continued from part 4
-----------------------------

  Tokuyama said, "On the way out, Mr. Kozaya will give you two free 
vouchers to be used in the next concert I sponsor."
  "Yeah, thanks," Nabiki replied. 

  When Nabiki returned to the auditorium, she stepped inside and 
discovered some commotion among the band. Quickly Nabiki dashed down to 
the stage, and discovered Athena Asamiya in the midst of the group. She 
was crying. 
  "What happened?" Nabiki asked no one in particular.
  Ukyo answered, "Athena's band got dropped from the contest."
  "Why?" asked Nabiki in surprise. "They're the next best thing to a 
professional band!"
  "Her master, Chin, was found with several jugs of sake," explained 
Ukyo. "Of all the idiotic...." Especially since Chin always drank; in 
fact his martial arts style depended on his sake jug! "It shouldn't have 
mattered! He's well-beyond the legal drinking age." 
  Kodachi cut her off, saying, "Even such talent as Athena possesses in 
her music, this shouldn't have happened." Kodachi produced several 
folders stuffed with paper. "I've checked through the events surrounding 
the drops of bands, and I've come to the conclusion that it's all a set 
up."
  Leave it to a rat to ferret a rat, Nabiki thought, taking the folders. 
"Someone is obviously trying to rig the outcome of the contest."
  "But who?" asked Akane. "Who could be desperate enough to eliminate 
the competition like that? One of the other bands?"
  "Perhaps," Kodachi said. "Or someone who stands to lose if certain 
bands win. Or both." 
  "In any case," started Nabiki, "we should be prepared for anything. 
I've got a feeling whoever is doing this isn't done yet. We may be 
next." 
  "Well, whatever they're going to do, it's obviously something that 
could get us into legal or public trouble," voiced Ukyo. "Therefore, we 
should be very careful about what we do for the rest of the week." 
  "I don't think that'll be possible," Akane pointed out. "Especially 
with people like us, who tend to attract trouble like a magnet." 
  "Wait," Ranma said, "I have an idea." 
  Nabiki groaned. "Oh, and what would that be?" 
  "We should let the trouble come to us," explained Ranma. 
  It was then Nabiki caught on. "Ahhh... I see." Scary, that Ranma, of 
all people, thought of it first! Taking charge, she explained, "We'll 
just have to be prepared for our 'trouble,' but this time, the 
circumstances will be of our own design...." 

