. Worse yet, no one had even seen her.
The only bright spot was the possible lead on Mousse. Nabiki planned on following that lead in hopes that Akane had done the same. If she was lucky, she'd catch up with her sister *before* she found Mousse. If not, there was likely to be one hell of a hole in Japan.
Nabiki walked until the sun was directly overhead. Finding herself on a two-lane country road, she resisted the offers of a ride and fought the urge to find a shady spot and take a nap. She might miss something. She wasn't used to all this physical activity. Sure, she had her aerobics classes back home, but they were usually less than an hour each and she always followed them with a soothing massage. This walking for hours was for the birds - well, it was for lower life forms, that's for sure.
She'd just rounded a bend in the road, making certain the road was suitable for pushing a heavy cart, when she spotted a little girl crouched down staring into the bushes that grew just beyond the ditch that bordered the road. As she drew closer, the girl seemed to be talking to the bush.
"It's okay. I won't hurt you," the girl said in a tiny voice. Nabiki noticed the little girl carried a raggedly old stuffed doll and wore clothes that had seen better days.
Nabiki stopped behind the girl and tried to discern what or who the girl was talking to. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't see anything. "Lose something?" Nabiki asked.
The girl spun around like she'd just noticed Nabiki's presence. "I'm sorry," she squealed. "I didn't mean to be on your land but my kitty wandered off." The girl's big brown eyes were open in fear and her dirty cheeks quivered. She clutched the doll to her for protection and looked like she wanted to run away. She couldn't have been much older than Sodoshi.
Nabiki shook her head. "It's not my land. I'm just passing through."
The little girl's body sagged in relief. "Oh." She turned back to the bush and scowled. "Bad kitty. You come out."
"You live around here?" Nabiki asked shading her eyes from the sun and peering intently into the bush. She could just make out a pair of amber-colored eyes looking back at her.
"Yes. Over..." The little girl paused as her expression became truly frightened. "Over...," she repeated, her eyes scanning blankly down the road.
"Are you lost?" Nabiki asked softly.
"No...," the girl said defensively before looking pleadingly at Nabiki and whining: "Yes."
Nabiki hesitated as the little girl looked fearfully around for something that looked familiar. Her first reaction was to comfort the child, to take the girl into her arms. But she resisted that impulse at the sight of girl's dirty appearance.
She sighed and tried to look friendly. "I'll tell you what. I'll help you get your kitty then we will find your mommy. Okay?"
The little girl nodded and turned back towards the bush. It was obvious why she didn't go to get the cat herself, the width of the drainage ditch next to the road was an almost insurmountable obstruction to one so small.
"What's your kitty's name?" Nabiki asked as she eased herself down into the ditch, grimacing at the sight of so much muck and trash.
"Kitty," the little girl answered.
Figures, Nabiki thought with a frown. I can't believe I'm doing this. Nabiki climbed out the other side and carefully approached the bush. Parting some of the branches, she saw a tiny black and white kitten cowering inside.
"There you are," she said while reaching gingerly towards the cat. A hiss and a sudden swipe of a claw later, Nabiki withdrew her hand, three tiny scrapes oozing blood. "Ya little...!" Nabiki bit her tongue and shot a look towards the little girl. If the girl wasn't so cute and innocent, she would have cursed loudly.
"Bad kitty!" the little girl scolded.
"Yeah, bad kitty," Nabiki replied under her breath.
Pushing aside the branches of the bush again she tried diverting the critter's attention with one hand while grabbing it with the other. It took two tries but she finally got the kitten by the scruff of the neck and hoisted her free of the bush.
"Yea!" the little girl crowed while clapping her hands.
Fortunately for Nabiki, the kitten settled into a reflexively limp mode that allowed her to be carried back across the ditch and into the waiting arms of the little girl. Cuddling the kitten, the little girl bowed a couple of times and thanked Nabiki profusely.
Nabiki brushed off her pants and wiped her hands together removing what little of the ditch that remained. Now she was going to have to stop somewhere and take a bath. "That's not necessary. Now, let's find your mother. I still have a long way to go before dark."
"Okay." The girl took Nabiki's uninjured hand and led her down the road. "You nice lady."
"Yeah, I guess so," Nabiki sounded less sure about admitting that than she should have. "So, what's your name?"
"I'm Miki," the girl said with a satisfied look. "What's yours?"
