Meet Ranko Saotome.

A Ranma ½ fanfic

Continuation

"I'll never listen to you!!!!!!" Ranma Saotome shouted at in image of his cursed form who for the past several hours had been trying to convince Ranma to accept her.

The only reply 'Ranko' gave to this was to sigh deeply before saying, "I've tried to convince you what I really am Ranma that I'm part of you and not the curse. I begged, I've pleaded, and done everything else I can think of but you still refuse to accept what I am."

"...and what are you?" Ranma asked with a snarl as he looked off at the sky of the Tendo dojo dreamscape he was currently in.

"I've told you a hundred times before Ranma. I'm everything that has been torn from your soul by pop's stupid training methods," 'Ranko' said.

"...and like I told you before I don't believe you," Ranma said as he took up a defensive posture.

"Then you leave me with no choice but to force what you have lost back into your soul," 'Ranko' said before she started to glow with an extremely powerful aura unlike anything Ranma had ever felt before.

This along with the fact the energy Ranma sensed from 'Ranko' was his own scared the pigtail martial artist even more then his battle with Saffron.

"Yes Ranma I'm three times as strong as you and I could've forced you to do what I wanted the whole time but I wanted it to be your decision. However, you've left the no choice but to force the merger," 'Ranko' said as tears streamed down her face.

With that said 'Ranko' dropped into an offensive stance and charged at blur inducing speeds that Ranma had no way of coping with.

'To fast!!' Ranma thought to himself in the split fraction of a second before 'Ranko's' fist impacted his stomach causing him to fold over.

"I'm truly sorry I had to force this on you Ranma," 'Ranko' said just before she kissed Ranma on the cheek.

With that done, 'Ranko' exploded in a wave of power, knowledge, skill, emotion, memory, femininity, and lastly fun. All of which then violently forced themselves into Ranma.

The inhuman/inbestial scream that escaped Ranma's body and soul because of the explosion and implosion of power was heard even in the eternal void of the astral realm. The powerful scream continued even after the dreamscape of the Tendo dojo had shattered around Ranma. As the explosion and implosion of his own soul continued to wash over him Ranma continued to scream as the very fabric of his mind and soul reshaped themselves. When the energies finally subsided Ranma stopped screaming and let out a deep sigh as every part of him shook.

"G-g-g-g-g-go-go-gods," Ranma stuttered out as his body continued to shake uncontrollably.

A few seconds later Ranma took a deep breath and manage to calm himself just in time to hear 'Ranko' speak.

"I don't understand I should be gone," 'Ranko' was heard muttering from behind Ranma.

Ranma's immediate reply to this was to whip around to look at 'Ranko' who was now almost completely transparent.

"Are you okay?" Ranma asked tentatively as he floated over to 'Ranko' who he gathered up in his arms.

"I shouldn't even exist right now. I was only supposed to be your shadow," 'Ranko' said weekly, as she seemed to fade in and out of existence. "...but maybe ..." 'Ranko' added before trailing off.

"'Maybe' what?" Ranma encouraged.

"Maybe over all of these years I've become more than shadow," 'Ranko' said before fading almost out of existence, "...but it doesn't matter I'm still fading into nothingness."

"Is there anything I can do?" Ranma pleaded.

"No I gave you back all of your spirit so you can't save me ... but...." 'Ranko' said before trailing off as she faded in and out of existence again.

"What?"

"I've always dreamed of being your little sister," 'Ranko' said weekly.

"Well then welcomed to the family Ranko," Ranma said as he hugged his new sister tearfully.

"Thank you big brother," Ranko said before she started to fade completely out of existence.

"No there has to be something I can do!!" Ranma shouted just before Ranko completely vanished.

"There is nothing you can do Wild Stallion but there is something I can do," a voice said from nowhere and everywhere at the same time as Ranko completely solidified in Ranma's arms. A moment later before either Ranma or Ranko could say anything a mysterious woman appeared in the dreamscape void the two were in.

"Who are you?" Ranma demanded of the woman who was standing on something solid despite the void around her.

"The progenitor and guardian of the cursed springs Wild Stallion," the woman who was completely cloaked in shadow said as she walked up to Ranma and Ranko.

"Why now?" Ranko asked weekly.

"Because until Ranma was whole again I could not help him," the mysterious woman said as she kneeled down in front of Ranma and Ranko who were still floating in the void.

"What kind of help?" Ranma asked.

"Control and proper form for your female half but only if you can accept it," the woman said.

Ranma's only reply to this was a visceral growl before he started to object however Ranko interrupted him, "please big brother don't fight it."

"Why shouldn't I?"

"You know why big brother you just won't admit it," Ranko said weekly before adding, "...and besides think how much fun you could have playing with pop's head," with a smirk.

"What about mom?" Ranma asked darkly.

"Don't worry about that," the mysterious figure said reassuringly.

A blink was all Ranma think of doing before he closed his eyes and thought.

"Don't be scared of it big brother," Ranko encouraged. "After all it's just another challenge."

"Challenge?" Ranma asked in genuine confusion.

"Yeah if it's trying to take over you then you have to fight it but that doesn't mean you can't be a girl," Ranko said as she tried to stay awake.

"What are you talking about sis?"

"Instead of trying to resist been girl attack being a girl head on. That way you take over the girl instead of the girl taking over you."

Ranma's immediate reply to this was to blink in confusion for a few moments before a tiny smirk appeared on his face.

"You know what I like that idea. Yeah I like it a lot," Ranma said before the smirk grew larger.

"Good," the mysterious figure said for handing Ranma a bottle of some sort.

Ranma's only response to this was to look at the bottle for a moment before looking at Ranko who only nodded as she slipped off of Ranma's lap.

After a nervous moment, Ranma looked back at the figure before he popped the cork of the bottle and downed its contents.

"That's it?" Ranma queried.

"For the moment," the mysterious figure said before turning her attention Ranko and holding out her hand. "...and now Ranko come with me."

"Ok," Ranko said nervously before taking the mysterious figure's hand after which Ranko and the mysterious figure vanished.

Ranma's only reply to all of this was to sigh deeply as the dreamscape around him collapsed into a dreamless slumber.

***********************

*yawn* was all Akane did as she woke up the day after her failed wedding. After stretching her neck for a moment, Akane sighed deeply before getting ready to take her morning bath. Absently as she passed Ranma's room Akane wondered about her fiancé and his actions --along with the lack thereof-- the previous day. A moment later Akane shook her head before starting to leave. At that exact moment, Ranma stepped out of his room obviously ready to go take his morning bath. While not this was not in the least bit unusual, what Akane saw behind Ranma was.

What Akane saw behind Ranma was a groggy red head wearing one of Ranma standard outfits.

"Long story Akane," Ranma said as he closed the door to his room.

"...but but," Akane stuttered out before Ranma dragged her off.

"Short explanation: I got hit with a REALLY LARGE mind altering mallet, gained a sister and the creator of the cursed springs gave me control over my curse," Ranma explained as the two headed downstairs.

Akane's only reply to this was few incomprehensible syllables as the two reached the bottom of the stairs and headed in the direction of the tearoom.

"Hay Kasumi will you set an extra space at breakfast," Ranma said as he and Akane passed the kitchen.

Kasumi's response was to shrug from inside the kitchen and continue to prepare breakfast while she mentally recalculated the amount of food she needed to make before she heard a scream that was quickly silenced. Kasumi naturally blinked a few times at this before walking out into the hall where she found Akane's mallet on the ground and Ranma with his hand over Akane's mouth.

"Quiet tomboy or you'll wake up the bakas and mercenary," Ranma said before dragging Akane off in the direction of the bathroom.

Looking down at the mallet on the floor Kasumi made a mental note about shocked Akane had looked. 'Ranma must have actually blocked the mallet ... poor sis now she feels completely vulnerable,' Kasumi thought before hearing a somewhat voice familiar from behind her.

"Kasumi do you have any tea?" Ranko said groggily as she rubbed her left eye.

Upon seeing the redhead, Kasumi blinked more than a few times before noticing a few things that were abnormal -other then the fact Ranma had just walked by her with Akane. The redhead she was now staring at did indeed look like Ranma-chan. however Kasumi noted her facial features were more child like and slightly different from Ranma-chan's. In addition to this, the redhead did not have a bust line that made most all women go green with envy. However she did have a larger than normal bust line for what age she appeared to be. Which Kasumi guessed was around 11 or 12 years old.

"Yes I do Ran..." Kasumi said before being interrupted.

"Ranko," the young girl said with a bright smile.

*********************

"You ok tomboy?" Ranma asked as he washed and massaged Akane's back.

"p-p-pa-please don't hurt me," Akane stuttered out.

Ranma's reply to this was to wrap his arms around Akane's waist before saying, "You know I would never hurt you, tomboy." Akane's only reply to this was to shutter violently before she heard Ranma whisper in her ear. "However tickling you is another story entirely."

Akane didn't even have time to think about anything before she found herself laughing her head off as she was tickled by her fiancé who was laughing as well. Her fear forgotten for the moment Akane twisted around in Ranma's grasp and began to retaliate by tickling her fiancé who she found was as ticklish as herself. After this, the two began to have a huge tickle war, which ended when Ranma landed on top of Akane in a very compromising position.

Ranma's only response to ending up in this position was a lopsided grin as he leaned closer to Akane whose fears had come back full force. 'Gods no he's going to ra...' Akane thought before she was interrupted by a soft kiss. A moment later, a very stunned Akane found she was now sitting in Ranma's lap with Ranma's head on her shoulder and his arms around her waist. Akane's only response to this was to turn her head and look at Ranma who was smiling.

