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Twist in the tale 4. 
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(Somewhere else in Nerima)
	It's a sunny day like any other in this world. A few soft fluffy clouds
dot the light blue sky as the sun shines down on the green earth below.
The occasional car passes by a particular Dojo as Happosai goes flying
off into the air. . Let's just leave it at that. A mailman drives up the
street on his daily rounds. It has been a good day for him, he hasn't
been caught up in any of the periodic fights that plague the area and
there is no mail for the Kuno mansion or any of the more 'dangerous'
houses. He rounded the block on his mail van and stopped in front of the
Tendo Training hall before knocking on the door. A moment later he
leaves, having given a stack of mail to Katsumi. 'It was a good day
indeed.' he thought as he drove off. 

	Entering the house, Kasumi hummed a little tune to herself, lightening
the day with her presence. Sitting down at the living room table, she
spread the letters before her and paused, a little confused. "Kamaka
Kohan?"
	"I'll take that." Nabiki called as she came down the stairs.
	"Who is this person?"
	"It's a . . . friend." Nabiki evaded as she gathered up the letters. 
	"Oh. . Nabiki, please invite your boyfriend over sometime, I would like
to meet him."
	"SIS! It's BUSINESS!" Nabiki blurted out as Kasumi just smiled. 
	"Is he a boy?" 
	"Yes?"
	"Then since you said he is your friend, then he's your boy friend."
	Nabiki assumed a thoughtful look for a second, caught by the twist of
words from her older sister before a chuckle escaped her lips. "All
right. He is a friend who is a boy, satisfied?" she said as she backed
out the door. "I'm going out now, I'll come back for lunch. Bye!"
	"See you later Nabiki." Kasumi said as she turned back to the remaining
letters, a happy smile on her face.

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

(Kuno mansion. )

	Nabiki stood before the large wooden doors of the entrance. She looked
up at the tall building and pulled the thick rope by the door. A solid
*bong* resounded through the house as their doorbell sounded. A few
moments later, the door creaked open.
	"Why hello Miss Tendo, why have you come today?"
	"I have something for Guo Satsuki"
	"I shall inform master Guo right away." He said turning back in the
house
	"Thanks." 

(a few minutes later later.)

	"Oh hello Nabiki, do you have what I asked for?"
	"I should think so, and here's the mail to prove it."
	"Thanks." *rip* 
"To Kohan. . .due to. .special case. . . . you are allowed to take the
Juken in five months to gain . . various universities. please inform the
closest examination center of your intention if you are going to take
it. Yours sincerely XXXX ministry of education. PS. you are overdue to
renew your Passport, please come to (. . . .) to rectify your
situation." 
 	*rip* "Enclosed in this letter is your IC. ." *rip* "the Kyoto drum
festival." *toss, rip* "You are requested to appear in school or suffer
expulsion for your truancy. I may relent if you let me cut your hair.
Ps. you also need to submit a current photograph for the school
dossier." 
 	" . . Principal Kuno I think. well that's that, police department,
passport and school? 
	"Uh huh.  you really look too young to have finished university, so. . 
You're stuck in school like the rest of us."
 	"I really shouldn't have left the project so open should I Nabiki?" I
said, looking at the smirking woman before me.	
 	"You don't really need me to answer that do you? Now, you have 107
more days before you need to pay the bond. Jia nei." She said as she
slid out the door.
	"Don't worry I will. Jia nei. Hmmm hair. ." An evil grin lights up my
face as I visualize a scenario for the principal. A chuckle escapes my
lips. "Heh, I thought this would be a challenge for me to figure out.
Just a little bit of daring and there's no problem."
 
