_[12 years ago...]_ "Please, my husband! Do not take my children away from me!" Nodoka cried, hands gripping frantically at Genma's tattered gi. The balding martial artist looked incredulously upon the frantic woman kneeling at his feet. "Let go, woman! This is for the boys' own good!" He made another valiant effort to leave, hampered somewhat by the struggling twins held in his arms. "Please don't take them away!" Tears leapt to her eyes as both young boys began to cry for their mother. "Must you take them both?" Genma sighed, turning towards his distraught wife. Looks like he'd have to do this the hard way. Meaning, he'd have to explain himself. "Nodoka, listen to me. Our sons have a destiny set before them. They must be raised to carry on the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts." "I know, but both of them? And to begin so early..." "Nodoka! You have raised them well. But I must train them properly!" Genma clenched his fists. "So you must sacrifice your maternal feelings for the sake of their future! If you truly loved your sons then you must allow me to train them as I see fit. Be patient and you will see the wisdom of this course." "For their future..." Nodoka murmured shakily. "But must you take them both?" Genma sighed as he stared into his wife's bleary and pleading eyes. Somehow he had doubted that she would allow him both sons to train. "Well... no." Genma sighed again before handing one of the twins over. "Ranma has shown to be more adept at the art in the few short years I have trained with them. I'm certain he would become the heir to the art anyway." "Thank you, husband," cried Nodoka, clutching the boy to her breast. After a moment, the twins began to struggle and cry out, reaching helplessly for each other. "There there, Kenichi. Your brother will be alright." Ignoring his mother, the poor boy cried harder. Nodoka's smile slipped, and the tears returned. "Husband, please, must you take him?" Genma firmed his resolve, careful not to glance into his wife's tear- stained face. He'd half expected this reaction as well. But he had a backup plan for this contingency... "Nodoka, as proof of my convictions... I will make a promise to you." Genma frowned, his voice loud and serious. "Ranma will become a man among men! This I swear! And if I fail, on my honor he and I will commit seppuku!" Nodoka's mind reeled. To make such a declaration... "O-okay, husband. I have faith you won't fail me." She tried to smile. "Please, make a man out of our son!" "I will, Nodoka. Take care of Kenichi." And with that, he and Ranma were out the door. Nodoka paused for a long moment, her boy held tightly to her chest, her husband's declaration still echoing through her mind. If Genma could make a personal oath to raise Ranma to be a man among men, then she could do the same with Kenichi... couldn't she? She glanced down at the quiet youth in her arms. Kenichi gazed back with wide eyes, before smiling happily and hugging his mother tighter. Nodoka smiled brightly. Yes, she would raise Kenichi to be the paragon of manhood, or her name wouldn't be Nodoka Saotome! ----------------------------- _[Present, a Wednesday afternoon in the early fall...]_ "Let's see... I think the street is this direction..." The youth paused for a moment before glancing down at a piece of paper clutched in his hands. Absently, he reached up and tugged on his pony-tail, which trailed down to his shoulder blades, before straightening out his backpack. "Dad's directions say that the Tendo dojo was somewhere in Nerima. I just wish he'd explained it more thoroughly. Oh well... I think I *AM* getting close, though. Just a few more blocks..." After a moment's pause, he resumed his journey down another street. ----------------------------- "Ranma, get back here!" "No thanks, Akane! I told ya, I'm full!" Ranma dodged around a corner, blazing a trail up the stairs. Seconds later, Akane came smoking through with a plate of steamed vegetables. "But I've been working hard on this all afternoon!" "On what, a plate of charcoal?" Come to think of it, maybe it was the plate that was smoking. "You jerk!" Akane screamed, hurling the smoldering concoction towards Ranma. Predictably, Ranma took the impact full on the back of his head and stumbled to the floor. After catching up with her fallen fiancé, Akane gave him a courtesy glance, just to make sure he was breathing. "All you had to do was eat it. Now it's ruined." She frowned at his unconscious body for a few moments longer before sighing and returning to the kitchen. Or would have returned to the kitchen. As she entered the front hallway, the doorbell sounded, and since no one else was nearby... "I'll get it! I wonder who's here?" she muttered as she opened the front door. "Hel-- ...Ranma!" The black-haired, pony-tailed youth at the door blinked. "Ranma?" He paused, long enough to set his backpack on the ground beside him. "Where's Ranma?" Akane gritted her teeth. "Don't play dumb with me, you idiot! What do you think you're doing?" The boy cocked his head to the side. "Paying the Tendo's a visit?" He glanced about. "Don't I have the right house? And what's that about Ranma?" "You're really pushing it, you know that? What's with the getup?" "Excuse me? Do I know you from somewhere?" "That's it!!!" Hefting her mallet, Akane made to brain her wayward fiancé. Or, at least tried to. Before she knew what had happened, the boy was standing two feet further from her, wielding a steel katana. Her mallet, she noted idly, lay in severed layers on the ground before her feet. "Now, do I have your attention?" the boy asked. His blue-grey eyes glinted, so much like Ranma's, so much not. "Who... who are you?" Akane mumbled, wide-eyed. "Me?" The boy assumed a one-handed grip on his sword. Raising a free hand to rest behind his head, he replied, "Oh, I'm Kenichi Saotome. Sorry about all this." ----------------------------- ----------------------------- Dragon and Serpent, a Tale of Twin Saotomes by John Rossmaier (the_rossmage82@hotmail.com) Disclaimer: All characters portrayed in this fanfiction are creations of their respective owners. The only ones you should be wary of are those of my own fiendish brain (Kenichi, for starters.) Such characters will be marked with various symbols to indicate a reading hazard. You have been forwarned... Oh, and if any of the characters not created by me seem to be OOC, just sit back and consider how often that's happened in fanfiction ANYWAY. As a matter of fact, ALL fanfiction is against Ranma canon, since it wasn't written by Miss Takahashi herself. But, uh, I'm blabbing. Just read the thing, alright? And try to restrain the fist of death when sending me C&C... Time period: Sometime between the 16th and 17th English manga volumes (i.e., after Nabiki is engaged to Ranma, but before Pantyhose Taro shows up.) For the anime, it would be between seasons 5 and 6. ----------------------------- ----------------------------- Chapter 1 : Here's Kenichi, the Diametric Doppleganger! "Kenichi, you say?" The boy nodded. "Well, it's nice to meet you. My name's Kasumi Tendo, and this is my younger sister, Nabiki." Kasumi gestured to where Nabiki was seated at her right. "Would you like some tea?" Kenichi smiled. "Thank you, yes. Um... are you sure your father's going to be alright? Your sister seemed to be feeling bad, too." "Don't worry about father," Kasumi returned, handing the young man a cup. "He and Akane are just shaken up, I suppose. After all, we didn't know that Ranma had a twin brother." Kenichi frowned before taking a sip. "I was wondering about that. How do you know about my brother?" Nabiki