"So would you like to wash my back after I get done with yours?" Ranma asked with a lopsided grin as he started to wash Akane's breasts with a nearby bar of soap.

Giving Ranma a dirty look Akane said, "That isn't my back."

"Hmm, you know what you're right," Ranma said with a smirk.

"Baka," Akane said as she stuck her tongue out Ranma.

"Tomboy," Ranma said with a chuckle.

*******************

A little bit later back in the kitchen, we find Ranko sipping some tea while Kasumi prepared breakfast nearby.

"Are you okay?" Kasumi asked while sounding concerned.

"Just a WEE bit tired," Ranko said with a large yawn as she began to nod off.

*******************

Meanwhile back in the bathroom we find Ranma and Akane sitting in the furo soaking.

'Gods, what the hell happened to him last night,' Akane thought to herself as she leaned against Ranma who was at the moment toying with her hair. "What happened?" Akane finally asked.

"A lot," Ranma said before he started to tell Akane what had happened.

*******************

"Oh my!" Kasumi said before Ranko interrupted.

"Yep I'm basically what's left of a split personality caused by pop's stupid training methods," Ranko answered as she balanced an empty teacup on her finger before noticing what Kasumi had gone 'oh my' at. "Hmm, hi mom," Ranko said nervously.

Nodoka replied to this was to blink a few times before tentatively asking, "Ranma?"

"No Ranma's in the bath with Akane," Kasumi said pleasantly.

This caused Nodoka to blink even more as she looked down the hallway. "How in the world did HE ever get up enough nerve?"

Hearing this both Kasumi and Ranko broke down laughing. However, their laughter was interrupted, a moment later when Akane screamed for help.

3 seconds later Kasumi, Ranko and Nodoka had piled into the bathroom where Ranma-chan was on the floor grinding her teeth together in pain as her very body shifted and expanded.

"What happened!?" Nodoka demanded.

"I don't know," Akane cried before trailing off into incoherent babble.

"There's got to be something we can do," Ranko practically screamed.

"I don't think so," Kasumi said sadly, as she turned her attention to Ranma-chan who was on the verge of screaming in agony.

However before anyone could argue Kasumi's point everyone heard a multitude of horrific sounds after which Ranma-chan appeared to lose consciousness.

"Gods what a horrible sound," Kasumi muttered as Ranma-chan's body shifted and reformed a few more times before finally stopping completely.

Absently Kasumi, Nodoka, Akane, and Ranko looked at Ranma-chan to find the redhead was now at least as tall and muscular as Akane. Also at around this time they noticed Ranma-chan's breathing was extremely uneven.

"Ranma?" Akane asked tentatively.

"You know what? That hurt like FUCKING hell," Ranma-chan said while absently noting that her female voice had lost its annoying hi pitched edge.

Hearing Ranma-chan's statement, everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief. Ranma-chan however, just stood up and opened her eyes only to find she was looking at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.

"Damn I'm as buff as Akane now," Ranma-chan said absently as she looked at herself in the mirror, which caused Akane start fuming and Kasumi, Nodoka, and Ranko to quickly vanish before Ranma-chan added. "...but I still got more curves then you tomboy."

This of course made Akane angry enough to attack. However, the uppercut she tried to deliver to Ranma-chan's jaw was easily dodged as Ranma-chan wrapped her arms around Akane and kissed her; much to Akane's shock.

"...but I just know you'll get real curvy one day," Ranma-chan whispered into Akane's ear a moment later causing Akane to blush feverishly.

"Why did..." Akane stuttered out.

Ranma-chan's only reply to this was to hold Akane a little closer as she asked, "Does it really matter what form I'm in?"

Akane's reply to this was to shift nervously as she felt Ranma-chan's breasts pushed against hers. A second later Akane also found herself staring into Ranma-chan's blue gray eyes. "Does it matter to you?"

"Not anymore," Ranma-chan whispered ever so quietly in Akane's ear before kissing her fiancé again.

Akane's nervous reply was to return the kiss, which lasted for what seemed like an eternity.

"I'll see you in the tea room in a few minutes, tomboy," Ranma said as he broke the kiss and walked off.

Akane's reply to this was to blush even brighter as she collapsed to the floor holding a finger to her lips.

"Kami-sama that was..." Akane said before trailing off for lack of words to express what she felt.

******************

"Mom I need to talk to you alone," Ranma-chan said as she entered the tearoom dressed in her usual garb.

Nervously Nodoka responded with nod before she and Ranma-chan walked off to the training hall.

"What's this about Ranma?" Nodoka asked while sounding extremely nervous.

"About something my new little sister said," Ranma-chan replied before telling her mother of Ranko's suggestion on how to approach the curse.

Nodoka replied to this was to blink a few times before looking very uncomfortable and mumbling, "Let me think about this for a while."

"Ok," Ranma-chan said before walking off only to be replaced by Ranko who looked very nervous.

"Who and what are you?" Nodoka asked, seriously, as Ranko sat down.

"I don't really know," Ranko answered as she looked down at the floor. "Pop put Ranma through 4 extremely gruesome training methods -if you can call them that- and during Ranma's daily life pop put him through three kinds of hell. The first of those training methods was the Neko-ken. The training method along with pop's constant taunting about how Ranma cried out for you was so horrible that his spirit fractured ... and I was the result of that fracture. That first split caused Ranma to lose most of his childhood memories and controlling the debilitating fear the Neko-ken caused also robbed Ranma of a huge amount of power," Ranko explained before taking a deep breath to collect her emotions.

Hearing this Nodoka just started to cry as her entire body started to quiver.

"The next grotesque training method came a few years later and caused Ranma's emotions to be all but sealed away in me. That also stopped Ranma from letting himself have fun because of pops constant badgering about how unmanly it was. Next pop came up with a really insane method for helping Ranma learn new skills and techniques it backfired and all of the skills that Ranma had that didn't relate to martial arts were sealed away again within me. The last training method pop came up with was really weird and had something to do with a really old quote pop heard about knowledge being power. However, pop being the baka he is twisted it around and eventually came up with a training method that said anything that wasn't martial arts was unmanly and therefore feminine and since girls are week, that knowledge decreases power. By the time pop finished, all of Ranma's non martial arts knowledge had been sealed away in me and Genma was finally successful in brainwashing him that girls could do anything but be housewives. About a month later, the springs happened and shortly thereafter I decided that Ranma needed to be whole again if he was going to stay sane but when I appeared to Ranma into dream he thought I was the spirit of the girl that drowned in the spring. After that, I tried to convince him of who I was every so often but mostly I became a shoulder to lean on and because of that, some of the walls between him and what he had lost started cracking ever so slightly. As the year passed there were a few times when the walls came completely down for a moment or two. Those moments were what convinced me that Ranma needed to be whole again and after yesterday I made a decision that enough was enough and even if I had to force everything back into Ranma that he would be whole again by morning."

With her explanation, complete Ranko curled up into a tight ball as she began to look very frightened.

"I was only supposed to be a shadow," Ranko finally mumbled as she began to quiver.

"What do you mean by a shadow?"

"Something that isn't real something that would go away. I've always seen myself as a wound that would eventually heal. I I never once considered that I I was ... real," Ranko stuttered out while sounding frightened.

"Did you have your own memories separate from Ranma's from the split happened?"

Ranko's only replied to this was a nod.

"...and over the years did you start having dreams and desires of your own?"

Again, the only reply was a nod.

"...and then after the springs YOU made a decision by your self."

"...and became real because of it," Ranko said as her eyes widened.

Nodoka's only reply to this was a nod, as she looked at her newfound daughter.

*****************

'I wonder where pops and Tendo are,' Ranma thought to himself as he sat by the koi pond before raising his eyebrow and adding the thought of, '...and for that matter where is Nabiki?'

A moment later Ranma's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly before he decided to ask the one person in the Tendo dojo that always knew where everyone was; Kasumi. Whom he found in the kitchen a moment later and after asking his question Ranma received the reply of, "Father and uncle Saotome drank two *looks in a nearby cabinet* ...no make that three bottles of saki last night and as for Nabiki she hasn't woken up yet for some reason.

Ranma's reply to this was to nod before raising an eyebrow as he looked at the trashcan, which had two empty bottles of saki in it. "Kasumi if they drank three bottles of saki where's the third empty bottle?" Ranma queried while he developed a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Kasumi replied to this was to find that she suddenly had an extremely dry mouth. "I don't know Ranma," Kasumi finally said.

"Has Nabiki ever taken a drink?" Ranma asked seriously.

"On occasion in fact when I graduated from high school ...." Kasumi said before trailing off as her hand flew to her mouth.

"What happened?" Ranma asked curiously while sounding very concerned as well.

"She all of drank one of father's bottles of saki and got drunk ... *pales for a moment* in fact even I would have to say..." Kasumi said before whispering something in Ranma's ear.

The pigtailed martial artist only replied to this by looking at Kasumi as his face paled five shades while Kasumi's face reddened considerably.

"I didn't even know you knew those words," Ranma said as Kasumi blushed even deeper.

"Mother was well at times very colorful with her language," Kasumi said before she returned to cooking breakfast.

Ranma's reply to this was to look up at the sky for a moment and truly wonder about who Mrs. Tendo was for that same moment. However, after the moment was over, he decided to go check up on Nabiki. Whom -as he suspected- was out colder than a cucumber in the Antarctic while in empty bottle of saki rested on the floor.

