As Scriv's lost his access temporarily, I'll be posting his fics for him in
the meantime. You can send C&C to me or to scriviner@yahoo.com.

Enjoy!

=====
Love Letters from the Edge
A Ranma 1/2 Elseworlds by the Scriviner

Foreword:
	What actually set off this story was an episode of Kinyo Chuiho
Wapiko-chan, I saw a couple of months back, where one of the characters hit
her head and had a long elaborate dream sequence where everyone was acting
the opposite of how they normally acted. I figured it was a great idea for
a fic... but then I figured, it'd be more intriguing to see if I could make
a single change which would result in a cascade of events which would lead
to the resulting opposite personalities/behavior in people. 
	[Editor's note: It was Chitose. The character's name was Chitose. And the
series' name in English is Goldfish Alert.]
	I'd intended to post this only once I'd completed it, but at TimeRunner's
urging, I've decided to post it now. It's only halfway through, give or
take... rough in spots, and quite frankly, I couldn't figure out how to
divide it properly into chapters, hence this long thing. 
	In any case, rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and I wouldn't dream of
trying to steal em. C&C always welcomed. And now... on with the story...
- - -

Chapter 1: Home is where...
	Somewhere in the Nerima district of Tokyo was a rather unremarkable
structure known as the Tendo Dojo. The sign next to the entrance suggested
that if one wished to challenge the dojo owner to savage martial combat,
they may use the rear entrance. But it was more than merely a dojo. For
next to it was the Tendo household... and currently sitting at the porch,
facing the koi pond was the dojo's owner and master, patriarch of the Tendo
family, Soun Tendo.
	Soun Tendo was a rather severe looking man in an old brown gi. His hair
was long and he had a neatly trimmed moustache. He was nearing middle age,
but still lean and trim, the result of his martial arts training. At the
moment, he was rereading a postcard, for what must have been the twentieth
time. Tears were rolling down his cheeks... he was so happy. He tended to
do whenever he was overcome by emotion. Which was actually most of the
time. But this was particularly intense... he was crying so much that the
wooden floor under him was warping.
	The post card seemed unremarkable enough. On the back, it had a cute
picture of a panda and it was postmarked as having come from China. The
words written on it were equally unremarkable, but filled with meaning for
Soun. "Coming home. We love you and miss you all."
	It was signed, "Ranma and Akane"
	Unable to contain himself Soun leapt to his feet and called out, "Kasumi!
Nabiki!" calling his other daughters together... he had to share this news
with them.
	He was smiling happily even as the tears streaked down his face... to
think that such momentous news would arrive today of all days... it was
almost too good to be true.
- - -
	Two men, boys actually, about sixteen years old slogged through the sudden
downpour. They were walking down one of the busier streets of Nerima and
people were everywhere. People who had the foresight to bring umbrellas one
of them noted, muttering darkly.
	They looked remarkably alike... same muscular build, same unruly crop of
black hair pulled into a pigtail, same handsome features... they were even
wearing similar red silk Chinese shirts and the same type of loose black
pants, even down to the similarity of the huge backpacks they were both
bearing. Surprisingly enough, despite the pack's weight neither seemed to
notice it much and they were both walking easily, in step.
	Truth be told, the only way to tell the two apart was the fact that one of
them was wearing a pair of plastic hornrim glasses and had a certain air of
crafty intelligence. The other wore no glasses and was gawking openly at
their surroundings.
	"Things sure have changed around here, Akan- er- Akaru," the one who
wasn't wearing glasses noted.
	Akaru adjusted his glasses, "Yeah, Ranma, sure does. There didn't use to
be this many shops around here."
	"We'd better find you some hot water first, then," Ranma replied, glancing
up at the sky, "I think the rain's stopped."
	"Yeah. I don't want to meet everyone looking like this," Akaru grinned
slapping his chest a few times for emphasis.
	Ranma chuckled, "Especially not dad."
	"Nope definitely not," Akaru replied, also chuckling.
- - -
	A limo waited in front of the well apointed Kuno estates, its driver, a
short man in an outfit which could only be called a ninja uniform sat on
top of several stacked pillows to help him see over the steering wheel.
	Next to the car, Kochou Kuno, a large bluff man waited impatiently for his
wife and children to come out. He was easily middle age, but still solidly
built. His long curly black hair was tied back into a short topknot
reminiscent of the ancient samurai. It was an affectation of his that his
wife tolerated good naturedly. As well as his penchant for wearing kimonos
all the time. It was only fitting after all, their family had come from a
long and honorable samurai lineage. Nobility of his ancestors and himself
aside though, right now, he was feeling quite put upon... none of his
family seemed to quite understand just how important this meeting was. Of
course, he hadn't told them what it was for, but that was unimportant. It
simply would not do to have them arrive late...