  Later that evening word got to the group that yet another band was 
kicked out of competition, leaving it down to five bands: Doco, Red 
Pepper, the Yawning Dragon, Old Cabbage, and Samurai Blood. 
  The shadow figure dressed all in black, waiting, concealed in the 
bushes just within the walls of the Tendo dojo. He watched, waiting, 
listening carefully, watching as Ranma and Shampoo entered one of the 
second-story rooms together, and shut the lights off. 
  Perfect.
  It was then the figure bounded up to the dojo, climbing to the second 
floor where the lights were on in the window only moments before. The 
'Sir,' who wished for his name to remain anonymous, suggested this idea; 
the leader insisted that I, not the 'Sir,' perform this task, the shadow 
man thought to himself proudly. It felt good being needed; it was better 
than being subject to the 'Sir's' wrath, who insisted on performing this 
task himself, as he knew what to do, it was his plan, and he wanted it 
done right. The only way the 'Sir' was kept in line was the threat by 
the leader to publicly announce his name to the populace. He gently 
pushed the window open, and slid inside. 
  Walking stealthily, the shadow man produced an object from his pocket, 
ready to attack....
  *CLICK!*
  The shadow man dropped his camera in alarm as the lights to the room 
went on. A female Ranma lay in bed with Shampoo, both very much awake. 
At the door the others piled into the room. 
  "I'll wager you wanted to take a scandalous picture?" guessed Nabiki 
as she reached for the man's hood. "There are very few people in the 
world who would've been dumb enough to fall for this little trick. Now 
let's see which idiot you must be, hmmm?"
  The man tried to get away, but others blocked the open window. With a 
sudden, violent jerk, Nabiki ripped off the hood. All stared in 
surprise. 
  In unison all shouted, "GOSUNKUGI!!"
  There was no mistaking the pathetic man's face, dark bags hanging 
under his eyes, the stare of a maniac in his eyes. 
  Onna-Ranma grabbed Gosunkugi by the neck and held him in the air. 
"Why?"
  Choking somewhat, Gosunkugi answered, "Akane should be mine!"
  "You!" Akane spat. "I'm married, you little twit!"
  "There's no way you could've acted alone," Nabiki concluded. 
  "You're right, I wasn't alone!" Gosunkugi proclaimed without shame. 
  "Who else?!" demanded onna-Ranma. 
  "All those who stood to lose," Gosunkugi answered. "The other bands 
were sold out by their 'friends' and acquaintances, you know, for they 
were quite angry that they themselves stood no chance of traveling to 
Hawaii."
  "I made sure that wouldn't be a problem!" Nabiki shouted, visibly 
losing her temper. Who could I have missed? 
  "Nabiki...." Kasumi tried to calm Nabiki down, but moved away. 
  She knocked onna-Ranma away, who dropped Gosunkugi. Gosunkugi sighed 
in relief until Nabiki grabbed his shirt, lifting him back into the air. 
"I want a straight answer, little man, and I want it now. And what I 
want now are names. Nobody, NOBODY, crosses Nabiki Tendo and gets away 
with it!!"
  Gosunkugi became more terrified, as he'd never seen Nabiki lose her 
temper before. "Aaaahhh, aaaahhh, I'll talk! There was Tsubasa...."
  "Tsubasa!" spat Ukyo in anger. That little wretch....
  "...myself, the Gambling King, the 'Sir,' whose name I don't know, 
Mikado Sanzenin, and some others I don't know. And the man who organized 
us, the leader."
  Nabiki threw Gosunkugi at the wall. "You spineless bastard, who is 
he?!"
  "I... I don't know!! He'll have my head if I tell you!" 
  Nabiki grabbed Gosunkugi's shoulders and shook him violently. "Wrong 
choice of words! Spill before something inside you does!"
  "Okay, okay! It was the principal! Principal Kuno!"
  "What?!" shouted Kodachi and Tatewaki in unison. Both Kunos knew their 
father was a terrible person, but to sink so low....
  Nabiki shook him again, hard. "Then tell me this: who WEREN'T you 
supposed to ruin?!"
  On the verge of fainting, Gosunkugi said, "Old Cabbage!! That's all I 
know!! Spare me!!"
  Nabiki let the pathetic man go, then walked to the door. To Kuno she 
said, "Bring the van around." To Shampoo she said, "Bring along 
Gosunkugi, he's our proof."
  Nabiki stalked out of the room, the eyes of Kasumi and Akane following 
her. Both looked at each other in surprise. 
  "I've never seen Nabiki so angry before...." commented Kasumi. 
  "Well, maybe it runs in the family," Akane said. It certainly ran in 
herself and Father, so why not Nabiki. Or Kasumi, Akane thought with a 
shudder. 
  It was then when they heard a scream coming from downstairs. All 
gathered ran down the stairs, finding Nabiki staring out the front door. 
Eyes looked beyond the doorway to what lay beyond: a giant hulk, with 
two large horns jutting from the sides of its head, bird-like wings 
spread, and multiple tentacles springing from its back.
  "Pantyhose!" onna-Ranma shouted in recognition. 
  Gosunkugi, in Shampoo's grasp, let out a weak laugh. "You're all going 
to get it now...."
  Pantyhose Taro, in cursed form, snorted loudly, almost beckoning for a 
challenge. The creature towered over the teens, appearing as a great 
bull-giant, like a minotaur, with wings and octopus tentacles springing 
from his back. His eel-tail lashed behind him menacingly. Had Taro the 
voice box in his cursed form for which to reply to Ranma, his response 
would've been "Stop calling me that!" Instead, it was "Gwaaaa, ha, ha."
  Standing behind Taro were three more figures: Principal Kuno, the 
Gambling King, and Mikado Sanzenin of the Golden Pair. 
  Ranma dashed to the kitchen and retrieved a kettle of hot water, then 
poured it on herself. 
  Ranma turned to Shampoo. "Don't let that creep out of your sight!" 
With that, he lead the charge. Following were Kuno, Kodachi, Ukyo, 
Konatsu, Mousse, Ryoga, and Ling-ling and Lung-lung. 