'I wonder why she drank so much. Hell, why did she start drinking at all?' Ranma thought before deciding to make a point of finding out why. Naturally, only after Nabiki had recovered from the hangover she was going to have when she woke up.

****************

"Hiya, tomboy," Ranma said as he entered the tearoom to find Akane sitting at the tea table waiting for breakfast.

"Where is everyone?" Akane asked as she looked at the wall clock.

"Pop and your dad are both plastered and believe it or not so is Nabiki," Ranma replied as he sat down at his usual spot next to Akane before continuing. "Mom and my new little sister are still in the training hall as far as I know."

"NABIKI PLASTERED??????????!!!!!!!!!!!" Akane asked while sounding shocked.

"Not so loud Akane," Nabiki whispered as she entered the room looking like she had gone several rounds with every one of the Nerima wrecking crew and lost every time.

Akane's only coherent reply to see her sister in such a state -which was even worse than what she looked like after Kasumi's graduation party- was to blanch visibly and mumble incomprehensibly.

However, Akane was interrupted a second later when Ranko practically bounced into the room as she said, "Good morning Nabs!"

Less than a microsecond after that Ranko was being strangled by Nabiki who had just shouted, "Shut up Ranma!!" A split second later however, the small fact that Ranma was sitting next to Akane entered Nabiki's hung-over mind, which thankfully caused her grip on Ranko's neck to loosen enough for Ranma's new little sister to get away and hide behind her big brother. "I'm not even going to bother asking until my hangover goes away Saotome," Nabiki stated quietly as she flopped back down on the floor while Nodoka sat down next to Ranma.

"Breakfast's ready," Kasumi said cheerfully as she entered causing Nabiki to wince.

"Black coffee," Nabiki mumbled as she got up and trudged off towards the kitchen.

Hearing this everyone in the room including Kasumi tried their best not to laugh themselves silly and they succeeded... for about 5 seconds.

******************

After breakfast, Ranma left the tearoom for points unknown leaving Ranko, Nodoka, Kasumi, Nabiki, and Akane alone.

Naturally, everyone's gaze fell on Ranko who just started telling her tale.

******************

'What to do?' Ranma asked himself as he walked along a fence top. A moment later however before Ranma could even think of anything else to think of he heard a familiar bicycle bell and promptly jumped off the fence just before Shampoo glommed him. This surprised Shampoo so much she lost her balance and fell into the drainage canal on the other side of the fence. Ranma's only reply to this as he walked around a nearby corner was a smirk and mental chuckle. That chuckle was interrupted a moment later when Ranma sensed Mousse behind him. Ranma's only reply to this was to bend over and pickup a 1-yen piece from the ground in front of him just as Mousse attacked. This had the effect of causing a large number of Mousse's hidden weapons to be imbedded in the concrete wall Ranma was walking next to and as Ranma walked off Mousse cursed in Chinese as he tried to free his weapons from the wall. 'Well that takes care of the Amazon duo for the moment,' Ranma thought with a chuckle before deciding to find another fence to walk on before he returned to the dojo.

********************

As Ranma returned to the dojo three or so hours later he found his new sister sleeping on Nodoka's lap looking very content. Watching this from nearby Akane only stared blankly at the new addition to the Saotome family. Smiling Ranma announced he was home only to the interrupted by the battle cry of 'DIE RANMA'. Rolling his eyes as he turned around Ranma found Ryouga charging him with his usual amount of vengeance.

Ranma's reply to this was to stand perfectly still until the last possible moment at which time Ranma moved ever so slightly and punched Ryouga just below the diaphragm. This of course folded Ryouga over. Yet Ranma didn't stop there and a fraction of a second later he brought his elbow down on Ryouga's head knocking the bandanna clad martial artist out cold.

"I'll be right back," Ranma said as he drug Ryouga off.

*******************

When Ryouga next regained consciousness he was dangling upside down from the rafters of the training hall's roof while Ranma sat nearby practicing a sword kata with a katana.

"DAMN YOU..." Ryouga screamed out before he found a certain katana millimeters away from his neck.

"Ryouga I'm going to say this only once so listen very closely. If you shout 'Die Ranma', at me one more time, I will take it seriously and respond with deadly force and I'm not joking. So unless you want to find your self on top of a funeral pyre give up your vendetta," Ranma explained before he moved the katana away from Ryouga's neck.

Ryouga's warped sense of the world usually prevented him from thinking straight. However, having Ranma Saotome -the guy that had killed a kami 2 weeks ago- threaten to kill you was enough to penetrate even Ryouga's thick head. In spite of this, Ryouga being Ryouga could do no more then gulp as Ranma decided to continue his kata.

"However, P-chan you can still fight me anytime you want," Ranma added before pausing dramatically and adding, "if..."

Gulping once more Ryouga asked, "If what?"

"If you tell Akane the truth," Ranma said as he looked at Ryouga with a gaze the eternally lost boy had never seen on Ranma's face. The look was indescribable as far as Ryouga was concerned but Ryouga instinctively knew Ranma had finally decided on who he wanted and he wasn't going to let anything under or over the havens or earth stop him and so pondered which would be worse. Akane Tendo's wrath for a year at most or Ranma Saotome's wrath -and the possibility of him swearing eternal vengeance- for the rest of his life. A moment later Ryouga decided to tell Akane and said that much to Ranma who smiled before walking off.

*******************

"Akane, Ryouga has something to tell you out in the training hall," Ranma said as he sat down in front of the TV.

Akane's reply to this was to shrug her shoulders before leaving the tearoom.

"Big brother, please don't tell me Ryouga's going to spill the beans," Ranko said as she looked at her brother.

"Fine I won't tell you," Ranma said with a smirk.

"If Ryouga out this spilling the beans then why aren't you running for your life?" Nabiki asked as she nursed a huge cup of black coffee.

"Because I am not a coward, baka yes a coward no," Ranma said as he flipped through the channels on the TV.

Nabiki's reply to this was to mumble something incomprehensible before she pulled up a pair of industrial strength headphones from nowhere.

A few minutes later a feminine war cry of, "RYOUGA NO HENTAI," echoed throughout the dojo and the ward of Nerima after which the sounds somebody being viciously and brutally beaten were heard.

"I hope Ryouga can survive a Grade A+++ Ranma no baka beating," Ranko said.

"So do I sis," Ranma answered before the sounds from the training hall stopped abruptly. '...and so do I."

A moment later Akane entered the room looking like she was going to explode from anger. However, a moment later she broke down crying and glommed onto Ranma who just quietly ran his hand through her hair as he told her everything would be okay. Seconds later Akane fell asleep in Ranma's arms.

Seeing this Nabiki shed a silent tear that went unnoticed by everyone but herself before she got up and left for her room.

*********************

An unknown amount time later in Nabiki's room we find Nabiki sitting at her desk thinking.

"Gods my little sister really does love that baka," Nabiki thought aloud before Ranma walked in the door and sat down.

"Why did you drink an entire bottle of saki last night," Ranma asked as he gave Nabiki a piercing gaze.

Hearing not only the question but the manner in which Ranma asked it Nabiki was caught almost completely off guard. "I don't want to talk about it Ranma."

Ranma's only reply to this was a nod as he got up and left. However just before he shut the door behind him Ranma said, "if you want a shoulder lean on you know were my room is *chuckles* and best of all my services are free."

Nabiki's reply to this was to wince subconsciously before starting to work on her usual chore of balancing the Dojo's books.

********************

As Ranma entered the training hall a few moments later he found Ryouga --what was left of him anyhow-- still strung up.

"You ok Ryouga?" Ranma asked as he cut Ryouga down.

The only reply Ryouga gave was to twitch.

"I'll take that as a no," Ranma replied before hauling Ryouga off to Dr. Tofu's office.

*********************

"How could he?" Akane asked herself only to receive a most unlikely of replies from the most unlikely of sources.

"Because he's a pig, sis -quite literally," Kasumi said as she entered with a bundle of laundry.

"Just like all of those perverts at school," Akane stated as she started to get angry.

"No most of them were just idiots that got roped into acting like a mob by Kunou, sis," Kasumi replied.

"Why?"

"I would say Kunou is an idiot but I really don't think so. In fact I'm quite sure is very intelligence and played everyone of those boys for a fool."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm quite sure Kunou sent the mob after you thinking that you couldn't handle it and then he was going to be a noble samurai and come to your rescue. However we both know how that worked out," Kasumi replied with a smirk.

"Yeah a Black Wild Horse finally came to my rescue. Not that I wanted him to mind you," Akane said grumpily.

"Come now sis, we both know you like it when Ranma comes to your rescue," Kasumi said before adding, "However I'm quite sure you would like to come to Ranma's rescue as well."

Akane's only reply to this was a small nod before realizing something. "Sis if Kunou is smart enough to organize a mob why is he chasing me and Ranma around."

"I'm not quite sure," Kasumi replied.

********************

As Ranma returned for Dr. Tofu's office, he found Ranko walking along the dojo's perimeter wall looking distant. After popping up onto the wall Ranma asked his new sister what was wrong.

"I don't have anything," Ranko said plainly, as she sat down on top the perimeter wall.

"What do you mean? You have me, mom the Tendo's and even pop if you want to count him," Ranma responded as he too sat down on the parameter wall the dojo.

"Not anyone, anything, big brother. You and Akane both have the art, Nabiki has yen, Kasumi has the kitchen, pops and Mr. Tendo have their shogi board and mom well neither of us have known her long enough to say but I would guess it's family for her," Ranko said sadly.

"...and why don't you have the art," Ranma asked curiously.

"I gave everything back to you including the part of the art you lost," Ranko said.

