(Reading the other parts before this story may help, if you haven't.  I have
them on my home page at http://www,inetnow.net/~arromdee).
--------
What has gone before: Tendou Akane never existed in this history.  Ranma's
only fiancee is Ukyou, and Genma and Souun hate it.  The school still believes
Ranma to be a girl and Ukyou a boy.  Ryouga is Ranma's pet pig Charlotte,
and Shampoo is in China, forced to give up her deadly vendetta against Ranma.

                                    TENDOU 2/3
                                 by Ken Arromdee
                              Chapter 14: Cashing In

    Ranma, walking along the Nerima streets in his male form, paused.  Someone
was following him, had been following him for the past two blocks.  He stopped,
took his martial arts stance, and looked around for whatever new martial arts
threat would give him this day's exercise.
    Not in front of him...  no, there was someone behind him.  Ranma turned
around and threw a warmup punch, only to stop as a well-dressed young man
right next to him tried to duck the punch.  Not very skilled, thought Ranma
as the young man slipped and fell into a patch of mud from his clumsy attempt.
    "Hey, you okay?" asked Ranma.  "Sorry about that, I thought I felt some
kind of stalker."  Sensing the teen's puzzlement, he added "I'm Ranma Saotome,
of the Saotome Unlimited martial arts school!  Martial artists have this
ability to sense people coming from behind."
    The teen sighed.  "Wish you'd have sensed my suit.  It cost me 4000 yen
just to get that cleaned...."  He glared at Ranma.
    "I really didn't mean that but I suppose it is my fault."  Ranma drew some
money out of a wallet.  "Here's 1000 yen, it's all I've got."  The teen nodded
and accepted the money, bowing with thanks.

    "I'm glad I found you, Ranma Saotome", he continued.  "I've been looking
all over for someone from that school.  For anyone associated with the Tendou
Dojo.  That's why I was, as you put it, following you."
    "You're not out to fight anyone?" asked Ranma.   The teen shook his head.
"Not bent on revenge, or challenge, or payment on an old debt of Dad's?"  The
teen shook his head at each of the offered suggestions.
    "Not at all...  allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Kinnosuke, of the
Kasha-ou school.  A few days ago, I was going on a date with a...  friend...
of yours, Nabiki Tendou."
    "Ah", answered Ranma.  "Let me guess.  She cheated you out of some money
and you need me to find her to get it back."
    Kinnosuke gaped.  "How could you say such a thing?  Nabiki's a nice person.
I just need to clear up one _small_ problem."  He considered what he had heard
about Ranma and decided how best to word the question to get the information he
needed.  "I was wondering if some rumors about her are true.  I heard she's
more than a friend, she's engaged to you, but she doesn't like it and she's
trying to stay from martial artists because she really hates martial arts."
    "What, you mean is she cheating on me?  Naaaah, the whole engagement thing
was set up by our parents.  I'm supposed to marry either her or her sister
Kasumi.  Neither girl is interested in martial arts, and neither wants to
marry me...  but I found a way around it.  Turns out I was already engaged to
someone _else_, you see.  Go ahead and date Nabiki.  She _loves_ for guys to
spend money on her."  Ranma ran off.  "Anyway, got to go.  Ucchan's going to
make me okonomiyaki again...."

    After Ranma left, Nabiki peeked out of a doorway.  "Not bad.  Not bad at
all!  But that doesn't prove anything...  just because Ranma doesn't know it
doesn't prove I'm not a martial artist."
    "True, Nabiki Tendou."
    "I'm going to win, you know."
    "Don't bet on it." replied Nabiki.
    "But--" mock-gasped Kinnosuke, smiling at Nabiki, "that's the whole point."
    Nabiki smiled back, recalling how it all started....

    The date had begun like one of Nabiki's many dates with her numerous
admirers.  Kinnosuke was certainly handsome enough and looked rich enough, and
it seemed like getting him to treat her accordingly would be a snap.  They had
gone to a fine restaurant, and Kinnosuke had bought her some nice clothes.  
Nabiki didn't really have any romantic feelings for him, of course, but she
decided that this boy could easily be strung along for at least a month before
she inevitably rejected him for someone else who hadn't yet ran out of money
for fine restaurants and nice clothes.
    Until she got home.  She had been shocked to find "repossessed" signs on
everything, the panda sold to the circus,  The dojo was a mess, the sign
askew and covered with cobwebs....

