Disclaimer: Do I really need to put this up? >Sigh< Still don't own anything except the plot/idea.

Note: **text** are Rin's thoughts/neighs. 

Chapter Six

Of

Beauty and the Beast:

Ranma � Style!

By: T & I

             As the sun was rising, Soun got up and remembered his important mission of seeing Rin off to find Akane. It was a devious plan, but for the better good. (A/n: Um� yea. Sure. =\) When he reached the lobby, a lot of members of the household were already there.

 Soun: Good morning everyone!

All: >Cursed forms< Good morning!

Soun: >Sees Genma< Ah! Saotome! Help me with Rin please! >Notices that Genma isn't in his panda form but decides to ask his question later<\

[They both enter the stables]

Soun: Saotome! I've been meaning to ask you. Why don't you change with them-�as in 'cursed by day' and 'true by night'? How are you able to change with just a touch of water at different temperatures?

Genma: >Human still and laughing loudly< That's easy Tendo! I just happened to be at the edge of the forest�-half in half out you know--on a Very special uh...>Mumbles softly< donut >Returns to normal voice< mission. Because I was only half in the 'Cursing' zone, I was given the privilege to change forms at will! But it can be such a bother sometimes...

Soun: I see... >Finishes making Rin look disgruntled and makes eye-contact with Rin<Now Rin, I want you to go to Akane and pretend that something horrible has happened to me. Then bring her here at all costs. Do you understand me?

Rin: **Of course I understand you--you imbecile! We horses happen to be much more intelligent than you stupid humans perceive!**

Soun: Oh well... I hope you understand me...

Rin:**I understand chu! How many times do you need me to tell you? Wow! Who's the stupid one now? Hu? Hu?**

Soun: >Enjoying himself< And don't forget to tell her that I'm in a bit >Wink< big of trouble! Okay, Rinny?

Rin: **DON�T CALL ME THAT! >'Horse' sigh< Fine! If you say so... At least Akane treats me a bit better than YOU!... >Glares a bit a Soun< I don't even know why I'm doing you a favor...**

Soun: All right Rin! >Slaps her, Rin starts running off<

Rin: **Ow! That hurt! You�re going to pay! Ya hear?! You'll pay!~~** 

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Akane was very tired. Today was officially the fifth day of work at the �Black Briar� for both, Nabiki and Akane. It had taken all of Akane�s strength to not explode in anger at all the customers who annoyed her. Between the picky people�who had complained that she had forgot to put in this and hadn�t taken out that�and the male customers,�they kept on giving her inappropriate looks and gestures�it was pretty hard work for a girl like Akane! She didn�t have the best um� temper.

 Akane: Alright! It�s break time!

Nabiki: >With Akane�s shouts of joy in the background< I got it! I got it! Jeez� You don�t have to gloat about it�

Akane: Oh yeah! You don�t have break till next shift! >Cringes and makes apologetic face< Sorry Nabiki!

Nabiki: Yeah. Sure you are.

Akane: Well, I�m off!

Nabiki: Where are you going?

Akane: I think I�ll head home and check up on Kasumi.

Nabiki: Whatever. Just make sure you get your little butt back here when it�s my break time. Got that missy?

Akane: >Already going out the door, she waves indifferently and nods her head< Un! I got it Nabiki! I�ll be back soon.

             As Akane walked home, she started to think about her father.  She wondered where he was and began to worry again. Akane and her sisters had been getting quite worried lately. Don�t get me wrong, they knew that their father could very well take care of himself, but he had just been gone for 7 days, a whole week! Kasumi had been out of bed for a couple of days already (she had really flourished under Dr. Tofu�s care), but she was still on crutches with a splint.

             Stirring the soup slowly, Kasumi silently hummed while inside, she was fretting about her father a bit. Bringing a spoonful of soup to her lips, she wondered if anything bad had happened to him. Satisfied with the taste, Kasumi put a lid over the pot while having a foreboding feeling. Accompanying it was a little, �Oh my!� 

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            Akane was strolling along the near her new house. She allowed her thought to stray from worrying about her father, to how their new home was. Overall, it was pretty nice. Sure, it was a lot smaller, but their neighbors were much friendlier than their old ones. They had received a relatively warm welcome, and fit in pretty well in their new neighborhood. She didn�t really have any friends her own age, but there were very nice people on their street. Also, there was a very pleasant elderly woman down the street whom all three sisters had befriended.

             She had also become closer to her sisters. Before, not much time was spent together, but now they were her best friends, and�

             Her train of thought was cut off abruptly when she suddenly spotted Rin rushing toward her. The horse looked scared and tried while dragging along an empty and battered cart. Rin ran up to Akane and whinnied. �What is it girl?� was Akane�s immediate question. She was answered with strained whinnies. The question of �Where�s father?� received the same answer. It dawned on Akane that Soun might be lost, probably even hurt. 

            Hopping onto Rin, Akane rushed the short distance home. Once there, she quickly told Kasumi what she thought had happened. Grabbing provisions, Akane promptly left, telling Rin to take her to her father. Little did she know, Miss Akane Tendo was playing right into a trap� 

----------------- End Chapter Six-------------------

 A/N: Iee finally got off her lazy butt and put up this chapter written long ago. Tee is already starting chapter 7. ^^