"So can you do any of it?"

"Yeah but nothing compared to even Akane," Ranko answered before adding, "...and I don't want to learn anymore."

"Why?!" was the reply Akane gave as she walked up behind the two.

"Because I need to find out who I am now that I'm more than just a shadow," Ranko said before quickly adding, "... but that doesn't mean I don't want to learn the art at all."

Akane's only reply to this was to nod in understanding before Ranma said, "You know what? I need to find out who I am besides a martial artist," which of course shocked Ranko and Akane unconditionally. "... but first let's go wake pop up," Ranma-chan added with a very mischievous smirk.

*****************

A few moments later the peace of Nerima was shaken when the panda was seen leaving the Tendo dojo holding a huge sign that read [THERE'S TWO OF THEM!], which was, not surprisingly, ignored by the denizens of Nerima.

********************

Meanwhile back at the Tendo dojo we find Ranko, Ranma-chan, Nodoka and Akane laughing their heads off.

"Gods that was fun," Ranma-chan exclaimed before transforming.

Akane, Nodoka and Ranko's reply to this was to continue laughing for another full minute as they remembered the look on the panda's face when he had woken up. After the three had managed to contain there laughter Nodoka asked, "So where do you two want to go?"

"Wherever," Ranko and Ranma replied in perfect unison before they walked off.

"Why do I have a feeling those two are going to be scary," Akane commented before she and Nodoka followed.

********************

"What kind of demon calling is this," Happosai said as he looked over a scroll of some sort. "The calling ritual is for a being of good not evil but the magic still calls a Succubus. *sighs annoyedly* Pah this thing is useless to me I might as well give it to one of Ranma's rivals. Hmm, but which one after all their all martial artists that aren't interested in magic," Happosai muttered to himself before taking for a moment and chuckling after which he bounced off.

********************

Meanwhile in another part of Nerima we find a gray haired red-eyed woman has just finished adjusting sign outside of her newly opened shop.

"The Nerima guild of magic is now officially open," the woman said as she ran her hand through her long silvery gray hair before she entered her shop allowing a closer look at sign.

********************

"So mom what did you do with me and pop were globetrotting?" Ranma asked his mother as the four walked along the streets of Nerima.

"Not much really," Nodoka answered shamefully.

"What about hobbies?" Ranko asked.

"Well I do play the flute and draw," Nodoka responded after a moment before asking, "Did your father ever let you play anything?"

"For awhile I had a violin but pop sold it as soon as he found out about it," Ranma replied absently before adding, "... and I doodle all the time."

"Well I say we go to the music store and get a new one," Ranko said with a smirk as the four continued on their way.

'A violin?!' Akane thought to herself as she tried to picture Ranma holding said instrument. Strangely, the picture that formed in her mind was surreally right.

********************

"Hmm," was all Gosunkugi said while absently wondering what Happosai had dropped as he ran by with a load of female underwear. After picking up the scroll and opening it, Gosunkugi found that he was looking at a scroll that would call a Succubus. Gosunkugi's reply to this was to smile evilly before running off.

********************

"I'm going out for awhile mother," a silvery gray haired indigo eyed youth said as he left his mother's shop which happened to be the newly opened Nerima guild of magic.

"Ok Himo."

*******************

Later at Nerima's largest music why they store, we find the surreal site of Ranma and Ranko Saotome each playing violins with an absolutely enchanting beauty.

The only reply Akane and Nodoka could think of giving was their jaws flapping in the wind.

"Gods Ranma I never knew you could play," Yuka said as she walked up with Sayuki who were both in the music store buying supplies for themselves.

Shrugging his shoulders Ranma said, "Neither did anyone else," before noticing Sayuki giving Ranko an evil eye.

"Ok wh..." Sayuki managed to get out before Akane interrupted.

"It's a long story Sayuki," Akane said as she looked at her friend while Nodoka looked at her two children holding violins.

"Gods I really wish I could get them for you but I don't have enough money," Nodoka said sadly.

"...and why the hell not," came the reply from a red-haired woman that even Ranma swore had appeared out of nowhere.

The woman that appeared before the Saotome family was dressed in a black leather jacket that had a loose fitting red T-shirt underneath it; that revealed she was not wearing a bra. In addition to this, she was wearing a pair of blue pants that had about 10 pockets on each leg as well as a pair of nylon cut off gloves along with a hat the looked like it was perfect for spelunking around a jungle. Furthering the look was a belt that had two large pouches each of which were the size of a purse along with four smaller pouches. All in all the woman looked like a video game heroine ready to do battle in some lost tome. In fact the only thing she was missing was two very large magnums and the holsters to put them in. However, the two katanas that were strapped to her back made up for that nicely. Lastly, the woman was wearing a pair of ultra dark sunglasses, which currently she was looking over the top of. This allowed one to see that the woman's eyes were a brilliant sapphire blue. Moreover, currently those eyes were boring into Nodoka who had suddenly gone extremely pale.

"Well daughter tell me why you don't have enough money," the woman added as she took off her sunglasses and hung them on her T-shirt.

Nodoka's reply to this was to stutter and back away.

Shaking her head the woman that claimed to be Nodoka's mother ran her hair through her long red air before sighing and saying, "No-chan how much of the money I send you every month is sitting in your bank account?"

"All of it, Okaasan," Nodoka said as she tried to straighten up under her mother's gaze.

The only reply Nodoka's mother gave to this was to shake her head and walk by her daughter and over to Ranma and Ranko who immediately started looking very nervous.

"I'm your grandmother Ranko Saotome," the woman that looked younger then Nodoka said as she crossed her arms.

"Hmm, mom," Nodoka said nervously.

"What," Grandma Ranko demanded.

"Nothing mother," Nodoka said shamefully as she bowed her head.

"Good now I plan on spoiling my grandchildren just as any grandma worth her salt does," grandma Ranko said before she dragged Ranma and Ranko off in a headlock leaving Nodoka to shake her head and blush redder then her hair.

"Is that really your mother Mrs. Saotome?" Yuka asked.

Nodoka's only reply to this was to nod her head while wishing she could vanish as easily as her husband.

'Gods now there are three of them,' Sayuki thought to herself as she watched grandma Ranko talking to her grandchildren as she absently paid for both violins as if it was nothing. By the time, the trio walked back over they were acting like old friends and Nodoka had turned almost completely blue.

*****************

"Anyone up for lunch?" Grandma Ranko asked after a while.

"Me," Ranko and Ranma said in perfect unison before looking at each other laughing for a moment.

After the moment was over Ranma suggested the Cat Café, which of course everyone but Akane agreed to.

"Don't worry about a thing tomboy," Ranma whispered in Akane's ear after Akane had disagreed.

"WH..." was all Akane managed to get out before noticing the smirk on Ranma and Ranko's faces which told her something was up other than the Saotome appetite.

*****************

"Why husband no see me?" Shampoo asked no one in particular before hearing someone enter the cat café. When Shampoo looked up, she almost immediately took up standard shock position at the site of Ranma, Ranko, Grandma Ranko, and Nodoka. Mousse on the other who was sitting in the corner of the cat cafe with his glasses on just fell off the back of his chair as his eyes rolled up into his head.

Seeing Mousse fall of his chair Grandma Ranko just shrugged her shoulders before noticing an unmistakable odor in the air. "Are these loonies Chinese Amazons per chance?"

"Yeah," Ranma responded.

"Thought so," Ranko said with a smirk before yelling "YO OLD HAG!!!"

A moment later, Cologne hoped into the room and almost fell off her staff at the site of the Saotome clan.

<Well I'll be I haven't seen you in ages, daughter,> Cologne said with a smirk as she gave Grandma Ranko a piercing gaze.

<You know me, Haggy, always spelunking around ancient ruins and tombs,> Grandma Ranko replied with a smirk as she sat down before noticing Shampoo. <What's with you kid?>

<Nothing much Perfume,> Cologne replied with a smirk as Ranma, Akane, Ranko and Nodoka sat down.

A moment later Shampoo recovered and shouted <Great grandmother how can she be your daughter!>

<Actually, it's tribal daughter,> Grandma Ranko replied as she looked at the menu.

<Who's your tribal sister?> Shampoo asked nervously.

<Your grandmother dear,> Cologne replied causing Shampoo's eyes to roll up in her head as she fainted dead away.

<What's up with her, Haggy?> Grandma Ranko asked as she thumbed her finger at Shampoo.

"Long story," Cologne said with a chuckle as she looked at Ranma with a smirk.

Ranma's reply to this was to raise an eyebrow at Cologne while knowing full well that Cologne had referred to his grandmother as her daughter.

"...and it starts with the cursed springs and your grandson over there ... and considering there's a little version of Ranma now Madame RelOrt has probably played a card or two," Cologne added just after Ranko took a large gulp of water which she promptly choked on before shouting, "Nodoka out right now!"

Nodoka's reply to this was to vanish as quickly as Genma.

"Ok I'm listening," Grandma Ranko stated as she looked at Ranma with a piercing gaze.

Several hours later the tale of the past year had been told which left Grandma Ranko to shake her head as she chuckled

"Damn," Grandma Ranko said as she sat back in her seat.

"So what's your story?" Ranko asked.

"Shortly After my husband died Madame RelOrt offered me a new life in Avalon and a few years later I accepted telling no one of where I was really going," Grandma Ranko responded.

"So mom doesn't know?" Ranma asked.

Grandma Ranko's reply to this was to shake her head.

"Who is Madame RelOrt?" Akane asked

"Besides progenitor and guardian of the cursed springs she is a master magi and an over deity more than that you'll have to find out from her," Cologne responded seriously.