  All attacked Taro at once. Fortunately for Taro, he had enough limbs 
to deal with multiple attackers, and the strength to back it up. 
Tentacles swatted at the combatants dwarfed by his size. Taro snorted in 
amusement, discharging ink at every other target, blinding them. 
  "Bwwwwaaaaaaahhhh!" cried Taro, concentrating his attacks on the hated 
Femme-boy, Ranma Saotome. The others could wait; this was the one he 
wanted. 
  The Principal of Furinkan produced gardening shears, snapping it open 
and closed in anticipation. "The Saotome kid's mine! I've waited a long 
time to get that pig-tail of his!"
  Mikado protested, "No way, I'll make him pay for my past humiliation!"
  "Time to make that kid lose!" voiced the Gambling King. "I've a score 
to settle with him." No fair cheating the king of cheating. 
  "How about this," the principal offered, "I'll cut his hair, and you 
get the rest of him?"
  "Sounds good for me!" they agreed, Mikado producing shearing blades on 
his rollerblades, and the Gambling King reaching for steel cards in his 
coat. Love isn't the only thing that's going to vanish tonight. 
  But as they entered the fray, both Kunos, Ukyo, and Ryoga broke off 
from Taro and engaged them. 
  Ryoga confronted Mikado, itching to defeat the male half of the Golden 
Pair. 
  The principal confronted his son and daughter. "Stand away, children! 
You can't get in the way of my business! I'll deal with Saotome!"
  "Has your life become so dependant on your students that you can't 
bear to live another day without tormenting them?!" Kuno brandished his 
bokken menacingly. "Now its time to repay you for my past humiliations! 
Let's see if you can cut the Kuno's mighty blade!"
  Kodachi laughed. "Abandoning us while you enjoy life alone! You were 
never there for me!" Silently, she added, you left me with only my 
stupid brother to take care of me. "Now it's payback time!"
  Ukyo waved her combat spatula at the Gambling King menacingly. "Your 
tricks end here, King of Cheating! I've been waiting a long time to get 
back at you for what you pulled on me ten years ago!"
  "Ahahahahaha," laughed the Gambling King, "So the little one has grown 
up? Cards aren't the only game I play...!" With that, the King threw 
three steel cards at Ukyo. 
  In return Ukyo threw three of her own spatula-darts, deflecting the 
trajectory of the steel cards. 
  "What the...?!" shouted the Gambling King in surprise. 
  "Perhaps you should stick to real card-playing, for all the good you 
are at it!" Ukyo said. 
  "I've still an ace up my sleeve!" Snarling in anger, the Gambling King 
threw several poker chips about the ground, using them as caltrops with 
their sharp edges. Ukyo leaped away, then produced a flour-bomb, and 
heaved it. The resulting cloud of flour obscured the King's vision, 
causing him to miss his target. 
  Seizing initiative, Ukyo brought her combat spatula down upon the 
Gambling King's head, running him to the ground. 
  Ukyo stood over the fallen King. "Now who loses?" she taunted. 
  Back inside the dojo, Shampoo still held Gosunkugi in a harsh grip. 
Akane stared the man in the face and said, "If they hurt Ranma, I'll 
hurt you!"
  "Akane...." Kasumi said, concerned for her sister. Perhaps this anger 
streak was inherited. 
  Ling-ling and Lung-lung fought as one, hitting away tentacles that 
went after the other, bashing with their polearms. Then, both planted 
their weapons into the ground, and stood on top of the other end. In 
unison they shouted, "Dual technique: falling star!" With that, they 
somersaulted in the air, uprooting their polearms from the ground, and 
in a wide vertical arc, brought them down on Taro's shoulders. Taro 
merely flinched, then swatted the two girls away. 
  Shampoo couldn't stand it anymore. Shoving Gosunkugi into Kasumi's 
arms, she said, "You can't hurt my sisters like that!" The Amazon leaped 
into the fray, flying forth with a deep kick into Taro's exposed gut. 
  Taro snorted in amusement. He grabbed Shampoo by the hair, and tossed 
her into the air. The arc of Shampoo's descent landed her right in the 
middle of the pond on the opposite side of the Tendo house.
  The Kuno siblings danced around their father, taunting him. The 
principal held his shears tightly, not knowing which one of his 
offspring he should deal with first. 
  "Come now, Father!" Kuno taunted, spitting out the last word in anger. 
"You're so arrogant in your own turf, but now that you're here your 
power is meaningless!"
  "What kind of a son are you?!" the principal bellowed. How ironic, 
that Tacchi would spit out now. The son he knew seemed almost 
nonexistant. 
  "What kind of a FATHER are you?!" Kodachi shouted, throwing two clubs 
at the principal. Both stung him in the legs, causing the principal to 
fall to his knees. "How could you leave us behind like you did?!" 
  "Now, cretin, you will taste the wrath of the Blue Thunder of Furinkan 
High, for I have waited long for the moment in which I would smite 
you!"Kuno raised his bokken, and charged. "Kokuzan!!" In swift motion 
Kuno thrust his bokken in an upward arc, creating a powerful force of 
wind that slammed into the principal, throwing him back. 
  "I'm not beaten yet!" cried the principal, throwing a couple of 
pineapples at his son. 
  Kuno watched the pineapples arc in his direction-- surely they must be 
explosive! Bokken held out in one arm, Kuno spun around in a quick 
circle as the pineapples approached ground zero. The quick attack on the 
pineapples split them cleanly in two, spilling gunpowder about. 
  "You've improved," noted Principal Kuno. "Never before had my son 
bested my techniques!"
  "Now, behold!" yelled Kuno, "The vengeance of Heaven and Earth crashes 
down upon the enemies of the name Kuno! Passed from generation to 
generation of the Kuno swordsmen alone was a secret technique of such 
