This just incorporates some of the corrections I was given by Vince
Seifert and Gary Kleppe.  Thanks to both of them for the assist. 
Chapter 23 [NEW!!] will follow later today:

*****************
* Illuminations *
*****************

**************************
* A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction *
**************************

***************
* By Freemage *
***************


*Author's Note:  This story draws on both the anime and the manga.

 This is a dark story, with several sexually suggestive scenes,
 although no outright Lemon scenes.  If such material offends or
 disturbs you, please consider not reading this story--Unless, of
 course, you like being offended and/or disturbed....

  Thoughts are denoted by {X}, text/Panda signs by [X].*

                    **********************
                    * Chapter Twenty-Two *
                    * Chasing Rainbows   *
                    **********************

    "Akane...."  The voice was plaintive, pleading.

    "No.  And that's final!"  The other was authoritative and
 commanding.

     Ranma groaned.  "I shoulda known that you'd be too stupid ta
 stay outta this!"

     Akane glowered at him.  He had been trying variations on
 this tactic for the last half hour, ever since she had caught
 him off-guard as he entered his new "base camp", and she was
 tired of it.  She strode over to him, her eyes blazing with a
 fire that held him fixed in place, a canary to her cobra.

     "Listen to me, Ranma, and listen good.  You aren't going to
 drive me off again with a bunch of insults.  No matter how mad
 you make me, I'll just stick that much closer to you.  However,
 that doesn't mean I can't put you in a world of hurt.  Now just
 drop the insults and _maybe_ we can discuss this rationally."

     Ranma sighed.  "Okay, Akane.  If I explain to you
 rationally why you have to let me do this on my own, will you
 do it?"

     She smiled sweetly.  "Not a chance."

     "Aaarrrgghhh!!"

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

     A steam-filled bathroom.

     "Okay.  I understand why you let her go.  That doesn't mean
 that she should have gone--"

     "No.  But do you honestly think that you would be able to
 find her?  This is _not_ a good time for us to be ignoring our
 weak points, now is it?"

     A sigh.  "No, I guess you're right.  So are we just going to
 sit around here doing nothing?"

     "Well... not exactly.  I need your help with something
 tomorrow."

     "What?"

     "I want you to come with me.  I... can't really explain."

     A snort.  "Yeah, right.  This is probably another one of
 your--"

     "First of all, don't snort.  You sound too much like your
 alter-ego.  Second, I can't tell you very much because I don't
 know very much--at least, not yet."

     "Huh?"

     "You even get lost in conversations, don't you?  Look.  I'm
 being... blackmailed.  No, don't even bother to ask.  If I was
 willing to tell people, they couldn't very well be blackmailing
 me with it, now could they?  I've had enough, though.  I think
 tomorrow I've got a chance at finding out who 'they' are.  And I
 want you along in case things turn ugly."

     "Ah.  Great.  Bodyguard duty."

     "Don't knock it."  A coy smile.  "Besides, isn't this body
 worth guarding?"  She leaned back, allowing the robe to open
 just a bit, at the top.

     "Er, I... um, erk."

     "You know, Ryo-chan, blood is really hard to get out of a
 furo...."

     "Gah!"

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

     "Fine!  You want in, you're in."

     "At last!"

     He held up a hand.  "Don't thank me just yet.  I think you
 need to understand just what you're getting into."

     "I don't scare that easily, Ranma."

     His gaze hardened.  "Oh, no?  Could you do me a favor, then?
 My bedroll and backpack are in the next room.  Could you get the
 bottle of alcohol from the pack?"

     "What for?"

     "Well, I need to clean these off."  He rolled up his sleeve.

     She stared, long and hard, and when she spoke again, her
 voice was several notches fainter.  "Uh, when did you... Why are
 there Yakuza tattoos on your arm?"

     "Well, I needed some way to scare that poor office girl into
 giving me the information I needed.  Worked, too.  She might
 sleep normally in a few weeks.  Months.  Years."

     Akane stared at him, uncomprehending.

     "Akane, I put an innocent woman in fear of her _life_.  Do
 you get it now?  This is what you're signing up for!"

     She reeled, wanting to accuse him of lying again--but she
 knew he wasn't.  She could feel the truth of his words.  She
 lowered her head, trying to restore her equilibrium.  Drawing a
 deep breath, she said quietly, "Where you go, I go."