"So why are you here instead of Avalon?" Ranko asked her grandmother.

"A guild of magic recently opened here in Nerima and I'm here to inspect it as her Madame RelOrt's personal request after which I'll be returning to Avalon to continue my work there," Grandma Ranko responded as she got up.

"Cool can me and Ranma come after we go to the art store!" Ranko exclaimed.

"Of course," Grandma Ranko replied before the four left.

"Great Grandmother Ranma husband?" Shampoo asked from the floor.

"He's not your husband anymore," Cologne said aloud before thinking, 'For that matter he never was.'

*********************

Later at Nerima's largest art store, we find Himo browsing the racks so absently that he bumped into someone whom he immediately started apologizing to.

"Don't worry about it. I wasn't paying attention either," a girl about Himo's age said as she got up and ran her hand through her red hair while smiling.

Himo's reply to this was to blush as his heart skipped a beat.

"So do you come here often?" The girl asked as she continued to browse.

"No I just moved in a day or so ago," Himo replied.

The girl's reply to this was a nod as she picked up a large drawing tablet.

"Ranko, Grandma says it's time to go," a red haired teen said as she walked up.

"Ok I'm done anyhow," the girl said as she smiled and walked off the other girl.

"Wow she's gorgeous," Himo muttered to himself before realizing how late in the day it was. "Oh geez mom's going to kill me!" Himo exclaimed before running off back to his mother shop.

**********************

"Mom I'm back," Himo said nervously as he reentered his home.

"... and where have you been young man?" Himo's mother asked.

"Hmm, well..." Himo said before trailing off.

"It doesn't matter just get to work organizing the enchanters books," Himo's mother said as she handed her son a ring of some sort.

"Yes mother," Himo said before walking off as he used the ring he was now wearing to levitate several very large tomes.

"I swear," Himo's mother muttered as she began to organize a few scrolls only to be interrupted by the sound of the door opening moments later to reveal a powerful looking adventurer who was accompanied by three others.

"I am Ranko Saotome and as per Madame RelOrt's personal request I am here to inspect this guild," the adventurer said as she displayed royal seal of the third house Avalon.

"...but we haven't even put everything away yet." Himo's mother stuttered out.

"Yes I can see that but it doesn't really matter," the adventurer Ranko said as she motioned Himo's mother into the back room.

"Wow! Look at all of this stuff," Ranko said excitedly as she started to browse around.

Ranma and Akane's only reply to this was to chuckle a bit.

"So do you want to get some magical stuff?" Akane asked.

"Sure why not," Ranma replied before he and Akane walked off into the racks of the guild.

******************

"Why do I have to do this," Himo muttered as he continued to levitate books into their appropriate places only to be interrupted when someone appeared right in front of him.

"Hello!!" A certain red headed girl said cheerfully scaring Himo out of his gourd and causing him to lose concentration, which of course caused the 20 or so books levitating to suddenly be snared by gravity. Reacting with lightning fast reflexes however, Ranko managed to catch all of the books which she had a very difficult time holding.

Himo's reply to the fact the red headed girl in front of him had not only caught all the books in mid air but was now holding them with nothing more then muscle power was a classical jaw drop.

"A little help over here!!" Ranko demanded as her knees started to buckle.

"Sorry!" Himo exclaimed before using the levitation ring on the books, which promptly showed themselves to a nearby shelf.

"So do you work here?" The red headed girl asked with a smile.

"Sort of my mom runs the place," Himo answered as he levitated a few more books around.

"Cool! So can you show me around?" Ranko asked.

"Not till I get done with putting all of these books away."

"Tell you what I'll help," Ranko said excitedly before picking up a stack of 10 books without effort, which shocked Himo almost enough to lose concentration again. "So where do these go?"

"Hmm, over there," Himo said after he blinked a few times.

**************************

"Well it looks like Ranko has found herself a friend," Akane said with a smile as she and Ranma watched Ranko helping a silver gray haired boy her age.

"Yep it does," Ranma responded with a chuckle before the two noticed Grandma Ranko had returned with the shopkeeper who looked quite relieved.

"Everything seems to be an order for a guild of this size and age so you pass inspection," Grandma Ranko said with a smile.

"Thank you," the shopkeeper said.

"No problem. Now I wish to purchase a few items for my two grandchildren and my grandson's fiancé.

"What kind of items?" The Shopkeeper asked as she shifted into a businesslike demeanor.

"Three class 4 adventurers' belts, a type 2 enchanted pouch, two normal shared enhancement grade enchanted bracelets and another one with an added Jusenkyo curse trigger. Also if you have them I could do with four Jusenkyo curse animal dispelling scrolls."

The shopkeeper's reply to this was to have her jaw drop before she started adding up Grandma Ranko bill.

"That'll be 3,234,000 gold pieces ma'am," the shopkeeper finally said as she adjusted her collar.

Grandma Ranko's only reply to this was to ask, "Do you take Magi guild gold vouchers?"

"Of course ma'am," the shopkeeper replied.

"Good," Grandma Ranko said before pulling out 12 bills, which she all handed to the shopkeeper who put them away in her belt.

"It'll take me about an hour to prepare the belts ma'am," the shopkeeper said.

"No problem," Grandma Ranko said dismissively.

"Out of curiosity how much yen did you just spend?" Akane asked curiously

"40,719,617,400¥," the shopkeeper replied.

Ranma and Akane's only reply to this was to was a colossal jaw drop.

"Speaking of money sense my black sheep of a daughter won't touch the money I give her every month I'll just give it to you and Ranko instead," Grandma Ranko said a moment later.

"How much do you give mom a month?" Ranma asked curiously

"2,000,000¥," Grandma Ranko stated calmly.

"Damn!" Ranma muttered.

"Wow not even Nabiki can extort that much yen out of every one at Furinkan in 1 month," Ranko said flippingly as she walked up with the boy she was helping.

Akane's reply to this was to fume a bit but nod her head in agreement. Ranma the other hand was laughing his head off.

"Himo did you finish doing that I gave you?" the shopkeeper asked impatiently.

"Yes mother and ..." Himo said before motioning to the girl that had helped him.

"Ranko, Ranko Saotome," Ranko replied with a smile.

"...and Ranko helped me," Himo finished.

"Did you think her young man?" Himo's mother asked sternly.

"Yes mom," Himo replied.

"Good now bring me 3 class-4 adventurers' belts, a cataloger and a type two enchanted pouch," Himo's mother said before Himo nodded and walked off.

"By the way what did you just get us?" Akane asked after bonking Ranma on the head.

"Do you have the basic pamphlet on the basic 4 adventures items?" Grandma Ranko asked Himo's mother who was taking three bracelets out of a secure display case.

"Yes," was the only reply Himo's mother gave before handing a pamphlet to Akane.

Adventures' belt-

The most basic of the adventure's items is the adventures belt. The adventures' belt is distinguished by its two hip satchels, which are both 10 inches wide 12 inches long and 4 inches deep and four smaller pouches all of which are 5 inches wide 6 inches long and 2 inches deep in the belt's default configuration. Note that the belt does resize itself for its wearer. The pouches of the adventures' belt are all enchanted to be completely bottomless. This allows a near infinite amount of items to be stored in the belt's pouches. Note that any object that can be shoved past the opening of one of the pouches of the belt can be stored inside the belt. An example of this would be a 10-foot pole, which once inserted into one of the larger hip satchels would completely vanish into the belt. Also, note that once an item enters the belt it cannot be retrieved unless whoever reaches into the pouch specifically reaches into the pouch to retrieve the item.

Level 1- adventures' belts have all of the features mentioned above and no more.

Level 2- adventures' belts have been enchanted in such a way that once an object enters the belt, it becomes completely weightless.

Level 3- adventures' belts have been enchanted so that the contents of one adventures' belt can be linked to another adventures' belt that has a level of at least level 3.

Level 4- adventures' belts have been enchanted to prevent anyone but the wearer of the belt from accessing the items within the belt.

Level 5- adventures' belts have been enchanted to change their physical form to match the style of the clothing the adventure is currently wearing. Note the adventurer has direct willpower control over what the belt will look like after changing forms

Note adventures belts can be upgraded from lower levels to higher levels.

Cataloger-

This book contains a complete and current inventory of anything currently in an adventures' belt. The cataloger divides the inventory of the adventures belt into the following categories: wealth items, curative items, weapons, armor, raw materials, toolkits, adventuring gear, clothing, food, transport and one-of-a-kind rare items.

Enchanted pouches-

Type-1 enchanted pouches cause any item put within them to be reduced in size and mass to 1/2000th of their original size and mass. Note when an enchanted pouch is put into an adventures' belt its contents are returned to their normal size and weight. However, if the adventure's belt is at or above Level-2 the adventures' belt's weightlessness enchantment prevents the items from exerting weight on the adventurer

Type-2 enchanted pouches can expand to engulf any object providing that the adventure using the pouch can lift the object over their head for 30 seconds with out dropping it. Note type 2 enchanted pouches are EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE

Enchanted bracelet-

The enchanted bracelet is an item that is worn around the wrist, which can only be removed by its wearer that holds a set of related enchantments.

Instant clothing change- this enchantment automatically changes the clothing of the adventurer between two sets of clothing in response to a trigger the adventurer specified when purchasing the bracelet originally. Normally the instant clothing change enchantment's trigger is battle and the clothing change is from traveling clothing to full battle gear. Note ALL ENCHANTED BRACELETS SHARE THIS ENCHANTMENT.