"You can call me Nabiki."
"Okay Na-bi-ki. You wanna meet my Mommy?" The little girl shifted the kitten so she could hold both it and her dolly in one arm.
Nabiki saw the child struggling to hold both and reached for the doll. "Why don't you let me carry that?"
The child willingly gave up the doll and hugged the kitten closer to herself. "Bad kitty. Running away like that."
"Well, cats do that. They're very independent." Nabiki looked at the aged doll in its faded red kimono. One slipper was missing and its fabric legs were dirty. "What's you dollie's name?"
"Akane," the little girl said in an off-hand manner.
Nabiki smiled. "That's the name of my little sister."
"Really?" The little girl cocked her head and looked suspiciously at Nabiki.
"Really. I have another sister named Kasumi. She's my oneechan."
The little girl looked at the road and pouted. "I wish I had an o-nee-chan."
"Are you the oldest?"
"I guess so. I'm the only one."
Nabiki caught the girl's embarrassment at such an admission and changed the subject. "What does your father do?"
The girl frowned and set her jaw. "Don't know."
"Is he a farmer? That's a good way to make a living."
The little girl just shook her head in silence. Obviously, Nabiki wasn't going to get any kind of information this way.
As they rounded another bend in the road, a woman called out Miki's name and came running. As she got closer, it was obvious that the girl's dress and lack of cleanliness ran in the family. The woman wore a faded blue skirt that might have once been part of a school uniform. Over that she wore a blouse that looked fairly new except for the tear under one of the arms. Her dirty white crew socks drooped down her ankles like they were attempting to hide in her worn tennis shoes.
"Miki! I was so worried. Why did you wander off like that?" the lady said as she dropped to her knees in the road in front of her daughter.
"Kitty ran away and I went to find her," the girl said before looking up at Nabiki. "And Na-bi-ki rescued kitty."
The woman bowed deeply to Nabiki and avoided making eye contact. "I can never thank you enough. I looked everywhere and was so worried. She's never wandered off before."
Nabiki stopped the woman with a raised hand. "I understand completely. I have a daughter her age too."
For the first time, the woman looked up at Nabiki. Her eyes quickly roamed over Nabiki's attire and her expression changed. It was clear she believed herself in the presence of one of a higher - a *much* higher class. She bowed deeply again. "Please forgive my daughter. She's young. I've tried so hard to raise her right. I can never repay you for -"
"That's not necessary. I was glad to help." Nabiki's voice must have sounded a bit peeved because the woman shrank back in fear. Nabiki sighed and held out a hand. "Let me help you up and we can go to your house and talk. It's not safe to be talking here in the road."
Hesitantly, the woman took Nabiki's hand and stood. Her eyes never left the pavement as she licked her lips nervously. "I... I can't..."
"That's okay. I understand," Nabiki said softly. "I don't wish to impose." She couldn't really understand why the woman didn't want her to see her home. So it was just a farm house. Why should she feel embarrassed? "I'll just be on my way."
"No," the woman pleaded. "Please, Lady Nabiki, I owe you. Do not shame me with such a burden."
Nabiki looked at the little girl. The child's eyes were wide and looking between the two women. She looked like she could begin crying at any moment. "Perhaps I could just stop for a cup of tea. Its been a long walk."
"I... I think I have some tea," the woman said hesitantly. "It's not very good tea."
"Anything will do." Nabiki started up the road like the issue was settled. She could see a small farm house off in the distance and assumed that was their home.
The trio walked only a short distance before the woman pulled Miki off the road. Crossing the ditch on an old wood plank, she carefully slipped through a fence. Nabiki struggled to follow. Well, I think this explains how you tore that blouse, young lady, she thought. I wonder why we're going this way. The house is over there.
Moments later, it became obvious why the detour. They weren't going to the farmhouse. In the middle of a clearing of trees, was a hog shed. It looked like it had just been built. Draped over part and forming a kind of canopy was the remnants of a ragged tent. Nabiki could see blankets and a few personal possessions neatly stored in a corner of the shed.
"You live here?" Nabiki said reflexively.
The woman hesitated then nodded before slipping her worn shoes off and stepping onto an old tatami mat in the middle of the shed. Her daughter did the same, happily depositing her kitten on a pile of straw that looked like it had been shaped for just such a purpose. Nabiki shook her head and removed her shoes next to the mat and gingerly stepped onto it's surface. It might have been old but it still held gave off a hint of the aroma she was so used to smelling in her own home. She carefully knelt near the edge of the mat and watched the woman gather a few items to start the tea.