    Nabiki's father Soun had called her in to speak.  He was crying, trying to
figure out how to be furious; this had never happened before.  Nabiki played
the part of a dutiful offspring at home, and Soun _was_ her father.  She had
never really openly defied him, and she didn't need to.  They had an unspoken
understanding that he wouldn't care about what she did during her spare time,
as long as she made sure she kept the household out of any trouble.
    "Nabiki!"
    "Yes, Dad."
    "I heard that you went on a date with that man from the Kasha-ou school."
    "He was good company, and he bought me a lot of stuff."
    "Is this what 'good company' means to you?" asked Soun, waving his hands
around.  "He didn't pay for anything he bought you!  All of his bills came to
our home!  We lost all of our savings and ended up this way...."

    "The Kasha-ou school", explained Soun, is a philosophy based on the idea of
using other people's money.  Anyone who comes into contact with one of them..."
    "You're saying he used me, Dad?  Let me handle it."
    Nabiki sauntered into her room.  Fifteen minutes later, Nabiki came out
and told her father the good news.  "It's all over.  There may be a small
amount you still have to pay, but the dojo is safe, and Mr. Saotome can stay
out of the big top."
    "Oh, I'm so grateful!"  Soun cried again, and hugged Nabiki.

    It had been short work to find Kinnosuke again.  "I'm impressed.  Dad
really bought it, pardon the expression."
    "Oh?"
    "The web on the dojo sign was a nice touch", continued Nabiki.  "Good
thing Dad didn't notice it and realize the 'repossessors' were a special
effects team.  You wanted to bail out Dad later under the condition he pay
for part of the bill, which was really all of the bill."
    "I see", replied Kinnosuke.  Nabiki didn't look angry, only a bit
surprised, but he thought a quick exit might be helpful anyway.  He threw his
voice around a corner, saying "Come here, Kinnosuke", then zipped off to follow
it.  "Sorry, Nabiki, it's been nice to chat again but someone's calling me.
Later."
    "Wait!  How about another date?"
    "You don't care, Nabiki?"
    "Well, I wouldn't say that.  Let's make this one a bet.  A challenge.  And
the winner has to pay for both the last date and this one.  I like you, but
I have to keep poor old Dad from having heart attacks...."
    "A bet?"
    "Yup.  You see, I'm the most powerful martial artist in the Tendou
household.  Of course I have to make this into a challenge!"
    Hmm, thought Kinnosuke.  She's testing him.  "You're not a martial artist.
If you're just trying to see if I can catch little lies, there are much less
obvious ones to try, you know."
    "Well, there's your challenge!" replied Nabiki triumphantly.  If you can
_prove_ I'm not a martial artist, I'll pay for this date and the last one.
Think you're up to it?"

    "Nabiki?"
    "What?  Oh, just thinking, Kinnosuke.  That Greek restaurant you were going
to take me to should be open for dinner around now.  Say, what do you think of
my outfit?"  She was wearing a very fancy dress that added five years to her
apparent age, and a fur stole.
    "Lovely, and you too."

    "So you're the last of the Kasha-ou school", asked Nabiki over dinner.
    "Yes, it's almost like a school of martial arts.  We study very hard to
practice our art...  there are stories that the most skilled could sleep in a
cardboard box and still dress and shower at a hotel just by using his power of
persuasion...."
    "Well", replied Nabiki, "I'm a daughter of the Tendou school of martial
arts.  We have a proud heritage of our own, even if it does trace back to a
little perverted old man.  Of course, part of martial arts is practicing the
mind.  I've gotten really good at getting everyone to do what I want...  except
you, Kinnosuke.  You're different."
    Kinnosuke glanced at his watch.  It was about time.
    A young man in robes rushed into the restaurant.  "Where is she?  Where is
Ranma Saotome?"  He ran up to Nabiki and grabbed her by the neck.  "Tell me!
The Blue Thunder of Furinkan High has gotten word that you have kidnapped
Ranma Saotome!  You are keeping her away from me..."
    Nabiki replied "She's at home."  She then pulled a miniature mallet from
her pocketbook, and tapped Kunou on the head with it, knocking him cold.
    Kinnosuke grinned.  "I really admire that attempt.  I thought for sure you'd
just act helpless!  But it doesn't prove you _are_ a martial artist, either;
Kunou would never fully defend himself against a girl...  any girl could
hit him like that."