quirked a brow. "Didn't you know? Ranma and Uncle Saotome showed up here about seven months ago." "Seven months?!?" Kenichi stuttered. "What were they doing here? Why didn't they come home?" "A good question, that," replied Nabiki, sharing a glance with her older sister. "But as to why they came here... Well, seven months ago, my father called my sisters and I into the family room for a discussion. Apparently, he'd made some sort of promise with Mr. Saotome, and the two had agreed that their children should be engaged in order to preserve the family art. The Saotomes showed up later to fulfill that agreement." "Really?" Kenichi emptied his cup. "First time I've heard about something like that. I wonder if Mom knows?" Shaking his head, he returned his gaze to Nabiki. "So, who eventually got engaged to Ranma? My guess is Akane, right?" "Got it in one," Nabiki smirked. "And she's not entirely happy about the idea, though the two are warming up to the prospect." "And where's Ranma now?" asked Kenichi with growing enthusiasm. "Somebody askin' about me?" a voice called from the doorway. Kenichi turned and froze. Ranma did likewise, as the pair regarded each other. "Who are... K-kenichi?" Ranma murmured, a bewildered expression on his face. "Ranma!" Smiles split both faces, and Kenichi stood to share a hug with his long lost brother. The resemblance was uncanny, Nabiki noted, as the two hugged each other. Kenichi was a hair taller than Ranma, and neglected to braid his pony-tail. He also wore a more traditional Japanese style tunic in lieu of Ranma's Chinese attire. But apart from the hairstyle and clothing, the two looked exactly alike. Save for Ranma's bewildered expression, of course. "How've you been?" continued Kenichi enthusiastically. "What've you been up to?" "I'm doin' okay, I guess," Ranma replied, still somewhat shaken up. "So I've been told," Kenichi returned, slyly. "How about you, gettin' a fiancée at your age. Been busy while you've been away?" Ranma flushed red and glared at Nabiki. "They been talkin' 'bout me?" Nabiki grinned. "But we're not at the best part yet. It seems that your brother's a bit of a lady's man, Kenichi. He's already got three fiancées." Kenichi laughed while clapping a frustrated Ranma on the back. "Why you fox, you! Oh, there'll be heirs to the Saotome line alright!" "It's not like that!" Ranma yelled, turning redder. Kenichi stepped back, hands spread in a peace gesture. "Hey, hey, take it easy, little bro. Didn't know that was a sensitive subject." Blinking, Ranma slowly relaxed. "Uh... s'ok. No big problem I guess. It's just that I didn't want any of 'em, and I can't seem to get pops to cancel the engagements, or the girls to give up." "I can identify with that..." Kenichi muttered dryly. "Well, if you don't like discussing your sordid relationships, I guess that's your prerogative, eh?" "Now *THAT'S* what I'm talkin' about," Ranma replied heartily as he and his brother seated themselves across from Nabiki and Kasumi. "So what's been going on with you? Where've you been stayin'?" "With mom, of course. After you two ran out all those years back, she's been takin' care of me." Kenichi gestured towards his backpack leaning against the wall, and the katana beside it. "Even taught me some swordplay. I know I didn't learn much of the Anything Goes style, but I like to think of myself as a competent swordsman." "Something this town is truly lacking," Nabiki returned before snickering. Ranma grinned for a moment, then grew confused. "You were livin' with mom?" "Yeah," Kenichi replied before raising his glass. "You mean she's not dead?" Kenichi choked on his tea. Nabiki and Kasumi stared wide-eyed at Ranma. "You mean, you didn't even know your mother was alive?" Nabiki questioned, startled. "Uh... no... Pop said that she..." Ranma's eyes glazed over. "POP!!!" A thud upstairs betrayed the presence of the old man, and Ranma tore out of the family room and up the stairs. Moments later, a scuffle ensued with curses filtering down through the ceiling. "I see there's something else for the old man to fess up to..." Nabiki murmured, then caught sight of Akane descending the stairs. "You alright, Akane?" The youngest Tendo nodded somewhat shakily before entering the room and taking a seat beside Nabiki. Kasumi offered her a cup of tea, which she downed seconds later. Kenichi tried to meet her gaze. "Are you sure you're alright?" Akane shied away from Kenichi before offering an even less convincing nod. Kenichi frowned, then leaned forward. "Look, I'm really sorry about giving you a scare like that. I kinda understand what you might have been feeling. I haven't seen many twins in my life either, much less any I was involved with." His head lolled back a bit. "Well, there was this one time, but what happened after that was a whole misunderstanding..." He shook his head. "Anyway, I apologize for scaring you earlier." Akane paused for a moment as she stared at the new houseguest, before she broke out in a hesitant smile. "Um... that's okay... I guess I might have gotten a bit carried away." Kenichi smiled back, eyes twinkling. "You might, I suppose." Akane blushed in response, suddenly finding something of interest in the corner. Nabiki smirked, curious about her sister's blush. Clearly, this young man was good at dealing with women. Certainly more of a charmer than his headstrong brother. Must be that mother's influence. It might be interesting to pick this character apart to see what made him tick. Keeping her outward appearance cool, she asked, "So, which one of you is the oldest?" "Hmm?" Kenichi pondered for a moment, then leaned forward to refill his tea. "I am, by a couple minutes. Wait, maybe that was hours? Oh well, doesn't make much difference. I've always called him 'little bro' anyway. Why do you ask?" "Just curious," Nabiki replied, slyly. "If you're the oldest, then how come Ranma's the heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts?" "Simple enough. Pop thought Ranma had the most talent when they left twelve years ago." "But that was twelve years ago," Akane protested, inquisitively. "How could he know then?" Kenichi shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. It doesn't matter much to me anyway, by now. I don't know the forms, and frankly, I could really care less about running a dojo." Nabiki's brows raised. "If you don't want to practice martial arts for a living, what're you going to do?" "Hadn't really figured out just yet," he replied, taking a sip. "Maybe an engineer or programmer. That would be pretty fun, I think. And it pays good, too." Kenichi leaned back, smiling at Nabiki. "What, you thought I'd rather spend the next fifty years of my life imparting my 'vast' knowledge of swordplay upon crowds of willful students?" "Well, maybe. You are Ranma’s brother, after all." Kenichi chuckled. "Sorry, but that won’t fit the bill with me. Seriously. There’s no real money in martial arts. I just do it for fun." He grinned rakishly. "Well, mostly for fun, I guess." *Built from the same mold,* Nabiki thought, nodding absently to Kenichi's reply. *It's nice to finally meet a guy who's really got his priorities straight. This school attracts way too many muscle- heads for my liking.* Handing her empty cup to Kasumi, she posed another question. "So, how much Anything Goes do you know? Enough to give Ranma a run for his money?" Kenichi smirked. "My brother's gotten that good, huh?" "You have no idea." The Saotome twin shook his head, a bemused expression crossing his face. "Looks like dad isn't a complete moron... Well, if my impression from you is on target, than I think I might be successful the first time. Using a shinai, of course. After that..." He shrugged his shoulders, a mock-forlorn grin turning the corners of his mouth. Nabiki blinked. *That's... probably right on the money. How'd he deduce that? He's REALLY not like Ranma, at all.