fury and power that only one possessing such virtue as I, Tatewaki Kuno, 
could ever hope to master it! From the forgotten tomes of my honorable 
grandfather Kuno Heaven and Earth meet in one terrible blow! You are 
wise to tremble in fear as you feel the awesome might of the Blue 
Thunder final attack!"  
  Kuno rushed his father, leaping in the air and bringing his bokken 
down in a harsh downward arc. For a brief moment the bokken seemed to 
crackle with lightning as Kuno cried, "Tenchi raimei kiri! Feel the fury 
of Heaven and Earth!" Chi-created blue lightning seemed to follow the 
descending arc of the bokken as it made its way to impact with the 
principal's person. Upon impact the blue lightning bathed Principal Kuno 
in its eerie light. 
  The principal was out like a log as the blue energy dissipated. 
  Ukyo watched as one of Taro's tentacles pulled her combat spatula from 
her grip. Now disarmed, Ukyo didn't know what to do. 
  "Ukyo!" shouted Mousse. "Catch!" He threw a halberd at her feet. 
  Ukyo picked up the halberd nervously. "I don't know how to use this!" 
And just how did he get a polearm like this in his sleeves?!
  Flying through the air, in one smooth motion, Mousse produced an 
impossibly-large number of darts, waving them as they were fans. And in 
one swing, all of them were thrown, biting into Taro's hide before 
Mousse touched down. 
  Mousse threw several chained spears at Taro, but Taro caught them in 
one hand. Swinging them around, Taro sent Mousse into orbit. 
  Konatsu jumped in Mousse's place, tossing several darts from the folds 
of his costume. The darts hardly seemed to faze Taro, so Konatsu drew 
his blade, and descended for a debilitating strike on Taro's arm. 
  Ukyo watched as Taro swatted Konatsu away. He fell against the ground, 
hard, and lay unmoving. 
  "Konatsu!" Ukyo shouted, feeling the concern and anger within her. 
That monster will pay if he's hurt.... "Monster, whoever you are! I'll 
make you pay for harming MY friends!!"
  Raising halberd high, eyes glowing a brilliant red flame, Ukyo hacked 
at Taro, letting anger consume her. Taro snorted, feeling the blow as 
another would feel a scratch. Ukyo could almost hear the monster 
laughing, taunting her, as if telling her, 'What a worthless gesture,' 
and that made her hack at him with more fury. Hacking continuously, she 
cried, "Why... don't... you... die!!!!???"
  In the meantime, Ranma leaped on Taro's back, pummeling him on the 
back of the head. Taro's eel-tail snapped at Ranma wildly, trying to get 
rid of the annoying pest. Shampoo, having just returned from a hot water 
bath, picked up Konatsu's sword and joined Ukyo in hacking at Taro's 
tough hide. 
  Ling-ling and Lung-lung gathered their wits about them, raising their 
polearms. With Taro distracted, the two made their way to his flanks, 
one on each side. Raising their weapons, they shouted, "Dual technique: 
twin dragon nails!" With that, the twins ran their weapons into Taro's 
hide, biting deep. Taro howled in pain. 
  From far up in the sky, Mousse descended, feet-first, shouting "Raking 
hawk talons!" The nails attached to Mousse's sandals purchased into 
Taro's skin, and ripped several long scars as Mousse completed his 
descent. 
  Taro snorted in anger, then, throwing off Ranma, ascended into the 
air, and disappeared into the night. I've had quite enough of this 
gang-banging, he thought. Had the battle consisted of less, Taro 
would've wiped the floor with him, but to have six opponents at once, 
and being wounded in multiple areas.... Had the foolish principal 
listened to him, there would've been contingencies. Even the plans Taro 
made earlier were of no use anymore, as they'd already been implemented 
in this little incident. Oh well, good riddance to that little group of 
rabble, especially that crossdressing weasel that reminded Taro of 
Femme-boy too much. This battle wasn't over yet, hermaphrodite-boy. I'll 
be back for you later. 
  Ukyo raised her halberd high into the air, and shouted, "Come back 
here so I can kill you!!!"
  "Ukyo...." Ranma said, concerned. Placing a hand on her shoulder, 
control seemed to return to her. The fires in her eyes dimmed. 
  She looked around, a bit confused. "Ranchan?"
  "He's gone, it's over," Ranma answered. He held Ukyo by the shoulders 
firmly. "Are you okay?"
  "I... I don't know what got into me," explained Ukyo. 
  Ranma released his friend, then walked back to the entrance. There 
were only two other times Ranma remembered when Ukyo did this: when she 
first came to Nerima, and when she appeared at the first wedding. Then 
there was the possessing spirit, but that wasn't really Ukyo, or was it? 
Did he really know his best friend that well, or was there something 
inside her just waiting for blood? 
  Quite frankly, the bloodthirsty, merciless killer in Ukyo scared him. 
  "Ranma!" Akane called from the doorsteps. She ran out to her husband, 
and the two embraced, to Ranma's surprise. Rather, it was Akane who 
hugged Ranma. 
  She looked into Ranma's eyes. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
  "No, it's not me," assured Ranma. He looked over his shoulder, 
checking to make sure nobody was listening. "Akane, something's wrong 
with Ukyo."
  "Ranma, it all comes down to one thing," Akane said. "Do you really 
know Ukyo as well as you think you do?"
  "What kind of a question is that?" asked Ranma. 
  "Everybody has something to hide." Akane looked over Ranma's shoulder 
to Ukyo, who'd collapsed to the ground in exhaustion near Konatsu. 
Whatever it was, she hoped it wasn't something terrible. 
  Ryoga finished with Mikado, destroying his shoes with the 'breaking 
point' technique. Principal Kuno lay bound in Kodachi's ribbon, shears 
just out of reach. 
  Nabiki walked amidst the battle scene. "Now, if we're all through 
here, we've got somewhere to go."