"I don't wish to be rude," Nabiki said as she looked at her surroundings. "But why on earth are you living here?"
The woman stopped her tea making and squeezed her eyes shut. "It... it is all I have." Her hands quickly covered her face and Nabiki could see the woman's shoulders begin to quiver. "Forgive me, Lady Nabiki, this place is not worthy of one so high born as you."
"First off, drop the 'Lady Nabiki' stuff. I'm just Nabiki." Nabiki frowned. "And I wasn't 'high born'. I come from a modest family in Nerima."
"But your clothes..."
"Okay, I married well but that doesn't make me any better than you." Nabiki cut off further explanation and looked at the mat with a quizzical expression. She was a rich woman - a VERY rich woman. She lived in a beautiful house in the best neighborhood in Hawaii. Yet here she was sitting on a dirty old tatami mat in the middle of a pig shed telling someone she was no better than they were. She shook her head again. Jeffrey was right. Money doesn't make you what you are. "Who are you?" she asked softly.
"I am Reiko... I have no family name. They disowned me."
"Why would they do such a thing?"
"Just after I graduated high school I met a man - a gaijin, an American. We saw each other for almost a year while he was going to a nearby college and I worked in my family's shop. We fell in love... at least I thought it was love. He promised to marry me. I did a foolish thing and got pregnant..." She looked at her daughter playing blissfully with her kitten and doll. "...with Miki. We married - legally. We signed the papers and everything." She choked and covered her face. Nabiki slid over and put an arm around her. Despite the odor of an unwashed body, Nabiki hugged the trembling woman to her.
"It's okay," Nabiki whispered. "You don't have to tell me any more."
Despite her offer, the woman pressed on - as if telling the story to a stranger would make the hurt go away. "My parents were furious. They threw me out of the house. At first, I didn't care. I had my husband and he was going to take me to America." Reiko shuddered and sniffed. "That night... that night, he got drunk and said he didn't want any children. He demanded I abort the baby - MY baby. I couldn't do that!" Reiko grabbed at Nabiki's blouse, her frightened eyes glistening. "He beat me and threw me out of the apartment. I tried to return but he'd locked the door." Nabiki tried to comfort the woman. Reiko trembled and wavered before finishing her tale.
"The next day, he seemed better, like everything was going to be okay. He took me to a nearby town. We stopped to get something to eat. I thought it strange he left his bags outside but it was such a tiny place to eat. I just thought he was being considerate. Just before our food came, he left saying he needed to make a phone call. The next thing I knew, I saw his face in the window of a bus leaving town." Reiko choked and gritted her teeth. "I tried to run after it but was too slow"
Reiko broke down sobbing. Miki crawled over to her grieving mother. Reiko took the child into her arms and clutched her tightly. Despite her best efforts, Nabiki felt a lump in her throat. She never imagined that anyone could be so cruel, so uncaring. Reiko did nothing wrong but fall in love with an gaijin, an American. Nabiki herself had done that.
"Does someone you know own this land?" Nabiki finally asked.
"No. A kind farmer let me stay here until fall. He built this shed for his pigs and they will need it when the snows come. We have to move before then." Reiko looked up in panic. "I have no where else to go."
"Surely you have some family somewhere that will take you in."
"None. All have turned against me. For five years we've traveled around the country depending on the kindness of those we met." She hugged her child as she shook her head. "I took charity only when there was no other option." She smoothed the matted hair on her daughter's head. "I did it only for Miki's sake."
"Why don't you get a job?"
"How? I had no home, I had no money for transportation, and I had no one to watch over Miki." She sniffed and shook her head again. "I did have a job for a couple of weeks during the Winter Olympics. I sold souvenirs in the street. Miki was so good. She never complained how cold it was."
"This isn't right," Nabiki growled as she looked off towards the road. "This isn't fair."
"Please, I've said too much. I shouldn't bother you with my petty problems." Reiko set her daughter back on the mat and wiped her face with her hands. "I owe you some tea."