* "So, how much kendo have you learned?" Akane asked, feeling slightly more comfortable around Ranma's twin. "Mostly just the basic forms, though I've picked up a couple atypical techniques here and there." He paused and a grin split his face. "I could tell you of this one time, back in junior high, when I began learning various low methods of thrust, and..." Nabiki nodded absently, her eyes wandering slowly across Kenichi's expressive face as various thoughts clamored for much needed attention. *So, Nabiki. What to do with this one? Once the initial shock wears off, it's likely daddy's going to see a golden opportunity here. Genma's got TWO possible heirs to the Saotome name... why not engage them BOTH to Tendo daughters? Then it's twice as likely that the schools will unite. And that would mean... that either Kasumi or I would end up with Kenichi as a fiancé.* Nabiki grimaced slightly. *No, strike that. I'd volunteer. I just can't bear to see Kasumi end up with someone other than Dr. Tofu. So, me and Kenichi, huh?* She sighed, somewhat resignedly, before her expression lightened. *Well, it might not be that bad. At least he has much higher goals than merely running a dojo. He'd be more than able to earn his keep; that's a definite plus. And he's certainly more perceptive than Ranma. Not to mention a mouth that operates with proper mental consent.* *Oh, and don't forget that extremely photogenic physique.* Her eyes fogged slightly as buried thoughts chose to resurface. *Heh, if Ranma had arrived in his male form those long months ago, things would probably be a bit different around here. Akane's a real idiot to pass a body like that up. The opportunity of a lifetime, and she's wasting it on petty bickering. Though if I'd been engaged to someone like him, I'd probably feel the same about him as she does.* *Heh, who would have figured that TWO such bodies would exist? Why, Kenichi is essentually a carbon-copy of Ranma's ungodly figure...* She blinked, the odd dreamy look slowly fading from her eyes. *A carbon-copy of Ranma...* An immense grin split her face as two non-related facts suddenly made a connection within her mind. *Hold on a minute here! Why didn't you see this before, Nabiki? Good lord, what an opportunity! With him looking just like Ranma... think of all the money I could earn from this! That's practically double the exploits, not to mention the photo opportunities! If I could just get him to agree, warm up to him a little, then maybe I can make something of this after all. All I've got to do is set daddy into motion, and if I'm reading Kenichi right, the rest will probably work itself out...* Still grinning, she tuned in the ongoing conversation. "...and that's when Hikaru stepped in," Kenichi chuckled. "You should have seen Akira's face! It was priceless!" Akane burst into hesitant laughter, clutching lightly at her sides. Kasumi merely covered her mouth with her hands, her body convulsing slightly. Nabiki threw in a casual chuckle, just to maintain appearances. Silently, she wished she'd caught the entire story. "I can imagine," Kasumi replied between giggles. "And THAT'S why you learned that technique?" Akane gasped, a steadying hand on the table. Kenichi shrugged, smiling. "Why not? Sure got my old girlfriend a good laugh. She really hated that guy, too." He downed the rest of his drink. "I'll bet she enjoyed that," Kasumi returned. "Would you like some more tea?" "Yes, please." "You had a girlfriend?" asked Nabiki. "Yeah. Not anymore, she moved away a few years back." "You miss her?" "Not really," Kenichi replied, accepting his cup from Kasumi. "We only dated for a month or so. I guess she wasn't 'the one.'" "She wasn't, huh?" Nabiki commented. "You're planning to get married, then?" Kenichi glanced at Nabiki wide-eyed for a moment, before settling on a grin. "Of course. What guy in their right mind wouldn't want to?" He raised his drink. "Why, are you proposing?" Nabiki grinned in reply, a calculating gleam to her eyes. "Well, it just occurred to me that you're a Saotome, too, you know. If it came down to it, you might become married to one of us too, along with Ranma." "That sounds like an excellent idea!" "Father?!?" The group around the table turned to catch a recovered Soun Tendo standing in the doorway, a maniacal grin on his face. Nabiki, having anticipated this reaction, merely acted shocked. "That's a wonderful idea, Nabiki! Kenichi, I'm certain you've been introduced to my daughters, isn't that right?" Kenichi nodded. "That's right, sir." Soun grinned widely as he placed a hand and Nabiki's and Kasumi's shoulders. "Akane's already engaged to Ranma, but you may have your pick of my other two daughters... Kasumi, 19, and Nabiki, 17. Pick the one you want, son, and she'll be your fiancée!" Kenichi glanced over the two girls for a long moment, while Akane rolled her eyes, Kasumi sighed, and Nabiki clenched her fists in anticipation. Then the boy smiled broadly. "I'll take Nabiki, if that's alright with you, sir." Soun's grin almost split his face, and he paused to cry. "Oh, Nabiki! You'll make a wonderful bride! Why, I'll arrange to have the marriage tomorrow in the dojo! We could make it a double wedding with Ranma and Akane! Oh, my daughters are growing up so quickly!" His tears descended into weeping. Sighing, Kasumi rose and urged her blubbering father back towards his room. The trio watched them go, before a distraught Akane turned to spear Nabiki with a quizzical expression. "Are you sure you want to do this, Nabiki?" Nabiki turned a sly eye upon her nosy younger sister. "Why, Akane, you want to 'trade up?' Take Kenichi instead of Ranma?" Akane's face burned red for a moment, her mouth frozen in mid-retort. The middle Tendo daughter nodded her head, grin still set in place. "Apparently not. Say, 'Ken-chan,' how about we go up to my room for a while and talk? It'd be nice to get to know my new fiancé a bit more." Kenichi, amused by her one-sided banter with Akane, smiled in return. "Sure, 'Nabi-chan.' Mind if I grab my stuff?" Nabiki stood, shaking her head. "Nah, go ahead." "Thanks," Kenichi chuckled before shouldering his backpack. "First night in Nerima and I get a fiancé... Oh well. I sure don't have a problem with it. After you," he added, gesturing towards the open door. Akane grew more flustered as the smiling pair began to leave the room. Feeling protective of her sister, (after all, she was now engaged to her perverted fiancé's brother), she blurted, "You aren't planning to sleep together, are you?" The pair stopped, then turned to look at Akane. Grinning evilly, Nabiki leaned against Kenichi. "Why wouldn't we? We're engaged, after all." "Yeah, and mother says that engaged couples can do this and that together," Kenichi smirked, wrapping an arm around Nabiki's shoulders. "Don't worry about me, sis," Nabiki added, sounding as sensuous as possible. "We'll be just fine. You take care of Ranma, alright?" The two burst out laughing before they turned and scampered up the stairs, leaving a red-faced Akane alone to fret over their behavior, and what Kasumi would say when she found out. ----------------------------- "Alright, pops. What's the big idea of tellin' me that mom was dead?" Ranma all but screamed as he brutally shook the folds of his father's tattered gi. "W-what are you talking about, Ranma?" Genma