    Nabiki shrugged.  "Better luck next time.  Anyway, as I was saying.  Martial
arts is a big thing in our household, and it's only natural I'd go into it.
But there's one thing I don't like.  It's all the crazed lunatics you meet."
    "Crazed lunatics?"
    "Yes.  Ranma has a rival who cuts through poles with his belt.  He's
engaged to a girl who dresses up as a guy and is also a martial artist.  My
father's trainer, the little perverted old man I told you about, got free
from his...."  Nabiki made a sarcastic face.  "Evil slumber." and continued.
"And he's hanging around the dojo, occasionally attacking Ranma's breasts or
finding a nearby girls' volleyball team or swim team.  Ranma just fought an
amazon from China who thought she had to marry Ranma's fiancee, and a guy
from China who didn't like _that_.
    "So", concluded Nabiki, "that's not the kind of life I want to live.  I
certainly don't want to be _that_ kind of martial artist.  But the principle,
of intensive practice to better yourself, is a good one.  If I could do
_something_ as well as the martial artists do...."
    "And that's how you got so good with money and getting your way."
    Nabiki nodded.  "Everyone has all sorts of strange ideas about it.  Half
the school thinks it's trauma over my mother dying...  the other half thinks
I made a deal with the Devil.  They never think these things about the
martial artists, you know."
    Kinnosuke said "Yeah", while reaching into Kunou's robes for his
wallet before the staff of the restaurant dragged Kunou away.  As Nabiki
watched, he explained: "He owes this to us for disturbing our date anyway."
Kinnosuke pocketed 10,000 yen, and returned the wallet to Kunou's robes.
    Nabiki nodded with agreement.  "That was certainly a disruption.  Besides,
if you take an exact amount of money, he'll just think he forgot how much he
had or miscounted, which he couldn't if you emptied the whole thing."

    Kinnosuke sipped his wine.  "I'm the last survivor of the Kasha-ou
school.  I don't have any family... I spend my time wandering around, just
like a wandering martial artist would.  You know, that's how our school
originated.  It began in a band of roving martial artists who never stayed in
one place, but somehow managed to stay fed and clothed and clean."
    A teen wearing heavy clothes, a backpack, and a bandanna tapped Nabiki on
the shoulder.  "Excuse me, do you know the way to the Tendou Dojo?"

    Nabiki dismissed Ryouga and she and Kinnosuke made conversation over
dinner, each trying to be polite and candid but still trying to steer things
in the right direction for their bet.  Nabiki had to admit, at least to
herself, that it was the most fun she had on a date in a long while.
    "Hey, how about playing some games?" asked Nabiki while Kinnosuke paid for
the dinner using Kunou's money.
    "As you wish, Nabiki.  I know just the place...."

    Nabiki was amazed that Kinnosuke found a casino in Japan.  They both
walked in and Nabiki looked around the unfamiliar rooms warily.  She asked
her date "Are you sure this isn't run by the Yakuza?"
    "Oh, don't worry", replied Kinnosuke.  "I'm sure a powerful martial
artist like you could take out several Yakuza any time.  So it won't be a
problem!  Besides, I know the owner."
    Nabiki nodded.  "Oh, he must be like the Gambling King.  He's this
strangely-dressed guy who..."  She stopped, since ahead, in the next room,
in all his playing-card glory, was that very King."
    Nabiki looked the King in the eye, then smiled and bowed to him.  "You're
not going to cheat, are you?  Use martial arts speed, which I'd have to be a
martial artist myself to counter, to throw cards into my hand?  We did have an
understanding...."
    The King looked at Kinnosuke as if to ask "Do I have to?"  Kinnosuke
admitted his loss to himself and he and Nabiki sat down to play.