Resize enchantment - this enchantment automatically resizes any clothing and/or armor the adventurer puts on or has put on by the instant clothing change enchantment. Note the resize enchantment cannot resize clothing or armor out of its class an example of this would be female body armor cannot be resized to fit a male.

Full wardrobe enchantment - this enchantment allows the adventurer to will any clothing in their possession onto themselves.

Adventure's model wardrobe enchantment- this enchantment allows an adventurer to instantaneously equip themselves with any weapons and armor in their possession.

Shared enchantment- this enchantment allows the sharing of clothing with all allies as long as a level 3 adventures belt is owned by one adventurer.

Note the enchanted bracelet has to be enchanted in the order of the enchantments listed above.

"Wow," was the only thing Akane could think saying after she finished reading the pamphlet.

"Hmm, why didn't you pay for the cataloger thing?" Ranma asked as he leaned over Akane shoulder.

"The cataloger comes with the adventures belt," Himo's mother answered.

"Oh ok," Ranma said with a nod before noticing something in his little sister's eyes. "Hay do you give magic lessons here?" Ranma asked shocking everyone but his grandmother.

"Of course this as a fully certified guild of magic Ranma," Grandma Ranko replied before adding, "Do you want to learn magic?"

Ranma's reply to this was to blink a few times before saying, "Well truthfully I noticed Ranko was practically drooling over everything. So I was asking for her but with all the crazy stuff that happens around me it probably wouldn't be a bad idea."

"COOL!!" Ranko explained before trying to drag her brother off.

"I think you're forgetting 1 small thing sis," Ranma stated as he struggled against his sister's pulling.

"Hmm, what?"

"We have to sign up first," Ranma replied deftly causing Ranko to facefault and Akane to laugh.

"HAY, why are you laughing?" Ranko protested as she yelled at Akane.

"Come on sis you know very well why," Ranma said with a chuckle.

Ranko's reply to this was to fume very indignantly.

Chuckling Grandma Ranko said, "Sign them up for basic magic theory 101."

"That'll be another 10GP," the shopkeeper replied before Grandma Ranko pulled several gold coins out of her adventures' belt 10 of which she then handed to Himo's mother.

"Can I have one?" Ranko asked with a mischievous smirk.

"Why?" Grandma Ranko asked.

"So I can torture Nabiki with it," Ranko said with an evil chuckle.

"Ahh," Grandma Ranko said before flipping a single gold coin at Ranko who caught it happily just as Himo returned with the adventures' belts.

*********************

Later that day we find Nabiki sitting by the koi pond as usual calculating something when she heard an unmistakable sound the sound of a large gold coin been flipped. Immediately Nabiki's instincts identified the source of sound which she found was Ranko Saotome, who was indeed flipping a gold coin from on top of the dojo's perimeter wall while an evil smile rested on her lips.

"Don't even think about it because you're not getting this coin," Ranko said as she continued to flip the coin.

Cold hard currency was something Nabiki Tendo would do just about anything for short of engaging in physical combat. Gold however was something Nabiki Tendo would engage in physical combat for. In fact gold fever always pushed her rather under used martial art skills to the level she would use them without thought.

That was why 2 seconds later Ranko found herself dodging Nabiki Tendo who was actually a decent martial artist. Of course, Ranko being born of Ranma subconscious still had more than enough skill to play with Nabiki like she was a child.

"Wow I've never actually seen Nabiki fight," Ranma said with a smirk as he watched his sister taunting Nabiki.

Akane's only reply to this was to debate whether she should grumble or join in the fun of teasing Nabiki. A few moments later teasing won the battle as Ranko got Nabiki mad enough that the mercenary of diamonds actually lost her cool and ran off.

********************

A few moments later, Nabiki stormed off to her room extremely infuriated with the Saotome sibling's and her own sister.

"Damn now they all know my weakness," Nabiki said to herself as she listened to Ranko, Ranma, and Akane laughing. "...but after what I've done the least I deserve is some good hearted teasing. No the least I deserve is to be pummeled into paste by Akane and her mallet. Damn why do I have to have a conscience?"

No answer forthcoming to her question Nabiki just sighed as she remembered the talking down Akane had given her the previous day and the statements that had finally made Nabiki realize her little tomboy of a sister really did love her baka fiancé.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What does it matter, sis, after all everyone knows you hate the aqua-transsexual. After all you say it all the time," Nabiki said with a smirk as she counted the money from the failed wedding.

"Dammit, I don't care about that, Nabiki!!!" Akane shouted angrily before slapping her sister before she angrily added, "even if I had to jump into the Nannichuan to be with Ranma I would!!!" and running off slamming the door behind her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Gods," was all Nabiki said to herself as traced her hand along her face while remembering the look in her sister's eyes. "She really meant it," Nabiki finally added as she rolled up into a ball and started to cry silently as she mumbled, "Forgive me mother I never wanted to hurt her."

*******************

A little while earlier near the Tendo dojo we find someone watching the dojo from the shadows.

"Hmm, so after all of this time I have finally found out what the mercenary of diamonds weak point is," a shadowy figure said with a very Nabiki like chuckle as he pocketed a pair of high-powered binoculars that were retrofitted with a parabolic microphone. After smiling widely, the figure walked away from his hiding spot near the Tendo dojo his wooden walking stick tapping the ground every so often. As the figure stepped into the light of the sun a few blocks away Tatewaki Kunou smiled and thought, 'the charade will be coming to an end very soon...' before sniffing a yellow and red rose as he mentally added, '...my fair mercenary of diamonds.'

********************

"Ranma, where did your grandmother get off to?" Nodoka asked her son as Ranma, Ranko, and Akane sat down in the tearoom.

"She just said that she needed to do something," Ranma replied to which Ranko and Akane agreed to without delay.

'Ahh thank the kami she's out of my hair,' Nodoka thought to herself before walking off towards the kitchen.

"I don't think mom really likes Grandma," Ranko said nothing more than a whisper.

Ranma and Akane's reply to this was to nod quietly before Ranma looked a thoughtful look and walked off towards the kitchen.

"Mom what's wrong? Why don't you like Grandma?" Ranma asked seriously as he stared at his mother with a seriousness most never dreamed the pigtailed martial artist could possess.

"I do love her son it's just that we live on opposite sides of the world and she drives me absolutely batty," Nodoka answered before she sighed deeply and asked the rhetorical question of, "do you know where she gets all of her money?"

"Yeah," Ranma said surprising his mother completely.

"You do?!" Nodoka asked.

"Yeah she's an adventurer in Avalon," Ranma responded while being thankful he had never told his grandmother he would keep her secret.

"Adventurer? Avalon?" Nodoka asked while sounding completely clueless.

"Ask her when she gets here for dinner," Ranma said before walking away only to add, "Secrets have done nothing but hurt our family."

After Ranma had closed the door to the kitchen, Nodoka looked over at Kasumi who only smiled reassuringly.

"Quite right son quite right," Nodoka mumbled before returning to what she was doing.

***********************

"Almost done," Gosunkugi said to himself as he finished completing the instructions on the scroll Happosai had dropped. "Now for the magic words," Gosunkugi added before starting to chant the words that were on the scroll.

After the fireworks of the ceremony ended and the smoke cleared, Gosunkugi found himself looking at a beautiful naked woman. The woman was six feet tall with bat like wings that looked like they were covered in a fine red-orange velvet pelt. The woman also had glowing red eyes and was at the moment looking around curiously as her fiery red hair covered her breasts. The demon's pale pink skin was flawless and her face held an unusual beauty, which only seemed to be highlighted by her eyes, which strangely were not all-demonic looking despite the fact they were glowing. Upon seeing Gosunkugi, the succubus shrieked and jumped almost 5 feet in the air before landing next to a woman Gosunkugi recognized all too well from the newly opened Nerima Guild of magic where he had purchased the supplies he had just used in the summoning ceremony.

"Gross, what did that to him?!" The succubus asked as she hid behind Grandma Ranko.

"Nothing," Gosunkugi replied while he fumed.

"Actually there's a high level constitution draining curse on you kid," Grandma Ranko replied before she took a bottle of some sort out her adventures belt.

"... and that magic potion will cure it right?" Gosunkugi asked rhetorically.

"Yep," Grandma Ranko said with a smile.

"What's the catch?" Gosunkugi asked indignantly.

Grandma Ranko's reply to this was to chuckle before she handed the bottle to Gosunkugi as she said, "The catch is kiddo you just called the only known succubus that's good," before she walked off laughing to herself.

Fuming indignantly Gosunkugi looked up at the succubus to find she had enchanting ruby red eyes and was smiling as warmly as Kasumi Tendo. Gosunkugi's reply to this was to sigh in classic anima style before popping the cork on the magic potion and drinking it. After which he promptly passed out.

*******************

As Grandma Ranko stepped through the gates to the dojo she found her daughter Nodoka staring at her with a cold glare.

"What is an Adventurer mother?" Nodoka asked seriously.

Looking up to the roof where Ranma and Ranko sat smiling, Grandma Ranko grumbled a bit before walking off with her daughter to explain what she had been doing for the past 15 earth years.

******************

"You ok mom?" Ranma asked as his mom entered the tearoom that night.

"I really don't know, Ranma," Nodoka answered before saying, "You better get to bed tomorrow is the beginning of the new school year."

Ranma's only reply to this was a nod as he walked off only to be replaced by Grandma Ranko.

"Are you sure?" Nodoka asked

"In all of the time I have known her Hi-chan has never been wrong," Grandma Ranko stated as she squeezed her daughter's left shoulder.

"Will she ever come back?" Nodoka asked.