	"Darling?! Tatchi? Kotchi? We're going to be late!" Kochou called out.
	"Daddy, no need to shout. We're right here. I am, anyway," his daughter
said as she swept out of the door. Swept was an appropriate word to use,
she was in a demure pastel blue dress with a long sweeping skirt. It
practically begged the use of the word... sweep. In all it's various
tenses. She was a sweetly beautiful young woman, no more than sixteen, with
long black hair, tied off into an offcenter ponytail, "Tatchi is just
finishing something up in his room. He said he'd be down..."
	Kochou harumphed loudly, "Probably jotting something down in that journal
of his again."
	The girl hugged her father, "Now, now, Daddy... just because 'nisama
doesn't like martial arts is no reason to take that tone..."
	"I know... I know... it's your mother's influence I tell you." Kochou said
after a moment.
	The girl giggled, "Don't let Mama hear you say that."
	"Don't tell her I said it." Kochou grinned.
	"What was that about Mama?" A young man of seventeen asked as he stepped
out of the house. He was handsome, with a slender build, even features that
had a certain cast of nobility to them. He was in a formal suit, colored
dark blue and tailored precisely. He wore a pair of wire rim glasses and
had a bound journal under one arm.
	"Nothing at all, son," Kochou replied with a grin, "Don't tell me you're
bringing that notebook along?" he asked playfully.
	The young man, smiled, "Father, you know perfectly well I would never go
anywhere without it."
	"Well, it's a lot less stupid than that bokken you used to carry around in
grade school," The girl smiled.
	The three shared a chuckle over that, "Well, mama told me it looked a
trifle ridiculous... and she most certainly had a point." The young man
said, slightly embarrassed.
	"Alright... is everyone here?" called a voice from within the door... 
	"Yes we are, dear." Kochou called back, "Please hurry, we'll be late."
	"I'm sorry, I took so long, Darling." The woman said as she stepped out of
the door. She was a strikingly beautiful woman in her late forties, but she
looked hardly a day over thirty. She was also wearing a formal kimono and
was smiling gently at her family. Her long curled hair was styled into a
bun behind her.
	"It's alright, Darling," Kochou smiled. He could never be angry at her for
very long. "I'm certain Sasuke can get us there in time, "Isn't that right,
Sasuke?"
	The driver bowed formally, "I shall certainly endeavor to do so, Master
Kuno."
	"Well, let's be on our way then..." the woman said gesturing her children
into the car... it had been a while since she'd last seen Soun and he and
Kochou apparently had some sort of arrangement they were planning. She
smiled grimly, hoping that this wasn't another of her husband's mad
schemes. Nodoka Kuno was certainly looking forward to finding out what her
husband was up to this time.
- - -
	The rain had stopped, finally. Just outside the gates of the Tendo Dojo
stood a boy and a girl, both sixteen. The boy, Ranma glanced nervously at
the wooden gates, "Well... we're here, Akane. At long last. We're home."
	The girl, a very cute brunette. Her black hair, braided to match Ranma's
swept neatly away from her face. She was about three inches shorter than he
was and a good deal more slender. She paused to adjust her glasses, trying
to disguise the tears she was blinking back, it simply wouldn't do to show
her brother she was being weak... it would not do. 
	"Yeah..." she said quietly. "Let's go in?"
	"Yeah... we're not getting anywhere standing out here."
	"Yeah."
	They remained standing there for another minute.
	"Well are you opening the gates or not?" Akane asked impatiently.
	"Me? Why don't you open it?"
	"Cause you opened it when we left, stupid!" Akane shouted back.
	"ME?! Have you forgotten that we BOTH jumped over the wall?" Ranma shouted
back.
	"Oh yeah?"
	"Yeah!"
	"Oh yeah?"
	"Yeah!"
	"Are you sure?"
	"Uh-huh... pretty sure."
	"I remember you opening the gate..."
	"Nah, it was over the wall..."
	The gate slowly swung open as the two continued their rather simplistic
argument.
	"Excuse me?" Said a new voice from the now opened gates.
	Both the boy and the girl turned to look at the beautiful woman who'd
opened the door... she was dressed in a very simple pale white blouse and a
long peach skirt. There was something very familiar about her face... the
soft smile, the long, soft brown hair, the maternal light in her eyes...