    An hour later, Kinnosuke had broken even.  It was pointless to win, of
course; since he had a stake in this casino's operation, he'd just be cheating
himself.  Nabiki, herself, had broken even too since it was just for fun and
besides, if she won too much the whole bet would be meaningless.
    Nabiki yawned.  Kinnosuke asked her "Oh, Nabiki...  are you tired?  Would
you like me to take you home?"
    "Sure, Kinnosuke.  But I have to call someone first.  Hold on a second."
    "That's okay, I can wait here."
    "All right, don't go away!"

    When Nabiki returned, Kinnosuke asked her what that was all about.  She
wouldn't say.  "Just take me home, please."

    Nabiki and Kinnosuke both slowed down the pace of their walk as they
approached the dojo.  Each stopped as they rounded the last corner, then
looked at each other with suspicion.  Nabiki glanced at the dojo again and
spotted a massive human figure near the entrance.  She whispered "You first"
to Kinnosuke.

    Kinnosuke pointed at the man and shook his head.  "Oh no!" he exclaimed.
"There's a dojo yaburi at your family's dojo!  He'll steal your sign and
dishonor your school and family unless a martial artist from your house fights
him off!"
    Nabiki raised an eyebrow.  "Really?  So if I don't fight him even knowing
all that, that proves I'm not a martial artist?  I suppose Ranma and Dad
and anyone else who can fight are all doing something else far away from here
right now."
    "Really and truly, Nabiki Tendou.  You could bribe him, but he's probably
been informed that his employer would match any bribe."
    "Boy you're smart, knowing all that."

    A little girl, with brown hair and red eyes, pulled on Nabiki's fur stole.
She was wearing a lot of pink, and her hair was cut to look almost like
Nabiki's.  "Excuse me, oneesama, this is the Tendou Dojo, right?"  Nabiki
nodded.  "I've come here in order to do dojo yaburi.  Who is the champion that
I have to fight?"
    Nabiki indicated the tall, fat, man, who resembled nothing more than an
inflated sumo wrestler.

    "I'm glad I found her", said Nabiki.  "She's a practitioner of the
shitamachi technique of martial arts", she continued as the little girl
made a cat's cradle with a length of string, then suddenly slung it at the
fatter dojo yaburi, tying him up.  "Long, long ago, peasants who weren't
allowed to carry weapons developed a style which uses everyday household
objects, similar to how the completely unarmed styles came about."  Her
speech was punctuated by the sound of an explosion as the little girl hit
the larger fighter with a specially-prepared ball.

    While the first dojo yaburi threw signs which the girl parried with
nothing more than several lengths of string, Nabiki opened the door and let
herself and Kinnosuke into the living room.
    Kasumi bowed before them.  "Welcome home, Nabiki.  And I see we have guests;
you must be Nabiki's boyfriend.  Father and the Saotomes are out on a trip, but
make yourself at home.  She pointed to the fighters.  "And we have more guests
too!"
    "But", continued Kasumi, "if they're going to make a mess like that, they
can stay outside the house unless they behave better.  Especially the man...
picking on a girl that young.  Oh, would either of you like some tea?"

    The sounds of fighting were muted inside the house as Nabiki and Kinnosuke
had their tea.
    "So the Kasha-ou school depends on using other people's money?", asked
Nabiki.
    "Right.  You look a little skeptical."
    "Not really.  I was just wondering.  Once you get money from someone, it's
now your money, right?  If it counts as your own money, you can't spend it at
all.  Maybe you don't consider it your own money...  but by that reasoning,
_all_ of your money is someone else's money."
    "It doesn't quite work that way.  It's a part of our training to survive
by using our wits.  There's a point where I have to say, 'I want to keep
practicing'.  Even if I have money that comes from a previous operation,
I'm not going to keep in shape just by depending on it."
    "So what do you think of the stock market, Kinnosuke?  You start with your
own money, but you need to use your head and your connections to keep it
growing."
    "I haven't touched it.  I'm only 17, after all.  That's playing in the
big leagues.  And it's too easy to lose money in the market...  I didn't
accumulate enough money to play around in it until recently, anyway."
    "I haven't either...  but I'm going to start.  Someday.  It should be
_almost_ impossible to make any noticeable amount of money in just one day."
    "How about we go next Wednesday?  It's a day off from school, but the
markets are still open."
    "I thought you'd never ask." replied Nabiki.