"Of course," Grandma Ranko said before putting on her sunglasses.

"Mom, how old are you now?" Nodoka asked as she looked at her mother.

"55, dear, and I plan on extending my life for as long I can continue being an adventurer but even I know I'll pass on one day," Grandma Ranko said before she started to walk off.

"Mom are they really going to...?"

"Yes my daughter they are going to," Nodoka's mother said before adding, "No-chan I love you."

A fraction of the second later the very fabric of reality distorted around the elder Ranko Saotome as she walked towards the koi pond and when the fabric snapped back with a few ripples Grandma Ranko was simply gone.

"I love you to Mommy," Nodoka said as tears started running down her face.

**********************

As Ranma walked up the stairs, he found Akane and Ranko waiting for him.

"Everything okay?" Akane asked.

"Seems to be," Ranma, replied with a shrug.

"Well if everything's okay I'm going to sleep," Ranko said before running off to the room the Saotome family used and locking the door behind her much to Ranma's chagrin.

"Sis let me in now," Ranma stated.

"Nope you have to sleep with the tomboy," Ranko said with a mischievous giggle before she added, "...and don't even think about trying the window, baka."

"Did you ever torment your sisters like this?" Ranma asked as he pointed to the door.

Akane's replied to this was to try and look innocent before she stated, "You can use the extra futon in my room and stay with me."

********************

"HAY!" Ranko protested indignantly as she heard Ranma and Akane walking down the hall.

"Give it up, boy," Genma said as he stared out the window.

*****************

"BOY!!" Ranko was heard screaming before the sounds of a mallet being viciously used were heard.

"I was wondering where my mallet went to," Akane commented before smirking as the gentle music of the panda being pounded was heard wafting from down the hallway.

"So where's the extra futon?" Ranma asked curiously, as he looked around Akane's room while ignoring his sister's mallet work.

"I don't have one," Akane replied simply as she blushed.

"I'm sorry about this morning okay. I..." Ranma said before being interrupted by Akane.

"No this morning was great and it helped me in ways you don't realize," Akane said with a smile.

"What kind of ways?" Ranma asked seriously and curiously.

Akane's immediate response to this was to sigh deeply before looking at Ranma seriously. A moment later she began voicing fears she had kept to herself sense she had to fight all the horde of hentai boys in front of her school every morning. By the time she finished Akane was well beyond a nervous breakdown and Ranma was holding her comfortingly as he made soothing sounds.

****************

'Kami-sama,' Nabiki thought to herself as she took off her headphones. 'I had no idea sis felt that way about it,' Nabiki thought a moment later before looking out her window. 'I grossly underestimated my little sister's confidence level in her own skills,' Nabiki finally mumbled to herself as she looked up at the moon. 'Mother I think the mercenary of diamonds is going to re-cut herself slightly,' Nabiki thought to herself before getting ready for bed.

********************

Meanwhile back down in the tearoom we find Nodoka and Kasumi staring out at the starts visible through the open door to the koi pond. Sitting on the tea table was a pot of tea two cups (one was half full while the other was half empty), a sharpening stone, a notepad full of extremely detailed notes and lastly a very thick college textbook on anatomy and physiology which was currently open and heavily marked with a highlighter. Coincidently that highlighter was sitting on the textbook.

"So how are your studies going Kasumi?" Nodoka asked just to make conversation.

"They're going as usual Aunty Nodoka," Kasumi answered as she took a sip of her tea and picked up her notebook.

"Why don't you tell them?" Nodoka asked curiously.

"I will when the time is right," Kasumi said with a fine edge of disapproval in her voice.

Nodoka who had found out about Kasumi taking college credit courses through the mail and more recently the Internet just shook her head mentally and wondered why Kasumi was so hell bent on keeping up the appearance of being an innocent homemaker. Especially since her mother had been anything but.

"Kasumi, why do you hide from your own family?" Nodoka finally asked.

Clenching her jaw while trying not to get angry at the Saotome matriarch Kasumi said, "What would Daddy say if he knew?"

"Well he would probably go through half of his patented wails before he said anything," Nodoka said with a chuckle before continuing, "As to him approving or not dear. I've had to listen to him persecute himself because of the fact you gave your dream of becoming a doctor and we both know out depressing your father can be when he's in self-loathing mode."

"He does?" Kasumi asked while sounding astonished.

Nodoka's silent reply was to nod her head.

"... and what do you think about it?" Kasumi asked.

"It isn't the traditional way but your family is hardly traditional," Nodoka replied before sighing deeply and mentally adding, '...and I have really no grounds to talk about tradition considering I'm the black sheep of my family.'

Kasumi gave no reply to Nodoka's statement as she returned to her homework.

*****************

That night at around midnight, we find Ranma and Akane peacefully resting in each other's arms as they enjoyed each other's company. At the moment (as well as the past few hours), both were trying to work up enough nerve to move their current situation into something considerably more intimate. However, both were loathe to disrupt their current and quite comfortable position by doing anything including talking.

However, a scream from Ranko did that quite well.

2.3 seconds later Ranma was by Ranko's side while the door to the room lay in ruins behind him.

"Sis are you ok," Ranma asked as he held his sister.

Ranko's response to this as she frantically clung to Ranma was to shake her head as she cried.

"Don't worry I'm right here," Ranma reassured his new sister.

"It was so lonely," Ranko cried.

"It's okay I'm right here," Ranma said reassuringly as he made soothing sounds. "Come on go back to sleep now."

"No it's too lonely," Ranko cried before she mumbled, "I wanta go back were I belong."

"No you don't sis after all if you did think of everything you would miss," Ranma answered.

"...but it's so lonely," Ranko complained.

"Don't worry about it, sis, after all when you wake up tomorrow all of us will be here for you. Me, Akane, the Tendos, mom and even pop -that is if you want count him," Ranma said reassuringly.

"Ok, big brother," Ranko said before drifting off into dreamland.

Smirking at this Ranma set his sister back on her futon before letting out a breath he didn't even know he was holding as he turned to his mother and father as well as the rest of the Tendo family.

"Son?" Nodoka finally asked.

"She's never really been alone if you think about it," Ranma said quietly as to not disturb his sister.

"...and now that she's her own person she's alone in her own mind," Nabiki said distractedly.

"Oh my, the poor thing must have been terrified," Kasumi said in nothing but a whisper.

Ranma's only reply to this was to nod before walking off with Akane.

Genma for his part just looked at Ranko and mentally mumbled something to himself before trying to get some sleep.

However, an hour or so later Ranko began tossing and turning in her sleep. While not loud enough to wake anyone Genma still being awake bowed his head in shame and gathered Ranko into his arms and began soothing her as he absently thought, 'it's a long time since I've done this.'

"Pop?" Ranko muttered quietly.

"Don't worry the BIG Panda bear is here," Genma whispered with a light joking tone to his voice.

Giggling Ranko snuggled closer to Genma and gave him a small kiss on the cheek, "thanks pop," before falling into a peaceful slumber.

Genma's only reply to this was to shed a silent tear before looking over at Nodoka who was looking at him with an absolutely astonished look on her face. Now blushing feverishly Genma smiled weekly before turning his attention back to Ranko and mumbling, "...I guess I never did train myself well enough no-chan."

Nodoka's only reply to this was to smirk at Genma as she chuckled. A moment later, she stopped and watched Genma doing one of the only things she knew he enjoyed in life; being a father. A moment later, she shook her head and left the room.

******************

"Hopefully having Ranko around will do him some good," Soun said with a smile and a wink as Nodoka closed the door before walking downstairs and into the tearoom. He took only 5 seconds to blink and shout, "What's going on!"

Kasumi who was cleaning up her books responded by ducking behind Nodoka. Nodoka's response however was to calmly explain exactly what was happening.

The results of this -as Nodoka protected- were Soun going through half of his patented wails before saying how happy he was. Kasumi who was by this time feeling quite numb just ran off to her room.

Looking thoughtful Nodoka only walked off in search of Kasumi. However, Soun intercepted her and just shook his head before walking off to talk to Kasumi.

"K-chan I think we should have a little talk," Soun said as he walked into Kasumi's room surprising Kasumi in more than one way.

********************

As Ranma awoke the next morning, he found himself staring at Akane who had also just woken up.

"So do want another backrub?" Ranma asked with a smirk.

"Pervert," Akane commented with a smirk and a twinkle in her eye.

********************

Meanwhile down the hall we find Nabiki with her feet on her desk staring out her window looking sleepless but nonetheless alert. Nabiki was currently thinking of more than a few things some of which were: Ranma and Akane's relationship, Ranma himself, her younger sister, her older sister, herself, Ranko, Nodoka, her father, and even Genma.

'Ranko born of Ranma's subconscious defense responses and the hell his father put him through,' Nabiki thought with mixed feelings. 'A split personality given form given a spirit and life itself. She's already shown herself to the quite like Ranma or more precisely a Ranma without a fractured and shattered stain-glass mind. Hmm, but she's also becoming a keystone. Nodoka and more surprisingly Genma have started to come alive with emotion. Then there's Ranma gods I can see it in his eyes the very way he walks it's like he was nothing but a soulless robot -with programming done by Genma- before the split and whatever else happened. Then there's my darling little sister *chuckles* who the real Ranma -who unlike the false one is a pervert - managed to totally destroy her defenses and bring out the Akane who was ... well I couldn't figure out that one; ah well. Then there's Kasumi who daddy finally found out was taking college credit courses. I do hope daddy sends her off to college no matter how much she protests about needing to help us ... then again ... no she needs to go. Lastly daddy himself *chuckles* a bigger cowardly crybaby never lived but I think he's finally starting to recover from 'it'.'