	Both Akane and Ranma cried out simultaneously, "Kasumi!" as they barreled
past the half opened gate both of them hugging her tearfully. The woman,
Kasumi, smiled happily, returning their hugs warmly.
	"I've missed you both so much!" Kasumi said sweetly to both of them, still
holding them in her arms. "How you've both grown!"
	"We missed you too, sis!" Akane cried. Ranma just hugged silently.
	"Kiai!" another voice screamed as someone else leapt on the three.
	Ranma and Akane both immediately whirled into defensive stances, covering
one another's flank, keeping Kasumi behind and between them.
	Kasumi gave an amused, though exasperated sigh at the newcomer, "Nabiki,
stop joking."
	The fourth person was a pretty brunette no more than seventeen years old.
Her hair cut almost brutally short, favored them with a feral grin. Her
slender body was toned underneath her gi as she stood in a ready stance.
"You two haven't been slacking off I see," she said.
	"Nabiki?!" Akane sputtered.
	Ranma just stared.
	"It's so good to see you both!" Nabiki shouted jumping into Ranma's
surprised arms and grabbing Akane along the way, also hugging her.
	Akane laughed and hugged her older sister back, "What happened to you?!"
	Nabiki grinned, more playfully this time, as she ruffled Akane's hair,
"Well, somebody had to train to inherit the dojo when you two left, and
Kasumi-nesama doesn't like violence... so guess who daddy's been training?"
	"Say... where is dad?" Ranma asked glancing around.
	Kasumi glanced towards the house worriedly and tapped both Ranma and Akane
on the shoulder, "He's there..."
	Ranma and Akane's joy was suddenly cooled. At the door to the Tendo
household proper stood the patriarch of the Tendo clan. Soun gazed at them
coldly. His face stern and unforgiving. His eyes hard and staring directly
at his prodigal children. Even Nabiki and Kasumi flinched under their
father's harsh stare. They knew how much he had been hurt by Ranma and
Akane's departure those many years ago.
	Long moments passed and no one moved...
	"So you've returned." Soun said finally. His voice cold and distant.
	Ranma and Akane moved away from their sisters, moving towards Soun. As
they neared him they dropped to their knees, heads bowed low. Ranma's
muffled and humble voice replied to Soun, "Yes, sir."
	"And how went your quest?" Soun asked in the same tone.
	"It was a futile one, sir." Ranma replied again.
	"So now are you content to be merely a Tendo now, Ranma?" Soun asked, his
voice unchanging.
	"No, sir." Ranma's voice replied, "I would not be content."
	Soun's visage clouded over... his cold control slipping as his face began
to twist into a mask of fury...
	"I would be honored... to be known as Ranma Tendo... if you would have me.
Father." Ranma replied, still not raising his head.
	"I see." Soun managed to say finally, the tears already rolling slowly
down his face, "I see... rise, Ranma Tendo... you too, Akane... it is good
to see you both home."
	As the two youngest Tendos rose to their feet, Soun was unable to stop
himself anymore and began to bawl lustily, "It's so good to have you two
home! We've missed you so very much!!!!!"
	It took less than thirty seconds for the newly reunited Tendo family to
get into a group hug. For the first time in six years... they were complete.
- - -
	The family settled into a happy circle around the dinner table. Kasumi
smiling sweetly as she served tea and cakes. Nabiki, Ranma and Akane
shoveling the food in as though there were no tomorrow. Soun smiling
proudly at his children.
	"So, how did you two survive?" Nabiki asked Ranma and Akane pointedly
around a rice cracker.
	"Well..." Ranma started, glancing at Akane.
	"Well, mostly we got odd jobs here and there," Akane replied off handedly,
"Sometimes we used our martial arts to win competitions and stuff..."
	"...then Akane would do her best to make the money stretch out when we
didn't have any work. She's gotten really good at making money last." Ranma
completed.
	Soun nodded sagely, "That's excellent, it's good to see you two have
learned from your journey..."
	"Yeah, I guess we did learn quite a bit, it was like one long training
journey." Ranma laughed.
	"Actually, it's quite fortunate that you arrived today, of all days..."
Soun said.
	"Really? Why's that dad?" Akane asked as she pushed her glasses up her
nose. It was a negligent gesture, but one which she did often when
presented with an interesting tidbit of information.
	"I'm expecting some important guests... people who will help ensure the
continued future of the anything goes school of martial arts..." Soun
replied enthusiastically.