    Ranma barged in through the front door.  "Anyone know who's the blob and the
kid outside lying on the ground?"
    Kasumi answered "Oh, let them be.  It is a bad idea to encourage behavior
like that.  If they apologize, they can be forgiven."
    Nabiki said "Let me take care of it." and went outside.  Kinnosuke trailed
behind.  He whispered some words to the fat man, while Nabiki handed the girl
a 'Sukeban Deka' videotape and whispered something to her.  They both helped
each combatant to his or her feet--they didn't seem injured, just dazed--and
the girl and fat man walked to the door, waited for Kasumi, apologized, and
left.  The dojo sign still stood by the entrance, unmoved.

    Nabiki pointed to them.  "_That's_ the reason I don't advertise to people
like Ranma that I know martial arts.  It may be a family tradition to do it,
and it's interesting to fly around and break things like someone from a
Dragonball movie, but I'm not into challenges."  She added "Well, not that
kind of challenge."
    "So you do know martial arts, but you hide it so well that you completely
resemble a non-martial-artist, Nabiki?"
    "Yeah.  It's my biggest secret.  Kasumi might know, but she'd never tell.
She's smarter than she seems to be, as you could tell if you ever saw her
reading one of Dr. Toufuu's books; she just has her own way of not taking
part in the craziness around here."
    "Nabiki, I've never met a girl like you.  Here's the answer to that
challenge: I believe you.  You're probably the most powerful martial
artist in this family."

    "What?"
    "I said I believe you.  First, there was that Kunou thing.  I had to
find out quite a bit about Kunou before I could get him to come here.
Kunou's head is very hard--he could fall out of a tree, land on his head,
and hardly notice.  You must have been very skilled at martial arts to knock
him out with one blow to his head from a hammer that small."
    "I also found out that you were with Kunou's sister on a trip to China.
You were kidnapped.  You could think your way out of a dojo yaburi trap, you
could think your way to China in the first place, but you couldn't think your
way out of a simple kidnapping?  Maybe you had a reason to be kidnapped.  And
you _were_ kidnapped by a group of skilled martial artists."
    "And then, there's that evil little man you told me about.  He attacks
Ranma's breasts, he attacks the volleyball team, but he doesn't attack you.
I don't know exactly how you managed that, but if you could make him not
attack you, you could also make him teach you martial arts.  It would be the
perfect opportunity to learn techniques related to your school--or anything
else you wanted--without telling your father or anyone else.

    "So you could easily have learned martial arts.  And you used it at least
once.  And what's more, all you've been telling me makes sense.  It's true,
isn't it?"
    "You're guessing!"
    "That's all we do, guess.  You don't con someone by going through a list of
rules, you do it by figuring out as much as you can about that person whether
you have an iron-clad proof or not.  Now, do I win the bet?"
    In answer, Nabiki moved into Kinnosuke's arms, and they kissed.


Author's note:
The little girl dojo yaburi was from Nettouhen episode 76.
Nabiki managing to knock Kunou out with a mallet is from the phoenix egg
story that starts V29 and was made into movie #3
Kinnosuke is from the end of V29.  I never understood why the sign had cobwebs,
either.  I've toned down the silliness in the original story a _lot_.

Notes from previous episodes:

Sayuri and Yuta are Akane's friends in the original series.  Hiroshi and
Daisuke are Ranma's.  They are only named in the anime.
The Gambling King is from original manga #15.  The ending of the story is
stupider than the one I've used (Ranma cheats by hiding all 52 cards in his
face mask--uh-_huh_.)
The Saotome Secret technique is actually from the series.
The Musk Dynasty appeared in manga #24.
Pink and Link are from #29.
Happosai's history with the Chinese Amazons is from the love-medicine story.
The boy who Happosai named is Pantyhose Tarou, from #18.
Nartial Arts Tea Ceremony, of course, is from the Sentaro story.
Martial Arts Dinner is from the Picolette Chardin story in #16.
The crepes are from Nettouhen episode #83.
The Chinese invisibility trick is from the anime.
The Maken Doukoku Ka is from the Shishi Hokoudan story in #20.
The Cradle of Hell is from #21.
The Angry Hair Heaven is from #30.  Ukyou's friend who looks like a spatula is
also from #30.