     He shook his head.  "Fine.  Then please take the lamp and
 get me the rubbing alcohol.  I want to get rid of these tattoos
 and get some sleep."

     She picked up the lantern and walked into the adjacent room.
 Ranma hadn't even gotten through a three-count before she came
 back out, trying to scream around ragged gasps for air.  Ranma
 snaked his hand around her mouth, clamping it tight.

     "Keep it down, Akane.  One good scream and we're spending
 the night in the park."  As she settled down, he eased his grip,
 slowly, steadily, until he had fully released her.  "Now, is
 there something you wanted to ask me about?" he inquired
 sardonically.

     "Is-is that really...."  She couldn't even complete the
 thought.

     "Yup.  A gift from my dear old Mom--just the thing to remind
 me of my dear, departed pet on a chilly evening."

     She looked up at him, her eyes full of compassion and
 horror.  "Oh, Ranma...."

     "Last chance, Akane.  It's bound to get worse from here on
 out."

     She stared at him, uncomprehendingly.  "But, but that has
 nothing to do--"

     He cut her off savagely.  "Yes, it does!  Or maybe it
 doesn't.  That's the problem.  I've spent two days really
 working on this, and I'm already jumping at shadows.  It seems
 like _everything_ has to do with this.  That's what I'm talking
 about, Akane.  If you come with me, you're going to wind up
 where I'm at now.  Now, please, please, go."

     Akane paused, almost willing to take him up on the offer. 
 She felt like a sleepwalker who had just awakened in the middle
 of a minefield.  Then she saw something in his eyes, and
 realized there was only one option left.  "Okay, Ranma.  You
 win.  I'll leave...."  She paused, deliberately letting relief
 wash over his features.  "But... there's one little condition."

     Suddenly alert, he asked her warily, "What?"

     Staring directly into his gaze, she said, "Look me in the
 eyes, and tell me the engagement's off."

     He looked at her, stupefied.  "Wha-what are you talking
 about?"

     "You've never done it.  Not once.  All those times, and you
 never once told me the engagement was over.  I broke it every
 other week, but you just stuck it out, waited for the storms to
 pass.  But if you really think I can't hack being part of your
 life, then we'd be better off not engaged at all, right?  So if
 you can do that, then I'll leave.  Otherwise...."  She paused,
 eyes flashing, as prayers raced through her head with astounding
 speed, "there's no way in Hell I'm going anywhere."

     He almost did it.  He wanted to, wanted to do anything he
 could to protect her--but he couldn't.  The words just refused
 to come.  She flashed a triumphant grin as he turned away,
 muttering, "Sleep on the couch in this room, then.  We've gotta
 get up early tomorrow."

     A thought occurred to her.  "One more thing, though," she
 said as he went towards his own sleeping area.  "If you even
 think of running off again, keep in mind that I'm going to
 follow you.  And that means I'll be close enough to be in
 danger, but too far away for you to protect."  The sudden slump
 of his shoulders told her she had guessed correctly.

    "Ranma no baka," she whispered as she drifted off to sleep, a
 slight smile on her face.

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

    They slipped out under cover of darkness, before the first
 light of dawn.  He carried his pack and umbrella, and she, two
 Thermos bottles filled with hot water.  A note on the table in
 the dining room explained that she needed to work on a project
 at school.

    Of course, they went nowhere near the school.  Instead,
 Nabiki led Ryouga across town to a post office--or, more
 precisely, to a clump of bushes facing the post office from the
 opposite side of the street.

    "Now, crouch down and stay out of sight," she hissed at him.

    He did as he was told.  The two of them were close--closer
 than he found comfortable, to tell the truth.  He was very aware
 of her nearness, and the cool morning air made the warmth of her
 body all the more evident.

    In order to distract himself from that line of thought, he
 tried to get some more information out of her.  "So what,
 exactly, are we doing here?" he inquired.

    She said, "We are waiting for someone to pick up an envelope
 that I placed in a PO box last night.  When they do, we are
 going to follow them.  Unless, of course," she added archly,
 "they figure out we're here because of all the noise you're
 making."

    "Oh."  Contrary to popular opinion, he could take a hint.  He
 shut up.  And thought about baseball.

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

    Ranma looked over the bar, impressed.  The thugs they had
 been "speaking" with were being much more cooperative than they
 had been when the duo had first entered--at least, those few who
 were still conscious were, that is.

    Akane was smiling sweetly at the bartender as he tried in
 vain to restore the interior of his establishment to its former
 condition.