	Nabiki gave a small grimace, she knew that tone of voice... it was the
same one he used on her whenever he made her learn a new technique.
Whatever it was, she was certain it didn't bode well for her.
	"Soun! We're here!" a voice called out from the gate.
	"Oh my, we have visitors." Kasumi said, rushing to her feet to open the
gate. 
	Ranma and Akane looked at each other curiously, each wondering what was
happening.
	When Kasumi returned, she was with Kochou, Nodoka, Tatewaki and Kodachi.
She smiled at Soun, "Father, the Kuno family is here... I do wish you'd
told me they were going to be our guests, I would've prepared something
special." She chided him mildly.
	Kodachi caught sight of Ranma... Ranma caught a good look at Kodachi in
return... their eyes met... sparks flew... their breaths caught in their
throats... and Akane had to give Ranma a quick elbow to the stomach to
remind him to breathe.
	Kochou rushed to Soun, "Ahh! My friend it is so good to see you again."
	"And you as well! I trust everything is alright?"
	"Of course, of course."
	As the respective patriarchs of the Kuno and Tendo clan exchanged
greetings, slaps on the back and friendly banter, Nodoka smiled warmly at
the Tendos.
	"Auntie Kuno!" Nabiki shouted merrily, bouncing to her feet.
	Nodoka hugged her warmly, "Nabiki, you're certainly growing up well..."
she noticed Ranma and Akane at the table and blinked in surprise,
"Akane-chan? Ran-chan? You've finally come home!"
	Akane and Ranma surged to their feet as well, embracing Nodoka, "You're
both so grown up now!" she exclaimed.
	Kodachi moved to her mother's side, "Mom... is this Ran-chan?" she asked,
not daring to believe it.
	Nodoka nodded. Ranma was blushing furiously as he looked at Kodachi,
"Er... Ko-chan? Is that you?"
	She answered by throwing her arms around him, "I missed you, you idiot!
Where have you been?!"
	Ranma blushed an even deeper shade of red, accepting the embrace. Akane
had to hide a grin behind her hand, "We were travelling all over Japan...
and China too." She replied for the speechless Ranma.
	Nabiki smirked, "Well, there's something to be said for childhood friends
being reunited once again."
	"It's..." Ranma stammered, "Um... er... very nice to... uh... see you
again... really... could you let me breathe now, Ko-chan..."
	Tatewaki stood off to the side, looking and feeling a little out of place.
Nabiki noticed him and sent a dagger stare his way. Tatewaki noticed the
glare and looked away quickly, but it was hard not to feel the hairs on the
nape of his neck singing from the intensity of her look.
	Nodoka turned to her husband, a slight reproving look in her eye, "Why
didn't you tell me that the reason why we came here was to see Akane and
Ranma again. You didn't have to be so mysterious about it."
	Kochou was torn from his conversation with Soun to look sheepishly at his
wife, "Er, actually... that wasn't it. I'm as surprised about that as you
are..."
	"So what are we here for, father?" Tatewaki asked, eager to be away from
Nabiki's simmering menace.
	Soun and Kochou traded satisfied grins before they looked to the two
families and said, "For the union of the Tendo and Kuno schools of Anything
Goes Martial Arts of Course!"
	"Union?" Nabiki glowered.
	Soun grinned happily, "We'd originally intended for Ranma to marry
Kodachi..."
	"WHAT?!" Ranma and Kodachi sputtered.
	"But when Akane and Ranma left, we revised our plan and decided to wed the
strongest remaining practitioner left, Nabiki... to Tatewaki." they grinned
at the two who were still in an embrace, "They are now engaged."
	"WHAT?!" Nabiki and Tatewaki shouted in unison.
	"An arranged marriage? In this day and age?" Nodoka said disapprovingly,
"In the name of martial arts no less. What were you two thinking?" She
walked towards the two of them taking each by an ear, and dragged them into
another room. She turned just before sliding the door shut with her foot,
giving the teens a grim smile, "Excuse us while we sort this out."
	The four remaining Tendos and two Kunos exchanged glances. This certainly
didn't look good for their fathers.
	"They can't be serious!" Nabiki ranted.
	"Oh my..." Kodachi said, "They certainly looked like they were." Kasumi
nodded agreement.
	Ranma, recovering from his flush, "They were actually thinking of engaging
me to you?" he said Kodachi.
	Kodachi smirked playfully, "Is it that hard to imagine?"
	Akane grinned, "Well, you did promise to marry her, right?"
	"We were six at the time!" he cried back.