With that thought, Nabiki sighed deeply before looking at her desk and a picture of her mother.

'Then there's me mom the mercenary of diamonds all because of what happened to Kunou and the gift you gave me because of that,' Nabiki thought as a few tears streamed down her face. The tears that streamed down Nabiki's face however quickly degraded into and angered scream of, "I don't care if it's dangerous anymore I need IT back!!!!"

With that said Nabiki began to glow with a psionic aura, which caused Nabiki to smile contentedly. However, moments later her aura destabilized causing her to scream in and utter agony. After her aura, finally stabilized and faded Nabiki fell to the floor eyes completely dilated as thin wisps of smoke floated away from her body.

Moments later everyone in the Tendo dojo rushed into the room and found Nabiki and the condition she was in.

"Oh gods she didn't!" Kasumi screamed as she started to cry.

"What else could she have done that would have done this to her," Soun said sadly before turning to Akane and Ranma. "I'm afraid the only possible help is Cologne and Akane I also expect you to tell Ranma what just happened.

"I will daddy. Come on Ranma we have to hurry," Akane said before she and Ranma ran off towards the cat café.

"What about us?" Ranko asked with a raised eyebrow causing Soun to sweat considerably.

"I'll explain father," Kasumi said shamefully as she straightened herself up.

Soun's only reply to this was to nod before everyone else left the room. This left Soun look at Nabiki for a moment and after the moment was over Soun lifted her from the floor and placed her on her bed where he quietly began to watch over her.

********************

"Gifts!?" Ranma shouted questioningly as he and Akane ran to the cat café.

"Yes mother was an extremely powerful magi and just before she passed on she gave me and my sisters each a gift. I received the power to see and interact with spirits, Kasumi was given the power to see into the infinite possibilities of the future and Nabiki was given the power of an empath," Akane explained.

"What happened?"

"My power was put out of commission by my anger literally poisoning my ki -and no smart ass comments about that smart ass. Nabiki's power however was damaged horrifically when she tried to stop Kunou from going insane."

"That's why she's so heartless she had shut her completely off just to function," Ranma said as eyes widened.

Akane's only reply to this as the two arrived at the cat cafe was a silent nod before the two entered to find Cologne staring in the direction of the Tendo dojo.

"She is a mind mage," Cologne stated as Shampoo and Mousse looked nervously at their elder. "Ancient elders this place is to much!" Cologne shouted before looking at Akane. "I will do what I can but mind mages are not something we Amazon know that much about," Cologne said before hopping off to retrieve what she needed.

********************

Meanwhile at the dojo we find that Kasumi had finished explaining what had happened.

"So that's why you're almost never surprised," Ranko said thoughtfully raising everyone's eyebrows. "Of course I know I have been living in Ranma's head sends the Neko-ken in one former another."

The response that was gained from this was surprising when Genma crushed the teacup he was holding. "Sorry Kasumi," Genma mumbled as he gathered up shattered pieces of the teacup before walking off to the kitchen.

"What's wrong, pop?" Ranko asked as she walked into the kitchen behind Genma.

"Nothing," Genma said before walking off to the training hall where he began to meditate only to be interrupted by Nodoka. "I've turned out like my father haven't I?"

"No dear you haven't your father did everything he did very much on purpose," Nodoka said soothingly.

"It doesn't matter dear what I did caused enough damage to the boy that..." Genma said before trailing off as his emotions started to overwhelm him.

********************

Meanwhile just outside the training hall we find Ranko and Kasumi spying.

"You wouldn't be able to look into the past as well?" Ranko asked.

"No but it's times like this I wish I could," Kasumi answered before the two returned to the tea room where they waited for Ranma and Akane to return.

When the two finally did return they were accompanied by Cologne, Shampoo, and Mousse. After a few inconsequential words were said Ranma and Akane sat down along with shampoo and Mousse while Cologne pogoed off to help Nabiki.

After this, a tense silence rolled into the tearoom. Strangely, however this silence was centered around Shampoo who was looking unusually uneasy. Everyone in the room was naturally acutely aware of this because Shampoo was looking downright depressed.

"Is there anything wrong Shampoo?" Kasumi finally asked.

"Shampoo big sister mind mage," shampoo said sadly. "Bring great happiness to village teach shampoo everything. Way of warrior, way of tender, way of love," shampoo added before starting to cry quietly and looking at Mousse who nodded.

"One day something attacked the village. It was a horrible creature that devoured its victim's emotions. Shampoo's sister attacked with blade and mind as the elders protected the rest of the village. The ferocity of the battle it something that still causes those that saw it nightmares and in the end, shampoo's sister was able to defeat the creature but the battle destroyed her mind. The elders did everything they could but there have only been a handful of mind mages in Amazon history. So in the end all the elders could do was give her death," Mousse explained before looking up and adding, "Hopefully Nabiki isn't that far gone."

********************

"Is there anything you can do?" Soun asked solemnly.

"I don't really know," Cologne admitted as she stopped examining Nabiki. "It's like something has short circuited her power."

"I know that happened when she tried to stop Tatewaki and Kodachi from going insane," Soun replied sadly.

"Now that doesn't make sense," Cologne muttered as she looked at Nabiki. "From what I have gathered she is more then capable of stopping even the most severe of mental illnesses."

"I know once she used her gift to cure a man that was a schizophrenic. It took her almost 3 months but she did it," Soun said proudly.

"My word that is impressive," Cologne said with a broad smile before adding, "so how much did she charge?"

Laughing Soun said, "5 million ... dollars."

Cologne's only reply to this was a nod before looking over at Nabiki and saying, "it's sad that not even a mind mage can totally stop reality fracture all of the time."

"True even after those 3 months Nabiki only managed to cure the man to the point where drugs could take over."

Hearing this Cologne mumbled curse in mandarin before saying, "damn I think I just figured out what happened."

"What?"

"I know for a fact that Kodachi girl works with some very exotic fungi one of which in certain conditions produces a wide variety of effects that mimic mental diseases that mind mages usually combat. The only problem is the problem isn't psychic but drug-related and a mind mage can literally burn them self out trying to fix something like that with psychic power as well as causing damage to whoever were using their power on."

"Is there any way you can?"

"No the only way we can help her is another mind mage."

"Are you sure?"

"There is one other way but finding another mind mage would probably easier," Cologne said with a sigh before adding. "The other way is to find someone that was once a spirit shard or what you would probably call a split personality."

"RANKO!" Soun bellowed.

About five seconds later Ranko walked into the room and looked around.

"So what do you need me for old ghoul?" Ranko asked causing Cologne to raise her eyebrow for a moment before mumbling something in mandarin.

"So you were a spirit shard child?" Cologne asked to which Ranko responded by nodding her head and shrugging her shoulders. "Well then will you volunteer to go inside of Nabiki's mind to help her?"

"Yeah," Ranko responded.

"Good," Cologne said before starting to prepare what she needed.

********************

Sometime later in a vast open field Ranko appeared out of nowhere and immediately commented, "Well this isn't what I expected," after which she looked around for a sign of Nabiki in the immediate area. Finding none Ranko started walking towards a building that was barely visible on the horizon. When she finally reached the building, she found Nabiki sitting alone. However, the Nabiki Ranko found was crying quietly as she looked towards the sky. Held in Nabiki's hands was a sphere of energy that was glowing with a dim light.

"It's light used to be as bright as a star," Nabiki said sadly as she clutched the sphere of energy to her. "This let me wonderful things and you know what I am without it." Ranko's response to this was to sit down next to Nabiki who asked, "so is Cologne's magic responsible for you being here?"

Ranko's answer was a simple yes before adding, "you're going anywhere till you fix that are you?"

Nabiki's response was a nod before saying, "any suggestions?"

Ranko's reply to this was to pull on her pigtail while thinking. A few moments later Ranko smiled and said, "A main ki pathway may have the juice necessary but..."

"Let me guess it would be extremely foolhardy and dangerous to throw this into that pathway," Nabiki deadpanned.

"Yep," Ranko answered.

"Well no one ever said I was above doing something insanely stupid so let's get to it," Nabiki commented before standing up and willing sphere of energy she was holding into herself.

Ranko's response to all this was to chuckle before the two walked off.

********************

A few hours later we find Nabiki and Ranko looking at a huge pulsating column of energy.

"I think you should leave now Ranko," Nabiki said flatly as a shadow fell across her features. Ranko's simple answer to this was to nod before vanishing after which Nabiki said, "well I'll probably kill myself by doing this but hey what's life without insanely chaotic risks," with a few tears before she materialized and then through her empathetic gift into the column of energy.

********************

Seconds later Nabiki started glowing with a powerful psionic aura.

"What's happening to her!" Soun demanded.

"She's through it into her main ki pathway," Ranko said as she opened her eyes.

"WHAT!" Cologne bellowed just as Nabiki's aura became blindingly bright as a wave of pure empathic energy washed over not only the dojo but all of Nerima.

A minute later, when everyone had regained consciousness they all rushed to Nabiki's room where Soun, Ranko, and Cologne were just recovering as well. However, no one really noticed this fact considering they were all looking at Nabiki who was glowing with small psionic aura.

Smiling as she laughed Nabiki said, "It's back," before fainting a smile still on her face.

Nervously Cologne walked over to Nabiki and began to examine the middle Tendo sister. After a moment of nervous silence Cologne said, "She'll be fine. Now if you'll excuse me I've had enough excitement for one evening," before hopping off mumbling something in mandarin.

********************