wheezed, hands groping for some sort of purchase against his enraged son's vice-like grip. Wildly, he searched the Tendo guest room for some sort of escape route, or a distraction, or even a nearby object to smack some sense into his distraught son, but nothing presented itself before Ranma slammed him into the wall. "Don't give me none 'a that crap, old man! My brother's here and he said he's been stayin' with mom for the past twelve years! Why didn't you tell me she was alive?" Ranma yelled, pushing his father into a corner. Genma's face paled. "Kenichi? He's here?" "Yeah, he's downstairs, wonderin' why in the hell we hadn't come home yet! We've been here for seven damn months, and hadn't even bothered to call mom and let her know we're alright!" "Nodoka!" Genma gulped, then frantically grabbed his son's shoulders. "She isn't here, is she? Tell me, boy! Is there another woman down there?" Ranma frowned as he tightened his grip. "No, pops. Kenichi came by himself." "Thank the Kami! Did he say if she was coming? Did he, son?!?" "I didn't have time to ask him, you moron," Ranma gritted. Nursing a suspicion, he added, "You wouldn't have any reason to keep away from mom, would you?" Beads of sweat broke out over Genma's face, and in one giant burst of strength, the old man tossed his son into the far wall. "No time for questions, boy! It's time for a training trip! Quick, get your gear and let's go!" "Like hell, pops!" Ranma gritted, rubbing his forehead as he moved between his father and the door. "I ain't goin' nowhere until you tell me what's going on!" "Well, if you're gonna be that way boy... then I'll just have to take you with me!" Sounding a battle cry, Genma charged towards his son, knocking Ranma through the sliding doorway and into the hall. The two began to wrestle on the floor, trading blows, grips, and holds for quite some time, before Ranma managed to kick his father towards the stairway. The old man righted himself, puffed twice, and charged again, meeting Ranma's outstretched hands in a power struggle for leverage. The pair grappled for a long moment, grunting as they began to sweat. "Give it up, old man! Save yourself the effort and just tell me what you did this time!" Ranma grit his teeth as Genma pressed his weight advantage, driving the pigtailed boy to his knees. "No can do, Ranma! Don't make me hurt you boy! This is for your own-- urk...!" Ranma blinked as his father's eyes crossed before the old man collapsed to the floor. "You alright, bro?" Ranma looked up and blinked again. Kenichi was standing behind his fallen father, his backpack over one shoulder and Nabiki hanging on the other. "Need any help with dad, or have you got everything under control now?" "Uh... yeah... I guess..." Ranma glanced between the two. "What're you..." Nabiki smirked, tightening her grip on Kenichi's shoulder. "What, didn't you know? We're engaged now." "What?!?" "Hey, hey, don't get all fired up," Kenichi murmured soothingly. "I didn't know you had your sights set on Nabiki here." Ranma flushed. "No, but I..." "It's alright, Ranma," Nabiki replied, assuming a sad expression. "I'll understand if you're upset. After all, we were engaged at one point." "But... but..." "Well, if that's all, then goodnight, bro. Don't keep Akane up too late," Kenichi chuckled as the couple headed into Nabiki's room. "So, you two were engaged huh?" "Yeah, it's a long story..." Nabiki's voice faded as the door closed, leaving Ranma thunderstruck as he continued to stare blankly down the hallway. Moments later, Akane appeared at the top of the stairs, bearing an expression quite similar to Ranma's. The girl paused for a moment, taking in the scene of Ranma leaning over his unconscious father, before shaking her head and leaning towards her fiancé. "Ranma, did you see Nabiki and your brother come through here?" Numbly, Ranma nodded his head before pointing towards Nabiki's door. Both turned as laughter erupted from Nabiki's room. Setting her jaw, Akane growled, "Alright, Ranma. Come with me." "What for?" Ranma demanded as he dusted off his shirt. "To make sure that pervert brother of yours doesn't try anything with my sister." Grabbing Ranma's hand, Akane turned and headed towards her own bedroom. "But why do I gotta..." "Just hush up, Ranma! You heard the way they were talking! Your brother's up to something!" Ranma rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. You sure it's not Nabiki who's pulling the strings?" He tugged at Akane's arm. "C'mon, Akane. Nabiki would know what she's getting into. My brother too, probably." Akane paused, a hand at her door, and turned back to Ranma. "You sure about that?" Ranma shrugged. "I guess so. I'd rather not spend the night spyin' on 'em, if you get my drift. We've got class tomorrow, much as I hate to say it. Just leave 'em alone. We'll find out about it in the morning." The pair was silent for a long moment. Then Akane released her grip on Ranma. "Alright. If you say so." She sighed. "I guess you're right. Nabiki can take care of herself." "Right." Ranma looked back at his father. "I guess he won't be talkin' anytime tonight, but he ain't goin' anywhere tomorrow mornin'. He'll fess up even if I have to beat it outta him!" Ranma yelled before dragging his father into his bedroom. Now alone, Akane glanced again at Nabiki's door. Peals of laughter, mostly from Kenichi, sounded from the other side. Akane sighed, shaking her head. "Ranma's right. It's really not my business." But her eyes flickered worriedly as she bit her lip and entered her own room. ----------------------------- As with most Monday mornings in the Tendo household, Kasumi awoke first. Having bathed the night before, she simply filled the furo for her family, then left to prepare breakfast. Bleary eyed and stiff legged, Kenichi stole the first bath, opting for a long scrub-down to awaken fully and sooth some sore muscles. Nabiki, surprisingly, came next, and the two shared a warm but tired grin as they traded use of the bathroom. Akane was third, even more bleary eyed than the two before her, while Ranma brought up the rear, looking drowsy and positively frustrated. Sometime during the interim, Soun stumbled out of his room in a daze, citing a hangover and asking Kasumi for a pair of aspirin. The eldest Tendo daughter obliged, guiding her poor father to his seat at the table, where he promptly collapsed with his hands at his forehead. She then set the table as the crowds convened for their early morning meal. Breakfast was halfway through before anyone noted the backpack at Kenichi's side. "So, you'll be goin' ta Furinkan with us?" Ranma mumbled as he dug into his second bowl of rice. "Yeah. Figured I might as well. Nabiki said she'd help me sign up today, seein' as how I'll be staying here from now on." "That's great. Maybe I'll see you in class, then." Kenichi shook his head. "Sorry bro, no chance. I'll be signing up as a junior. Um... Kasumi, could I have some more rice, please?" Receiving a nod, he handed his bowl to Kasumi. "A junior?" Akane asked. "But aren't you as old as Ranma? Why aren't you in his class?" "Here you go, Kenichi," Kasumi interposed. Kenichi smiled, accepting the bowl. "Thanks, Kasumi. Yeah, well, my mom skipped me up a grade a few years back. The teacher recommended it, since I was going through the schoolwork so fast. Of course, that means I might end up in Nabi-chan's class," he said, flashing her a grin before digging into his second bowl. Seated to his right, Nabiki returned the grin before adding, "I could probably arrange that, you know. Though I don't know if putting you and Kuno in the same class