  "This is highly unusual, Ms. Tendo," Mr. Tokuyama said. "But I am 
willing to listen to whatever you have to say." Silently, Tokuyama 
reclined in his large padded chair, crossing his legs, waiting for a 
response. 
  Thursday was dawning in the office of Tokuyama, with Nabiki and the 
rest crowded inside, Shampoo still holding Gosunkugi. 
  "I'd like to present to you one of the conspirators," Nabiki 
announced, "one who's made a full confession and implicated foul play on 
part of the band Old Cabbage."
  "Rubbish!" someone shouted, bursting into the office unannounced. It 
was the leader of Old Cabbage. "We've done nothing wrong, and I've never 
seen him in my life!"
  Gosunkugi looked elated. "Did you come to save me?"
  The Cabbage leader returned a dirty look.
  "I see you accepted my invitation," Nabiki commented to the Cabbage. 
To Gosunkugi she said, "Spill it."
  "I won't talk," Gosunkugi said defiantly. 
  "Oh too bad," Nabiki said, "I guess I'll have to go for plan 'B.'" 
>From a pocket Nabiki produced a tape recorder, the meaning of which 
Gosunkugi knew. "Be prepared, I say."
  After listening to the tape, Tokuyama concluded, "Perhaps my desire to 
find true talent has lead some on the road of corruption." To the 
Cabbage he said, "You're out."
  "I'll get you for this!" vowed the Cabbage as he left.
  "In any case," continued Tokuyama, "I'll allow the previously-dropped 
bands to return. So if you don't mind spread the word. The game's still 
on."