    "So, are you a little more inclined to answer some
 questions?"

    The large man grumbled something, then nodded, righting
 tables and chairs, although precious few of the latter were
 still intact.  "What do ya wanna know?"

    "Oh, just where we might find some folks who could tell us
 how, if we needed to, we could get out of the country, no
 questions asked."

    The bartender sneered at her.  "Gee, two nice kids like you?
 I can't imagine you ever wanting to run from the law."

    Not caring for the man's tone, Ranma tossed a glass ashtray
 in the air then struck it dead-on.  As the shards embedded
 themselves into the side of the bar, the man visibly paled.

    "Okay... you want the Happy Honeybee, ask for Keiichi... and
 _don't_ tell him I sent you."

    As they walked out, Akane turned to Ranma.  "You see?  I told
 you it was just a matter of how we asked."

    The door shut behind them, sealing the sun out of the
 establishment.  The bartender set down the chair he was
 currently holding and walked over to the phone behind the bar,
 dialing a number not listed in any phone book, even the phone
 company's.  A few moments later, a connection was made.

    "Yeah.  It's Shin.  They're on their way to the Honeybee now.
 I'll send you the bill for the damages."  He hung up, and stared
 at the cradled phone.

    "I almost feel bad for those kids...."  He looked around at
 the scene of carnage.  "Almost, anyway."

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

    "I don't get it."

    "Neither do I."

    "I mean, I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but it
 wasn't... _that_."

    "I know."

    "One hour following the woman on the subway. Another
 half-hour on the bus.  A twenty-minute walk.  And it gets us...
 here?"

    "Are you sure that was the right woman?  I mean, maybe she
 just got her mail from the box next to the one you were
 watching."

    Nabiki thought for a moment.  "No, I'm sure it was the right
 one.  Maybe this is just some kind of cover, or something."

    The Lost Boy scratched his head.  "That's one hell of a
 cover, then."

    "Well, we aren't going to get any answers just standing here.
 Let's go stir some waters, shall we?"

    Ryouga tried to come up with a reasonable-sounding
 objection, but failed miserably.  Squaring his shoulders, he
 followed Nabiki across the street to the St. Jude Orphanage.

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

    "Hello?  Nerima PD?  Yes, I'd like to make an anonymous
 report.  You see, there are these two horrible thugs trashing a
 bar--the Happy Honeybee."

    *a brief pause*

    "What?  No, I'd rather not become involved... but please,
 hurry, I think someone might be getting killed in there."

    *click*

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

    Nabiki approached the reception desk tentatively.  "Excuse
 me...?"

    "Yes?" replied the girl behind the desk.  She was clad in the
 usual Catholic school-girl outfit, and radiating boredom as she
 mechanically chewed a piece of gum.

    "I'd like to talk to the woman who just came in."

    "Oh, you mean Sister Mary-Margaret."  The girl, whose nametag
 read, "Tsukino Ai," cast a speculative, and slightly hostile,
 glance at Ryouga.  "Are you here about her... program?"

    Nabiki calculated the risks of a lie, and decided they were
 not large enough to counteract the benefit of more information.
 "Why, yes, we are.  Is the sister available?"  She ignored her
 companion's surprised grunt.

    "Certainly.  I take it this is the father?"

    Nabiki stared.  "The... father?  Of what, er, whom?"

    "Why, your unborn child, of course."

    As Nabiki's jaw worked itself silently, she heard a *thump*
 from behind her, and knew that this slip of a schoolgirl had
 just managed to take out her bodyguard.

    "Ahhh... I think there's been a misunderstanding," she
 finally managed to say, having come to the conclusion that it
 would be better received than hysterical laughter.

    "Didn't you say you were her for Sister Mary-Margaret's
 program for teenage mothers?" the young girl asked in confusion.

    Nabiki closed her eyes, holding that expression for so long
 the girl thought she might have fallen into a deep prayer, then
 took a deep breath and said, "Not really.  You see, my name's
 Tendou Nabiki and--"  Nabiki didn't think she could have gotten
 a bigger reaction from the girl if she had informed Ai that
 Ryouga was the Second Coming.

    Ai shot out of her chair and retreated into a back office,
 with a cry of, "WaitrightthereTendou-sanandI'msureSisterMaryMar- 
 garetwillbehappytoseeyourightaway!"