	Nabiki continued to glower, striding towards Tatewaki. She grabbed him by
the lapels, "You'd better NOT be getting any ideas buster!"
	Tatewaki acked, "Erhm... no! Of course not! I had absolutely no notion
that father would do such a thing!"
	"Nabiki, lay off of my poor brother." Kodachi chided, "He's had his nose
in his journal all week. Besides, we didn't even know we were coming here
until we got here."
	"I swear to you on my life!" Tatweaki agreed readily.
	"Be ready to back it up, wimp," Nabiki muttered to him darkly.
	Ranma looked puzzled, "Why are you so mad at Tatewaki-sempai? He didn't do
anything to you did he?" as the beginnings of a frown formed on Ranma's
face. He might've been away for a while, but no one did anything to any of
his sisters.
	"Butt out, Ranma. I can handle this." Nabiki cut him off bluntly. She
dragged the elder Kuno's face down so that it was level with hers, "Let's
get this straight, buster... no matter what my dad or your mom and dad say
we are not, repeat... NOT getting married. Not in a million years, not in a
billion got that?!"
	"P-Perfectly." Tatewaki squeaked.
	Akane frowned slightly, and pulled Tatewaki out of Nabiki's grip, "Nabiki,
that's enough... you're choking him." She looked up into his relieved face
and flashed him a quick smile, "Are you alright, Tatewaki-sempai?"
	Nabiki simmered for a brief moment then strode away with a huff. Kodachi
looked half embarrassed and half lost.
	"Oh, many thanks, Akane..." Tatewaki replied.
	"You can thank us by explaining why she's so pissed at you." Akane asked
smoothly, easing her glasses up the bridge of her nose again.
	Tatewaki also pushed his glasses up his nose to recompose himself, but
before he could reply Kasumi spoke up, "She doesn't like boys."
	Akane and Ranma traded glances. "She doesn't..." they said simultaneously.
	"She hates men..." Kasumi added apologetically. "Are you alright,
Tatewaki-kun?"
	He smiled shyly at her, "Yes, thank you very much, Kasumi-san."
	"Please forgive Nabiki," Kasumi said gently, "She is somewhat... high
spirited."
	Kodachi smirked, "I've never heard of her referred to in quite that way
before."
	Ranma and Akane just traded puzzled glances, "I guess there's a lot we're
going to have to get used to." Akane said finally.
	The door finally slid open and a sheepish looking Kochou and Soun stepped
out, followed by a stern looking Nodoka.
	"We..." Kochou began in a somewhat diffident tone. He glanced at Soun as
if looking for support... then glanced at Nodoka, who nodded, still
frowning slightly. "We have an announcement to make."
	"Where's Nabiki?" Soun interrupted.
	"I think she went to the dojo, father," Kasumi replied.
	Kochou looked lost, "Er... but how are we supposed to tel her she's
engaged to Tatewaki if she's not here..."
	"I"M WHAT?! NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT NO WAY!!" Nabiki screamed as she stormed
back into the family room.
	"Oh my, she's back..." Kasumi said.
	Tatewaki's eyes bugged in fear, seeing Nabiki in the grips of rage... and
him a very convenient nearby target, "Father! You can't be serious! She'll
kill me!"
	Nodoka poke sternly to Nabiki, "Calm down, please. I've decided that since
these two..." she gave the two patriarchs an annoyed glance, "Have already
signed a contract to effect the engagement, honor demands that it be
followed... but there is one proviso..."
	"Er..." Soun began, "That after a one year betrothal, in the event that
you two do not prove to be compatible, Kodachi will be engaged to Ranma..."
	"WHAT?!" Ranma sputtered.
	Kodachi murmured, "Great... we're the back up team."
	There was more that surely needed to be said, but at about that point,
everyone began speaking at once...
- - -
	"So... should we tell them?" Ranma asked his sister, as he smoothed his
damp hair away from his eyes.
	Akane shrugged slightly, sweat glistening lightly on her shoulders, "I
don't know... I mean what with everything happening all at once, maybe we
should let them get used to us being here before we mention anything about
what happened to us in China."
	"They're going to find out sooner or later, you know." Ranma replied.
	"It's not as if I can control it, alright?" she shot back peevishly,
"Let's just relax and enjoy being home for a while... and worry about it
later."
	"If you say so," Ranma deferred.
	"Yes, I do."
	"Fine, then.
	"Fine."
	Long moments passed in comfortable silence between the two, as Akane
braided her hair again. It had the quality of certain silences between two
people who know each other so well, very little needs to be said. 