************************************

(Furinken High school)
	A man stands at the gate of the school. A knapsack on his back as he
looks into the deserted school grounds. "Kuno said that the principal
was at school supervising the cram classes. I might as well go in." He
said as he entered the school grounds.
	A crash resounded in the upper levels of the school followed by an
explosion. Looking up, we see the 'Cem Club' as they collapse from their
last experiment. "Sheesh and I thought America was strange." He said as
he entered the school. 
	A red blur with a little girl in pursuit dashes past him, nearly
bowling him over. Turning around, he notices the five yen coins between
the little girl's fingers. 
	"Your English Assignment is Due today, you delinquent!"
	"I told you! Happosai burned it! I couldn't do nothin about that!" he
shouted, flipping over her and back towards me. Too bad the energy drain
caught him while he was still in mid air.
	'Hmm, An energy vacuum is created, this draws the energy from the
subject by. . .' I thought as Ranma collapsed in my arms. "errr. Hello?"
I said as the little girl grew into *Ahem* 'greater proportions'. "Can
you tell me where to find the principal's office?"
	"And who are you?" she said drawing herself to her full height. Her
clean cut face framed by long black hair while her proportions stretched
the tight miniskirt and top over the sensuous curves of her now mature
body. *Whoh,* don't think about that right now.
	[A prospective student at Furinken High.] I said switching to english,
my more familiar language. 
	[Your English is good.]
	[Thank you. I have had a good grounding in the language, however, I
have a higher proficiency in the spoken language than the written.]
	[That is good. You must study hard and learn the written because I am
not grading your performance on spoken.]
	[Ah, I guess that's true. In any case, I vouch for Ranma over here.
Happosai actually did burn his homework. In any case, I don't think it's
a good policy to drain your students.]
	[Are you sure?] she said as her transformation wore off. Now, a cute
little girl of perhaps ten years old stood before me, what was once a
miniskirt and top combo became more like a little dress suit that looked
pretty cute on her small form.
	'Hmm, she doesn't seem to be able to retain any aura for long. It also
seems like she has an extremely weak aura. [About what? Happosai burning
Ranma's homework or draining students?]
	[Sure about the homework.]
	[Oh. Yes I'm sure. The old man is pretty inconsiderate when it comes to
something like that. I'm sure Ranma could do another one for you if you
give him a little time.]
	[*Hmmm.* Ok.] she said before running off in the direction of a bell.
"Ice cream!"
	"OH."
	"Ok what?" Ranma asked, a little lost over the language barrier. 
	"It's ok Ranma, your teacher is going to let you have some time to do
it again. Write what you had originally written and pass it up."
	"*Err* Guo, You know the language and all so, can you help me a
little?"