Nabiki started to protest but couldn't find the words. The woman had so few shreds of dignity left. There was no sense in taking the last by refusing her offer of tea. She watched as Reiko opened a small container, then held it up and shook it. The long pause told Nabiki there wasn't even enough tea for one cup. This is wrong, Nabiki repeated to herself over and over. This can't be happening in Japan. We've *never* had people in this situation. We've always taken care of everyone. Even the mentally ill are allowed to live with more dignity than this.
"I'm sorry, Nabiki. I don't..." Reiko's voice choked again and she dropped the empty tea container on the mat. It bounced and rolled off into the dirt.
"That's it," Nabiki growled as she stood up. Painfully bumping her head on the low roof of the pig shed. "I'm getting you out of here."
"I have no money..."
"Forget the money. *I'll* take care of you." Nabiki rubbed her head trying to make the bump she received go away.
"I can't do that," Reiko moaned. "I don't want -"
"YOU don't want? YOU don't want? What about your daughter? Don't you want help for her?" Nabiki stopped rubbing her head and glared at Reiko.
"Of course, but -"
"But nothing!" Nabiki snatched her bag off the mat and rummaged through it. "First, we're going to get you cleaned up. Then, we're going to get you fed. After that, you're going to go live with my sister in Nerima."
"I couldn't -"
"Don't start with me," Nabiki warned with a raised finger. "I used to think *I* had it bad whenever I missed a collection at school or couldn't buy something new for my own enjoyment but this..." She flapped her arms in frustration.
"Won't your sister object? We're not family."
"You are now," Nabiki said while scribbling an address and instructions on a piece of paper. "As far as I'm concerned, you are my cousin Reiko and she's my niece Miki. No 'buts'." She handed the paper to the woman.
"You can read can't you?"
"Yes. I graduated high school."
"Good. You can help Kasumi around the house until I can think of something else." Nabiki smiled at Miki who returned an apprehensive look. "Now, let's gather your things. There should be a small town just up the road. We will get you cleaned up and into some new clothes there. You should be able to catch a bus to Tokyo. Follow the instructions I gave you and you'll have no trouble finding my sister's home." Nabiki finished writing something else on another piece of paper before folding it into a secure little bundle. "Give this to Kasumi. She'll know what to do."
"Why are you doing this?"
"I don't know, Reiko. Ten years ago I probably wouldn't have even stopped to help your daughter." Nabiki rubbed the scratches on her hand. "But my eyes have been opened since then. I had heard rumors about homeless people in Japan but thought they were just stories or cases of old men and people who refused to fit in. I know better now."
Reiko raised no further objections. Complying obediently to Nabiki's directions, she gathered her meager possessions and followed without question. They stopped by the farmhouse and thanked the old farmer for the temporary shelter. He acted embarrassed for not providing better but Nabiki dismissed such as unimportant now that she was responsible for the two.
A short walk later and they were in a small town nestled between two steep mountains. A pair of ribbon-thin water falls worked their way down the mountains and into the town, their water channeled along side the main street in a man-made stream. The air was filled with the fresh smell water rushing by and green vegetation that grew alongside the stream. Nabiki directed them towards a small vacation inn that offered a wonderful view of the waterfalls.
"Konnichiwa," the old lady behind the counter said with a bow and uncertain look towards Nabiki's two companions. "May I help you?"
"Yes, I'd like a room for my friends," Nabiki said with an air that reminded her of Kodachi Kuno.
The old lady looked around Nabiki at the disheveled pair and hesitated. "Well... for how many nights? We are not a shelter, you understand."
"It will be for one night only." Nabiki's voice remained firm even as her eyes narrowed. "They are leaving tomorrow for Tokyo."
The old lady licked her lips like she was making a decision. Nabiki caught her uncertainty and pulled out a wad of yen. The old lady stared at the bundle like it was more money than she'd ever seen. Nabiki dropped a large denomination bill on the counter causing the old lady to stammer: "Of course. We have a very fine room for them. It comes complete with a bath and a wonderful view of the waterfalls." Nabiki dropped another bill on the counter. "It also comes with all meals."
Nabiki slid the rest of her money back in her pocket and smiled. "See? That wasn't so difficult now was it."
The old lady scooped the bills up and proceeded to bow her way from behind the counter. "This way please." Her smile had returned. Yup. Money is the key that turns all locks. Nabiki grimaced at her own thoughts. Good grief, I'm beginning to sound like Jeffrey.
