CHAPTER SIX

	Night had fallen on the Tendo dojo and, once Happosai had fled for
safety, it was unusally quiet.  No late-night visits from the Kuno
family, no surprise dim sum or okonomiaki deliveries... it was almost
peaceful.  If you discount the way Ranma and Genma wolfed down their
food, anyway. 
	"So, Mrs. Natsume,"  Kasumi began,  "Nabiki says you're going to be
making a contribution to the school?" 
	Akiko nodded.  "Hai.  The education of our youths is important..."  Her
eyebrow twitched once.  "...though it's hard to believe that the
principal shares the same opinion." 
	"I know what ya mean,"  Ranma interjected.  "He's more interested in
luaus and giving people haircuts than actually running the school. I
think the insanity's hereditary, too, judgin' from his kids." 
	 "I take it you... know each other, then?"
	"Man, I'll say.  Kuno - Tatewaki, I mean - tries to kill me at least
once a week, and Kodachi thinks she's my fiancee for some warped
reason." 
	Akiko looked surprised.  "Fiancee?"
	Ranma shrugged, grabbing another bowl of rice.  "It's all in her head,
though.  Like I'd ever even date a looney broad like that." 
	"Actually, she's only one of many girls who consider herself Ranma's
intended,"  Nabiki commented from behind the business section of the
newspaper.  "Isn't that right, Akane?" 
	"I don't remember anyone asking you," her sister grated. 
	Nabiki looked at her a moment, then put the newspaper aside.  "To tell
the truth," she drawled, "I don't think Ranma's interested in marrying
any of them.  To hear him talk, they're all unfeminine, violent,
antisocial tomboys."  Akane was now in the middle of a slow burn, and
was glaring daggers at her sister. 
	"What Ranma really needs," Nabiki continued blithely, "is a nice,
pleasant girl, one that can reform him.  I mean, look at that."  She
pointed - Ranma, now oblivious to the conversation, was using chopsticks
to duel with his father over the last remaining pickle.  "Yep, it'd take
a special kind of girl to balance out those kind of manners." 
	Kasumi and Akiko giggled at that; Ranma looked up, the end of a pickle
poking out of his mouth.  "What?" 

	Later that night, as the two guests bathed, Ranma and his father
engaged in another training battle over the pond. 
	"So, boy, did you ever ask Nuku Nuku if anything had happened during
your fights?"  Genma leapt at his son, and they collided in a flurry of
punches. 
	Ranma pushed off, and they both landed, one foot up, at opposite ends
of the pond.  "Oh, and let Akiko know that I left her niece all alone? 
No thanks!" 
	"Well, you'd better keep your eyes open."  Leap, crash, land.  "Three
different attacks like that in one day spells trouble.  Remember:  once
is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action!" 
	"Oh, yeah?"  Leap, crash, land.  "Then why didn't anything happen to
her?" 
	"You just don't get it, do you, boy?"  Leap, crash, splash - Genma had
dunked his son once again.  "It doesn't matter why - if something's
trying to get to Nuku Nuku, you are honor bound to defend her, even with
your life." 
	A dripping-wet Ranma - now Ranma-chan - pulled herself from the pond. 
"In other words, you don't got no idea either, do you?" 
	Genma adjusted his glasses and laughed confidently.  "Not a clue." 
	A wave of pondwater splashed into him.
	"Stupid old man,"  Ranma-chan grumbled, and tossed the bucket aside. 
"Well, at least you're right about one thing - I gotta figure out what's
goin' on, so I can keep anything from happenin' to her." 
	"Oh, really?"
	Ranma-chan looked up, and saw Akane framed in the doorway.  "Sounds to
me like you're getting awfully protective of her." 
	She scowled and walked forward, detouring around the panda now sitting
in the middle of the yard.  "Well, whaddaya want me to do?  Let her get
beat up, or whatever?  It's good to see your opinion of me is still so
high.  Besides, what ever happened to not being jealous?" 
	"I'm not!"  Akane angrily threw a kettle of water at Ranma-chan, who
caught it and poured its contents over her head.  "But don't think I
haven't seen this pattern before!" 
	He frowned in confusion.  "What pattern?"