would be such a good idea." She started giggling, causing everyone at the table but Kenichi to blink. "Um... yeah, probably not..." Akane muttered, eyeing her sister. "It's all for the best," Soun murmured in a strained voice. With one hand massaging his forehead, he valiantly made another effort at finishing his third bite. "Being in the same class would allow them to study together, you know. Spend more time to get to know each other." "You said it," Kenichi chuckled loudly, causing Soun to wince and drop his chopsticks again. The boy grimaced, then patted his father-in-law on the shoulder. "Ah... sorry about that..." "Kasumi, I think I need some more aspirin..." Kasumi smiled sadly at her father. "You can only have two every four hours, father. I'm afraid you'll have to wait another three hours before I can give you any more." The elder Tendo moaned. "Serves him right for getting drunk yesterday," Akane murmured. "Akane," Kasumi chided. "You shouldn't talk about father that way, even if he was a bit overzealous in celebrating last night..." "Sorry, Kasumi." "Anyway... Ranma, is your father feeling alright?" asked Kasumi, glancing meaningfully at Genma's empty place at the table. "He's usually up by now, isn't he?" Ranma frowned before digging into his breakfast with renewed vigor. "Yeah, he's alright. Old man took off before I got up. Never told me why we hadn't gone home yet. He won't be able to run forever, though. His stomach'll bring him back." "Oh," Kasumi replied, somewhat taken aback. "I don't suppose he'll be eating breakfast with us, will he?" "No. Dirty old man..." "Don't worry, son," Soun muttered, taking another pitiful one-handed stab at his meal. "Your father will come around. I'm sure if it's important, he'll let you know about it." "Just like he did with the engagement, huh?" "Touché," Nabiki murmured as she finished her tea. "Well, I'm ready to go. How about you, Ken-chan?" "Ready whenever you are," he grinned in return. "Thanks for breakfast, Kasumi." "Oh, it was not problem, Kenichi." "Well, we're headin' out. See you guys later," Nabiki called as she left the room, Kenichi slightly in tow. Kasumi waited for the front door to close before turning to her youngest sister. "Are you sure they slept in the same room, Akane?" she whispered nervously as her hands fiddled with her skirt below the table. She chanced a glance towards her father, but he was still determined to get that third bite down, totally oblivious to her inquiry. "As far as I know, Kasumi," Akane replied in the same tone as her sister. Setting her bowl down, she glanced worriedly at Kasumi. "Aren't you concerned about them doing something like that?" Kasumi's lip twitched as she stared towards the front door. "If Nabiki says that it's alright, then I suppose I can't tell her what to do. She's always been inflexible... and rather untraditional too. You know she'd ignore me if I told her that what she was doing was improper." "You're right about that," Akane murmured. "Do you want me to keep an eye on her?" Kasumi breathed heavily before shaking her head. "No, I'm certain she can take care of herself. I just hope she knows what she's getting into..." ----------------------------- "Tell me again why I need my katana today?" Nabiki glanced sidelong at her companion. It felt so unnatural for 'Ranma' to be walking on the pavement in lieu of the chain-link fence. Clearly, there were some visual aspects that would require some time for mental readjustment. "You might run into a bit of trouble at school since you look so much like Ranma. You'll probably need it. For self-defense, that is." Kenichi looked somewhat incredulous before shrugging his shoulders. "If you say so. Dangerous enemies at school... What kind of trouble does Ranma get into around here?" "Honestly? A lot, although a good portion is probably not his fault. There's a lot of martial artists here trying to steal off Ranma's girlfriends, or simply beat him around for some reason or another. Ranma usually manages to wade through it all, though he occasionally comes home sporting the odd bruise or bandage." "Nice to hear about all this now," Kenichi rolled his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me about it all last night?" "I did! Well, partly... Weren't you paying attention?" "Not always, I suppose..." Nabiki turned... and blinked as Kenichi flashed an affectionate grin. He winked. "You were a mighty fine distraction, Nabi-chan, if you don't mind the archaic expression. I hope you'll forgive me for letting my... thoughts wander." Chuckling slightly, he returned his gaze to the high school looming in the distance. And a slightly flushed Nabiki blinked once more, wondering for the first time if she'd made a slight tactical miscalculation about her masterful battleplan. *Damn! I never blush! What the hell's going on?* Quickly schooling her features, she sought to regain her center before attempting some sort of mildly scathing reply. She was never given the opportunity. "So, what do you want to say about the engagement, hmm?" "I... hmm." She bowed her head, furrowing her brow as if deep in thought. "It would probably be best if we went ahead and told the rest of the class, you know? A lot of Ranma's problems spring up because he doesn't want people to know about his engagement." Kenichi shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever works. If you don't mind, then I guess I don't have a problem with it." He paused for a moment, then speared his fiancée with an incredulous expression. "Come on, are you really sure I'll be needing my sword today? Honestly, what are the chances of me getting into a fight on the first day of school?" Nabiki smirked, spying a familiar samurai-wannabe standing at the gate. "Believe me, they're extremely good. Remember the swordsman I told you about? Kuno?" "Hmm... yeah?" "You're about to have your first meeting..." "Hold, foul demon!" Kuno spat, posing dramatically with raised bokken. A liberal doze of thunder sounded in the distance, as Kenichi paused to stare owlishly at the fuming young man before him. "Doth mine eyes deceive me, or hast thou returned thy perversions to fair Akane's parsimonious elder sister? No, hold thy tongue, for I'll have no such paltry banter with thee today. Forsooth, my demands lie elsewhere. Tell me at once what thou hast done with the pigtailed girl, or the might of heaven will be swift to deliver eternal punishment." Kenichi glanced over the irate kendoist for a long moment before turning to Nabiki. "You weren't kidding, were you?" Nabiki shook her head. "Nope. He's usually about this coherent, too." "I see..." Kenichi murmured, glancing back towards Kuno, who seemed to be seconds from a nuclear meltdown. Hands forward in a placating gesture, Kenichi called, "Hey, look, you've got the wrong guy. I'm Ranma's twin brother, Kenichi." A hushed whisper passed over the crowd as the rumor mill cranked into high gear, distributing a colossal sheaf of gossip before Kenichi could raise a brow. Kuno merely seethed. "You lie! Very well! This day shall be your final reckoning, Saotome! Prepare to die!" And with that, Kuno charged, bokken extended. In one smooth motion, Kenichi unsheathed his own katana. Holding the weapon at his side, he calmly awaited his enraged enemy, a calculating smile on his face. Once the distance had closed to two meters, Kenichi leapt into action. In a single long solid arc, he sliced the wooden bokken at the hilt, missing the swordsman's fingers by a centimeter, before twirling the blade and driving the unsharpened edge against Kuno's chest. The kendoist fell back, stunned, as Kenichi