Nabiki carefully determined the sizes of her new family members as they undressed in the bath. The old lady brought a bundle of fresh towels while Nabiki bagged the old clothes. As the two entered the bath, the old lady pulled Nabiki out into the hall.
"Where did you find those two?" she asked.
"Does it matter?"
"No," the old lady said slowly. "I've... just never seen someone in such pitiful condition."
"She's had a rough life, through no fault of her own." Nabiki looked sadly at the closed door to the bath.
"Abandoned?" The old lady's question startled Nabiki with its directness.
She nodded without adding anything else.
The old lady shook her head. "I wish you had told me that sooner. It changes everything. I'll take good care of them. I have some ukatas we provide our first-class guests. I think one will even fit the little girl. Don't worry."
Nabiki looked between the earnest-looking old lady and the door before bowing with a smile. "Thank you. I can see there is still some heart in this country."
The old lady pulled herself up to her full height. "I've seen this before. The homeless are everywhere these days. So sad. Don't worry. This is my inn. Whatever those two may be out there, in my establishment they will be treated with respect."
"I couldn't help but notice that didn't stop you from taking my money," Nabiki said slyly.
"Sweetie, if I didn't take your money, I'd soon be out in the street along with them." The old lady matched
Nabiki's sly smile. "Besides, without us capitalists, there would be no charity." The two chuckled together.
Nabiki was gone a couple of hours. As darkness began to settle over the town, she returned with new clothes, comfortable footwear, and a little something extra for Miki. She found them in a private dining room with the inn's owner. She paused at the partially open door to see Miki setting a small bowl of milk on the floor for her kitten. The sight of all the food made Nabiki's stomach grumble. It had been a long time since lunch.
"There you are," the old lady said with a big smile. "We were beginning to wonder what happened to you."
"Kitty likes her milk," Miki crowed as she stroked the tiny feline's fur. The cat's purr could be heard all the way across the room.
Nabiki bowed her way inside and shut the door behind her. "Thank you for taking such good care of them."
"It was no trouble at all," the old lady said as she got to her feet. "Now that you're back, I can get your dinner. You must be starved."
All three bowed as the old lady left and Nabiki took her place at the table. "Well, you seem to be doing alright."
"I can't thank you enough-" Reiko started but was stopped by Nabiki's raised hand.
"Let's not go through that again. I've got you both some clothes to wear for the trip back to Tokyo. I just hope I got the right sizes."
"I'm sure they will be fine." Reiko looked gratefully at Nabiki.
"Oh, I almost forgot." Nabiki pulled out a small box from one of the bags she brought in. "This is for you." She handed the box to Miki.
"What is it?" the girl asked with wide eyes.
"Open it and see."
Miki glanced at her mother who gave her approval with a nod before she tore into the box like it was Christmas morning. Moments later, she lovingly held a new doll in her tiny arms.
"She's so beautiful," the girl gasped as she toyed with its short brown hair. "I'm gonna name her... Nabiki." The two women giggled at the new name. Nabiki looked at Reiko as she watched her daughter introduce the doll to her kitten. Reiko was still youthfully attractive, almost child-like in her beauty. Her long dark hair looked so much better now that it was clean and combed so that if flowed down her back.
It was obvious how she attracted her former husband. It was also easy to figure out how she could have been charmed by a tall, handsome American with a smooth manner. Nabiki thought of her own American husband. What Reiko went through might not have been all that different from her own experience with Jeffrey. She could certainly understand the attraction.
The old lady reappeared with a tray of food and carefully placed the steaming bowls in front of Nabiki. Bowing like a good host, she was quickly gone.
"You've been so kind to us," Reiko said as she picked at the last of her dinner. "I wish there was some way I could repay you."
Nabiki shook her head and forced a smile. "Let's just get you taken care of and let it go at that."
"I was thinking..." Reiko paused to lick her lips. "Why you were on that lonely road so far from you home."
"I'm... looking for someone."
"Oh?"
"My sister disappeared a few days ago and we, that is... her mother-in-law and I, guessed she came this way."
"I see." Reiko frowned at the table. "Does she look anything like you?"
Nabiki shook her head as she fished out a picture of her sister and handed it to Reiko. The young lady held it up to the light, her face squinting in concentration. Like a thought just occurred to her, she turned to Miki and showed her the picture.