(I'll just quit this part here instead of boring you to death.)
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(Kuno Basement, much later)
	Focusing on the tips of my fingers, I moved my hand before me. Slowly,
I drew it forwards to touch the board as I focused on my aura. It flared
in response and slowly focused into a thin line of power along the edge
of my finger. I slowly trace a line from the top of the board to the
bottom, merely touching the light ridges of the grainy material. As my
hand reached the bottom of the board, no sound was heard until the board
hit the ground cut cleanly in half. .  
	"I see your skills have improved Guo. It is indeed of interest that
such tricks can be done when the power of you mind is harnessed to it's
full potential."
	"It is not easy Kuno. Harnessing the destructive force of Ki and
forming it into a blade is a good idea but too tiring for me." Guo said
as he picked up the wooden pieces. 
	"As a scholar has said before me. It is not the size of the armies that
matters. It is how they are trained and deployed in times of war. The
best strategist learns the lie of the land and attacks using nature and
the elements at his disposal to his benefit. It is thus that Nobunaga
attacked with but 1000 men at his disposal attacking the 10,000 man army
of. ."
	"KUNO!" silence fell between them as the words reverberated in the air.
"Now, what was the main point to your story?" Guo continued as he
examined the smooth surface of the cut.
	"Practice makes perfect, and use what you have to your advantage" 
	"That has merit Kuno. Just give me your suggestions in one or two
sentences rather than vague references to generals and poetry."
	"I apologize. I forget that you are not overly familiar with all the
intricacies of our language or culture."
	*sigh. . * 'OK, if it stops him from rambling on about it.' "Yes,
that's one of the reasons that I wish simple conversation. I am
relatively new to the language and such things as Japanese history is
pretty much new to me."
	"Then I shall endeavor to teach you better. Is it not one of the
subjects that you have to learn for the Juken? You are of yet ignorant
of the finer points of Japanese history and poetry. I shall teach you
these fine subjects of my culture in partial compensation for calling
you from your home plane."
	"Err. . . Kuno, I'm fine, really. I just need to find a job and I'll be
fine." 
	"Oh. But I insist! It would not be seemly for a person such as myself
not to offer my services for the upcoming tests. You have but seven
months to prepare for something that we have four years to learn."
	"Err. I really won't have that much of a problem. Math, physics and
chemistry are subjects I have taken before. English should be easier for
me while physical education I have the benefit of my powers and my
stronger body to help."
	"The heavens themselves must weep when the moon is hidden within the
shadow of the earth."
	"?!?" he said blinking in confusion.
	"Promise me you will not demean yourself by taking unfair advantage
over others with your powers."
	"I. . *sigh* OK. Kuno, I will not use my powers to benefit my schooling
as far as I am able. I'll suffer through it like the rest of the
others."
	"A noble promise indeed. The road to heaven will open to those with
pure hearts and noble deeds. Like me, You will surely reap the rewards
of the just by my side. Oh yes, how did the meeting with my accursed
father go?"
	"Oh that. I 'm going to be in the same class as you. Oh yes.. I also
shocked him somewhat."
	". . May I be told as to how?'
	"Oh. I don't know, Maybe telling him that I would get a haircut if he'd
let me cut his the same way would work."
	"What way would that be?" 
	"Totally bald. ." Guo smiled, totally enjoying the shocked look on
Kuno's face before continuing. "It's not that bad. I went bald once
before and would have gotten something close to it at least once more in
my home dimension."
	". . Is it a custom to become bald in your dimension?"
	"No, I just wanted to see how fast my hair grows." 
	"So. . How fast does it grow?"
	"One cm in one and a half weeks. Or, in another measure, an inch in
about three." Guo stated, nonchalantly shaping the wood with his new
technique.
	*Hmmm.* "That's a little faster than me."
	"Oh how do you know?"
	"I have been shaved many times in the course of my training.' 
	"Oh. . Well, I'm going off now."
	"Where to?"
	"To visit Tendo, Nabiki."

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

(Ukyou's Okinomiyaki)
	Ukyou looked out into the street worried for some reason. Tatshuba
hadn't come by lately, and frankly it worried her. Not that it wasn't
nice not to have that cross dressing guy around but she was used to
having him pop by at least once every few days.
	"Oh well." she sighed. "Better get ready for the party, tonight." She
said pinning up the banner. <HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTINE!> "I can't believe
that they would pay me 25,000 Yen for a single party. I should be in the
catering business, instead of the restaurant industry she stated in
amusement.

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

(later)
	"So what jobs are available for me Miss Tendo?"
	"Well, you can always be my bodyguard."
	"Nice try Nabiki, but don't do collections."
	"Oh? Who said anything about collections? I was thinking more about,
intimidation." Nabiki smirked. 
	"Come on, I want to get a job so I can first, pay you back and
secondly, get my own place to stay." 
	"Oh yes.. Stay some place where Kodatchi's interesting food can't get
to you."
	*WHAM* A crater appeared where Guo was supposed to be. A huge
inter-dimensional mallet imbedded in the center. Guo peeped out from
behind Nabiki and stared daggers at Akane as she blinked in surprise.
	"I did not say anything towards you Tendo, Akane. So, _Put That Mallet
Away._ " He said, roughly pushing the mallet aside. Regaining his
composure, he regained his seat on the flattened pillow. "Did you have a
reason for disturbing us?" he asked, as he stared stoically ahead, past
Nabiki's shoulder.
	"Kasumi asked me to bring you some tea and cookies." Said the
embarrassed Akane, moving aside to reveal the tray by the side of the
door.
	Guo looked on, a bemused expression on his face. "I thank you for your
trouble, just stop trying to hit me." he smirked as Akane stared wide
eyed at him.
	"I. . I'm sor." 
	"It's true." Guo cut in. "Violence makes you feel better for a little
while. However, it never solves anything. So, I would thank you not to
attack me." he finished as he took the tray aside and pushed Akane out
the door. 
"Now Nabiki, what other employment possibilities are there here?" He
continued as he closed the door behind him. 
	 Akane looked on bewildered at the wooden door for a moment, turned
around and made her way back down the stairs. 