  It was not long, later that morning, before the authorities found and 
detained the rest of the conspirators, except for Pantyhose Taro and 
Tsubasa, who somehow eluded capture. To the Doco band it was no 
surprise. The entire Cabbage band, Mikado Sanzenin, Gosunkugi, the 
Gambling King, and Principal Kuno were being escorted to a waiting van 
just outside the Tokuyama building. 
  The band stood by as Mikado was carted by. When asked why, this was 
his reply: "I've vowed vengeance against Ranma; what more do I need?"
  The Gambling King said, "I've not played my cards right! Someone deal 
me another hand or I'll fold!" To his escort he said, "So, how about 
five card stud, nothing wild, hmmm? Winner goes free...." 
  Ukyo smashed his head in with her combat spatula. 
  The principal said, "None of my students should enjoy their summer 
vacation! I WILL make it a living hell for you all, especially for you, 
Saotome! Ahahahahahahaha!"
  Kuno stuffed a wad of yen into the van driver's hands. "Make sure THAT 
one is taken far, far away. I hear Abu Dhabi is good this time of year, 
my good man."
  Then Kodachi added, "The cargo plane need not land."
  The van driver nodded, accepting the money. 

  Nabiki stood backstage in her costume, waiting as the band set up 
their instruments on stage for the final competition. It was Saturday 
afternoon. The past two days were spent in frantic practice as 
adjustments were made in the song arrangements, despite being exhausted 
on Thursday. It was all for the better, Nabiki thought. She was glad 
Shampoo convinced her the other morning. 
  "Nabiki Tendo?"
  Nabiki turned, and saw Athena Asamiya. "Heya, pal."
  "I wanted to thank you, for helping me out," Athena said.
  "Don't mention it," Nabiki said, "Just don't tell the others I do 
favors for free. I did it for myself."
  "You're a strange one," Athena concluded. "Why do you like to hide 
your real self?"
  "Nabiki Tendo is a businesswoman," Nabiki said. "It wouldn't help any 
of my work if I had such a reputation. Everybody in Nerima knows, if you 
want something done, and done right, you come to Nabiki Tendo. With 
plenty of cash, of course." The sound of yen, lots and lots of yen, 
might have something to do with it....
  Athena checked her watch, and said, "You'd better get on stage. Best 
band wins."
  "Thanks," Nabiki said as she stepped on stage. She surveyed the band 
in the back, looking from one person to another, and back to when it all 
started a month ago. 
  Kuno, in center, sat behind his drum set, beating drumsticks together 
in anticipation. 
  Kodachi, with xylophones, and Ryoga, with gong, cymbals, and shakers, 
stood to Kuno's left, with Ling-ling and Lung-lung to his right. The 
twins were given some of the remaining percussion instruments, since 
this song didn't have wind instruments at all. Funny, after a whole 
month of practice, those Chinese twins still couldn't do two things at 
once. Ah well, such is the nature of the beast, Nabiki thought. It'll 
have to do. 
  Ukyo stood to the far right, alone with her keyboard, dressed in plain 
clothes, her flute resting across the top of the keyboard. She wore her 
good-luck pair of jade dragon earrings, passed through generations of 
the Kuonji family. One couldn't help but notice her bandoleer and combat 
spatula on her, which then drew attention to her face, and then the 
hearts of men melted... everything about her was so perfect, she could 
get any guy she wanted.... 
  Dammit, Nabiki, stop thinking like that! You'll get jealous this way! 
  Then there was Mousse, Akari, and Konatsu, down one tier below the 
others, with their respective string instruments, the bass, violin, and 
guitar. All three of them had come far, considering how Akari and 
Konatsu never touched string instruments before, and Mousse in that he 
learned to play something different. 
  Beside Nabiki, on the left and right, were onna-Ranma, Akane, Kasumi, 
and Shampoo, all dressed and ready to go. Kasumi took a sip of water 
from a paper cup, then set it down on a nearby stool. 
  All gathered were ready. Nabiki looked over off-stage, where her 
father, her in-laws, and Cologne waited and watched, proudly. 
  "Okay everybody," Nabiki started, "no matter what happens, just 
remember that you've all come very far in the past month. From a 
barely-stable band to a tightly-knit group, I must say watching the 
transformation and being a part of it was fun. And it's a pleasure to 
save the best for last."
  Kuno voiced, "I must admit, since day one I've had my doubts of your 
ability to pull such a feat off, Nabiki Tendo. Remind me, when we make 
it to Hawaii, to thank you properly." And it won't be a date, he 
reminded himself. 
  "I just want to say how we've all changed," Ukyo called from her 
position on the stage. "For the better, I suppose." She stole a glance 
at Nabiki, who raised an eyebrow suspiciously. 
  "Hah, there's potential in some of you commoners yet!" Kodachi 
exclaimed, followed by her trademark, wicked laugh. 
  "If any of you still have any doubts," Nabiki said in conclusion, 
"just remember one thing: no matter what, we're number one!"
  "We're number one!" all shouted in unison. The curtains were drawn. 
The crowd went wild with anticipation as the song began....