twirled the katana once more before snapping it back into place. Not a sound was heard after the safety catch on his katana took hold. The entire student body stared wide-eyed at the Ranma look-alike standing triumphantly before the rattled Kuno. Even Akane and a female Ranma, standing at the gates behind Kenichi, stood dumbfounded at the tableau before them. Kenichi glanced about and, confident that he held the student body's attention, addressed Kuno once more. "Like I said, Tatewaki," Kenichi spoke in a loud, clear, and slightly amused voice. "I'm not Ranma. I'm his twin brother, Kenichi. And since I've got to enroll, I can't stay here and play with you. C'mon, Nabiki. Let's head to the front office." "Alright, Kenichi," Nabiki returned. Smiling, she sidled up next to Kenichi before leading him into the school building. ----------------------------- "Did you see that, Ranma?" Akane hissed as they passed through the courtyard. "See what, my brother make a mockery of Kuno?" Onna-Ranma nudged the kendo student as she passed by. "Looks like he fainted..." "Ran-chan!" The pair glanced off to the side, as Ukyo jogged over to join them. "Who was that?" she gasped, pointing towards the entrance. "My twin brother, Kenichi." Ukyo frowned, falling in step with the others as they entered the school building. "You never told me you had a twin brother." "It was a long time ago, Ucchan," Ranma sighed, fearing she'd have to repeat this tidbit of information often. "I'd been gone so long I guess I forgot I had a brother. Or a mother, for that matter..." "Well, he sure did make an impression out there," muttered Akane before glancing over Ranma's current form. "You want to get some hot water before we go to class?" "Yeah, lemme pop in here for a moment..." And Ranma disappeared into the boys bathroom, leaving the two girls standing in the hallway. "When did Ranma's brother get here, Akane? He's not staying with you, is he?" Akane glanced at a clock in the hallway before turning to Ukyo. "He got here yesterday, and yeah, he's staying with us." Well, staying with Nabiki, actually, but Akane didn't think that bit of information needed to be circulated just yet. Smiling, Ukyo shook her head. "And to think that it couldn't get any weirder around here..." An explosion rocked the building, as the door to the bathroom blew off. Dense smoke poured through the opening, spilling into the hallway and causing Akane and Ukyo to back away, wide-eyed. A few moments later, a blackened Onna-Ranma appeared at the doorway, coughing and hacking as she spilled curses towards the destroyed restroom. "Dammit, it's too early for this!" the red-head choked, waving the smoke away. "'Ey, now, wahine. You no be usin' the men's room no more, y'understand?" A miniature palm tree appeared over the rolling smoke, and sure enough, the macadamian nutbar himself emerged seconds later, appearing no worse for wear in comparison to Ranma's own extra-crispy attire. Hefting another pineapple, the maniacal principal of Furinkan High speared Ranma with a delighted grin. "No more be breakin' da rules, eh wahine?" "Choke on it, you screwball!" Ranma yelled, flipping him off before tearing down the hallway. "You no be beatin' da Kahuna today, wahine!" the principal retorted, taking off after the pigtailed girl. "Time for your punishment, yeah!" Akane and Ukyo watched as the pair rounded the corner. "You think Ranma will get to class on time?" asked Ukyo casually. Akane cocked her head as another pineapple bomb exploded in the distance, rattling the windows. "Nah, probably not. And to think that it's going to get worse around here." "I know, sugar," Ukyo chuckled as the pair turned, heading for their classroom. "I know." ----------------------------- Lunchtime came with a relative degree of ease, despite the odd occurrences that morning. Kenichi's introduction was rather awkward, what with his obvious likeness to Ranma, but he was soon welcomed into the classroom with the barest of qualms and only three dozen probing questions, most of which pertained to his availability. After the first ten date requests, Nabiki decided to go ahead and drop the bombshell, lest Kenichi escape her immediate control by entering the couples market without her consent. Half the girls pouted at their foul luck, while the rest continued to deliver messages to Nabiki, demanding her asking price for borrowing her fiancé for just one evening. Nabiki smirked as she cataloged the date requests for later use, well out of Kenichi's sight, of course. The guys, by the way, merely looked shocked that Nabiki, the 'Ice Queen,' could possibly get another boyfriend. Kuno maintained a self-righteous and indignant air all morning, obstructing class on a half dozen occasions to blaspheme the 'traitorous sorcerer.' Each outburst was met with fifteen minutes of bucket duty in the hallway, which never seemed to completely douse the Blue Thunder's rage. Ranma arrived late to class, as usual, though not completely of his own fault this time. Each teacher considered asking the pigtailed boy why his clothes were blackened and soaked, but thought the better of it, having decided the information was none of their business. Principal Kuno spent the morning lying face-up in the Furinkan High olympic-sized pool, pineapple shards floating amid the few tattered pieces of his favorite Hawaiian-print shirt. Nope. Aside from that, not much occurred out of the ordinary. Not until lunch, anyway... ----------------------------- "You usually sit by yourself, Nabi-chan?" "Yeah, when I'm not taking bets or anything," Nabiki said, frowning slightly as she stepped out through the side doors of the school building. "Hmm... hey, there's Ranma and Akane! C'mon, let's eat with them, okay?" "Uh... alright." Casually grabbing Nabiki's hand, Kenichi made his way across the campus towards a large oak resting in the corner, where three students and a portable grill were already laid out on the grass. "Hey, Ranma!" The pigtailed boy started, glancing towards the schoolgrounds as he pulled out a pair of chopsticks. "Well hey, Kenichi. What's going on?" "Just thought we'd eat with you guys today," Kenichi replied, taking a seat next to his brother, Nabiki opting for a spot close to her sister. "Hey Akane. And... I don't believe we've met..." Akane smiled, gesturing towards the final member of the party. "Kenichi, I'd like to introduce our classmate Ukyo Kuonji. Ukyo, this is Ranma's twin brother, Kenichi." Kenichi smiled, nodding his head towards the Japanese pizza chef. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ukyo-chan." Ukyo blushed, shyly returning the greeting before pulling out a few more bags of ingredients. "Kenichi, would you like to try some okonomiyaki?" "Go for it, bro. She's the best cook in all of Japan!" "So I've heard," Kenichi grinned. "Sure, Ukyo, I'd love one." "Comin' right up." "So, Nabiki, what's been happening this morning?" asked Akane, pulling out her own set of chopsticks. "The usual, I suppose. Kuno threw a hissy fit. Couldn't stand that 'the vile and sorcerous Saotome' attended class with him all morning." "So that's what all that noise was," Ukyo surmised before igniting her grill. "I've never heard so many 'thou's in one morning," Kenichi exclaimed. "You'd think he practices Shakespearian drama twenty-four seven." "Wouldn't surprise me," Ranma muttered. "By the way, what's with the charcoal outfit, Ranma?" "Damn principal... Damn exploding pineapples..." Akane giggled. "The headmaster caught Ranma earlier today breaking the rules again. Using the wrong bathroom." Kenichi and Nabiki burst into laughter, while Ukyo and Akane shared a look of great mirth. "But I wasn't!" retorted Ranma hotly. "Not the way he saw it, sugar." Ranma slouched, trying to ignore the idle ribbing of his companions by concentrating on his lunch. Noting Ranma's discomfort, Kenichi quieted his cries to the level of polite chuckling. "C'mon, bro. Don't let it get you down. At least you didn't spend the morning with Kuno." Even Ranma could agree to that. "Speaking of Kuno, I think he's headed this way," Ukyo murmured, gesturing towards the school. The group turned, catching sight of the bedraggled kendoist making his way across the front lawn. His step faltered, however, once he spied both Ranma and Kenichi seated together. For a long moment, the self- appointed Blue Thunder of Furinkan High merely stood in abject horror, glancing stupidly from one Saotome to the next. "What... trickery... is this?" Kuno eventually muttered, hands twitching at his sides. "Don't try to strain yourself, Kuno-baby," Nabiki called. "Remember, they're twins, not some parlor trick using reflexive glass. Certainly not a duplicitous manifestation of Ranma's hidden lusts and perversions." "Hey," Ranma rounded on Nabiki. "Don't say stuff like that!" "You'll only give Kuno bad ideas, Nabiki!" yelled Akane. "Yeah, we don't need ole Blue Blunder coming up with new 'sorcerous tricks' to blame on Ranma-honey." "Um... what's a 'duplicitous manifestation' anyway?" muttered Ranma glancing towards his brother. Kenichi merely shrugged his shoulders before polishing off his lunch. "Oh well," Ranma sighed, returning to his own unfinished bento. "Here ya go, Kenichi," called Ukyo, flipping a 'yaki towards him. "Fresh off the griddle." Kenichi snagged the fried cake in midair, blowing softly across the surface before taking a bite. "Hey, that's really good! Thanks, Ukyo!" "No problem," she gushed, blushing slightly. "No problem at all." "You enemy of women!" The group turned to find Kuno, apparently restabilized and pointing a haughty finger towards Kenichi. "Ensnaring fair maidens, engorging thyself upon the fruitless toil of these delicate flowers, forcing them to succumb to thy primal urges... Thy fiendish plot shall never succeed! Return to hell, infernal doppleganger, heinous creation of the sorcerous fiend Saotome, lest I, the noble scion of House Kuno, banish thee hence myself!" "Oh, would you just shut up!" Akane screamed, punting him across campus. "Farewell, dear Akane... I shall return..." "He's being more persistent than usual, don't you think?" asked Ukyo, flipping another okonomiyaki towards her fiancé. "Probably because of the 'infernal doppleganger,'" Nabiki snickered. "It's all your fault, Kenichi." The twin sighed. "And to think, I really wanted a change in routine..." ----------------------------- "We're home!" Nabiki kicked off her shoes, waiting for Kenichi to do the same before heading into the living room. "And how was your day, Nabiki?" asked Kasumi stepping into the kitchen doorway. "Different, to say the least," she returned, grinning towards her sister. "Kenichi's made a real good friend with Kuno. It wouldn't surprise me if the two had already made plans to meet somewhere after school tomorrow." "That's just wonderful!" Kasumi bubbled. "Don't you think, Kenichi?" The boy sweatdropped before glancing back down at the challenge letter Kuno delivered after class. "Yeah, something like that..." "I hope you have a splendid time together," Kasumi continued, turning back towards the kitchen. "By the way, dinner will be ready in about an hour or so. If you'd be so kind to tell father, I'd appreciate it." The pair watched as Kasumi reentered the kitchen, blissfully humming some tune Nabiki remembered from her childhood. Shaking her head, she turned to catch Kenichi's level expression. "She's not one to pick up sarcasm easily, is she?" "Not really. C'mon, Ken-chan, let's get started on that homework." ----------------------------- "Your brother's a lot different than you, Ran-chan," Ukyo commented, flipping Ranma another okonomiyaki. Casually, she glanced around her restaurant once more. Seeing that all her customers were satisfied, she turned back to her fiancé. "Oh yeah?" he replied, popping another bite into his mouth. "You're tellin' me. Everyone kept asking about him, but I didn't really know what to say, 'cept that he's engaged to Nabiki and is gonna be in her class." "Yeah. And so totally unlike you to be concerned about schoolwork." Ranma frowned. "Well, what's it good for, anyway? I don't gotta know algebra to kick ole pig-boy's butt." "And the fact that he actually chose Nabiki," continued Ukyo. "There's no way on earth you'd pick that money-grubbing wench, what with all she's done to you since you got here." "Hey. Speaking of 'that money-grubbing wench,' did either of you notice how different Nabiki was acting today?" asked Akane, poking absently at the pie before her. Ukyo frowned for a moment. "Now that you mention it, I haven't seen her looking quite so unconcerned. It's just not like her to go a lunch period without trying to stir up some sort of a betting pool." "And I've never spent lunch just talking and eating with her," Akane added. "She's usually off by her cohorts planning some sort of heist or something." "You don't think she might be interested in Kenichi, do you?" Ukyo wondered, tapping her spatula against the grill. "Doesn't that seem a bit sudden?" "That's what I thought. But they've been acting really friendly with each other ever since they got here. I think it's weird that Nabiki would get along that well with a guy. She's never been interested in dating before." "Well, people can change, sugar. I guess love can do that to ya, right, Ranma-honey?" Ukyo smiled widely at Ranma as she leaned across the counter. Ranma twitched nervously, scooting his chair a bit further away. "What? I... um..." Akane frowned. "Hey, what are you two doing?" "N-nothin', Akane!" "Hey, I had a great idea this afternoon, Ran-chan! C'mon, why don't you spend the evening over here, alright? We can stay up and study for that exam tomorrow, just you and me..." "Well... I... I... I guess I need to study for that, ya know, but..." "RANMA!!!" "Huh? No, wait Akane! It's... it's not what you... I didn't..." The irate short-haired girl stood and headed for the door. "And after I offered to help you, too! You're such a jerk! I hope you have a great time with Ukyo tonight, you pervert!" And with that, Akane stormed out. Ranma left seconds later, sputtering and apologizing and practically falling over his own feet to catch up. Ukyo leaned back, her bright smile melting into a dejected sigh. Slowly, she cleaned up the mess left on the counter. "Ranma... Yeah, I think Kenichi would have handled that one differently too, wouldn't he," she murmured softly. ----------------------------- As Soun Tendo sat, glancing out over the vast expanse that was the Tendo backyard, he couldn't help but feel slightly overwhelmed by the strange happenings since yesterday afternoon. First, Ranma's twin brother arrived, making it suddenly apparent that NO one expected him to even exist, much less Soun himself. Next, Kenichi willingly accepted the engagement, going so far as choosing the bride-to-be himself. Then, Genma took to the hills, blubbering something about trying to fix a situation gone bad. That last had Soun a bit worried. He'd experienced enough of Genma's poor decisions coming back to haunt them, and had no desire to continue such a trend. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed to sit down with his old friend and have a good talk about what might be headed their way this time. "More tea, father?" Soun turned from his silent vigil to give his eldest daughter a smile. "Why thank you, Kasumi dear." He accepted the cup, testing its warmth against his palm before taking a sip. "Ah, that hit the spot, Kasumi." After placing the tea tray on the dining room table, Kasumi took a seat beside her father. "Are you feeling better now?" Soun nodded. "You're worried about Saotome-san, aren't you?" Soun grimaced, nodding once more. "I can't help but feel that my old friend has gotten he and Ranma into trouble again. And with his own mother." "Oh dear. That's probably why they came here before going home." "My thoughts exactly. Saotome, my friend, what have you gotten yourself into this time?" "Hey, what're you guys talking about?" Glancing over his shoulder, Soun noticed Nabiki entering the family room. "Why hello, Nabiki. Just why Genma's been absent all day long." "Hmm... your guess is good as mine," replied Nabiki, grabbing a cup from the tray. For the next few minutes, the three held their peace, content to stare into the backyard as the last few rays of sunlight winked out. Then Soun turned to glance at his middle daughter. "So, you and Kenichi have been studying all evening, have you?" "Well, not really. He took off shortly after dinner. Said he had a few errands to run. Wanted to scope out the place he and Kuno are gonna fight tomorrow. He told me he'd be back before too long." "He's been gone a long while then, hasn't he." "Eh," she shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't really matter to me. I had some things to do myself." Soun chuckled. "Then it's just as well. He's probably just a bit lost. He's never been to Nerima before, am I right?" "Well, I guess so," Nabiki mused. "He did mention he had a tough time getting to the dojo yesterday." "As I thought. I'm sure he'll be back shortly." Soun took a sip of tea. "You mentioned he was going to fight with Kuno tomorrow?" Nabiki nodded. A thought occurred to Kasumi, one she'd had earlier that day. "Father, Kenichi mentioned that his mother had been teaching him swordplay. I was wondering if you were going to lend a hand in his continued training. After all, the Anything Goes Style has a few sword techniques of its own, and it would be a shame for you to never pass them on. You've been so long without a pupil." Soun blinked. "You know, you're right Kasumi. That hadn't occurred to me. And Kenichi doesn't have a kendo instructor, does he?" Nabiki shook her head. "Hadn't mentioned any to me." "Well, then. Tomorrow I suppose I'll have a talk with the boy to see if he'd like to train." Despite his impassive attitude, Soun couldn't help but feel a bubbling excitement within himself. It *had* been a long time since his last pupil. Much less, actually been challenged to use his special techniques, ones even the master has never seen. He grinned. Oh, it would be so good to practice his swordplay once more... ----------------------------- Nabiki shared a look with her older sister, delight and heartfelt thanks crossing her features. It had been too long since her father had acted like his old self. Akane had helped, years ago, when she showed a renewed interest in the art shortly after the passing of her mother. The Saotomes had helped even more. Now, with a new student and an heir to pass his coveted sword techniques onto, maybe he could finally get back to normal. Though pleased with the turn of events, Nabiki still couldn't help but wonder about Kenichi's continued absence. He'd been gone for the past three hours. Dispite her apparent nonchalance, she WAS rather interested in what he was doing. She couldn't have him setting up dates without her approval, after all. It would be damaging for business... ----------------------------- Ukyo glanced up from her classwork, hearing a tapping at her window. Hesitantly, she grabbed a nearby throwing spatula before reaching out and drawing the curtains. She blinked, then fumbled as she quickly opened the window. "Ran-chan?" The pony-tailed boy smiled. "Sorry, wrong guess. It's me, Kenichi." "Kenichi?" she asked, surprised. "What're you doing here?" "I just wanted to chat for a while." He smiled, gesturing towards her homework. "Unless I've come at a rather bad time..." "N-no. Well, not really. I was just studying for an exam tomorrow, but I'm afraid I'm not managing very well." She sighed. "Hey, I could help you study, if you need any assistance. I've already had this class, you know." Ukyo blushed. "Um... you sure you don't have anything else you need to do? I don't want to take up your time or anything..." "What time? It's no bother. Besides, you don't have anyone else to help you, do you?" "I..." Ukyo nodded, her eyes drooping slightly before glancing hopefully back towards Kenichi. "You'd... you'd really help me?" "Sure thing!" Kenichi grinned, stepping through her window. "Now, let's see what we're up to here..." For the next couple hours, the two sat together on Ukyo's bed, pouring over her scattered collection of notes as Kenichi slowly but surely worked every tidbit of relevant information into Ukyo's memory. Afterwards, they chatted, laughing and exchanging childhood stories as he continued to poke and prod and generally make absolutely certain that tomorrow's exam was nothing more than a requisite triviality. The evening was so enjoyable, so unlike anything she'd ever experienced, that Ukyo barely noticed the chimes from the hall clock denoting the late hour. "Well, it's ten," Kenichi murmured, checking his wristwatch. "I'd probably better head back. They'll be wondering where I've been." The pair stood, and gently taking his wrist, Ukyo lead Kenichi downstairs to the front door. They paused, glancing into each others eyes, before Ukyo offered a grateful smile. "Thank you so much, Kenichi. I've had such a wonderful time tonight, and I know I'll breeze through tomorrow's exam." "No problem," he returned, grinning charmingly. "I had a great time too. We'll have to do it again, sometime." He paused, then leaned forward. "If you ever need any more help, or just need someone to talk to, don't hesitate to call, alright? Goodnight, Ukyo-chan," he whispered before kissing her lightly on the cheek. Ukyo stared, dumbfounded, as he offered one last smile before leaving the restaurant. And for the second time that day, her breath caught and her heart pounded, as she wondered how things might have been different if she'd met Kenichi instead of Ranma. ----------------------------- "Soon," Kuno growled, a maniacal gleam in his eyes as he appraised his handiwork. He lifted his sharpened katana, the sacred Kuno family honor blade, and pointed it towards the distant Tendo dojo. Lightning crackled in the night sky, sending cascades of blue rivulets streaming down the glistening steel edge. "Soon, foul doppleganger..." The sounds of grinding steel and crazed laughter carried well into the night. To be continued... ----------------------------- ----------------------------- Comments? Suggestions? Email me at the_rossmage82@hotmail.com. Flames? Please refrain yourself. Positive criticism, I'll accept, but email just to rant or demean my work will only piss me off. If you derive pleasure from pissing people off, then you seriously need to find yourself a life. Thanks for reading. Chapter two will be coming shortly, in which Kenichi and Kuno hit it off, Nabiki discovers a few kinks in her amazing battle plan, and Ukyo begins to have serious thoughts concerning her relationship with the Saotome brothers. Plus, Kenichi makes what could be a fatal mistake, one that has Uncle Saotome seriously biting at his fingernails...