	"The one where you end up g-getting another fiancee!"  She turned away
and wiped at her eyes.  "Don't you think that four is enough?" 
	Ranma looked at her a while.  *Man... I didn't even do anything this
time, and I get into trouble.*  He stepped forward and put his hand on
her shoulder.  "Akane..." 
	"Go away!  Just leave me alone."
	"Hey, I don't know what you're worried about.  I know what pattern
you're talking about, but I don't think it applies here.  Think about
it... Shampoo, Ukyo, Kodachi.  All three of 'em have one thing in common
- they all tried to kill me before declaring their intention to marry
me.  Remember?" 
	Akane relaxed a bit.  It was true - Shampoo had given the "Kiss of
Death" to the red-haired girl who had beaten her in combat.  Ukyo had
sworn revenge and dedicated her life to kill the man who had deserted
her so long ago.  And Kodachi just despised Ranma's female form, for
some reason locked up in her insane little mind.  The thought of sweet,
gentle Nuku Nuku being out for Ranma's blood, in either male or female
guise, didn't even warrant consideration.  "I guess you're right."  She
turned around and smiled up at him.  "What about me?  I've never tried
to kill you." 
	"You kidding? With all the times you've pounded on me... that woulda
killed any lesser man."  She giggled.  "Besides, it wouldn't feel
normal, having a fiancee that didn't try to beat me up every so often." 
	"So... you think we're all violent?"
	"Violent's not even the word!"
	"Maybe *antisocial* fits it better?"
	"Er..."  He started to back up.
	"You probably think I'm an unfeminine tomboy, too!"  She grabbed the
dining room table; the other members of the family quickly removed the
remaining dishes with practised ease.  "That's it!  Prepare to die,
Ranma!" 

	The lack of a proper bed in the Saotome's former room had proved to be
quite an inconvenience... at least for Akiko, who was unaccustomed to
sleeping on futons.  Nuku Nuku, of course, could sleep anywhere and at
any time, and was more than happy to give hers to Akiko.  At the moment,
the cat-girl was seated in front of a small mirror graciously provided
by Kasumi, and was brushing her hair absently. 
	"Mama-san?"
	Akiko didn't look up from her financial reports.  "Yes, dear?" 
	"What's a fiancee?"
	"Well, when someone is engaged to marry someone else, that other person
is called their fiancee." 
	"Oh.  So, you used to be Papa-san's fiancee?"
	"That's right."  She held one of the reports up to the light and peered
at it critically.  "And I can't imagine what I'd been thinking."  She
looked over at Nuku Nuku.  "Why do you ask?" 
	She shrugged.  "No reason.  I just heard it a lot recently, and I was
curious." 
	Akiko smiled slightly.  "Of course you were."  She glanced at her
'niece' slyly.  "How did you enjoy your walk with Ranma-kun?" 
	Nuku Nuku giggled.  "It was fun!  We talked a lot, and went shopping
together, and I met a lot of his friends, who all wanted to play with
me!" 
	"Is that so?"  Akiko's eyes narrowed slightly.  Probably Ranma's
fiancees.  Well, at least there wasn't much to worry about there... 
	The cat-girl nodded.  "But I was careful - they should be okay in a day
or so." 
	"That's good."  She watched Nuku Nuku a moment longer, while the latter
continued to brush her hair.  *According to Nabiki, the others won't be
much of a challenge...  though getting her to act ladylike is another
matter.  Still, a little sprucing up wouldn't hurt.* 
	She tugged thoughtfully at her earring as she studied the cat-girl. 
"You could use a new outfit, Nuku Nuku,"  she decided.  "Nothing too
fancy, but hardly plain.  Mmm... a dress, I think, with a long skirt. 
Not too confining, since you may need to move around in it... slit up
the slides?  No... too bold.  A bit shorter than your school uniform
then."  Nuku Nuku listened to this with half an ear;  she didn't much
care about new clothes, except for the basic feline principle of "more
is good". 
	"And shoes to go with it, of course... as for the color, I think a
light blue would suit you."  She released her earring and clasped her
hands under her chin.  "Don't you agree, dear?" 
	Nuku Nuku continued to brush her hair.  "If you say so, Mama-san." 