	"Well... that was an odd homecoming." Akane said finally, tying her braid
off, a smile touching her lips. She eased a little more against the side of
the hot tub. The hot water was relaxing her immensely.
	"Not what I was expecting at all." Ranma replied from the other end of the
tub, also looking a bit more relaxed. It was a bit of a tight fit... and
their feet and legs were entangled with each other, but nothing they
weren't used to, "Kinda odd to think Nabiki-nesama is now engaged."
	"To Tatewaki Kuno no less." Akane replied, stifling a giggle, "The two of
them sure changed a lot while we were gone... they look like they've hardly
got a thing in common."
	"Yeah," Ranma added, "I wonder what dad and uncle Kuno were thinking." 
	Akane leaned forward and said in a teasing tone, "Why? Disappointed you
didn't get engaged to Kodachi?"
	"That's not it at all!" Ranma sputtered, a blush creeping up his face.
	"I knew it! You still like her!" Akane said triumphantly.
	"I do not!" Ranma shot back, "But while we're on the subject, weren't you
being awfully nice to Tatewaki-sempai, hmmm..?"
	"Was not! I was trying to find out what was going on!" Akane replied with
a sniff.
	Ranma grinned cattily, "It's kinda funny actually... with those glasses
he's wearing and that haircut... plus the way he talks... he kinda reminds
me of the way Doctor Toufuu used to be... I wonder if he still has his
clinic here..."
	It was Akane's turn to blush.
	"Ah-hah! Gotcha!"
	"Did not!"
	"Did too!"
	"Hey, what's all the racket in there?!" Nabiki's voice called out as she
slid open the door to the bath. Nabiki, still in her gi, stared in shock at
a naked Ranma and Akane both sitting in the tub, wrestling playfully with
each other. She blushed and turned around quickly, "Ack..!"
	Ranma gave a strangled cry and ducked under the water as far as he would
go, positioning his hands strategically to hide what he felt he needed to
hide. Akane smiled at Nabiki's back, "Oh. Hi, sis."
	"I... ah... I didn't know you two had gotten so close..." Nabiki stamered,
"I'll... I'll just get going now..."
	Akane laughed at Nabiki's discomfort, "It's not like that. Ranma and I
just got used to bathing together cause it saves on water. Besides, we've
been bathing like this since we were little kids so what's the big deal?
Wanna join us? I think we can make a little more room."
	Ranma grumbled something, but it merely came out as a stream of bubbles.
	"Hmmm?" Akane glanced at him.
	Ranma lifted his mouth out of the water for a moment to add, "It was her
idea."
	Nabiki looked over her shoulder at the two of them. Her face was a mixture
of embarrassment and worry. "But Ranma's a GUY!"
	"He's our brother," Akane replied, "We all used to bathe together when we
were little remember?"
	"But that was when we were little..." Nabiki replied blushing and looking
away, "I mean we're practically adults now... and isn't it embarrassing to
be naked with... with... a guy?!"
	Akane smiled playfully, "What? Worried he's going to try something
perverted in the tub? We can always double team him and wallop him out the
window."
	Nabiki giggled a little.
	Akane continued with a smirk, "And even if we WERE doing something kinky
in here, it's not like there's anything really wrong with it..."
	Nabiki and Ranma both flushed crimson.
	"Akane!" Nabiki frowned.
	"We were nearly done anyway, Nabiki..." Ranma spoke quickly, interupting
the potential fight.
	Akane gave Ranma an exasperated look and shrugged, still smiling, "Yeah, I
guess we are. Just give us a little while to dry up and change, then you
can use the bath, okay?"
	Nabiki nodded curtly, as she turned around and walked out. She shut the
bathroom door behind her shaking a little in a stewed mixture of anger at
Akane's taunting, embarrassment, shame, and perhaps a little excitement...
she murmured softly to herself as she calmed down, "They are DEFINITELY
going to take getting used to."
	The rest of the night, passed with nothing of greater magnitude transpiring.
- - -

=====
TimeRunner's Page:
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/7482

icq: 7153134 (Keiichi)
=====

"The story grew in the most convoluted way, as many people will be
surprised to learn. Writing episodically meant that when I finished one
episode I had no idea about what the next one would contain. When, in the
twists and turns of the plot, some event su
ddenly seemed to illuminate things that had gone before, I was as surprised
as anyone else."

--- Douglas Adams, "A Guide to the Guide"

"Mos people who want to be writers don't really want to be writers. They
want to HAVE BEEN  writers."

--- James A. Michener