"Is this the lady you were talking about the other day?"
Miki frowned at the picture, one hand clutching her new doll and the other stroking its hair. "I think so. She didn't stop to talk to me like Nabiki did."
Nabiki shifted her position in anticipation. "Was she on the same road as I was?"
"Yes but she walked funny." The girl looked at Nabiki like she was saying something that might make her angry.
"She scared me. I hid in the bushes until she passed."
"Was she going the same direction I was?" Nabiki leaned a little closer, her pulse racing.
"I think so," the little girl said as she leaned closer to her mother and clutched the doll like she was afraid Nabiki would take the gift back if she answered wrong.
"Then Nodoka was right," Nabiki said with a tiny smile. "She *did* come this way."
"I thought Miki was just making it up when she told me about the strange lady," Reiko said as her arm encircled the child's body. "I hope you're not angry for us not telling you sooner."
Nabiki smiled warmly. "What? Of course not. This is very good news. Until now, I wasn't certain I'd even come the right way. The only lead I had was Mousse and his cart."
"Mousse?" Reiko asked.
"We believe Mousse kidnapped Akane's husband."
"Is he Yakuza?" Reiko's eyes went wide and she hugged her daughter closer.
"Worse than that. He's Chinese."
"Oh dear," Reiko gasped as she covered her mouth with one hand. "I've heard they can be so violent. It's a good thing I didn't stop him-"
"Stop him? What are you talking about?"
"A strange man in white robes passed our pig shelter on the road a few days ago - before Miki told me of your sister. He was pushing a large cart piled with tatami mats. One fell off but he didn't stop to pick it up. I figured he thought it so worthless he didn't want it anymore." Reiko cringed and looked embarrassed. "It was the mat we were using to sleep on."
"Then it's true. Akane is following the path we determined Mousse would take with his cart." Nabiki leaned on the table like a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "I can't believe it."
"Is this good news?" Reiko ask hopefully.
"Oh yes," Nabiki sighed. "It means my trip has not been wasted."
Reiko glanced at her daughter before fixing Nabiki with a serious look. "I owe you so much. Perhaps I should help you find your sister."
Nabiki shook her head. "No. You have enough to do with getting your daughter to my sister's house. The information you've provided me is more than ample payment for whatever I may have done for you."
Reiko tried to protest but found it impossible as Nabiki just shook her head and attacked her dinner with renewed energy.
"Tomorrow morning, you will get on the bus to Tokyo and I will follow this new lead," Nabiki said between bites.
"I want you to tell Kasumi that Nodoka was right. Tell her everything you've seen and heard. If my husband and his friends are still there, make sure they know where you saw me and tell them I am okay. Can you do that for me?"
Reiko nodded with a serious expression. She promised to do everything Nabiki asked. "I'll call Kasumi tonight and tell her you are coming. It will be easier if she met you at the bus station," Nabiki said as she dabbed the corner of her mouth with a napkin.
"And you will continue to hunt for Akane," Reiko said. "Yes," Nabiki answered with a sigh. "I have to find her before she finds Mousse."
"Is she some kind of martial artist?"
Nabiki paused and stared out the window at the waterfalls. Her mind drifted ahead to the rest of her journey. "Possibly the second best in the world."
"She must be very powerful," Reiko gasped.
"More than she knows." Nabiki's soft words came like a lament, as if she was sorry Akane ever learned of her inner power. That knowledge seemed to unbalance the girl in ways they had not seen before. It was a fear Nabiki kept to herself, buried deeply in hopes she was wrong.
Reiko turned to fuss with her daughter's long hair. "Well, I've heard that the most powerful fighters were all Shinobi shadow-warriors." She shook her head with an embarrassed smile. "Of course, they no longer exist."
Nabiki's eyes slid from the waterfalls to Reiko.
All expression drained from her face. "Really?"
"Oh yes. I heard they were all assassins and thieves. It's just as well they don't exist anymore." She stopped what she was doing with Miki's hair and got a strange expression on her face. "My grandmother used to tell me tales of how they stole children and made them mindless warriors - like walking dead," Reiko said as she cast a fearful look Nabiki's way. It was clear she had her own daughter in mind.
"Myths and legends used to frighten children," Nabiki said with a shake of her head.
Reiko hesitated before leaning towards Nabiki. "Do you know about them?"