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

(Somewhere)
	Ryoga paused along the street, having no idea where he was, as usual.
"Dam it! why can't I seem to find where I'm going?" he asked the sky
above him. *WHAM!*  came the sound of a crash close by. 
	"That sounds like Akane." he mused to himself before leaping onto the
wall. he looked around and saw a familiar scene before him. Katsumi in
the garden hanging out the laundry, Shou and a Panda playing chess on
the porch, Guo scolding Akane in a room, the panda cheating as Shou
looked in his direction. .  . 'Wait a minute!' he thought to himself
'Guo scolding Akane?' he watched in disbelief as Guo pushed Akane out of
the room. He leapt into the garden, passing by the panda as he made his
way towards the stairs.
	"I won't forgive anyone who hurts Her!" he shouted out loud. The panda
and Shou looked at him quizzically for a moment" 
	"Do you remember this boy Genma?"
	<Ryoga> the panda wrote as it shrugged it's shoulders. The two of them
looked on as Ryoga passed the staircase and made his way out the front
door. Shou hurriedly rearranging the pieces behind the other's back. A
moment later, Ryoga returned and walked past them and down the hall into
the bathroom. Shou and Genma looked a each other for a moment before
shrugging and returning to their game, confident that they had the
advantage.

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

(upstairs)
	"I'm glad I actually heard the door opening that time." Guo smirked as
he turned his attention back to the girl before him.
	"Sorry about my sister Guo but you really have to admit it's amusing."
	"It's amusing if, you are not the one getting hit."
	"Rr.r.right." Said the smirking Nabiki.
	'You do remember that a bond is a deferred payment with no interest on
it past the claim date?" Guo countered. 
	"Ah, Right, but only if it isn't a renewable bond or something to that
matter. ."
	"Which I am not issuing and you won't hold in any court of law since I
have no material wealth worth suing for.
	". . . If you're up to it I might have something that could interest
you."
	"Something interesting?"
	"Maybe. You said you had a higher education and you're a native English
speaker Right?" 
	"Tutoring?" 
	"No, translator."
	"Oh, so what will I be doing specifically?"
	"You will be a tour guide or more specifically the driver of the bus."
	"I can deal with that. But, I only know how to drive a car."
	"Don't worry, it's not that different just bigger. Of course, I'll
expect some changes in what you will owe me."
	"Well, . . what changes."
	"First, I'll get two thirds your earnings from this job for the rest of
the time period. During this time, I'll provide you with food and
lodging as well as arrange your work schedule. After the time period,
I'll be open to negotiations as to the room and board. . of course, the
Bond will then be considered null and void in exchange." 
	"I guess that's acceptable." He said, shivering at the thought of
Kodachi's. . spices. "Now, when do I start?"
	"Hmm, The job starts in one week. The driver's test can be done in two
or three days. So, tomorrow and we'll have to set the date."
	"Ok. Oh yes, where will I have my apartment?" he asked as Nabiki
smiled.
	"Here." She said as his eyes widened in disbelief.

(For those of you who don't remember. Fugu: A poisonous fish considered
a delicacy in Japan)
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