    Nabiki stared for a moment, muttered, "I could get used
 to that kind of respect," then set about reviving Ryouga.  She
 had just finished and was standing up to give him some room when
 her quarry bustled in, crackling with energy.

   "Oh, I'm so glad you've decided to visit us at last,
 Tendou-san!" she said, grasping Nabiki's hand with both of hers.

    Nabiki just stared, dumbfounded by the woman's exuberance. 
 The nun pressed on, and Nabiki was sure her affection was not
 faked.

    "Oh, I can't tell you how much your donations have meant to
 us!  There have been many months when I was sure we would have
 to scale back the program, and then, sure enough, one of your
 envelopes would arrive."

    "I... erm, I'm glad I was able to help," Nabiki said, trying
 to regain her footing.  "It's been--How long has it been?" she
 asked, hoping it would sound like a rhetorical question while
 still inviting an answer.

    "Why, it's been... let's see, three years now, hasn't it,
 Ai?"  The young girl, who had returned to the receptionist's
 desk outside of Nabiki's notice, nodded vigorously.  "I must
 admit, when you first contacted us, I thought your request
 for--how was it you phrased it?  Oh yes, 'professional
 distance'--was a little odd, but we've had other shy donors, and
 I was not about to turn down any source of funds."

    Nabiki was getting a picture in her mind, but certain pieces
 just refused to mesh.

    "Now, tell me... what can we do for you?" the nun asked
 solicitously.

    "I... ah... just wanted... to see the... results of the
 program, if you understand me," she said.  "If it's not too much
 bother, that is."

    "Oh, of course not."  Sister Mary-Margaret ("Call me Emem,
 everyone does," she said at one point) proceeded to to take them
 on a tour of a small office suite, and gradually Nabiki came to
 understand that all the money she had supposedly been paying her
 blackmailers had actually been going to fund a program that
 tried to give unwed teenage mothers a viable alternative to
 abortion, providing counselling, pre-natal care and adoption
 references when they were desired.

    At several points, Nabiki had to deflect questions as 'Emem'
 tried to find out why and how such a young girl was providing so
 much cash to their group, but the nun realized her reticence
 fairly quickly and chose to respect it, at least as far as
 Nabiki could tell.

    As they were departing, she turned and said, "Um, Sister,
 part of the reason I came here was to tell you that I... I might
 not be able... that is... I'm not sure if I'm going to be able
 to send as much money in the near future."  At her host's
 expression, in which Nabiki read a mixture of disappointment
 over the loss of funding being overpowered by a concern for the
 young lady in front of her, she added, "But I will try to send
 as much as I can."

    "Of course, my dear.  That's all anyone can ask.  I'm sure
 we'll get by.  The Lord will provide."

    Nabiki felt herself on the verge of tears, and hurried a
 good-bye before bolting from the place.

    Emem turned to Ryouga, who had remained silent through most
 of the tour, and said, "And you, young man, take care of that
 lady.  She's a special one."

    Considering Nabiki's last words, he nodded.  "You know, I
 think you're right about that, Sister.  Thank you for your
 time."  He gave a deep bow and went after Nabiki.

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

    Just as the pair entered the Tendou home, the phone rang. 
 Still in a bit of a daze, Nabiki picked up the handset. 
 "Hello?" she asked lethargically.  "What!?"  Ryouga turned
 sharply in reaction to the change in tone.  "Jeeze, when you two
 screw up, you don't go halfsies, do you?  Alright, I'll be there
 in a bit."  She hung up, then chewed her nail for a moment,
 pondering.

    Ryouga wanted to grab her and find out what was wrong, but
 something in the air about her stopped him.  As he waited, Soun
 walked in.  He looked at Ryouga and smiled.  "Ah, the young
 Hibiki.  Just the man I wanted to see."

    His quarry looked around in confusion.  "Huh?  Me?  I mean,
 why?"

    Soun approached him and said, sotto voce, "That matter we
 discussed earlier--you remember?  A certain letter?  I think
 there are a few details that need ironing out...."

    Suddenly, Nabiki grabbed Ryouga by the arm and pulled him to
 the far side of the room.  She whispered, "Whatever he wants you
 for, go along with it.  I need the distraction."

    "What? Why?"

    "I don't want him asking too many questions.  Good thing he
 keeps his credit cards in his writing desk."

    "Credit cards?!" Ryouga whispered frantically.  "Nabiki, what
 are you up to?"

    She locked gazes with him.  "I've got to go bail out my
 sister and her fiance."