As her usual sardonic smile appeared on her face, Nabiki said: "I've done some research. I can't speak for all the clans but those I studied never took part in such things."
"Well, in any case, I'm just glad they don't exist anymore." Reiko resumed stroking her daughter's hair. "Miki is going to grow up in a world without such evil."
Nabiki's smile never wavered. Don't be so sure, my friend. Don't be so sure.
"Father, where's Mr. Saotome?" Kasumi asked as she entered the Tendo living room with the results of her grocery shopping.
Soun, seated at the table reading his newspaper, never looked up. "I have no idea, daughter. Why do you ask?"
"Well, the tree branch he was hanging from is now laying in the yard and there is no sign of him," Kasumi said as she set her shopping bags on the counter in the kitchen. "I was just concerned he might have hurt himself in the fall."
"Very admirable of you, my daughter," Soun said passively from behind his paper.
Kasumi stuck her head around the corner. "Didn't you see or hear anything?"
"I must have been in the bath... I mean the... other place." A single bead of sweat formed on Soun's forehead and slowly worked its way around his eyebrow and down his cheek. He wasn't used to lying to Kasumi. The others, yes, but Kasumi was like lying to his wife and he would never do that - most of the time.
"Very strange," Kasumi said as she returned to the kitchen. "I wonder where he went?"
"Probably far away. Nodoka will be most displeased at his disappearance." Another bead of sweat formed and made a similar trip down his face.
"Most likely," Kasumi answered nonchalantly. "I just hope he wasn't hurt in the fall."
"Oh, I doubt such a well-trained martial artist like him would be hurt by such a short drop." Soun was really sweating now. Could Kasumi suspect his implication in Genma's escape?
"Yes, he's a most skilled martial artist." Kasumi opened and closed a couple of cabinet doors.
Soun couldn't believe his luck. He was getting away with it.
"Father?" Kasumi's voice caused him to twitch.
"Yes, daughter?"
"Have you been going through the cabinets again?"
"Why no, daughter. Why do you ask?" Soun was sweating like he was in a sauna.
"I seem to have misplaced something." A couple of more cabinets opened and closed.
"I'm sure it will turn up." Soun blinked some sweat from his eyes. She knows something. I'm sure of it.
"I was certain I left it here." Kasumi must have been searching for the money can she kept hidden above the stove - the same money can he gave Genma earlier. "Perhaps you put it somewhere else."
"Perhaps," came Kasumi's reply. It was a little muffled due to her head being stuck deep into one of the cabinets. "But I was certain I left it here."
"You know, I think I remember Tofu going through the cabinets this morning. Something about a debt, I believe." Soun congratulated himself on such a clever misdirection.
That was short lived. There was a long silence. Soun swallowed hard and peeked slowly over the top of his newspaper. His eyes went wide at the sight of Kasumi standing across the table from him, her hands on her hips and wearing a skeptical look.
"Tofu would never do such a thing," she said in an accusing voice. "You know very well what I was looking for."
Soun trembled visibly before breaking down. "I'm sorry, daughter. I truly am. I couldn't help myself."
"Honestly, father," she scolded. "You've been sneaking off to Mr. Miyagi's Bar again, haven't you?"
Soun froze, a confused look on his face.
"It's that stupid American football, isn't it? You've been sneaking money from my money can to go down to the bar with your friends and watch grown men in crash helmets beat each other senseless over a harmless little ball. You should be ashamed of yourself. What would mother say?"
Soun's eyes went wide at Kasumi's accusations. Bar? American football? Never one to miss an opportunity to avoid real trouble by accepting a little trouble in its place, he threw himself on the mercy of his eldest daughter.
"I'm so sorry. I never meant it to come to this. I'm addicted. It's not my fault," he moaned while doing a pretty good impression of a groveling man.
"Father, we can't afford such extravagance. I give you an allowance and you will just have to learn how to live with it." Kasumi turned on her heel and stomped back into the kitchen.
"Yes, daughter," Soun said with an appropriate sniff of contrition. "I'll work extra hard in the future."
"Good. Now, about Mr. Saotome..."
"What about him, daughter?" Soun breathed a sigh of relief.
"Shouldn't we tell someone he's gone?"
"Why?" Soun was beginning to feel pretty good about himself.
"Well, Mrs. Saotome is going to be quite upset when she finds out you helped her husband escape."
Eeeep!