 					*  *  *  *  *
Equal ROMANSU (Equal Romance)
Note: think X-mas OAV; from Karuta CD

[(Akane) With just empty kindness,
 (All) my heart is in pain.
 Love is always loneliness
 into your arms, ah.....]

(All) Darlin'
Just For Me  I'll be waiting.
(Shampoo) I want to make your heart thrill. (glance at Ranma, then 
Mousse)
(All) Your fingertips lead to romance.
Our destiny is surely Fallin' Love

(Kasumi) Tonight, it's strange
in a stopped car at the coast,
(Nabiki) the two of us, even being this close,
(Akane) why do unseen barriers get in the way? (glance at Ranma)
(All) Tears are about to overflow.
[Fallin' Love]

Darlin'
Just For You  I won't stray.
(Ranma) Please make my heart throb strongly.
(All) From your eyes, romance begins.
More than anyone, I love you. 
Catch my love 

(Ling-ling and Lung-lung) Tonight, look at the
lipstick I put on for the first time,
(Ukyo) but you, your love quietly turns away. (glance at Ranma)
(Kodachi) Now if you care for me, [eh-heee...] (fall black rose petals)
(All) I want you to hold me.
[Catch My Love]

Darlin'
Just For Me  I'll be waiting.
I want to make your heart thrill.
Your fingertips lead to romance.
Our destiny is surely Fallin' Love

(Mousse and Konatsu kick in for about 20 seconds)

(Akari) With just empty kindness,
my heart is in pain. 
(All) Love is always loneliness
into your arms, ah.

Darlin'
Just For Me  I'll be waiting.
I want to make your heart thrill.
Your fingertips lead to romance.
Our destiny is surely Fallin' Love

(Mousse throws confetti and firecrackers into the air. Crowd cheers)
 					*  *  *  *  *



concluded in part 6
----------------------------

"That's my story and I'm sticking to it."--JMS, creator of Babylon 5. 
"If you go to Z'ha'dum, you will die."--Kosh, Babylon 5.
"Jump. Jump now!"--Kosh, Babylon 5, making some sense. 

--Razorclaw X

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