    By the time Ryouga recovered, Nabiki was long gone.

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

    Nabiki walked into the police station, making sure to select
 a fairly young and male desk clerk.  Unwrapping her head scarf
 and removing her dark glasses, she strolled over and favored him
 with a sweet smile.  "Hello.  I need to bail out my sister and
 her friend."

    Nabiki could tell by the very faint blush she detected that
 her efforts to charm him were working.  She hoped it would be
 enough to get him to gloss over a few minor points of procedure.

    "Umm. Yes, well, Miss...?"

    "Tendou.  But please, call me Nabiki."

    "Tendou... oh, yes, I remember.  I handled the paperwork. 
 Your sister is Tendou Akane, right?  She and the redhead were
 brought in for...."  He shuffled through some papers.  "... Ah,
 here it is.  They were brought in for trying to trash a... strip
 club."  He gave Nabiki a slightly different look, one that made
 her blush.

    "Ummm... yes, I guess that's right.  Is there any way we
 could, well, get the owner to drop the charges?"

    The clerk smiled.  "As a matter of fact, it says here that
 he's already indicated that he would rather have restitution
 than see two girls go to jail over this.  He said he would even
 be willing to let the insurance company handle the immediate
 expense, and your father would simply have to agree to pay the
 difference in his premiums over the next five years."

    Nabiki winced, but then realized two things.  One, the owner
 was probably letting them off easy.  And two, the clerk had said
 both "girls" and "redhead".  She wondered why they had entered a
 strip club with Ranma in girl form, then decided she could
 torture it out of them later.

    Smiling at the clerk she said, "Oh, that will be no problem.
 I'm here on my father's behalf, so we can settle it right now. 
 Do I need to sign some forms?"

    The clerk coughed.  "Well, you see, I really do need his
 signature, or your mother's."

    Nabiki let a mournful, sincere look fill her eyes.  "Our...
 our mother passed away many years ago.  Father has me handle the
 household finances, as part of my training to be a housewife. 
 You see," she added, looking into his eyes, "we are a very
 traditional family.

    "Please, couldn't you let me sign the papers?  I can even
 take copies for him to sign at home, as well.  We operate a
 dojo, and he is well known in the community.  It would cause a
 scandal for him to be seen coming here to get his daughter out
 of jail. I'd... I'd be ever so grateful...."  She gave him a
 pleading look, careful not to go too overboard in its implied
 promise.

    The clerk crumbled immediately.  "Let me see what I can do."

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

    Nabiki allowed herself a moment of satisfaction as the
 sergeant led in Ranma and Akane, both looking very sheepish.  A
 playful grin on her face, she drawled, "Well, well, imagine
 running into you two here.  I can't wait to hear this one."

    As both of her victims began to speak at once, overriding
 each other and creating a general cacophony, she held up her
 hand to halt the flow of speech.  "On the other hand, perhaps I
 can wait," she sighed.  "I'd rather we didn't start a brawl
 here in the police station.  C'mon, Ranma, Akane, let's pick up
 your possessions and get out of here."

    The guard looked up sharply at that.  "Hey!  I thought you
 said your name was Ran-KO?" he queried the redhead, emphasising
 the last syllable.  "What's with this 'Wild Horse' business?"

    Nabiki groaned. {Haven't these two found enough ways to
 humiliate me?}  She decided that a little revenge was in order,
 and wrapped herself tightly around the redhead's arm, an
 affectionate--and slightly horny--look overtaking her features.

    "Oh, that's just a nickname I gave her," she answered the
 sergeant.  "You know, because she rides like one."  To seal the
 effect, she ran her tongue lightly over the shell-shocked
 Saotome's ear, and was rewarded with a trickle of blood from the
 police officer's nose.

    Miraculously, at least by Nabiki's figuring, they made it out
 of the police station without further incident.

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

                    End Chapter Twenty-two

Author's Notes:

Hot Damn!!  It's out, it's done.  Lara, you can put away those sharp
knives, now.... ~_^

Seriously, though, I would like to thank everyone who wrote to ask
where I had gone, or who sent out little prodding letters, or who saw
the reposts of 10-19 and asked me why I hadn't reposted 1-9, thereby
letting me know that I was actually gaining readers.

Special thanks to Gary, Lara, Pat and Vincent, all of whom would
periodically prod me.  This would NEVER have seen the light of day had
it not been for them.

--Freemage



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