	"Don't you want to look nice for Ranma-kun?"
	"I guess so."  She turned around with a happy grin.  "Do you know who
he reminds me of?" 
	Akiko blinked.  "Well, let's see."  She didn't know many of the same
people the cat-girl knew.  "Arisa?  One of the boys at school?  Not
Ryunosuke, surely." 
	Nuku Nuku smiled and shook her head.
	"Who, then?"
	"Papa-san!"
	"N... nani?"
	"And Akane reminds me of Mama-san!"
	Akiko started in surprise.  *Because they fight all the time,
perhaps?*  "Why do you say that?" 
	Nuku Nuku turned back around and finished the last few locks.  "They
just do." 
	"What a silly thing to say.  Now, come over here and brush my hair,
child." 
	"Hai!"

	Outside the window of Ranma's former room, Cologne bounded onto the
ledge and pressed her ear against the wall.  She hadn't been able to
determine much from her position on the neighboring roof; a little
eavesdropping seemed to be in order.  There wasn't much to hear yet,
though - it just sounded like idle chit-chat.  She frowned and listened
more carefully... until she gradually became aware of another person on
the ledge.  She turned, then narrowed her eyes.  "What are you doing
here?" 
	"I might ask you the same thing!" Happosai barked.  "This is my spot! 
I was here first!" 
	"Oh, really?  Aren't you nervous, being so close to that new girl? 
Don't think I didn't catch your little display earlier." 
	"I... was just feeling shy.  Thought I'd try being coy for once." 
	"Do you expect me to believe that?"
	He leered at her.  "Well, why are you here?  I didn't think spying on
buxom young girls was your style." 
	"It is when they might be rivals of Shampoo.  I won't let this one try
to cozy up to *my* son-in-law." 
	"What?  You're gonna bump off that gorgeous creature?"  Happosai
clenched his fist.  "Not if I have anything to say about it!" 
	She glared at him.  "Don't try to stop me, Happosai.  I don't have time
to deal with you." 
	"Oh, yeah?  We'll just see about..."
	"Could you two please keep it down?  Some of us are trying to listen." 
	They turned to look at the newcomer who, while small, still towered
over both of them.  "What are *you* doing here?"  they asked in unison. 
	Sasuke coughed.  "Well, not that it's any of your concern, but both
Master Kuno and Mistress Kodachi want more information about Miss Nuku
Nuku... for different reasons, of course."  (Memories drifted through
his head as he recalled how the siblings had phrased their orders: 
"Sasuke, I must learn more of the wondrous pink-haired lass.  Go to the
Tendo Dojo and then report back to me; I have to defend her from
Saotome's demonic influence."  "Sasuke, I must learn more about that
hideous wretch of a girl.  Go to the Tendo Dojo and then report back to
me; I won't let her dig her claws into my precious Ranma.")  "Anyway,
it's difficult to overhear with you two bickering over there." 
	Chastised, Happosai and Cologne resumed their positions against the
wall.  For a while there wasn't much to hear, just the sound of a brush
being run through fairly short hair, then there was a happy giggle. 
	"*Now* what is it?"
	"I like this.  I'm glad Mama-san decided to stop trying to kill me." 
	"That... that has nothing to do with you.  I just... felt that so much
conflict would be bad for Ryunosuke's development, that's all."  The
other voice only giggled in response.  "Nuku Nuku, dear?  Have you ever
thought about getting married?" 
	"Why would I want to do that?"
	There was a pause.  "Well, if you were to fall in love with someone,
and wanted to spend the rest of your life with him..." 
	"Oh!  Okay, then I'll marry Ryunosuke!"
	"N... no, that's not what I meant."
	"But Nuku Nuku loves Ryunosuke!  And Papa-san, and Mama-san, and
Yoshimi-chan, and Arisa, and Kyoko, and..." 
	"Yes, I know, but... it's not that kind of love I meant." 
	"There's more than one kind of love?"
	There was a sigh.  "Never mind, dear.  Eventually you'll find out for
your... ah!  Be careful around those tangles, you infuriating cat-girl!" 
	*Giggle.*  "Gomen ne, Mama-san."
	Cologne's eyes narrowed.  So, that was her secret.